Autumn is considered the warmest time of the year here in Sausalito and the greater San Francisco Bay Area. While everyone, including the farmer's markets and grocery stores, are gearing up for actual fall, evidenced by the winter squash and pumpkins on display, I for one am waiting for the Indian summer. Even so, perhaps I should adjust my expectations. I'm hoping for non-stop warm days and nights for at least a month, if not two. You know….REAL summer. You'd think it wouldn't be that difficult. But more realistically for this area, I'm thinking I should be prepared for a few warm, dress-appropriate days with clear sunny skies, then several more days of fog and cold wind before the warmth of the sun eventually wins out again. Side note: If you're reading this and you're in Marin County or somewhere else in the Bay Area, and wondering why I'm making a big deal of the weather, please remember….micro climates! Five minutes down the hill from where I live, it's a completely different world.

Nevertheless, this restorative soup must (!) be in your life whether you're getting into the fall mood or waiting on the Indian summer like me. Miso soup meets a broth-y Mexican tortilla soup. This is a warming Mexican-Asian fusion meal to boost immunity and gut health with bright, clean flavors of ginger, lemon, and fresh cilantro and an umami richness from probiotic-rich miso. When you're cold, under the weather, or needing something gentle and nourishing for the gut, this is your meal. The broth is filled out with alkalizing and nutrient-rich greens (broccoli and kale) and protein of choice (cooked quinoa, shredded chicken, or soft-boiled egg). Toppings are a must but I've given ideas to choose from down in the recipe.

Hope you enjoy it!

All the Greens Miso Soup

Serves 4
Notes: Recipe calls for broth. I use the collagen and gelatin-rich bone broth sold in the refrigerator section or homemade. But vegetable or chicken stock or stock cubes also work here. I've tried this with all proteins suggested. It depends on what you have time for and feel like. Instructions for poaching chicken are provided below. Alternatively, if you don't have cooked quinoa on hand, turn this into a noodle soup by adding soba/buckwheat or rice noodles.

60 oz / 1.7 L liquid (bone broth, vegetable or chicken stock)
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. minced ginger (~2 thumb size pieces)
Protein of choice (2 cups/270 gr. cooked quinoa; 1 lb/.5 kg poached chicken; 4 soft-boiled eggs)
1 bunch kale, destemmed and finely chopped (spinach or a combo works too)
1 medium broccoli, head cut into florets and tender stalk cut into large dice
Juice of 1 lemon
20 gr. cilantro (half of a large bunch), chopped
Miso (mellow white or yellow variety best), to taste (~2 tsp./bowl)
Toppings: avocado, sauerkraut, toasted cashews, soba/buckwheat noodles (if not using quinoa)

Add broth to a large soup pot over high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and add salt and ginger. If poaching chicken, add 1 lb (1/2 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs to broth now. Cover and poach 10 minutes, remove to cool slightly, then shred or chop.
Add kale, broccoli, and lemon. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Make sure broccoli is not over cooked.
Add cilantro along with cooked quinoa (if using) or poached, shredded chicken (if using). Remove from heat. (It may taste slightly under salted at this point. That's okay, miso will correct it)
Add 2 tsp. miso to individual bowls. Ladle a little broth into bowl with miso and stir to dissolve miso. Ladle soup into bowl to distribute the concentrated miso broth. Top with desired toppings and soft-boiled egg, if using.

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