Hasumushi / steamed fish with grated lotus root, with light thickened sauce

A comforting steamed fish dish for winter. Enjoy the fresh taste of in-season fish that has been sealed beneath a blanket of grated lotus root. Savory thickened sauce keeps the dish warm, while pungent wasabi brightens the overall tone. Have a spoon ready!

Below is a simple example with petrale sole and dried shiitake mushroom mixed in renkon lotus root. 

1/2 of recipe:
173 calories; 24.5 g protein; 1.6 g fat; 13.6 g carbohydrate; 12.1 g net carbs; 302 mg sodium (when using shoyukoji made with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 55 mg cholesterol; 1.5 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

Kyabetsu to egoma no namuru / namul salad with cabbage and wild sesame leaves

The soft taste of cabbage is paired with the distinctive flavor of egoma wild sesame leaves. These two also complement each other in terms of aroma and color.

1/4 of recipe:
10 calories; 0.5 g protein; 0.1 g fat; 2.2 g carbohydrate; 1.4 g net carbs; 36 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 0.8 g fiber

Toriniku no shiokoji remon mushi / steamed shiokoji-marinated chicken in lemon juice

Juicy and tender. A super easy and light chicken dish with shiso green perilla sauce. Tastes great hot or cold.

1/2 of recipe:
221 calories; 20.3 g protein; 13.2 g fat; 3.7 g carbohydrate; 3.6 g net carbs; 141 mg sodium; 81 mg cholesterol; 0.1 g fiber

Daikon no shiso soosu-ae / daikon radish salad with green perilla dressing

A quick salad with fresh daikon radish. Pink perilla flowers pleasantly accentuate the taste and aroma.

1/2 of recipe:
23 calories; 0.4 g protein; 1.3 g fat; 2.5 g carbohydrate; 1.7 g net carbs; 48 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 0.8 g fiber

Shiso soosu / green perilla sauce

A wonderful pesto-like sauce that works as a condiment or dressing.

1 tbsp (12 g): 
39 calories; 0.3 g protein; 3.6 g fat; 1.2 g carbohydrate; 0.9 g net carbs; 113 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 0.3 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