The Marigold Potager – A Zone 3 Prairie Garden

As soon as September arrives, my body seems to instantly go into soup mode. Salads go out the door and soup cravings begin. There is just something so soothing about a nice, bowl of steaming soup that makes one feel warm and cosy.

Today, I am craving pho, a Vietnamese breakfast soup, full of antioxidants, high in protein, with healthy herbs and spices to support immune systems and aid digestive health. This soup is so healthy for you.

If you are feeling under the weather after eating all that candy from Hallowe’en, this is the soup you need! It hydrates, makes your tummy feel better, is low in fat, and because it is so flexible, everyone loves it.

This pho recipe is super simple to make, fast and easy, uses any ingredients you like. I am a vegetarian so I make mine with tofu and mushrooms, but can be made with beef, chicken, or seafood instead. Slicing it very thin is the key to a good pho.

I do not make my own broth, but you certainly can. The tetra packs of pho broth were on sale this week so I bought 3 to have extras in the pantry. It is gluten free and vegetarian. This recipe makes 2 servings.

• 1/2 a tetra container of pho broth
• 1/4 cup of fresh or dried shitake mushrooms
• 1/4 to 1/3 of the block of extra firm tofu, pressed
• Splash or two of Tamari
• Vegetables chopped into small pieces (this week, I am using 1 julienne carrot, 3 broccolini, and 5 snow peas)
• Handful of Bean sprouts
• Vermicelli noodles
• 2 Green onions for garnish. I think these guys just finish the dish so nicely.

Pour the broth into a pot. I use half a container to make myself two servings. Use the whole thing if you are cooking for 2 or more people.

Break the mushrooms into smaller pieces, add to the broth.

Add vegetables to the broth that take some time to soften. In this case, the carrots, broccolini, and snow peas.

Cook for 10 minutes while you are getting your tofu ready.

Cut pressed tofu into small thin pieces. Fry till slightly crispy, then add tamari and continue frying until crisp and full of flavour.

Add beans sprouts.

Add vermicelli noodles. Cook for two more minutes.

Using tongs, I pull out the noodles and put some in the centre of the bowl, then start adding in the veggies and enough broth to make it soupy. Top with the crispy tamari tofu bits and green onions.

Heart healthy, inexpensive, use what you like and have on hand.

Happy Healthy Eating ~ Tanja