Recipe : Asian Mushroom Soup

Ingredients
4 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 cups assorted mushrooms, sliced (I like white buttons, oyster, shiitake, portobello and crimini; if using shiitake, discard stems)
3 cups white cabbage, cut in wedges
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 cups chicken breast, shredded
2 cups fresh udon noodles (or substitute cooked linguine)
1 cup thinly sliced green onions, with some of the green tops
2 cups shredded raw spinach or whole baby spinach leaves
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon mirin (sweetened rice wine) (optional)

Directions
In a large pot, combine broth, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, mushrooms, cabbage, carrots and chicken. Cover. Bring to a boil; simmer until mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in noodles, green onions and spinach; simmer until greens are wilted, about 2 minutes. Season.