Make the miso soup the star of the meal by adding lots of tofu and zoodles!
So last week I wrote about my forays into meal planning and I figured I would update you on how that went! I thought long and hard about whether it was successful or not, and definitely think it leans more towards being a….fail.
Breakfast worked perfectly, but I ended up having lunch dates every day this past week so I never ate lunch at home. Dinner was great Monday and Tuesday, but I ran to Whole Foods on Wednesday for the items we needed for Wednesday and Thursday dinner. OH and I swung by Target on Tuesday for some baking groceries so I could make these for Nate’s work. Overall, I definitely spent way too much money at the grocery store and farmer’s market for having to go back twice this past week. Lessons learned!
I wish I had some more time to refine my meal planning skillz but I’m back on the road on Monday! I’m pretty much traveling non-stop through the end of January for my job. I’m taking the week of Thanksgiving off but we’ll be on the east coast, and then I’m taking two weeks off around the holidays and we’ll be in Mexico with my family, and then Tahoe with our friends. So while I’ve definitely taken full advantage of my month working from home, I’ll certainly miss it!
The things in particular that I will miss about working from home include:
- taking workout classes at reasonable hours of the day
- cooking dinners for me and Nate every night
- the incredibly beautiful weather we have in SF (Spokane has a low of 29 this week! YIKES)
- lunch dates all around the Bay Area
- not having to smush all of my SF social stuff into just a weekend
- working from my pajamas in front of the TV
However, to end on a more positive note, there are plenty of benefits to being on the road! Including:
- my corporate card being able to pay for all of the delicious salmon that I will eat
- someone else making coffee for me
- the E! network! (we don’t have cable at home…)
- working in person with my colleagues and clients again
- spinning classes at The Union
- having a rental car - helps me run some errands that would otherwise be a pain here in SF!
Most of all, I’ve enjoyed experimenting in my kitchen a whole lot. Like ZOODLES. I discovered zoodles this month working from home! I’ve made them a bunch of times and I don’t know why it took me so long to take my zoodle maker out of this case. While it’s delicious to top zoodles with a big batch (for some reason “big batch” combined into “bitch” in my mind and I typed that out first…whoops!) of a meaty, hearty marinara sauce, I decided to try out zoodles in all other sorts of forms.
Turns out, they taste AMAZING lightly cooked in a salty, umami miso broth with lots of tofu and mushrooms. This one is certainly going to be added to the meal planning rotation!
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- 1-inch knob ginger, grated
- 2 cartons of stock - I used the miso stock from Whole Foods but vegetable stock will be fine!
- 4 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tbsp yellow miso
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 2 zucchinis, spiralized
- Toasted sesame seeds for sprinkling
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- In a large pot, simmer the ginger, mushrooms, stock, and red pepper flakes to taste for a minimum of one hour
- While that is simmering, drain and press the tofu (Google actually has a great step-by-step guide for this)
- Cut the tofu into cubes
- In four shallow bowls, place ¼ of the spiralized zucchini and tofu
- Turn the heat off of the soup
- In a seperate bowl with warm water, dissolve the miso
- Pour the miso into the large soup pot
- Divide the soup across the bowls, on top of the tofu and zucchini
- Top with scallions and sesame seeds
I like the way fresh tofu tastes in this soup, but I have also eaten it by baking the tofu cubes before as well. Adds a different texture to the soup!
For people who want more heft to the soup, you can add quinoa or rice into each bowl before you pour the soup over
If you like this, you’ll love: Miso Ginger Chicken and Chickpea Soup











It’s like you read my mind! I’ve been craving miso soup like crazy, and was just thinking earlier today that I needed to go searching for a good recipe. Search done with no searching at all! woohoo! Hope you adjust well to being on the road again.
Leah @ Grain Changer recently posted…Stuffed Pepper Soup
Let me know if you try!! I love the flavors of miso soup. A total cure-all!
Dani recently posted…Miso Soup with Tofu and Zoodles (vegan, gluten free)
I’ve never made miso soup before, but I love the taste of it! Great idea to use zoodles 🙂
Jess @hellotofit recently posted…Monday motivation: see how things work
It’s actually so easy!
Dani recently posted…Miso Soup with Tofu and Zoodles (vegan, gluten free)
Yum!! I want to try this! Looks so good!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt recently posted…5 Purse Essentials for a Healthy Holiday Season
Thank you! Let me know if you ever do!
Could definitelyyyyy use this soup today in SF. My meal planning has also been an epic fail and it’s like ‘hmm what things can I use up today”. So since I had kale that was about to go bad and didn’t feel like cooking… smoothie for lunch it is!
Cassie @ Almost Getting it Together recently posted…How to Treat a Running Injury
Lolol I’m all about breakfast for dinner or lunch 🙂
I love making miso soup, but I have never thought to use zoodles in it! SO great. Hope you’re week on the road is going well.
Liora recently posted…Pecan and Cashew “Turtles”
Haha, thqnk you! So far so good!
oops typo- *your
Liora recently posted…Pecan and Cashew “Turtles”
These vegan and gluten-free zoodles sound ah-mazing, Dani. Love how healthy and vibrant they look! 🙂
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen recently posted…Jaipuri Mishri Mawa with Chocolate and Vanilla Cream [With Video]
Thank you! it’s delicious, for sure!
This looks restaurant worthy! I wish you could make me a bowl.
I really like tofu, but I am not the best at preparing it!
Kate recently posted…Baby Alaskan
I’m a big tofu fan too. Even though there’s no flavor really, I like the texture.
Oh yum, this looks positively delish! I know how crazy schedules can get and meal plans kind of go out the window, so I’m glad to hear it’s not just me! Best of luck as you travel for work (all that salmon you’ll be eating sounds great 😉 )
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog recently posted…Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Candy Cookies
No complaints about the salmon over here!
Umm YUM! So nice you got to work from home this past month - I can definitely see all of those perks would be amazing. I am sure being back on the road will be fun, too!
Rachel Pattison (Little Chef Big Appetite) recently posted…New Week, New Month, New Goals
Benefits for both, for sure!!
It’s hard to have a spontaneous life and also meal plan because then you have to worry about all of the food you bought going bad! Plus the fact that your schedule is all over the place doesn’t help either.
At least you were able to come up with this soup before starting back traveling. It sounds so good and one that I would probably make again and again!
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health recently posted…Detoxifying Green Apple Smoothie
Last night’s dinner was a kitchen sink variety to get rid of everything!
It sounds like you have the best of both worlds for your job! I worked from home this morning and it was such a relief to not have to make the commute and drive in the crazy rainy traffic. And jammies - enough said. These zoodles in miso look so perfect for this nasty weather we are having in the southeast!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks recently posted…Roasted Tomato and Mascarpone Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
Working from home and not having to commute is awesome! You get so much more work done because you can just start right away.
Oh yea, I love spiralizing zucchini! I haven’t done it with an Asian dish yet, and this looks so warm and comforting.
It sounds like you’ve got quite a lot of travel coming up! I love how you highlighted the pros of constant work travel though - way to look on the bright side of things too!
Nicole @ Foodie Loves Fitness recently posted…Apple Pie Autumn Granola [Gluten Free & Vegan]
I think the salmon on the corporate card is my favorite “high” 🙂
Looks like you are going to be very busy!! I just love zoodles <3 Great soup!
Kristi @ My SF Kitchen recently posted…Dill Havarti Tilapia and Vegetable Sticks
I love love love zoodles too. I can’t believe I just discovered them.
dani this meal is so warm and delicious - it’s so smart to use zucchini as the noodles for soup! i bet it’s really interesting and delicious paired with the tofu and miso! xo
danielle is rooting the sun recently posted…warm spinach salad + roasted sunchokes, olives, rosemary tahini dressing
it was an excellent combination for sure!
Wow I love how you added zoodles for a healthy vege twist to the miso soup - it sounds delicious and so warm and comforting while still staying very light! Love it <3
Claudia | The Brick Kitchen recently posted…Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread with Espresso Mascarpone
It was one of those comfort foods that wasn’t super heavy - for sure!
Looks so delicious. Love zoodles and the shiitake and tofu in there are a brilliant addition <3
Audrey @ Unconventional Baker recently posted…Strawberry Lime Macadamia Cheesecake
I had FORGOTTEN how much I love mushrooms until this soup. Then I added extra mushrooms to my eggs every day this week.