Suigyoza no chige-fu nabe / jjigae-style hotpot with shui jiao dumplings

A spicy red hotpot for chilly days, very filling yet gentle on your stomach. Have lots of fresh lemon wedges ready -- they will work some amazing magic at the end.
As with any nabe hotpot, any ingredients in the fridge or on the kitchen counter can go in. Explore with what you have, and find your favorite combinations.

1/2 of recipe (when taking a few sips of broth): 
436 calories; 25.8 g protein; 10.2 g fat; 58.2 g carbohydrate; 47.2 g net carbs; 366 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 38 mg cholesterol; 11.0 g fiber

Horenso, moyashi, sumookusaamon no ohitashi / spinach, mung bean sprouts and smoked salmon marinated in light broth

Alderwood smoked salmon, a local specialty, works as a great addition to enhance the flavor, aroma and texture of ohitashi, a simple vegetable dish. Soaking the smoked salmon takes away some of the sodium, so this is a good way to enjoy smoked salmon if you miss it because of following a low-sodium diet. Make sure to use only a small amount of smoked salmon -- the main characters of this dish are vegetables, and overuse of smoked salmon could make it taste fishy. This recipe also works as a quick, reduced-sodium version of a past recipe featuring shiozake salted salmon, shungiku garland chrysanthemum and moyashi mung bean sprouts. 

1/2 of recipe:
27 calories; 4.3 g protein; 0.9 g fat; 1.7 g carbohydrate; 0.5 g net carbs; 102 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol; 1.2 g fiber

Moyashi to satsumaage no itamemono / stir-fried bean sprouts and deep-fried fishcake

A light and satisfying stir-fry featuring crispy bean sprouts. Satsumaage fishcake adds a nice flavor and contrasting texture as do shiitake mushrooms, while nira garlic chives chime in with their punchy taste as egg mellows it down ... The recipe below features soybean sprouts, but mung bean sprouts work great, too. See notes for some tips when using mung bean sprouts.

1/2 of recipe:
120 calories; 9.5 g protein; 6.3 g fat; 6.7 g carbohydrate; 4.2 g net carbs; 152 mg sodium; 113 mg cholesterol; 2.5 g fiber

Moyashi to ninjin no mentaiko-itame / stir-fried bean sprouts and carrot with spicy salted pollock roe

A quick stir fry with mentaiko makes a great small addition to a meal or bento. 

1/2 of recipe:
37 calories; 3.4 g protein; 1.5 g fat; 3.1 g carbohydrate; 2.0 g net carbs; 153 mg sodium (with desalinated mentaiko; 294 mg without desalination); 31 mg cholesterol; 1.1 g fiber

Atsuage, moyashi, saishin no nibitashi / deep-fried tofu, mung bean sprouts and yu choy sum simmered in light broth

When moyashi alone is paired with atsuage, the dish tends to be somewhat bland. Yu choy sum works as a great go-between by adding a cheerful green taste and soft texture, resulting in a dish that has layers of interesting flavors.

1/2 of recipe:
106 calories; 12 g protein; 4.7 g fat; 16.5 g carbohydrate; 15.4 g net carbs;  222 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce, 348 mg with regular soy sauce); 0.6 mg cholesterol; 1.1 g fiber

Moyashi to mitsuba no ohitashi / bean sprouts and mitsuba in light broth

Crisp and juicy moyashi is transformed into a small, refined dish by the addition of mitsuba with its clean, faintly bitter taste and aroma.

Daizu moyashi no bataa shoga itame / soybean sprouts stir-fried in butter, flavored with ginger and soy sauce

A small amount of butter adds a soft rich taste to this simple daizu moyashi dish.

Daizu moyashi no misoshiru / miso soup with soybean sprouts

Daizu moyashi become somewhat sweet from sauteing and simmering while covered. Sauteing with sesame oil adds a soft rich taste, which is countered by a sprinkle of straightforwardly spicy ichimi chili pepper at the very end.

Moyashi to kamaboko, burokkorii no kuki nibitashi / bean sprouts, fishcake and broccoli stems simmered in light broth

Make this and see if others can tell what the light green vegetable is. Juicy and crisp like asparagus, broccoli stems are great in any dish. With the addition of moyashi bean sprouts, this nibitashi has a pleasant texture you can sink your teeth into. As with other moyashi dishes, this also takes just a few minutes once you start cooking. Quick, easy, and tasty.

Moyashi to atsuage no nibitashi / bean sprouts and deep-fried tofu in broth

An easy, warm side dish with the contrasting textures of soft atsuage and crispy moyashi.

Shungiku, moyashi, shiozake no ohitashi / garland chrysanthemum, bean sprouts and grilled salted salmon marinated in light broth

A great combination! Tangy chrysanthemum, crispy bean sprouts and flavorful grilled salted salmon are infused with dashi, resulting in a delightful small dish.

Yasai to kinoko no nabeyaki bibimba / vegetable and mushroom bibmpap in clay pot

Crispy rice in a sizzling hot clay pot topped with a combination of light namul and egg crepe. Clam-infused sauce gives a flavorful final touch.

Moyashi to age no sattoni / bean sprouts with thin deep-fried tofu in broth

A simple, quick moyashi dish. Usuage thin deep-fried tofu gives this little dish a comforting flavor. Moyashi become soft but still hold some crispness at the end, which is a big plus for a side dish.

Moyashi to horenso no pirikara gomazu-ae / bean sprouts and spinach in spicy tahini dressing with rice vinegar

A rich tahini sauce with vinegar and tobanjan spices up softly sweet blanched moyashi bean sprouts.

Ebi to moyashi no nanpuraa itame / prawn and soybean sprout saute with nam pla

The aroma and clear saltiness of nam pla highlights sweet prawns, bean sprouts and eggs.

Daizu moyashi no namuru / soybean sprout namul salad

A great little addition to Korean, Japanese, Chinese and many other Asian dishes.

Whole recipe:
167 calories;; 10.0 g protein; 11.4 g fat; 6.7g carbohydrate; 0.4 g net carbs; 788 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 6.3 g fiber
1/4 of recipe:
42 calories; 2.6 g protein; 2.9 g fat; 1.7g carbohydrate; 0.1 g net carbs; 197 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1.6g fiber

Reduced-sodium version whole recipe:
152 calories; 10.1 g protein; 9. 4g fat; 7.3 g carbohydrate; 1.0 g net carbs; 179 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 6.3 g fiber
Reduced-sodium version 1/4 of recipe:
38 calories; 2.5 g protein; 2.4 g fat; 1.8 g carbohydrate; 0.2 g net carbs; 45 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1.6 g fiber

Biifun / Taiwanese fried rice noodles

My favorite rice noodle dish since my Taiwan days.

Phad thai

A great lunch!