Mushroom Rice Soup

2 cup chicken broth
1 cup hot water
2 dried shitake mushrooms
1 tbp lemon juice
1 tbp soy sauce
1 tsp Mirin cooking wine
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup cubed tofu
1 green onion chopped

Soak the dried shitakes in the hot water for about 20 minutes. Strain and save the water and chop the mushrooms. Boil the chicken broth, mushroom water, lemon juice, soy, Mirin. When boiling turn down to medium and add the rice, mushrooms and tofu and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the green onion and serve.

Serves 2

Tamago Miso Soup

This breakfast soup takes it's influence from tamago sushi.

1 tsp dashi
2 tsp miso
3 cups water
1 cup steamed white rice
1/2 cup extra-firm tofu cubed (1/2in)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp of sugar
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp of butter
4 approx. 3 inch rectangular pieces of nori seaweed.
1 green onion, diced

Boil the water in a sauce pan. When the water comes to a boil, turn down the heat to simmer and add the dashi. Put a splash of the hot water in a bowl and mash the miso into the water until it's disolved and return to the pot. Simmer on low heat. Don't boil.

Beat the egg with the sugar and soy and pour into very lightly buttered pre-heated small (8") non-stick skillet on medium-low heat. Swirl the egg in the pan to create a round omelete. When the bottom is firm but the top is not quite set, gently fold one end the omelete over every two inches so you've got about 4 layers. Press lightly down on the omelet to flatten and cook until the inside is done and the outside is just lightly brown. Cut the omelete into four pieces. Top each egg piece with the nori. Set aside.

Add the rice to the pot of simmering miso and heat briefly. Place tofu into each serving bowl and pour in the soup, topping with the two pieces of tamago and nori. Garnish with green onion.

Serves 2

Vegan Hash

Just a variation of a tree-hugging hippy shops at the organic co-op sandal but not patchouli wearing vegan Buck Fush kinda hash.

1 Large Russet potato, 1/4-in cube
1/4 Green pepper, diced
1 medium shallot minced
1 tomato chopped
6-oz extra-firm tofu, 1/4-in cube
2 cups spinach, rough chopped
1/4 tspn Garlic salt
1/2 tspn Paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
A little flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Tabasco

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat and toss in the potatoes. Turn every couple of minutes. After about 5 minutes toss in the green pepper and shallots. Cook for 5 minutes more until potatoes are browned on the outside and cooked through.

Remove the potatoes and set aside. Throw in the tofu and tomato and give the skillet a shake. Saute. After a few minutes, add the spinach and toss until wilted. You want to cook these wet ingredients separately and long enough to evaporate some of the water so you don't soak your potatoes with moisture. When most of the moisture has evaporated, after about 4 minutes, add the potatoes back, adding the garlic salt and paprika. Salt and pepper to taste and toss gently.

Plate with a little of the parsley for garnish. Add a few drops of Tabasco if desired.

Serves 2