#TheMayChallenge has not only helped me focus on my healthy eating and fitness goals this month but it has also introduced me to many new people! Today I’m excited to introduce you to our third guest blogger, Alessandra Thomas, of the food & lifestyle blog Alessandra Marie. Over the past couple weeks I’ve really enjoyed catching up on her blog, following her on twitter and getting peaks into her life on instagram. When she sent me her content I got really jazzed because I. freaking. love. soup. I will definitely be making this on Sunday! (There’s still time to do a guest post! If you’re interested send me an email or Tweet!)

Hi! I’m Alessandra and I write at the food and lifestyle blog, Alessandra Marie. I’m really excited to be participating in #TheMayChallenge with all of you. I’ve been tackling the push-up calendar and man, real push-ups are HARD! Thanks for having me, Dani!

Alright, so I have a confession. I really don’t like leftovers. The only foods I’ll eat left over are pasta, pizza, and soup. Talk about high maintenance! I’m just not a fan of the way most foods reheat, and typically it’s never as good as it was when the dish was originally made. For that reason, I don’t often make a dinner that turns into leftovers for lunch, unless, of course, it’s soup!

My husband and I are always so busy during the week between jobs and full-time grad school. A quick, 30-minute dinner recipe is key, especially when it doubles as lunch that we’ll both enjoy. This soup is not only healthy, but it’s also even better the next day! It comes together in a flash and can be customized based on what you have on hand. It would be great with butternut squash or delicata squash in the winter. I typically pick up a rotisserie chicken (already roasted!) at our local grocery store and just shred the breasts for this soup. But sometimes I’ll just poach a few chicken breasts instead. (Poaching is easy and healthy! Cover chicken breasts with cold water in a large pan, bring to boil, cover and simmer for 8-15 minutes depending on thickness. Add whatever aromatics you like to the cooking liquid.)

Make a big pot of soup on Sunday and enjoy it for dinner. Then pack up the rest in containers for an easy lunch during the week. A sprinkle of parm really sends this soup over the edge!

CHICKEN, SWEET POTATO, ORZO SOUP

Ingredients
1 large (or 2-3 small) sweet potato, diced small
1 medium onion, diced small
8-10 sage leaves, chopped
3 tbsp butter
1 cup orzo, cooked (measured dry)
2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
6 cups chicken stock (more if needed)
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
parmesan cheese (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread diced sweet potato on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large, heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add diced onions, sage, salt, and pepper. Sauté until soft and translucent. Add sweet potato, cooked orzo, and shredded chicken to the onions and butter. Mix to combine. Add chicken broth, thyme, cayenne, and salt & pepper to taste.

Simmer on low for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Orzo may absorb the chicken broth as the soup simmers. Add more to your desired consistency. Top with parmesan cheese and enjoy! Pack up the leftovers for lunch!

Nutritional Information
based on generous 6 servings
Calories: 334
Fat: 9 g
Carbs: 35 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 28 g