Miso Udon Soup

I am at a loss for words.  This--I'm sure--comes as a shock to many.  I always have stuff to say (whether it is worth listening to is a different story).  I really am in a conundrum...

...I cannot adequately describe to you how life-changing this soup is.  That is my issue.

A girlfriend from high school started a Facebook group months ago to encourage clean eating, exercise, and healthy habits.  I love it for the accountability, suggestions, and camaraderie.  She also posts a weekly menu.  I love her menus because they are healthy and delicious, but mostly because they take me out of my culinary comfort zone.  I get stuck in the same routines on most weeknights--chicken and veggies, turkey and veggies, fish tacos, vegetable soup, more chicken, more ground turkey, salmon when I am not sick of it, blaaaah.  (Thank you ladies in the group for being so encouraging, thoughtful, and downright awesome.)

A few weeks ago, her menu called for an Asian noodle bowl.  I took that and ran with it, and ended up with this divine work of art and taste bud temptress.  This soup will blow your mind, I guarantee it.  The tofu is perfectly soft, the miso is enhanced by garlic chili and soy sauce, the mushrooms provide a deep earthiness, the cabbage slaw adds some texture, the udon noodles are flavor vessels, and the hard boiled egg takes it over the top.  
Confession:  I made this soup five out of six nights.  It is that good.  Although I have tried, I cannot come up with an adequate analogy; it's as amazing as...... a warm bed on a cold night, rubbing your toes through the sand with a cold beer in hand, making first turns on a powder day, a three-day weekend, puppy cuddles in front of the fire.  (See, my analogies stink.)

What is even more enticing about this soup is that it literally takes 15 minutes to make!  So easy, very few ingredients, very little prep, and voile!

This is my favorite dish I have made in years.  Afterward, I know you will feel the same.

Miso Udon Soup:

Very loosely inspired by this recipe. 

• 4-6 hard boiled eggs, pealed and sliced in half lengthwise
• 8ish ounces of firmly packed tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 cups of portabello mushrooms, diced
• one package of udon noodles
• 1 32-ounce carton of vegetable broth (this is important!)
• 1 14.5 ounce can of lower sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons of instant dashi granules 
• 3 or 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, or to taste
• 2ish tablespoons of garlic chili sauce
• 4 extra heaping tablespoons of fresh miso paste
• 1 cup of broccoli slaw (I get the pre-cut kind in a bag)
• 3 or 4 green onions, green part finely chopped

1. In a large pot, add the stock, dashi, and soy sauce and cook over medium-high.  
2. Add the miso and garlic chili sauce.
3. Meanwhile, in a different pot, cook the udon noodles according to the package directions.  Do not add the seasoning packet!  Strain and set aside.
4. To the soup, add the diced mushroom and tofu.
5. When completely hot, taste and adjust--if needed, add more soy sauce, more garlic chili sauce, etc.
6. Serve in a very large bowl.  Add a serving of udon noodles, then add a loose handful of the broccoli slaw and half a hard boiled egg.  Garnish with green onions.
7. SAVOR THE GOODNESS!