Vegetarian Ramen

All this talk about making me feel like a kid again has reminded me on how much we truly are those kids we thought we lost. I remember being a kid and playing outside in the cool, breezy weather almost daily. I went out for a bike ride with my friends feeling the wind blow through my face and hair. I felt like I was so free and like I was flying. I would come back home to the smell of Ramen noodles awaiting me for dinner! So warm and cozy after a day outside! I would cuddle by the fireplace, eat my Ramen, and watch cartoons on a regular basis. I went on to eating Ramen in college, like most of us do, but this time there was a catch. Now that we get older and become not as active due to school and studying, we start packing on pounds. And due to the high carb, high sodium, and low fiber content, we get hungry again very shortly after to go on eating more unhealthy food. Not only that, but a lot of college students and adults feel like they don’t have a lot of time to cook, so they would eat that out of the instant bowl. This may be tasty, but not for our gut that has no idea what to do with the nutrient less pile of noodles. Luckily for you poor college students and time lacking adults, this does not have to be the case anymore!  Why not have your ramen and feel full afterwards while not feeling guilty for that piece of chocolate cake you might have for dessert? ;) In under an hour, you can have a beautiful bowl of ramen noodles with delicious maple roasted root veggies and tofu. Who ever said eating this good could be this easy?! Thanks to Minimalist Baker, I have been able to provide this amazing recipe for the best Easy Vegan Ramen ever! Warning: Might need to go for seconds or thirds because it’s so damn good!

Credits to: https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-vegan-ramen/

Ingredients:

For the Ramen:

• 5 cloves garlic (2 1/2 Tbsp), roughly chopped

• 1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and diced

• 6 cups vegetable stock

• 2 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce, plus more to taste

• 1 Tbsp white or yellow miso paste (ensure vegan friendliness on package)

• 1 tsp sesame oil (for flavor), plus more to taste

• 2 tsp rice wine vinegar or mirin

• 8 ounces Ramen noodles (You can get creative here with the noodle choices)

• 10 oz of “flash fried” tofu (optional) **

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten (optional) **

• Green onions (for topping)

For the Miso Glazed Root Vegetables:

• 1 8 oz package fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped

• 6-8 radishes, sliced thin

• 1-2 baby bok choy, chopped

• ½ medium sized yellow onion, chopped

• 2-3 large carrots, chopped

• 2 Tbsp miso paste

• 2 Tbsp maple syrup

• 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari

Notes:

**For the Tofu: If you decide to make this, cut into rectangles and add 1 heaping Tbsp of arrowroot starch to a Ziploc bag. Add ½ the amount of sauce portions for the glaze into the Ziploc bag to coat the tofu.

**To make this dish vegan, omit the eggs

Directions:

1)      Chop veggies and put in a Ziploc bag with all of the ingredients for the glaze. If you want to make the tofu as well, see the notes above. Let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour to let the veggies get a nice marinade.

2)      Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a large baking sheet, lay out your veggies and your tofu on a foiled baking sheet. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the tofu and veggies are golden brown.

3)      While the veggies and tofu are roasting, begin to prepare your Ramen noodles. Cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

4)      Prepare the broth for the ramen by putting all of the ingredients (except the eggs) into a pot and simmer on low.

5)      When the veggies and tofu are done, remove them from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and then put them into the broth.

6)      Turn up the heat to medium and add the eggs. Stir and cover and let sit for 5-10 minutes until the eggs are cooked through

7)      Serve with the noodles and green onions. Enjoy! :)