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Eat The Rainbow With This Colorful Macrobiotic Bowl
Macrobiotic eating originated in Japan, and the idea behind it is to promote longevity and health through a balance of types of foods. Followers of a macrobiotic diet believe in foods being "hot" and "cold," or rather yin and yang, as well as acidic and alkaline. A macrobiotic bowl represents an ideal balance of all of these elements. There's typically a strong emphasis on grains, vegetables, and fermented foods. The best part of macrobiotic bowls is they're easy to put together and you can save even more time by using pre-prepped components. Grains or cereals make up the base of a basic macrobiotic bowl, accounting for 40 to 50% of it, followed by vegetables, which make up another 25%, then lentils or legumes, seaweed, and finally fermented foods.
Between my dad's Korean heritage and my mum's Japanese heritage, we ate a lot of macrobiotic bowls for dinner that were something in between bibimbap (the Korean mixed rice bowl with a spicy red pepper sauce and vegetables sautéed in toasted sesame oil) and donburi (the Japanese rice bowl that usually features a simmered protein or veggie over rice). It was such an easy dish to lay out on the table, really customizable, and something we loved. In my first year in college, I shared a meal with a friend at Souen, a Japanese spot in SoHo, and seeing their macrobiotic bowl on the menu was so comforting. I took a photo and sent it to my parents and continued to eat there at least once a month, despite the trek on the 1 train that it required. This dish is a humble, balanced, and homey bowl, best enjoyed with in-season veg and your favorite sauce or dressing.
Mum's Macrobiotic Bowl
Makes 1 large serving
- 1 cup chopped kale, steamed
- ⅓ cup steamed broccoli florets
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup cooked brown rice or other rice of your choice
- ½ cup thickly sliced kabocha squash or sweet potato, steamed
- ½ cup cooked shelled edamame beans or other beans of your choice
- ¼ cup Sunomono cucumber salad (page 54)
- Miso Tahini Dressing, to taste
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish, optional
Protein Check
- Massage the steamed kale and broccoli with the toasted sesame oil and salt and set aside.
- Assemble the macrobiotic bowl or plate starting with the brown rice, then arrange the kale, broccoli, squash, beans, and cucumber salad on top.
- Drizzle with the dressing and toss to incorporate. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, if you like, before digging in.
Miso Tahini Dressing
Miso and tahini is one of my favorite flavor pairings! The rich, nutty, and creamy tahini mixed with the deep umami miso flavor is irresistible and great not only in salads but also on top of any roasted vegetables (including potatoes—yum).
Makes about 1½ cups, for 4-5 servings
- 1 cup hemp seeds
- ½ cup tahini, shaken or stirred until smooth
- ½ cup filtered water, plus more as needed
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Combine all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth, about 60 seconds. If needed, add more filtered water to help blend and adjust to the desired consistency. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Sunomono
Japanese sunomono (酢の物) is a salad of paper-thin cucumber slices seasoned with a combination of soy sauce, sugar, salt, and vinegar and garnished with toasted sesame seeds. It's the perfect complement to brighten rich and savory dishes.
Makes 2 servings
- 1 tablespoon dried wakame or seaweed, optional
- 2 small Persian cucumbers or 1 medium Japanese cucumber, thinly sliced on a mandoline
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon organic cane sugar (optional)
- ½ teaspoon tamari
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- If using wakame, hydrate it by placing in a bowl with warm water and letting it sit for 10 minutes. Drain and use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
- Place the cucumbers in a medium bowl. Add the salt and use your hands to make sure each piece is evenly coated. Let sit for 5 minutes. Rinse and drain the cucumbers to remove the salt, then squeeze between your palms to remove as much excess liquid as possible.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the vinegar, sugar, and tamari. Add the cucumbers and wakame (if using) and toss to coat. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes if you prefer to serve chilled. Garnish with the sesame seeds and enjoy.
Excerpted from Sesame, Soy, Spice: 90 Asian-ish Vegan and Gluten-Free Recipes To Reconnect, Root, and Restore © 2024 by Remy Morimoto Park. Photography © 2024 by Kristin Teig. Reproduced by permission of William Morrow Cookbooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
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