New Year Resolutions

We are three weeks into 2009, which makes this an overdue ‘New Years’ post but better late than never! New Years resolutions this year include many of the usual suspects but among them, I want to highlight my:

• Ongoing aspiration for living a healthier life (both eating and exercise) and
• Desire to take advantage of my time as a student to indulge in hobbies important to me

Specifically for this blog, this means that I want to cook more and write more often. So to start off the New Year, here are two of my favorite homemade healthy foods – to serve as my inspiration for a healthy (and happy) 2009.

My breakfast of champions

I know the Atkins diet has made ‘carbs,’ especially anything ‘white’ completely taboo and unhealthy. However, I think quite the opposite, particularly when it comes to rice. To me, rice is comforting, filling, and always delicious (since it is incredibly versatile and can be prepared in so many ways). Moreover, it satisfies me such that my appetite is far more controlled for later meals. Above all, I challenge the notion that it is unhealthy simply because it is ‘white.’ By virtue of simply being natural, it is more wholesome for your body compared to any processed grain – particularly bread, even if it is of the ‘whole wheat’ sandwich variety (which is all marketing, since I guarantee on the ingredient list you will find sugar /corn syrup (lots of it), preservatives (likely calcium propionate to prevent mold), oil / fat, and many other complex chemical names that we don’t quite comprehend). Thus, I eat my rice happily and without guilt; it is for me a wonderful start that gives me energy and satisfaction to carry me through my day.

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Onigiri (Salmon and sesame): Japanese rice balls
Japanese rice seasoned with a little bit of sushi vinegar pressed into balls and stuffed with any filling you desire. The flexibility in this dish is one of the reasons it makes it so wonderful! Common fillings include umeboshi (Japanese dried plum), ground pork, or salted fish. I used salted salmon flakes and sesame seeds here.

Chazuke: Japanese rice porridge
Similar to Chinese ‘congee’ except that the rice is not cooked as long, and the soup is usually a dashi/tea broth. Top with anything you desire (typical: pickled vegetables, salted fish, seaweed). I used salted salmon flakes, wakame furikake, and toasted sesame seeds. Eat hot.

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