Lunch Box: Make-Ahead Miso Lemongrass Soup with Mushroom Dumplings

I decided to take on my own lunchbox-friendly version of wonton soup after reaching an important crossroads in my life: it was time to finally admit to myself that while wonton soup may be a healthy choice in comparison to say, General Tso's chicken, the salty porky version that arrives on my doorstep is probably not a health food.

I wanted to create a satisfying soup that felt clean and fresh, and the result was something like a Make-Ahead Lunchtime Umami Explosion (but in a good way).

This soup has lots of flavor, and takes a lot less time to make than you may be imagining. Miso soup (just miso paste and boiling water here) basically makes itself while you're preparing the mushroom-scallion dumplings. The mushrooms are cooked with a bit of vinegar and soy sauce so they burst with dark, earthy flavors in the soup. That may sound like a lot of soy-on-soy action, but the lemongrass keeps it from being overwhelming.

About the Author: Suzanne Lehrer is a writer and recipe developer in New York and a recipe editor for Cooking Channel. When not curating her budding hot sauce collection, she puts her French Culinary Institute education to good use in kitchens all around town. Find her on twitter @the_suzchef