As we head into soup season, I’m always looking for more soup recipes to add to my rotation. If you’re a fellow soup enthusiast, you’ll love this Chickpea Miso Soup. This soup is one of my go-tos for chilly autumn nights or when me or my kids aren’t feeling our best.
When it comes to surviving the flu, I know I’m not alone in picturing chicken noodle soup, ginger ale, saltines, or toast and jelly. These are some classic American sick day staples. Even if you haven’t eaten these foods for quite some time, they’re likely still ingrained in your mind (as they are in mine!) as flu comfort foods.
But we all know isn’t enough to simply eat comforting foods when we’re sick. Whatever we eat needs to be nourishing and healing as well. But having something that ticks all the boxes is what we really want when we don’t feel well.
Aside from homemade chicken noodle soup, (which–let’s face it–isn’t likely to happen when any of us are sick) none of those classic “sick foods” are going to give our immune systems any extra love. What will help you feel better faster is boosting your immune system’s fighting power with nourishing, vitamin and mineral-filled food.
One of my favorite immune-boosting add-ins is miso paste. Miso is an umami-filled Japanese ingredient that’s traditionally made from fermented soy. It’s an all-purpose, high-protein seasoning that’s most often used in soups, salad dressings, and veggie dishes. And protein isn’t its only benefit–It’s also rich in vitamins and minerals AND contains all eight essential amino acids. Research also shows that miso has quite a few healing benefits, like reducing the risk of heart disease, hypertension, and breast cancer.
At the Conscious Cleanse, cleansers frequently discover they have a soy-sensitivity. This isn’t all that unusual–soy is a highly genetically modified crop, and as a result it’s becoming a common allergen. That’s why I prefer to use chickpeas to create a soup that can deliver the same nutritional benefit and comfort of a traditional soy-based miso soup.
Enter Chickpea Miso Soup.
Chickpea miso is exactly what it sounds like: a miso paste made from fermented chickpeas (instead of soy). Look for chickpea miso in the refrigerated section at your local health food store next to soy miso, or order it online. We like the South River Miso brand.
This soup is quick and easy to make (under 10 minutes!), light on the digestive system, warming, and comforting. Just what the doctor ordered!
With love and chickpea miso,
Chickpea Miso Soup
Yields: 4 cups
Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp dried wakame seaweed flakes
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup greens of choice, chopped
- 4 cups of vegetable broth or water
- 3 tbsp chickpea miso paste
Instructions
Add wakame flakes to a small bowl of warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes to rehydrate.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring broth (or water) to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and whisk in miso paste until dissolved. Stir in carrots, green onions and greens and simmer for 5 minutes before serving. Drain wakame flakes and add to soup.
Serve over brown rice (optional).
Other variations:
Miso can be made using a combination of any ingredients. Think dried shiitake mushrooms, seaweed, garlic, ginger, or bok choy.
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