Hearty Asian-Style Soup

This is a wonderful soup that I found online. It is 2 WW points per cup. It does not taste diet at all. I halved the recipe because 20 cups seemed like too much for me. I left out the bamboo shoots as a preference. I also didn't have cilantro so left that out too and it was so good.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 20 Cups

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  peanut oil
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped gingerroot
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped garlic
• 48  ounces fat-free chicken broth
• 1⁄2 cup cornstarch
• 10 1⁄2 ounces extra firm tofu, cut in 1/4-inch squares
• 1 (8 ounce) can  straw mushrooms
• 1 (8 ounce) can bamboo shoots
• 1⁄2 cup light soy sauce
• 1⁄4 cup  rice wine vinegar
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 (16 ounce) bags  frozen oriental-style vegetables
• 1  lb shrimp (cooked, uncooked, canned or fresh)
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach, trimmed and coursley chopped

Directions

1. In large pot, heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add ginger and garlic and cook until tender (3-4 minutes).
3. Combine 1 cup of broth with corstarch until smooth.
4. Add to the pot the cornstarch mixture, remaining broth, tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes.
5. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened.
6. Add frozen vegetables, shrimp and cilantro.
7. Simmer until vegetables and shrimp are thawed (if using fresh shrimp simmer until opaque)- about 15 minutes.
8. Stir in chopped spinach and simmer until just wilted.