When I Am Sick, I Crave Junk Food

I don’t get it.  I really don’t understand.

At a time when I should be loading my body with fresh fruits and vegetables and all the vitamins and minerals that entails, all I want to do is eat two things: hot and sour soup and friend wontons.  This has been the meal of choice for me no matter how often I am sick or what ails me.  (Yes, I love fried food when I have the stomach flu…)

There’s only one problem… beef (well…when you’re vegan anyway.)

So here’s my solution:

In place of hot and sour soup, I get a big bowl of vegan miso soup and rice noodles.  I’ve tried vegan hot and sour soup and quite frankly, it sucks.

Then for all that yummy vegan fried food goodness:

Vegan Egg Rolls

• 1 head of cabbage (the smaller the better unless you are feeding a vegan army.)
• 2 large carrots, peeled
• 1 tablespoon of black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon of ginger powder
• 1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1 healthy pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup of low sodium soy sauce (if the cabbage if sufficiently large, more would not hurt.)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 1 sheet of store bought egg roll wrappers
• Oil for frying

1. Remove dry outer leaves of the cabbage.  Rinse what is left.
2. Because we’re sick, we’re doing this the easy way.  Use the veggie shredder of your food processor to turn the cabbage and carrots in to small shreds.
3. At this point, depending on crunchy you like your vegetables, you can put the shreds into a skillet with the salt, soy and two tablespoons of olive oil.  Saute for about 3-5 minutes until the cabbage has started to wilt and the carrots soften.  This is optional.
4. Add the spices (and the soy if you have not done so) with the veggie mixture.
5. Mix egg and water in a small bowl to form an egg wash for holding the wrapper together.
6. Place two tablespoons of veggies to an egg roll wrapper.  Straighten the mixture into a line and roll the egg roll like a burrito.
7. Fry in hot oil (I like non virgin olive oil) until golden brown.

If you are really stuffy…serve with a sauce made of 1 part low sodium soy to 1.5 parts of sriracha hot sauce (which isn’t technically vegan) or better yet sambal olek.  Bring some kleenex.

So that’s what I eat when I am sick, what’s your go-to comfort food when you are sick?