When the cicadas start to sing, the rain starts to let up, and the heat starts to surge... we know that summer is here.
I have mixed feelings about summer. Back in New Zealand, I absolutely loved summer. Everyday was bathed in sunlight, fueling me with so energy and productivity. I loved how New Zealand summers hardly ever go over 30 degrees, but I also loved how humidity was never an issue.
Japan however, is a complete different story. Summers are generally above 30 degrees, but the real problem for me was the humidity. When I first arrived in Japan, I really couldn’t get used to the heat and summer soon became my most dreaded season of the year.
It’s a somber story, but after two years I’ve built up my tolerance for summer, and I’m actually starting to enjoy it. In fact, one thing I love about Japanese summers is the abundance of fresh local produce at affordable prices.
So today I’m going to share one of my many summer salad bowls. These salad bowls are my favourite go-to lunch ideas during summer. I love it so much it is no exaggeration to say that I basically eat it every day. It’s cheap, fast to make, nutritious and delicious. It consists of the same base ingredients which I always prepare in advance in the weekends. I then make the dressing/sauce according to my mood that day, and in total it only takes 5-10 minutes to whip up.
Whether you are a student, working or whatever, this salad is perfect for giving some love to your body during your busy schedule!
I will go through how I do my food preparation in a different article. But I highly recommend food preparation, as it saves a lot of time and money. Plus, after a long hot day outside, don't you just want to be able to have fresh meals readily available? I know that I definitely do.
Ingredients:
Sauce:
Miso - 1/2 Tbsp
Soy sauce - 1/2 Tbsp
Vinegar - 1 Tbsp
Salad:
Carrots
Bean Sprouts
Half a cucumber
Rice (Brown/white/wild...up to you)
Frozen edamame
*The amount you use for each ingredient is up to you! Change it up according to your liking.
Process:
(click the arrow to browse through pictures)
1) Add miso, sesame paste, soy sauce, vinegar into your serving bowl.
2) Mix well
3) Add the rest of the ingredients
4) Mix
And you are done!
The key to this salad series is FOOD PREP. Having all these nutritious ingredients ready to use is the key to having delicious and healthy food at the go~
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