Chicken Soup with Popovers

This recipe is inspiried by the Physical dimension of wellness.

Physical wellness is about moving. Every system of your body has structures and functions that support movement. Exercising is a great way to enhance your health and make you physically fit at the same time. Physical wellness is the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life so that you are able to move about your day free of undue fatigue or physical stress.

“Popover for some homemade chicken soup!” - Holly McGrath, the Quotable Chef

We've all heard that a warm bowl of homemade chicken soup is good for the common cold, but did you know chicken soup is also good to eat before you exercise? Staying physically fit is one of the best ways to keep our bodies healthy and improve our entire well-being. There are many simple ways to stay active and keep your body moving such as walking, completing housework, taking the stairs any chance you get, and even parking further from an entrance.

Unfortunately, simple physical activities like these might not always be enough to maximize your physical wellness. Although those activities support movement, they don’t necessarily make you physically fit. However, more complex physical activities such as jogging, swimming, and weight training may not be sufficient either. They can make you physically fit, but they do not necessarily guarantee health and well-being, especially if you’re not eating correctly. So how can you balance both in a healthy way?

Looking back on my younger years, I was pretty active. I loved riding my bike and playing outside. But often times, like in my case, we tend to put on those pounds that make you sluggish and cause you to lose motivation for just about everything. What I realized is that you can’t have one without the other. In other words, you can’t be a healthy individual if you’re not eating properly and exercising. They go hand-in-hand!

“Running is like life; it is a glorious, albeit sometimes painful, act of always moving forward.” - Luci L. Creery

I remember the first day I decided I wanted to add more exercise into my life. I started with walking a block and practicing interval running until I eventually built up my physical routine to jogging 6 miles a day. I practiced this routine every other day and enjoyed running for about 10 years. I loved the high I got after a run; it would make my entire day better! Unfortunately, my feet were becoming affected by it, so I had to quit. Since then, I have changed my workout routine to involve lower impact exercises and learned the importance of mixing things up to work all my muscles. I also learned that when you begin a workout routine, you typically naturally begin to eat healthier!

Did you know that a bowl of chicken soup before a workout can boost your nutrients and hydration? Researchers have found that individuals who ate chicken soup before a workout, especially in hot weather, had better hydration and electrolyte levels after the workout than other individuals who only drank water.

And in case that isn't enough, here are 3 more reasons to cook a pot of chicken soup:

1. Sipping chicken soup can ease flu symptoms.

2. Eating a bowl of chicken soup before a meal can control your appetite.

3. Chicken soup is loaded with health boosting nutrients - vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber.

So grab a pot, get cooking and start MOVING!

Recipe of the Day: Chicken Soup with Popovers

Tip: you might want to only eat a popover on occasion😊

INGREDIENTS

For the Chicken Soup:

• 1 (3 pound) whole chicken

• 4 carrots, halved

• 4 stalks celery, halved

• 1 large onion, halved

• Water to cover

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tsp chicken bouillon granules

For the Popovers:

• 4 large eggs

• 1 1/2 cups milk

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 3 Tbsp melted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Chicken Soup:

1. Put the chicken, carrots, celery and onion in a large soup pot and cover with cold water. Heat and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken meat falls off of the bones (skim off foam every so often).

2. Take everything out of the pot. Strain the broth. Pick the meat off of the bones and chop the carrots, celery and onion. Season the broth with salt, pepper and chicken bouillon to taste, if desired. Return the chicken, carrots, celery and onion to the pot, stir together, and serve.

For the Popovers:

1. Warm the eggs by placing them UN-CRACKED in a medium bowl and cover with hot water (as hot as your tap will go). Let them sit for 10 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 450°F and move the oven rack to a low position (to prepare for huge popovers!). Grease the popover pan thoroughly inside each cup as well as around the top edges.

3. With your whisk, beat together the eggs, milk and salt until they are combined. The yolks should be completely blended in.

4. Add the flour and whisk until the mixture is frothy and all large lumps are gone. Then quickly stir in the melted butter.

5. Divide the batter between the prepared popover cups. They should be about 3/4 full.

6. Bake the popovers for 20 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350°F. Bake for another 10 or 15 minutes. The popovers will be very golden brown.

7. My preference is to serve immediately and enjoy them warm!