Bento Box Soup

Fill a soup pot halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat.

Add a pinch of salt and the soba noodles and decrease the heat to medium. Cook, stirring gently on occasion, until just tender, about 5 minutes.

Drain and rinse well under cold water to remove the starch. Immediately transfer to a bowl, drizzle with 1/4 teaspoon of the sesame oil and toss gently to coat.

Put the broth in the same pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to low, add the kombu and tea bags, and simmer for 4 minutes.

Remove the kombu and tea bags with a slotted spoon.

Add the carrot, mushrooms, tofu, tamari, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Put 1/4 cup of the hot broth in a small bowl, add the miso, and stir with a fork until the miso is dissolved. Stir the mixture back into the broth, then stir in the scallions, lemon juice, and remaining sesame oil.

Distribute the soba noodles and spinach among six bowls and ladle in the soup.

If you're sensitive to gluten, be sure to purchase 100 percent buckwheat soba noodles. Also, be aware that prolonged cooking or high heat will kill the beneficial nutrients in miso, so add it at the end of recipes and heat it gently.Variations: You can substitute udon noodles for the soba. Another option is to omit the soba and instead put add 1/4 cup of cooked brown rice in each bowl, and then ladle the soup over the rice.Storage: Store the soba and soup separately so the soba doesn't fall apart. Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and the soba in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no more than 1 day.

PER SERVING: Calories: 140; Total Fat: 1.5 g (0 g saturated, 0.5 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 27 g; Protein: 7 g; Fiber: 5.5 g; Sodium: 834 mg

The Longevity Kitchen

Katz.com for more information.Mat Edelson is an award-winning science, health, and sports writer. He is the former anchor/director of the Johns Hopkins Health Newsfeed, a nationally syndicated daily radio program. This is the third book he has co-authored with Rebecca Katz. Edelson resides in Baltimore, Maryland.