Prep: 5 min Cook: 12 min

This classic soup recipe is what's for breakfast in Japan. Served with most meals, miso is often made with rice--a crop so integral to the culture, there are 32 words for it--so it has always been cheap and widely available. Our version of this Japanese recipe includes shiitake mushrooms, which help improve immune function and lower cholesterol levels.

2 Tbsp dried wakame
3 c water
1 packet (0.75 oz) dashi stock base (such as Dashi Moto)
2 Tbsp white miso
1 12 oz package silken-firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes
1 c (about 3 oz) thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
1/4 c thinly sliced scallions
1/2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1. Soak wakame in warm water for 15 minutes or until fully rehydrated; drain.

2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add dashi packet; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove packet.

3. Ladle a half cup of dashi into a small bowl; whisk in miso and set aside.

4. Stir tofu and mushrooms into pot; simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in miso mixture, top with scallions and soy sauce, and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 81 cal, 4 g fat (0.4 g sat), 349 mg sodium, 7 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 7 g protein

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Wakame
A seaweed packed with the antioxidant compound fucoxanthin.
It can be tough, so use kitchen shears to cut it into smaller pieces.

Dashi
It's pretty much the chicken bouillon of Japan. Made from dried fish flakes and seaweed, dashi is what gives miso soup its signature subtle fish flavor and light amber color. Dashi comes in three forms, all of which can be used to whip up instant miso: powdered, liquid concentrate, and stuffed in a handy packet like the one used in the recipe above.