Superfood Miso Soup

I love making soup in the winter. I've recently discovered how easy it is to make a big bowl of soup on a Sunday afternoon and eat it all week long for lunch at work. This particular recipe is my take on miso soup and it couldn't be any easier or any more delicious. I load it with tofu, shitake mushrooms, carrots, seaweed and soba noodles for a healthy and hearty meal.

My secret ingredient is Trader Joe's Miso ginger broth which I recently discovered. It's so flavorful and very low in calories. It makes the perfect base for this soup, and I highly recommend it. If you for some reason do not live near a Trader Joe's, you can use vegetarian broth with a tablespoon or two of miso paste.

For veggies in this soup I used carrots and shitake mushrooms, but you could really use anything you like. For the tofu I would recommend using extra firm so it doesn't crumble in your soup.

Miso is an incredible superfood. To check out its health benefits click here.

Ingredients:

1 package of extra firm tofu

16 oz. shitake mushrooms- sliced

1 cup chopped carrots

2 cartons of ginger miso broth

8 oz. soba noodles- cooked to package instructions and set aside

1 tbsp. liquid aminos or soy sauce

4 sheets of nori seaweed- torn (I like the Emerald Cove brand from Whole Foods)

1 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

1) Wrap tofu in several paper towels to drain excess water. Let sit in paper towels for about 10 minutes. 

2) Add 1/2 tbsp. olive oil to a dutch oven over medium high heat.

3) Unwrap tofu and cut lengthwise into planks and then again in half. (Should get 8 pieces)

4) Add to dutch oven and cook about 3 minutes one each side or until golden brown. Remove from dutch oven and set aside.

5) Add remaining olive oil to dutch oven and add carrots and mushrooms. Cook for about 5-8 minutes or until tender. Add liquid aminos and cook another minute. 

6) Add broth to dutch oven along with tofu and seaweed. Bring to a boil and then return heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.

7) To serve place a handful of noodles in a bowl and add soup. Enjoy!

Easy Crispy Lemon Cod

I don't know about you,  but I find it challenging to cook anything elaborate during the week. I've discovered what works best for me are easy 30 minutes (or less) meals and then having enough for leftovers for the next day.

This fish recipe takes no more than 15 minutes to prepare and cook, and it tastes absolutely delicious. You can use whatever white fish you happen to have on hand. I used cod, but haddock, striped bass, sole or tilapia would all work fine as well. 

Fish freezes really well too. My advice to you is to buy a few pounds of it when it's on sale (always opt for wild caught fish) and package it into portions. You can then freeze the individual portions and use them whenever you need an easy weeknight meal. 

I served this with roasted cauliflower and butternut squash, but it truly goes well with anything.

Cold water fish (cod in particular) is said to reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attack due to its omega 3 acids. Cod also provides a good amount of Vitamin B12 and Selenium which are known to reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. Lastly, cod is a great source of lean protein which can aid in weight loss.

Ingredients:

1 pound white flaky fish- such as cod

1/2 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

zest from 1 lemon

1/8 cup grated parmesan

1 egg- beaten

salt/pepper to taste

parsley- chopped (optional)

lemon slices (optional)

Directions:

1) Pat fish dry with paper towels. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper.

2) Combine bread crumbs, lemon zest, Parmesan, and salt/pepper in one bowl.

3) Dredge fish in beaten egg then in bread crumb mixture. 

4) Heat a pan over medium high heat. 

5) Cook fish on each side for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.

6) To serve top with lemon slices and parsley.