Healthy Asian Beef-Noodle Soup from Nebraska

Nebraska - I've become a nurse, housekeeper, gardener, handyman, and as always, a chef, with my family here.

I'm not complaining. I just want my dad to recover quickly.

My mother-in-law told my dad he should eat whatever I cook so he can get better faster. And the RN just told us yesterday that eating more protein will help his incisions heal faster.

The daily lunch special is low-sodium sliced turkey on whole wheat bread with light mayo served with potatoes and a veggie.

Dinner varies, but the other night I made a noodle soup, inspired from a recipe in the American Heart Assn. Cookbook. My mom immediately told me that dad wouldn't like it because it was "different." I'm like, how do you know? If you don't try it, you'll never know.

Generally, my dad seems to give me a bit more leeway since I am a professional in the kitchen.

And when you're told to make more changes to your diet, you really don't have a choice. So all that fat-free, low sodium, fish oils and healthy fats become a necessity.

This is a type of soup I'd make at home, so that's why it appealed to me. You taste a hint of the ginger and lime while the veggies add color. The beef is tender and provides a good dose of iron and protein. Cooking time is only about 30 minutes.

And guess what? Dad liked it!

Afiyet olsun!

Healthy Asian beef-noodle soup served in my mom's good china for dinner.

Healthy Asian Beef-Noodle Soup

Serves: 6 as a main course

1          #          (500 g.)            package of whole wheat angel hair pasta

6-7       c.         (1.5+ L)           low-sodium or sodium-free beef broth

1-inch  piece                            fresh ginger cut into large pieces

1/2       ea.                                lime zest strips

1/2       tsp.                              granulated sugar

4-5       ea.                                garlic cloves, chopped small

1          ea.                                large onion, chopped small

3-4       ea.                                mixed sweet peppers, cut into 1-inch strips

3          ea.                                carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch strips

1          lb.        (500 g.)            boneless sirloin beef, cut into thin strips

1/2       T.                                 toasted sesame oil

1/2       c.                                 flat leaf parsley (or cilantro), roughly chopped

TT                                            freshly ground black pepper

Garnish:

1          ea.                                lime, cut into thin wedges

I found these colorful sweet peppers at our local Hyvee. I wish we had this variety in Turkey.

First, in a large pot, cook the pasta according to the package's directions. Strain and set aside.

In the same pot, add the beef broth, ginger, lime zest and sugar. Bring to a simmer. Let steep for 5 minutes. Then, remove the ginger and lime zest.

Add the vegetables, beef and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer, cooking just until the meat is cooked through. Then add the parsley and pepper.

Add the reserved noodles back to the pot. Stir to combine. If you'd like your soup to be a bit more brothy, just add some water or more beef broth.

Garnish each serving of soup with a lime wedge.