Beast or Babe?

Each morning, when I wake, I think, 'how can I be my best self?' Each day, I think, 'I get to contribute something today.'  Some days, I wake and am a 'babe' yet others, I am, a 'beast.' These days may be known as good days and bad days but I believe in calling a spade a spade.

Today, I woke, a bit disoriented for two reasons; one, I was having an intense dream and two, I actually slept the entire night. Sleeping through the night is not a common occurrence for me. I also woke with a strange throat. (That was what my dream was about. I was choking a bit in my dream. I don't enjoy those dreams...) All manner of illness is floating about right now in my area so goodness knows what gremlin is trying to take up residence in my throat. Since it's too early to drug the gremlin with tequila (no judging remember) I choose throat drops and lemon water. Throat drops (not the icky type that taste of eucalyptus, gym bags and menthol but the yummy ones that taste of fruit trees like cherry and orange. I also adore black licorice so those are good too.) Throat drops are like a hug for your throat. I drink lemon water because it is detoxifying and yummy. I have pretty nasty allergies so I'm hoping the gremlin will pack up and leave.

Another thing I like to do to turn from a beast to babe is make soup. I know you're thinking "dah." I created a soup over the weekend and it was SO scrumptious I added it to my cookbook! I would normally post a recipe on my Recipes Page but if you have a gremlin, you're starting to feel too icky for another click so I will share a guide of what I did below. (It's on the Recipes page also.)

​Mary's Feel  Better Soup

1/4 Cup butter
1     Tablespoon oil
1     Onion, diced or sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
2-4 Carrots, peeled and sliced into -1/4-inch rounds
2-4 Celery ribs, sliced the same width as the carrots

2-3 Garlic cloves, diced
1/4 Cup all-purpose flour

5 1/2 Cups chicken stock
1      Cup small pasta (This could be orzo, broken fresh pasta or broken flat pasta)
1      Pound thinly sliced chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1     Cup fresh, small cherry tomatoes (left whole or cut into halves)
1     Cup fresh basil, julienned
1/2 Cup fresh parsley, chopped plus more for garnish

1 1/2 Cups whole milk

Equipment Required:
Chef's knife, cutting board, spoon, hair tie

Tie your hair back. Heat a large pot over medium heat.

Add the butter and oil to the pot. Add the onion, carrot and celery and saute until the onion begins to wilt, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in  the stock, pasta, chicken, tomatoes, half the basil and half the parsley. Raise the heat to medium-high. Cook until the pasta and chicken  are cooked and the tomatoes burst a bit; about 15-20 minutes. Stir in the milk and the remaining herbs. Bring only to a simmer and serve the soup garnished with extra parsley if you wish. Feel better!

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