Crock-Pot Chicken & Right Rice Soup

Like a 45-year-old mom, I love a crock-pot meal. This Chicken & Right Rice soup as SO much flavor for being a simple crock-pot soup. I love how the Right Rice is a nod to the texture of noodles in chicken noodle soup and the shape of rice like in chicken & rice soup. It’s hearty, grain free, and has great protein from the chicken and bone broth. Enjoy!

Crock-Pot Chicken & Right Rice Soup
yields 4-5 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breasts
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups chicken bone broth (stock or regular broth will do)
3/4 cup original Right Rice*
salt and pepper
1/4 cup of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1-2 springs fresh rosemary, chopped
parmesan rind if you have one

Directions:
Lightly coat your crock-pot with a nonstick spray. Arrange the chicken breasts along the bottom of your pot. Add the carrots, celery, and garlic on top. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in 4 cups of chicken bone broth. Note, your rice will go in later.

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 1/2 hours. After the initial cooking, add the 3/4 cup of dry, uncooked Right Rice, 2 tbsp. parsley and 1 tbsp. rosemary, and continue to cook for 2 hours on low or 1 hour on high**. If you have a leftover parmesan rind, now is the time to add it. The parmesan rind gives it an extra level of flavor, but is not necessary!

After the cooking time, remove the chicken from the crock-pot and place it on a plate or cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken and then place it back in the crock-pot. Add additional broth or water if your soup has over thickened from the Right Rice.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of remaining parsley, rosemary, and fresh cracked black pepper. The soup is good to last in the fridge for up to 5 days.

*The Right Rice can be substituted for brown rice, orzo, or Israeli couscous.
**Cooking times are relative to how hot your crock-pot cooks. I prefer cooking on high for a shorter amount of time. 3 1/2 hours of total cooking time was perfect for me! Check your chicken occasionally to make sure you aren’t overcooking it.

Annie

Turmeric Chicken Zoodle Soup

I originally published this post in January 2017. After partnering with CeCe’s Veggie Co. I knew this was the perfect recipe to use their zucchini noodles in and decided to update the post and photos. Enjoy!

I first developed this recipe in January 2017 right after being gifted a spiralizer for Christmas. While a spiralizer is a great invention, I can’t say I’ve used it much since, well, January 2017. Sorry Santa *cough mom and dad cough*. It was all bright shiny and new at the time, but it’s a bit of a chore to pull out when I’m trying to make an easy dinner.

Enter CeCe’s Veggie Co. They have created packs of already spiralized zucchini, sweet potato, butternut squash, beets, riced cauliflower and more. I’m usually not one to buy pre-cut vegetables or fruit, but this is one I can get behind. I’m willing to pay a little extra for a healthy swap from the traditional noodle and of course for the convenience.

I love using CeCe’s Zucchini Spirals in this soup instead of weighing down what could be a healthy soup with starchy noodles. The turmeric addition gives it that quintessential yellow color and is an added boost to what people think of as a cold-curing meal. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory meaning it helps soothe sore muscles, stomach aches, helps with cramps and bloating, and is a natural detoxifier of the gut. Warning, be careful when using turmeric because it can stain everything! Wash your pots and pans immediately after using them. I’ve been left with a neon yellow woden spoon from the recipe that I’m not sure I can salvage.

Turmeric Chicken Zoodle Soup adapted from Damn Delicious
yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks or 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion or 1/2 a large onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups chicken bone broth
1 cup water
1 package CeCe’s Organic Zucchini Spirals (or 3 zucchini if you are spiralizing yourself)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 sprig fresh rosemary, some leaves reserved
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:
This soup comes together quickly so you want everything ready to go. Start by dicing your chicken (or shredding if you are using a rotisserie chicken) and veggies.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season diced chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the stockpot and cook until golden, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from pot and place on a plate to set aside.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the stockpot. Add garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the turmeric, thyme and add the sprig of rosemary. Let simmer until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add in chicken stock and 1 cup of water; bring to a boil. Stir in zucchini noodles* and chicken; reduce heat and simmer until zucchini is tender, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the sprig of rosemary. Serve garnished with extra rosemary and parsley, if desired.

*If you are meal prepping this soup, omit adding your zucchini noodles until right before you serve. When ready to serve, ladle your soup into a bowl and add a handful of zucchini noodles. As you reheat the soup the zucchini will become tender. The soup will stay good for one week in the fridge.

Annie

Thank you Cece’s Veggie Co. for letting me work with you. While I was compensated for this post, all thoughts and words are 100% my own.

Crock-Pot Verde Turkey Chili

I originally published this post in November 2014. It’s been such a hit with friends and followers (and let’s be honest, with me too), that I decided to update the post and photos. Enjoy!

When someone asks me for a recipe recommendation from my blog, the one I suggest the most is this chili. It’s made in the Crock-Pot so it’s basically no fail, and with minimal ingredients it’s cheap to throw together and relatively healthy.

Once the temperatures dip slightly, this recipe quickly gets thrown into rotation. The temps have yet to drop in Dallas, but it’s October so I’m ignoring mother nature and cooking what I seasonally want.

Crock-Pot Verde Turkey Chili
yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 can white navy beans
1 package frozen bell peppers
2 (12-16 oz) jars of verde salsa, I use Trader Joe’s
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
Topping ideas: Fritos, plantain chips, cheese, avocado, sour cream, greek yogurt, lime and cilantro

Directions:
Cook your turkey meat in a non-stick pan. Once your turkey is cooked through, strain it. Next, strain your beans. In your Crock-Pot, add the cooked turkey meat, drained beans, frozen veggies, salsa and seasonings. Stir to combine.

Set your Crock-Pot to cook 4-5 hours or high or cook 6-7 hours on low. Taste the chili and add more cumin and chili powder if necessary.

Top with your choice of toppings. Fritos and chili go hand in hand for me, but I love swapping the highly addicting (and my favorite chip) for a healthier option like plantain chips.

For a fun side-by-side to show you how things have developed after 6 years of blogging…Picture on the right, currently, picture on the left circa 2014 on my iphone3.

And a note from my original 2014 post “it’s even better the next day.” Which 5 years later I can still attest to.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Downhill to the holidays, who’s ready?

-Friends who fall.
-Cauliflower Soup that is Whole 30 and tastes like potato soup!
-Frenchie lunch with maman at the delightful Cafe Cuvee located inside the Ambassador Hotel in Midtown, Oklahoma City.
-Birthday brandy ices for Lele!
-Celery juice on brand for Halloween. My friend Chloe and I have been consistently juicing every weekday morning for the past few weeks. My skin has been so clear and soft with this new routine.
-Because every sugar filled Halloween needs a little salt! Morton Salt Girl stole the show!
-Will we get the final rose? I’ve been saving this costume idea for awhile and I think we pulled off our Bachelor contestant costumes off quite well.
-Fun fact: I have never used Postmates or any delivery service, except maybe pizza back in 2007. But I was feeling tired and lazy to another level on Saturday and had a completely empty fridge. Panera delivery to the rescue (and it won’t be the last time)
-Cauliflower Soup still going strong.

Annie

Extra bite: If you need a little positivity in your feed, give this account a follow.

Cauliflower Soup (Whole 30)

Hello soup season! This time of year, if it’s served in a bowl, I’m game. Some of my favorite soups include this one, this one and this one. This cauliflower soup is simple, but real good. It resembles potato soup, but a little healthier for you. Not to mention whole 30 compliant and vegan depending what type of broth you use!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 heads of cauliflower, cut into florets
32 oz cups of chicken, veggie or brone broth (TJ’s is now selling this and I love it)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
*½ cup coconut cream from coconut milk (the thick stuff from the top of the coconut milk can - do not shake!)
chopped green onions, cayenne and olive oil for garnish

Directions:
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Sauté until the onions are cooked down and translucent. 

Add the cauliflower florets to the pot and pour in the broth. Turn the heat to medium and cover the pot. Let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. It’s done when the cauliflower is fork tender. Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree the soup until very smooth. An immersion blender is ideal, but if you are using a food processor, puree in 2 to 3 batches to avoid an extreme mess. (I know this because I do not have an immersion blender, and while the processor worked, it was messy).

After pureed, pour back into your soup pot unless you used an immersion blender. Whisk in the coconut cream. Add a pinch more of salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick you can add a bit more broth. 

Serve with a garnish of chopped green onions, a pinch of cayenne and a fancy drizzle of olive oil. A little cheddar cheese or crispy bacon bits would be great too to resemble potato soup! Great by itself but would also be great with a piece of crusty bread or a kale salad on the side. 

*Grocery stores sell "coconut cream," DON'T buy that. Buy regular coconut milk in a can. Do not shake the can of coconut milk. Open with a can opener and scoop out the thick cream from the top. Discard the rest. 

Annie