(Enjoy this lightning-quick spread with crudités or cooked veggies, spread on whole grain crackers, or you can thin it out with a touch more water and mix it into cooked shredded chicken for a quick chicken salad.)
Fermented foods like miso are among the healthiest in the world. Why? Because natural fermentation produces live bacteria known as probiotics which are like diesel fuel for your digestive system- they make everything run better, help keep pathogens at bay, crowd out “bad” bacteria like yeast and generally support and boost your immune system. And everyone knows by now the benefits of nuts- in one major Harvard study people who ate nuts five times a week had significantly lower rates of heart disease. They also were more able to control their weight! Taste-wise, the mellow saltiness of fresh miso paste is a perfect complement to the light sweetness of the cashew butter. Great stuff!. Hint: try spreading it on a celery stick.
Cashew Miso Spread
½ cup roasted cashew butter
1 ½ tablespoons mellow white miso
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ cup warm water
Combine all ingredients in food processor or in small bowl (and use immersion blender) and process until smooth.
Yield: about ¾ cup
This recipe is from “The Healthiest 15-Minute Recipes on Earth” a new cookbook by myself and Jeannette Bessinger, to be published by Fair Winds Press in 2011. It’s a special preview just for readers of this newsletter!)
