Mmmm Maggie noodles ….. do you remember slurping those oh-so-comforting curly noodles as kids? Those hot cups of salty broth tasted SO good, albeit laden with MSG! Such a satisfying snack, and simple warming meal in winter.

What if you could enjoy a lighter healthier version, that wouldn’t blast you with sodium, and which was tailored with your favourite flavours?? Wouldn’t that be a perfect pick-me-up-and-give-me-a-warm-hug winter lunch??

Enter DIY “soup jars” – an brilliant idea (unfortunately not mine!) which gives you a healthy, portable “made fresh” lunch within minutes.

Basically, take a wide mouth canning jar or similar container.And layer with your favourite soup ingredients – think Chinese chicken and corn, Italian minestrone, Thai laksa or tom yum, Jewish chicken and vegetable soup or Vietnamese Pho.

1. First layer is 4 tsp of flavour base – so pesto, curry/chilli/herb paste, soy /oyster/plum/hoisin/sweet chilli sauce, coconut milk, sesame oil, sriracha, chilli garlic sauce, sesame sauce, lime juice, fish sauce and add zaatar, BBQ spice, ras el hanout, miso paste, harissa, crushed garlic, minced ginger – the choice is endless, depending on the flavour profile you feel like. And a stock cube of course!
2. Add 1/2 cup of veggies and protein. Frozen peas,carrots and corn, leftover veggies from dinner, sliced mushrooms, canned lentils/beans/chickpeas, sliced snow peas, bean sprouts, Asian greens, thinly sliced capsicum or celery or creamed corn. Add some protein – cooked chicken breast, sliced ham, minced beef,thinly sliced chorizo or diced tofu.
3. Add your choice of cooked noodles (a good way to use up leftovers from the night before) – spaghetti, fettucine, Lo-Cal noodles, rice, udon, ramen, thick rice noodles, ravioli, dumplings, soba. Or you can add uncooked vermicelli.
4. Add “fresh flavour” – herbs such as coriander, mint, lemongrass, spring onions, spinach or rocket.

You now have a very convenient, portable meal-in-a-jar which can keep in the fridge for a couple of day – so make a few different mixes at the beginning of the week, and pick your flavour as you feel like it!

All that’s needed is to add the hot water at work, stir to combine the flavours and let it steep for a few minutes. Adding water just before you eat will keep the noodles and other ingredients fresh and “al dente”.

And there you have it – an almost instant,nourishing, “designer” noodle broth with all your favourite goodies!