DELICIOUS SUMMER GARDEN VEGETABLE MISO SOUP

c. Jane and Lino Stanchich, Licensed Nutritionists

Your whole family will enjoy this classic miso soup, so healing, soothing, and delicious! Enjoy it’s fermented pro-biotic magic and delicious flavors at any time of day and know you are strengthening your immunity, helping prevent disease, and satisfying your taste buds. Cook the soup according to directions for the optimum benefits to preserve the valuable miso character. I list several scrumptious additions to add to your soup as garnishes and nutrient boosters.

• 2 dry shiitake mushrooms*
• 6  cups water
• 1 teaspoon dry wakame, rinsed and soaked
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off cob
• 1 cup broccoli florettes, stems diced
• 5 teaspoons chickpea or white miso** or to taste
• 2 Tablespoons parsley, minced

Soak shiitake mushroom in one cup water for one hour or until tender. (Overnight is good.) Remove from soak water, remove and discard tough end of stem; dice mushroom. Take wakame out of water, squeeze, cut into small pieces.

In a pot, place shiitake, the soaking water, remainder of water and sliced wakame. Bring to boil on medium heat; reduce heat, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the sliced onion, carrot, corn and broccoli stems. Simmer 3 minutes. Add broccoli florettes.

In a small bowl, place the miso paste; dissolve miso paste with a small amount of warm soup stock. Reduce the heat of the cooking soup to low, until the soup ceases to boil; add the miso, stir gently, and let soup simmer for three minutes. Serve in soup bowls garnished with raw fresh parsley.

* Shiitake mushrooms are high in vitamin D and aid in dissolving excess fat in the cells.

** Barley miso is also delicious, very strengthening and darker in color. 

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS FOR MISO SOUP (We adjust for the taste, season, and condition in countless ways): 

Pre-cooked cubed tofu or noodles (soba, ramen, quinoa-brown rice pasta)

Pre-cooked beans or grains   •    Small parsnips or yam cubes as a substitute for carrots     •    Fresh green herbs    •     Grated ginger and juice (warming)     •     Thinly sliced bok choy

Red pepper spice    •    Thinly sliced snow peas     •     Sliced lemon (cooling)