Miso Happy!

It's snowing on this cold Spring day here in Colorado, and there is no dinner I'd rather eat on a day like today than Miso Soup. And I'm not talking about the miso soup you get with Sushi; I'm talking about a bowl full of vegetables, ginger, garlic, tofu, rice noodles, and a tasty broth. There is no better meal that fills up your belly with so few calories and so many minerals and nutrients.

Miso is fermented soy or rice, and it's health benefits are numerous, including aiding digestion, boosting immunity, preserving beautiful skin, maintaining nutritional balance, and much more. In fact, adding any fermented foods to your diet can benefit your body in similar ways.

Miso can be used to make dips, salad dressings, soups, and sauces. Its sweet and salty flavor makes it the best low-calorie, nourishing addition to any meal. To make this soup below, you can really use any vegetables, but this is one of my favorite ways to eat it.

MISO SOUP
1 T olive oil
5 crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
(sliced Zuccini can be good when it's in season)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 T ginger (fresh or dried)
1 cup frozen broccoli flourettes (I use frozen for convenience)
1 block frim tofu, cubed
6-8 cups of water OR vegetable broth (or use half of each)
5 leaves of Chard, sliced
4-6 T miso paste (any kind will do--white, mellow, red, etc)
1/2 cup of scallions OR cilantro
2T flax oil (optional, but do not heat--add at the end)

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until tender and moist (about 4 minutes). Then add garlic, ginger, and frozen brocoli. Mix together and then add tofu, water and chard. Bring to a simmer, and then add your chard. Then you'll need to ladel some of the hot water into a small bowl and dissolve your miso paste there. Mix and smoosh the miso around until it is mostly dissolved, and then put it back into the main pot. If you need more for flavor, repeat this step. Serve yourself a bowl, add your scallions, cilantro, and/or flax oil, and enjoy.

If you want this soup to be more filling, add some thin rice noodles to the stock pot and cook until tender (about 5 min). Yummy!

MISO SALAD DRESSING
2 T Miso
1 1/2 T honey or maple syrup
1 t fresh ginger, minced
1 T Tamari
1-2 T flax oil

mix together and enjoy--this also makes a great dipping souce for anything--including baked tofu.