Eating real food rather than processed, "instant" food is the basis of so many good things: staying in good health, keeping your wallet nice and plump, being kind to the environment, blah, blah... you don't need to hear it. You already know you want to eat real food. OK, so I adore ramen noodle soup. Even the gross pre-packaged dehydrated kind that is deep fried in hydrogenated oil and seasoned with 27 kinds of MSG. I mean really. The simplicity. The salty. The slurpy. I just love it. Here is my homemade version of instant noodles. Miso Noodle Soup

• Cook 60 g (2 oz) of soba noodles, rice noodles, sweet potato noodles or any Asian noodle you love, according to package directions (an ounce of soba noodles is a bundle about the diameter of a dime)
• Drain, rinse with cold water and add to a deep soup bowl
• Add 1 sheet of nori, sliced thinly, or a handful of baby spinach... or BOTH!) and a sliced green onion to the bowl
• Meanwhile, bring a kettle of water to a boil
• Add 2 tbsp of miso paste (white, red... whatever colour you have) to a 2-cup measure
• Add a little of the hot water and stir to thin out the paste
• While stirring, gradually add enough water to make 1-1/2 cups of miso broth
• Pour the soup over your noodles and greens
• Aaaaand done

[caption id="attachment_2137" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Don't even get me started. SO GOOD."] [/caption] You can add cubed soft tofu or a poached egg, a little cilantro, peas, some hot sauce -- whatever you normally jazz up your instant noodles with. What is your guilty pleasure and have you figured out how to make a "real food" alternative?