Miso Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms

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Miso, also known as soybean paste, is a traditional Japanese food. Miso is available at natural food stores and Asian markets; it can also be purchased online. The shiitake mushrooms in this soup add vitamin D, an important nutrient for cancer prevention.

Ingredients

5 cups vegetable broth or water

1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms

1/2 pound firm tofu, torn or cut into 1-inch cubes

1 sheet nori, cut into 1-inch squares

2-3 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger

2 cups small broccoli florets

1 cup julienned or grated carrots

3-4 T white or red miso*

Preparation

Pour the broth into a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the mushrooms, cover, and let stand for 20 minutes, or until the mushrooms have softened. Remove the mushrooms from the broth with a slotted spoon. Cut off and discard the mushroom stems. Thinly slice the caps and set aside.

Add the tofu, nori, and ginger to the broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, broccoli, and carrots. Cover and simmer for 1 minute, just until the broccoli turns bright green.

Transfer 1 cup of the broth to a measuring cup and stir in the miso with a fork until it is completely dissolved. Pour the dissolved miso into the soup and stir until it is well incorporated. Serve immediately.

Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, leftover Miso Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms will keep for up to 3 days.

PER SERVING: 92 calories; 2.8 g fat; 0.4 g saturated fat; 27.2% calories from fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 6.5 g protein; 12.8 g carbohydrate; 5.9 g sugar; 2.8 g fiber; 1167 mg sodium; 92 mg calcium; 1.4 mg iron; 13.4 mg vitamin C; 2314 mcg beta-carotene; 0.8 mg vitamin E

Recipe by
Katherine Lawrence