Fuki no to no pesuto / Japanese butterbur bud pesto

A faintly bitter pesto sauce to welcome the arrival of spring.

Whole recipe (approx. 285 g):
1,304 calories; 13.1 g protein; 131.2 g fat; 23.1 g carbohydrate; 12.9 g net carbs; 552 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 10.2 g fiber

1 tbsp (16 g):
73 calories; 0.7 g protein; 7.4 g fat; 1.3 g carbohydrate; 0.7 g net carbs; 31 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 0.6 g fiber

Bibinba no zakkoku gohan / mixed grain rice for bibimbap

Mixing regular rice and other grains is our current favorite way to make bibimbap. Quinoa makes it less starchy than a simple combination of regular rice and barley or rice with mixed grains; buckwheat groats offer a mellow yet toasty taste and texture; and adding roasted soybeans works as dashi for the steamed rice & grain mixture, and also become crunchy as they cook in a donabe pot (mimicking dolsot stone bowl bibimbap).

1/3 of recipe:
163 calories; 6.3 g protein; 2.5 g fat; 29.4 g carbohydrate; 26.5 g net carbs; 0 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 2.9 g fiber

1/2 of recipe:
245 calories; 9.5 g protein; 3.7 g fat; 44.1 g carbohydrate; 39.7 g net carbs; 0 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 4.4 g fiber

Shincha gohan / steamed rice with first-flush green tea leaves

In late spring through early summer, you see the expression "shincha" here and there in Japan. This is the first flush of sencha -- a type of everyday green tea that most Japanese would probably think of when they hear the word "ocha." While not a premium tea like gyokuro, which is steeped at much lower temperature to bring out its mellow, velvety note and texture, shincha is still highly prized for a somewhat light, young and clean "green" taste and aroma. It is available only for a limited time each year, and to take advantage of this seasonal tea, it is often used as an ingredient in food. This is just one of many examples.

1/2 of recipe:
276 calories; 5.5 g protein; 0.8 g fat; 58.8 g carbohydrate; 57.7 g net carbs; 55 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 1.1 g fiber

Mizuna no jako sarada / mizuna salad with crispy young dried sardines

Crispy jako sauteed in sesame oil is added to edgy citrus-flavored soy sauce softened by dashi, resulting in a rich yet refreshing dressing for fresh mizuna.

Iridaizu gohan / rice with toasted soybeans

The soft sweetness of soybeans becomes concentrated and infused with a smoky note through toasting. Soybeans also remain relatively crunchy after cooking, making a good contrast in texture with rice.