This light soup with umami broth is a nice break for the stomach from heavier winter meals. Proteins can be added easily, and it can replace the classic Chicken Noodle Soup in your wellness routine.

You can adjust the salt to your liking if you use homemade broth. Homemade broth is an incredibly alkalizing food. It offers easily digestible nutrients and electrolytes.

Dulse {red seaweed} is a great source of complete protein amino acids and iodine, plus helps to remove heavy metals and toxins from the body.

If you don’t do wheat, you can replace the udon noodles with a variety of gluten-free noodles: buckwheat, kelp or NoOodles {made with yams}.

Serves 4

6 ounces udon, kelp or yam noodles
6 cups homemade veggie broth or broth of your choice
6 Crimini or Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
2 handfuls cooking greens: kale, dandelion, chard, collard greens, bok choy
Sea Salt to taste
2 teaspoon coconut aminos (or tamari)
1 Tablespoon dulse granules
Coconut nectar (or sweetener of your choice) to taste {optional}
1 Tablespoon onion flakes or diced onion
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, black seeds or Gomasio (seaweed, sesame seeds and sea salt)

Cook udon noodles in salted boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes (if using yam or kelp, wait until the end to add). Drain and rinse under cold water until cool.

Place broth in a pot and bring to a boil. Add mushrooms, greens and onions or flakes and bring back to a boil.

Stir in spinach and oil and season with salt, aminos, sweetener and dulse granules to taste. Add noodles and cook just until heated through.

Let rest for 5-8 minutes for full flavor. Top with sesame oil and seeds. Enjoy!

Adapted from http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/maindishes/r/couscous_veg.htm

This is such and excellent winter dish. Warm, soft vegetables and a little bit of spice (or a lot!) can heat you from the inside out. This can be served without a grain or it can be served with couscous instead of rice. Vary the vegetables to your family's preferences or add what you have on-hand.

See How to Steam Couscous if you've never used a couscoussier.

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes

Cook Time: 35-40 minutes

Yield: Generously serves 6 adults (or several “seconds”)

Ingredients:

1 cup dried rice (rinsed thoroughly)
1 ¾ cup water
2 Tablespoons vegan shortening or coconut/olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter for topping
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
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1/4 cup vegan butter or coconut/olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced or sliced
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 handful of parsley and cilantro sprigs, tied into a bouquet
1 teaspoon turmeric
A dash of Ras el Hanout (See the story of this spice)
A dash of Sumac Cajun Spice *optional
1 cup of vegetable broth
3 tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped, or jarred diced tomatoes
1/2 of a small cabbage, cut into 2 or 3 sections (or fennel, chopped or sliced)
2 or 3 small sweet potatoes (or 1 large), peeled and chopped
10 carrots, peeled and chopped
½ cup chopped cauliflower or broccoli
1 or 2 small zucchini, ends removed and chopped
1/4 cup dry chickpeas, soaked overnight or canned
1/2 cup fresh fava beans or kidney beans
1 or 2 chili peppers or red chili flakes (optional)*
1 tablespoons salt
A dash of black pepper

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Preparation:

Prepare the rice by adding 1 cup to a rice cooker or pressure cooker (also works with a saucepan the stove). Add 1 and ¾ cup water, the vegetable shortening or oil and salt. Cook for 10-15 minutes depending on if you are using white (10 min) or brown rice (15 min).

Cook beans (if using dried and soaked beans) until soft.

Mix the, onion, garlic, ginger and spices in a large saute pan or casserole with two tablespoons of vegan butter (or oil). Add the tomatoes after the onions and garlic soften. One by one, add the rest of the veggies, adding salt and vegetable broth as needed to keep the veggies submerged.

Add the bouquet of herbs and cover and cook over medium to medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes, adding the zucchini, broccoli/cauliflower and beans last.

Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer rapidly for 10 to 15 minutes. Add broth as needed and reduce to a thick stew.

Empty the couscous (break it apart) and rice into the large bowl, and. Mix in the 2 tablespoons of butter and salt to taste.

Discard the herb bouquet and distribute the stew evenly over the couscous or rice and vegetables, topping with fresh herbs or vegan ricotta cheese.