Illness happens. It doesn’t wait for opportune times, like when you’re not pregnant. I’ve been sick while pregnant and it is miserable. A little cold that should be easy becomes the most tiring thing you’ve ever experienced, and that includes having a newborn that doesn’t sleep through the night. I was lucky enough that I only got sick once each pregnancy and both times in the first trimester. Yes, I consider myself lucky because I can’t even imagine how it would have felt to have a cold in the third trimester and with GD. I’ve heard that illness can make it even harder to control your glucose levels. So, as much as you probably want to throw in the towel because you’re just so overwhelmingly tired, try to keep on your diet.
It figures that you can’t reach for a can of soup anymore. Why would life be easy? Well, here’s an easy(ish) solution for you. (Or maybe you can recruit someone else to make it for you so all you have to do is eat it.) Want it even easier than the recipe below? Skip the sauteed veggies. Add the broth to your pot and add onion powder and celery seed along with the other seasonings.
One of the wonderful things about broth soups, is that they freeze well. Make the soup ahead of time and freeze it so you don’t have to deal if you do get sick. And if you don’t get sick, well, soup is delicious even when you’re healthy and having it already made is even more delightful.
What makes it diabetic friendly?
You always hear that pastas are off-limits to people who are limiting their carbs. Why should this dish be any different? For a few reasons. One, this dish calls for whole wheat pasta. Whole wheat is a complex carb, meaning it has fiber, which takes longer for your body to digest so sugars are released slowly, whereas simple carbs, such as refined white pasta (or egg noodles as most chicken noodle soups call for), are digested quickly, spiking blood sugars. But who wants to eat whole wheat? Trust me, it’s good. It tastes the same but has a natural al dente bite to it. Enjoy your whole wheat pasta, but in moderation (the recommended serving size is 1/3 cup).
Two, it’s packed full of chicken, ie protein, which helps stabilize those sugars. And, if you make the recipe as written, it has a good amount of vegetables making the soup that much healthier.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
- 1 1/2 cups small whole wheat pasta (Some people even use angel hair. It doesn’t matter as long as it’s whole wheat)
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- Dried basil, to taste
- Dried oregano, to taste
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion and celery in butter until just tender, about 5 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, chicken, pasta, carrots, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes.
Make it a meal
- Chicken noodle soup (1 serving carb, protein)
- 1 small orange (or two cuties) or whole wheat crackers such as Triscuits (1 serving carb)
- 8oz glass of milk (1 serving carb)
- Side salad (watch those dressings for carbs and sugars)
- Fresh vegetables such as broccoli or bell pepper strips
My GD 