Creamy Miso Soup with Mushrooms

Miso is very good for you…it contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete
protein. It stimulates the secretion of digestive fluids in the stomach, restores beneficial probiotics to the intestines, it’s also a quality source of B-12, high in antioxidants to fight free radicals, strengthens the immune system and so much more. It is highly beneficial and I recommend getting to know your miso. I have both yellow and white on hand, each one having their own flavor. The yellow is more sweet and the white more earthy and hearty. It lasts up to a year+ in the fridge. I also use miso to make a nice cup of warm miso broth in place of tea or coffee, as well as using it in recipes here and there. In fact, its called for in one of my recent recipes in the tofu ricotta: White Flatbread-Pizza with Zucchini. It’s handy and welcome in my kitchen essentials.

Soup Base

• 6 cups water
• 1/4 cup organic miso, yellow or white
• 1/2 cup hemp hearts (or pine nuts)
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or agave
• 1 tablespoon dulse flakes or crushed dried wakame, optional*
• himalayan salt & pepper to taste

Mushroom Mixture

• 1 cup shitakes, sliced (I used dried, but fresh is best)
• 1/2 cup baby bella mushrooms or mushrooms of choice, sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tamari, soy sauce, nama shoyu or Bragg’s (I used tamari)
• juice of 1-2 medium lemons or 2-3 small limes
• 1 or 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, adjust to your liking

Optional Garnish

• 1/4 cup wakame, rehydrated and drained, chopped**
• scallions, sliced
• shallots, finely diced

Start with the mushroom mixture by combining the mushrooms with olive oil, tamari, lemon/lime juice and red pepper flakes. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Blend soup ingredients in blender until smooth. Taste for flavor, adding salt & pepper as needed. It will have some froth on top, you can either leave it or scoop it off. I scooped most of it off.

Before serving, stir mushroom mix and wakame into blended soup. Serve as is or garnish with scallions or shallots if you like. Also, feel free to warm slightly before serving, place soup in medium/large pot over medium heat, heat until just warm. Serves six.

**The wakame was given to me by a friend and was on hand. Because of it’s many health benefits I will purchase again when it runs out. If you don’t have it stocked or it’s hard to find, don’t worry about it…the soup will still be great! It’s a sea vegetable (sea weed), you may consider stocking a package. It’s comes dried and will last a long time in the pantry. It contains omega 3, and also has high levels of calcium, iodine, thiamine and niacin along with many other health benefits. Use it sparingly here and there…maybe in a nice warm cup of miso broth with some silken soft tofu cubes. Mmm mmm :)

There’s those shitake’s…so delicious!

http://www.simple-veganista.com/2012/09/raw-creamy-miso-soup-with-mushrooms_26.html