Maybe you saw in my Instagram photos such a variety of lunch bowls with lots of ingredients – oven baked vegetables, legumes, greens, seeds and grains, drizzled with the sauce. This is good to know. This is not just a random ingredients from my storage. This is a food science! Really. This called macrobiotic dietology. Nutritional science, which originated in the late 19th century in Japan.
The idea of macrobiotics is that all the products are divided into yin and yang, acid and alkaline, and our goal is to strike a balance between them, it is in the secret balance of health and longevity, and it’s not just food.
Macrobiotics isn’t actually a diet; it’s more of a philosophy that places emphasis on proper dietary practice in daily life. But if you want to get healthier – and lose weight – it’s certainly worth experimenting with, especially if you have a taste for Japanese food or other Asian cuisines.
Macrobiotic food diet typically consists of 40-60% of cereals. May be different depending on gender. The cereals which are best suited for this is brown rice, quinoa, millet and different variants of wheat (farro, spelt, freekeh and bulgur). Another 25-30% is a part of vegetables. You can use green vegetables, pea shoots, beans sprouts, spinach and my favorite Kale leafs. Next 5-10% we’ll reserve for legumes. This may be a lentil, chickpeas, any kind of beans, as well tofu and tempeh because they are made from soy and are rich in protein. Next 5% is my own favorite part. It consists of varieties of Japanese seaweed. Which is your favorite one? Nori, wakame, kombu or hijiki? And finally last 5-10% on your plate booked for fermented products – sauerkraut, miso paste, tofu, and tempeh.
Fish, seeds, nuts, spices, and fruits sweeteners can also be included, as well as any other products – macrobiotics does not prohibit anything. The main thing to keep balance.
Macrobiotics is now back on the wave. Thanks, vegan diet. A variety of delicious and incredibly beautiful macro bowls popular not only in Instagram, now you can find them in restaurants and cafes.
And very easy to cook at home. It is convenient to take with you in the lunch box. This lunch is well kept, rich in carbohydrates and vitamins. Very good combination for the active lifestyle and for children.
I`m not a big fan of diets. I find it difficult to follow any one system of foods, each person is unique. But I’m always happy to get the macro bowl for lunch because it makes my skin glowing!
Brown rice macro bowl with roasted kumara, spicy chickpea, fast-pickled cabbage, zucchini noodles and cashew mayo dressing:
Ingredients
2 Serves- 2 medium size orange kumara (sweet potato), peeled and cubed
- 1/2 cup of canned chickpea, drained
- 2 cups of cooked brown rice
- 1 medium size zucchini, spiralized
- 1 medium size avocado, peeled and sliced
- 1 sheet nori seaweed, cut into strips
- a bunch of pea shoots
- a handful of baby spinach,washed and drained
- 2 Tbs toasted sesame seeds
- 2 Tbs of Olive Oil
- pinch of cayenne pepper, curry powder, garam masala powder
- salt
For pickled cabbage:
- 1/4 of red cabbage head, shredded finely with a mandolin slicer or very sharp knife
- 1/2 cup of rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup of water
- 2 tsp of agave or maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp of Himalayan salt
For cashew mayo (Vegan Mayo):
- 1/2 cup of raw cashew nuts, soaked for 2 hours
- 1/2 tsp of dijon mustard
- 2 Tbs of apple vinegar
- 1 tsp of agave or maple syrup
- 1 tsp of lemon juice
- 2 Tbs water
- pinch of salt
Directions
Let`s start with pickled cabbage, is a fast option of my favorite sauerkraut. Better to prepare cabbage for a few hours or the day before, had time to marinate and get a beautiful purple color.
Place water, vinegar, salt and syrup in a bowl and whisk together. Pour over the cabbage. Seal or tightly cover the jar/bowl and let sit on the counter for 3-4 hours.
For roasted kumara and spicy chickpea.
Preheat oven to 200C.
Line a two baking sheet with baking paper and set aside.
Drizzle the potatoes with 1 Tbs of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and cayenne pepper, toss them with your hands to make sure they are coated. Transfer to baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer, so they brown and not steam.
Place chickpea on a paper towel, removing excess moisture. By the way water from canned chickpeas known as Aquafaba – a great substitute for egg white. Keep it for vegan Pavlova cake or for chocolate pudding.
In a mixing bowl drizzle the chickpea with 1 Tbs of olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, curry powder and garam masala powder, toss them with a spoon to make sure they are coated. Transfer to the second baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, checking and giving them a stir halfway through.
For cashew mayonnaise:
Drain the soaked cashews and rinse thoroughly. Blend all the
ingredients in a high-speed blender until it`s really smooth. Add a
few tablespoons of water if mix too dry.
Pour over your macro bowls.
Place in a bowl brown rice, roasted kumara and spicy chickpea, zucchini noodles, avocado, pickled purple cabbage, baby spinach, pea shoots and nori strips. Drizzle with cashew mayo and sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds.
Mix it all up and dig in! Enjoy!
*For lunch box keep cashew mayo dressing in a separate container.
