Detox Miso Soup

Well well well, looks like somebody overindulged this weekend. It’s me, I overindulged, I’m the somebody. While there were no animals harmed in the making of my Thanksgiving, eating half a vegan pumpkin pie and quart of mashed potatoes is still bad for the bod. If you went a little overboard like I did, you’re probably looking for a way to get your health back on track this Monday. Variations of this recipe, plus lots of apple cider vinegar shots, will be in heavy rotation for me this week. This recipe takes some of my favorite detoxing and healing ingredients and puts them all together for a soup that’s sure to have you feeling 100% in no time. Miso has been used in eastern cultures for centuries to treat disease and promote longevity. This fermented bean paste is chock full of probiotics to improve your gut health, and is widely considered to contain cancer fighting properties. Ginger is gentle on the belly and helps to improve digestion. This super root is also great for fighting inflammation. I go heavy on the turmeric and always make sure I combine it with a little cracked black pepper. Cracked black pepper is said to aid in the body’s absorption of turmeric to make sure you’re soaking up all of that curcumin. Daikon is a natural diuretic to help you de-bloat and get back in your leggings ASAP!

Ingredients serves 2-4:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 1-2 tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp curry powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1-2 cups water or vegetable broth
• ½ of a large sweet potato, cubed
• ½ cup carrot, chopped
• ¼ cup shredded daikon
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• Kale, all the kale, I used about 4 packed cups but 2-3 would suffice
• 1 Tbsp mellow white miso
• Optional: tofu, chickpeas, sriracha, braggs liquid aminos
• Serve over brown rice

Steps:

1. Prepare brown rice according to directions
2. Heat oil in pot over medium heat
3. Add onion and garlic; saute for approximately 1 minute or until onions are translucent and fragrant
4. Add ginger, and spices; saute briefly so as not to burn the onions or garlic
5. Add broth or water, more if you want it thinner, less if you want a more stew like consistency
6. Add sweet potato, carrot, and daikon; Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for about 5-10 minutes then reduce to simmer and add celery
7. Remove approximately ¼ cup of liquid and in a small bowl dissolve miso paste in liquid
8. Add miso to soup and be sure not to bring back to boil. Boiling miso can destroy the probiotics and the medicinal properties
9. Add kale to simmering soup; stir in and simmer until kale is wilted and sweet potatoes are tender
10. If using, mix in chickpeas, tofu, 1 Tbsp braggs liquid aminos (as opposed to salt)
11. Serve over brown rice and top with a fancy sriracha drizzle because nothing ramps up the aesthetics of a dish like a sriracha drizzle.