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Recipes adapt to use seasonal produce


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POSTED: Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Macrobiotics is a whole food, primarily plant-based diet that had its origins in Japan and is now popular across the globe. The strength of the diet is in its flexibility; cooks are encouraged to tailor recipes for use of local and seasonal ingredients.

               

     

 

Learn the macrobiotic basics

        Chef Kathy Maddux's Great Life Cuisine hosts a seminar with Japanese macrobiotic teacher, author and chef Deco Nakajima.
       

Nakajima will discuss her sustainable eco-village in a lecture at 2 p.m. Feb. 25. Cooking classes using recipes from Nakajima's cookbooks take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 21 and 2 to 5 p.m. Feb. 22.

       

Cost is $25 for the lecture; $50 for either cooking class; $110 for all three events. For reservations, e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

       

 

       

Macrobiotic chefs Leslie Ashburn and Kathy Maddux hold a vegan macrobiotic community dinner twice monthly at Church of the Crossroads. They believe healthy eating promotes a healthy planet, and the dinners are a way to expose the community to tasty, nutritious fare.

“;Most people are familiar with a diet of meat, fish and poultry, but there are so many health reasons why we should cut back,”; Ashburn says. “;We want people to have an idea of how many ways they can have a satisfying dinner without using meat.”;

The following recipe, served at a recent dinner, is a thick, creamy stew that's low in fat, high in fiber and protein and full of antioxidants.

 

Garbanzo Beans with Sweet Vegetables

Macrobiotic Community Dinner

1 cup dry garbanzo beans (soaked in water until plump)
1 6-inch piece of konbu (dried seaweed)
1 large onion, cut into chunks
1 to 2 large carrots, cut into chunks
2 to 3 cups kabocha squash, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons white miso
Chopped parsley, for garnish

               

     

 

On the Net:
        » www.macrobiotichawaii.com

 

       

Discard soaking water from beans; place in heavy pot and add 3 cups fresh water. Bring to a gentle boil, add konbu, cover and cook until soft (about 1 hour, or 25 minutes in a pressure cooker).

When beans are tender, add chopped vegetables and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Kabocha will begin to melt into stew and make it very creamy. Add additional water if it is too dry.

After vegetables are cooked, add miso and mix. Simmer a few more minutes so flavors blend. Garnish with parsley. Serves 6 (using 3 cups kabocha).

 

Approximate nutritional analysis, per 2-cup serving: 220 calories, 2 g fat, no saturated fat or cholesterol, 300 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrate, 11 g fiber, 15 g sugar, 10 g protein.

 

VARIATIONS

» Fresh is always best, but to address time constraints, use organic canned garbanzo beans

» Carrots and kabocha may be replaced with other vegetables according to taste, including corn, sweet potatoes and parsnips.