I created a chicken vegetable soup that was so lip smacking good that I just have to share it. It should be completely safe because it is made with nothing that is unsafe for those of us who suffer with chronic pancreatitis.
The picture is NOT my soup. I am one of the very few people on the planet that does not have a cell phone with a camera or a camera I could use to take digital pictures. So I apologize but I’m serious …
This chicken vegetable soup is so good you may never make any other kind of chicken vegetable soup. The broth is delightfully sweet (not over sweet, just a hint of sweetness), the soup itself boasts a filling four servings of chicken breast pieces (skinless chicken breasts) and large chunks of vegetables. It will satisfy even the heartiest man sized appetites and is full of protein, vitamins and minerals.
You can create any variations you wish using this recipe for chicken vegetable soup however; adding or subtracting ingredients will obviously change the flavor of the soup so give this specific recipe a try before you create variations. You’ll like it.
One of the things you need to remember about me is that I do NOT measure. I am a dumper or a do-it-to-my-taste kinda guy. So I’ll list the ingredients with approximate amounts as a starting point and you’ll have to go from there. In other words you have to taste it while cooking to see if you need to add more of anything. Naturally I’m being conservative with the spices because once in you can’t take them out but you can always add more to your particular taste.
What you’ll need:
- A large pot (5 quarts) with cover
- 4 Yukon Gold potatoes
- 6 good sized carrots
- 3 large parsnips
- 5 celery stocks
- Celery leaves (about half a cup)
- One large yellow onion
- Salt (1/2 teaspoon)
- Pepper (1/2 teaspoon)
- Bay leaves (2 or 3)
- Basil (1/2 teaspoon)
- Parsley (1 teaspoon)
- Garlic (4 – 6 fresh crushed or 1 teaspoon of garlic powder)
- Thyme (1/4 teaspoon)
Cut up two fresh, skinless chicken breasts (more if you like) and add the chunks to about 3 cups of water (it looked like about 3 cups, maybe it was 4 lol). My pot was about half full of water before I added the chicken. Bring to a boil on high heat and once boiling back down the heat until you have a gentle boil. Cover the pot and cook the chicken for 30 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking wash, peel and cut your vegetables into nice, good sized chunks. And at the 30 minute cooking mark add ALL the vegetables and spices then cook for another 30 minutes or until the vegetables are to your liking for tenderness. Make sure you taste the soup and see if it is to your liking as far as spices. If it needs more of some spice add to taste. Once you have the soup broth to your taste liking set the soup aside to “rest” for 10 minutes and then dig in!
Dear Paul, I want to thank you for all you do for us CP folks. I had a rough year but am well now and I owe it to you and your advice and extensive study of the pancreas. It’s two months since my last attack and I’m still eating vegan. I won’t add any low fat meat until three to six months after last episode as you recommend. How do I know if/when it’s safe again? My last attack occurred after eating a veggie salad at Chipotle. I had always been ok with their salad with rice and beans added. Well this last time they must not have measured the oil in the rice or perhaps they may even have used a pan that had meat grease residue in it. At any rate I got sick and fasted for six days. I won’t be eating there again. I’ve learned to trust no person or restaurant for the most part. I hope you have a merry Christmas/happy Hanukkah and happy new year. Again thank you sooo much! PS I’m on Pinterest and have a huge Vega Low Fat board with tons of recipes. Pinterest is a wonderful source for great recipes.
Hi Jayne! You are welcome but if anyone heals and or finds relief all the glory is God’s! I can only imagine how tough your last year has been considering you were diagnosed with PC and had a whipple procedure. I can emphatically say that neither are on my bucket list. I can only explain the Chipotle incident the same as you. Eating out can be dangerous. I hope you had a great Christmas and Newy Years with your family and wish you God’s blessings through the coming year. I’m on Pinterest as well (haven’t been on in a while) so the next time I am on there I’ll try to find your page. Stay well! Oh …
Question 1) “It’s two months since my last attack and I’m still eating vegan. I won’t add any low fat meat until three to six months after last episode as you recommend. How do I know if/when it’s safe again?”
Answer: When you feel really good again and have been symptom free for a time you can try to add white meat fish and skinless chicken breast to see how it works out for you. In the mean time you can try to get protein from beans, peas, lentils, egg whites. I hope you have a happy, blessed new year 🙂
Dear Paul,
I hope it is okay to call you that.. About 18 years ago I ended up in the hospital with a pancreas attack and remained there on I.V. fluids for an entire week. After I returned home I returned to careful eating for awhile but as time passed, I didn’t think much about it. That is until about a week ago when I ended up in the ER with that pain on the left side. They ran tests, confirmed it was my pancreas and after a shot of morphine I was send home with pain pills, which I didn’t take after the first one! They said I had had a “slight case” of Pancreatitis. I don’t know about “slight” but eating has turned into a real chore. I didn’t worry about it initially but in a few days it became brutally clear that I would have to learn to eat differently, and that included learning the foods that I COULD eat. I found your website and have been trying to do what you share with us. In regards to getting the necessary protein, you mention eating beans, peas, lentils, & egg whites. I turned my nose up at the egg whites until I was practically starving and when I tried them I was pleasantly surprised! However, as to the beans; what kind of beans? Beans cause gas and gas hurts my stomach,, so how does that work? Under normal conditions I love beans, but I didn’t think they were a good item to use under the circumstances! I will appreciate any and all suggestions as I am really threshing around in the dark at the moment! Oh, and where can I find “vinaigrette” that doesn’t contain oil? Or how to make it? All I found uses oil. Thank you in advance for your answers. I am in dire need!
Hi Linda – sorry to hear you have been feeling poorly (understatement right?). Yes, learning to eat differently usually returns a better outcome and it can be confusing and frustrating. I eat all kinds of beans (kidney, red, black, navy, white, lima, etc). Soybeans however have too much fat content (12-14 grams for 1 cup). ANYTHING made from soybeans is usually too high in fat. So I avoid them and soy products. Beans do cause gas for most people. I don’t find it an issue. I’d rather pass gas than be sick due to eating high fat content foods. IF you pre-soak the beans and then pre-cook them for about 10-15 minutes and then discard the water, refill the pot and add the beans back in and then fully cook them you notice less gas.
For salads and other things I use a honey mustard dressing. 3 table spoons of apple cider vinegar, 3 table spoons of mustard (shake) and use. I also experiment with that basic recipe. I add different varieties of mustard (sweet hot, jalapeno, etc), balsamic vinegar. You can actually create some great tasting concoctions without oil! Lime juice makes an awesome salad dressing. Chop up cucumbers, tomatoes, green onion (whatever else you want even black beans lol), add the juice from 7 or 8 limes (depending on salad size), some salt, pepper and a little cilantro. Add cooked shrimp to that concoction and you’ll have a complete meal. Sometimes all you have to do is to sit and brainstorm about fat free and low fat foods you enjoy and simply mix and match to see what tastes good together. I eat some weird no-fat, low fat combinations that really taste good!
Hi Health Guy, first let me say I pray that you are well in mind, body & spirit. I think of you & your ministry and I know you are God sent to all of us on this journey. ?? Now, my issues; I was hospitalized, twice in 2016. March and April. The 2nd time the Dr said my enzyme levels were normal, not elevated like the 1st time (March) so they didn’t know why my pain reoccurred and said per test & labs it wasn’t from pancreatitis. I also had another outpatient Ct and they said my pancreas was fine. I haven’t been back to the hospital since April or even the GI doctor for pain since maybe July even though I’ve experienced some setbacks from pain. I’ve subscribed to your regiment for recovery because it works. Well my new problem or symptom is pain in my back & on the right side. I’m not sure if it’s associated with my pancreas, kidneys or something else. I’ve read that others patients of AP/CP do suffer so I’m concerned if this pains means something new is happening or is getting worse and maybe I should get some new testing. I don’t have abdominal pain or burning (unless I screw up my diet). My urologist says my back pain isn’t associated with my kidney stones. They found the stones when I had the pancreatitis attack last March. I had a lithotripsy in September. I eat low fat but as I said I have slipped a couple of times before – hence my setbacks. I take the supplements you’ve outlined except for the Enzymes. I need clarity on when to take them. Is it only with a meal that contains fat (fish/chicken) or every meal even when it’s only veggies & fruit (salads/smoothies)? Also, is there a website of referrals to good GI doctors, clinics & hospitals? This community really needs to share that information because it seems that along with sticking to the diet, finding a great doctor or support seems to be the hardest about this illness. Other than my pain symptoms, I don’t know what to tell or ask the doctor. And last, someone asked about taking Great Lakes Collagen Gelatin. I’ve been adding it to my smoothie for several months & haven’t had any problems. My setback only came when I slipped off my diet and had too much fat. Look forward to your reply. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. You give the gift of HOPE ??
Hi Peaches – THANK YOU for the prayer and kind words. I appreciate them 🙂 I hear what you describe a lot from people who have suffered an acute attack that according to the medical profession almost always (80%) heals up with no further indications of a problem yet, others, far too many to ignore, still suffer. I’m gonna quote you:
“I don’t have abdominal pain or burning (unless I screw up my diet).” It would seem to me (and I am not a doctor) that if you “screw up” and eat something that is high in fat and you have symptoms that there is something still going on, like unseen damage somewhere in the pancreas or an undiscovered condition such as gallstones (GB inflammation, even sludge) or sphincter of oddi dysfunction that causes intolerance to those foods. EUS seems to be the best test for discovering small amounts of pancreas damage that could cause problems. There could also be an underlying condition such as an autoimmune disease that is systemic in nature and has been known to attack and damage the pancreas (there are quite a few).
In regards to the enzymes if there is very little damage they may not be necessary but taking them with foods that contain some fat (chicken/fish) could be beneficial for you. IF there is a significant amount of damage to the acinar cells (they produce the pancreatic enzymes) you may need to take them with each meal. Those with comprehensive damage or EPI are usually put on creon by a doc. In regards to locating a good doctor this site may be of benefit. God bless you and feel well.
Hi Paul,
I am Pinky from India,my husband was being diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis last year and we were shattered and very scared. He is very young 32 years old and we had just started our life. We had many dreams together, but when he was diagnosed with pancreatitis, we were shattered. But when I read your blog, i was motivated and confident about my husband too beating pancreatitis. Even i showed your blog to him and he was like ok I can do this. We both could live our life normally. I m really thankful to you. Whenever we are down we just read your blog again and again. It gives us hope and motivate us to fight the disease.
One question I have is How to prevent Diabetes from Pancreatitis. Can you provide some information on this? As doctors say that a person having pancreatitis will have diabetes at some point of time. I don’t want my husband to have another condition and really want to save him from diabetes.
Waiting for your response.
Hi Pinky – The islet cells (beta cells) produce insulin so the less damage that is done to those specific cells the better. The best way I know of inhibiting diabetes is to avoid more damage so this would mean to keep inflammation at bay (resolved). The more your husband does regarding the resolution of inflammation (diet, anti inflammatory foods, supplements and anti inflammatory meds such as ibuprofen when needed) which will allow his pancreas to heal the better. A diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis doesn’t mean your husband has to become diabetic but it does increase the risk so doing everything one can to decrease that risk is important.
Wow, that makes a lot of soup. I have shoulder issues and decided to use the food processor. Big mistake! I later found where it said to cut into large pieces. I did like the taste and it was pretty good, however, next time I will cut it in half.