The Japanese have been using Miso for its health benefits since the 7th century. I didn’t truly realize what a superfood it was until I got involved in the Raw Food Movement.
Today, when we are all exposed to a multitude of chemicals and heavy metals, Miso provides welcome protection against free radical damage. Miso also aides digestion and assimilation, alkalizes the bloodstream and is rich in high quality protein and B-12, an essential vitamin often missing in the plant based diet.
Miso is classically made from soybeans fermented with Koji, a culture that starts the fermentation process. When shopping for Miso you want to make sure its unpasteurized, so that you can be sure the friendly probiotics are intact.
Miso is made in many different styles and colors. At Diet For Living Center we simply use ‘Cold Mountain Mellow Hawaiian Style’ Miso, because we like the mild, sweet taste. This brand of miso has been prepared and stored in wooden barrels and made with pure filtered water. Its best to store your Miso in a glass jar with a tight lid so that it maintains its vital life force and rich taste.
This is our recipe for Winter Raw Miso Soup. As soon as the evening temp dips, we love a cozy bowl of this soup for supper.
Winter Raw Miso Soup
To make it, it’s best to have everything ready so that you can better manage to keep the liquid at 115 degrees. On the stove top, begin with a pot and an inexpensive kitchen thermometer. Place it in the pot, and add 2 cups filtered water, and heat to 120 degrees. Take one cube of Vegan Vegetable Bouillon (I use ‘Rapunzel’ brand from Whole Foods)and whisk it into the warm water till dissolved.
At this point your water temperature should have dropped to around 115 degrees. Now you’re ready to add the rest.
Working briskly, whisk in:
- 2 tablespoons unpasteurized miso paste
- 2 pressed garlic sections
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper
- ¼ cup dulse seaweed cut up in pieces
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger grated
- garnish with a few onion greens
Pop all of the above into a WARM BOWL and enjoy with several raw buckwheat crackers. Perfect!!!