Korean Cauliflower

I'm not into fad diets. However, I return to macrobiotics when I feel off-balance, sluggish and in need of a healing food plan. I don't go hungry. I don't live on boring salads. When I'm in my macro-mode, I slurp my immune-boosting 5-minute Miso Mushroom Soup  or my Hearty Miso Soup With Mushrooms & Wild Rice. I make lots of simple vegetable dishes. I walk on the beach with my beagle, even in winter. I love the off-season here in New England. It's so peaceful with the sun low in the sky.

Hearty Miso Mushroom And Wild Rice Soup

I've been devouring lots of books on healthy Japanese and macrobiotic cooking. I'm gaining appreciation for freshly-prepared Japanese food. Homemade recipes that are nutritious, tasty and straightforward make it to the table in no time. A quick miso soup is part of many Japanese morning meals. It's great for lunch too. Miso is a complete protein that's high in antioxidants and vitamin B. It also strengthens the immune-system. This cozy bowl of comfort will have you rethinking miso soup.

Moroccan Nourish Bowl With Chickpeas, Wild Rice And Tahini-Maple Drizzle

This macrobiotic recipe has a Moroccan vibe. Freshly sautéed, uncomplicated food is often what we crave most. Some of us just don't know it yet because we haven't given it a proper try. The macrobiotic approach is basically a natural diet with lots of whole grains, vegetables and beans. Often miso or a light vegetable soup is present at the start of the meal. It's a healing diet that leaves me feeling good.

If you told me a month ago I'd be craving miso soup and brown rice, I wouldn't have believed you. But that's what happened to me (and many others) on this unique path. I've also started to lose a little weight, which is an added benefit. I feel lighter and stronger. I start my day with naturally-sweetened oatmeal, tahini and naturally-sweetened jam on whole wheat toast or sourdough toast with tahini and real maple syrup. My morning Miso Soup and some toast is also a go-to breakfast idea. Instead of coffee or my usual black tea, I drink Genmaicha tea for its metabolism-boosting properties and calm energy. I find my own macro-way. I come home to this healing path when I need it most.     

Metabolism-Boosting Tea

Gomashio ~ Japanese Sesame Salt

Gomashio is also called gomasio or sesame-salt. It's a low-sodium Japanese seasoning that packs a powerhouse of nutrition and flavor. Monks in zen monasteries top their rice with it. Gomashio is also used in macrobiotic cooking. I keep it in my kitchen to sprinkle on everything from vegetables to fish. It's wonderful on sliced avocado, eggs or soba noodles. It's nice with Middle Eastern and Moroccan food, flatbreads and wraps too. You get the idea.

Miso Mushroom Soup

Life is about balance. Not everyone has time to cook, but we all must be fed. This 5-minute miso soup comes to the rescue with its gentle and restorative properties. I have it for breakfast, especially after working a busy night in the crisis center. It might seem strange to have soup as your morning meal, but give it a go. Miso for breakfast is macrobiotic. It's a Japanese custom to start the day with miso soup. It's wonderful. It's lovely for lunch too. Here's why....

Macro-Bliss Bowl

I work near a macrobiotic restaurant where a quiet Japanese chef prepares a lovely array of balanced food. Typically, I go there with my 70 year old nurse friend. She introduced me to this way of cooking and eating. She looks like she's in her forties. She learned about macrobiotics while living in Vermont. When we have too many difficult shifts at the psychiatric hospital and burnout is creeping into our bodies, we have a soothing ladies lunch at the little macro-eatery. We leave feeling satisfied, stress-free and energetic.
  

I return to macrobiotics when I feel unbalanced. It nourishes and calms me. After a long night in the hospital's crisis center, I wake up the next morning and forgo my usual black tea for Japanese green tea. For breakfast, I have a dark barley miso soup, deepened with toasted sesame oil, and a side of whole grain toast with sliced avocado. I prepare a macro-lunch and eat it in my PJ's. I get dressed in comfy clothes and take a long walk on the beach with my husband and dog.

We pray, giving thanks to God for good food and simple pleasures. Winter is the off season here. It's wonderful. We walk in silence, listening to the sounds of the ocean. Our hearts are directed far from the hubbub of humans and the frenzied activity of the world. Our frivolous worries get carried out to sea. God's quiet presence is felt. God never competes with the noise of the world. He speaks in whispers. You find Him in solitude. When our minds are frazzled and our cells are buzzing with stress, this peaceful path refreshes and restores our souls.

Roasted Broccoli With Lemon-Tahini Drizzle

Roasting broccoli is an easy way to bring out its flavor. This recipe has a delicious Eastern Mediterranean vibe. The lemony tahini sauce is bright and sunny. It plays against the warmth and sweetness of the golden-brown broccoli in a very good way.

You can riff on this recipe by tossing some chickpeas on the tray with the broccoli before roasting it. Serve the roasted broccoli/chickpeas and the sauce over rice or stuffed into a pita for a protein-packed vegan meal. It's also great with fried or scrambled eggs for a light vegetarian dinner.

Macro-Zen Bowl

New Year's morning our elderly/bored/early bird neighbor woke us up by banging on our door at the crack of dawn. By this I mean, constant knocking while the beagle was howling (screeching) like a mad woman. An unknown creature interrupting Eleanor's dog-dreams and beagle-beauty-sleep is never a good thing. Tom (aka morning-monster) loudly asked/wondered if I had maybe lost my mind because I accidentally parked in the neighbor's perpetually empty parking spot. I came home late from working a busy New Year's Eve shift at the psychiatric hospital. The neighbor has no car. He never goes anywhere. There are plenty of parking spaces. I hollered about how unromantic my life was at that very moment. How Tom should realize that romance is important and that maybe he should remember a time when we first met. These were strange suggestions from a sleep-deprived woman. Needless to say, Tom was annoyed by them. He stormed out of house to move our car. He came in and said he was sorry he wasn't romantic but he was pissed off (insert curse words here). Crazytown! We both simmered in our anger for a while. Then we had coffee-talk. We apologized. We decided to take a walk on the beach. We laughed and ate long-life noodles for lunch. That's the real-life way we celebrated the New Year. 

Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas With Za'atar-Tahini Drizzle & Toasted Sesame Seeds

Little girl kneeling by The Blessed Virgin Mary 

Christmas isn't a day, it's a sacred season. We spend it in pure peace. Instead of hustling around everywhere, our focus is on a few essential activities. While festive Christmas parties are in full swing and malls are crowded with frazzled shoppers, we walk on clear beaches. We enjoy heartwarming concerts where Polish children sing lullabies to the baby Jesus. There are many cozy dinners in our PJs with sea salt chocolate for dessert. There's tea and ginger cookies. We pray more and count our blessings more. We watch old movies, Christmas flicks and read good books. We put presents under the annual parish Giving Tree. We exchange thoughtful gifts and eat peppermint sticks. We sit in candlelit churches. It's a time of calm celebration, cherished spirituality and tranquil motion. 

Goddess Bowl

We moved closer to the coast of Cape Ann.  The ocean has always been a special place, reminding us of God and all that's beautiful. When the news of the world brings us down, we go there to walk, listen and pray. Our spirits lift with hope. Our restless hearts are filled with peace.

This Christmas we're thankful for many things. The opportunity to own a very tiny condo near the rocky New England coastline is a minor miracle. We've connected with the community here through a welcoming church. This month, an anonymous and very generous person is matching all donations raised for the poor. Humble kindness is heartwarming.

I'm keeping things simple in our new nest, hanging cross-stitched pieces and my beloved art. I'd like to have a pretty French chandelier and hardwood floors someday. But right now, I'm just so very grateful and happy to be here. This is our first home. My husband and I relocated many times for his work. It's good to plant roots.