Non- Chicken Noodle Soup

IMG_6453 It is officially cold and flu season.  I am pretty sure it started a few months ago, but as someone who rarely gets sick, I wasn’t phased by it.  I felt badly for those who have been suffering, but considered myself lucky for the past few years for not catching any sort of sickness.  Whether it is luck, my diet, or something else, I can not complain.  Well, that was until this past Friday, where I found myself bed ridden with a bad sore throat and a stuffy nose.  

I am not a complainer, but the fact that I couldn’t take anything for this because of my pregnancy made it even worse.  Sore, dry throat in a dry condo is no fun!  At all.  So it was liquids all day.

Because I was starving, and I could barely swallow, I decided to experiment in the kitchen and make myself some non-chicken noodle soup!  It was beyond delicious, and it only took about 45 minutes, start to finish, to make!  Winning on a day you feel like dying!

Ingredients

8 cups of water

6 organic chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes (up to 8- depends on how you want it to taste)

5 long carrots- peeled and diced

4 Pieces of celery- diced

1 onion- diced

2 cups No Yolks Egg White Noodles- whole grain

1 table spoon coconut oil or butter

1.5 tablespoons Thyme

1 table spoon black pepper

Over medium-high heat, boil water with bouillon cubes in stock pot or large saucepan.  Allow cubes to dissolve.  Stir occasionally.

While bouillon cubes are boiling in water- over medium heat, add coconut oil to pan and sauté carrots.  Once tender, add to the broth. Follow with celery and onions.  Start with the carrots because those take the longest.

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Add into the broth turn heat down and allow to simmer for about 25 minutes.

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Add noodles for last 5-10 minutes, or until tender.

Pour some into a bowl and enjoy!

Enjoy this on a cold day, like the ones we have been experiencing lately, or on a day when you are so sick and eating solid foods makes you feel like the world is ending!

I was craving soup, and obviously my body needed it.  Two days later, I am feeling so much better.  I have been eating this at least one time a day since Friday. Not saying this is what made me feel better, I have also been sipping on hot water with lemon and honey, but the soup definitely is a plus to getting better faster!

When you cook your own foods, it may take longer, but you know exactly what you are eating and putting in your body, and for that you will recover faster and feel better in no time!

Enjoy!

Superbowl Brownie Bites!

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As everyone knows, I have had a sweet tooth for the last nine months.  My best friend sent me a link last weekend of healthy brownie bites, and me being the health crazed person I am read the ingredients, health-ified it even more and made them for myself and husband for this week.  OMG- They were delish.

The sweet potato adds a sweetness to it so you do not need as much sugar as you would in normal brownies, and it makes it healthier so you do not have to feel guilty when you eat more than one!

The original recipe can be found here.

My recipe-

  • 1 large sweet potato- I do not recommend microwaving- steam or bake it.  It does take a little bit longer, but it is better for you, and will add to the flavor!
  • 1/3 cup hot coffee- Freshly brewed
  • 1/3 cup mini peanut butter chips to give it a chocolate peanut butter taste
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil- melted
  • 4 tablespoons of applesauce
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar – Brown sugar can be just as bad as white sugar, and coconut sugar can actually keep blood sugar levels stable rather than spike it up which causes you to crash later on
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup gluten free all purpose flour- Bob’s Red Mill
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350-

Bake Sweet potato until soft.  Scoop out one cup of flesh and put to the side

Pour hot coffee over the peanut butter chips and stir until completely melted in a small bowlIMG_6337

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In a large bowl- combine the  sweet potato, coconut oil, applesauce, sugar and vanilla. Stir to combine. Then add the chocolate coffee mixture to the sweet potato mixture and mix well.

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In a another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt. Add mixture to the sweet potato mixture and stir just to combine.

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Using mini cupcake tin, fill 3/4 and bake for 8 minutes.

I added chocolate chips (Enjoy Life- which are allergy friendly) and peanut butter chips on top before baking to add some flavor!

(I changed the recipe to make it Healthy Living with Alix approved, but the directions have stayed the same from the recipe above)

Enjoy!

This is a perfect dessert for the Super Bowl, or any other winter get together.  Or just a yummy, healthy treat to enjoy during the cold winter months!