When a friend of mine told me he thought cabbage was a great snack, I laughed a little. Maybe even a lot… with a slight "yech" thrown in. Cabbage was not my idea of a snack, great or otherwise.

Lately, though, I’ve changed my mind about that. When I need a bedtime snack, I find myself reaching for a handful of raw leaves off of a head of cabbage that is sitting in the vegetable bowl in the kitchen — instead of something fatty or otherwise high-calorie. I add heaps of shredded cabbage to stir-fry dishes, and cook it until crisp-tender. I chop it finely and add it to the juice left in a jar of pickles, and wait a few days, whereupon it will have become pickle-y sauerkraut. And then, of course, there is cole slaw.

There is an ongoing debate regarding the merits of soybean products. One bit of information that has come to light is that fermented soybean products are much healthier than non-fermented ones.

Miso is a Japanese fermented soybean paste. It is used to make soup, and also as a seasoning for various dishes. The standard Japanese breakfast almost always includes a bowl of miso soup.

Look for miso paste in Asian markets and health food stores, usually in the fridge. There are many varieties. Some are made only from soybeans, and some combine soybeans with other grains. Whatever type(s) you get, look for ones made with organic ingredients, and preferably lower-sodium.

Here is my version of miso soup. I wouldn't call this authentic, but I think you will enjoy it.

This old-fashioned, European-style soup is a meal in itself — especially when served with a nice hunk of crusty, wholegrain bread and a cup of tea. This soup provides good-quality protein, plus plenty of vitamins and fiber. It’s easy to prepare and very tasty.

Instead of beef, you can use cooked chicken, or shredded tofu or tempeh. If you use chicken, then substitute chicken broth for the beef broth. Similarly, if you use tofu or tempeh, substitute vegetable broth for either. If you want the soup to be vegetarian yet meatlike, you can use a meat substitute for the meat, and also use a vegetarian "chicken" or "beef" broth.

Here is a an American adaptation of a Vietnamese dish. I came up with the recipe because someone requested it. This soup has lots of protein, and tastes really good. It should fit into almost any diet.

A comforting soup with an Asian flavor!

After a long day out and about, we got home around dinnertime last evening tired and hungry. It had been a busy day, and I had nothing planned or prepared ahead of time for the evening meal. I took a quick look around the kitchen and saw a nice couple of sweet potatoes that had been sitting there for several days. That was the inspiration I needed.

Speaking of easy recipes for the tired cook, this is a good one. Everyone loved this hearty and delicious soup. It took 15 minutes to prepare. Very fast, very easy, and very nutritious.

This is a totally un-authentic recipe for the popular Vietnamese noodle soup, pho (pronounced "fuh"). A real, from-scratch recipe can take up to two days to prepare, including such steps as boiling soup bones and meat to make the broth.

There are many different varieties of pho, with variations in the seasonings, even using different types of meat. There is a beef version, a chicken version, and even a vegetarian version.

In order to save you time and effort — and still produce a delicious meal — I have implemented several shortcuts. I also incorporated some healthier substitutions for traditional ingredients. These alterations might offend pho purists, but I believe you will enjoy the results.

When I talked about basic soup stocks, I mentioned that having a good soup base on hand helps you in many ways. You can use it to whip up a great meal in just a few minutes.

This is a vegetable stock. If at all possible, use organic vegetables. If that is not an option, then use the best quality vegetables that you can get. Try to avoid veggies with obvious bruises, mold, or other visible defects. However, since they will be used to make soup, any bad parts can — and should — be cut away, being sure to get all the bad bits.

A great soup base is a blessing. Keep some on hand and you can have a wonderful, tasty, nourishing meal in just a few minutes.

This is a meat-based stock. If at all possible, use grass-fed beef. If that is not available to you, then use the best quality organic beef you can get.

The most flavorful stocks begin with bones and various bits of meat. Tough meat is fine, as it will be cooked until it almost disintegrates. The bones will give off gelatin, which will add a rich, smooth texture and flavor. If some of the bones are marrow bones, this will give even more flavor and nutrition to the resulting stock.