MISO NOODLE SOUP W/ PORK RIBS

There are a lot of reasons to LOVE MISO! 

Natural health advocates love miso for its dense concentration of nutrients and its remarkable disease-fighting properties. I love Miso because it taste so good and is a comforting meal after a long day! 

Although there are endless possible varieties of miso, the most common types are made from a fermented paste of soybeans, often with other ingredients. Fermentation, which takes place due to a yeast mold known as koji, may be allowed to proceed anywhere from several days to several years. Overall, miso has a salty taste and a texture similar to nut butter, though the specifics vary depending upon the ingredients and length of fermentation. Color also varies with fermentation length, with white or light-colored miso associated with shorter fermentation and a milder flavor, and brown miso associated with a longer fermentation and a more robust flavor.

The most popular varieties of miso include hatcho (made with soy only), genmai (made with soy and brown rice), kome (made soy and white rice), mugi (made with soy and barley), natto (made with soy and ginger) and soba (made with soy and buckwheat).

A fermented superfood

Miso is unusually rich in nutrients, due in part due to the fermentation process required to produce it. This process breaks down the complex and sometimes hard to digest oils, proteins and carbohydrates found in soybeans into forms more easy for the human body to digest. In addition, the final product (assuming it is unpasteurized) contains live lactobacilli, which also enhance your body's ability to extract nutrients from food.

The nutrients found in miso include vitamin B2, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, iron, potassium, choline and lecithin. Miso is also high in dietary fiber and provides a large amount of complete protein. It is especially high in polyunsaturated fats, which the FDA has endorsed for their ability to lower the body's levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol. One of these facts, linoleic acid, actually helps keep skin soft and young-looking.

But miso's health-boosting effects are not limited to its high nutrient content. Like other fermented foods, miso increases the concentrations of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. These probiotic organisms don't just aid in digestion, but also play an important role in maintaining and strengthening the immune system.

Miso is also particularly high in antioxidants, which remove dangerous free radicals from the body. Free radicals are cell-destroying chemicals that have been linked to degenerative diseases, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even the effects of aging. Genisten, one of the antioxidants found in soy products such as miso, has actually been shown in the laboratory to inhibit the growth and spread of cancerous cells.

Thus it's no surprise to find that regular consumption of miso - as is common in Japan, with many residents eating one bowl of miso soup per day - has been found to reduce the risk of breast, colon, lung and prostate cancer, among other health conditions. Miso consumption even appears to offer some protection against the effects of radiation.

It's easy to increase the amount of miso in your diet with minimal change to your cooking habits. Miso soup takes only minutes to make, or you can simply add miso to many of your favorite recipes - preferably after cooking, to preserve its probiotic effects.


MISO NOODLE SOUP W/ PORK RIBS
INGREDIENTS

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee
• 8 cups chicken broth or stock
• 12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 pounds pork ribs (bone-in baby back or a leaner cut of spare ribs, if using boneless use 1.5 pounds)
• 1 (12 ounce) package of kelp or mung bean noodles
• 6 cups spinach or kale
• 2 tablespoons miso (white or red)
• 1-2 tablespoons tamari (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon umeboshi plum vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Ideas for garnishments: scallions, sliced jalapenos, seaweed flakes and/or toasted sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Over low-medium heat saute the onion, garlic and ginger in the coconut oil or ghee, careful not to let the garlic burn.
2. Once softened, add in the chicken broth, ribs and mushrooms. 
3. Simmer for 2 hours if you can (this will make the meat even more tender and the flavors come together better). If not, 1.5 hours is fine!
4. Take out the pork ribs and cut the meat into bite-size pieces, removing the fat.
5. If you are using spinach and mung bean or kelp noodles, remove the soup from the heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients including the meat. It's ready to serve.
6. If you are using the kale and/or rice noodles that need some additional cooking time, you will need to add them in while the soup is simmering until they soften. Then take the soup off the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.
7. Serve the garnishments on the side.

NOTES

To make this soup in the slow cooker, just add sauteed onions, garlic and ginger plus the broth, mushrooms and ribs. Cook on high 5-7 hours. Cut pork into bite-sized pieces. Stir in kale, spinach and noodles and let them cook til tender. (If you're using mung bean or kelp noodles they will be ready very quickly so add them right at the end.) Add back in the pork and season with the remaining ingredients. Serve.