I wanted stir fry.... but I wanted to stretch it, and therefore, we had sweet and sour soup. If you aren't avoiding starches, it would thicken nicely with a little arrowroot (mix with water before adding to pot) but it tastes quite good without. You can also drizzle beaten egg into the simmering mixture, but I chose to scramble my eggs in another pan before adding. You can also skip other veggies and merely add a few green onions so this is a side dish. So really, this is very versatile. Here are the requirements to make it sweet and sour soup:
1 part vinegar (use a good one!) to 1 part sweetening (honey is wonderful! Just keep in mind, it is doubley sweet.)
and here is what I did:
4 small organic carrots
1 whole celery
1 large red onion
2 large pastured eggs
6 cups chicken stock + added filtered water
2 cup lentils (sprouted would be best)
3 Tbsp pineapple vinegar
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
lard or coconut oil
1-2 tsp ginger
2 tsp salt
couple swishes wheat-free fermented Tamari sauce
See this post for how to sprout lentils. Sprouting increases bioavailability of many nutrients, including vit. C, and makes them easier to digest. You can also just soak in water and a Tbsp whey for most of the day or overnight.
Simmer lentils along with stock for about 20-30 minutes, until tender. (You could also add the other veggies at this time too, but I wanted some crisp to them.) Chop all veggies and heat skillet with a little of your favorite fat to medium-high heat. Sauté one at a time (unless you have a really big skillet and they all fit!) and add to pot just before they are all the way done. (If you don't want to overcook them, you can transfer cooked veggies to a plate while the lentils finish cooking. Onions and carrots will withstand the most cooking.) Scramble eggs and add to pot.
Add ginger, salt, and Tamari sauce. I also had a little fish sauce on hand as well. Turn off heat and add vinegar and honey. Taste and add more salt if needed, and serve.
Linked up on Monday Mania.
