Somehow, I managed to get through the entire semester without getting sick once. I usually get hit once per semester, and with my stress levels as high these past few months as they were, it seemed inevitable. However, my health held up. It was only until I got home from school and started relaxing for 2 weeks that my body decided to pick up some bug, and I have spent the past 2 days lying in bed diligently working my way through my long Netflix instant queue. I don't know what exactly I managed to catch or who I can blame for it, but whatever it is has left me on a meager diet of cinnamon toast and scrambled plain egg whites. I don't know about you, but I am not a fan of sick food. I love cinnamon toast and I love making nice, simple egg white omelets, but when those are really my only two options and the sight, smell, and thought of just about anything else makes my stomach lurch - well, I get sick of those two delicacies pretty darn fast.
In the spirit of this recent bug, I wanted to share a recipe with you that I could, maybe, perhaps consider eating without my body starting a revolt. But before I tell you about that, I have to take a moment to share a link with you for, supposedly, The Only Way to Make Cinnamon Toast. I mean, if it's going to be just about the only thing I can eat for several days straight, I better learn how to do it Right. Now, the The Right Way does seem to involve copious amounts of butter, which surely wouldn't sit well in my current state, as well as a mixture of cinnamon and sugar instead of my preferred straight cinnamon, but the sequence of preparation is certainly one to note. So, if you never knew there was a Right and a Wrong way to make Cinnamon Toast, I encourage you to check it out. You never know when you're going to catch a stomach bug and have to resort to a diet exclusively comprised of the stuff!
Now, back to non-toast foods that may potentially be okay for the sickly. Although I don't have any leftovers to test this theory out, this Chicken & Egg Soup seems innocuous enough yet decidedly not toast or plain eggs. And, I have to say, it is absolutely, phenomenally, 100% delicious! I used a garam masala rubbed chicken breast, which was a welcome spice against the clean yet prominent flavor of dill; the crunch from millet contrasted the creaminess from the egg; and the color was wonderful. I can imagine a touch of mustard or a replacement of the chicken with chickpeas or cubed tofu. I can imagine leaving out the millet and just sopping it up with some hearty bread. Best of all, you probably have enough ingredients in your kitchen already to throw this together, and it's beyond easy and quick to make. If my stomach muscles didn't feel so garsh-darn stretched when I merely stand up, I could totally make this right now. But alas, my gastric musculature is no friend of mine right now, and so cinnamon toast it is. The Right Way. Almost.
One Year Ago: Raspberry & Chocolate Ganache Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream
One Year Ago: Raspberry & Chocolate Ganache Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream
Chicken & Egg Soup, adapted from The Food Network
Yield: 4 servings
The Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
freshly ground pepper, to taste
3/4 - 1lb. cooked & cubed chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth (I use no-salt added)
2 lemons
1/2 cup millet
2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
2 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
The Method
Place the oil, onion, and pepper in a large pot over medium heat and cook until just softened, about five minutes. Add the chicken broth, 4 cups of water and the juice of one lemon, then cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, pour in the millet and simmer for approximately 15 minutes, until the millet has cooked and the soup has thickened slightly. Remove the soup from the heat.
Whisk the juice of the remaining lemon with the whole eggs and yolks in a separate bowl until frothy. Gradually ladle the hot soup into the egg mixture, whisking all the while to temper the mixture. After several ladlefuls, stir the warmed and tempered egg mixture into the soup and return to medium-low heat. Cook until creamy, about 1 minute. Stir in the shredded chicken, spinach and dill, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the soup amongst 4 bowls, and serve.
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