Foolish Beings

This restoratively nourishing soup helped me while I recovered from surgery, however, it is beneficial anytime. I like to use fresh herbs when I can get them, but the dry herbs will work just fine too. 3 quarts of water 1/4 cup miso paste, choose your favorite flavor 3 cloves garlic, pressed 1 onion, minced 1/8 cup fo-ti (aka) ho shou wu / Polygonum multiflorum / finely chopped or sifted 1/2 cup lycium berries / Lycium chinensis 1/4 cup ginsing root / Panax quinquefolia / any variety 1/2 cup fresh dandelion root / Taraxacum officinale / sliced 3/4 cup fresh burdock root / Arctium lappa / sliced 4 slices of astragalus root / Astragalus membranaceus 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, grated 10 large fresh shiitake mushrooms , chopped 1 handful of fresh parsley, chopped 1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil sesame oil to drizzle on finished soup before serving Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot. Saut’e the garlic and onions until tender and soft, but do not brown them. Add the mushrooms and saut’e for 2 more minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Using a large cloth re-usable tea bag or a piece of cheese cloth, tie all the herbs, except the mushrooms, into the tea bag or cheese cloth. This will make removing them later much easier once the soup is done. Add the bag of herbs to the water, simmer on low for two and a half hours. When the roots are tender, take the pot off the heat and remove the bundle of herbs. Remove a cup of the hot liquid from the pot and stir the miso paste into it. Return the cup of hot liquid back to the soup pot, stir to blend. Do not boil the miso it will destroy the enzymes that are beneficial to your soup. Add the chopped parsley and cilantro to the broth, ladle into bowls and drizzle with a small amount of sesame oil, serve hot. NOTE* If spring greens are flourishing in your area pick them and garnish this soup with those vibrant healthful plants. Some suggestions are; chickweed, plantain, dandelion greens, fern tips.

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