As I write this post, I cannot help but think about the recent earthquake over in Japan. Today's post is to share a recent Japanese style breakfast I prepared the other morning.
The traditional Japanese breakfast is a variation of the above photo. It usually has rice, fish, miso soup, seaweed, and pickles.
The Japanese culture and people are known as the healthiest culture on earth. Their diets consist mostly of rice, fish, seaweed and vegetables. The portions for each element are small. The diminutive nature of their cuisine emphasizes small portions and a balanced variety of tastes for each meal. Nature is a key element to their spiritual focus. The Japanese people have a reverence and humility for life which can only be admired. They are a fierce people and stand proud in the face of adversity. What is it that we can learn from the Japanese?
My breakfast only consisted of a dish made with brown rice.
During my studies here at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition I am learning about new ways to eat and live. We are encouraged to walk the talk and try out new ingredients and recipes. I am naturally all over it given that I love to cook. Not everyone loves cooking as much as I . A key message we are hearing is the importance of choosing foods with the highest nutrient value and avoiding processed foods. Adding more vegetables and especially greens and grains to our diets is key to eating well.
Brown rice would be the rice of choice since it is higher in nutritional value that white rice which has had the outer hull and germ milled away. Most of the nutritional content is taken away in the milling process. It has a chewier texture which some do not like. Given the higher nutrient content it is worth developing a taste for brown rice. Storing brown rice is best done in the fridge or freezer as it can quickly go rancid if left at room temperature.
We have learned that brown rice is best soaked preferably overnight to allow the germ to sprout and phytic acid to be released. This step makes the rice more digestible. The soaking water is discarded and new water added before the rice is cooked. Brown rice takes about twice as long than white rice.
I will not post the recipe itself but will share how it was made. It is my hope that you will be inspired to give this satisfying Japanese style breakfast a try. Maybe add some miso soup too.
I took a bok choy and separated it into leaflets. There was a little debris on the inner leaves so I gave them a good rinse before chopping them up. I heated a small saute pan with a little toasted sesame oil, then added the bok choy. After cooking the greens for 2-3 minutes, I added a little rice wine vinegar and tamari sauce, then added the brown rice I had cooked. I sprinkled a little gomaisio (sesame seeds, sea salt, and seaweed) on top for a tasty garnish.
Voila!
Ready to eat with a cup of green tea.