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Three Winter Soups

1/30/2022

Isn’t soup the best? Especially this time of the year - who doesn’t love a cup of hot, healthy goodness? They’re also so easy to make and require very little clean-up (most of the time).
I find myself gravitating to creamy vegetable soups most of the time and I hardly ever follow a recipe. I throw 3-4 different veggies into a large pot, add desired spices, boil them in broth/water until tender, then add in a can or two of light coconut milk (depending on how much I’ve made) and blend it all together with an immersion blender. I also love serving it over some rice - which makes it much more filling.
If I am following a recipe (or using one for a frame of reference), the first two recipes below are my go to. The third soup is one I haven’t made yet but it definitely on my Soups-To-Make list:

1. Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup

3 potatoes, chopped
2 cups broccoli
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups water
Instructions: In your instant pot combine all of your ingredients except the nutritional yeast. Cook on sealed/high pressure for 15 minutes. Once done add in your nutritional yeast and lightly blend with an immersion blender. Add salt to taste. Serve over rice with additional nutritional yeast.

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2. Split Pea Soup

1 cup dry split peas *soaked overnight
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 a large onion, diced
1.5lbs of potatoes, chopped (about 8 small or 3-4 large)
5 cups water
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
Instructions: On the stovetop add in your peas, onions and salt with 5 cups of water and bring to a low boil. Cover this and let it cook while you prep all your other ingredients. I like to cook the peas a bit by themself so that the veggies don't get super overcooked but this also is not necessary. Add in the rest of your ingredients, bring the soup back to a low boil, cover and cook for about 40 minutes. Once the soup is done I like to lightly blend it with an immersion blender. If you let it cool a bit it will thicken a lot! Then adjust the seasonings adding more salt to taste or black pepper and serve alone or over rice.

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3. Knoephla Soup

Soup:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 cups chicken or vegetable broth
½ teaspoon dried thyme, chopped
4 springs fresh dill, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 ½ pounds red potatoes, chopped into ½-inch pieces
½ cup heavy cream

Knoephla:

3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly group black pepper
⅛ teaspoon group nutmeg
1 large egg

Instructions: For the soup: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onions, a good pinch of salt and a few turns of pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 more minutes. Stir in the stock, herbs, bay leaves and potatoes. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cover and cook for 40 minutes.

For the knoephla: Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, a few turns of pepper and the nutmeg in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup (236 grams) water and the egg and mix to form a shaggy dough. Turn it out onto a clean work surface and knead it for a few minutes, adding flour as needed, until you have a smooth and stiff dough. Roll it into a 1/2-inch-thick blob, then cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch squares, dusting with flour so they don't stick together.When the soup has 20 minutes left of simmer time, add the knoephla directly to the soup and continue to simmer.
Stir in the cream. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
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If you try one of these recipes, be sure to let me know the next time you stop into the clinic!

By: Chloe, Patient Success Coordinator

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Gym Closed? Try These 7 at Home Work-Outs!

1/23/2022

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Snowed in and can’t make it to the gym? Here are 8 exercises for a total body workout that you can do from the comfort of your own home with virtually no equipment.

Side lying hip abduction:

While lying on your side, slowly raise up your top leg towards the sky. Keep your knee straight and maintain your toes pointed forward the entire time. Keep your leg in-line with your body. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.

Squats:

Stand with feet shoulder width apart and toes pointed forward to slightly turned out. Bend knees and lower buttock towards floor keeping your back straight and bending at your hips. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.

Good mornings:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and place your hands at the back of your head with your elbows opened wide. Pull your abs to your spine, and keep your back neutral while pressing your butt backward, hinging at the hips, until your back is almost parallel to the floor. Keep a slight bend in your knees as you bend forward. Return to standing, squeezing your glutes when you are upright. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions

Calf raises off of a step:

While standing on the edge of a step with your heels off the back end of the step, raise up on your toes as you raise your heels and body upward as shown. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.

Push ups:

Select one of the above push ups based on your ability. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.

Superman:
W’s
Lie with your chest down on the floor. Put your palms on the ground on either side of your chest in line with your head. Squeeze your gluts and lower back to raise your arms and the top of your chest off the floor. Be sure to squeeze your upper back so that your arms form what looks like a 'W' shape when you lift them. Perform 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Superman:
Y's
Lie with your chest down on the floor, reaching your arms out in front of you to form a 'Y' shape. Squeeze your glutes and lower back to raise your arms and the top of your chest off the floor. Perform 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Plank:

While lying face down, lift your body up on your elbows and toes. Try and maintain a straight spine. Hold this position for 60 seconds and repeat 3 times. If you are unable to maintain a straight spine for the full 60 seconds, you can either start with less time per set or try a plank from the kneeling position seen below.

By: Dr. Josh Hammond, PT, DPT

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Safe Shoveling - 5 Ways to Shovel Pain Free

1/16/2022

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Shoveling snow is a repetitive activity. Because of this, if not done properly, it can result in low back and shoulder muscle strain. Fear not! Liz is here to help: She urges you to use these five, simple tips to prevent injury and shovel your snow pain, and injury, free this winter!

If you’re able to push the snow off to the side rather than lifting it, that will make it much easier on your body.
If you have to lift snow, only lift small amounts at a time and NEVER lift and twist from the waist!

If you need to move snow to another spot, turn your entire body and walk to the spot.

Use a shovel with a longer handle or with one that extends so you can maintain a more upright position while you’re shoveling.
Take breaks every 20-30 minutes
Make sure you wear warm clothing to decrease the stress put on your body.

By: Dr. Elizabeth Bynum, PT, DBT

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The Life of a Student of Physical Therapy

1/9/2022

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Boy, I could go on for hours on end discussing my path towards becoming a physical therapist (PT), but I won’t do that to you. The path to becoming a PT has changed over the course of the last couple decades. Previously, the most common degree a PT would have been a Bachelor’s, but in present day the requirement is a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Which is what every therapist at Empire has!

The length of a program just depends on the specific school, but I’ll use my school: Sacred Heart University, as an example. 4 years of undergraduate work is the norm, but there are ways to shorten the amount of time down to 3 years with extra classes in the winter and summer time. Now that certainly was not for me, because I enjoyed having some money in my bank account during those seasons, but that’s besides the point. My class had a diverse pool of undergrad majors that ranged from biology to exercise science, mainly because those and all the others in between share classes that are prerequisites
for a graduate PT program.

At Sacred Heart, the PT program spans 3 years. Which is shared by many programs in the northeast. 2 full years in the classroom learning about an infinite number of evolving facts about the human body as well as the profession, which are followed by 1 full year of clinical experience out in the field. I am currently in the later part, so I am eager to take the next step towards helping others improve their quality of life and health. As a student I have gotten a look at the full spectrum of the PT profession, working in a hospital during the height of COVID, and seeing a wide variety of cases that challenged me to become a better therapist. With all that said, you’re in good hands with a physical therapist. And most will continue to learn more as the world changes, as will I.

By: Matt Aquilino

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Three Winter Soups

Gym Closed? Try These 7 at Home Work-Outs!

Safe Shoveling - 5 Ways to Shovel Pain Free

The Life of a Student of Physical Therapy

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