Substitute Food Cravings with Healthy Macrobiotic Foods

Macrobiotic Diet considers better & healthy food choices when we might revert to old food cravings. This list suggests healthier substitutions, among the favorite dishes we teach in our macrobiotic cooking classes.

This list of food may be very new to you right now, and not seem meaningful. Soon, once you become familiar with these ingredients and dishes, this chart will prove helpful to overcome cravings of old flavors and eating habits.

 

Oil Fried Tofu, Tempeh, Sauteed Vegetables, Fried Rice, Fried Noodles
Protein Bean Soups, Tempeh, Tofu, Dried Tofu, Seitan, Miso Soup, White Meat Fish
Flour Products Pickles, Pressed Salad, Sea Vegetables, Condiment, Fu, Seitan
Dairy Foods Amasake, Fried Tempeh, Tofu, Scrambled Tofu, Tofu Dressings, Tofu Cheese Spread, Hiziki with Vegetables and Fried Tempeh, Stir-Fry Vegetables, Seeds, Nuts, Tempura, Almond Butter, Tahini, Scallion-Miso Condiment
Meat/Chicken Tempeh with Scallions, Deep-fried, as a fried patty, Rueben Sandwich
Grain Patty or Veggie Burger, especially rice cooked w/ beans
Seitan & Stir Fry Veggies: Kinpira, Nishimi, Deep-fry, with Pasta and Tomato Sauce.
Tofu: pan-fried, stir-fry, baked
Fish: poached with ginger, scallions, served with grated daikon and Vegetables
Sweets Sweet corn, peas, carrots, nishimi vegetable dish, Carrot Soup
Onion Butter, Carrot Butter, Millet Square with nuts, Couscous cake, Carrot Cake
Rice Pudding, Azuki Chestnut Raisin Puree, Amasake Pudding, Stewed Fruit, Chestnut Puree, Apple Compote, Seasonal Fruit Pies

See Meredith McCarty, Sweet & Natural for 120 dessert recipes
Christina Pirello – 5 cookbooks of wonderful recipes meals + desserts

Macrobiotic Diet Millet with Sweet Vegetables

Serves 4-5

Benefits: Millet is very healing for the pancreas. Being the only alkaline grain, it aids digestion and helps balance sweet cravings. This is a layered dish, using round, ground vegetables to gratify the central body organs and penetrate a sweeter taste for this satisfying grain dish. You can also add 2 more cups of water for a wonderful millet soup, seasoned with miso at the end. 

  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced       
  • 1/2 cup rinsed millet, lightly dry roasted
  • 1.2 cup cabbage, sliced              
  • 2-3 cups water, to cover the vegetables
  • 1/2 cup sweet squash, sliced       
  • 2 Tablespoons parsley, finely chopped thin, kabocha or delicatta
  • Pinch si salt             
  1. Layer onion, cabbage, squash in enamel cast iron pot and evenly spread millet over the vegetables.
  2. Sprinkle salt over dish.
  3. Add water gently down the side of the pot so as not to disturb vegetable layers.
  4. Cover and bring to boil over medium flame; reduce flame and simmer 20 minutes.

Variations: celery on bottom layer; substitute cauliflower, yellow crook neck squash for warmer months.

Note: February 4 we start eating for Spring weather! Serve winter squash October – February 4.