nutritionista:

I’m so excited that so many of you are on board for the Winter Shape Up Challenge! Remember, YOU set your own goals in this challenge, whether they’re weight loss, fitness, or nutrition related. I’m just here to give you a sounding board and some accountability (because you can’t win if you don’t check in with me weekly!).

In honor of the Winter Shape Up, I’m going to let you in on a little family secret. This is sort of a big deal, so listen closely. I’m going to give you my family’s recipe for REAL chicken soup. This is NOT your average store-bought weak soup. This is the real deal, and it is not to be messed around with. I dare you to try this soup and then not crave it a) any time you’re sick, or b) any time the temp drops below 60 degrees. My family calls it “liquid gold” for a reason. It’s magical. My dad said he was whipping some up yesterday, so I had to stop by for a bowl (photo taken with my phone).

The secret to this soup? Using lots and lots and lots of chicken (and comparably little water). There are no measurements to this recipe, you just have to play around with it to decide what you like best.

You’ll need:

• A huge package of chicken (enough to basically fill your soup pot). This is where you splurge and get organic, hormone-free, free-range chicken. Trust me. The rest of the soup is cheap. Last night, my dad used Amish pick-o-the-chick (which is basically an assortment of chicken parts). The most important thing is making sure your chicken has bones. You’re also going to want to use at least SOME dark meat because it adds more flavor.
• 2-4 large parsnips
• 2-4 large carrots
• 1-2 small onions
• parsley (to taste)
  
• dill (to taste)
  
• water (enough to just barely cover the amount of chicken you have)
  
• salt (to taste)
  

Preparation:

• Put your chicken parts in a soup pot, and fill up with enough water to just barely cover the chicken (this is why you need a lot of chicken).
• Add the parsnips, carrots, onions, and herbs/spices.
• Simmer for as long as you can (at least an hour and a half for the chicken to be fully cooked). The longer you simmer, the better it will be. If the veggies start to fall apart, you can actually remove them and add fresh ones.
• After you’ve simmered for as long as you can manage, remove the chicken from the bone (it should be falling off at this point) and re-add as much of it to the soup as you want. I usually only add back the white meat. Then, let the soup cool in the fridge for a few hours. Once the fat solidifies, you can skim it off for a healthier soup. Save it for use in your matzo balls or other cooking if you so choose.
• When you’re reading to eat, re-heat the broth and garnish with more parsley and dill if you want.

This soup freezes well, and also goes well with matzo balls (I like ‘em hard and whole grain). Do NOT use pasta or any other starch in this soup. You can put some in individual bowls if you like, but I’ve learned from experience that the starch will eat up all the magical broth if you cook it with the broth. Plus, this soup tastes just fine on its own (trust). Although this soup is somewhat time consuming, it’s not difficult to make. And it’s definitely worth it! After you’ve made the broth, you can use it in all kinds of other preparations. But if you ask me, I say just eat it plain on a cold winter night!