Tom Ka Pug

What is Tom Ka Pug you ask? Well it's a vegetable coconut soup. They have other versions with chicken/shrimp etc...and those have different names but the version I was introduced to is the veggie version. It's a Thai soup and it's delicious. I'm having a hard time finding things to eat on this diet again but this is perfect! I just made a big batch that will hopefully keep for a week or so so when I am hungry and don't want to make anything I can just pull this out! here is the recipe for those who are interested:

 ingredients:
2 quarts chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
broccoli- I use a lot more broccoli than pictured but do however much you want
5 carrots- I love carrots and might add one more next time
1 sm onion chopped
noodles (typically you could use two-four packages of top ramen without the seasoning packet but since i'm on this diet I use brown rice noodles which is just brown rice in the shape of a noodle- note, when I use these noodles I add a little more chicken stock maybe 1/4-1/2quart more)- I get them at Trader Joes
salt/pepper/red pepper flakes
Ginger (either fresh or dried, i always have dried on hand- season to taste 2-3teaspoons for me)

 chop your veggies up. I dice my onions small because I don't like large pieces of it but whatever your preference is would be fine. I cut the carrots on a diagonal so they have more surface area...?! You can use baby carrots too just chop them once or twice to make them a little smaller. First heat a little oil in a pot and sautee the onions with salt/pepper/ginger for several minutes just until they are soft.

 after the onions are soft, add the carrots and let them sautee for several minutes to help soften them as they will take longer to soften than the broccoli. once the carrots have had some time add the broccoli. Let that work together for a few more minutes. You don't have to let it go as long as the carrots they will get softer with the liquid.

once the carrots/broccoli/onion have been sauteed together add 2 quarts chicken stock and 1 can of coconut milk. After dumping the milk in pick up a little liquid with the can, swish it around and dump it back into the pot. Let this get a little warm then add the noodles. I used the whole bag of rice noodles.

Let the noodles cook covered until they are al dente. I let mine go a little past that because I don't like hard noodles so I let mine soften up a bit. With my noodles it takes about 10-15 minutes depending on how high i have the heat on. Make sure it doesn't boil over when it's covered! Also add the red pepper flakes now, this would be to your personal preference I like mine kind of spicy but the rest of my family doesn't so I just put a pinch or two in.

Once everything is cooked and the noodles are done the soup is ready! You could add some sort of protein if you're into that kind of thing but I like mine veggie style. it's so filling and pretty healthy. The most calories are in the noodles (which you really don't get that much of in a serving anyways) and the coconut milk. I might get the lite kind next to cut calories a little bit but it's fairly low cals anyway.

Enjoy!! Sorry the pics don't look too appetizing, it looks way better in person ;)