Chicken Noodle Soup (Without the Chicken, of Course)
In the most shocking turn of events since it snowed in Pittsburgh in January, a whole bunch of you mentioned "Chicken Noodle Soup" as your go-to meal when treating the sickies in your house.
I was hoping you'd say that!
Did you ever stop to think what vegetarians eat when they're sick?
Well, just pretend you have because I have and I have the answer.
Chicken Noodle Soup.
Without the chicken.
No, seriously. A good soup recipe is a good soup recipe. I can substitute out the bird and end up with a really fantastic soup that happens to have significantly less fat and fewer calories than the original. It doesn't necessarily taste like Chicken Noodle Soup exactly, but I'd say it's better. The focus is on getting the herbs right, which means the hearty vegetables end up taking center stage. It has all the warmth and coziness you want when you're sick, but it's lighter. Friendlier. Less birdy.
It's just plain yummy.
Vegetarian Chicken (-Less) Noodle Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
3 bay leaves
4 teaspoons thyme (about 8 sprigs if using fresh)
1 package extra firm tofu, chopped and drained
2 32-oz boxes vegetable broth (not tomato-based -- look for one that is primarily root vegetables)
1 12-oz bag of dried extra wide egg noodles
1 tablespoon dried chopped parsley (about 3 tablespoons fresh)
salt and pepper to taste
1. Prep the tofu. Start by chopping it into little squares and draining the liquid. Then take four paper towels and fold them in half on top of a plate. Put the tofu on top of the paper towels. Place a few more paper towels on top of the tofu and then put a plate on top of the whole thing. Press firmly for a minute or two. The process gets some of the liquid out and helps the tofu cook better.
2. Place the olive oil, onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, and thyme in a large skillet and sauté over medium heat until softened. The goal is to cook the vegetables, not brown them, so make sure you stir as needed.
3. Place the noodles and broth in a large saucepan. Cook on medium high heat for about five minutes. I know they're not done. They will be by the time we add the vegetables and tofu, though. Let's avoid mushy noodles, mmkay?
4. Dump the vegetables into the broth and keep cooking those noodles.
5. Place the tofu in your skillet (it should still have olive oil from the veggies) and sauté it lightly for one or two minutes. Again, you don't want to brown it, just make sure it is cooked.
6. Put the tofu in with the noodles. By now your noodles should be perfectly cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Add your parsley.
Alexis seriously loves this soup. Of course, she loves vegetables and she loves tofu and she loves egg noodles, so it makes sense that she's a happy camper when I make it. She might even try to fake sick once in a while so she can try to convince me to conjure up a little Vegetarian Chicken Noodle Soup.
I'm working with Mucinex and BlogHer on a series of posts about dealing with the sick, so now would probably a good time to mention that there is another giveaway at the end of this post. First, though, a little something about Mucinex.
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Got it? Got it!
Now for your chance to win a id="mce_marker"00 CVS gift card. All you have to do is leave a comment telling me what you're willing to fake sick to get. Alexis will do it for this soup, but maybe you dare to dream bigger? A day at the beach? To stand in line for a movie opening? Whatever it is, leave your comment.
The rules!
No duplicate comments.
You may receive 1 total entry by leaving a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 2/6/2013 – 3/31/2013
Be sure to visit the Children's Mucinex Multi-Symptom Cold page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!
Recipe
Reader Comments (115)
I am willing to pretend to be sick to justify an extra viewing of Super Why for my almost three year old who doesn't nap.
I faked sick back in 2000 to get out of work and go stand in line for Keanu Reeves' autograph. Well worth it.
I will fake sick just to get a "mental health" day from work!!
Yes, faking sick is usually for a mental health day from work.
Also, can you tell me what brand of vegetable broth you use? I can never find any without tomato.
Last year I faked sick to get out of a team building course at work and go to a Madonna Concert
Faking sick is usually a mental health thing now- pulled it once back in high school to go to a concert, and I justified that to myself because I had requested the day off three weeks in advance and was scheduled anyway. If I were to do it for something fun today, it would probably be to take advantage of an empty mall and movie theater during the day.
I don't fake sick but I my kids have when they have not wanted to go to school. If I was to fake sick it would be to just spend a day at home.
DDs will fake for dark chocolate brownies.
I would fake sick to get a day at the spa!
I never fake sick.
twitted this today, 18/03
I don't fake being sick ever.
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
I'd fake sick to get out of town.
I would fake sick to go on vacation
I would Fake sick to get some needed sleep.
I will fake sick to go shopping with my friends.
I would only fake being sick for a million dollars. :)
Id fake sick just to get a day slouching on the couch watching movies.
I am willing to fake sick to get a day of relaxation in my own house.
a Rick Springfield concert
Reading a book keeps her happy.
For a bowl of figgy pudding.
I would fake being sick to get out of cooking dinner!
I would fake being sick for a vacation to just about anywhere at this point.
I guess i'd fake being sick to spend a day in bed watching tv.
Whenever I need a day off to rest or take care of things
I would fake sick to get the CHinese food I need to soothe me and make me feel better!
I would fake sick just to have everyone leave me along~
I faked being sick to go shopping with my girlfriends at our FAVORITE store. There was a huge sale that day!!
I am willing to fake sick to get a couple extra hours of sleep.
I will fake sick to sleep in
I would fake being sick just to get a full nights sleep lately, my daughter is so off schedule lol.
For a big special sale shopping day at Kohl's.
Thank you.
I can't afford to be sick let alone fake it but I do appreciate how my little one will curl up in bed with me if I am feeling under the weather
I'd fake sick to spend a snow day with the kids :)
I fake sick to get a nap.
I may sound insane, but it sounds like bad karma to me, inviting a real sickness, I dont think anything is worth that to me.
I will fake sick to get a day to sleep in and clean
don't tell my boss, but i have faked sick to lay on the couch all damn day and watch tv. and i have faked sick to run away camping for the weekend. although the hangover on a monday after a late stillers game isn't faking!
I'm willing to fake sick to get a day off of work.
extra sleep!
Thanks! Janna JOhnson jannajanna@hotmail.com janna@feedyourpig on gfc
I would fake sick to go to the beach on the first nice day, winter has been too long, ready for a day at the beach
Fake sick for just a mental health day.
I'm willing to fake sick to get Aglamesis Ice Cream.
I would fake sick to get ready for the holidays
Fake sick the next day to be able to go to a good late night concert that night! LOL
I would fake sick to go on vacation
I once faked being sick from work so I could go on a road trip/camping trip with my group of friends, and I still don't regret it! (and I really hope my boss doesn't find this, ah!)
Monicamezaa@yahoo.com
xox
I'll do it to avoid a full day team building exercise. Count on it!!!!
ky2here at msn dot com
I would fake sick to have my husband bring me breakfast in bed.lol