Because I went to bed last night and woke up this morning with some severe stomach cramps, I decided to take today easy with light meals. No-chix noodle takes a little bit of effort, but I figured it was worth it to make my favorite soup on a day when I’m feeling so crummy. It always lifts my spirits and doesn’t cost all that much to make–especially considering what it yields. (And besides, I couldn’t very well go buy a can of Amy’s at nearly $3 a pop during NoMoCoFo, now could I?)
Ardent readers will re-call an earlier post devoted to this dish; tonight’s recipe probably wasn’t much different. Since I didn’t do the world’s best job explaining how I made it then, here’s a little guidance in the event you’d like to re-create it:
- Chop a bunch of onions, garlic, carrots and celery
- Sautee these vegetables in your cast-iron skillet with some organic herbs of choice (I pinch dried Frontier marjoram, basil, oregano, and thyme. Mostly marjoram and thyme.)
- Prepare a big pot of broth (about half-full to accomodate all the add-ins); put the burner on high to get it boiling
- Add the vegetables to the broth; bring to a boil; add a couple cups of frozen cooked chickpeas and a couple ounces of soba noodles, broken into small bits
- Meanwhile, have some large-chunk TVP reconstituting in broth in your microwave; it takes about 7 minutes in mine; check half-way to make sure there’s plenty of broth to do the job
- Once the TVP has cooled, chop it into bite-sized pieces; dump it into your hot skillet and season with tamari or Bragg’s and about a 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- Dump seasoned TVP into pot, bring up to temperature
- Serve and enjoy!
Of course, I’m always up for questions if you do find you need help.
For dessert we mined a pomegranate for its bizarre corn-like jewels. Nate’s first time = adorable bewilderment.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, the proper way to eat a pomegranate is decadently, i.e., by the handful.
