Feel Better Miso & Veg Soup

magpie diner's Note:

A new favourite soup of ours, perfect for those days when you feel like you're coming down with something. It is immunity boosting, warm and comforting and can be made within 30 minutes. This is adapted from a version found on the Earth Balance site, 'made just right', originally from vegweb. Use whatever veg you happen to have on hand, I adapted to fit what we tend to always have on hand and veg that is quick to prepare. In the original version they strained the broth off and used the veg just to flavour the broth. That seemed like a waste to me so I removed that step. The broth is delicious though, so all depending on what you need or feel like, you might want to do that. Add in some cooked brown rice to make this a fuller meal.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 4 tablespoons oil (such as grapeseed, coconut or olive)
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 6 -8 fresh garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 inch piece fresh ginger, finely grated
• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
• 1 cup green peas (frozen is easiest)
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 cup spinach, chopped (or any leafy green)
• 2 -4 tablespoons miso, divided

Directions:

1. Warm the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes.
2. Turn the heat down to low, add the garlic and sauté about 2-3 more minutes. Add ginger, cumin, soy sauce, and sesame oil -- let that all saute together for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Turn heat back up to medium, add water, mushrooms, peas and carrot.
4. Simmer covered for 5 minutes, or as long as it takes to cook the veg, adding in the spinach or leafy greens for the last minute of cooking.
5. Scoop out and discard the shiitake mushrooms at this point, or take them out and chop them up and put them back in the soup.
6. How much miso you use in this last step is going to depend on your tastes, and some miso tastes saltier than others. My preference is 1/2 tbsp shiro miso to 1 cup soup. Add miso to each empty bowl, ladel in the soup and mix well to fully dissolve the miso.