Miso Soup

For about six months now my family has been primarily on a Japanese cuisine diet. After growing up on sugary breakfast cereals and snacks such as Cheetos, switching to a Japanese style diet has been a unique but amazing experience. Now I eat vegetables with my breakfast and season everything with a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, and sake. Ginger and garlic have become staples in my cooking. And a meal isn't a meal without a bowl full of rice.

One dish that has now become a regular to serve in my home is miso soup. When served with breakfast, it is a warm side dish that can start your day with a burst of energy. With lunch, miso soup can help fill you up for the rest of the afternoon. And with dinner, this delicious soup can round out the day with each hot spoonful. Loaded with tofu and wakame (seaweed), it is packed with protein and nutritional goodness that will keep your body feeling in balance and healthy.

I usually find the ingredients needed for this recipe at our local Asian food market: Uwajimaya. So if you have an Asian food market near your neighborhood, consider giving this recipe a try. It's simple, nutritious, and its unique worldly flavors will have you going back for seconds.

Miso Soup

Ingredients:
4 cups water
3 Tablespoons miso paste (I use aka miso paste)
1 Tablespoon bonito flakes
1/2 cup tofu, cubed
2 Tablespoons dried wakame
2 Tablespoons green onion, chopped

Bring water to a boil. Add in miso paste and bonito flakes. Whisk until the miso and bonito flakes have dissolved. Add in tofu, wakame, and green onion. Mix until all the wakame has re-hydrated. Serve hot.