Dinner in (Almost) An Instant
Bob Blumer's Zero-Waste Miso Soup as a Dinnertime MVP!
EK: The other day I was sent a photo of a delicious looking miso soup, chock full of vegetables from our friend Bob Blumer.
He texted, “This spontaneous zero-waste winter hot pot took me five minutes to prep + 10 minutes of simmering. it would be perfect for W4D !”
EK: It looked so good that I wanted to dig my spoon in right away, so I said, “Great. Why don’t you write it up for the newsletter?” Because Bob is nothing if not always willing to do what I ask of him, he said sure and so this week we are featuring his Zero Waste Miso Soup.
The recipe features one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. It is one that I’m sure everybody has, but probably doesn’t use very often, the humble box greater.
BB: That’s right, the grater is the unsung hero of this instant miso soup. Box grater? HUH? Yes!, that habitually unloved piece of kitchen gear you have always taken for granted is the key to this quick and easy hearty bowl of goodness.
EK: That makes so much sense and the fact that the veggies are grated means that you get more of them in each bite!
BB: Truthfully, the inspiration for using the box grater is that dense veggies like squash and cauliflower can cook—and flavor the broth— in less than 10 minutes. Even better, you don’t waste those leftovers!
AU: We agree! And I know that you are a champion of feeding hungry kids and zero-waste food prep. In fact, I think you kicked off your No Kid Hungry ChefsCycle 2025 Campaign a few weeks ago, right?
BB: That’s right. This year’s 2-day, 200-mile ride takes place in Bend, OR, and my goal is to raise $10K
EK: How many years have you been doing this ride to help end childhood hunger?
BB: This year is my 10th ride. And as it happens, through tenacity and attrition, I am the only rider to have participated in all 10 rides.
AU: How can people help you accomplish your goal this year?
BB: Anyone who is passionate about ensuring that food-insecure kids get the nutrition they need to focus on their school work can make a direct, tax-free donation to No Kid Hungry via the button below and you can follow along with me on Instagram @BobBlumer
BB: As an exclusive bonus for your W4D readers, I will send a signed copy of my book Glutton for Pleasure to anyone who donates $250, or more. With that said, any donation will be greatly appreciated!
EK: We are pledging today!
BB: I’m holding you to that!
EK: Thanks so much for this great soup recipe. It’s more a suggestion/technique than a strict recipe, right?
BB: Exactly! Think of it an inspiration and a format more than a specific recipe.
Bob Blumer’s Zero-Waste Miso Soup
It’s six weeks into 2025, and if you are human, chances are you’ve already caved on some of your new year’s resolutions. Fear not, salvation awaits. If you pledged to save money on groceries and/or minimize your kitchen waste, these cold February days present the perfect opportunity to repurpose your leftovers into a steaming bowl of heartwarming miso soup.
You don’t have to hover over a simmering pot all afternoon. Make a loaded miso soup and clean out your refrigerator at the same time!
If you use the finest side of your box grater to shred left-over pieces of raw root vegetables and bits of raw cruciferous veggies, they will cook in boiling water in less than 10 minutes. Add some miso and a bit of chicken stock, a handful of left-over protein bits and some seasonings, and in roughly the same amount of time it takes to heat up a can of “emergency” soup, you will be enjoying a hearty bowl of nutritious soup that is as good for the planet as it is for you.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 cups water or favorite stock/ broth
2 garlic cloves
1 small piece of fresh ginger
2 cups (total) grated carrots, cabbage, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, squash, daikon, parsnip, cauliflower, turnip — or ideally a combination of a few of these (the sweet potatoes and squash add a particularly pleasing sweetness to the soup).
1 handful of of any left-over greens like spinach, kale, or Swiss chard or snow peas
½ - 1 cup leftover chicken, ham, pork, beef or tofu
3 tablespoons Miso Paste
Soy or tamari sauce, chili crisp, chili oil, your favorite hot sauce, toasted sesame oil, fish sauce, etc. [season with some or all of the above]
Method:
Begin by bringing 4 cups of water/stock to a boil
On the fine side of your box grater, shred a couple of garlic cloves and/or a knuckle-size piece of fresh ginger.
Add to the boiling water. If you have neither on hand, no problem, just move on to the next step.
On the finest side of your box grater, shred the vegetables (not including the leafy greens)
Add the shredded vegetables to the boiling water/stock. Stir and add the greens.
Chop the protein into small pieces and add it to the pot.
Cover and let soup simmer for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Season with a generous splash of one or more of the seasonings.
Stir in the miso after you have removed the pot from the heat.
Serve immediately and Enjoy!!