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Quick Miso Stir-Fry and “The 5 Tastes” (or is it 6?)

September 9, 2014 by Natalia Gill 4 Comments

Quick Miso Stir-Fry and "The 5 Tastes" (or is it 6?)

By Natalia Gill, from An Appetite For Joy

Crisp-tender vegetables are sauteed in a lively and savory miso-ginger stir-fry sauce that is so out-of-this world you are going to want to eat it with a spoon. If you are stocked with basic Asian ingredients you might even be able to make this tonight!

The 5 Tastes

One thing I love about this dish is that it includes all of the 5 tastes. The 5 tastes refers to the collection of flavors we are able to distinguish. For each of these tastes we have a designated gustatory receptor – or unique section of the tongue that picks up the flavor.

  1. Sweet (bell peppers and, to an extent, sauteed onions and garlic)
  2. Sour (rice wine vinegar)
  3. Salty (tamari)
  4. Bitter (greens)
  5. Umami (miso, tamari)

I find that the more tastes that are represented in my meal, the more satisfied I am and the better I digest the food.

The more elusive tastes – Bitter & Umami

Bitter

Years ago, when I was reading up on Swedish bitters, I learned that the absence of one or more of the five tastes are thought to lead to a digestive imbalance. While sweet, sour and salty abound, the bitter taste is sorely lacking in the typical American diet. This is one reason that many people experience immediate relief from heartburn or bloating with Swedish bitters. This herbal concoction has medicinal qualities as well, but there is often a shift that happens as soon as it hits the tongue or is swallowed.

I’ve personally experienced this when taking Swedish bitters or having a sip of Becherovka (a famous digestif made in Czech Republic) after a heavy meal.

As my diet has become more balanced over the years, I have naturally included more bitter foods.

Quick Miso Stir-Fry and "The 5 Tastes" (or is it 6?) - The Nourishing Gourmet

Lacinato Kale

Here is a list of common bitter foods:

  • kale (lately I’m loving lacinato kale!)
  • dandelion greens
  • bitter melon
  • radishes
  • eggplant
  • dill
  • arugula
  • coffee
  • dark chocolate

Umami (as I best understand it)

 Umami, officially identified  in the early 1900’s, is described as a delicious savory flavor and it can not be made by simply combining any of the other four tastes. It is unique. Umami foods have a common denominator – the amino acid glutamine.

Glutamine is found naturally in many foods, including meats, dairy (especially aged cheese), tomatoes and seaweed.

When food is prepared in certain ways such as microbial fermentation and grilling, the amino acids can get rearranged and some of the glutamine can separate from the other aminos and become free glutamate. This can make food taste really good! And many of these foods have fantastic health benefits. But they might cause issues for some people if eaten in excess.

When the processing gets more severe (even so-called natural processing using enzymes or extremely high heat) the amount of free glutamate increases. When it binds to sodium in the food it becomes mono-sodium glutamate (MSG).

The most common source of umami in the American diet is probably MSG. But for many people, MSG can be unhealthy or even dangerous. When Kimi wrote about the food and behavior connection in children, she mentioned MSG as a chemical to which many children are sensitive. I definitely agree.

When my kids are eating more foods that contain MSG (it slips in from time to time), their appetite gets whacked and they begin craving processed foods. And since MSG can cross the blood brain barrier it can definitely affect behavior, in some people more than in others. A little while back, I wrote about MSG and the blood brain barrier as well as who is vulnerable and how to avoid it (it’s not as easy as scanning the label).

When trying to make a move away from processed foods, finding natural sources of umami is critical for success. The umami taste is so alluring that unless it is in the diet, we might be tempted to seek it out in unhealthy ways.

Here are some good natural sources of umami:

  • seafood
  • sea vegetables
  • miso
  • shiitaki mushrooms
  • savory broths
  • cultured foods such as sauerkraut
  • anchovy paste
  • hard cheeses
  • ketchup (here’s a good homemade one)

A sixth taste?

Now it looks like the 5 Tastes may be bumped up to 6. Good news – the newbie is fat! Research shows that we may have a taste receptor for fat (and I’m pretty sure that mine is disproportionately large).

Why is spicy not considered a taste?

Spicy is not actually a taste – it’s a sensation. A pain sensation. This makes me question my obsession with jalapenos!

Quick Miso Stir-Fry and "The 5 Tastes" (or is it 6?) - The Nourishing Gourmet

This sauce isn’t spicy. It includes a good dose of ginger, but it mellows as it cooks. I like to add crushed red peppers to my own serving.

Pictured above are fresh ginger ice cubes. (The bowl was made by my brother’s lovely girlfriend and artist Maria Lucia Londoño – isn’t it pretty?)

I had a bunch of ginger that was showing signs of turning, so I peeled and roughly chopped it and threw it in the blender with just enough water to cover it, then liquified it and poured it into an ice cube tray to freeze. I happen to have baby food trays with a lid, but regular ice cube trays would work just as well if you transfer the cubes to a freezer bag or Pyrex container once they are frozen.

The last time I made this stir-fry I just popped one of these ginger ice cubes into the pan right before adding the sauce. They also come in handy for green smoothies and soups. For a quick ginger tea you can drop a couple into boiling water and if you have time add a little raw honey and/or lemon.

I also use this technique for saving fresh herbs before they go bad.

I hope your family gets to enjoy this dish soon! Here’s a tip for getting kids to eat it: chop the vegetables small, mix them into rice and call it fried rice.

Quick Miso Stir-Fry (And How to Freeze Garlic, Ginger & Herbs)
 
Author:
Natalia Gill
Recipe type: Stir-Fry
Cuisine: Asian
Serves: 2-4
Print
 
This quick & simple miso stir-fry is a perfect for a busy night.
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons miso (red or white)
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or umeboshi plum vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 1 bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 1 medium onion, quartered and sliced
  • 5 cups of greens (lacinato kale is pictured here)
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil for sauteing
Instructions
  1. Whisk together the sauce ingredients (everything except for the vegetables and olive oil).
  2. Heat the olive or coconut oil a large pan over medium heat.
  3. Stir-fry the pepper, onion and carrots, stirring occasionally until "crisp tender" (about 10 minutes).
  4. Add the greens and saute until tender to the bite.
  5. Add in the sauce and allow it to heat through gently (about 1 minute).
  6. Serve over rice or quinoa. Add chicken, shrimp or steak if you'd like!
Notes
I like to use olive oil when sauteing vegetables, but oftentimes I'll add a little water to the pan first (1/4 cup or so) to temper the heat since olive oil becomes unstable at high temperatures.
3.2.2807

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian

Vietnamese Bun: Refreshing Noodle Salad with Vegetables, Chicken & Herbs (GF & DF)

April 25, 2014 by Alison Diven 2 Comments

 

Vietnamese Bun: Refreshing Noodle Salad with Vegetables, Chicken & Herbs (GF & DF)

By Alison Diven, Contributing Author

Have you heard it yet, the siren call of spring? Here in northwest New Mexico, the birds are dancing in the junipers, new-green shoots surprise me daily along our pathways, and the very light and air seem re-born. My palate has changed too: I’m ready for all things light, crisp, fresh. Vietnamese bun, a cold noodle dish, showcases the best of spring—tender lettuces, crisp sprouts, sweet carrots, and fresh herbs nestled into silky rice vermicelli and highlighted with a tangy-salty-sweet sauce. Broiled or grilled chicken makes it a complete meal.

This dish is a great incentive to explore farmers’ markets and home gardening. Endless variations can be dictated by what’s available. Fresh-picked sugar snap peas, perhaps? Daikon or little red radishes? It’s all fair game! Not traditional, no, but I’m not judging.

My version of bun isn’t the most traditional anyway. Since I’m seeking great nutrition, I’m happy to swap out some of the usual pile of noodles for nutrient-dense lettuce and extra vegetables. Coconut sugar in the dipping sauce turns it a surprising deep brown, but it tastes just as good as the white sugar-laced kind. I also was unable to find lemongrass locally, so I improvised with lemon peel in the marinade. It added just the hint of lemon flavor I craved.

Because our climate puts us still weeks away still from the first harvest, I used all grocery store produce to get my fresh fix a bit early, but come May, you better believe I’m going to hit the local growers’ markets! I’m hooked for life. Some especially busy or ill seasons have kept me from the farmer stands, but I always return sooner or later. I just can’t stay way. There’s no comparing the taste and nutrition of fresh, local produce, not to mention the joy of partnering directly with those who lovingly work the land.

If you have yet to experience the difference buying local can make, I encourage you to take a step toward finding a farmers’ market today. You may be just in time for the first fruits of the growing season. Visit LocalHarvest.org and search for your location. You can also ask around at health food stores, natural food co-ops, yoga studios, and anywhere else health- or eco-conscious people gather.

Other  noodle dishes you might enjoy: 

  • Easy Thai Curry Noodle Soup 
  • Cold Thai Noodle and Vegetable Salad (gluten-, -grain-, and dairy-free)
  • Asian Noodle Salad

A few recipe notes:

(Amazon affiliate links)

  • While the ingredient “fish sauce” may sound scary and even smell a little off-putting, it tastes wonderful and absolutely non-fishy in the final dish. It simply adds wonderful umami and depth to food. I splash in a little to any kind of soup when I need a flavor boost. Check ingredients for a sauce made only of fish, salt, and perhaps, sugar. Red Boat is the purest option I know, and is often available in health food stores, but we also buy and enjoy Tiparos, which can be cheaper and easier to find. Asian markets will have the best prices.
  • Did you know you can grow your own bean sprouts in 4 days without fancy equipment? This tutorial has a special trick for making them grow thick and strong like the ones from the grocery store.
  • For a vegetarian version, top with boiled eggs instead of chicken.

Vietnamese Bun: Refreshing Noodle Salad with Vegetables, Chicken & Herbs
 
Author:
Alison Diven
Recipe type: Gluten Free, Dairy Free
Cuisine: Asian
Serves: 4
Print
 
A light, refreshing salad perfect for spring and summer produce. Can be made entirely ahead for a stress-free dinner. Feel free to use whatever vegetables are fresh from the garden or farmers' market. The marinade as written produces an intensely meaty, savory flavor that works well when contrasted with the rest of the dish. If you or your children prefer a mild, sweeter taste, replace 1 Tbsp of fish sauce with coconut sugar. Finally, for the Dipping Sauce, use the larger amounts in parenthesis if you already know you like lots of sauce.
Ingredients
Chicken:
  • ~1 lb organic or pastured chicken thighs
  • 2 Tbsp fish sauce (check label for gluten; I prefer Red Boat)
  • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar or Rapadura or Sucanat (I like Nutiva coconut sugar)
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • zest of 1 small lemon
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salad:
  • 8 ounces rice vermicelli
  • 1 small head nutritious lettuce like butterhead or romaine, thinly sliced
  • 2 handfuls bean sprouts (see tutorial here for making your own), washed
  • 3 small carrots, julienned (I like this julienne peeler)
  • 1 seedless cucumber, julienned
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro
  • 1 bunch fresh mint
  • 1 bunch fresh basil, especially Thai basil, optional
  • ¼ cup crushed roasted peanuts, optional
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
Dipping Sauce:
  • 4 Tbsp (or 6 Tbsp) lime juice
  • ½ cup (or ¾ cup) water
  • 2 Tbsp (or 3 Tbsp) fish sauce (Red Boat is my favorite)
  • 2 cloves (or 3 cloves) garlic
  • 4 Tbsp (or 6 Tbsp) coconut sugar (Nutiva brand is excellent)
Instructions
  1. Combine chicken thighs and all marinade ingredients in a dish and leave in refrigerator for at least several hours, and preferably overnight.
  2. Prepare vermicelli according to package instructions. (Can be done ahead, refreshing noodles in warm water before serving.)
  3. Prepare dipping sauce by mixing the lime juice, water, fish sauce, garlic, and coconut sugar together until well combined. (Can be made ahead; chill until serving time.)
  4. Heat broiler on high. Shake marinade off chicken, place on broiler-safe pan, and broil for 3-4 minutes per side, watching closely to avoid burning. Allow to cool slightly and cut into slices.
  5. Assemble the salads by dividing noodles, lettuce, carrots, cucumber, green onions, herbs, and chicken among 4 large bowls. Top with crushed peanuts and lime wedges if desired.
  6. Sauce can be served in 4 small bowls for dipping, or poured over the top of each salad.
  7. Enjoy!
3.2.2265

Looking for more springtime inspiration? The Nourishing Gourmet has got you covered!

Spring Is Here Asparagus Egg Drop Soup
Tangy Lemon Curd (Honey Sweetened and Dairy Free)
Spring Green Frittata
Healthy Strawberry Lemonade (Stevia-Sweetened)
Nourishing Nettle Soup

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Main Dishes, Salads

3 ingredient Teriyaki Pan-Fried Chicken (easiest recipe ever!)

April 2, 2013 by KimiHarris 36 Comments

“Mommy,” my six-year-old leaned her head on my shoulder, “Thanks for making this for dinner.” Music to this mothers ears. This super simple teriyaki is a new favorite of mine because it is so easy and fast to do, but it is also our new family favorite because it is sooooo good! I think that this recipe is very similar to teriyaki we have gotten at favorite Japanese restaurants!

Granted, we still love my family’s version of teriyaki with the sour notes, and the ginger and garlic too. But one day I was in a hurry and decided to try the method a local Asian chef had told me about that used just soy sauce and brown sugar for teriyaki. I used coconut sugar (and have since then tried it with a variety of unrefined sweeteners) and it was amazing! You would think that it would be too plain with just two ingredients, but what I realized was that soy sauce is a complex ingredient. Just using sweetened soy sauce allowed that complexity to shine through in a new way. Our other family recipe covers up the complexity a little with all of the “add-ins”. Plus, this recipe actually uses  less sugar because it doesn’t have the vinegar, which make you add more sugar to balance out the acidity of the sauce.

Just make sure you use an organic brand of soy sauce that is traditionally made (I give some information here and linked to another favorite brand below as well)

There have been few dishes that I have made so often in such a short amount of time, but this one has been such a clear winner in my household that I have made it numerous times each week (seriously).

Now you can use these proportions to marinate drumsticks or wings (like my other recipe), and that is delicious too. But since I have already walked you through that process, I thought it would be nice to give instructions for cooking flattened chicken thighs for a very fast and easy method. My kids love this!

I am listing this recipe under my “$10 main” category as it is also quite frugal. I recently found out that both Costco and Whole Food’s sell organic chicken thighs for $4 dollars a pound, which makes this dish not very expensive to make.

Cost Per Item:
Chicken: $4-6 dollars
Organic Tamari: $1.70 (as per ounce when bought from, Vitacost.com)
Organic Coconut Palm Sugar or other sweetener: $.25-1.00
Fat for pan: Approx. $.66
Total:$6.61 to $9.61

…

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Filed Under: $10 Main, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Main Dishes

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The information you find here at The Nourishing Gourmet is meant to help you become a better cook! This site is primarily for sharing family friendly recipes. It's not meant to give medical advice or to make any health claims on the prevention or curing of diseases.This site is only for informational and educational purposes. Please discuss with your own, qualified health care provider before adding in supplements or making any changes in your diet. Also, any links to sponsors or affiliates (including Amazon) may give me a percentage of the sale or a pay per click. Thank you for supporting this site.

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