Immunity-boosting Miso Soup

After spending five days in sunny Florida for Thanksgiving, I arrived back in a much colder NYC craving warm, healthy comfort foods. My body knows exactly what it needs, so I listened. I made a carrot-ginger soup and this immunity-boosting miso soup loaded with anti-inflammatory (i.e. good-for-you) veggies and spices that’s also easy on the digestive system.

I totally cheated and bought a carton of Whole Foods organic miso broth, but you can make your own broth – or even use some chicken or veggie stock instead. This recipe is my slightly adapted version of the one I found on the side of the carton of broth.

Immunity-boosting Miso Soup

Ingredients:

1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. ground turmeric
8 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
4 cups Organic miso broth
1 1/2 cups kale, chopped, stems removed
1 cup butternut squash, cubed
2 Tbsps. fresh grated ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne (if you like spicy, otherwise use 1.8 tsp)
1.4 cup daikon radish, chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. white miso
Directions: 

In a sauce pot over medium high heat, saute onion and garlic in oil for 3 minutes.

Add turmeric and mushrooms. Saute 2 minutes.

Add broth, kale, squash, ginger, cayenne and daikon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, add the fresh miso, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly before adding lemon juice.

Cover and let sit 5 minutes before serving.
There’s so much more you can do with this soup by adding sea vegetables like kombu, chicken or tofu, scallions and even buckwheat noodles, but this is the quick and easy version. It’s so nutritious I’ve even been eating it for breakfast!

What are your favorite cold-weather recipes? Share with me in the comments.