Yes, another soup. And why not? Satisfying, low-calorie and perfect for cold days or when you need a little comfort pick-me-up.

I was recently nursing a stuffy cold and was craving both noodle and miso soup. My indecisiveness won and I created this soup, a blend of the two. Needless to say, I’ve made it a few times over the past week; I love the blend of ginger, miso, and ramen noodles.

Ingredients:
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup white miso
3/4 cup shredded carrot
2 cups baby spinach
2 packets ramen noodles (discard the seasoning packet- you don’t need it)
2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
6 cups vegetable broth (I prefer low-sodium brands, especially with the miso)
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

In a soup pan, heat the toasted sesame oil over medium heat. Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes taking care not to brown the garlic.
Add the broth, bring to a low simmer, and cook for about 5 minutes to flavor the broth even more.

Remove 1 cup of broth and place into a separate bowl.

Add the carrots, noodles, and spinach. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the noodles are done. While that is cooking, add the miso to the reserved 1 cup of broth and stir until completely dissolved.

Reduce soup to medium-low and add the miso back to the soup. Stir to mix and serve.

Per serving (4): 270 calories, 10g fat, 23g CHO, 3g fiber, 13g protein

This one’s for you Barbara! The “official” DK recipe… even though I tweak it each time I make it!

Miso Salad Dressing

3 tbsp. miso
3 tbsp. vegan mayo
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tsp. ginger paste (you can also use ginger juice from fresh ginger, but the paste in the refrigerated section is great in a pinch)
2 tbsp. mirin or rice wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor. Toss with your favorite salad. Great side dish for my Tofu with Sesame Soba Noodles.

First off, I am so excited to get a new camera next week. This picture doesn’t do this dish justice. It was so colorful and flavorful. I actually wish I served it on Halloween because the orange and black together were stunning!

I loved the idea of putting Nori in a salad, thanks The Health Seekers Kitchen! I made this for a quick weeknight dinner with the ingredients I had on hand, but feel free to empty out your fridge and pile on the vegetables. The carrot-ginger dressing is one of my favorite go-tos. Use the leftovers as a dip.

Carrot-Ginger Dressing:
2 large carrots, diced
1 1/2 tbsp. white miso paste
1 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. oil
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. minced ginger*
2 tbsp. water

Place all ingredients in blender or food processor to combine.

Salad: makes 4
1-2 sheet(s) nori seaweed, julienned
1 large avocado, diced (or 2 small)
1 cup frozen edamame, thawed
1 head radicchio, shredded
1 head savory cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, matchsticks. 
2 tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted

Combine all ingredients in large bowl except seeds and nori. Toss to combine.

To serve, dish out salad, top with dressing, nori, and sesame seeds.

*I used the tube ginger, found in the produce section of most supermarkets. It worked great in the dressing and saved me time and energy!

I am pretty lucky in the fact that there is a sustainable salad bar 100 feet from my office. More often than not, I end up grabbing lunch or dinner there, loading up my plate with a big bowl of organic vegetables and fun sides. Last night I was craving a salad bar treat and decided to recreate it at home. My favorite item is the marinated tofu and even though I work as the dietitian, no one will give me the secret recipe. Sigh. Here is my attempt at chili-sesame tofu and miso dressing. Yes, I know it’s not the most impressive recipe, and I promise not to post salad recipes often, but I was so happy to be able to have my favorite toppings in the comfort of my own home. If the combination of flavors isn’t your thing, try the dressing with small greens (try lambs lettuce), avocado, and your favorite vegetables.

Chili-Sesame Tofu:

Press 1lb tofu between two paper towels to drain most of the moisture out. Dice into small cubes and toss with the following marinade: 2 tbsp. mirin or white vinegar, 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, 1 tsp. olive oil, 2 tbsp. asian sweet chili sauce, 2 tbsp. gomasio (Japanese mixture of black sesame seeds and salt, you can make your own mixture by combining 1/4 cup sesame seeds and 1 tsp. salt). Coat and allow to marry in the refrigerature for at least 30 minutes.

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