Zone Diet
Make-ahead Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup
Contributed
by:
Leni Spooner
Ingredients:
- 8
ounces skinless, deboned chicken breast (cooked or raw) minced (8P)
- 2
cups celery chopped fine (1C)
- 1 1/2
cups onion chopped fine (1C)
- 1 cup
carrots chopped fine (1C)
- 2
cups canned roma tomatoes chopped (with or without liquid) (1C)
- 1/2
cup salsa (medium or hot) (1C)Feel free to substitute 4 cups minced
Portobello mushrooms for salsa)
- 1 1/2
Tablespoons pearl barley (dry) (3C)
- 2 2/3
teaspoons olive oil (8F)
- 1 to
2 litres water
Spices:
-
Salt/White or Red Pepper to taste
-
Finely minced garlic (1/2 teaspoon or to taste)
Enhancements for those who are still weaning away from canned soup
strength:
- Soy
Sauce -- 1 teaspoon or to taste (soy can replace salt).
- 1
low-sodium and MSG free vegetable or chicken bouillon cube
- Cajun
Spice to taste
Directions:
-
Warm olive oil in a deep pot and add garlic if using.
-
Add onion, celery, carrot and mushrooms and sauté until
almost transparent.
-
Add tablespoons of water for sauté process if the
vegetables get too dry.
-
When onion and celery start to become transparent, add
chopped tomatoes and salsa. Add minced chicken.
-
After a minute or two add water. Bring to a boil and
then lower to simmer.
-
Add desired seasonings. Simmer for 1/2 hour.
-
Add barley and adjust seasonings to taste.
-
Simmer for another 45 minutes.
-
Soup is ready to serve when vegetables and barley reach
desired tenderness.
Remark: This recipe is designed to be made in bulk and then
freeze in appropriate serving sizes for quick meals. Recipe
is based on 8 blocks to be divided into desired blocks at
serving time. Serve as a main entree or couple with zone
snacks for a quick lunch.
Measure yield of soup and divide into desired portions ( 4 or 2
blocks, etc.). If serving in smaller blocks, Zone snacks can be
added for a more texture varied Zone meal. Please note that this
soup is quite filling even for high-carb consuming non-Zoners.
Enhanced Nutrition: Reduce chicken by 1 ounce and substitute 1
ounce of anchovy (packed in water variety). Sauté the anchovies
with olive oil so it starts to melt and then the vegetables.
For
lactating Moms: Adjust the vegetable quantities to allow for an
extra block or so of barley (1/2 tablespoon = 1C). Something
about barley water does wonders for milk production.Yields lots
of energy and lots of milk.
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