Menopause Miso

Chicken Broth with Yellow Miso and Lotus Root

Serving size: About 2

  • 2 Cups chicken broth – benefits blood, essence or Jing, spleen, stomach and Qi. Enters the kidney channel.

  • ½ Cup yellow onion julienne– warm, counteracts damp and cold, improve blood and Qi circulation

  • 2 Tablespoons water

  • ¾ Cup tofu – builds Yin, blood and is a Qi tonic that supports the kidney

  • Small handful spinach – promote Qi and Blood and Yin

  • 2-3 inch piece lotus root thinly sliced– counteracts heat and promotes Qi circulation

  • 2 Scallion, green part - warm, tonifies yang, eliminates cold and supports blood circulation and digestion.

  • 1 teaspoon miso – soy same as tofu benefits, naturally fermented foods are invaluable for digestion, warming, benefits the kidney,

  • 1 Tablespoon goji berries – tonifies kidney Yin

  • Dash white pepper – counteracts damp

  • 1 Tablespoon ginger, julienne– warming stimulates digestion and boosts circulation

  • ½ Teaspoon sesame oil – counteracts heat and tonifies Yin

  • 2 Medium shiitake julienne – blood and Qi tonic, supports spleen stomach and liver

Directions

Lightly cook the julienne onion and shiitake mushrooms in the 2 tablespoons water, add the chicken broth, ginger, goji and lotus (do not peel lotus, allow the hot broth to slightly braise.) bring to a simmer.  Add the white pepper, tofu and miso (Thin the miso with a little stock then add back into the soup. Long cooking or boiling destroys miso’s beneficial organisms.) Add spinach and sesame oil and serve, garnish with scallions.

Options:

Seaweed is great for strengthening kidneys and building Yin so you could use dashi granules or make a broth using kombu and bonito flakes.

Add poached egg if you want more protein, should be antibiotic and hormone free if possible.  Chicken eggs supports blood and promotes blood circulation, it also supports essence and Yin.