When lightly cooked, watercress, a normally spicy green, takes on a buttery, almost nutty flavor. It is full of nutrients and a delicious part of this super-easy macrobiotic dish. Carrots add sweetness, and the umeboshi-sesame dressing adds a hint of saltiness and tartness to balance everything out. Delicious.

Day two of our week of Macrobiotic recipes. One of the joys of Macro cooking is the deceptive simplicity – it is about rediscovering the wonders of flavor hidden in the foods we too often smother with salts and sugary condiments and sauces. Today we will explore Kuzu – a starch derived from the root of a plant that, when dissolved in a bit of water, has the consistency of corn starch – excellent for soups and sauces, and what’s more it strengthen the intestines and protects the digestive tract. It is virtually flavorless unto itself but works wonderfully in creating fascinating concoctions like today’s Macrobiotic recipe:

One of the greatest joys to be garnered from exploring new kinds of diets is that by removing certain options from play, fascinating new combinations will emerge. Here is a really fun and interesting and delicious completely Macrobiotic recipe from the out-of-print book Macrobiotic Desserts by Sandra Lynn Shuman.  (I have a hand-me-down-photocopy of the […]

It amazes me how many great chefs can cook fantastic dishes yet fail to be able to write recipes in a clear and concise way that makes for easy reading and understanding. Many could do with working in manufacturing industry for a number of weeks and learn the skill involved in preparing a bill of materials for a product because in this way they would get to understand how certain ingredients can be grouped together to make a “sub assembly” before the preparation into the final assembly.

I decided to take a few recipes I had found most exquisite to share from the Southern Accent cookbook. Great for any dinner gathering where you want your guests leaving with a party in their mouths and a memory to definitely come back for more.

No matter where you are, this is going to add some heat and spice to your evening.