Simple Comfort

I'm pregnant.  And it's hard to cook.  The smell of most everything makes me want to throw up, what I make doesn't taste good, and I'm tired.    

I have frequently come across the advice that you should put away meals in preparation for the arrival of a new baby, but I say do it sooner.  If there's any danger of becoming pregnant at some point in the near future, go ahead and put on a pot of soup.  

Unfortunately, I do not have a freezer full of nutritious single servings.  I have convinced Paul to make us dinner every night until the nausea passes, and last week I temporarily solved the problem by spending 85 dollars at Whole Foods on already prepared meals and snacks that lasted me a day and a half.  Oh, but it was a good day and a half.  That's also the day that I splurged on the ten pass at the local indoor playground that has free wifi, and coffee (which you can't drink because you're pregnant.)  So with my kid entertained and my bowl of Amy's No Chicken Noodle, I staved off the pending hormonal breakdown.  But of course, I can't live that life of luxury everyday.

Assuming you too have not heeded my advice about stockpiling healthy meals, I've found an alternative. This soup is the simplest of simple comfort foods.  As a matter of fact, if you're not eleven weeks pregnant, or two years old, this probably won't interest you.  I remember from the last time we did this, that I had the palate of a toddler for about nine months, and this time around it kind of comes in handy, since I'm already cooking for one kid.  This soup makes a perfect lunch for Desmond and me, with a bowl left over for when I'm hungry again, which is all the time.  From chopping to eating it takes maybe 20 to 25 minutes.  There are a couple of key happy pregnant woman factors at work here: no garlic or onions (puke), no long simmer time filling your home with delicious savory aromas (puke), plus it actually contains a bit of nutritive variety that I can stomach because it's cut up really small.  I have come a long way from week 8 when I would eat only cold pears, soda water, peanut butter crackers, and inari sushi.    

Toddler Soup

makes 3 grown-up size helpings

1 cup diced vege, for me that was 4 smallish carrots and 2 small celery stalks
about 1 T. olive oil 
1 quart vegetable broth (I've been using the Rapunzel powdered vegetable broth that you buy in a little jar in health food stores.)
1/2 c. small dry pasta
1/2 c. shredded seitan (I've been using White Wave chicken-style seitan, because I am not cooking.  One package made me three pots of soup.) 
a handful of shredded greens (cut up really small if you're cooking for a toddler or pregnant woman)

In a medium saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat.  When it's good and hot, throw in the carrots and celery.  Saute for 3 or 4 minutes, until they get a little bit of color.  Add the vegetable broth, and stir to scrape up any browned vegetable bits from the bottom of your pan.  If your broth is not already hot, then wait for it to come to a simmer before you add your pasta.  Once the pasta is about cooked, add your seitan and greens.  I have used both baby spinach (just stir in at the very end, until wilted and bright green) and russian kale (add before the pasta is done so that it has time to become tender, a couple minutes will do), but any cooking green you fancy will work, just adjust adding time accordingly.  Taste for seasoning, and serve.  I add nothing, by the way, but I'm really into the simple comfort of this soup.  You might like a squeeze of lemon juice, or a bit of salt and pepper, or a shake of hot sauce.  

But please, give me a week or two before we talk about hot sauce again.