Miso Soup

Before reading 'The Kind Diet' I had no idea what a Macrobiotic diet was.   Since then, I have been inspired to read more.   One step always seems to lead to another.  I read 'The Macrobiotic Way; The Complete Macrobiotic Diet and Exercise Book' by Michio Kushi and a newly released book called 'The Everything Guide to Macrobiotics' by Julie Ong.  Both of these books I got from my local library!!  Michio Kushi has written several books on this topic and his book contained enough info to make me ask lots more questions.   Whereas Julie Ong's book contains a brief introduction to macrobiotics and lots of awesome looking recipes.  These two books complemented each other well.

I have read about Ayurveda, Raw diets, Vegan, Vegetarian, high protein, low fat....  there is no shortage of information out there.  Some of them are similar, some are way out there.... but I guess I just have to go with what makes me feel good.  Being vegan makes me feel good on many levels.  I find Ayurveda very confusing and hard to understand.  Raw diets just feel cold to me.  I'm not sure that a completely raw diet is suitable in the cold Canadian climate that I live in, although I think it's important to eat some raw food every day.

I'm sure I have barely touched the tip of the iceberg on the macrobiotic lifestyle, but some parts make sense.  It seems to have alot to do with balancing Yin and Yang energy.  Too much of either energy can throw you off balance and eventually bring about disease.  Whole grains are emphasized along with vegetables, beans, sea vegetables and some fermented foods like miso and tempeh.  These fermented foods produce lactic acid in the colon which gently tones the colon and corrects the balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria.

A macrobiotic diet often includes miso soup for breakfast!  This takes a little getting used to, but I have come to really enjoy my miso soup.  And it's super easy to make with just 3 ingredients plus water.  First I slice up some mushrooms (I like shitake, cremini and oyster) and green onions and put them in a pot with several cups of water.  Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat.  Take your miso paste, I like a yellow milder miso paste.  Follow the directions on the container.  Some miso pastes are stronger than others.  It will recommend using maybe a teaspoon or a tablespoon of miso per cup of water.   Measure out the amount of miso you need according to how much water you have boiled and put it in a cup or small bowl.  Add a bit of the liquid from your pot, and mix it up until it dissolves.  Then add your miso solution to your soup pot and simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Don't boil your miso because it destroys all those good enzymes that make it so good for you!

Different miso pastes can be really different.  I have seen recommendations that you use a miso paste that has been fermented for at least 2 years.  I'm no miso expert, but different kinds sure to taste differently.  The red one is stronger than the yellow. 

I have also used my miso to make a sauce for stir fry by mixing it with soy sauce, ginger, garlic and a bit of broth.   How do you like your miso???