Vegetable & Rice Noodle Soup in a Ginger & Garlic Broth

This hearty noodle soup is a staple in my house. It is as fast as making grilled cheese, but it is packed with good-for-you vegetables. TCV has no problem putting away an entire bowl full of this aromatic soup at lunch or dinner. You will need:

2 cups of water

a handful of rice noodles

2 cloves of garlic

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger

1 rib of celery (sliced on the bias)

1 carrot (halved lengthwise & sliced)

5 small mushrooms (halved & sliced)

chives

cilantro

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

soy sauce or braggs

1 cube of no-salt-added vegetable bullion

3 ounces of seitan

In a pan over high heat, dissolve the bullion into the water, then grate in the ginger and garlic using a microplane. Add a few dashes of braggs and give it a taste. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.  Add the vegetables and the seitan, and then allow to cook for a few minutes until the carrots begin to become tender. At this point add the oil and the noodles. The noodles will generally cook in two to three minutes, but check the package instructions to make sure. Dump the soup into a big bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro and chives. I like to start eating this dish with chop sticks and end by slurping the broth right out of the bowl. Feel free to add any vegetables to this soup that you have lying around. I make it a little different every time.Broccoli, kale, spinach, or edamame would all make terrific additions to this dish.