Miso Soup for the Soul

This soup is what you turn to when you do something bad.  Something bad?  Yes, something bad.  Something bad involving eating five mini cupcakes before dinner.  Just because they're vegan doesn't mean that you can get away with that.  Trust me.

I started a new job this week and I've been counting my blessings daily.  I'm so fortunate to have been with such a great organization previous to this and now have this amazing opportunity in front of me.  I'm still working in the nonprofit sector, but my new job involves coordinating a whole foods farm-to-table meal program for local day cares, shelters, and senior centers.  The organization just a got a grant through the USDA so they are expanding their program to include nutritional education with the kids and more involvement with local farms.  I honestly can't believe I'm getting paid to be a part of this.  It's awesome work. 

How about we talk about food some more?  I suppose you don't have to do something bad to deserve this miso soup.  You could simply make it because you want to do something good for your body (unlike me today).  This soup is easy-to-make and combines the medicinal benefits of sea vegetables and miso.  Since miso is a living food, boiling it will destroy its beneficial enzymes, which is why the recipe calls for adding it in at the very end.  This recipe calls for wakame, which is a thin piece of seaweed that can be found fresh or dried.  It's different from nori (the dry, brittle sheets of seaweed used for sushi rolls), but you could also substitute nori if that's what you have on hand. 

From Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source by Terry Walters.

Serves 4.

6 cups water
3 carrots, sliced thinly into matchsticks
12 ounces extra firm silken tofu, diced
3 inch strip wakame, broken into small pieces
dash of tamari or shoyu
1/4 cup miso
2-3 scallions, chopped

In large pot over high heat bring water to boil. Add carrots, tofu, wakami, and tamari, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

In separate bowl, dissolve miso in 1/3 cup water. Ladle soup into individual bowls and stir 1 generous tablespoon of dissolved miso into each serving. Top with chopped scallions and serve.