Blast away those cold and wet Autumnal blues with this delicious Warming Ginger & Garlic Veggie Broth, topped with seasonal organic vegetables and vegetarian-friendly Quorn Chicken pieces for added protein.
Autumn is officially here and whilst many of you are rejoicing over the annual re-appearance of Pumpkin Spice everything and digging out your favourite jumpers from the back of your wardrobes, I'm begrudgingly putting away my flip-flops and mourning the end of Summer :(
But it's not all doom and gloom! Whilst I personally despise the longer, darker, colder months of the British year (can you tell that I'm a Summer gal through and through?!), I do enjoy indulging in all of the simple comfort foods that help to warm your belly up, such as this oh-so-delicious bowl of Warming Ginger & Garlic Veggie Broth with Quorn Chicken pieces.
Ginger and Garlic are both fantastic ingredients for helping to boost your immune system which is vital at this time of the year when cold and flu season kicks in, but the real key player in this recipe is a good quality vegetable stock to use as the base for your broth. If you are absolutely pressed for time, you could use a ready-made stock, but trust me, it won't be as flavourful so save this one for when you're not in a rush.
Yyou can use any type of vegetarian or vegan chicken pieces here (this post isn't sponsored by Quorn, I just personally like them!) and I've added them for protein, however, you can leave them out or use pieces of Tofu instead if you'd prefer. This meal is perfect for a light lunch or even as a late-night healthy snack if you're feeling peckish before bedtime.
Ingredients (serves 1)
- 300ml of Vegetable Stock (I often use this BBC Food recipe here)
- 1 large clove of Garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 thumb-size of fresh Ginger, peeled and finely grated
- Handful of seasonal vegetables (I've used Kale, Carrot and Courgette)
- Handful of Quorn Chicken pieces or other chicken/protein alternative
- Drizzle of Olive Oil
- Pinch of Salt & Pepper
- Tamari & squeeze of fresh Lemon Juice (optional)
Method
- If you're using veggies such as Carrots, peel and chop them first, and then add to a pan of boiling water to simmer for around 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a saucepan, add the Vegetable Stock, Garlic, Ginger, Salt, Pepper, and any other 'quick-cook' veggies that you want to use such as Courgette and Kale. Slowly bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes with a lid on. Towards the end, add in the cooked Carrots if using and give it a stir before replacing the lid.
- Whilst the broth is simmering, in a frying pan, add the Olive Oil and let it heat up before adding the Quorn Chicken pieces. Fry the pieces for 7-10 minutes.
- Now all you need to do is assemble your meal - pour the Veggie Broth into a bowl and top with the cooked Quorn Chicken pieces. Season with a splash of Tamari and freshly squeezed Lemon Juice if desired for even more flavour - enjoy!
What are your favourite warming dishes for Autumn?
