Miso Soup

Flavourbomb by Belinda MacDonald landed on my desk at an opportune time. Back at work after a festive season of overindulging I was, like many, contemplating those new year resolutions.

You might recognise Belinda's name, she won My Kitchen Rules in 2017 and pops up regularly on the food scene from bone broth bars to cooking demos at food shows. It was the latter where I first met Belinda, who has a larger than life personality. And I am glad to say it is this personality that exudes off the pages of her book. Born and bred in Cambridge, Belinda has been playing with the ketogenic diet for some time and has been the recipe developer and vlogger for The Ketogenic Switch. While this book is dedicated to the keto diet, hence the use of erythritol and generous amounts of almonds and coconut oil, it is not solely for those on a diet. Belinda’s love of flavour means there are dishes everyone will love. For instance, the Sticky Whisky Lamb Ribs, or as Belinda calls them ‘lambgasm’, are marinated in a whisky sauce then served dripping in a hoisin sauce. The Turkish-style Eggs with Whipped Ricotta and Brown Chilli Butter are sure to impress. Gluten free diets are well catered for in a keto diet, so there are plenty of recipes to suit. In fact, if the lack of carbs (aka bread) is one of the reasons you have been avoiding keto, Belinda has you covered with not just recipes like her Greek Spinach, Feta and Chorizo Flatbread but even for bagels, waffles and scones.

If I had one criticism of the book it would be that its contents are all over the place. You’ll find crackers in the same section as a main meal, sweets next to savoury. Although I can see how these fit the chapters, it makes finding the recipe you wanted difficult, but I’ll forgive her for this as my ketogenic diet just got easier with the aid of this book.

Published by Random House NZ RRP $45

This is such a simple yet stunning sexy plant-based soul-bowl to nourish your precious gut! Think salty, sweet, crunchy, umami and deeply nourishing . . . plus did I mention EASY?

SERVES 1

100g veggies (I used broccoli and spring onions) handful of leafy greens (I used bok choy) 1 cup hot (not boiling) water 1 tbsp unpasteurised organic miso paste ½ tsp grated fresh ginger 1 tsp toasted sesame oil 1 tsp coconut aminos or tamari 1 tsp coconut cider vinegar To serve fresh microherbs or chopped herbs fresh coriander a few strips of finely sliced nori a few pinches of togarashi (Japanese spice blend) dollop of kimchi (optional)

Place all your veggies in a serving bowl. Boil the kettle, then let it cool slightly so that the water’s no longer boiling, to protect the probiotics in the miso. Measure out your hot water into a jug, then add the miso, ginger, sesame oil, coconut aminos and vinegar, and whisk to combine. Taste, and adjust seasonings to suit. Pour the miso mixture over your bowl of greens, garnish with herbs, nori, togarashi, and a dollop of kimchi if you want some extra probiotics, and enjoy!

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