I hope you all enjoyed your chicken soup last week, and are as excited as I am to cook great, healthy food. I promise you this column will not be all about soups, but this next recipe is one of the cornerstones in my HIV wellness recipe box.

Easy to digest and nourishing, Miso soup is served at any Japanese meal. It’s the slightly salty, cloudy soup ranging in color from white to yellow or red. Miso is a rich source of antioxidants, protective fatty acids, and it gives you a healthy dose of Vitamin E, protein, B12, and a nice selection of minerals to boost the immune system. Research shows making Miso a part of your diet can also reduce the risk of breast cancer! More on Miso another time; today, it’s just a tool to showcase shiitake.

In my practice as an acupuncturist in Hillcrest, I have many people come see me for HIV wellness, for which herbal formulas play an important role. Having a health immune system, good digestion and high energy is important for these patients, and the shiitake mushroom does it all!

Mushrooms have been used medicinally by the Chinese for 6,000 years and recently their rich, smoky flavor has endeared them to American taste buds and now they are available at your local grocery store. Extracts are available for medicinal uses. Shiitake has been shown in test tube studies in Japan to be more lethal to HIV-infected cells than AZT. In another study, the active ingredient in Shiitake (LEM) has been shown to block HIV cells from reproducing and damaging helpful T cells. These lignins also stop cell damage from herpes simplex I and II, two viral infections that often plague individuals with HIV. Shiitake can be used for food as well as medicine. It treats nutritional deficiencies and improves immunity through the diet. Because of its appealing flavor and rich nutritional makeup, vegetarians sometimes use shiitake mushrooms as a substitute for animal protein.

This version of Miso Soup with Shiitake Mushroom is amazing, but it may require a trip to the oriental foods aisle

Trivia tip of the week:

The original filling in Twinkies was banana. It was replaced by vanilla-flavored cream during World War II, when the United States experienced a banana shortage.

Hearty Shiitake Mushroom and Miso Soup

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence, www.foodnetwork.com

1 bunch scallions, sliced thin, white and green parts separated

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

8 cups water

3 (6-inch) pieces dried kelp (kombu)

1/4 cup bonito flakes

3 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms

1/2 cup light miso

1 pound baby bok choy, cut in quarters

8 ounces firm tofu, cut into cubes

In a large soup pot over medium heat add the scallion white parts, ginger, garlic and sesame oil. Cook for one minute and add eight cups water. Rinse the kombu and add it to the pot along with the bonito flakes. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes – do not let it boil. Remove the kombu and set it aside. Add the dried mushrooms and miso to the pot and let it simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are hydrated and tender. Add the bok choy and simmer until it is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the tofu and cook for another five minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved green parts of scallions. You can also top it with slices of the Campfire Pan-Roasted Chicken and garnish with the Crisp Soba Noodles.