better than tortilla soup
Welcome to those who were just scanning the web and serendipitously landed on my humble site 👋 whether you are in a rut and don’t know what to make; are in that loop of “sooo, what do you want to eat tonight?”; or have fallen into the infinite black hole of saved recipes from social media (the internet is truly ultimate purveyor of maximalist TL;DR content overwhelm 😵💫🫠🤭). I hope you enjoy — it brings me great joy to sprinkle any ease into your life — cheers to your good health, good love & good fortune!
And per my usual caveat, I do not claim to be a doctor or a chef. I do not dream of being a fancy food blogger. I’m just a gal who enjoys living and eating for optimum well-being. I like to creatively alter, and occasionally create, recipes to make them as balanced as possible, in both taste and health. I’ve come to learn soul-food and body-fueling food are both real and equally important, hence the critical importance and beauty of mind-body-soul eating! ✨ I typically like to begin with a key ingredient or two that I’m hoping to work with, search for a preexisting recipe as a guide, then play with measurements and make swaps to level up nutrient density. Consider this a destination for healthy recipe inspiration, where you’ll never have to scroll through any continuously re-populating ads. One of my primary goals is to add a little simplicity in places I’ve found murky.
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Do you like chicken tortilla soup? Have you previously thought it was the stronger go to over its lesser mentioned sister soup, chicken posole? Think again! My go to gal for simple, reliable new recipes, Gaby Dalkin, shared her easy Chicken Posole in January over on her blog What’s Gaby Cooking. I’ve made my few minimal amendments below:
INGREDIENTS
1 lb organic, pasture raised chicken breast
4 c organic chicken stock or bone broth
1 organic bay leaf
1/2 tsp chopped fresh, organic thyme
1/2 tsp chopped organic oregano (Gaby calls for fresh if you can find that in your grocery store)
3 cloves organic garlic, crushed
1 tsp organic cumin
1 tsp Pink Himalayan salt
3/4 tsp organic chili powder
1/2 tsp organic coriander
1/4 tsp organic red pepper flakes
1 c canned hominy drained and rinsed…unless you’re a real pro and want to go for organic, dried hominy!
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE TOPPINGS
Diced 🥑
Lime wedges
Chopped organic cilantro
Crumbled cotija cheese
Slivered organic scallions
Simple homemade crema, aka organic greek yogurt, lime juice, cilantro, paprika & garlic combined
Organic tortilla chips for scooping
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Either poach chicken in water OR skillet cook. If skillet cooking for extra flavor, carefully slice raw chicken breasts in half on large cutting board so you have thinly sliced pieces. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 1 minute on both sides until golden brown. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook for 12 minutes more, flipping the chicken halfway to fully cook. Once cooked, set the chicken aside.
2. Add the chicken broth to a medium Dutch oven and bring it to a rapid simmer. Once simmering, add the bay leaf, thyme, oregano, garlic, cumin, 1/2 tsp of salt, chili powder, coriander and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 mins.
3. Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred the chicken into small pieces.
4. Add the chicken and drained hominy to the Dutch oven. Raise the heat to medium to warm everything through. Add salt or other seasonings to taste. Discard the bay leaf.
5. Serve the soup with ample desired toppings 😋
As with everything I make, I love to know the ingredients will fuel not only a beautiful plate, but a beautiful feeling inside. I will again caveat, I’m not a nutritionist, but as holistic health coach, here’s some functional food for thought:
ORGANIC PASTURE RAISED CHICKEN
Similar to buying organic produce, it’s critical to seek out organic pasture raised chicken and eggs. Similar to whole organic grass-fed beef, there’s a major pay off on the nutrient and taste front, as well as on the ethics side — and if we have to realize that the ethics, such as filthy living conditions, cross right over into the quality of our food (and health!). Don’t skim on quality, if anything skim on quantity.
This brings me to my next point on the importance of quality animal protein. As I primarily plant based eater, I personally find it challenging to eat enough high quality animal protein. I can pile on the nuts, beans, tofu and seeds, but I can tell that when my energy level is down at certain moments, it’s typically pointing back to my body’s need for a little more protein. My recommendation is that as long as you’re open to it, give yourself the challenge of making a fun new meat dish once or even twice a week. It really ups the kitchen game and also gives a boost to energy, as well as mood and immunity!
CILANTRO
Also known as coriander, cilantro is very polarizing, but it’s hands down one of my absolute favorite herbs! And thankfully, it’s a true superfood. From lowering blood-sugar levels, to heavy metal cleansing, to preventing cardiovascular damage, to possessing anti-anxiety and mood lifting effects, to improving sleep quality, to acting as an antimicrobial and natural internal deodorant — cilantro is simply a super-powered detox herb! Its strong antioxidant properties should also be highlighted, rich with beta-carotene and lutein, both carotenoids known to reduce damage to cells caused by free radicals.
PINK HIMALAYAN SALT
Since pink Himalayan salt is less processed than table salt, your body has an easier time processing it, as it doesn’t require as much water to clear out the excess sodium! It also contains more than 80 minerals and elements, including potassium, iron, calcium and (naturally occurring) iodine, aiding our body’s natural detoxification process and promoting the removal of bacteria. This can even help lower blood pressure, as iodine supports our body’s electrolyte balance, allowing our intestines to absorb more nutrients.
***important to note, quality is essential — always shop organic, whole, preferably in season, ideally know where your food is coming from and thoroughly wash those fruits + veggies!
