Lowers Cholesterol / Heals The Body with Herbs & Spices
INGREDIENTS:
3-4 cups chicken broth - homemade or low sodium boxed
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced ginger
2 cloves sliced garlic
2 tbsp. Shao Hsing cooking wine
1 tsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
Sea salt to taste
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch and 2 tbsp. water
1 small diced onion
2 small diced carrots
2 diced stalks of celery
1 bunch of broccoli florets
1 cup diced yellow squash
2 chopped green onions
MARINADE INGREDIENTS:
4 chicken thighs, remove bone (save for broth) & diced to bite size pieces
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 egg white
pinch of sea salt
*Mix above ingredients and let set for 15 minutes.
Directions:
On medium-high heat, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil, followed by bite sized chicken thighs, reduce heat to medium-low. With this poaching technique, cook until chicken begins to rise to the top, stirring occasionally. After a few minutes, remove chicken from pot and set aside.
Eliminate remaining water from pot and return it to the stove on medium-high heat, adding 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth to pot, garlic, and ginger. Now stir the mixture and cook for 1 minutes. Next add cooking wine, soy sauce, salt if needed, white pepper and sugar. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
For vegetables - add onions, carrots and celery. Cook for 3 minutes or until onions begin to soften. Add broccoli - cook for 30 seconds; yellow squash, cook for 30 seconds, and more broth if necessary to create soup mixture. Now add poached chicken into pot, sesame oil and cornstarch, slowly adding 1 tbsp. at a time as needed to thicken the soup and making it creamy. Cook until you're satisfied with color and texture. Lastly, add chopped green onions to kick the flavor up a bit more. Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes before serving.
*****************************************
Benefit of Celery: A great vegetable to eat for heart health, as it contains Vitamins A, K, & C, plus minerals like potassium which can reduce blood sugar over time due to its low glycemic index. Celery is low in calories at 10 calories per stalk and filled with anti-oxidants.
Benefit of Ginger: A southeast Asian plant, ginger is very common ingredient around the world that is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Ginger can reduce high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and is known to significantly lower blood sugars for diabetic patients. It is recommended to consume at least 3 grams of ginger each day to reduce risk factors.
Ginger Reference: https://gingerpeople.com/news/love-ginger-love-your-heart/
Heart Benefits for Garlic
Garlic contains vitamins C and B6, manganese, selenium and other antioxidants (notably allicin). More recent evidence-based research suggests garlic may be effective against high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cholesterol, colds and some cancers.
With Allicin as the anti-oxidant property in garlic, it’s safe to consume this spice everyday to help lower cholesterol levels, regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Garlic reference: https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/powerhouse-of-medicine-and-flavour-surprising-health-benefits-of-garlic-1200468
Heart Benefits of Broccoli
Broccoli contains a potent antioxidant called sulforaphane, which aids the body during digestion, thereby protecting the body against oxidative stress and chronic disease development. Doctors noticed a significantly reduced triglycerides and “bad” LDL cholesterol in patients, as well as increase “good” HDL cholesterol levels in people who consumed broccoli on a consistent basis.
Broccoli has also been linked to fighting against heart attacks, spiked blood sugar levels and eliminating heart tissue damage because this type of cruciferous vegetable is rich in fiber and antioxidants.
Broccoli reference: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-broccoli#section3
Comments