With fast food restaurants on every corner it can be a little challenging to eat healthy. Add to this the busy schedule of mothers with their children and people end of grabbing whatever is available and the fastest only to face some serious health consequences later on. In this article I will share with you some great tips for soups on the go to ensure that the food that you grab will be much healthier.
Unhealthy eating habits in the moment don’t seem like such a big deal but just look at the state of people in North American and you can clearly see the results of unhealthy eating habits. The question on many mother’s mind is, “How can I feed my family healthier meals when I always feel so crunched for time?”
One sure fire method is to prepare foods that can be easily taken along with you. One of these foods that I love is soup. Soup is not only filling and tasty but is an excellent dish for all seasons especially on a cold winter evening. You know about hot soups but there also cold soups.
Many soups that you may traditionally think of eating warm are also quite good consumed lukewarm or cold.
Your first task is to select your favorite type of soup. We all know about the evergreen chicken noodle soup. Remember those nights when you felt a little bit under the whether and your mom would bring you that warm chicken broth to help soothe your aching throat? Campbell’s has a fairly decent soup that you can throw in the microwave which can be ideal for eating on the go, but we are going to go a totally different route and make a much healthier soup.
The best thing about making soup is that there is no guesswork as to what ingredients are in the soup. Since eating healthier is our goal, preparing your own soup at home is the ideal way to go. Regardless of the variety of soup you choose to make, it’s imperative that you always use fresh ingredients. Some other items that will come in handy is a good blender along a rubbermaid storage set with easy to fit lids.
Now let’s begin to create your very own soup on the go. A good soup always begins with the stock. If you’re making chicken soup then make the broth by boiling the remains of chicken that were from the dinner you had earlier. Add to this your favorite seasoning and herbs and boil until the chicken bones are nice and clean. If you have any meat left over be sure to include it in the broth. Allow the broth to completely cool and they place it into an air-tight storage container.
If you prefer a beef or vegetable soup then its perfectly fine to use a commercially canned broth or bouillon cubes for the base of your time saving soup. Be sure to season the stock well and boil before you add any other ingredients. Once your stock is done it’s time to add your favorite vegetables.
Allow the soup time to cool and then pour it into your storage containers.
Now, what about that blender that we mentioned earlier? It’s a bit challenging to eat soup the traditional way while driving and if you are serving to your children, the combination of a car and soup in a bowl can be a disaster waiting to happen. This is where the blender comes into the picture.
Pour some of the soup into the blender and blend until the pieces are small enough for you to swallow without choking. You can even puree the soup completely if you’d prefer. For a thicker texture, add a bit of cream soup. Now, your soup is perfect for distributing in your to-go containers.
The ideal cup would be a coffee mug with a lid. These types of cups have a wide opening perfect for drinking soups from. Be sure to prepare enough soup for the entire week. You can take the soup with you while you’re out shopping, working in the garden or to work. A cup of soup is packed with healthy nutrients and it won’t mess up the car or cramp your busy lifestyle. The next time you don’t have time to eat, reach for a cup of healthy homemade soup instead of pulling into that fast food drive thru.
Homemade Chicken Recipe
- 1 (3 1/2-pound) Whole Chicken
- 3 quart(s) Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- 6 Carrots, peeled
- 4 stalk(s) Celery, ends trimmed
- 3 medium Onions, peeled
- 5 Black Peppercorns
- 1 clove(s) Garlic, crushed
- 10 sprig(s) Parsley
- 2 sprig(s) Thyme
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 tablespoon(s) Unsalted Butter
- 4 Leeks, tops and root ends removed
- 1 teaspoon(s) Salt
- 1 teaspoon(s) Fresh-Ground Pepper
- 3 cup(s) (5 ounces) Medium Egg Noodles
Directions
- Make the stock: Place the chicken and chicken broth in a large stockpot and set it over medium heat. Roughly chop 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, and 1 onion and add to the broth. Add the peppercorns, garlic, 2 sprigs of parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and enough water to just cover the chicken. Bring the broth to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the chicken is very tender — about 1 1/4 hours — skimming the surface periodically. Remove the chicken and place in a large bowl. Strain the broth through a very fine sieve into a large, clean bowl or stockpot. Discard the vegetables.
- Make the soup: Skim any fat off the top of the strained broth and discard. Slice the remaining carrots, celery, onions, and leeks into 1/4-inch-thick pieces and set aside. Remove and discard the skin and bones from the chicken, cut meat into 1/2-inch pieces, and set aside. Chop the remaining parsley leaves and set aside. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook until the onions are translucent — about 7 minutes. Add the chicken, the reserved broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer the soup until the vegetables are tender — about 1 hour. Stir in the egg noodles and parsley and cook until the noodles are tender — about 10 more minutes. Serve hot.
