Miso Soup & Honeyed Toast

For this recipe think: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup----only, healthier.


Grilled cheese and tomato soup is a delicious, comforting quick dinner but it's also packed with calories, saturated fat and not ideal nutrition. That last part is what I care about most.


As a nutritarian, my biggest concern is "how many vitamins and minerals does my meal have?" Saturated fat, in modest amounts, is ok. Calories? We need them for energy. My goal is to make and consume meals that have as much nutrition as possible--so I can get the most nutrition mileage for my buck.

I came home the other night and it was chilly, a gorgeous fall evening here in Boston. It had been a long, tiring day and I was craving something hot, soothing--comforting. Since tomatoes prove to be way too acidic for my belly and I'm not the biggest fan of grilled cheese once it cools a bit (ick), I decided to make a healthier alternative and see how it turned out.

The result was not only simple--it was hella good (for my body and my soul).

This ain't your Mom's Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Keep these on hand for those nights when you're exhausted but 

don't want a growling belly at bedtime:

MISO: Go on out and get yourself some Miso paste. It's fermented soybean paste in a glass jar and it keeps for a loooooooooooooong time in the fridge. You can add it to a pot of hot water to make a simple broth or to sautes and sauces to add some probiotic power to whatever meal you're making. It's very awesome, very convenient and very delicious.

SEAWEED: Wakame is awesome. Nori--wonderful. Dulse--delicious. All these seaweeds pack powerful essential mineral content to whatever you're eating. Soups, salads or stir-fry. Amp up the nutrient-factor by shaking some of these onto your meal.


VEGGIES: Frozen in packages or pre-prepped by you and stored in the fridge: just add a cup of them to a pot of boiling water and 2 tablespoons of Miso and you've got yourself a homemade soup that beats Campbell's by a mile.

*******

Miso Soup & Honeyed Toast

buy this:

• miso paste
• frozen or fresh chopped veggies and/or finely chopped kale or chard
• finely diced seaweed of choice (these are sold in packages or in bulk in many natural food stores)
• whole grain (preferably sprouted) bread; if gluten is an issue, many gluten-free breads are available
• raw honey (from local, independent merchants is best--it keeps your money in your community)
• butter (organic is ideal--I liked salted)

do this:

• heat 2 cups of water in a pot on the stove
• put the bread in the toaster oven
• add 2 tablespoons of miso paste to the pot of water over medium heat. You don't want your miso to come to a boil, just get warmed nicely
• when steam is rising from the pot, toss in your favorite veggies and finely diced seaweed. Tofu is ok, too
• let the soup simmer for 5 minutes then transfer to your favorite soup bowl
• add some butter and honey to your toast

Sit back, relax and enjoy your extremely fast and nutritious dinner. Save the more adventurous meals for another night...