Et Voila! Soup!

I woke up yesterday morning with that dreaded ?tickle? in the back of my throat. You know the one – It?s subtle, but it?s never a good sign of good things to come. After cursing the sick people roaming around Paris spreading their germs I headed straight to the kitchen to chug some Vitamin C, make some tea, and say my prayers in hopes of keeping the tickle at just that.

I went to bed super early last night, fingers crossed that I?d wake up without the headache and earache that had slowly been developing over the course of yesterday but alas, I awoke this morning to a pounding headache, itchy eyes, pressure in my ears, and a throat that feels like it?s been massaged with sandpaper. Awesome.

Of course we all want the comforts of home when we aren?t feeling well, and since the comforts of home are several thousand miles away right now for me, I went with the next best thing.

Soup. But not just any soup. This is special soup and deserves a special name. I think I?ll call this ?I?m Really Far From Home, Not Feeling Too Well, Want Soup But Am Too Sick To Make Soup? Soup. Kind of has a ring to it, dontchya think?

So. Here?s how you make soup, when you?re too sick to make soup.

First, you find whatever veggies you have in the fridge ? I happened to have a little bit of broccoli that needed to be eaten, but any kind of leftover veggies or uncooked veggies you have on hand would work wonderfully. Then, put it in a pot with some pre-prepared soup of your choice. I happened to have a box of pumpkin soup from the supermarket here, but I know at home (and by home I mean in the US) they have tons of boxed soups like butternut squash, roasted bell pepper, yada yada yada. As much as I don?t like pre-packaged stuff like this, I?m willing to suppress my inner food snob and do what?s easiest when I?m under the weather. Know what I mean?

Anyway. I digress.  Next step – turn up the heat, and let everything warm up, or in my case let the broccoli cook through. Add in whatever protein you like ? I happened to have some rotisserie chicken leftover from last night, but if  you have something else leftover or are a veggie, then chickpeas, black beans, etc. would work great too. Let it all come to a simmer and let it do it?s work until it?s heated through. Et voila! Soup!

I?d like you to know that this was my breakfast. Soup. For breakfast. I never said I was normal.

Lean in close and I?ll tell you the secret behind making this soup. The reason making this soup is so simple, is that you aren?t really making it! Et voila!

It was so delicious that I had it again for lunch, but this time with some spinach I got at the market the other day. Same process, just a different veggie. Like so?

Et voila! Soup!

These little bowls of comforting goodness were definitely bright spots in the day. And the best part is that it literally took less than 5 minutes to have a hot bowl of soup in front of me.

It?s no novel idea, but maybe my ?soup recipe? will help you when you?re under the weather too and give you the creativity you need to make something healthy and quick when you?re sick. Hey look, I?m a poet and didn?t know it!

Clearly whatever illness I have is making me looney. Don?t worry, I haven?t forgot about all of the questions you asked last week. I had planned to answer all things France today, but am just too darn tired. Please forgive me Stay tuned for all my answers tomorrow.

Do you have a go-to recipe when you?re sick? Any pre-packaged foods that you like to jazz up?

I?m off to cuddle up in bed and attempt some homework. And maybe make another bowl of soup.