Immune-Boosting Loaded Veggie & Miso Soup

This soup is LOADED with nutrients from all kinds of veggies, but most importantly it's absolutely delicious. This recipe has some serious immune boosting qualities due to it's wide variety of vegetables, and gets much of its flavour from antioxidant-rich ginger. The bone broth base makes this soup rich in amino acids, but if you're vegetarian mushroom broth will do the trick and taste just as wonderful. The addition of miso paste lends this soup a rich, savory flavour - not to mention that it's a great source of vitamins E, K, and various B vitamins.

It also freezes beautifully, so feel free to make it ahead of time to have on hand for cold and flu season!

Serves: 6

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 45 mins, give or take

What you need:

• 2 Portobello mushrooms, coarsely chopped

• 3 leeks, chopped (white parts only, cut the green ends off where the white is just beginning to turn green. You can save these ends for soup stock if desired.)

• 1 small zucchini, chopped

• 2 carrots, cleaned well or peeled & chopped

• 2 celery ribs, chopped

• 1 small head cauliflower, or ½ of a large head, chopped

• ½ yellow onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, pressed

• 2.5 cups shredded kale

• 8 cups chicken bone broth (use mushroom broth to make the soup vegetarian)

• ½ cup miso paste

• ¼ cup reduced sodium soya sauce

• 2 tbsp grated ginger

• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided (sesame oil also works great, if you have it)

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp cumin

• ½ tsp paprika

• Salt & pepper to taste

What you do:

1. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large soup pot or Dutch oven and sauté the mushrooms on medium heat with the garlic powder and some salt and pepper until the liquids release, about 5 minutes. Add the leeks & cook for 2-3 more minutes, until tender. Scoop the entire mushroom & leek mixture onto a plate and set aside.

2. Add the remaining olive oil to the soup pot or Dutch oven, and then add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes before adding in the carrots, celery, cauliflower, zucchini, cumin & paprika. Cook 5-8 minutes until just tender, and then add the garlic and cook until fragrant for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

3. Add the broth, miso paste, ginger & kale to the pot along with the mushrooms & leeks. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat & simmer covered for 25-30 minutes. Eat!