Soup to warm the bones and the soul

Today snow flurries dipped across the ground. Already. The flurries only appeared for a few seconds; and they were gone. The wind whipped around, the sky is dreary, and I realized how "unready" I am for winter. Tonight, I'll make a soup to warm everyone up, and fend off the kind of chill that will lead us to a cold. The addition of Buckwheat noodles adds a protein that contains 8 amino acids, B vitamins, zinc and magnesium.

This soup is hearty, yet the addition of soy sauce adds just enough kick to keep this soup from being mundane and boring.

Buckwheat Noodle Vegetable Soup

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 pound beef flank steak, very thinly sliced against the grain.
• 4 cups chopped bok choy
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 4 ounces wide buckwheat noodles
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 cups mung bean sprouts
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over high heat.
   
2. Add beef and cook, stirring often, until just cooked, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate using tongs, leaving the juices in the pot.
   
3. Add bok choy to the pot and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes.
   
4. Add broth, cover and bring to a boil.
   
5. Add noodles and soy sauce; simmer until the noodles are soft, about 4 minutes.
   
6. Return the beef to the pot and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with bean sprouts and parsley.
   

Serve hot, and enjoy.