Fresh Intentions

Lately I’ve found myself too busy and tired in the evening to prepare a healthy lunch and too rushed in the morning as I race out the door to catch my 6:45 am train. My waistline and bank account are taking a beating because of all of the take-out lunches so I dedicated this afternoon to making some healthy soups. I prefer an all-in-one lunch dish like soup because of my 1.5 hour journey to work so soup in a mason jar is my saviour.

I was supposed to run the Toronto Goodlife Half Marathon today but a back injury completely derailed my running and all other forms of exercise about 7 weeks ago so I held a soup marathon in my kitchen instead. The first soup I made is a pureed squash and red lentil soup that I found online in the Edmonton Journal. I decided to get creative with the second and combine elements from some of my favourite soups – chicken, tomato and spaghetti squash – into a thick, hearty soup that eats like a stew.

Squash and lentil soup (back) and tomato chicken sans-noodle soup (front) ready to go.

Tomato Chicken Sans-Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon of organic butter
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 can of diced tomatoes (no salt added)
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• approximately 2 cups of cooked spaghetti squash
• 1 bay leaf
• a few dashes each of dried oregano, dried basil and dried thyme
• black pepper to taste
• sea salt
• 1 tablespoon of organic turbinado sugar
• approximately 2 cups of white roasted chicken meat

Directions:

Sauté the butter,onion, garlic and a couple dashes of salt in a large saucepan until softened. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, spaghetti squash and sucanat and stir well. Season with oregano, basil, thyme and black pepper to taste and add the bay leaf. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes to let flavours combine. Add chicken and simmer for another 5 – 10 mins.

Time for lunch!