Hello, from London my darlings! Despite being just a teeny tiny bit jet lagged, we’ve been bashing around the city with great abandonment. No food is left uneaten, no wine not drunk, and no site unseen. London is one of my favorite cities to visit, and each time I come here, it feels like home. I am so thankful to be able to experience this wonderful city with my amazing husband. We’ll be here throughout the month of September, in part for pleasure and also because I’m doing a 100 hour Ashtanga traning course with Kino MacGregor and her husband Tim Feildman. OMG GIVE ME ALL THE ASANAS! In the meantime: soup!
Let it not be said I don’t love me a good soup recipe. They’re fast, easy to throw together, and have endless possibilities. Best of all, when soups are homemade, they have the opportunity to be incredibly nutritious. Because I don’t live life like a typical 9-5 American, I’d rather take a Japanese bento box to work than buy food. Asian inspired recipes are a vegetarian’s dream come true, because they’re so naturally healthy and often rely on veggies as a main go to ingredient. Leave out the meat and replace it with a new hero ingredient, and you’re set! You can never go wrong with a good soup, like my other Japanese Ramen Noodle Soup or this easy breezy 10 minute miso soup. They’re ready in a flash and low cal meal options.
A friend recently told me I was crazy for eating soup throughout summer and into fall. She said this while she was clutching her warm coffee mug like it was a life line, huddled in her cardigan sweater to shield her from the blast of the freezing AC. In America, we apparently want to feel like we’re doing the March of the Penguins, arctic style year round. My reply? “You’re so right. Soup during is insane! And would you like a side of ski jacket with that coffee so you don’t get hypothermia?” She ate my soup. Score for soup lovers everywhere! Another day’s work done! Plus, we’re heading into fall so I like to be ahead of the game. Any excuse for soup, kids. Any excuse will do!
This Japanese inspired ramen is incredibly easy to make and so healthy. Another plus: gluten free noodles! Yes, gluten free ramen does exist! Praise be!if you can find it at your local grocery store, you can purchase it on Amazon, the bringer of all good things.
I used homemade vegetable stock, which is actually much easier than you might guess. Another plus, you can store your stock in the freezer for about 6-8 months, so making a big batch is a great meal prep move.
SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: less than 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups Vegetable or chicken stock
→ TO MAKE: fill crockpot with water, spices, aromatic veggies and herbs. Set for 8 hours, strain and it’s ready to use. For chicken, follow same method, only use the leftover bones and meat of roasted bird.
- 1/2 cup spring onions
- 1/4 cup onions
- 1 cup bok choy , kale, or baby spinach
- 1/2 cup corn or veggie of choice
- 1 cup button mushrooms
- 1 TBS miso paste
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- Bunch of cilantro
- 2 cups water
- 375g gluten free ramen noodles
- 1 TBS soy sauce or GF alternative
- 1/4 tsp coconut nectar
- 1/2 tsp 5 Chinese spice (optional: adds a slightly sweet flavor that balances the broth nicely)
- OPTION: add chicken, pork, or beef
DIRECTIONS:
- PREP: wash and prep your veggies.
- Bring water to boil and add noodles. Cook for about 5 minutes, drain and remove.
- While cooking noodles, cook stock on medium high heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, miso paste, soy sauce, onions, coconut nectar and spice along with 1/2 of the spring onions. Add corn at the last minute to get them lightly cooked, but maintaining their sweet, crunchy texture.
- Bring broth to a gentle boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Add a squeeze of lime juice to brighten the broth.
- Add noodles to the bowls, top with veggies and cilantro, and pour broth into the bowls. The hot broth will lightly cook the greens without completely ruining their texture. Serve hot and enjoy!
Another added bonus of this soup is it’s fairly easy to meal prep. You can cook the noodles ahead of time and store in an airtight container. The broth is also something that can be made and stored, so this is an incredibly healthy alternative to fast foods. While noodles are carbolicious and might terrify you, just know that when eating a balanced diet, the body actually needs carbs. The thinnest nations live on vegetarian dense, high carb diet. Carbs aren’t our enemy; a lack of balance and unhealthy ingredients are though! So don’t feel guilty when you enjoy slurping down these noodles, just like you did when you were a kid. It’s an effortless way to do quick meals in a healthy manner. Hope you’re having a lovely day! Much love from London!
Naturally Fit Living 