Creamy Ramen and Veggie Soup

I love soup. Especially this time of year- have you noticed with my recent postings?!? I could eat soup every night if it was up to me. My husband has been coming around with eating more and more soups, and my kids, well, it takes a little bribing. Mostly with my bread. Which they affectionately call "soup bread" because well, that's what they care about when it comes to another meal of soup and bread. Until this one. They actually ate a good amount before asking for another slice of bread ;) So while I am trying to contain my excitement, and still shovel in some bites, I was doing the happy dance inside. Because this soup is simple, delicious, and full of great nutrients too. I have made it 3-4 times now, mostly on Mondays the past few weeks, and plan on making again tonight...it has become a new family favorite. I hope you give this simple soup a try and maybe even bring up some college life nostalgia in the process ;)

sidenote:
I found these ramen noodles at Costco-which started this whole recipe anyway. They are the Lotus brand, and are made from millet and brown rice.  It says you can buy at Target, or maybe even your grocery store. But you can also buy online at Vitacost (here's a $10 off coupon for first-time shoppers) and Thrive Market, if you cannot find the bulk package at your local Costco. So each noodle cake has 8 grams of protein. So it is an easy way to get good protein and nutrients in a meal without meat protein. Yes, you can add in some chicken if you want, but the simplicity and bare bones of this soup is also just great by itself. Even without the bread ;)

sidenote #2:
I would most definitely suggest having an immersion blender for this recipe to get the best consistency and the most kid friendly version possible.

sidenote #3: (last one I promise ;)
Do you eat this soup with a fork or spoon? The debate happens every time at our dinner table :)

Creamy Ramen and Veggie Soup Recipe
{gluten and dairy-free, vegan without added chicken}

2 TB of avocado oil for sautéing
1 large onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves of minced or finely chopped garlic cloves
1 TB of grated fresh ginger
1 TB of grated fresh tumeric
1 pound or 2 cups of carrot slices
1 1/2 cups of finely chopped celery
1/2 cup of chopped green onions
1/2 cup of finely chopped lacinato kale
1-2 TB of fresh thyme leaves
1/2 heaping cup of fresh finely chopped parsley
4 cups of vegetable broth (or bone or chicken broth)
4 cups of pure water
1 TB of pure raw honey
1 ts. of apple cider vinegar
1-2 ts. of sea salt (add a sprinkle over the sautéing veggies and then again in the end by taste)
sprinkle of cracker black pepper

4-6 ramen noodle cakes (I used GF brown rice and millet noodles by LOTUS)

1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut milk beverage ( I use So Delicious unsweetened)
additional 1-2 TB of fresh finely chopped herbs if wanted to add some fresh green

optional:
add 1 pound of cooked chicken chunks. I bake 1 pound of organic chicken tenders in the oven at 375 for 25 minutes drizzled with oil/broth/garlic and onion and then chop in chunks and add to the soup if I want to add some extra protein

In a large 8 quart pot, saute the chopped onion, garlic, turmeric, ginger and celery and carrots too. Add in the kale and green onions and herbs and cook for a minute, then add in the water and broth and bring back up to a boil. Then spoon in the honey and vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Let it cook for 30 minutes on medium heat or so until carrots are soft. Then get out the immersion blender and blend in about half the soup so you get a creamy veggie consistency, but also half the soup still has chunks of carrots and celery.  You can do this or you cannot, or you can do it more or less depending on your preferences. After doing this step you can add the 4-6 cakes of the ramen noodles (and this is where you can add the chicken if you prefer). Then, you can add in a touch of coconut milk and fresh chopped herbs, turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes until the noodles are soft and separated  Then serve up and ENJOY! Serves 4-6 or 1-2 and leftovers for a day or two.