Japanese-Inspired Soup for Breakfast

Still on that “more veggies for breakfast” kick, this japanese-inspired soup really keeps me going until lunch.  Cook up a pot along with a batch of brown rice and heat up a serving each morning.  If soup for breakfast is more than you can stomach, then, sure, go ahead and eat it for dinner.  Mmmmm…

Ingredients:
– one box of tofu, cubed
– one small onion, thinly sliced
– a cup or two of chopped carrots
– a cup or so of sliced diakon (looks like a white carrot – you can throw in the leaves, too)
– two cups of sliced shitake mushrooms
– three or so cups of chopped greens (cabbage, bok choy, chard… you choose!)
– a cup of chopped kabocha squash, skin still on is fine (or butternut, or any other squash)
– One sheet of nori seaweed paper, torn into 1-inch squares
– a tablespoon of chopped ginger (I use the prechopped one in the jar)
– 1/4 cup miso paste (any color)
– a sprinkle of chopped green onion
– Sesame oil

Steps:
1.  In a big pot, saute onions until translucent in any type of light oil (like safflower).
2.  Add in all of the other ingredients except the green onion, sesame oil and miso paste, stir and saute for a few minutes.
3.  When it starts smelling good, fill the pot with water until the veggies are covered.
4.  When the water starts to boil, lower the heat and add miso paste.  Stir until dissolved.
5.  Simmer until the vegetables are cooked through, about 30 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.
6.  Add green onion and sesame oil just before serving.

Serve over steamed brown rice.