organic fruits

Non- Chicken Noodle Soup

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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!

‘Tis the season for Blueberries!

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Blueberries are in season, and when they are in season they are GOOD!  I am not the biggest blueberry fan.  In fact, up until a few years ago, I pretty much hated them.  They were the fruit I threw in the garden when my grandma wasn’t looking because she put them in her fruit salad and I disliked the taste that much!

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So, when my friend suggested blueberry picking a few years ago, I was skeptical because I knew how much I really did not like them.  However, because of her son, I went.  After picking the first one, I was happy we decided to go and was hooked on farm fresh, organic blueberries, however not a fan of the store bought ones.

I realized the difference between the two- one being from the supermarket and one being from a farm- the pesticides on the blueberries from the store must have made them taste differently to me.  Blueberries have 52 known pesticides on them including Carcinogens, Hormone disruptors, and others.  If there are 52 known pesticides, I am sure there are many more that are unknown.

When buying organic and local, not only am I helping out the farm that I am purchasing them from, but I am also helping my body by eating organic foods without all the pesticides that will kill my body, and taste buds.

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Now that I do like blueberries, we went blueberry picking again this past Monday and we picked only 7 pounds of blueberries!  Yes- 7 pounds!  I did have to put a bunch in my freezer so they would not all go bad!

Not only do they taste good, they are very beneficial to the body-

– Packed with vitamin C, E, B2, Niacin, and Folate

– Phytonutrient Quercetin can reduce severity of allergies when eaten continuously day to day

–  Contains minerals such as Iron, Magnesium, and Potassium

–  Contains Salicylic Acid- which helps with thinning of the blood and reduces pain making it a natural form of aspirin.

– Rich in Proanthocyanidins which can help decrease wrinkling and disease associated with aging.

– Because of Catechins that are found in blueberries, which activate fat burning cells, they can aid in weight loss, especially belly fat surrounding the abdominals.

Blueberries are good for the body, for the skin, and most of all your taste buds!  Do yourself a favor and pick up some organic blueberries today from your local farm or farmer’s market- I promise, you will not be sorry!

Eat them from your hands, with some yogurt, in a smoothie, or even add them to your favorite salad!

When you know what you are eating, your body will thank you!