Burokkorii to mini tomato no gomaae / broccoli and grape tomatoes in sesame dressing

A little side dish to add green and red to your plate. It is very quick to make, as chopping and microwaving broccoli are basically all you need to do (other than preparing dressing, which is also very easy). Fresh tomatoes ensure a light taste for this gomaae, which sometimes can be a bit heavy.

1/2 of recipe:
93 calories; 3.9 g protein; 6.3 g fat; 6.3 g carbohydrate; 3.2 g net carbs; 27 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 8 mg cholesterol; 3.1 g fiber

Gomadashi udon / wheat noodles with fish sesame paste

Gomadashi udon is simply wheat noodles, fish sesame paste, a garnish and plenty of hot water. It is amazingly simple to prepare, as it was originally developed as a quick warm dish for fishermen coming back from the ocean. To satisfy our taste buds with a smaller amount of reduced-sodium version gomadashi, I use a small amount of dashi instead of hot water and add other goodies for overall umami enhancement and color to stimulate the appetite. This is one of Tom's recent favorites.

1 serving (with 150 g fresh low-sodium udon noodles):
575 calories; 22.6 g protein; 13.6 g fat; 87.9 g carbohydrate; 80.8 g net carbs; 460 mg sodium (with reduced-sodium gomadashi); 118 mg cholesterol; 7.1 g fiber 

1 serving (without udon noodles):
191 calories; 12.8 g protein; 11.0 g fat; 11.6 g carbohydrate; 7.3 g net carbs; 450 mg sodium (with reduced-sodium gomadashi); 115 mg cholesterol; 4.3 g fiber

Tomato to nira no nattojiru / miso soup with fermented soybeans, tomato and garlic chives

A comforting natto soup with a summer twist. Enoki mushrooms deepen the taste while deep-fried tofu makes the soup impressively filling.

1/2 of recipe:
126 calories; 10.1 g protein; 6.2 g fat; 8.0 g carbohydrate; 4.7 g net carbs; 233 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 3.3 g fiber

Hiyajiru / steamed barley rice with cold sesame-miso soup with cucumber and grilled fish

Literally called "cold soup," this soupy rice dish is a quick meal for hot days in southern Japan's Miyazaki Prefecture. When I first learned about this dish, the description sounded reminiscent of neko manma [lit. cat rice], where you pour miso soup over steamed rice and shovel it in, and at first I was doubtful: Would this actually taste good? Well, there was nothing to do but to try to figure that out. The mixture of miso and sesame paste is first toasted for a deep rich taste, while cucumber, shiso leaves and ginger contribute to a refreshing aftertaste. When the soup is prepared in the cool of the morning, the rest is quite easy and fast. While cucumber is available all year around nowadays, in oriental medicine it is known for cooling down your body -- a very appropriate vegetable for the dog days of summer.
This is another great choice when having little appetite on hot days!

1/2 of recipe, served with 120 g steamed barley rice:
370 calories; 26.8 g protein; 8.8 g fat; 45.2 g carbohydrate; 40.9 g net carbs; 452 mg sodium; 35 mg cholesterol; 4.3 g fiber

1/2 of recipe, soup only:
209 calories; 24.0 g protein; 8.3 g fat; 9.6 g carbohydrate; 7.0 g net carbs; 452 mg sodium; 35 mg cholesterol; 2.6 g fiber

Asupara to burokkoriirabu, mini tomato no okaka-ae / asparagus, broccoli raab and cherry tomatoes with bonito flakes

A quick side vegetable dish dressed with bonito flakes. Great next to your main dish or as a filler in a bento box.

22 calories (1/2 of recipe); 2.7 g protein; 0.1 g fat; 3.4 g carbohydrate; 2.0 g net carbs; 52 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce; approximately 100 mg with regular soy sauce); 2 mg cholesterol; 1.4 g fiber 

Hayatouri no somutamu / som tam salad with chayote

While green papaya is probably the best known ingredient for som tam, many vegetables are equally tasty in the dish. The aroma of garlic, chili peppers and dried shrimp as they are pounded together takes me back to the streets of Bangkok. You are supposed to pound the main fresh vegetable as well, but to make it easy for tired or lazy arms and also to cut back on the amount of nam pla, in the following recipe the veggie is first mixed with sugar to let out some moisture.

1/2 of recipe:
104 calories; 5.0 g protein; 3.4 g fat; 15.1 g carbohydrate; 11.8 g net carbs; 132 mg sodium; 15 mg cholesterol; 3.3 g fiber

Asupara to minitomato no kakitama misoshiru / egg flower miso soup with asparagus and cherry/grape tomatoes

A great combination of egg, asparagus and tomatoes that is perfect for everyday miso soup!

1/2 of recipe:
67 calories; 5.6 g protein; 3.2 g fat; 4.0 g carbohydrate; 2.9 g net carbs; 167 mg sodium (with reduced-sodium miso; 197 mg with regular miso); 107 mg cholesterol; 1.1 g fiber

Ebi to ika no diabura-fu / camarones y calamar a la diabla / prawns and calamari in spicy chili pepper sauce

Prawns and calamari in spicy, smoky chili pepper sauce with a hint of chocolate flavor. While chipotle in adobo sauce can pretty much take care of the flavor, let's try different dried chili peppers to find your favorite spiciness and taste. This diabla sauce tastes young and edgy immediately after it is prepared, but it becomes amazingly deep and aromatic if you let it sit for hours, ideally overnight. Great with rice and tortillas.

Hoshi-kaibashira to hakusai no misoshiru / miso soup with dried scallops and napa cabbage

More commonly used in Chinese dishes, dried scallops help create an aromatic dashi for miso soup. Hakusai napa cabbage, an excellent match for dried scallops, gives a mellow sweet note to the soup, while the petite tomatoes add vivid color and a sour punch.

Mini tomato no shoyu doresshingu marine / cherry tomatoes marinated in garlic soy sauce dressing

Cherry tomatoes make a pleasant, fruity little side dish for Asian meals.