The Soup That’s Getting Me Through Burnout

Plus a book update!

I finally did it. I finished writing my second cook book.

It’s in folks! It’s been literally years in the making, and there’s still a way to go before publishing, but the bulk of my part is done! I’ve written and photographed a second cook book! It’s going to be called School Night Vegan (simple, on brand, love it) and it’ll be available wherever you find good books!! No release date yet - but stay tuned.

It feels gross to complain about how tough the process has been, it’s not exactly like I’ve been pulling double shifts at an ER or something. But I guess exhaustion is relative and can hit hard even when you’re doing something you love(???). Anyway, hashtag blessed of course, but WHAT a process it’s been. 4 am starts, 10 hour photo shoots, endless recipe tests and re-writes with the background pressure to produce something unique and staggeringly creative despite being so burnt out I can barely string a sentence together.

So the fact that we’re here, burnout and all, kinda feels like a miracle. And how have I chosen to deal with my burnout from writing a cook book? Well, I’ve cooked some food and written down the recipe, obvs. Look, it’s what I do best, and it brings me joy, and I think this recipe will do the same for you.

This soup, which I’m calling “Reset Soup”, has been my hyperfixation meal for the past month. It’s one of those meals that comes together so easily and feels balanced without being too, y’know, Belle Gibson about it all.

I love it because:

a. it’s very easy to make
b. it’s very quick to make
c. it tastes delicious
d. it feels nourishing

It’s essentially a green veg noodle soup that uses frozen veggie gyozas in place of noodles (which feels far more substantial). It’s also topped with crispy cubes of tempeh for that all-important plant protein. Side bar: to help keep my brain in a good place, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the gym recently (who are you and what have you done with Richard??) so I’ve also been slightly more conscious of trying to eat meals with balanced macros. This is probably way too niche a topic for an entire newsletter, but say hey in the comments if you’d like to know more about what I’ve been eating since working out.

Anyway, keeping things brief this time around (easing myself back in, so to speak) but I wanted to say a huge thank you for sticking around despite my absence over the last few months. The book writing process has taken all of my focus but it’s been so heartening to know how patient you folks are. Genuinely could not be more grateful for your support.

Here’s your recipe - love you loads!

Richard xx

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Reset Soup

The best thing about this recipe is how versatile it is. It can be made with pretty much any veggies, so use what you have in the fridge as a priority. Swap the broccoli for green beans or edamame or even frozen garden peas. Swap the kale for spinach, cabbage or chard. The tempeh can be subbed out with extra firm tofu, homemade vegan “chicken” or any store-bought meat alternative you might enjoy. The lemon is a must, for acidity, but can be swapped for lime juice or even a teaspoon of rice vinegar in a pinch.

For the gyozas I use Itsu brand, here in the UK, but any frozen vegan veggie dumplings will do. Alternatively, just add some rice noodles to the broth while it simmers.

Ingredients
1 tsp vegetable oil
70g (2.5oz) smoked tempeh, cubed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 small shallot, peeled and finely sliced
500ml (2 cups) boiling water
1 vegetable stock cube
Pinch fine sea salt
50g (1.75oz) broccoli, cut into small florets
4 or 5 frozen veggie gyozas
1/2 courgette (zucchini), cubed
30g (1oz) kale (about 2 stems), finely chopped
1/2 a lemon
Fresh coriander (cilantro), finely sliced, for serving
1 tsp crispy chilli oil, for serving

Method

Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the tempeh and fry for a few minutes until golden and crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add the garlic, ginger and shallot. Fry for a minute until softened and fragrant.

Pour in the boiling water, then add the stock cube and a pinch of sea salt. Stir and bring to a simmer.

Add the broccoli to the soup. Place the frozen gyozas in a steamer basket or a metal sieve over the simmering soup and cover with a lid. Steam/simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir the courgette (zucchini) and kale into the soup, then remove from the heat.

Squeeze in the juice of the lemon half and stir.

Place the steamed gyozas into a serving bowl and pour the soup over them.

Top with fresh coriander (cilantro) and crispy chilli oil before serving.

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