Here it is the last day of the first month of the year already! I wanted to get this newsletter out to you in time for National Soup Month because I have several perfect soup recipes to keep you warm and nourished during the coldest months of the year!
But first, some art news:
I just finished the illustrations for a book on Zen for kids which will be published by Shambala Press next year. It is a wonderful primer for kids on the practice of Zen written by Laura Burges, Zen teacher at the SF Zen Center.
I am also in the middle of finishing the illustrations for a lovely book, written by Katrina Moore that I am excited about. I can’t show more than a sneak peek work in progress snippet here, but I’m enjoying combining my watercolor floral painting with my book illustration this time. It has been an interesting and challenging process. Hopefully, the final product will turn out as I envision it in my head.
Another project is the second book of my (so far!) four book series of I Can Read level 3 books with Harper Collins. I will start the finals for that soon.
The first book which introduces the characters, Gigi and her Ojiji (grandpa), is now available for pre-order!! Please check it out and pre-order if you’d like. The stories are about Gigi, a half Japanese-American girl who doesn’t speak Japanese, and her grandfather from Japan who comes to live with her family. They both teach each other and learn from each other, as they overcome their language and cultural differences. I’m very excited about this series because it’s something completely new for me, and I hope readers will enjoy it!
In other news, I took part in a creative summit this month, called Artist to Author, organized and hosted by Goodtype (formerly Loomier), Katie Johnson and Ilana Griffo, and Peggy Dean. This five day summit, geared for artists, was chock full of information on all aspects of publishing, from self-publishing to working with traditional publishing houses and finding a literary agent. Over 30 industry professionals were featured, including some of my heroes, Lisa Congdon and Jessica Hische.
Check out their site if you are an artist looking to branch out, up your game, need resources in licensing, lettering, passive income flows, building a business, and more.
On to soups!
This first soup is the easiest one, and you can make it in less than 10 minutes! It’s delicious and a great way to get kids (or yourselves) to eat more veggies.
Instant Pot Chicken Soup
This Instant Pot soup was on rotation at the start of the pandemic because I was obsessed with staying healthy, and in the event of us getting Covid, I wanted to have this soup in our freezer on hand!
Instant Pot Chicken Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 carrots, sliced
3 stalks of celery, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Pinch of pepper
1 3lb. whole chicken
8 cups of water
6 oz. paste
2 tablespoons minced dill
1. Heat oil in instant pot, set to Sauté.
2. Add vegetables, salt and pepper and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
3. Add chicken and water. Turn off Sauté setting and set to Manual for 20 minutes.
4. When done cooking, quick release to release steam. Carefully open pot and transfer chicken to a bowl.
5. Remove bones and skin and shred meat with two forks.
6. Turn instant pot back on to Sauté setting and add pasta to pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
7. Add shredded chicken and minced dill.
8. Season to taste and serve.
DIY Instant Miso Soup
This miso soup is my newest obsession. I’ve decided to start cooking more Japanese food this year. It is the easiest cuisine for me because everyone in our family loves it, and I live with some very picky eaters! Japanese soup is healthy, light, and warming. I even started having it for breakfast, as I often did when I lived in Japan.
All you need are some key ingredients which can be found in Asian markets or online. With this method I saw on Miwa’s Japanese Cooking Kitchen, you can whip up a bowl of delicious miso soup in one minute using a prepared miso soup ball!
For prep, you make a miso soup mixture out of the paste, dashi (soup stock), dried seaweed (if you like) and chopped scallions. You may wrap portions of it in saran, or simply keep it in a container in the fridge for a week. If you freeze it, I recommend wrapping in portions though. To make soup, just put a heaping teaspoon in a small soup bowl and add ¾ -1 cup hot water and stir. If you have fresh tofu, add some in!
I have adapted Miwa’s genius recipe here – I found hers to be a bit too salty and I adjusted for this. You may also add more hot water when making the soup to adjust to your taste.
DIY Instant Miso Soup
90 g miso paste (about 1/3 cup – I used a mixture of white and red but any will do)
1 ½ tablespoons instant dashi (soup stock)
2 tablespoons dried wakame (seaweed)
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
1. Mix the miso paste and instant dashi powder together in a bowl.
2. Add in the dried wakame and chopped scallions, and mix until evenly distributed.
3. (Optional but advised if freezing) Wrap 1 heaping teaspoonful of mixture in saran. You should have about eleven balls.
4. Store in refrigerator for a week, or in the freezer for up to three weeks.
To make soup: Place miso ball in small soup bowl. Cover with almost boiling water. Stir to break up and dissolve. Add in cubes of fresh tofu if desired or eat as is! You can also double the recipe and use a bigger bowl and add in cooked vegetables or noodles as well. Make it your own. :)
It’s the Lunar New Year!
I hope everyone has a happy and healthy 2022!