Sesame Miso Salad

When the cicadas start to sing, the rain starts to let up, and the heat starts to surge… we know that summer is here.

I have mixed feelings about summer. Back in New Zealand, I absolutely loved summer. Everyday was bathed in sunlight, fueling me with so energy and productivity. I loved how New Zealand summers hardly ever go over 30 degrees, but I also loved how humidity was never an issue.

Japan however, is a complete different story. Summers are generally above 30 degrees, but the real problem for me was the humidity. When I first arrived in Japan, I really couldn’t get used to the heat and summer soon became my most dreaded season of the year.

It’s a somber story, but after two years I’ve built up my tolerance for summer, and I’m actually starting to enjoy it. In fact, one thing I love about Japanese summers is the abundance of fresh local produce at affordable prices.

So today I’m going to share one of my many summer salad bowls. These salad bowls are my favourite go-to lunch ideas during summer. I love it so much it is no exaggeration to say that I basically eat it every day. It’s cheap, fast to make, nutritious and delicious. It consists of the same base ingredients which I always prepare in advance in the weekends. I then make the dressing/sauce according to my mood that day, and in total it only takes 5-10 minutes to whip up.

Whether you are a student, working or whatever, this salad is perfect for giving some love to your body during your busy schedule!

Sesame miso salad bowl

(Summer Salad Series #1)

RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 handful of sliced carrots

1 handful of cooked bean sprouts

1/2 small cucumber

1 serving of rice

1/4 cup edamame

1/2 Tbsp miso Paste

1 Tbsp sesame paste

1/2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp vinegar

Steps

If using frozen rice, microwave it for 30 – 60 seconds.
Mix the miso, sesame paste, soy sauce and vinegar in serving bowl
Shred the cucumber directly into the serving bowl with a peeler/shredder.
Add the carrots, bean sprouts, rice and edamame*
Mix well and serve

Notes:

I will go through how I do my food preparation in a different article. But I highly recommend food preparation, as it saves a lot of time and money.

* If using frozen edamame, you can microwave it beforehand. However, I like to eat my edamame straight out of the freezer as it’s very refreshing and cooling!

And you are done!

The key to this salad series is FOOD PREP. Having all these nutritious ingredients ready to use is the key to having delicious and healthy food at the go~

Sesame Miso Salad

Sesame miso salad bowl

RECIPE

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