Ugh, 
I let my guard down and a virus snuck in and took root.
So on a weekend that I had hoped to get a long "to do" list accomplished, I took a nap instead. Not too productive. I knew I was allowing myself to become vulnerable because I was getting lazy about all the things that keep my immune system strong. I wasn't getting enough sleep, I wasn't drinking enough water and I wasn't eating well balanced meals. The hectic pace of life was blocking what my body was crying out for - sleep, hydration and nutrition. Hmmm, do you suppose that persistent headache was an early sign?
So I got some rest, drank lots of water and made chicken soup last night. I was too tired to put a huge amount of effort into it, so here is a "the cook is fighting a virus" chicken soup. I actually opted to leave the chicken out last night, but I thought about using leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. It is chicken broth, if I mixed the two maybe I should call it poultry soup? Anyway, I wrote the recipe without the chicken, but if desired you could add 1 to 2 cups chopped cooked chicken. Add the chicken after the pasta, since the chicken is already cooked. I like to keep the broth clear when cooking pasta.
The Cook is Fighting a Virus Chicken Soup
32 oz.organic chicken broth
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/4 c white wine
2 T olive oil
1 onion, very finely diced
1 c chopped butternut squash (roughly 1/2 bag frozen organic squash)
8 oz fusilli pasta (roughly 1 c pasta)
1/3 c pumpkin puree (roughly a good scoop of canned pumpkin)
8 oz frozen peas (roughly 1/2 bag of frozen organic peas)
salt & pepper to taste
Saute the onions in the oil till carmelized. Add the stock and the butternut squash. Cook till the squash is tender. Pour into a food processor and puree to create a thick base for the soup. Return base to pan and add wine, chicken broth and pumpkin. Let cook for a few minutes while you make a cup of hot tea for yourself. Add the pasta and cook for about 8 minutes till al dente. Season broth (you could also add herbs at this point, fresh basil would be nice). Add peas and cook for a few more minutes. Serve hot - meaning everyone had better get to the table fast since you have been slaving away rather than sitting in nice hot tub.
I served this with some rosemary sourdough bread and fresh sliced oranges. I also made a warm cabbage apple slaw, inspired by a recipe from Alice Waters. This is a really fast slaw and cabbage is so healthy it was once considered food of the gods. The Romans claimed their cabbage originated from the sweat of Jupiter.
Cabbage Apple Slaw
1/2 head green cabbage, chopped into thin slices
1 or 2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tart apples, quartered and sliced (peeling is optional)
olive oil
juice of one meyer lemon or vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
In a large skillet saute' the shallots in oil. When translucent add the apple slices. Saute' together for about a minute. Add cabbage and lemon juice. Stir everything together and cook about one minute longer. The cabbage should still be crunchy, and just starting to tender. Salt & pepper to taste.
