Don’t know what to cook? Stress not! You already have the building blocks of soup in your fridge and pantry.
Practicing stress management techniques can help minimize the effects of stress on your health. One of the best ways to de-stress is to breathe!
You can use meal times as an opportunity to practice deep breathing. Not only does this practice help us to digest better, but it also takes us out of chronic stress mode. You can also eat foods that reduce stress, such as: corn, oats, walnuts, dark chocolate (80% or more), fermented foods, organic chicken or beef liver, and dark, leafy greens (kale, collards, chard).
The Building Blocks of Soup
Another great way to reduce stress is to make sure you have food ready for yourself and/or your loved ones. Making soup is my favorite way to use up leftovers and make a delicious meal that’s hearty, grounding and nourishing.
Protein
Next time you cook protein like beans, eggs, chicken, beef, tempeh, or tofu, make a double batch for soup. Perhaps you a roasted a chicken earlier in the week, or boiled pinto beans for tacos — whatever you have leftover will make the perfect addition to your soup.
Grains
Did you eat millet, rice, buckwheat, or oats recently? All of these make a great add-in to enrich soups and offer filling fiber. If you don’t have any left over, rice noodles and oats (yes, savory oats are delicious!) cook quickly and are terrific in soup.
Vegetables
Have leftover cooked broccoli, kale, or carrots? Blend those veggies and add them to your broth! This puts leftovers to good use and makes soup creamy. It’s also a great way to sneak added nutrients into your meal. If you have kids (or feel like one sometimes!), no one will even know they are eating veggies.
