Vegetable Rice Soup

Oh, hey fall. Hey, hey soup.

I'm sick. This is a thing that happens each fall because I work at a university and all the students are living on top of each other, breathing the same bad air, sharing toothbrushes, and having makeout parties. Or whatever the kids are up to these days.

I'm a week away from 29 but I've already become insufferably 'Kids these days!'-ish. I'll just go back to eating soup at 4:30 and reading until I fall asleep at 8:00. Don't mind me and my housedress.

Ok, but this soup ought to appeal to all ages. It is timeless and kind. And thanks to its particular mix of ingredients and spices, tastes a lot like Thanksgiving, which: yes. And it's so easy. And if you chop everything up so small, it cooks so quickly. And it's endlessly adaptable. I made basically the same soup a week later, but that time with dry basil as the spice and kale instead of corn or spinach. It was also delicious and kind to me.

This particular version, though, is really nice thanks to the corn. It was sort of a last minute addition, but it added this great, gentle sweetness to the soup that deepened and rounded the broth. Whatever that means. You'll know when you taste it, though. And it means something good.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 average-sized carrots, peeled and finely chopped
the heart (leaves and all) of one celery bunch, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dry sage
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
1 large red skin potato, chopped
1 cup corn
1 cup finely chopped seitan
about 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
salt
pepper
cooked brown rice
fresh spinach

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. (Nice mirepoix you got there!) Add the dry spices and a sprinkle of salt. Stir and continue cooking until the vegetables begin to soften.

At this point, add the potato, corn, and seitan, and allow these to cook with the aromatics for a couple of minutes. Then add as much vegetable broth as seems right to you. Bring the soup to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, 10 or 15 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In each serving bowl, spoon a heaping tablespoon of rice (it won't seem like much, but rice does this thing where it drinks up your entire soup before you can, so, it's enough, definitely). Top with the soup, then garnish with some fresh spinach.

I served this with whole grain toast. I am so into toast right now, you guys.

Serves four to six.