If you are looking for a warm, cozy and comforting meal because you’ve had a bad day or you’re feeling under the weather, there’s nothing a hearty and nourishing bowl of soup can’t solve. One thing my entire family can agree on is soup, either paired with a salad or just by itself as a meal. My kids love bringing soup to school in a thermos for lunch, and this soup is one that the entire family enjoys.

Packed with veggies and lots of flavor, soup also provides lots of hydration and aids in easy digestion. The cauliflower takes the place of rice or noodles in this soup not only to make it low carb but to provide even more nutritious veggies in your low carb lifestyle. A little hint of lemon gives this soup that refreshing taste and will help to clear up any cold quickly and adding fresh herbs provides antioxidants and brings the flavors to a whole new level.  Like any good soup, this Chicken Vegetable and Cauliflower Rice soup can be made in advance and stored in the fridge or even frozen and easily reheated for an easy weeknight meal.

Choosing a low carb and low glycemic lifestyle is beneficial to our health because controlling blood sugar and insulin levels is one of the keys to reducing our risk of heart disease and diabetes. Low glycemic approaches are also useful for controlling your appetite, aiding in weight loss and helping you avoid the “hidden sugar effect” – where carbohydrates have the same effect on your body as sugar when digested. You don’t see the sugar, but your body does.

To find out more about how carbs and sugars can affect you and why a low carb lifestyle is beneficial to you, visit the Atkins page here:  https://www.atkins.com/

Chicken Vegetable Cauliflower Rice Soup

Ingredients:

6 cups water

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast

3-4 tablespoons avocado oil

1 cup celery chopped with leaves

1 cup leeks sliced

1 plum tomato diced

2 large cloves of garlic minced

2 cups riced cauliflower

1 lemon, juiced

1 lemon sliced as garnish

Handful fresh parsley roughly chopped

Handful fresh dill roughly chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

On the stovetop in a large pot, bring 6 cups of salted water and chicken breast to a boil, slightly reduce heat, cover and continue to boil for 25 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and set broth aside. While the chicken cooks, prepare the veggies as noted in the ingredients. In a separate large pot on the stovetop, heat 3-4 tablespoons of avocado oil on medium high heat. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 3 to 4 minutes stirring occasionally. Mix in the leeks, garlic and tomato and cook for additional 3-4 minutes. Mix in the cauliflower rice and season generously with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the reserved chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. While the soup simmers, shred the chicken breast and add to the soup. Let simmer for several more minutes adding salt and pepper to taste as necessary. Be careful the soup is very hot. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice. Top with fresh parsley and dill before serving and garnish with sliced lemon.

Preparation and cooking time: 35-40 mins.

Serves: 6-8