Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

care of chow.com.

Calorie estimate for the pot:  1950 (check next use)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 large celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups (2 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups wild rice blend
• 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, medium dice
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, medium dice
• (or chicken hearts (cheap!, but very high in cholesterol))
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Add broth and rice, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, until rice is tender but still has some firmness, about 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Add chicken, and season with freshly ground black pepper. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add parsley, taste, and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Meal Salad (800-900 calories)

Salad mix, dressing, cheese, bread, protein (smoked salmon, chicken breast, flank steak, sausage, etc; about 350 calories)

Asian chicken soup

Estimated calories for my serving: 950

Ingredients

• 1 chicken breast, cubed
• wedge of cabbage, sliced into ribbons
• rice noodles (or spaghetti etc)
• 6 cups water
• fish sauce
• hot pepper or hot sauce
• soy sauce
• miso paste
• lime juice, thai basil, and bean sprouts

Preparation

1. Add 6 cups of water to a soup pot, bring to a boil.
2. Poach cubed chicken.
3. Right after starting the chicken, add miso paste, until broth is suitably cloudy.  If you’re using an actual hot pepper, dice it and add it now.  Otherwise, add hot sauce with the fish sauce and soy sauce to taste (and adjust as needed later on).
4. Then, add in long rice noodles (or whatever equivalent you like/have), and cook them for the required amount of time.
5. A couple minutes before the noodles are done, add in the cabbage, stir and cook down.
6. Serve with a few squirts of lime juice and maybe some thai basil and bean sprouts if you’ve got them.

Half a puttanesca

This is a quick, satisfying recipe that mixes salty, tangy pasta with cool, creamy ricotta.  A little fresh (well, it’s Seattle, supermarket fresh) mozzarella and prosciutto on the side and perhaps a glass of red wine, and you’re a happy man.

Estimated calories per my serving: 750

Ingredients

• pasta
• capers
• anchovy paste
• olive oil
• garlic and parsley (dried mixed)
• italian seasoning mix (red pepper, oregano, basil, salt, etc)
• dollop of ricotta
• mozzarella ball
• prosciutto

Preparation

1. boil the pasta, drain when al dente
2. warm a splash of olive oil in a skillet, add garlic and simmer.
3. Dump in pasta, add seasonings, anchovy paste, and capers to taste.  Toss well and plate.
4. Drop a hearty dollop of ricotta cheese in the center.