Brian and I were both under the weather for much of last week, so meals were chosen for their cold-fighting and sinus-clearing qualities. Here are two vegetarian alternatives to chicken soup:
Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup
Tom Yum is a popular Thai dish that claims immune-boosting properties. Though not usually vegetarian, this recipe has all the standard ingredients that provide any health benefits: mushroom, garlic, ginger, basil, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, lemon, lime, and chili pepper. The soup is also not traditionally made with coconut milk, though this variation sweetened the soup nicely to complement the next recipe.
Sauté 1 Cup sliced mushroom (Shiitake, Oyster, or White Button mushrooms all work well) and 4 cloves minced garlic in a small amount of oil over a medium high heat. Season with 1 tsp grated ginger, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp chopped basil, and 1 tsp chopped cilantro. Cook until mushrooms begin to brown.
Meanwhile, combine 4 Cups of vegetable stock and 2 Cups of coconut milk in a soup pot. Bring to a boil along with 2 stalks of minced lemongrass, 3 kaffir lime leaves, and 4 cloves of minced garlic.
Cut 1 Cup of tofu into 1 cm cubes. Add tofu and sauteéd material to soup pot. Bring back to a boil.
Garnish with diced tomato, diced chili pepper, a lemon slice, and/or a lime slice.
Stir Fry with Raw Orange Sauce
The sauce for this dish was inspired by a raw energy soup recipe found online. Uncooked foods are believed to better maintain the nutritional quality of their ingredients, so a raw component seemed like a good choice for a cold-fighting dinner.
Combine 1/3 Cup orange juice, 1 Cup red pepper, 1 avocado, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp red curry paste, 1 tsp orange zest, and 1 Tbsp wasabi powder. Blend until smooth.
Sauté 4 oz seitan in a tsp of oil and a Tbsp of the blended sauce. Serve with raw water chestnuts over rice. Top with the orange sauce.
Cold Fighting Food
Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup
Tom Yum is a popular Thai dish that claims immune-boosting properties. Though not usually vegetarian, this recipe has all the standard ingredients that provide any health benefits: mushroom, garlic, ginger, basil, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, lemon, lime, and chili pepper. The soup is also not traditionally made with coconut milk, though this variation sweetened the soup nicely to complement the next recipe.
Stir Fry with Raw Orange Sauce
The sauce for this dish was inspired by a raw energy soup recipe found online. Uncooked foods are believed to better maintain the nutritional quality of their ingredients, so a raw component seemed like a good choice for a cold-fighting dinner.