Mollie's Amazing Zoodle Soup

I don't know whether to call this a soup or a one pot meal but I do know it is delicious, filling, healthy and relatively easy and quick to pull together.  

Mollie is an intuitive cook and pulled this together without a recipe to follow. Due to a number of health issues she has become adept at creating clean, healthy recipes from scratch or by adapting and "blending" existing recipes. That's really the take away from this - if you don't like a certain ingredient? Then make a substitution. Adjust the spices. Make the recipe work for you and whomever you are cooking for.

And, oh yeah - we aren't food bloggers but we wanted to share this deliciousness!

Mollie's Garbanzo and Zoodle Soup.

What you need:

2 boxes of organic chicken bone broth (32 ounces each)

2 cans organic garbanzo beans (Trader Joe's is a great source)

1 tbsp herbs de Provence (we love the one fromTrader Joe's but it is a seasonal item and you can find other brands at the grocery store)

red pepper flakes to taste 

1/4 cup chopped onion (we use TJ frozen onions and Mollie admitted she sometimes forgets to toss them in - it's still yummy!) 

4- 5 strips Applegate Thick Cut Uncured Bacon (or bacon of your choice)

4 organic zucchinis 

2 bags of organic baby spinach - 6 oz. each

4 -5 chicken breasts. We use organic free range chicken breasts.

What you do:

Bring bone broth, herbs and pepper flakes and frozen onion to boil in a large soup pot.

Pour in two cans garbanzo beans that have been drained. Reduce to simmer. 

Cook Applegate thick cut uncured bacon in saute pan.

While bacon is cooking make zoodles. Mollie uses a very inexpensive zoodle maker that she's had since college. You can also buy premade zoodles.  Mollie uses kitchen shears to cut the long zoodles into "spoon size" pieces.

Cut the chicken breasts into strips and grill for approximately 12 minutes until cooked.

When chicken is halfway cooked Mollie adds the zoodles and two 6 oz. bags of spinach to the simmering broth.

 When chicken is ready cut the chicken into bite size pieces and place in the bottom of a bowl. Cover with  soup mixture and garnish with the bacon. Mollie adds hot sauce because she is spicy!!

This is a filling and comforting meal in a bowl. It is an adaptable recipe and would be delicious without the chicken for a meatless meal- just add more zoodles! 

Enjoy!

Citrus Sangria

Like sunshine on a cloudy day!

It has been the dreariest, rainiest Winter ever.

Last weekend we had friends over for a big pot of Jambalaya 

and Mollie and I decided that sangria might be fun.

Mollie thought citrus or lemon 

would be a nice counterpoint to the spicy Jambalaya.

We found a couple of recipes to use as a starting point and this is what we came up with.

So fresh, delicious and easy!

And pretty, too.

White Wine and Citrus Sangria

2 lemons, sliced

2 limes, sliced

1 large naval orange, sliced

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup citrus vodka

2 Tbsp agave nectar

2 bottles of dry white wine

 (we used Pinot Grigio. Sauvingnon Blanc would work as well.)

Sprite, club soda or a fizzy citrus drink like Spindrift or LaCroix

At least 4 hours before serving place the sliced fruit in a large glass container.

Add the mint.

Pour in the citrus vodka and agave nectar.

Fill the container with the two bottles of white wine.

Stir. Cover and chill.

To serve: fill a glass with ice cubes, add the white wine sangria and a lemon or lime slice for color. Finish with a couple of splashes of Sprite, club soda or fizzy citrus drink.

Enjoy!

It was light and refreshing and great with spicy food.

It would be a great sangria for relaxing Summer days on the porch!

#imready

#hurryupsummer