Different variations of the only breakfast I crave and want these days!

Miso Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

1 dashi bag or 4 tsps dashi stock powder

8 to 10 cups water

1 whole onion, halved and thinly sliced

⅓ cup miso paste (or more for a very rich broth)

1 sheet toasted seaweed, torn into small leaf sizes

1 thumb ginger, finely chopped

Any or as many as you like of the following veggies:

1 large carrot, sliced into medallions

¼ large daikon radish, sliced thinly

1 small sweet potato, diced

2 small bok choy, washed and separated or sliced Napa cabbage leaves

1 head broccoli, broken into florets

1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper

1 bunch asparagus, cut into ⅓’s

Your choice of veg, but must be bite sized

Any one of the following proteins:

½ pound pork belly, thinly sliced

1 block firm tofu, diced

2 pieces salmon or other firm fish cut into fish finger size

3 chicken thighs, sliced

Toppings to choose from

Soft boiled eggs, halved

Fresh sprouts

Few leaves mint (very optional, it’s just I do love mint! )

Diced spring onions, chives or scallions

Roasted, dried crunchy, crispy onion (you can buy delicious varieties of this)

Toasted seaweed torn into small pieces

Toasted sesame seeds or black sesame seeds, or furikake if you have it

Drizzle of sesame oil

Drizzle of soy-sauce

Drizzle of Chilli oil

Shiritake zero carb noodles

Home made zero carb sugar sweet chilli sauce

Few tspns kimchi, if you dare 😉

How to make it:

1. Bring water to the boil in a large soup pot and add dashi bag or dashi stock powder

2. Add thinly sliced onion

3. Remove dashi bag after 5 minutes simmering

4. Add your veggies, make sure to add more water if you added too many veggies and adjust at the end by adding more miso

5. When veggies are cooked, add protein and let simmer until protein is cooked through

6. Add miso paste, diluting in a soup ladle in broth, stirring until dissolved and tipping into broth as dissolved (see photo)

7. Add torn seaweed, simmer 1 minute and serve into large bowl adding your choice of toppings

8. Breathe in deeply, relax and enjoy your delicious broth. Leftovers for two days unless you share!

I hope you try this. Use your imagination and make it your own delicious adventure! It’s healthy, filling, and full of flavour, or “umami”. Oh, add mushrooms if you like, I can’t as I’m deathly allergic to them.

Below are a few photos that I said I’d post from Japan. I went with our son, who was an amazing traveler to share with, and he made all the plans. We spent a few wonderful days in Tokyo then took the Shinkansen to Nagoya where a dream came true: Ghibli Warehouse park. Then a day in Osaka, back to Tokyo by Shinkansen for a few last wonderful days.

The people of Japan made our trip the lovely and incredible experience it was. I have never met such gracious, kind, serene, and friendly people. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and will never forget you.

Next time, photos of food we had in Japan. Thank you for being here. ❤️