Its the Chicken Soup Time of the Year!

Great Ways to make YOUR Chicken *Noodle Soup Easy, Delicious and Better for YOU!

(use wheat noodles OR carrot noodles to make this soup gluten free)

2 TB Canola or Grapeseed Oil

1 Cup Chopped Yellow Onion

1 Cup Chopped Carrots

            *Swap out some of your carrots for parsnips

1 Cup Chopped Celery

            *Swap out some of the celery for fennel

1 Tsp Turmeric

            *You’re adding the power of Curcumin to your soup, a powerful anti-inflammatory!

½ Tsp EACH Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

2 Grated Garlic Cloves

2 Chicken Breasts, bone in and skinless

            *Bone-in Chicken tastes better.

8 Cups Tap Water

            *No packaged stock necessary – the chicken will create its on stock!

6 – 8 OZ Egg Noodles

            *Add spiralized carrots instead of noodles

1 TB Chopped Parsley

Additional Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

Step One

Warm the oil over medium high heat and then add the onion, carrots and celery  along with the turmeric, salt and pepper to a large stockpot. Sauté over medium heat for about 7 -8 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent. Add the garlic and cook and stir until aromatic, about one minute.

Step Two

Add the breasts to the pot along with the eight cups of water. Cover the pot, bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for one hour.

Step Three

After an hour of simmering, remove the chicken from the pot. Using two forks, pull the meat from the bone and shred. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step Four

Add the noodles to the pot, turn the heat up to high, and boil the noodles until tender (about 7 minutes). Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Taste and season again with salt and pepper if needed, and stir the parsley into the soup.

LOOK at this beautiful bowl of the soup below! We used the spiralizer to create carrot noodles. Using carrots instead of traditional noodles, means the soup is gluten free and you get even more veggies to count towards your 5 to 7 portions per day!

Yummy Healthy Snacks for (Almost) Spring!

It's the end of February and Heart Health month is almost over – but we’re rolling right into bathing suit season! Here in the south, in less than 2 months we are heading for the pool or the beach. Here’s three EASY and DELICIOUS ways to welcome March with feel good yummy food - with fast and accessible ingredients to make feeling good easy.

Black Bean and Avocado Hummus

Making the Most of an Avocado by including it in a dip to make the dip creamy.

A serving of Guac is 2 TB - Who eats 2 TB?

Using Fresh Herbs – Cilantro

Serve with Crudité instead of chips

1 Large Garlic Clove

3 Cups (2 Cans) Black Beans, rinsed and drained

2 TB Fresh Lime Juice

¼ Cup Packed Cup Cilantro

½ of a Peeled Avocado

Sea Salt to Taste

Add the ingredients from the garlic to the avocado to a food processor and blend until smooth. Sprinkle with salt and serve with crudité.

Maple Syrup Vinaigrette

What to do with Roasted Veggies

Using sugar appropriately

Using Fresh Herbs – Ginger

Making Your Own Salad Dressing

Sweet OR Savory Dressing – use if for fresh fruit too.

2 TB Apple Cider Vinegar

¼ Tsp Sea Salt

3 TB Maple Syrup

2 Tsp Grated Fresh Ginger

½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Add all the ingredients to a jar and shake well. Serve with roasted root vegetables like sweet potatoes and red onions, parsnips, turnips, etc.

Choose three or more veggies; toss them with a little olive oil or spray well with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper, (add a sprinkle of any spice or spice mix that you like), and place in a PREHEATED 400F oven until soft and brown on the edges, about 45 minutes for root veggies.

OR Toss with Fresh Fruit like sliced Apples, Pears – or make it tropical with mangoes, pineapples or even oranges.

Salted Peanut Chocolate Bites

Grocery Store Healthy Choice – being a label detective

Making it better

2 Cups Whole Me Salted Peanut Chocolate Bites, crushed

(Or Your Favorite Granola)

2 Tsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 Log Goat Cheese

Pretzel Sticks

Whisk the Almond Bites and Chocolate together and place on a plate. Make small balls out of the goat cheese and roll in the almond bites. Skewer with a pretzel stick and serve.

Everything on Your Plate - The Peach and The Porkchop

“If you ever open a restaurant together, you should name it Peach and The Porkchop” said the co-owner’s father. You gotta love a restaurant that’s takes itself SO lightly that it’s named after Peach - the wife and her husband - Porkchop. Located in the far reaches of Roswell, (okay so now you know I’m ITP) this restaurant is worth the drive. No, really. Let me tell you why.

It’s been over a month since my visit, and although a really delicious memory, I’ve procrastinated about putting my enthusiasm in print. But, I’m at the Georgia Organics conference this weekend celebrating local food and farmers, the best that our state has to offer. (Love rubbing shoulders with others who are conscious in their food decisions and know how to enjoy good food.) So naturally, The Peach and the Porkchop burbled to the top of my mind.

As an Atlanta Food Blogger, I’m lucky to get invites to eat out weekly. One reason I don’t attend many is they don’t fit my point-of-view, and there are lots of writers out there who do a great job of reviewing. As a Healthy Chef Partyologist, I appreciate a well-made chicken wing. I LOVE French fries, and a good steak every once in a while makes me a very happy camper. (Ditto on a craft cocktail or excellent glass of wine.) Don’t call me a food Nazi I’m not. I just prefer to treat that tangle of fries as a real treat, and I think its lots easier to find a good steak in this town than it is to find a great veggie plate or food that honors our place in the South.

So when “Porkchop” beginning rattling off his list of local purveyors, I was intrigued. It not often you find an owner who can tell you where his lettuce last grew, the pasture his beef last grazed and the name of every vegetable farmer who contributed to a plate. The results of the restaurant’s local sourcing and the skill of the chef, Keegan Hughes were beautiful and delicious.

Some of my favorites? Lets start at the beginning…with drinks. Two luscious cocktails with clean and clear flavors appeared. The thyme in the Bourbon Peach Thyme Smash was just the right touch and the London Dry Gin and Green Tea drink named the “Writers Block” hit only high notes. As for other libations, I was surprised to see a diverse wine list with more than the usual suspects appearing. Congrats to wine director Brendan.

My favorite of the appetizers, the tea glazed deviled eggs were interesting and pretty. Two salads were served, both yummy, but the P and P really rocked. Pickled baby heirloom tomato, crispy chickpeas, cilantro, cucumber, shaved pecorino gran cru drizzled with a honey lime vinaigrette. (I’ve had dreams about how good that pickled tomato would taste nestled in a very dry gin martini.)

Of the entrees, two rang my bell. The trout topping broccolini with pancetta jalapeño creamed corn was notable for its intensity of flavor. And the massive pork chop was tender and juicy, its bed of greens cooked perfectly.

Oh, and did I mention dessert? Yes, the group devoured decadent, gorgeous towers of chocolate and cheesecake, coconut cake and more. The tiny glass of Choc-zilla Adult Milkshake made my evening perfect. Chocolate liqueur and Van Gogh vanilla vodka over chocolate ice cream, count me in.

I’m glad I traveled - It's a legit culinary destination for those of us who take pleasure in good food and where it comes from. Every menu item I tasted was scrumptious; I’ve just talked about my favorites here. Word to the wise: plan on sharing plates with two or even four eaters, or take home lunch for the week. (Portions are ginormous so know this before you order.)

Fellow Atlantan, go. It’s worth the traffic and worth exploring. For those of you who live in Roswell, Alpharetta and points beyond, this should be your local hangout. Especially families, since out of the 23 kid-friendly menu options only the ice cream is frozen. This should be a BIG draw. Better yet, ask me to dinner. I’ll split the porkchop with you!

Full disclosure - my meal was absolutely free, I enjoyed it and have already sent friends back!
The Peach and The Porkchop

Slightly North of South

12040 Etris Rd, D100, Roswell, GA.