Veggie Miso Soup for One

This soup is filling AND the recipe makes a very large serving—perhaps it’s two? I don’t know. I couldn’t stop eating it until it was gone.

1 ½ TBLSP olive oil

¼ medium onion, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, diced finely

¼-inch piece of ginger, peeled and diced finely

½ large parsnip, unpeeled, chopped.

1 carrot, unpeeled, chopped

1 cup of peeled and seeded orange-fleshed squash, chopped

¼ cup uncooked lentils (brown, green or red, your choice) (or pre-cooked; see step 2)

2 cups water or veggie stock

½ cup almond or coconut milk

3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) of firm tofu, cubed

2 TBLSP miso paste (white, yellow or brown, your choice)

Cilantro, chopped, to taste

Salt, to taste, if necessary

1. Heat the oil in a sauce pot over medium heat, and add in the onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until the onions begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
2. Add the parsnip, carrot, squash, lentils, water/stock and milk, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer until the lentils are cooked through, about 40 minutes. (You could also use pre-cooked lentils, and just add them after the veggies are softened, about 20 minutes.)
3. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to grind up about half of the soup. You still want some nice lumps, so if using an immersion blender, exercise some self-restraint.
4. Add the tofu, miso, and cilantro, and return to a serving temperature. Add salt, if necessary.