Red Lentil Miso Soup
Makes 6 1/2 cups (1.625 L)
Miso is a Japanese fermented paste made from soybeans, salt, a grain—most commonly rice or barley—and a living culture that is used to initiate the fermentation process. The nutrient-rich soybeans are made more digestible by fermentation. Miso can be used to flavour many different dishes such as gravies, dressings, dips, and soups.
1 tablespoon (15 mL) coconut or olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups (500 mL) diced carrots
5 cups (1.25 L) water
1 cup (250 mL) red lentils, picked over and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground cumin
2 tablespoons (30 mL) dark miso
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 3 to 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and carrots and cook for 3 minutes. Add the water, lentils, and cumin, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until lentils have disintegrated. Mix miso and salt in small bowl, adding a small amount of soup liquid; stir paste until smooth. Stir miso into soup and serve.
Per cup (250 mL): calories: 160, protein: 9 g, fat: 3 g, carbohydrate: 25 g (3 g from sugar), dietary fibre: 5 g, calcium: 39 mg, iron: 3 mg, magnesium: 32 mg, phosphorus: 116 mg, potassium: 343 mg, sodium: 379 mg, zinc: 1.5 mg, thiamin: 0.2 mg, riboflavin: 0.1 mg, niacin: 2 mg, vitamin B6: 0.2 mg, folate: 72 mcg, pantothenic acid: 0.2 mg, vitamin B12: 0 mcg, vitamin A: 334 mcg, vitamin C: 4 mg, vitamin E: 0.5 mg, omega-6 fatty acids: 0.2 g, omega-3 fatty acids: 0 g
Percentage of calories from protein 22%, fat 18%, carbohydrate 60%