Soup on a Sick Day

Sometimes trying to carry the weight of the world comes at a price. I put so much energy into transitioning into a new job and jumping into it with great gusto. Then Atticus got sick and again I expended more energy on worrying, doting, and offering extra TLC to comfort him in his time of need. In the midst of all of this, I let work and personal stress get the best of me. Burning the candle at both ends typically doesn’t end well for me.

So yesterday when I woke up with a sore throat, I knew I might be in trouble. Unfortunately as the day progressed, I started to feel feverish, achy, and downright puny. When Atticus went down for his afternoon nap and Liam started his quiet time, I knew I needed to see a doctor to make sure I wasn’t coming down with something more serious than a cold.

It’s rare that I get sick, but when I do, it usually knocks me flat on my you know what. As I waited to see the doctor, I feel asleep on the table; a sign I was really in for it. The doctor walked in, awaking me from my feverish slumber, and delivered the bad news. My lab results confirmed strep throat.

I’d already missed two days of work only a week and a half into my new job because Atticus was too sick for daycare. Now I faced calling in again, this time to report I was too sick to work. This, of course, sent me into a bit of a tizzy because I worried immensely about what my new administrators would think about me missing another day of work. In the end, I accepted my fate, although rather begrudgingly, because I didn’t have any other alternatives.

Today’s sick day has been restful with lots of napping, lying in bed, and catching up on Hallmark movies. The antibiotics, fluids, and rest seem to be working their magic. I’ll be back at work tomorrow and will slowly ease back into it so that I can ensure a speedy recovery.

When I’m under the weather, there’s nothing better than homemade soup to ease my symptoms. Perhaps fate worked in my favor when it came to weekly meal planning because Saturday morning I’d purchased all of the necessary ingredients for chicken tortilla soup. I prepped, diced, chopped, minced, and gathered all of the items early on Sunday morning before I started to feel terrible. After my doctor’s visit and a trip to the pharmacy, I whipped it together in under 20 minutes. This soup was savory, spicy, and exactly what the doctor ordered! The leftovers were perfect for lunch today too.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, diced (Remove the seeds if you want to take the heat down a few notches)
• 1 pound chicken tenders, chopped
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons – 1 tablespoon of chipotle chili pepper (It depends on how much heat you like!)
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh cilantro, large handful
• 1 cup frozen sweet corn

GARNISHES:

• Mexican cheese blend, grated
• fresh limes, quartered
• cilantro for topping
• tortilla chips, crushed or in strips
• fresh avocado, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

In a large soup pot on high heat, sauté the onions, garlic, and jalapeno in olive oil until fragrant. Add the chicken and cook until brown. Next add the tomatoes, corn, and the handful of cilantro. Top with salt, pepper, and chipotle chili pepper. Bring to a boil to warm everything through. When the soup is ready, serve with your favorite garnishes.

To stretch this soup, consider adding black beans.