While other college students are ordering pizza, Christine Peng-Peng Lee has a different view of what makes an easy dinner: homemade soup. The 23-year-old Canadian, a redshirt senior at UCLA, has scored two perfect 10s this season on the uneven bars and was named west region gymnast of the year and Pac-12 specialist of the year.
As she prepares to cap off her college career at this weekend's NCAA championships, she shared her veggie-packed recipe:
Day and time: A Wednesday afternoon
Place: My apartment in Westwood (in Los Angeles)
What I'm eating: Homemade soup
Whose recipe: Mine
Why I'm eating it: I made this super-healthy soup to help cleanse my body of all toxins, as well as to boost my immune system to help fight any viruses before I compete at the NCAA championships. Although this soup might seem simple, it is quite delicious and easy to eat. The veggies are very alkalizing and will help bring down my acidity level. I made sure to add some protein, as well as carbohydrates, to make sure I'm getting all the nutrients I need as an athlete.
The recipe:
Ingredients:
1 whole head of garlic, chopped
1 bunch each of collard greens, kale, Swiss chard and spinach
2 large roasted chicken breasts (I bought them precooked)
Soba noodles
Water
Himalayan salt
Fill an 8-quart soup pot about halfway with water, and turn the heat to high. Add the chopped garlic, and while it comes to a boil, chop the rest of the greens and the chicken.
When the water boils, add the collard greens, kale, Swiss chard and chicken to the pot. Salt to taste.
Once the veggies are bright green, add the spinach last, since it wilts very quickly.
