Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Chicken Vegetable Soup

By JJ Hughes

I love a good soup and this is something we have been eating all our life. As kids we called it garbage soup as it always had whatever cooked meat and/or veggie left over in the fridge in it. It is quick to put together but has taste that goes a long way. Now I like to add steel cut oats to help thicken the broth naturally then just before serving I place chopped spinach in the bottom of the bowl. The hot soup is enough to steam the spinach but leaving the leaves beefy enough to really punch it up.



Makes 6 servings.
4 1/2 cups organic chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped brocolli, asparagus etc.
1/2 tsp dried crushed basil
1/2 tsp dried crushed oregano
1/2 cup cooked steel cut oats
2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
1 16oz can tomato, cut up or 2 cups fresh cut up tomato
1 bay leaf

* In a large saucepan bring the chicken broth, steel cut oats, onion and uncooked vegetables with the basil, oregano and bay leave to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 6 to 8 minutes.
* Stir in cooked and cubed chicken/turkey, precooked vegetables and cut up tomatoes and heat through.
* Rinse and chop spinach and place approximately 1/2 cup in the bottom of each bowl.
* Ladle soup over the spinach and serve.