Blah, starting the week off sick is certainly no fun...

All of my boys have been sick with a horrible cold for more than a week now. I took lots of emergen-c and echinacea, I washed my hands constantly but I still managed to come down with this nasty bug. When I am sick the only thing I want to eat is gingery, garlicky miso soup. It is just so soothing and comforting. Nothing else does the trick.


Miso Soup

1 T oil
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 cups shredded or thinly sliced cabbage
1 cup chopped spinach or kale
1 onion diced
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T fresh ginger, minced
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 T tamari
1 T rice syrup (or sweetener of your choice)
1/4 cup miso paste (there are many different types, any will work fine.)
handful of soba noodles (optional)
8 cups of water
salt fresh black pepper to taste

In a large soup pot saute all veggies in oil until they start to wilt. If the veggies begin to stick toward the end add a little water to continue sauteing until wilted. Add water, vinegar, sugar and tamari to the veggies and bring to a boil. Boil for a few minutes until the veggies are tender. Add the soba noodles if using and continue to cook for recommended time on the package, mine were 3 minutes. (if you have longer cooking noodles add them before the veggies are done.) Ladle out some of the broth into a bowl or cup and add the miso and stir well to dissolve. Lower the heat and allow the soup to just barely simmer. Add the miso to the pot and stir to incorporate. Taste and add the pepper and some salt if it needs it. I never add additional salt but some people prefer a more salty taste. You can always add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to it to help decongest a stuffy nose.


Optional things that would be great in this soup;

peas
edamame
broccoli
chunks of tofu
scallions
celery
corn
a drizzle of sesame oil
different kinds of noodles

This recipe is very versatile so be creative and use what you have on hand. I often add frozen corn to cool it down so I can eat it right away, : ) I hope it is as comforting to you as it is to me.