This recipe was fully inspired by a trip for work I had in NYC this past summer/fall. I met up with a gal pal from Glossier (Hey Eva!), and we chatted over one of the best meals I had in all my trips to NYC. It may sound a little crunchy, but it was from an organic macrobiotic restaurant in Soho called Souen. I had their Macro Plate and instantly felt incredibly nourished, in fact so much so that I’ve found myself making this exact recipe at least 1x a week because it cultivates that feeling and way of living called hygge. Something I’ve been needing in my life a lot lately…more on this in the post. Cheers for a cozy Hygge Macrobiotic Bowl, it’s like a hug for your stomach.
Go slow.
January is a big month and I know I’m not alone here. It’s not only “big” professionally since I’m coaching new clients, working longer hours, and game planning for the next 3 years with NS, but it’s also an important month for me personally as I’m sure it is with you. It’s where I re-calibrate spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically making sure I’m doing acts of self care every single day (like my Morning Routine) to keep me feeling balanced, focused, and aligned with what I’m here to do.
I was watching a video the other day about the speed at which we live our lives – it was by one of my personal favorite spiritual mentors Gabrielle Bernstein. I’m sure most of you know who I’m talking about! She was speaking to the pace of our lifestyles and for some reason, it really hit me, hard. She asks and commands that we catch ourselves during the day to check in with our speed. If you’re anything like me I’m full force most of the time especially when it comes to work. I’ll easily put in 12 hour days of work without stopping much, but hearing her advice has stuck in my head in the best way. I’m catching myself more and more throughout the day reminding myself it’s okay to go slow and it’s imperative that I practice what I preach with work/life balance. Running a business, the urge and call to continue to grow something that’s bigger than me (i.e. Nutrition Stripped) can oftentimes feel overwhelming if I’m not feeling centered. Otherwise it’s pure excitement mixed with an easy flow. I’m sharing this with you because you guys aren’t alone and if you ever feel that, it’s alright. Remember that it’s better to not do a million things good, but to do fewer things exceptionally.
This example just goes to show you that everything we do is connected. We could have the most “perfect” nutrition and exercise plan, but if we’re feeling off balance or out of our alignment, things just don’t go with the flow as they meant to be otherwise. If you’re feeling like this or ever do feel like this, it’s a good time to reset and nourish your body with really simple food. This simple act will help you get rid of decision fatigue about what we’re eating and fuel your body/mind/spirit with comforting AND healthy foods. Just like this recipe I was inspired to share today and have honestly been eating every other day for dinner!
So why macrobiotics and what’s it all about? I’ve touched on macrobiotics here, but in a nutshell it’s a concept of eating really simple whole foods with lots of steam cooking so it’s a bit easier on our digestion yet retains most nutrients. It also celebrates fermented foods giving us a healthy dose of probiotics, seaweeds loaded with minerals, and a beautiful balance of carbohydrates, fiber, plant-based proteins, and healthy fats. I have listed recommended steamed veggies in this recipe that are my favorite, but you can swap out for your favorites. Also, this recipe is almost impossible to mess up. The gift with this one is it’s simplicity in flavor and texture so let that shine through. I hope this recipe can serve as a template for you whenever you’re in need of something really simple to enjoy and cozy up to.
- 1/2 cup cooked brown rice or wild rice
- 1/2 cup steamed carrots
- 1/2 cup steamed broccoli
- 1/2 cup steamed zucchini
- 1/2 cup steamed red peppers
- 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas, or organic tofu or tempeh
- 2 heaping tablespoons raw tahini
- 1/3 cup fermented veggies like kimchi or sauerkraut
- 2 tablespoons soaked dulse, hijiki, or nori seaweed
- Pinch of sea salt and black pepper to taste
- Garnish options: fresh chopped parsley, sesame seeds, and a splash of coconut aminos
- To steam vegetables:
- Fill a small pot with 2 inches of water, add chopped vegetables, cover with a lid and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Check at 3 minutes using a fork, it should go through with a little force meaning the vegetable is al dente. It may be overcooked if the fork slides through the vegetable effortlessly and breaks it.
- For the rice: Cook in a rice cooker or add 1/4 cup wild or brown rice into 1 cup boiling water and cook for about 25 minutes or until cooked through- use package directions depending on rice. I prefer to use rice cookers so I can set and forget it!
- Assembly:
- Take a large serving bowl and add all the ingredients except tahini, garnishes, seaweed, and fermented vegetables. Add these mentioned ingredients last, drizzling the tahini over the bowl and topping with fermented vegetables, seaweed, and optional garnishes.
- You can make batches of the wild rice so you can lesson cook/prep time the next time you make a bowl; I’ll typically make about 4 servings in my rice cooker and save the rest in air tight glass containers for the week.
Some ingredients I use when making this recipe: Coconut Aminos, Tahini, wild rice, seaweed, rice cooker, glass containers. You can also pick these up at most of your grocery stores, but Amazon is super convenient!
If you want a primer on what hygge is and why you should incorporate activities and behaviors to incorporate this into your life, read up on this post. Also, check out the video by Gabrielle Bernstein’s Go Slower I was referencing!
The month of cozy…
What do you guys do when you feel off balance, do you simplify all areas of your life including what you’re eating and how you’re moving through life? I’m curious! Share and keep the conversation going, this is a 2-way street ya know it’s just me on the other side! If you try this recipe, give it a rating so I can improve future recipes AND be sure to tag me on Instagram #nutritionstripped when you try it out. I love seeing what you make!
Sending lots of good vibes your way,
xx McKel
