Six Week Project: Day Four

Anyone who knows me well knows that I don't just throw food away. For example, I am a perpetual maker of soups after crafting large meals that involve any sort of usable scraps. Not wasting food is a core tenant of my food ethics. This is something that is difficult to unlearn and to then relearn in a healthy, conscious way. While it was never explicitly said to me that I'd face consequences if my plate was not clean after dinner as a child, I knew that we didn't waste food. I was a clean plate club kind of a girl, a second helpings kind of a girl, and as a result (in conjunction with many other factors) I was a big girl as well. It has taken some restructuring of the way I think about food to get over the "clean-plate" syndrome, and truly believe in my mind that it's okay to leave a few bites of food on my plate, if those few bites mean the difference between satisfied and uncomfortably full. However, that being said, the best remedy I've found for this syndrome is to start with less in the first place. Serving for myself a smaller, healthier portion of food to begin with has helped my brain and my stomach to both feel good. One fabulous way I've learned to fool my brain into thinking it's eating more is to eat soups that are packed with nutrients and are considered meals in themselves.

In the spirit of not wasting food, I made a big pot of what I've dubbed "Chick-a-strone," as it is an Italian flavored soup that is like a Minestrone with chicken. After finishing up the Greek Pot Roasted Chicken last night, I quickly threw the chicken carcass in a large pot with chunked carrots, garlic, parsley and some dry chicken bullion. I added enough water to cover the carcass, brought it to a boil and simmered it uncovered for at least 2 hours until it had reduced and the whole house smelled like warm broth. I strained it and refrigerated it overnight, and the next day before making the soup itself, I strained off the solidified fat, making it a bit leaner. Then it was ready to make a deliciously simple, rustic, homey dinner. This soup recipe will serve four as a main dish.


Chick-a-strone Soup
Baguette

8 cups freshly made chicken stock (or an all-natural, free-range chicken stock)
2 large organic carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/8 inch rounds
1/2 a yellow onion, chunked
4 large Swiss Chard Leaves, slivered
1 15 oz. can of organic Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz. can of organic Fire-Roasted diced tomatoes, drained
2 cloves of local garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 TBS. dried oregano
1/2 TBS. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 cup of cooked whole wheat pasta, kept separate (I used baby seashells)
2 cups of cooked chicken pieces

1. In a large soup pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the carrot slices and onion chunks. Boil for five minutes. Add the slivered Swiss Chard leaves, beans, diced tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and rosemary. Return the pot to a simmer and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add to the pot the cooked chicken pieces, and simmer for 5 more minutes or until the chicken pieces are warmed through.

3. Into serving bowls, scoop 1/4 cup of cooked pasta. Top with ladles of soup. Serve with crusty bread.