Heart Healthy Chicken Soup

Regular chicken noodle soup is off limits to people on a low salt diet because of the sodium levels. Even the healthier versions have too much sodium, cholesterol, or fat. That is not good for your heart or waistline either.

A healthy alternative to those prepared canned of soup is to make your own. It is far easier than one might think. I grew up eating homemade soups, I just got lazy when my children came along and used the canned crap they sell in the stores. After experiencing three heart attacks with four days, I went back to cooking homemade, as my parents had shown me.

To create a healthy alternative to the canned chicken noodle varieties you simply need is chicken, and noodles and a few shakes of Mrs. Dash. When I create mine I like to add frozen carrots, onions and once in a great while I will add some chopped celery.

I simply take a pan and add water. The amount f water really depends upon how much homemade chicken noodle soup you are going to make. I usually add four cups of water, two legs of skinless chicken, a quarter cup of chopped onion, 1 cup of frozen carrots and a few cups of dried low cholesterol noodles to the mixture when its time.

I allow the chicken and an onion to cook in the water until the chicken is done. Then I pull out the chicken, debone it, and add it back into the pan with the frozen carrots. Once the carrots are almost soft I will add in the noodles. Sprinkle in some of the Mrs. Dash to taste and you have a delicious pot of homemade chicken noodle soup.

The beauty of this simple recipe is the varieties are endless. Add turkey, beef, or even lean ground hamburger instead of the chicken. Have homemade chicken noodle soup with peas or green beans instead of carrots. You can also choose to use macaroni, wheels or another pasta product rather than the egg noodles.

If you want a cream based soup, boil a handful peeled potatoes. Use a masher to break them into smaller pieces right in the pan. Don't dump the water, instead add in a cup of 2% milk, and thicken it with mashed potatoes flakes. Add only enough flakes to get the right consistency, as you are not making mashed potatoes. Add in cooked turkey bacon or some cooked lean meat and vegetables if desired.

Skip the traditional soup seasonings and go with Mrs. Dash for a heart healthy homemade soup.