week 38: the remedy (a recipe)

this week on the little dream farm

Short and sweet today, friends, as I’m resting up from a wicked head cold.

This is a recipe for chicken and veggie soup but I just made up the method this week and I will likely make it this way going forward for the rest of time!

I’m calling it (Mostly) Hands Off High Protein Low Carb Remedy Soup. My goal with this soup was to spend as little time as possible doing active prep and cooking and to not have to watch the stove so I could sleep.

Try this one next time you have a hankering for soup or the next time you catch a nasty cold!

(Mostly) Hands Off High Protein Low Carb Remedy Soup

Now, I wanted this to make us enough soup for a few days so I didn’t have to make anything else, and in case Chris catches my cold, too. You could simply half the recipe if you don’t want as many leftovers on hand or make the whole batch and freeze half for another time.

Ingredients:
- 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs (thighs add so much flavor to soup!)
- 2 quarts chicken broth or stock
- 1 bag carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 1 bag celery stalks, chopped
- 2 medium yellow onions, sliced or chopped (I prefer sliced for more depth!)
- 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
- salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Set your crockpot (this is the one we have!) to high and add the chicken. Seal the lid and set for 3.5 hours.
2. When the 3.5 hours is up, let the crockpot go to Warm status while you prepare and cook the veggies.
3. Peel and slice the carrots into rounds, chop the celery, and slice (or chop) your onions.
4. Add olive oil to large stock pot or large pan and over medium-high heat add all the veggies. Cook for 10-15 minutes stirring and combining veggies. Remove from heat, generously add salt and pepper, and set aside.
5. Remove the lid from the crockpot, generously add salt and pepper to chicken. Using two forks, shred the chicken, leaving all the drippings along with the chicken in the crockpot.
6. Add the veggies to the crockpot and stir everything to combine the chicken and veggies. Add both quarts of broth, fasten the lid, and set the crockpot to high for an hour.
7. Serve hot and depending on how you’re feeling, with these saltine crackers or crusty bread and enjoy!

Why I like this method better than any method I’ve used for a chicken noodle or chicken and veggie soup:

This soup is just seven ingredients—doesn’t get much more simple than that.

It’s about 20 minutes of active time total and the rest is just allowing the ingredients to sit in the crockpot. I like not having to watch a big pot of soup over a gas flame!

Cooking the chicken thighs in the crockpot (as opposed to boiling them in the soup) makes them so incredibly fall apart tender. Leaving all the drippings in the crockpot adds such depth of flavor and nutrients to the broth—exactly what you need when the body is fighting off illness!

It’s protein-packed! This is a hugely high protein and low carb soup by leaving out rice or pasta, so it’s great for your energy and getting enough protein, is easy on the body for digestion so it can focus on healing, and is packed with tons of flavor for being so simple.

Give this method a go next time you make up a batch of soup and be sure to let me know what you think!

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Here are a bunch of things I have on hand for when I’m under the weather:

1. I keep these elderberry gummies on hand at all times. Generally when we travel Chris and I always take it every day beginning the day before our trip and continuing until the day after we come home. All I know is that it works—we generally never, ever get sick. The last two times I’ve been sick in the recent past? When I forgot to take this—and I forgot to bring it along with me on my most recent work trip. Mega sigh.

2. Want a lozenge that doesn’t have all the crappy ingredients? I’ve got you! You’re going to love these.

3. I use this thermometer to keep track of my temp when sick and was up at 102 Thursday but thankfully was back to normal readings pretty quickly!

4. I have this microwaveable heating pad and cannot more highly recommend this. Get one for you and while you’re at it order one for your best friend as a gift. I used this at the onset of my cold for severe body aches but it’s great any time you need to apply heat—I use it every month.

*Note: Not all, but most of these links are affiliate links. That’s no matter to you, as it costs you nothing. However, if you make a purchase, we -may- receive a teeny weeny commission.

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Short and sweet as promised! Do me a favor and “Like” this post so that Substack let’s others know about our Weekly Farm Note and be sure to leave a comment below today with your favorite cold remedies! Tis the season, after all! Would love to hear what works for you!

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