Cauliflower Chowder

Cauliflower Chowder

adapted from Bon Appetit

The miso that is added at the end give the soup another level of savory flavor.

If you haven't tried Wondra flour™ it is a game changer when making soups and gravies. It dissolves very quickly and smoothly into the dishes.

 
Makes 3 servings                                                            7 WW pts / serving

1 1/2 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2/3 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
4 tsp. Wondra flour™ 
1/3 lb. cauliflower, cut into small florets and stems diced
5 oz. baby potatoes, scrubbed and diced
1/2 cup half & half

1 2/3 cups water
1 cup oyster crackers
2/3 tsp. Nick's Famous Crab Seasoning™ or your favorite crab /seafood seasoning

2 tsp. yellow miso
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped scallion greens for serving

1. Heat 1 Tbsp. butter in a pot. 
2. Add the onion, celery, thyme, and salt; Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and celery is softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle in the flour over onion mixture; Cook, stirring, 1 minute. 
4. Add the cauliflower, potatoes, half & half and water; Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower and potatoes are tender and liquid is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/2 Tbsp. butter in a small skillet . 
6. Add the oyster crackers, tossing or stirring often, until golden brown in spots, about 5 minutes. 
7. Remove from heat, sprinkle with crab seasoning, and toss until crackers are evenly coated.
8. Stir in the miso 
9. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Ladle chowder into bowls; Top with scallion greens.
11. Serve with oyster crackers.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Sushi Roll with Sesame Miso Sauce

Vegetable Sushi Roll with Sesame Miso Sauce

adapted from Bon Appetit August 1991

Somen are thin, white, Japanese noodles made from wheat flour. They can be found on Amazon or local Asian markets. Feel free to substitute angel hair pasta or soba noodles.

The original recipe cut the rolls into 1- inch pieces. I was not convinced that they were going to hold together so I left them whole.

Makes 2 servings                                                                2 WW pts / serving

2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. Homemade chicken stock, or canned broth
1 Tbsp miso

1 1/2 tsp. sugar substitute
4 large Napa cabbage leaves
2 1/2 oz. somen noodles
2 cups cold water
8 matchstick size strips red bell pepper
8 matchstick size strips hothouse cucumber
8 matchstick size strips scallions
8 matchstick size strips carrot

1. Prepare the sauce by whisking together the vinegar, stock, miso and sugar substitute in a small bowl; Set aside.
2. Fill a skillet 2/3 full with water; Bring to a boil. 
3. Add 2 cabbage leaves and simmer until leaves are just pliable, about 1 1/2 minute. 
4. Remove from water with a slotted spoon to colander. 
5. Repeat with remaining cabbage leaves; Dry thoroughly.
6. Return water in skillet to boil.
7. Add noodles and bring to boil. 
8. Stir in 1 cup cold water and return to boil. 
9. Stir in other cup of cold water and return to boil. 
10. Drain noodles; Rinse under cold water to cool and drain well.
11. Pat the cabbage dry with a paper towel; Place cabbage on work surface. 
12. Place ¼ of the noodles across width of leaf, 1 inch from stem. 
13. Top the noodles with 2 strips each of pepper, cucumber, scallion and carrots. 
14. Fold stem end in over filling, then continue to roll up tightly. 
15. Repeat with remaining leaves. 
16. Cover and chill 1-4 hours.
17. Serve passing sauce separately.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Stir Fry with Garlic Miso Sauce

Vegetable Stir Fry with Garlic Miso Sauce

adapted from Epicurious

You can use an vegetables you have on hand. I used snow peas, onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms but zucchini, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and bean sprouts would also work nicely.

Makes 2 servings                                                              2 WW points / serving

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. yellow miso

1/2 tsp. oyster sauce

1/2 tsp. Sriracha

1/4 tsp. sugar substitute

1 1/2 tsp. water

1/2 lb. assorted vegetables

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

Penzeys Szechuan salt or Kosher salt and white pepper

1. In a small bowl combine the miso, oyster sauce sugar substitute and water; set aside
2. In a hot skillet, sauté the garlic in the oil until fragrant, about 1 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and sauté until their are beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.
4. Add the onions, bell pepper and jalapeno and continue cooking until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
5. Add the snow peas and cook until tender, about 1 minutes.
6. Pour in the miso mixture and toss to combine; Cook another 1-2 minutes to heat through.
7. Season to taste with Szechuan salt

Enjoy!

Thai Style Chicken & Rice

Thai Style Chicken & Rice

adapted from Cooks Country

To make the dish more authentic Thai, use soybean paste in place of the miso and fresh Thai chiles in place of the chile-garlic sauce but these can be fore difficult to find.

Makes 2 servings                                                     4 WW Blue points / serving

3 points for rice & 1 point / 2 Tbsp. sauce

4 cups homemade chicken stock or canned broth

2/3 inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Cooking spray

1/4 shallot, minced

1/4 inch piece of ginger, cut in half

1 small garlic clove, minced

pinch of Kosher salt

1/2 cup jasmine rice, rinsed

1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems

1/4 English cucumber, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. miso

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar

1 tsp. sugar substitute

1 1/2 tsp. chili-garlic sauce

1/2 tsp. grated ginger

1 scallion thinly sliced

1. Combine the stock, ginger and garlic in a pot. Bring to a boil.
2. Add the chicken to the pot, reduce heat to low and simmer until cooked through 30-34 minutes.
3. Remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm. Reserve the stock.
4. In a pot coated with cooking spray, cook the shallot, ginger, garlic and salt and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
5. Add rice and cook stirring frequently until the edges are translucent, about 2 minutes.
6. Add 1 cup of the stock, stir, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove the ginger from the rice.
7. Meanwhile make the sauce, whisk the miso, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar substitute, garlic, chile-garlic paste, and ginger.
8. Return the chicken to the stock and rewarm.
9. Remove the chicken from the broth and cut into slices.
10. With a slotted spoon remove the ginger and garlic. Portion the broth into  2 one-cup servings. reserve the remaining broth for another use.
11. To serve, place the chicken on top of the rice, shingle cucumber slices along side the chicken along with a small mound of cilantro.
12. Serve with sauce and broth.

Enjoy!

Quick Miso Soup

Quick Miso Soup

adapted from WW.com 

I have tried packaged miso broth in the past but did not like the taste. This is the quickest way I have found to make my own. It is not as good at making my own Bonito Stock but it is a close second.

Makes 4 servings                                 1 WW Blue point / servings

4 tsp Hon Dashi powder

4 cups hot water

4 Tbsp. miso paste

4 mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 cup chopped spinach

2 scallions, chopped

1/4 block extra firm tofu, chopped

1. Dissolve the Hon Dashi powder in the hot water.
2. Add the miso and heat to dissolve
3. Divide the mushrooms. spinach, scallions and tofu among 4 bowls.
4. Allow the soup to sit for a couple of minutes to soften the vegetables. Serve.

Enjoy!

Napa Cabbage Slaw with Miso Dressing

 Napa Cabbage Slaw with Miso Dressing

adapted from Whole Foods Market

Makes 3 servings            1 WW Blue Point

1 tsp miso

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp liquid sugar substitute

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 Tbsp water

2/3 tsp sesame oil

2 cups Napa cabbage, thinly sliced

1 carrot, julienned

1 1/2 scallions, julienned

1 1/2 ounce water chestnuts, chopped

1. Whisk the miso, mustard, sugar substitute, vinegar, and oils in a small bowl.
2. Put Napa cabbage, carrots, scallions and water chestnuts in a bowl.
3. Add the dressing and toss to combine.

Enjoy!