Recipe and Photo by Mackenzie Smith

Let it be known that soup made of root vegetables is made even better with a few tablespoons of miso and a can of chickpeas (or other mild tasting legume) blended in at the end. Miso adds a mellow sweet/salty/umami flavor that balance earthy roots, and beans add the protein I know I will need come lunch time.

The silky texture of a pureed soup is lovely as-is, but I always find myself wanting to add something crunchy and something sour to make it a full midday meal. Here, I added savory granola, a bit of dill and sliced pickled okra to jazz things up, but the last of a bag of chips, crackers or toasted nuts and seeds and any pickle and herb will do. Bonus points for a soft boiled egg or a dollop of yogurt!

Photo by Mackenzie Smith

• 1 bunch carrots, cut into small pieces
• 4-5 beets, peeled and cut into small pieces, roughly the same size as the carrots
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 2-inch thumb of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 quart of broth
• 1 large can of chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons miso

Boil vegetables in broth and salt until beets are tender. Using a ladle, transfer the solids to a blender. Add chickpeas and blend until smooth. Add miso and blend. Taste the soup and add salt if you need to, then take it for one more spin in the blender.

Top with something sour and something crunchy and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.