What I eat for breakfast every day

When I moved to the United States from Japan in the 1990s, it wasn’t always easy to obtain the ingredients I knew and loved. But there were some staples that were easier to find, like whole grains and beans.

From there, I built my favorite breakfast: brown rice, beans, “natto” (fermented soy), “nukazuke” (marinated vegetables), wrapped in Nori (seaweed) and garnished with toasted sesame seeds. I take it with a bowl of miso soup and hojicha green tea.

I call this meal my “yakuzen zakkokumai.” or medicinal multigrain rice. It’s a healing and restorative start to the day. As a nutritionist, I also recommend it to my clients.

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The meal is packed with nutrients like iron, iodine, potassium, calcium, magnesium and vitamins B, C and K.

Brown rice, beans And seaweed are all good sources of fiber. Through the fermentation process, natto and nukazuke are also rich in probiotics. Both fiber and probiotics are helpful for gut health and overall digestion.

Both nori and green tea contain polyphenols, compounds naturally found in plants rich in antioxidants, which help fight disease and inflammation. manage blood sugar – THE whole grains rice also contributes.

Tofu in my miso soup, and beans in general, are good sources of protein and essential amino acidswithout the cholesterol and the environmental impact that meat, dairy or poultry may have.

I cook everything in batches at the start of the week and keep supplies of homemade natto, nukazuke and miso soups on hand.

I usually use organic, California short-grain brown rice, but when I want to treat myself, I order ancient rice from Morika (my favorite grain store in my hometown of Nara, Japan). The rice factory.

The vegetables in my nukazuke are often in season, but I love eggplant, cucumber, napa cabbage, daikon and Japanese turnip. I’m a fan of Suzuki Farmwhich is run by Japanese farmers in Delaware, and I often source my ingredients from them.

Here is how I prepare the different elements of my breakfast:

1. I place my brown rice and bean mixture (usually 3 cups of brown rice to 1 cup of beans) in my rice cooker, followed by a 2 x 2-inch. square of kombu seaweed.
2. Using the brown rice setting, I let the rice and bean mixture cook for two hours for the best flavor and texture.
3. I place the cooked rice in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. I repeat the process two to three times a week.

1. I’ll soak a pound of soybeans overnight and boil them for another three to four hours the next day.
2. I put half a pound (the other half goes in the fridge for miso or other recipes) of cooked soybeans in airtight flat containers, add my natto starter and place them in the oven with the light on for 20 to 24 hours.
3. I put the container in the refrigerator for another 10 hours to stop further fermentation and set the deep flavor of the natto.
4. For the nukazuke, I will mix my lightly salted vegetables in “nukadoku” (fermented rice bran paste), add rice brains or sea salt as needed and marinate for two to three days in the refrigerator.

While I enjoy the fermentation process, you can also buy prepared natto and nukazuke at the grocery store or online.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of water
• 3 x 3 inch piece of kombu
• 3 to 4 pieces of dried shiitake
• 1 sweet onion
• 1 medium potato
• 1/2 sweet potato
• 1 carrot
• 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger
• Additional vegetables of your choice
• 2 tablespoons of white miso paste
• 1 package of firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon dried wakame seaweed
• 1 tablespoon dried goji berries (optional)
• A handful of finely chopped green onions (optional garnish)

Measures:

1. Wipe the kombu and shiitake with a damp paper towel.
2. Dice the potatoes, chop the fresh ginger and slice the sweet onion (finely) and the carrot.
3. In a medium saucepan, add the water, kombu, shiitake, onion, potato, sweet potato, carrots and goji. Bring to a boil over high heat and cover with a lid.
4. Simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the miso paste and 1/2 cup soup from the pot until the miso paste dissolves completely.
6. Add the tofu, wakame and miso mixture to the saucepan over medium heat. Continue to simmer for about three minutes. Then it’s ready to serve.

Once everything is prepared, it takes about five minutes to prepare breakfast in the morning. If I’m leaving the house, I’ll make nori-wrapped rice balls, for a perfect on-the-go breakfast, snack, or lunch.

Michiko Tomioka, MBA, RDN is a certified nutritionist and longevity expert. Born and raised in Nara, Japan, her approach focuses on a plant-based diet. She has held nutrition positions at drug treatment centers, charter schools and food banks. Follow her on Instagram @michian_rd.

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