Vegetarian Hot Pot

I don't think we're eating enough vegetables, so the past few days I've been cooking more vegetable dishes. This recipe, from The Essential EatingWell Cookbook, is a breeze to make. Just go easy on the noodles. I made the mistake of putting too much, forgetting that noodles expand when cooked. I added some thinly-sliced zucchinis after discovering that my pyramid grater can be used to slice vegetables thinly. No need to get a mandoline! Now I can make ratatouille Remy-style.

Quick to prepare, this Asian-style noodle soup has all the makings of a one-pot meal. To punch up the heat, add a dab of chile-garlic sauce.

5-1/4 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 1/4-inch-thick slices fresh ginger, peeled
2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
2 teaspoons canola oil
1-3/4 cups shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, wiped clean and sliced (4 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 small bok choy (3/4 pound), cut into 1/2-inch pieces, stems and greens separated
3-1/2 ounces Chinese wheat noodles or rice sticks (dried rice noodles)
1 14-oz package firm tofu, drained, patted dry and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup grated carrots (2 large)
4-6 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup chopped scallions for garnish

1. Combine broth, ginger and garlic in a Dutch oven; bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Discard the ginger and garlic.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add bok choy stems; cook stirring often, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the mushroom mixture to the broth. Add noodles, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 minutes. Add bok choy greens and tofu; simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in carrots, vinegar to taste, soy sauce and sesame oil. Serve garnished with scallions.

Makes 5 main-dish servings, about 1-1/2 cup each.

Per serving: 230 calories; 9 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrate; 14 g protein; 5 g fiber; 706 mg sodium.