Tag Archives: family

Quick Healthy Soup Recipe for the Holidays

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Winter arrived over night and ushered in another busy holiday season. Caring for our family and others can leave us unprepared to cope with menu changes . A warm bowl of healthy soup could be  just what the doctor ordered to help get us through another season.

Knowing we were stretched for time and energy, a  friend stopped by this week with a huge pot of freshly made chicken noodle  soup. It was so good and so simple, I asked for the recipe to share with you.  Beginning with rotisserie chicken and frozen noodles, this dish is easily adapted to individual tastes and dietary needs.

Following the recipe, I will give you some great ideas for the other half of the chicken plus suggestions to add variety to the soup.

Our local store had large rotisserie chickens on sale this week so I purchased several for the freezer. Choose plump, freshly cooked chickens and use or refrigerate right away.

Basic Recipe

½ rotisserie chicken, boned and cubed

16 oz pkg. frozen noodles

1 package frozen mixed vegetables

1 can cream of chicken soup

Add water as needed for extra broth

Add onion flakes, salt, and pepper to taste

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Add additional ingredients and cook slowly until vegetables are soft.

Suggestions: top with grated cheese and oyster crackers; use canned veggies instead of frozen; use dried noodles if preferred; add garlic powder or freshly ground pepper for variety richer taste. The variations are endless with this recipe, a great staple on a cold winter’s day.

Freeze the other half of the chicken if you aren’t going to use it in a couple of days. When ready, heat and serve with a baked potato, salad, and vegetable or fruit for a wholesome meal. Slice leftover chicken for sandwiches. Heat with barbeque sauce and serve with fries for a tasty lunch. Extra broth made from boiling the bones and scraps adds more flavor and nutrition to your soups or casserole dishes.

A personal note: I have found items such as this chicken to be time-savers for me without having to turn to boxed foods or prepared meals. The meat is fresh and can be used in a variety of healthy ways. Let me hear from you; what works for you in your busy kitchen as you care for others?

Hugs,

For more recipes and helpful articles click on the Articles for Caregivers tab above. Also sign up for my newsletter for more hugs and helps.

Mealtime Variety with Two Quick Healthy Recipes

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Crisp, cool air reminds us autumn is here. For our family we search for quick, healthy foods that offer nutrition and variety to match the changing seasons.
With little cabinet space and less time, I am always on the lookout for meals I can prepare quickly without much cleanup. I enjoy finding recipes that use foods on sale. For instance, shredded cabbage this week was ½ price. My family turns a nose up to traditional coleslaw but  found this new cabbage  dish quite tasty.
Apple Cabbage Salad (easy to double/triple)
Mix together ½ cup walnuts-broken in small pieces, 1 cup tart apples-chopped, and 1 cup cabbage-shredded.
To vegetables add just enough mayonnaise (or yogurt or sour cream) to moisten. Dress it up: scoop onto a cabbage or lettuce leaf, sprinkle with paprika.
Personalize the recipe by adding craisins, sunflower seeds, or pineapple tidbits. Experiment with finely chopped green onions, celery, peppers, or other veggies your family enjoys.

Here is a tasty warm casserole using shredded cabbage and apples.
Apple Stuffed Cabbage
1 medium head cabbage (about 2 pkgs. shredded)
2 cups hot water
5 tablespoons bacon crumbles
salt and pepper to taste
Mix above ingredients together and bake in lightly greased casserole dish at 375 for 20minutes.
Peel and core 3 large apples. Remove casserole from the oven, make indentations in cabbage mixture for the apples. When apples are nested in cabbage, add 1/8 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon vinegar to center of each apple. Dot with butter and return to oven for another 30 minutes. Will serve six.
You know already that I have another idea for this one. Instead of using the apple whole, I like to cut the apple in thick slices and arrange them on top of the cabbage. Mix the vinegar and brown sugar and sprinkle on top, dot with butter and finish baking.
NOTE: If you have space for a food processor and a little time, you can shred your own cabbage; for my schedule and space, pre-shredded works well.
Either of these dishes are easy to make; fun and nutritious. Cabbage is rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and fiber. Another good use for shredded cabbage is tossing it in soups and stews.

For more recipes, check out my e-zine articles under the Articles for Caregivers  tab at the top of this page.

Hugs and happy, healthy eating,

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Join Me in a Healthier Summer

Join me in a healthier summer

Taco Tomatoes

Chili Chicken with Hominy Hash

Join Me in a Healthy Lifestyle

Join me in a healthier summer; that means eating better and moving more. Are you ready to roll?

Let’s face it, whether you are single or have a large family, a caregiver, or have small children, it’s difficult to serve nutritious meals every day.  Often it seems easier and quicker to use fast foods or boxed mixes.

Add to that, it’s difficult to find (or make) time to exercise properly. Summer is here and my bod’s not ready, how about yours?

Finding myself unable to do some of my basic tasks has reminded me of the need to make daily changes to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Here are a few of my goals for a healthier summer. Want to join me?

#1 Plan what I will eat each day.

Plan what I will eat each day” Hmmm! I plan already, I plan to eat all that’s set before me! Well, I don’t think that’s much of a plan, do you? The truth is, without another plan, my healthy lifestyle is doomed from day one.

Sadly I admit  I have all too often relied on fast foods or boxed mixes because they are easy and at least seem to be cheaper to prepare. Click here for healthy, quick meals that are easy on the budget!

#2 Determine my triggers. 

I took time to look at my most troubling foods and determined to eliminate those as much as possible. (Goodbye salty snacks and bargain baked goods!) What are some of your triggers that could be eliminated or cut down a bit? Bread, sugars, others?

#3 Incorporate movent.

To incorporate movent is simply plan to move more., get some exercise each day. I did better this week because I planned for at least ten minutes of exercise in the early morning.  My main challenge is to make myself get up and at least stretch a bit or walk through the house every hour or so. It’s easy to spend two or three hours glued to my seat as I finish an article or work on the computer.

#4 Make it fun and enjoyable.

I enjoy walking, especially in our woods. I used to walk down the hill through the walnut grove and across our little bridge. Truthfully, today I can’t walk around the outside of our home without stopping to rest. (Sad to admit, but honest!)

What is your main challenge to a healthy lifestyle? If you need more exercise, remember to begin slow. We seem to think we need to begin with hours of exercise. A few minutes a day can and will make a world of difference, especially in how you feel–you will feel better and look better.

Here is another great link for healthy, easy meals. Enjoy and please let me hear what is working for you.

Healthy Hugs,

Have you checked out Quick Nutritious Meals for Your Family?