French Sweet Crepes

I woke up Sunday morning, it was a gorgeous day. Not too hot, just enough air to keep it cool and enjoy a nice breakfast on the deck. I was given a great crepe pan as a gift the day before so what better treat than a lovely sweet French crepe for breakfast. French crepes are soft in the middle but ligthly crunchy on the edge. They are very thin (on the other end of the spectrum of the thick hearty pancakes).
One of my favorite fruit, this time of the year are nectarines, because they seem to always be sweet. I haven't had the same luck with peaches that feel more like tennis balls in terms of hardness and rarely ripen once at home.
The filling for this recipe may seem pretty basic but don't let it fool you, it is exquisite. French deserts are amazing, not because they have tons of sugar or fat (granted, some do) but because they allow the natural flavors to be discovered. There is such freedom in going back to this simplicity and nature. Honestly, why complicate when you can enjoy things as they are.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup soymilk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
2 tsp dry sweetener (like turbinado sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbl vegan butter
1 Tbl ground flaxseeds

Note: Many recipes call for powder egg replacer but you may not have it at home, so stick to flaxseeds. It is a nice way to add Omega-3 essential fatty acids (great for heart conditions), lots of anti-oxydants and is a great source of fiber. I love its nutty flavor too.

TIPS: Buy whole flax seeds and only grind a little at a time in a blender or coffee grinder because they go rancid more quickly after being ground into meal. If you grind more, refrigerate and use in salad dressing, over stir-fries, over breakfast cereals, in shakes...

PREPARATION:

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for a few seconds.
In a thick bottomed frying pan, place a little vegetable oil and bring heat to medium high.
Pour a small laddle and immediately spread the batter so that an even layer spreads accross the pan.
Using a spatula, gently lift the sides and when it no longer sticks to the pan, either flip the crepe with the spatula or with the pan. The ladder one may take a little practice but it will impress your friends.
When the other side is done, place on a plate.
Spread 1 Tbl of your favorite jam (I used peach) in the middle of the crepe in the form of a strip.
Place fresh slices of nectarines on top.
Sprinkle with a little granulated sugar.
Fold the left and right flaps on the middle, then the top and bottom to create a lovely bundle.
Serve as is.

NOTE: Use any fruit, get creative. Can be served with your favorite vegan icecream or sherbet.

New potatoes and leek stir-fry

Nature is such a wonderful thing we take for granted.
Last fall, I discovered some potatoes that I had completely forgotten about and as a result had sprouted in the back of my pantry. I proceeded by cutting them into small pieces, each with a sprout and planted them in my garden covering them with thick layer of leave mulch. I knew that not much grows in the winter in the Northwest but hoped that something will come out eventually out of it. And it did. Beautiful leaves grew a few months ago and some potatoes even appeared. It was time to harvest. Wow, so many beautiful little potatoes. It was like a treasure hunt. And when I thought I was done, more were found.

And the funny thing is that the original pieces of potatoes were still almost intact in the ground, and yet they had produced a whole family of little ones.  Next to the potatoes, some leeks also grew. And when you have potatoes and leeks, what do you do? You make potato leek soup, oven roasted vegies or a great stir-fry. We did all three.

New potatoes are only harvested in the spring and summer so look out for them in the stores or better, grow your own. Eat with the season to  What is really unique about them is that they have a thinner skin and a high moisture content which gives them a creamy texture. They are usually used as side dish but why not making them the star of the show?

You can lightly steam the potatoes and stir fry them with a little garlic, green onion, salt and pepper and any other condiment you like. Potatoes goes really well with rosemary for example for something different. That's what we did in the photo. Super simple, quick and delicious. I added some vegan sausages for a little quick protein.

Leeks are essentially giant green onions. They are from the same alium family. In terms of nutrition, leeks are a great source of vitamin C as well as iron and fiber, they are known for helping the blood and the heart.
In terms of handling leeks, you always want to check and wash the dirt of the bottom after removing the roots. You can also stir fry the leeks with a little water and salt.




 The finished product:

Wild mushroom Fettucini with wilted spinach salad

Ok, so I may have spoken too fast. Summer hasn't arrived yet. It looks like the seasons have shifted a whole month forward. April showers are now May showers and the temperatures aren't exactly summer like these days. Apparently with the various large earthquakes and tsunamis, the earth's axis has shifted more than one degree. So warm dishes are really nice until the sun decides to make an extended appearance!


Every now and then, we have a craving for pasta but we wanted something a little more rich with a creamy sauce. Living in the pacific Northwest, we have a great selection of wild mushroom available at regular grocery stores. So I combined a vegan cream sauce my friend and chef Miyoko Schinner showed me a few years ago with these tender and full of flavors mushrooms.  Yum!


And to balance cooked food with something fresh, I prepared my signature wilted spinach salad dish. The challenge with these 2 dishes is the timing. Got to work fast and get things lined up correctly. In real estate, it is location, location, location. When it comes to cooking, it is preparation, preparation, preparation.

1. Cook the pasta
Cook the pasta according to package instructions. 
The trick is that when it is almost completely done (taste to be sure but don't burn your fingers or your tongue in the process!), pour out the water and rinse under cold water until the noodles are warm to the touch. Pour 1/2 Tbl of oil and mix with hands to prevent from sticking. Put aside and get started on the sauce.

2. Prepare the mushroom sauce
First the cream:
Blend 1 cup of cashew nuts with 2 cups of broth in a blender (or you can use plain water too).
Add some salt if you are using water. Add some black pepper and garlic powder. Make sure that the liquid is smooth (no small pieces of nuts should be left) Pour into a small pan.

3. Pan Fry the mushrooms

1. Gently wash the mushrooms. Any type will do (porcini, portobellos, white caps etc.) and cut in half if they are small or slice the shrooms, as we call them at home.
2. In a frying pan, put 1 Tbl vegetable oil, 1-2 cloves of minced garlic over medium heat. Make sure that it doesn't burn.
3. Add the mushrooms making sure that they are not too crowded.
4. Add 2 Tbl balsamic vinegar and quickly mix into the mushrooms to make them sweat and caramelize. Don't overcook, they are full of water and only need a little tenderizing.
5. Taste, add some salt if you need it. Remove from heat and put aside.

Putting it all together

1. Heat up the cashew cream sauce over medium heat. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir the sauce until it thickens a little. As soon as you see that it does, remove from heat.
2. Place the pasta in a large frying pan, mix the caramelized mushrooms, then pour the sauce over and gently mix for a minute or so. Immediately serve. Save some cream sauce and mushrooms because you will be asked for seconds. Guaranteed!

4. Wilted Spinach salad
Looks and tastes fancy but it is so easy to make and preserves most of the nutrient in the spinach.
The trick is to heat 2-3 Tbl of extra virgin olive oil (regular olive oil will also do, but treat yourself to good things from time to time). I know, virgin olive oil should be consumed cold, but it is also nice now and then heated.

1. So place the washed and dried spinach in a large bowl,
2. Slice some red onion thinly if you like raw onions
3. Sprinkle some pine nuts and some nutritional yeast (1-2 Tbl)
4. Heat up the oil in your smallest pan, on high heat for less than a minute depending on how quickly your stove heats up. Watch it because it happens very quickly. Don't let it smoke.
5. It is all in the timing.
6. Pour it immediately over the spinach and quickly mix it until all the leaves are coated and shinny.
7. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice (optional) and serve.

Bon appétit!

Kale Salad with Braised Tofu

Summer is almost here so it is a good time to increase the amount fresh foods, salads in our diet. I have grown kale for many years and because of its hardiness have enjoyed it all year around. Several of my favorites, Russian Red and Scotch curley kale are great for salads. Dinosaur kale works great steamed or in stews. Don't take my word for it, try it out.

Kale is the star of the dark-green leafy vegetables family.
It is so easy to grow that everyone should have a patch with some in their garden. If you don't have space or time to grow some, get some at your local farmer's market. Make sure to wash it well to remove any dirt.

Is Kale a superfood? You bet it is.


It is rich in manganese, iron, copper, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B1, B2, B6 and E. A daily portion of kale gives you a massive 192% of your daily vitamin A needs and 89% of your daily vitamin C requirements (helps reduce free radicals, inflammatory diseases, arthritis and asthma. That's impressive.


Kale belongs to the brassica family (cauliflower, collars greens and broccoli), known for its powerful anticancerous and antioxidant properties. 
Wait, it is also rich in fiber so that it prevents and reduces clogging of arteries, stabilizes blood sugars (great for diabetics) and relieves constipation and diarrhea.

WAYS TO EAT KALE:
In your morning shake (Frozen banana, fruit juice, berries, protein powder...)
    1) As a salad
    2) Sauted
    3) As chips

Harvest from the garden

As a Salad:
Because it is quite fibrous, use lemon juice with a little sea salt and olive oil to tenderize it overnight.
If you don't have time, you can use wooden spoons and bruise the kale when tossing the kale with the lemon dressing. Now, I don't believe in harming anything in life, but a little kale bruising is as far as I would go to make it tender and tasty.  

Basic salad dressing:
  Juice from 1 lemon
  1 Tbl olive oil
  1 Tbl flax seed oil
  1 Tbl nutritional yeast
  Garlic powder
  To add some omega 3, add some flaxseed oil to the dressing

Sauteed Kale
  Mince some garlic and a little olive oil.
  Chop some of your favorite kale, add to the garlic.
  Sprinkle with a little salt.

Kale Chips
  Forget commercial processed chips and make your own healthy version packed with nutrition.

  Preheat your oven to 350F.
  Wash your hands
  Cut of the stem and tear off a large bunch of curley kale into small pieces
  Spread the pieces onto a baking sheet making sure that they don't overlap
  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until they are crispy
  Remove from oven and put into a large bowl
  Drizzle 2 Tbl of olive oil, 2 Tbl of nutritional yeast and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (you can use garlic powder too)
  Toss gently with your hands
  Serve immediately
  Keeps in an airtight container at room temperature
  Do not refrigerate
 
Braised Tofu  Slice firm tofu and pat dry in a clean cotton towell.
  Coat the tofu in some arrowroot or cornstarch with a little salt and garlic powder.
  Pan fry the tofu in a little oil until crisp. Flip each side.
  Sprinkle some soy sauce towards the end.
  You can also grate fresh ginger to the soy sauce for additional flavoring.
  Serve the salad and place the braised tofu on top.

  Et voilà !
  Bon appétit

ORANGE CARROT CAKE

I have been busy preparing my summer classes and as a result have been neglecting my blog a little. The good news is that many new dishes are being created and fine tuned in the process of designing the classes. Add to that the fact that we are moving and you get the picture how exciting things have been.  
 
I don't know about you but I have been craving citrus fruit and oranges lately and finding ways to add them to my food. Must be my body asking for vitamin C!

The traditional moist vegan carrot cake has been enhanced with zest and juice from juicy oranges, giving it an aromatic flagrance and unique taste. Yum! Enjoy!





DRY INGREDIENTS:                        WET INGREDIENTS:
  2 cups all purpose flour*                          1/2 cup soy milk
  2 tsp baking powder                                1/2 cup vegetable oil
  1 tsp baking soda                                     1/2 cup orange juice
  2 tsp ground cinnamon                              rind from 2 oranges
  2 tsp ground nutmeg                                 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave
  1 tsp ground ginger                                   2 tsp vanilla extract
  2 Tbl anis seeds (optional)                        2 cups finely shredded carrots
  1 tsp salt                                                  1/2 cup golden raisins
  1 cup organic sugar or sweetener

*you can substitute 1/2 cup potato flour and 1/2 cup of  tapioca flour if you are allergic to gluten.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER:

1. Preheat the oven at 375°F
2. Grease a square or round baking pan.
3. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl.
4. Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl. 
5. Slowly mix wet and into dry ingredients. 
6. Add the raisins and carrots at the end.
7. Pour into baking dish and bake for 50mn or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Let it cool off before slicing it. 
9. Serve as is, or with some homemade icing.

SUMMER CLASS SCHEDULE UPDATED

Please note the new dates.

I clicked the publish button prematurely on the previous post!

JUNIOR CHEF ACADEMY - June 6th, 13th, 20th, 5-7:30pm, Firstenburg, Vancouver, WA

MOROCCAN NIGHT - July 6th, 6-8:30pm, Clark College, Vancouver, WA

FRENCH CUISINE - July 7th, 6-8:30pm, St John Community Center, Portland

HEART HEALTHY COMFORT FOODS - July 11th, 5-6:30pm, Firstenburg C.C., Vancouver

MEXICAN FIESTA - July 14th, 6-8:30pm, St John Community Center, Portland

A TASTE OF THAILAND - July 21th, 6-8:30pm, St John Community Center, Portland

DAIRY FREE AT LAST - July 25th, 5-6:30pm, Firstenburg Community Center, Vancouver

CHINESE BANQUET - July 28th, 6-8:30pm, St John Community Center, Portland

UPCOMING SUMMER COOKING CLASSES

Summer is fast approaching so get ready for some fun and educational vegan cooking classes. Mark your calendar and don't wait to register online because seats are filling in quickly.

____________________________________________________

WHAT:  JUNIOR CHEF ACADEMY
WHEN:  June 6th, 13th, 20th, 5-7:30pm
WHERE: Firstenburg Community Center
                700 N.E. 136th Ave.
                Vancouver, WA 98684

DESCRIPTION: Ages 8-12. Learn how to make your own healthy snacks, basic soups, salads, pasta, pizza from scratch. Hands on course. All dishes are vegan to accommodate for common food allergies.
REGISTER HERE

____________________________________________________

WHEN:   July 6th, 5-7:30pm
WHAT:   MOROCCAN NIGHT
WHERE: Clark College
              1933 Fort Vancouver Way
              Vancouver, WA 98663





 DESCRIPTION: Travel to the mysteries of Marakech and Casablanca from the comfort of your kitchen. Discover a rich cultural heritage and traditional dishes bursting with new flavors and aromatic spices. Treat yourself to a lavish banquet.
REGISTER HERE
Note: Currently, only showing Spring schedule. Wait for the Summer schedule to be posted online.

___________________________________________________

WHEN:   July 7th, 6-8:30pm
WHAT:   VEGAN FRENCH CUISINE
WHERE: St John Community Center
                8427 N Central St,
                Portland, OR 97203



DESCRIPTION: Nouvelle Cuisine from the South of France is admired the world over but it usually characterized by rich and fattening dishes. This class, taught by a native of the French Riviera, will teach you how to create and enjoy some of the rich flavors of French cooking without the heavy calories and artery clogging results! A guilt-free way to a French palate. All the dishes are free of animal products for people with dietary restrictions. Recipes include: Onion soup ‘gratinée, olive tapenade, escalope with mushroom cream sauce, vegan chocolate mousse and much more
REGISTER AT: 503-823-3192

___________________________________________________

WHAT:    HEART HEALTHY COMFORT FOODS
WHEN:    July 11th, 5-7:30pm
WHERE: Firstenburg Community Center
                700 N.E. 136th Ave.
                Vancouver, WA 98684




DESCRIPTION: If you are watching your cholesterol or sugar levels, chances you told to lower your sodium and fat intake. This class you will learn to prepare some of your favorite dishes with a few alterations making them healthy, nutritious and delicious.
REGISTER HERE

___________________________________________________

WHAT:  MEXICAN FIESTA
WHEN:  July 14th, 6-8:30pm
WHERE: St John Community Center
                8427 N Central St,
                Portland, OR 97203



DESCRIPTION: There are as many flavors in Mexico as there are towns and pueblos. Vamos to the South of the border to sample a festive array of flavors and dishes, from roasted tomatillos salsa, fajitas, empañadas and much more.
REGISTER AT: 503-823-3192

____________________________________________________

WHAT:  A TASTE OF THAILAND
WHEN:  July 11th, 6-8:30pm
WHERE: St John Community Center
                 8427 N Central St, Portland, OR 97203

DESCRIPTION: One of the most gracious culture on earth and beautiful people can be found in Thailand. Learn to make exquisite traditional dishes such as papaya salad, mee krob, pad thai and discover the rich culture of kingdom of Siam.
REGISTER AT: 503-823-3192

_____________________________________________________

WHAT: DAIRY FREE AT LAST
WHEN: July 25th, 5-7:30pm
WHERE: Firstenburg Community Center
                700 N.E. 136th Ave.
                Vancouver, WA 98684


DESCRIPTION: About half the population of the United States are considered lactose intolerant. That's millions of people and most don't even know they are. You will learn in this class to make your own nut milk, dairy free 'cheeze' and cream sauce, soft ice dream etc.
In addition to sampling these prepared items, participants will receive a grocery list of non-dairy products they can easily purchase in local stores.
REGISTER HERE:

_____________________________________________________

WHAT:  CHINESE BANQUET
WHEN:  July 28th, 6-8:30pm
WHERE: St John Community Center
                8427 N Central St, Portland, OR 97203

DESCRIPTION: Treat yourself or impress your friends with a complete traditional Chinese meal you can make at home, with no msg, less salt and fat. Learn a few tricks to create popular dishes served all over the world and discover the therapeutic qualities of some of the ingredients used in in this fun and interactive class.
REGISTER AT: 503-823-3192

____________________________________________________

UPCOMING CLASSES FOR FALL SCHEDULE:  

Stay tuned for dates and times

• MOROCCAN NIGHT
• A TASTE OF VIETNAM
• WEIGHT LOSS THE NATURAL WAY
• THE LIGHTER SIDE OF FRENCH CUISINE
• VEGAN THANKSGIVING

LOCATION: Clark College, Vancouver, WA

VEGETABLE STEW OVER POLENTA

Earth Day Portland



What a glorious day today was.
Quite appropriate for Earthday.

I love Portland. As in most cities accross the US, Portland had its celebration of all good things for the earth, found locally, built sustainably, with respect to the earth and all its inhabitants, in music, artful displays, bringing together young and old, two legged, lots of four legged...what a party! And when time came to eat, we found a vegan hot dog stand! Pretty cool or what? Most of the other choices were mostly vegetarian (there was one stand barbecuing animal parts). We had three options: Vegan kielbassa, beer brat and regular hot dog, all made by Tofurky! With all the toppings of course. And on the way out, a few hours later, a vegan bake sale that raised money for several animal sanctuaries. Usually, we try to cut down on sweets, but given the cause, We had to pitch in, someone has to do it! It is my story and I am sticking to it.

Once home, we had a craving for something stewy. I had a few vegetables, some cornmeal. Plenty enough to make a nice vegetable medley with some rich polenta (we had rice the day before!)

VEGETABLE MEDLEY INGREDIENTS:

1/2 onion sliced

2 cloves of garlic

1 Tbl balsamic vinegar

1-2 Tbl soy sauce

1 medium zuchini diced

2 medium tomatoes diced

1 pepper (bell or poblano)

1 can of white beans rinced

1 cup of firm tofu diced

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp oil

salt & pepper

VEGETABLE MEDLEY PREPARATION:

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and stir.
2. After 1 minute, add the balsamic vinegar and stir to caramelize them. Add salt, garlic, stir some more.
3. In a separate frying pan, heat a little oil, and pan fry the pepper and the tofu and the cumin.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. When the tofu is browned and the pepper lightly softened, remove from the heat.
5. Add the tomatoes and zuchini to the onion mixture and gently heat up for a few minutes.
6. Add the peppers. Turn heat off and cover.

7. Now time to prepare the polenta

POLENTA PREPARATION:

3 cups of water

1 cup of cornmeal

1 Tbl vegan butter

1 cube of vegetable bouillon

2 Tbl nutrtional yeast

salt & pepper to taste

1. Bring the water, broth, vegan butter, salt and pepper to a boil, turn down to medium heat.
2. Add the polenta in a thin, steady stream, stirring constantly. Don't add it too quickly, because you risk making the polenta lumpy.
3. Cook slowly, stirring constantly, over very low heat. Be careful because the hot polenta will take on the appearance of molten lava and may spatter as it cooks, so use a long-handled wooden spoon and long sleeve (just kidding for the sleeves). It may take up to 15mn for the polenta to be cooked.
4. Try it and if it tastes gritty, it isn't ready.
5. Add the nutritional yeast at the very end when it is cooked, this will provide a cheezy taste to it and lots of vitamin B.
6. Immediately spoon the polenta while it is soft next to the vegetables.

 Bon appétit

OLIVE TAPENADE

Pronounced "tah-puh-nod", this dish, usually served as an appetizer on sliced French baguette, crackers or fresh cut vegetables, originates from the South of France. It captures the rich and natural essences of Provence, through the olives, the capers and the olive oil.

In some regions, the traditional recipe includes anchovies but it isn't needed in any way. Why add something dead when olives have plenty enough flavor on their own?

Tapenade is traditionally made with black olives, but you can also use green ones or mix a little of both.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup black olives*
1/2 cup walnut ground (optional)
1 clove garlic
3 Tbl capers
2 Tsp Lemon juice
1 tsp  dry oregano, thymes, basil

PREPARATION

Process all above ingredients in food processor, stopping and scraping every few seconds. Make sure not to pureed because you want some texture.  Serve as appetizer, can be added to tomato sauce over pasta, over polenta, as a spread on sandwich with tomatoes, basil etc. Will keep refrigerated for 2 weeks.
*You can use American olives, eventhough they aren't as flavorful as French or Greek olives or use 1/2 of the large American olives and 1/2 of the more expensive ones.

Olives are a good source in fat and sodium, so enjoy every bite. You will feel full and satisfied.

Bon appétit!

MISO - The ultimate radiation shield

Miso soup

Even though, the news isn't covering the situation in Japan as much as before, the dangers for residents in Japan and people around the world is no less because of it.

While everyone is talking about taking iodine supplement, is there anything else we can do? I found out that there is something everyone can take and it had no side effects.

On August 9th 1945, when the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki,  the deadly radiation spred over the devastated city. Most of the residents of the city died in agony but for a small group of people, a miracle happened. The hospital of Dr Shichiro was destroyed but none of the medical staff that worked there suffered or died from the radiations.

In the years that followed, doctor Shinichiro Akizuki, director of Saint Francis Hospital in Nagasaki investigated what could have caused the survival of these people. His findings concluded that this miracle could only be the result of a special diet the doctor and his staff had followed prior to the bombing. The diet only consisted in brown rice with miso soup and seaweed.

What is miso? It is a traditional Japanese seasoning in the form of a paste made from fermented soy beans, rice or barley with sea salt and an enzyme to ferment it, called Koji.

It was only in 1972 that Japanese researchers (one of them was Dr. Morishita Keiichi) discovered that miso contains dipicolinic acid, an alcaloid that can remove heavy metals like radioactive strontium, lead, mercury, cadmium from the bloodstream through our urine.
Since this extraordinary discovery, the government is now requiring traffic officers to consume 2 bowls of miso everyday, to eliminate the pollutants they are exposed to, breathing fumes from cars all day long.

In addition to preventing radiation from remaining in our bodies, miso is a powerful digestive helper because it contains up to 50 different enzymes (miso is a source of Lactobacillus acidophilus and other micro-organisms). It helps regulating digestion, replenish the intestinal flora with friendly enzymes. So if you suffer from acid reflux, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn disease, candida... start drinking it daily. It is also known to help with allergies because it builds up the intestinal flora by producing friendly bacteria that can break down undigested complex proteins, especially animal proteins that always cause acidosis and putrifaction.

Types of miso

TYPES OF MISO:
There are 3 types of miso: Shiromiso, "white miso", Akamiso, "red miso" and Awasemiso, "mixed miso". The first two being the most commonly found in stores (Asian and natural food stores). The white one is lighter flavored and a good once to start with.

USAGE:
For prevention: drink 1 bowl morning and evening
After X-rays or after going through an airport metal detector: 1 tsp 4-5 times a day in warm water for 2 weeks
In radioactive areas: 1 tsp in hot water 4 times a day.


PREPARATION:
Because miso is a living food containing many beneficial microorganisms, you never want to over cook it. You simply add it to soups just before removing the pot from the heat.
In addition to soups, miso can be used in marinades, sauces, dips.

A cup of miso

BASIC MISO SOUP

Boil 3 cups of water, add some seaweed (rinced kombu or wakame), dice some soft tofu, thinly slice 1/2 cup of green onions. Remove from heat and add 1 Tbl of miso and gently stir.
Note: If you don't have seaweed, just add 1 tsp of sesame oil, it will enhance the flavor.






A CUP OF MISO: water, miso and a little sesame oil is all you need.

MISO SALAD DRESSING (makes 1 cup):
  3 tablespoons white miso
  3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  1/4 cup sesame oil
  1/3 cup orange or lemon juice (optional)
  1 green onion, minced
  1 tsp brown sugar

STORAGE:

Miso will keep virtually forever. I read that a Japanese TV program did an experiment to see of how long certain foods would keep. The oldest item was a small tub of Miso which had been kept in a cool place (not refrigerated or frozen), for (get ready!) 30 years. Turned out it was safe for consumption and edible. It gets darker and drier with time and a little saltier.

So, now that you know how healing miso is, make sure to stock up on it.