Tuesday, March 29, 2011

5-minute lazy healthy soup

How many of you come home from work and can't seem to think about what to eat?

This is my solution to the after-work, can't-think lazy healthy soup recipe:

Ingredients (please don't measure too precisely--after all, it is lazy!)
* Water (about 3-4 cups--depends on the size of your soup bowl)
* Miso soup base (either powder or from non-GMO organic fresh paste)
* 2 handfuls of green leafy veggies -- organic mixed salad greens, baby bok choy (1-in chopped), anything dark and green (as opposed to dark and handsome!)
* 2-3 tbls frozen peas (a little fiber boost)
* 1/2 cup pre-cooked wild rice or brown rice (I have pre-cooked rice in the fridge for lazy and emergency hunger).
* Your choice of lean protein. I use frozen seafood (scallops, shrimp, langostino) that makes my lazy soups feel like a treat. If you have leftover chicken or other leftover lean protein, this is a good excuse to eat it up.
* Optional ingredients: fresh non-GMO organic tofu (if you're vegetarian), seaweed strips, dulse, toasted black sesame, any japanese spicing that has sesame and seaweed, sesame oil, diced green onions and/or cilantro, salt and pepper.

How:
1) Boil water. While water is heating, wash and chop your green leafy veggies. Put aside (this is last to put into the soup.
2) Add miso powder or paste to the boiling water. Put in your frozen seafood option and your frozen peas. If you aren't putting something in frozen, then put in your leftover lean protein.
3) Add rice, and fresh leafy greens. Do not overcook the greens. Turn off the stove when you see your greens are still bright green, and only slightly wilted. The broth will continue cooking the greens.
4) Put your optional flavors in the bowl before pouring in the soup. I like to put dulse and seaweed strips to help detox my body. Black sesame and a small dash of sesame oil for good hair. Green onions and cilantro if I have them in the fridge and I'm not too lazy to chop them. Freshly ground black pepper and salt (if needed--depends on your broth).

VOILA! 5-minute lazy healthy soup with minimal prep. Nutrient-dense, low-glycemic, and you're getting in at least 2-3 servings of vegetables, 1 serving of fiber (from the peas and wild rice), and your lean protein. I eat this at least 1x a week to get my sea vegetables into my nutrition. Sometimes, I eat this soup as often as 2-3x a week because I've had a long day. I feel full because of the fiber and veggies and lean protein, but it feels like a very light soup (as opposed to chili that can feel heavy).

Enjoy!

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