Oatmeal Soup

This recipe is a way to add fiber to your diet. You have the option of adding the cooked chicken breast back into the soup or into the tossed salad you serve with the soup.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• ½ cup oatmeal
• 2 tablespoons oat bran
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small carrot, peeled and grated
• ½ stalk celery, finely diced
• 1 medium sweet onion, peeled and diced
• 2 bone-in chicken breasts, cut in half
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Optional: ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the oatmeal and oat bran to a baking sheet lined with nonstick foil. Stirring the oatmeal mixture every 2 minutes, bake for 6 minutes or until the oatmeal is toasted and lightly browned. (Watch carefully, because it will go from browned to burnt in an instant!)
2. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the carrot and celery; sauté for 3 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until the onion is transparent. Remove the skin from the chicken breast pieces; place meat side down in the skillet and fry for 5 minutes. Transfer the meat and vegetables to the slow cooker. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the water. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or until the chicken and oats are cooked through.
3. Use a slotted spoon and remove the chicken breast pieces from the slow cooker. Use an immersion blender to purée the vegetables and oatmeal into the broth if you wish. Stir in the cream. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes, or until the soup is brought to temperature. Ladle into bowls. Garnish each serving with a tablespoon of minced fresh parsley if desired.

Oatmeal Choices

Use your choice of quick-cook oatmeal, old fashioned oatmeal, or steel-cut oats, according to your preference. Just keep in mind that you may need to add additional water during the cooking process if you use steel-cut oats.