Cocoabliss tip: It’s really messy to purée in a blender or food processor. Reverse the process with an immersion blender: Take out what you don’t want to purée and keep chunky and buzz the rest with your stick right in the crock-pot. Then put the reserved chunks back in. Could also be nice with other cheeses, e.g. gouda with cumin, mozza, etc. Would be nice with broccoli, peas, lentils, etc. Subsitute part of potatoes for cauliflower or old bread. Modify spices. Use back bacon, leftover sausage or sandwich meat instead of bacon. Use white wine for part of water or stock. Throw in corn instead of cheese for a potato/corn chowder….. possibilities are endless!

Miso soup is the Japanese version of chicken soup – a combination soul food and comfort food. It is traditionally eaten at breakfast in Japan as a daily staple. Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans, and is full of antioxidants like vitamin E, as well as protective fatty acids. It’s healthful and delicious, and the Japanese say that the linoleic acid in miso promotes soft skin. The soybeans miso is made from also contain isoflavones and other elements that provide protection against some forms of cancer. To preserve these properties, miso should not be boiled. Add it to a soup after it has been removed from direct heat.