Simple Vegan Macrobiotic Meals And Recipes: Oat Millet Porridge, Miso Soup+

A Day of Simple Vegan Macrobiotic Meals

Here is a recent day of simple vegan macrobiotic meals.   People have told me that they, or someone they knew, have tried a macrobiotic diet in the past, and either found it 'too bland' or 'too difficult to maintain.'  In this post, I thought I'd share a recent day of macrobiotic meals that came together rather spontaneously, yet really pushed my happy buttons.   Simple meals with fewer ingredients are usually my favorite.  I feel soooo balanced when I eat a day of meals, similar what I share, below.  

While I do agree, some of the earlier macrobiotic books may have appeared to be very elaborate, with many ingredients or condiments more commonly used in traditional Japanese cooking, thankfully, several of those ingredients ~ gomashio, umeboshi plums or umeboshi vinegar, miso, tamari, seaweed, and even good quality, traditionally grown and harvested Lungberg brown rice ~ were brought to the West, thanks in large part to Aveline and Michio Kushi and the macrobiotic movement.  These condiments make cooking healthy tasty foods easy!  

And yes, spices were minimized because over consumption of spicy spices can either burn out your yin fluids, or lead to imbalanced cravings and symptoms.   It's all about knowing which spices to use, and when, such as for improving digestion.  All that aside, this post is to show that a macrobiotic diet can be as varied ~ and simple ~ as any other plant-based or omnivorous diet, depending upon one's needs, and motivation.

Porridge with Lacinato Kale in a Miso Tahini Sauce

Our Day of Simple Vegan Macrobiotic Meals

Truth be told, I do spend time cooking.  I enjoy it.  To me, it's worth it.  It's an investment in my (our) health.  For ages, in China and elsewhere, the cook of the household was considered the true doctor.  The cook manages the health of family members, by preparing special dishes when someone is ill, adding certain herbs or ingredients ~ and avoiding others ~ and using specific cooking techniques to restore balance.  This is the essence of macrobiotics.

Cooking is an act of love, and I enjoy the challenge of creating healthy meals that are esthetically appealing, flavorful, balancing to our needs, and that contain enough of the right nutritional elements to ensure long-term health, without being obsessive.  While I've loved cooking most of my life, I'm really a novice at macrobiotic cooking.  I don't always get all the elements right, but it's all part of the learning.  That said, even chefs who love cooking need a break.  There are a few steps that help make it easier to prepare quick, simple vegan macrobiotic meals which I share, below.

For those who may not know, adopting a vegan / plant-based macrobiotic diet back in 2012 spared me from a potentially cancerous breast condition, and Don from potential prostate cancer, which I have shared in my earlier books, and in the updated preface, titled 'What Happened, 2017-2024' in my updated edition of The Macrobiotic Action Plan, Your MAP to Greater Health & Happiness, (The MAP for short.)  

Our Typical Simple Vegan Macrobiotic Breakfast

We began most days with porridge, similar to this Barley Oat Porridge, or any of the many porridge recipes in my Basic Macrobiotic Menus & Recipes book I'll be republishing soon.  I also have recipes in The MAP.

Don usually makes our morning porridge.  He varies the grain blends, usually combining oats &/or Bob's Red Mill Protein Oats with other grains, including barley, millet (one of our favorite combos), rolled whole wheat, rye or kamut flakes, buckwheat, or leftover brown rice.  You'll find our Oat Millet Porridge recipe, below.

To eat in harmony with the fall and winter seasons, I prefer having mostly cooked foods, including seasonal fruit.  Apples and pears are especially great stewed or baked along with some dried fruit like raisins or dates.  (Here are recipes for stewed or baked fresh and dried fruit.)  Pears are especially good for chronic dry coughs.

I usually make a big pot of Apple Raisin Goji Berry Sauce / or enough Baked or Stewed Fresh & Dried Fruit to last for 2-3 days. 

Simmering pears in apple cider with gold raisins is another great blend this time of year.

I really like having some type of vegetables or greens with our morning porridge.  I either boil and salt some water for QB Greens, quickly steam some broccoli, or create a simple Miso Soup (recipe linked, and below) to which I'll add some organic wakame seaweed, baby bok choy, grated daikon and carrot, or other greens.  

Greens and vegetables are mineral-rich, and therefore alkalizing, which helps balance the more acidic grains, and improves digestion.   I highly recommend adding some greens or vegetables to your morning routine!  It doesn't have to take up that much extra time.

Oat Millet Porridge Recipe  (I consume about 1/3 and Don 2/3 of this recipe)

• 1 cup of rolled oats (or 1/2 cup each rolled oats and Bob's Red Mill High Protein Oats) 
• 1/2 cup of millet
•  3 cups water
• 1 cup soy milk (higher protein, more nutritious than most other non dairy milks, but use your favorite)
• Pinch sea salt
• Optional Garnishes / Toppings:  1 Tbsp. hemp seeds, small handful of chopped, roasted walnuts or pumpkin seeds, gomashio (sesame seeds roasted and ground with seas salt in a suribachi, about 15-20:1, seeds to salt.), Apple Raisin & Goji Berry Sauce, sliced scallions, a drizzle of maple syrup or brown rice syrup, or a sprinkle of Wholesome, or other brand of organic dark brown sugar.  

Place ingredients in a pot.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, turn low, and let cook about 30 minutes.   Garnish as desired.   I highly recommend placing the pot on a flame deflector to prevent scorching.  For a softer, moister porridge, add more water.

Try having your morning porridge with a simple Miso Soup, or some Quick Boiled or steamed greens, broccoli or other vegetables.

Simple Miso Soup Recipe  This recipe is similar to a basic Japanese Dashi Broth.

3-4 cups water

1 Tbsp.+ wakame seaweed, rinsed

2-3 thin slices of ginger, julienned or minced, or grate about a 1 inch piece, and squeeze to get the juice

1+ cup thin sliced napa cabbage or several baby bok choy, quartered lengthwise or sliced - or any other greens or veggies you like

Aged barley, red or brown rice miso (3/4-1 tsp. per serving)

Sliced scallions 

Add water, ginger and seaweed to a pot, and bring to a gentle boil.  Let simmer several minutes.  Add  napa cabbage or baby bok choy, and let simmer 2-3 minutes more.  

Place 3/4-1 tsp. miso in each serving bowl.  Add a ladle of broth.  Stir miso until well combined.  Top off serving bowls with broth.  Stir, taste and add more if desired.  Garnish with scallions.  

There's countless ways to vary your miso soup.  I have a few recipes on my website, and more in my recipe books.

Napa cabbage and baby bok choy are easy to prep, and among the quickest to cook.  If you don't have any, you can still enjoy Miso Soup with just the ginger, wakame and scallions.

If you want a bit of spice, add a few drops of Sriracha or chile garlic sauce, although try it without first.

Shredded daikon radish (long white radishes) are great in Miso Soups and help dissolve phlegm.  Add shredded carrot for color.

Our Simple Plant-Based Macrobiotic Lunch & Dinner 

We generally eat two main meals per day.  I usually have a snack prior to our second meal.  It fits our schedule better, although sometimes I would prefer a light lunch, versus a small snack, and a lighter third meal.  It just happened to work out that way on the day that inspired writing this post.  

Don had pre-soaked and cooked this amazing pot of Brown Rice, Sweet Brown Rice & Peanuts from 101 Vegetarian Delights, shown below.  REALLY GOOD!

I also had prepped some quick Pressed Napa Cabbage the day before, which was ready to eat.  Plus, we had a package of Trader Joe's pre-baked Tofu.  All the elements were in place for a simple vegan macrobiotic meal.  Yay!

I grabbed a small bowl, added some freshly pressure cooked Brown Rice, Sweet Rice & Peanut blend,  added 1 square (100g) of the Trader Joe's pre-baked Tofu, some Pressed Napa Cabbage, and garnished it with ground black sesame seeds, and scallions.

SIMPLE MACROBIOTIC LUNCH RECIPES

Rice & Peanuts  This recipe came from 101 Vegetarian Delights, by Lily Chuang and Cathy McNease

• 1 cup short- or medium-grain brown rice
• 1 cup brown sweet rice
• 1 cup dry roasted peanuts (we used Trader Joe's unsalted, dry roasted peanuts)
• 5 cups water
• 1/8-1/4 tsp. sea salt

Rinse rice, swishing around and draining a couple times to remove any dirt.  Place in your cooking pot, or ideally a pressure cooker, and let soak overnight.  Don measured the rice into a stainless steel bowl, shown above, that fits inside the pressure cooker.  This makes for easier clean up and less concern about rice sticking to the bottom or getting scorched.

When ready to cook, add salt.  If using a pressure cooker, either place lid on tight, or, if using a heat-proof bowl as Don did, add enough water to the pressure cooker to cover the bottom third of the bowl.  Place bowl in pot, and tighten lid in place.  Bring up to pressure, then turn to medium-low to low, and cook 45-50 minutes.  If pot cooking, bring to a boil, add salt, cover, then reduce heat to low and cook closer to 1 hour.  Placing pot on a flame deflector helps prevent scorching.  If using a bowl insert, this isn't necessary.

Either let pressure cooker come down from pressure, or remove pot from heat, but leave covered several minutes before removing lid.  Stir with a wooden rice paddy.  Serve garnished with sliced scallions, or ground or roasted sesame seeds or gomashio.  

Porridge (which is buried) made with 1 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup each Bob's Red Mill Protein Oats & Rolled Whole Wheat, 1/4 cup Fearn soy granules cooked in about 4&1/2 cups water, with Pressed Napa Cabbage Salad, 
Dehydrated Apples & Raisins ~ rehydrated with hot water ~ and Teeccino

Quick Pressed Napa Cabbage  This recipe was taken from Changing Seasons Macrobiotic Cookbook, Eating in Harmony with Nature, by Aveline Kushi & Wendy Esko.

Rinse several leaves of napa cabbage, then stack them, and cut into thin strips.  Place in a bowl, and add sea salt, lifting layers to evenly spread the salt.  Squeeze a few times with your hand.

Place a plate that fits inside the bowl, then add weight, and let it sit overnight.  

The next day, drain, and rinse if needed to remove excess salt.  Serve as a garnish or topping to your rice.

SIMPLE MACROBIOTIC / PLANT-BASED DINNER

Our last meal was a couple Asian sweet potatoes to which I added a drizzle of tahini to mine, along with steamed baby bok choy with a few drops each of umeboshi plum vinegar and toasted sesame oil.  

I don't think I've ever had such amazing sweet, buttery Asian sweet potatoes, which were from our local Asian market.

Incredibly sweet, soft, buttery Asian
Sweet Potatoes & Quick Steamed
Baby Bok Choy 

My simple macrobiotic lunch of Rice Peanut
Blend, Baked Tofu, Pressed Napa Cabbage
Scallions & Black Sesame Seeds

Tips for Creating Quick & Simple Vegan Macrobiotic Meals

1. Pre-soak grains; pre-measure your porridge before bed so it's ready to cook in the morning 
2. Batch cook / take a day or two to do extra meal prep (See my article and recipes on my website)
3. Have the right condiments while keeping seasonings simple 
4. Stock your pantry with healthy 'convenience' foods and a variety of whole grains, including those which are quicker cooking, such as quinoa, bulgur, and even white rice if you enjoy it
5. Make pressed salads or naturally fermented (brined) vegetables so you always have some type of vegetable on hand

A few more tips:

Pressed Salads are quite delicious and flavorful!  I wrap a couple of our training weights in a towel to weight the Napa cabbage.  The plate should nearly but not quite fill the bowl.  Cover with a sushi mat or towel, and let sit overnight.

Pre-baked tofu is super convenient to have on hand.  It's also easy to make your own.

Measure out your morning porridge grains and water before bed.  In the morning, add soy milk if using, along with salt,  bring to a boil, add salt, and let cook.  You can cook grain overnight in a slow cooker.

I have a list of healthy convenience foods, shopping charts, meal plans and much more in The MAP with a bunch of recipes in Basic Macrobiotics Menus & Recipes which will be republished soon.  

I'm hoping to inspire a new generation of young and old alike to embrace a vegan / plant-based macrobiotic mindset, for greater personal and planetary peace and balance.  When understood, the macrobiotic principles ~ rooted in ancient Taoist and Chinese medicine ~ can empower individuals to learn how to better manage their health by understanding the nature of their symptoms, and adjusting accordingly.  

Learn more about The Macrobiotic Action Plan, Your MAP to Greater Heath & Happiness.

Here are a few macrobiotic books you may enjoy ~ Click on any book image to learn more.  Purchases made through my links are greatly appreciated!!!

My first macrobiotic book

 

Grab a FREE PDF Copy Here

Available in paperback on Amazon
& in Ebook, here

 

While I'll continue to write more articles about macrobiotics, you may want to read my published articles by clicking on MACROBIOTICS in the top Navigation.  You'll find articles on how I lost weight following a macrobiotic diet, what I ate, and the great gift we received that prompted our return home to our hearts.  

You may also want to download a copy of my FREE ebook, How To Feel Great & Improve Your Health with a Macrobiotic Diet, or grab a copy of The Macrobiotic Action Plan, (The MAP for short), now available in paperback on Amazon, or in PDF, with Kindle version to come.  Any feedback and reviews are hugely appreciated!!!

(You'll find more articles about eating in harmony with the seasons under the CHINESE FOOD THERAPY Navigation tab.)

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