(WARNING: if you've never done miso and want to try, start out with a small amount and work your way up, b/c the pro-biotics can cause diarrhea and cramping if you start with large amounts.)

I'm fairly new to miso. I usually buy a red barley miso. I'd love to hear what type others use, and what else people make with miso besides soup!

Since I try to have a pot of brown rice or quinoa in the fridge for fast meals/ quick snack, I usually serve this soup over some grains:

Japansese-style broth:

4 cups water (one of the few soups I don' t use stock for) combu (a "full" piece, about 3-5 inches) 1 small onion thinly slice or 2 chopped green onions 1 carrot cut into matchsticks (not tradition, but I love carrots) optional dried shitake (about 3 small ones) or ~5 small white mushrooms. optional tofu

After rinsing and wiping the kombu, soak in the water w/the shitake (if using) for about 15 minutes. After soaking, if you used the shitake, you're supposed to discard the stems and then slice the caps and return it to the water. While the seaweed is soaking, I lightly sautee the carrots, and if I don't have shitake, some sliced regular mushrooms (although I don't always use mushrooms), and onion slices (unless I'm using green onions)

Heat water to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add veggies halfway through. Then turn off the heat and add 2 to 4 tablespoons miso and tofu (and green onion if you're using it; save the green part for right before serving). Let sit 5 minutes to heat the tofu through. Remember that you don't want the broth too hot, or it will kill the probiotics in the miso.

Sometimes I slice the kombu up and put that in, too, depending on my mood. Sometimes, I compost the kombu.

A very quick lunch!