New York Times Interview: Yes, We Do Eat More Soup When We're Sick

Check out the piece I was interviewed for in the UpShot section of the New York Times from February 11, 2016: Yes, We Do Eat More Soup When We're Sick.

This piece describes how ZocDoc and GrubHub compared data about number of doctor's appointments booked for cold/flu symptoms and orders for soup to prove that we do, indeed, order more soup when we are feeling ill.

After you read the article, if you'd like more information on which soups are best for colds, go to:

Soups for Cold and Flu Season, Part I: Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Soups for Cold and Flu Season, Part II: Phở Chay

Stay tuned next week for Part III and the garlic broth recipe that is mentioned in the New York Times piece... 

Soups for Cold & Flu Season, Part II: Phở Chay

For part two of the Soups for Cold & Flu Season series, I'd like to share my personal favorite-Phở Chay (aka. vegetarian Vietnamese noodle soup). If your sinuses are congested, make sure not to skimp on the hot peppers or chile garlic sauce; the spiciness thins mucus and will help clear out the congestion. This soup is packed with nutrients, easy-to-digest carbohydrates, and hydrating broth--perfect for when you're feeling under-the-weather.

If you missed part one, check out: Soups for Cold & Flu Season, Part I: Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup .

Phở Chay (Vegetarian Vietnamese Noodle Soup)

Phở Chay (Vegetarian Vietnamese Noodle Soup)

Broth:

8 cups vegetable stock/broth (homemade is best, but you can use store bought)

1 small onion, cut into quarters (no need to peel)

2 whole black cardamom fruit (substitute 4 green cardamom pods, if needed)*

3 inches fresh ginger root, sliced lengthwise into 4 slices*

2-inch piece of licorice root, optional*

2, 3-inch pieces of cinnamon stick*

4 star anise*

8 whole cloves*

½ teaspoon coriander seeds*

½ teaspoon peppercorns*

Soy sauce, to taste

8 ounces whole cremini or shiitake mushrooms, washed or brushed free of dirt

1 package (about 14 ounces) Firm tofu (not silken, can be fresh, baked, or fried), drained, patted dry, and cut into 1-inch cubes, optional

1 head broccoli, cut into small florets, optional

Noodles:

1/2 pound dried flat rice noodles (called bánh phở), use the 1/8 or 1/4–inch wide noodles

Toppings (use all of them or just pick a few):

Tofu, from above

Broccoli, from above

Mushrooms, from above

1 small bunch fresh basil (Thai basil, if possible), leaves only

1 small bunch fresh mint, leaves only

1 small bunch cilantro, leaves only

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 jalapeno or Serrano pepper, thinly sliced

1-2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 small bunches of bok choy, thinly sliced

2 cups bean sprouts

1 lime, cut into wedges

Hoisin sauce

Chile garlic sauce

Directions:

1. Make broth: In a 4-quart sauce pan, combine stock and spices (cardamom, licorice, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, coriander seeds). Simmer together, covered, for 15-30 minutes. Add soy sauce to taste (usually a couple of teaspoons) and whole mushrooms; simmer another 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove mushrooms and set aside to use as a garnish. Strain broth to remove spices then return to heat to keep warm for serving. Add tofu and broccoli (if using) to the broth 1-2 minutes before serving.

Spice Mix for Broth*

2. Make noodles: While the broth is simmering, place noodles into a large bowl with warm water and soak 15 minutes. Then drain noodles and place into a pot of boiling water for 3-5 minutes, or until al dente. Do not cook until completely soft. Drain. If you are not serving them immediately, run cold water over the noodles to stop the cooking.

3. Prepare toppings: While the broth is simmering and the noodles are soaking, prepare the toppings as directed above. Set them all out on a large platter so that each person can add toppings of their choosing.

Selected Toppings

4. Serve: Portion out 2 cups of boiling hot broth into each of 4 serving bowls (use large soup bowls). Divide the noodles between the bowls. Everyone can then add toppings of their choice at the table. Hoisin and chile garlic sauce are used to season the soup once all of the other toppings are added. Hoisin gives the soup a salty, savory, umami flavor. Chile garlic sauce adds spiciness, and of course, garlic.

Makes 4 servings

*Tip: You can often find a packet of spices for phở at markets with an extensive selection of Vietnamese ingredients. If using a spice packet, use enough spices for 4 servings and omit the cardamom, ginger, peppercorns, licorice root, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and coriander seeds from the recipe.

Soups for Cold & Flu Season, Part I: Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

It's cold outside and cold and flu season is wreaking havoc across the country. There couldn't be a better time for soup!

Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup

There is not a lot of research out there about whether or not soup can help you get better faster, but that doesn't mean that you should give up on soup during cold and flu season.

There’s nothing like being sick to make you want to seek out comforting, nostalgic things. For many of us, soup fits into both of these categories. I say, anything that brings some amount of comfort when you’re sick is worth having—placebo effect or not.

There are a real ways that soup theoretically could help to ward off colds or treat the symptoms. The following are some tips for selecting soups during cold and flu season:

Choose broth-based soups:

• Warm liquid helps to thin mucus and clear your sinuses.
• Clearing your sinuses can limit the amount of time that viruses and bacteria spend in contact with your mucus membranes.
• Soups are often salty. While this isn’t usually a good thing, when you’re dehydrated, you need salt and carbohydrate along with your liquid to help rehydrate. This is one of the few times where plain water or ginger ale won’t do the trick.

Bulk up on vegetable soups:

• Sometimes it’s difficult to work up an appetite when we’re sick. This makes it even more important to choose foods with high nutrient values. If there’s any time to eat well and skip the junk, it is when you’re sick.
• Choose vegetables soups with a broth base.
• Choose soups with a variety of vegetables to get a range of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
• If you’re a chicken noodle soup person, try adding extra veggies: carrots, celery, cauliflower, cabbage and other greens are delicious in chicken noodle soup.

Spice things up:

• Capsaicin, the compound that makes peppers spicy, is a natural anti-inflammatory and mild pain reliever.
• Eating spicy food also helps to clear the sinuses.
• Since tastes are often dulled during colds or illnesses affecting the sinuses, choosing a variety of flavors and spices also helps food to taste more lively and interesting.
• A note of caution: if you have asthma or very irritated throat that is causing you to cough, you may want to skip the spicy foods which can trigger more coughing in some people.

Skip the dairy:

• Dairy products tend to thicken mucus, even if you have no issues with dairy normally.
• If you do have lactose intolerance, then when you are already feeling sick is not time to add gas pain and diarrhea to the symptom list. Skip it.

In the next few posts, I’ll share some recipes for soups that I find comforting when it’s cold outside or I’m feeling under the weather.

First up:

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

¾ ounce dried wild mushrooms, any type

2 cups boiling water

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 stalk celery, sliced ¼-inch thick

1 large white or yellow onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1-1/2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

A couple pinches of salt, optional

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, sliced thinly

2 Tablespoons dry sherry or water

1 cup wild rice, uncooked

4 cups vegetable stock/broth

1 cup water

1 carrot, peeled and grated

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Place dried mushrooms and boiling water in a bowl just large enough to hold them and cover with a plate; let sit while you start working on the rest of the soup.

2. In a stockpot set over medium-high heat, add oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Once hot, add celery and onions; cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, thyme, a couple pinches of salt and black pepper. Cook approximately 10 minutes in covered pot, stirring frequently. Vegetables should just be starting to brown slightly.

3. Add sliced mushrooms and cook uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, remove dried mushrooms from soaking liquid and squeeze gently to remove excess liquid. Keep soaking liquid off to the side for later use. Slice rehydrated mushrooms thinly and add to the pot.

4. Deglaze pot with sherry (or water), stirring to scrape up any bits sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add mushroom soaking liquid, pouring slowly and stopping just before the last bit of liquid and grit from the mushrooms goes in. Discard this last bit of liquid. Add wild rice and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook covered for 45 minutes or until rice is cooked.

5. Add 1 cup of water, grated carrot and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you use homemade stock, you’ll need about 1 teaspoon of salt. If you use store-bought stock, you may not need any salt. Remove from heat and serve. Great with artisan bread for dipping.

Makes 6 servings