From there, I made my favorite breakfast: brown rice, beans, “natto” (fermented soybeans), “nokazuke” (pickled vegetables). Light (seaweed) and topped with roasted sesame seeds. I have it with a bowl. miso Soup and Hojicha green tea.
I call this food my “yakuzen zakukomai”. or medicinal multigrain rice. It’s a healing, restorative start to my day. As a nutritionist, I also recommend this to my clients.
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Health Benefits of My Breakfast
brown rice, Beans And Seaweed All are good sources of fiber. Natto and nokazuke thanks to the fermentation process Also rich in probiotics. Both fiber and probiotics are helpful for your gut health and digestion.
Nori and green tea both contain polyphenols, compounds found naturally in plants that are rich in antioxidants, help fight disease and inflammation, and Regulate blood sugar levels – of Whole grains Rice also helps in this.
Tofu in my miso Soup, etc Beans In general, good sources of protein are essential Amino acidwithout Cholesterol and the environmental impact that meat, dairy or poultry may have.
How do I prepare my yakuzen zakkokumai?
I cook everything earlier in the week and keep stores of homemade natto, nokazuke and miso soup on hand.
I usually use organic California short grain brown rice, but when I want to treat myself, I’ll order ancient rice from Moreka (my favorite grain store in my hometown of Nara, Japan). Rice factory.
The vegetables in my nokazuke are often seasonal, but I love eggplant, cucumber, napa cabbage, daikon, and Japanese turnips. I am a fan. Suzuki farmwhich is run by Japanese farmers in Delaware, and I often get ingredients from them.
Here’s how I make the different elements of my breakfast:
Rice and beans
- I put my brown rice and bean mixture (usually 3 cups of brown rice per 1 cup of beans) into my rice cooker, followed by a 2 x 2-in. Square of kombu seaweed.
- Using the brown rice setting, I let the rice and bean mixture cook for two hours for better flavor and texture.
- I keep the cooked rice in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. I repeat this process two to three times a week.
NATO and Nokazuke
- I will soak a pound of soybeans overnight and boil them for another three to four hours the next day.
- I put half a pound of cooked soybeans (the other half goes in the fridge for miso or other recipes) into flat airtight containers, add my natto starter and put in the oven with the light on for 20 to 24 hours.
- I kept the container in the fridge for another 10 hours to prevent further fermentation and to establish the deep flavor of the natto.
- For Nokazuk, I would mix. My lightly salted vegetables in “Nokadoku”. (fermented rice bran paste), add rice brain or sea salt as needed, and marinate in the refrigerator for two to three days.
While I enjoy the fermentation process, you can also buy ready-made natto and nokazuk at the grocery store or online.
Miso soup
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of water
- 3 x 3 inch piece of combo
- 3 to 4 pieces of dry shiitake
- 1 sweet onion
- 1 medium potato
- 1/2 sweet potato
- 1 carrot
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- Additional vegetables of your choice
- 2 tablespoons of white miso paste
- 1 package of firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon dried Wakam seaweed
- 1 tablespoon dried goji berries (optional)
- Handful of finely chopped scallions (optional garnish)
Steps:
- Wipe the kombu and shiitake with a damp paper towel.
- Peel the potato, chop the fresh ginger and chop the sweet onion (finely) and the carrot.
- In a medium pot, add water, kombu, shiitake, onion, potato, sweet potato, carrot and goji. Bring to a boil over high heat and cover with a lid.
- Simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the miso paste and 1/2 cup soup until the miso paste is completely dissolved.
- Add tofu, wakame and miso mixture to pot over medium heat. Continue to simmer for about three minutes. Then it is ready to serve.
Once everything is ready, it takes about five minutes to assemble breakfast. If I’m heading out the door, I’ll make some nori-wrapped rice balls for breakfast, snack or lunch.
Michiko Tomioka, MBA, RDN is a Certified Nutrition and Longevity Specialist. Born and raised in Nara, Japan, her approach focuses on a plant-based diet. She has worked in nutrition roles at substance recovery centers, charter schools and food banks. Follow her on Instagram. @michian_rd.
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