Lemon Za’atar Chicken Orzo Soup

& my self-work era

Hi! Welcome to “good mood food” from Kale Me Maybe’s Carina Wolff. If you’ve made it here and aren’t yet a subscriber, come join! You can expect recipes, musings, and faves in your inbox every Wednesday! Paid subscribers get even more! Learn more about the paid tier of my newsletter here. You can also try a week for free!

CATCH UP!

The most exciting thing that happened this week was the launch of my limited-edition flavor collaboration with Ground Up nut butters! Most of you are probably aware by now, but my Fudgy Mint Cookie Cashew Butter is now available online! Use code kalememaybe for a discount!

I had so much fun working on this project — people always ask me if I would ever open a restaurant and I always say no (I do not want to take on that responsibility). However, I LOVE designing menus or coming up with product flavors, and this collab is exactly what I love doing when it comes to creating.

As far as other life things, I feel like I’ve been in this funk for the longest time, and I am currently in take-action mode. I’m being super aggressive with not only changing my habits but also my mindset, particularly around work. I’ve been much more diligent about going to yoga, I started going to acupuncture, and I am finally looking into seeing a therapist (which btw is a weirdly hard process???). I’m also trying to reconnect with my creativity when it comes to work and just tune out the noise. There is so much noise! I have a lot more to say about this… but it might need a different format. Tbd.

Basically, I’m starting the new year now — no need to wait until January 1st to start on those “resolutions.” I don’t love that word, but I love the idea of working on ourselves, and I don’t think we need an arbitrary date to do it. The time is always now!

THINGS I’M LOVING!

I have to include this, I’m sorry! My limited-edition flavor collaboration with Ground Up Nut Butter is so good, and I am going to keep screaming it from the rooftops because I want everyone to try it! My Fudgy Mint Cookie cashew butter tastes like a thin mint cookie, and it’s amazing on toast, in smoothies and lattes, on oatmeal, and to use in baking cookies, brownies, etc. Or, you can just be like me and eat it by the spoonful.

It’s only available this month, so don’t miss out! Would make a great holiday gift! Use code kalememaybe for 10% off!! And for the next two days, all 12oz jars are buy 2 get one 50% off!

I am a big fan of press-on nails, and I tried a new brand this week! I tend to panic buy mine on Amazon because I usually need them fairly urgently (or else I bite!!), so this week I bought a set of pearly white nails from BTArtbox. I skipped the adhesive tabs and just used the nail glue, and they were nice and sturdy and worked well!

As you probably know as a reader of this newsletter, I spend a lot of time thinking about what it’s like to live your life online. This podcast episode from Colin and Samir with Emma Chamberlain was so fascinating to me. I never actually followed along with Emma Chamberlain’s online trajectory, but hearing the way she spoke about how she approaches creativity, life online, finding happiness, etc. really resonated with me. I actually know Samir IRL too, so it was a fun listen!

RECIPE!

It has been 80 degrees here this week, but you can still catch me eating soup. This recipe is based on Avgolemono Soup, a Greek soup that’s made with lemon and egg yolk. The result is a creamy and bright broth that takes your chicken soup to the next level. You’ll often also see the soup made with rice, but I made mine with orzo to give it more of a chicken noodle vibe.

I also added dill and za’atar to this dish, which gives it more of an herbaceous flavor. If you’re not familiar with za’atar, it’s a Middle Eastern spice blend commonly used in places like Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Palestine. There is some variation in what goes into the blend depending on the region, but it typically consists of thyme or oregano, with toasted sesame, salt, and sumac. Za’atar (an Arabic word) is also an actual herb in the thyme family, but many blends don’t actually contain the za’atar plant. Za’atar is often mixed with olive oil and enjoyed with pita, but it can be sprinkled on things like veggies, added to meats as a seasoning, used in dips, etc.

I love to buy my za’atar from Z and Z, a family-owned business. Their za’atar is amazing, and you can purchase it on Amazon!

And while we are here, I’d like to also ask everyone if they can continue with their donations to Doctors Without Borders to help with medical assistance in Gaza.

Lemon Za’atar Chicken Orzo Soup

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• ½ cup finely chopped carrots

• ½ cup finely chopped celery

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp za’atar, divided

• 2 chicken breasts (about 1 lb)

• 5 cups chicken broth (plus more, if needed)

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 cup orzo

• 2 egg yolks, at room temp

• 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

• ¼ cup roughly chopped dill, plus more for garnish

1. Heat up olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add onions, carrot, celery, and 1 tbsp za’atar, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 7-8 minutes until veggies have softened.

2. Mix in the garlic, and then make room for the chicken. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sear the chicken on both sides for 2-3 minutes each.

3. Add the chicken broth and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Remove the chicken and bay leaf from the pot. Discard the bay leaf, and set aside the chicken.

4. Add the orzo, and cook for 8-10 minutes until orzo is cooked. While the orzo is cooking, shred the chicken with two forks. Temper the egg yolks by taking a ladle or two of the hot broth and whisking it into the yolks. 

5. When the orzo is done cooking, check the broth. You might want to add more chicken broth after the orzo has cooked if it has absorbed too much. Add back the shredded chicken and lemon juice. Remove from heat, and add the egg yolk mixture, remaining za’atar, and dill. Mix together, and serve warm.