Oh, that magical miso. It’s another product made from soy – this of Japanese origin. The magic is that something that’s been mashed up with salt and mold, then fermented in cedar vats for a year or two or three is edible. Who thought that up? They say many foods are discovered by ‘accident’ – wow, imagine finding something in the back of your frig that may not smell too good and is totally unidentifiable – then taking a taste. I found something like that yesterday. At first, I was mesmorized by the unique pattern of growth – it kind of reminded me of a coral reef…little clown fish darting in and out of the folds… but as the hairs in my nostrils began to curl, I quickly slammed the lid back on before all the paint peeled off the kitchen walls and tossed it. You have to hand it to those intrepid folks who dared taste what most of us would toss our cookies over.
Miso really is magical though in that it has many health benefits. There have been studies that show miso chelates heavy metals in the body so can help prevent radiation poisoning and that miso contains compounds that help prevent some forms of cancer. One of the anti carcinogens found naturally in soy is genistein. In miso, some studies have shown genistein is up to 25 times higher than in other soy products. There are also many other heath benefits associated with eating miso. Among the benefits – contains beneficial enzymes and bacteria to aid in better digestion; the presence of choline helps liver functions (miso soup is a purported hangover cure); and saponin in miso helps control cholesterol. So move over chicken soup – how about a nice steamy bowl of miso soup instead?
We had some dear friends over for dinner tonight and for a quick little sauce for the cedar smoked salmon, I made my favorite Miso Salad Dressing:
4 T Miso, light (non-GMO!)
4 T Sucanat (dehyrated sugar cane juice) or a light Honey
3 T Apple Cider Vinegar (Bragg’s is best)
2 T Dijon Mustard
Whisk it all up and serve. I also like this on a green salad with lots of veggies – cucumber, tomatoes, avocadoes, mushrooms and sprouts.
