ok, before the holiday season gets out of control, with all the cookies and treats that are popping up all over the place, let's get our nutrition on! i've somewhat been off my regularly scheduled eating patterns with traveling, and the recent holidays. so whenever i'm looking for a boost, be it when i'm sick or my stomach is dysfunctional, my go-to is miso soup. it's easy to make, suuuper soothing, and has (magical) healing benefits. personally, i'm a fan of miso's beneficial bacteria that helps aid digestion as well as maintain a healthy immune system! one could go on about everything else that miso is good for, but i'll leave that to the experts.
i recently came across a super-duper ipad app, Uniqlo Recipe. not usually one for recipe apps, i was interested in it because i'm a fan of the photographer who shot it. i came across a recipe for butternut squash miso soup and was instantly obsessed. the original recipe came from Brian Leth, a chef who runs an awesome restaurant here in brooklyn, Vinegar Hill House. most miso soups i've eaten come in broth form, so i loved the idea of a creamy, slightly sweet miso soup, and i loved how the ingredients seemed subtle enough to not outdo the miso flavor. using what i had available in my kitchen, i swapped some ingredients for others using white flesh yams in place of the squash, and roasted carrots instead of sautéed apples and brussels sprouts. the soup was a cinch to make and so darn yummy; a total winner!
miso-yam soup w/ herb + sesame roasted carrots | gf + v
| makes 4 cups |
i used white flesh yams but feel free to use any sweet potato, potato, or squash (except spaghetti squash) here
adapted from Brian Leth via Uniqlo Recipe
ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch chunks
- 1/2 tablespoon red miso paste
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- approximately 3 cups filtered water
- salt to taste
- one bunch of baby carrots (~4 ounces), washed and cut in half (alternatively, you can use larger carrots and cut them into smaller pieces)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mirin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh chives, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced
- pinch of salt
- toasted sesame seeds and extra chives for garnish
instructions
make the soup
- place the yams in a stock pot with the miso paste and 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. cover with 2 cups of the filtered water (or until yams are completely covered). give the ingredients a stir to dissolve the miso. bring to simmer, cover and cook the yams until tender; about 20-25 minutes. carefully transfer soup ingredients to a blender, puree soup until smooth - thin with water until you reach your desired consistency. season with salt and transfer back to stock pot
- ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with carrots, toasted sesames and chives
roast the carrots
- preheat oven to 375° and line a baking sheet with parchment
- in a mixing bowl, toss carrots with sesame oil, mirin, chives, cilantro and salt. spread out onto baking sheet and roast until lightly browned, 12-15 minutes