As is usually the case, summer has disappeared a little too quickly here in Chicago. Normally I don’t mind the lack of 90 degree temperatures, but they were in even shorter supply than normal this year, leaving it feeling more like a prolonged spring easing its way into a, hopefully, prolonged fall.
Needless to say, I do not like winter. It is the devil’s season. By the time February rolls around, there’s a vague sense that everyone is looking forward to punching everyone else in the face. But perhaps being trapped inside looking at the same 4 walls all winter will do that to a person. Or in this case, an entire city.
Luckily, it’s not here yet, but fall has most definitely set in which makes it the perfect weather some soup. This cream of chicken and mushroom recipe was adapted from the Swank Multiple Sclerosis Diet Cookbook. It’s a great book for people dealing with Multiple Sclerosis and are looking for other ways beside medicine to boost their health. Just be forewarned that it’s not an easy diet. It’s a strict low-fat regime that I wasn’t even able to stick to. But that could be love of carbs talking.
You can easily replace the veggie chicken with real chicken to give yourself that meat fill you’re craving.
Vegetarian Cream of “Chicken” & Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 lb sliced mushrooms
- 1/3 cup AP flour
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups skim milk
- 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
- 2 packages Trader Joe’s Chickenless Strips, diced
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- chopped parsley
- paprika
Pour oil into a large saucepan and saute onion over medium heat until tender. Add mushrooms and cook 10 minutes. Blend in flour. Gradually stir in chicken broth, skim milk that has been mixed with the nonfat dry milk powder, and the wine. Stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Add remaining ingredients except parsley and paprika. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley and paprika. Serves 6.
Two Bites in Suburbia 