Miso Glazed Salmon

Salmon is my favorite fish to cook at home: You can find good quality salmon at almost every grocery store (this particular one is from Whole Foods), it's easy to cook, and it's so versatile. For this recipe, I decided to make a Miso glaze. I've had a Miso glazed Cod before at one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in Philadelphia, and I decided I could probably recreate the sauce and make it with delicious salmon. 

This recipe calls for Mirin wine which is a very mild, sweet Japanese wine. If you've had Eel sauce in sushi, you've tried it. I got mine at a local wine store for $8.99 (as you can see by the silly sticker that wouldn't come off) but they also carry it at Whole Foods. 

In the summer, the salmon would probably be delicious grilled, but since the winter is here (sigh) I baked mine in the oven and it came out perfectly. I served it with a quinoa pilaf with cranberries and walnuts, but you could really serve it along side any starch of your choosing. 

I decided to focus on the superfood of Miso even though Salmon is also a superfood. In a few weeks, I will post another salmon recipe and will discuss its health benefits at that time.

Miso is known to help the digestive system by restoring the intestines with probiotics. It also strengthens the immune system and helps lower bad cholesterol. The most impressive health benefit of this superfood however, is that is said to reduce the risk of breast, colon, prostate and lung cancer. 

Ingredients:

1 lb. Salmon

1/4 cup Mirin wine

1/4 cup white Miso paste (I got mine at Whole Foods)

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. rice vinegar

2 tsp. sesame oil

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tbsp. grated ginger

2 tbsp. sesame seeds

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2) Mix wine, Miso paste, soy sauce, vinegar, oil, garlic, and ginger in a bowl and set aside

2) Line a baking pan with foil and spray with non stick spray. 

3) Pat salmon dry with a paper towel and lay on the prepared baking pan

4) Pour half of the marinade on the salmon and bake for 20 minutes

5) Top cooked salmon with sesame seeds, cilantro, and remaining sauce

Enjoy!

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!