When I moved from Japan to the U.S. in the 1990s, it wasn’t always easy to get the ingredients I knew and loved. But there were some staples that were easier to come by, like whole grains and beans.
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I call this meal my “yakuzen zakkokumai,” or medicinal multigrain rice. It is a healing, restorative start to my day. As a nutritionist, I recommend it to my clients, too.
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The health benefits of my breakfast
The meal is filled with nutrients like iron, iodine, potassium, calcium, magnesium and B, C and K vitamins.
Fiber and probiotics are both helpful for your overall gut health and digestion.
rice helps with that, too.
and environmental impact that meat, dairy or poultry can have.
How I prepare my yakuzen zakkokumai
I batch cook everything at the start of the week and keep stores of homemade natto, nukazuke and miso soup on hand.
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, which is run by Japanese farmers in Delaware, and I often source ingredients from them.
Here is how I make the different elements of my breakfast:
Rice and beans
Natto and nukazuke
While I enjoy the fermentation process, you can also purchase prepared natto and nukazuke at the grocery store or online.
Miso soup
Ingredients:
Steps:
Once everything is prepared, it takes about five minutes to assemble breakfast in the morning. If I’m heading out the door, I’ll make some nori-wrapped rice balls, for the perfect to-go breakfast, snack or lunch.
Michiko Tomioka
MBA, RDN is a certified nutritionist and longevity expert. Born and raised Nara, Japan, her approach focuses on a plant-based diet. She has worked in nutritional roles at substance recovery centers, charter schools and food banks. Follow her on Instagram
@michian_rd
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