Special Yum Healing Miso Soup

Convinced that I am unfit for consciousness or verticality, I nevertheless get out of bed at 5AM this morning to write a blog.
My nose running profusely, my head clogged and my joints stiff, I stumble out of bed and up the stairs where I am greeted by my beloved feline tyrant, Milo. He is a handsome and very dapper dude, always dressed to the nines in his velvety black tuxedo and  sparkling  white ascot. I think it's too early for pet feeding.. Milo knows otherwise. If I dare to attend to other morning chores first, he will skillfully leap at my leg, wrap his front paws around my ankle and with the quick deftness of a true hunter, bite and run. So, I feed him immediately.

At the sound of the kitty kibble hitting the bowl, the canine (our beloved Rottie, Nelson) is awake and lumbers over, expertly performing at least one downward facing dog as he makes his way into the kitchen.  With his beseeching eyes he looks truly  pitiful, as though he hasn't been fed in days or even weeks. So I feed the dog and with this, I can turn my attention to what the humans in the family might need.

I  feel really lousy with a stupid cold this morning. I'm supposed to get up at 5 to write and I have nothing to write about today...no particular inspirations, just an over all feeling of dullness and regret that I got out of bed in the first place.

Then I realize that what I really need this morning is some Miso Soup . It feels so good to eat hearty, delicious Miso Soup when I'm not feeling well. And then it comes to me....of course!!! Miso Soup is the blog of the day!!!

I have always loved Miso Soup and was first introduced to it in the 70's when I worked at Arnold's Turtle Restaurant in the heart of the West Village. They made a strong brew, using Red Miso, tiny cubes of tofu and scallions. I never learned the precise recipe but it was then that I developed my appreciation for Miso soup as the vegetarians' answer to Jewish Chicken Soup.

According to Rebecca Wood  who has taught and written about healing with a sustainable diet since 1970,
"The undeniably most medicinal soy food is miso. Current scientific research now supports its historical health claims. This delicious food is an effective therapeutic aid in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, certain cancers, radiation sickness and hypertension.
Miso soup consumption is linked with up to a 50% reduced risk of breast cancer according to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute."
And according to Dr Andrew Weil:
"Miso is a particularly valuable food for vegans. The bacteria in miso synthesize vitamin B12, a difficult nutrient to obtain from diets that contain no animal products. Miso is a concentrated protein source, with just one tablespoon containing a full two grams."

Miso is a fermented (usually soy) paste roughly the consistency of peanut butter. It ranges from slightly sweet and light colored to strong, salty and dark brown. The lighter Miso is traditionally used in the warmer weather as it's light taste lends itself more readily to summer fare. The darker Miso is usually used in the colder seasons for its rich, (forgive me) beefy flavor.

There are many ways to make Miso soup and many traditional recipes call for the use of a "dashi" broth made of Bonito (fish) flakes and a sea vegetable like wakame seaweed. I do not use the dashi since it is made of dead fish (and smells like it!) And I prefer to leave out the wakame as I do not care for the strong overpowering flavor of it.

Miso is delicious in sauces, salad dressings and all types of soups as a pronounced flavoring or as a soup in itself.

Here is my very own recipe:

Special Yum Healing Miso Soup

6-8 cups Homemade*** (or not) Veggie Broth
1 small Onion, chopped
1-2 Tbs fresh Ginger, grated
2 Tbs Miso Paste
1/2- 1 cup Tofu, cubed
1 Tbs Canola Oil
2 Scallions,chopped for garnishing

Saute the onion in the oil a few minutes.
Add the grated ginger and continue sauteing until onion is soft and  translucent, about 5 more minutes.
Add vegetable broth and simmer about 10 minutes to marry the flavors.
Add cubed Tofu.
Place the miso paste in a small bowl and add about 1/2 cup of broth.
Turn heat off and wisk the paste and broth to a smooth consistency and add to onion, ginger broth mixture.
Do not let soup boil once Miso is added. Boiling Miso can kill the healing bacteria, enzymes
and vitamins.

I love this quick soup just as above and I also like adding chopped spinach, soba noodles and scallions to make a heartier brew
This soup can be made into a substantial lunch or dinner meal by adding one or a combination of the following:

Add julienned carrots (when you add veggie broth)
Saute sliced shitake mushrooms with the onions and ginger
Stir in some chopped spinach when you remove the soup from the heat.
Serve the soup poured over cooked rice (I love it with white basmati),soba
or rice noodles.
Garniish with chopped scallions.

**** For the recipe for homemade veggie broth please see my blog entitled: "Size Matters..."

Please do not be intimidated by this soup. It is eeeezeee! And it is especially good to eat when you're feeling
under the weather....or to bring to a friend who needs a soup hug! (Ugh! Did I really just say that?)

Luv to you all,
R