Make Ramen (relatively) Healthy!

Ramen noodle soup is a delicious staple for poor college students (and those feeling nostalgic), but have you looked at the nutrition facts lately? Ramen usually contains such delightful ingredients as MSG, oodles of salt, fat, empty carbs, and not a vitiman in sight.

But it's so delicious you say? (I have one word for you, Scurvy).

So here's how to make your ramen (relatively) healthy while simultaneously not bankrupting yourself.

Step 1: Gather the Necessary Goods

This meal has the advantage of being fast, dirt cheap, vegetarian and reasonably nutritionally sound.

You will need:
-One package of Ramen noodles (either standard or organic varieties will do).
If you are a vegetarian the "Oriental" flavor of ramen sometimes contains no animal ingredients, it depends on the brand (Oriental Ramen is not vegan but the Thai Kitchen brand in the picture usually is!).
-About a rounded 1/2 cup of a variety of frozen vegetables.
Some I have used in the past include: chopped spinach, green beans, peas, chopped carrots, corn, edamame. If you have fresh veggies on hand, those work even better.
-Soy sauce and/or miso
-an egg

Optional
-Garnish: sliced garlic, green onion, cilantro, pepper, hot sauce

Step 2: Quick, Go Boil Some Water!

Boil yourself 2 cups of water to cook the noodles.

I probably don't need to say this, but you never know: open your package and find the little seasoning package and pull it out *before* you dump the noodles in. Seems self evident, but fishing a melting seasoning packet out of boiling water is not fun. So look before you dump.

Here's the unconventional part:

Once your noodles are a little over halfway cooked, (still al-dente) dump the cooking water out and drain the noodles. Put another 2 cups of water on the stove.

(Hey you just discarded a lot of gross starch and a fair amount of fat!)

Step 3: Accessorize!

Put your noodles back into the second batch of water.

Add your veggies (frozen or not) now, and let them cook a bit while you work on the egg.

Take an egg and break it into a bowl, scramble it well.

Once your soup has returned to a full boil, slowly pour the egg into the soup in a slow stream. Move the stream around the pan to get little ribbons of egg that cook quickly in the boiling water.

Add some flavoring from the packet (not too much, yuck) , or make your own with some soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, vegetable bouillion, etc. etc.

Now you have a good source of protein and some vegetables in your ramen ( you probably feel healthy already).

Step 4: Finish and Decorate.

Pour your delicious ramen noodles into a bowl! Since you only used a bit of the flavoring packet, your noodles might need a little something. Add some miso paste, tamari sauce, chili sauce, sesame oil, green onions, or other healthy flavoring.

Now eat them!

Comments

[MykeE1]

Where is the "healthy" part of this information? Salt and saturated fats (usually palm oil) is what makes them unhealthy. After preparing noodles using your "technique" they are as unhealthy as in any other preparation.

[bruce86]

You do realize the majority of the fat is in the noodles, probably even some MSG. Ever handle the noodles before? they are greasy.

[Robyntheslug]

There is no MSG in the noodles that I have, but there is a ton of fat! That's why you dump the water when you boil the noodles. When you boil them, a lot of the fat floats to the top of the soup and you can just pour it out before you add the seasoning and more water.

[zachninme]

Whats so bad about MSG? As long as you don't grow a 11th toe from having a bit, its fine. There's actually a lot of it in tomatoes.

[pfef9209]

yes, there is MSG naturally in tomatoes, and indeed in the brain, but that is not precessed free glutamic acid- the MSG used in food, and the bad kind. Glutamate is the main neurotransmitter in the brain, and this particular ingredient is known as an "excitotoxin," because it swamps the brain with neurotransmitter and causes massive neuron death in the basil nuclei. no, the blood- brain barrier doesnt protect you from this, especially not when blood sugar is low (which is when you are hungry). MSG has been known to cause not only retinal damage, but also brain lesions, and has been connected with parkinson's and alzheimer's. that's what is bad about it.

[Sylkhr]

^{It's true, we always check packages of food to see if it has MSG, if it has MSG, my mom won't buy it. What's also crazy is you can buy it as a spice at the grocery store. As said, it messes up your brain, and we all want to keep that, don't we?}

[Sylkhr]

what happened to my text, it's tiny!?

[billbillt]

It means you are becoming smaller and less visible... A good thing...

[ErikK55]

That's rude.

[billbillt]

Why is it rude??. I meant no malice.. Being smaller means less noticeable and safer.. Anyway this was three years ago!!.. Weird!!..

[iraqniphobia]

Too much can cause eye damage(At least in lab rats). Some people get sick from a slight amount. So if you're not one of those that get sick, and don't get too much, there really is nothing wrong with it.

[zachninme]

I was exaggerating when I said "As long as you don't grow a 11th toe from having a bit", instead of "getting sick", but yeah. As long as you aren't eating a pound of it a week, its not bad.

[incorrigible packrat]

Some people, particularly those who pine for the luxury of a gas stove, would feel reluctant to boil 4 cups of water to make 1 dose of ramen. I use maybe 1/2 cup of water, and see very little grease on top, during the boil. That is until I add a dollop of tasty butter, which I'm often wont to do. I usually only have recourse to ramen when I'm painfully hungry and in a hurry to chow down. In such a state, I find I crave fat and starch. I like the idea of adding goodies, though. I'm partial to peas, for their pea-ness.

[ErikK55]

I'm wondering if it's really worth it, because I'm always fit, but can't afford much more than ramen. So...simply put, for my brain, would it even to be worth it to do more than just not add the flavor packet?

[the_little_man_2003]

haha he said pea-ness

[Azayles]

Reminds me of that "pen is stuck" sign on that printer :P Quick someone find the link! lol

[Sylkhr]

have you ever heard of "pen island"?

[incorrigible packrat]

Well, what would you say?

[siege engines ahoy]

pea-ish-ness?

[incorrigible packrat]

But pea-ness is just so much more to the point, though.