Vegan Mock Chicken Noodle Soup

My wife is a vegetarian but was sick one day and was craving some soup. This is what I came up with. I've found that the smaller you chop the seitan, the better the results. This recipe is vegan, but I've also made it for myself substituting with one can of canned chicken, 5 cans chicken stock, and 2 tablespoons of butter and it turned out great, too. If you can't locate vegan noodles, the shirataki noodles make a great substitute, but remember to rinse them in water and slice them in half with scissors before adding to the soup. The cayenne pepper really helps with a stuffy nose, but can be safely omitted without sacrificing flavor. As with all recipes, taste throughout, adjust spices if needed as dry spices lose their potency over time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages seitan, chopped (Wheat gluten)
• 5 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth
• 2  cups  sliced celery
• 2  cups  chopped onions
• 2  cups  diced carrots
• 5  garlic cloves, finely chopped (more or less to taste)
• 8  ounces  amish-style  noodles or 8  ounces  shirataki noodles
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  tablespoons margarine
• 4  bay leaves
• 2  tablespoons  grill  chicken seasoning
• 1  tablespoon dried parsley
• 1  tablespoon garlic powder
• 1  teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1  tablespoon  dried bouquet garni (optional)
•  salt & pepper

Directions

1. Bring 2 tbsp of oil and margarine to medium heat in a large pot.
2. Add celery, carrots, onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
3. Add chopped Seitan to the vegetables and 1 tbsp of the grill chicken seasoning, then saute for about 10 minutes more over medium heat, until onions are opaque and carrots are soft. (This step is important, don't under cook the vegetables!).
4. Slowly pour in vegetable stock, then add noodles, bay leaves, parsley, garlic powder, and the rest of the grill chicken seasoning. Also, if desired, add cayenne pepper and/or bouquet garni.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cover, cooking for about 30 to 45 minutes. Stir frequently. It's important that all of the dry spices have time to soften and season the broth, so extend cooking time if needed.
6. Remove bay leaves, then serve.