Comfort Chicken Soup with Rice and Spinach

Nourishing and nurturing, this is a delicious soup for lunch or dinner.


Ingredients:
~ 2 tsp. olive oil
~ 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless white-meat chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces
~ salt and pepper
~ 1 med. sized onion, finely chopped
~ 1/2 cup short-grain white rice
~ 5 cups chicken broth
~ 1/2 lb. fresh spinach leaves, tough stems removed, rinsed well, drained and roughly chopped to yield about 5 cups
~ 1/2 tsp ground cumin
~ 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:
Heat the oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over med-high heat. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until the chicken pieces have turned white and are just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Add the onion to the saucepan and cook, stirring, over med-high heat until it begins to soften, 2-3 minutes. Return the chicken to the saucepan, add the rice and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to med-low, partially cover the saucepan, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 min. Stir in the spinach and continue cooking 5 min. longer. Add the cumin and nutmeg and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

NOTE: As this soup stands and cools, it thickens; add some broth or water (1/2 cup at a time) before reheating. Makes 6 servings. 151 calories, 2.4 grams of fat. A "Saved by Soup" recipe.

1 hour Soft and Delicious Brown Rice

When I make this my mom always asks how I got my rice to taste so good. This is softer and deliciously flavored compared with cooking brown rice by ordinary package directions.


Ingredients:
~ Brown Rice
~ 1/2 c. more water than required
~ Chicken base, chicken bullion, chicken stock or chicken broth

Directions:
Add water to pan according to package directions, adding an additional 1/2 cup for first 1 1/2 cups water, 3/4 cup total if doubling. Add chicken base or bullion with recommended amount of rice when water boils. If using chicken stock or broth, swap all water with this. If using chicken base or bullion, add 1tsp per cup of water. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about an hour. Then, tilt pan with lid on and see if there is any water that dribbles from the side of the rice (you'll need a glass lid to see this). If so, cook a little longer. When all water is absorbed, remove from heat and let set 10 min. Wa Lah!

Hawaiian Rice

Serve this rice with the Hawaiian Chicken recipe posted in May. Perfect together.



~ 1 can beef broth
~ 1 can french onion soup
~ 1 stick butter
~ 1 1/2 cups white rice

Mix all ingredients, except butter, in a 13x9 pan. Cut butter into cubes and spread on top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Uncover last 15 minutes.

Recipe from: Sister-in-law, Liz

Blackeyed Peas and Brown Rice - CLEAN EATING

his is a very healthy Clean Eating mag recipe. It is wholesomely healthy, packed full of veggies, nutrients and fiber, but also delicious. I love this, topped with my home-canned mandarin or sweet and sour sauce.

INGREDIENTS:
• 4 cups cooked, cold, long-grain brown rice
• 1¼ cups water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
• 3 cups cooked black-eyed peas
• 1 butternut squash, about 1lb, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
• ½ tsp hot pepper sauce

Directions:
Put rice in a large bowl. Gently separate the grains and break apart any lumps. In a large frying pan, bring the
water, onion, celery, garlic and pepper to a boil, stirring frequently. Add the black-eyed peas and squash and
return to a boil, again stirring frequently. Reduce to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peas
and squash are tender and most of the water has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Add the rice, bell pepper and
hot pepper sauce. Simmer, stirring and tossing frequently until heated through, about 5 minutes. To serve, transfer
to a bowl.
Serves 6