Healthy homemade chicken soup to keep you warm and healthy

Photo provided

(StatePoint) - When sweater weather arrives, there’s nothing quite as comforting as a pot of something savory and delicious simmering on the stove.

As you turn to hearty soups this winter, having the right seasonal staples means you’ll be well on your way to having piping hot meals on the table, quickly and hassle-free.

Keep your pantry and fridge stocked with essential ingredients like onions, carrots and celery, along with a collection of earthy, zesty spices and versatile, all-purpose seasonings. You’ll also need a rich and all-natural stock handy, such as Kitchen Basics Unsalted Chicken Stock. Simmered all day with chicken, vegetables and McCormick herbs and spices, this deeply flavored stock can bring a burst of savory warmth to countless dishes. It’s low on sodium so it’s a good-for-you start to many delicious meals beyond soup, like rice, sauces, and more.

To help you embrace the colder weather, try a recipe for a hearty classic loaded with tender veggies, chicken, egg noodles and robust flavor that puts this stock -- aka “liquid gold” -- front and-center. Yep, you guessed it, Savory Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. Nostalgic and nourishing, all you need is 10 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes cooking on your stovetop.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons McCormick Garlic, Herb and Black Pepper and Sea Salt All Purpose Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Ground Turmeric
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
• 2 cartons (32 ounces each) Kitchen Basics Unsalted Chicken Stock
• 2 cups uncooked medium egg noodles
• 1/2 cup frozen peas

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in large saucepan on medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook and stir 3 minutes or until softened. Stir in seasoning and turmeric; cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chicken and stock. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 15 to 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.

2. Transfer chicken to medium bowl; shred using two forks. Set aside. Stir noodles into broth; cook 6 minutes or until tender. Return shredded chicken to saucepan. Gently stir in peas. Sprinkle with parsley to serve, if desired.

For more great ways to warm up this season, visit mccormick.com/kitchen-basics.

During the short, dark days of winter, healthy soups like this will feed your body and warm your soul.

Area COVID-19 Dashboard for January 9

Active Champaign County Cases:

7,039

Net change in the county: 949

---

Current local cases 1/9/22

Number in parenthesis indicates new cases since 1/8/22

Ogden • 41 (4)
Royal • 5 (2)
St. Joseph • 217 (27)
Urbana • 2481 (373)
Sidney • 52 (4)
Philo • 66 (7)
Tolono • 166 (26)
Sadorus • 16 (2)
Pesotum • 24 (0)

Total Active Local Cases:

3,068

Net change in local cases: 414

---

Total Local Confirmed Cases: 17,344

New cases: 445

The information on this page is compiled from the latest figures provide by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and the Illinois Department of Public Health at the time of publishing. Active cases are the number of confirmed cases reported currently in isolation. Local is defined as cases within the nine communities The Sentinel covers.

Experts say we need to expand our definition of health, and here's why

Poor nutrition can contribute to a range of chronic health conditions

(StatePoint) - Many Americans view health as a product of the medical care they receive. However, public health experts say that’s just one piece of the puzzle.

"In reality, our health is shaped more by the zip code we live in than the doctor we see. In fact, where we live, our financial circumstances, our access to affordable, nutritious foods, and other non-medical factors overwhelmingly influence our physical and mental health," says Dr. Shantanu Agrawal, chief health officer, Anthem, Inc.

These factors that Dr. Agrawal refers to are known as "social drivers of health" (SDoH), and they determine up to 80% of our health outcomes, according to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation research.

As part of "What’s Driving Our Health," Anthem’s campaign to start a national conversation around whole health, the healthcare company recently conducted a study to learn more about Americans’ perceptions of what health really means. Here are some of the study’s top findings:

• While 46% of Americans are unaware of the concept of social drivers of health, once given the definition, 60% agree that their local community is facing at least some health issues related to them.

• Americans of color are disproportionately affected by the consequences of SDoH. While 58% of white respondents report that their local community is facing at least some health issues related to SDoH, 69% of Hispanic and Latino respondents report the same, as do 68% of Asian respondents and 68% of Black/African American respondents.

• Poor nutrition can contribute to a range of chronic health conditions, and 50% of those surveyed say it is hard to find affordable, healthy food in their local community.

• Though 70% of Americans live near at least one hospital or medical center, one in five say that lack of transportation has kept them from medical appointments. What’s more, nearly one-third struggle with access to health services and care.

• Internet access not only determines whether one is able to use important health services such as telemedicine, it deeply impacts educational outcomes and access to economic opportunities, including employment. Yet, only 39% of Americans believe it significantly impacts their health.

• Some additional factors that can drive health outcomes in the short and long term include access to green spaces, educational opportunities, economic stability and living in a safe community.

Where to Start

More than 80% of those surveyed believe that healthcare entities, local government, private citizens and employers share responsibility to address the many social drivers of health. While these issues are complex and no one entity can fully address all the social drivers alone, here is what you can do today:

1. Connect the dots. Visit WhatsDrivingOurHealth.com to read the full report and learn more about whole health and its drivers.

2. Spread the word. Share what you’ve learned about the ways social drivers affect you and your community and follow the conversation on social media using #DrivingOurHealth.

3. Join the conversation. Understanding is the first step in making positive change. Engage with friends, family, and community members about the many ways to address health-related social needs in your community.

"The sooner we broaden our definition of health, the sooner we can address the many factors that affect people’s ability to thrive," says Dr. Agrawal.

GoFundMe campaign established for St. Joseph veteran who lost home to fire

ST. JOSEPH - Chris Wright lost his home, all of his belongings, and his trusted companion, his dog Bo, to a fire that started in his home sometime around 11pm on New Year's Eve.

The St. Joseph-Stanton Fire Protection District responded to the call and extinguished the blaze around 3am on Saturday.

Wright's neighbor, Kristin Jones, created a GoFundMe campaign to help him recover after the fire.

"The firemen and women tried and did their best to put the fire out is quickly, efficiently, and tried to save everything including his dog, she wrote in the campaign message. "I’m here to ask, that while he continues to work, we raise money to help him in whatever he needs to get through this extremely hard time."

Anyone willing to make a contribution to help the army veteran who served both in Iraq and Afganistan can do so here - GoFundMe for Chris.

"Such a devastating loss for my brother," wrote his sister Kaleigh Clark on Facebook. "He lost his dog, who was his best friend, as well as his house, and all of his belongings in this fire."

Food prices, inflation threaten food security for Illinois families

by Lily Bohlke, Public News Service

Supply-chain issues, inflation and job loss during the pandemic have put many families' food security at risk.

In Illinois, hunger remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. Recent census surveys show 7% of households in the state are considered food insecure, and it jumps to 12% for households with children.

Jim Conwell, senior director of marketing and communications for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, said for families already concerned about making ends meet, increased grocery prices are hitting household budgets hard.

"Add on top of that, as we enter the winter months, increased costs for utilities and home heating," Conwell outlined. "There's going to be more families who are struggling to make it through a month and get all the foods they need."

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, food prices overall have increased 6.8% since November 2020. Prices for meat, poultry, fish and eggs have risen more than 12%, and they're up 4% for fresh produce.

And with the ongoing challenge of rising prices, Conwell pointed out it can be even more difficult for families to get back on track, despite many people going back to work and schools reopening.

"Households with children and households of color have been disproportionately impacted by the increased need during COVID-19," Conwell reported. "Here in this area, Black and Latino households are more than twice as likely to experience food insecurity as white households."

He added the Food Bank also has mobile pantries for people who can't get out to shop for groceries, as well as programs for enrolling in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Between 2019 and 2021, SNAP has seen an increase of seven million people receiving benefits.

Photo-of-the-Day: January 9, 2022

Upton wins again

St. Joseph-Ogden's Austin Upton (45-4) tries to pin Mercer County's Jon Ricke (left) during their 170-pound Class 1A wrestleback semifinal match during 2013 IHSA Wrestling State Finals held at the Assembly Hall in Champaign, IL.. Unable to stick Ricke, Upton still advanced to the third-place match after defeating Ricke, 11-8. See more photos from this match and others from this year's state finals on iphotonews.com. The senior eventually finished fourth in the weight class after dropping the third-place bout in a close 3-2 finish to Wilmington's Sean Liaromatis (49-3), the #2 seed in the bracket.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

---

Search the PhotoNews Media archives for more photos:

Search by athlete's name, team, school and more

---