This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Safeway

Cough and cold season is coming up quickly, which means it's time for some cold-fighting foods and medicine. Let's face it, no one has time to be sick. But when we do get sick, we need to fight it off as quickly as possible! When Aimery woke up with a cough this week, I went to Safeway to pick up all of our sick day necessities -- just in case he got the whole family sick (this always happens!). I love shopping at Safeway because it's a one-stop shop to get everything our family needs. Some of our must haves for this cough and cold season are Chai Tea, Signature Care™Cold & Flu Liquid Daytime and Nighttime medicine, and Veggie & Noodle Soup (recipe below)! I also picked up some apple juice for Aimery. Growing up, my mom always warmed up apple juice for me when I was sick. I'm not sure if it really helps a cold, but the warm juice definitely helps a sore throat feel better -- it's also perfect for kids who don't like tea!

Now that I'm older, I prefer drinking Chai Tea instead of apple juice. In combination with Signature Care Cold & Flu Liquid Daytime and Nighttime medicine, I always feel better right away! This Cold & Flu Liquid Daytime medicine relieves aches, fever, sore throat, cough, and nasal congestion to get me feeling better as soon as possible! The nighttime Cold & Flu Relief helps me sleep through the night so I can wake up ready to take on the next day.

Signature Care products are available exclusively at Safeway in the Fort Lauderdale, FL area but you can find them at the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Shaw’s, Star Market, United Express, United and Carrs/Safeway. They’re great because they have the same ingredients as the big national brands but are more affordable. That means you can stock up and keep them on hand whenever you need them.

I try to make soup every week during the cold season to prevent us from getting sick! This week I made Veggie & Noodle Soup! This vegan soup is my family's favorite. It's the easiest way to make sure we are eating lots of veggies! It's really easy and quick to make, it takes only 5-10 minutes of prep time and 40 minutes of cooking!

First things first, go to your local Safeway or Albertsons branch store and pick up all of the O Organic® ingredients (list at the end of this post). Feel free to also add in anything else that you like having in veggie soups; it's really hard to mess up this soup! You'll begin by chopping the onion, garlic, and celery. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Then, add the onions, and celery and sauté for 3 minutes. Throw in the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds before pouring in broth. Since we're vegan, I like to use vegetable broth. Feel free to use your favorite broth here if you want a more flavorful soup!

Next, add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, penne pasta, parsley, bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Feel free to add any of your favorite herbs/seasonings to adjust the flavor! Once brought to a boil, add the mixed green vegetables, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Then add kidney beans and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve warm with crackers, chai tea, or apple juice for the kids!

Cold-Fighting Vegetable Soup
Yield: About 7 servings
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes

Ingredients
2 boxes O Organics Vegetable Broth
1 cup O Organics Penne Rigate
1 tablespoon O Organics Tomato Paste
1 can (14.5 oz) O Organics Diced Tomatos
1 can (14.5 oz) O Organics Red Kidney Beans
1 bag (16 oz) O Organics Green Mixed Vegetables
2 cups Yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
1 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil over a large pot on medium heat. Add onions and celery and saute for 3 minutes. Throw in the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Next, pour in broth and add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, penne pasta, parsley, bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Once brought to a boil, add the mixed green vegetables, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Then add kidney beans and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve warm.

This post is sponsored by Albertsons! Thanks for supporting the brands who support this blog! All opinions are my own.