Since a macrobiotic diet has ancient, and spiritual roots, there is a lot
of background behind the structure of meal planning. The goal is to
maintain balance and ensure you reap the highest nutritional and
energetic benefits from your food. This is the very abbreviated version of what you need to know.
One of the key components of meal planning is the philosophy of how nature flows between opposites. The study of this flow, called The Five Element Theory, is 5,000 years old in Oriental Medicine. The elements are Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Tree. These equate to the 5 tastes - bitter, sweet, sharp, salty, sour. Each meal should include all 5 elements to maintain balance in the body in a variety of ways. It's really helpful to get a book that specifically lists what foods are what elements.
The 7 Essential Components of a complete menu include:
And the 5 Elements:
Sound familiar? They should. They're the same elements of the Ayurvedic diet. Here are some suggestions of how to incorporate the principles into your meal planning based on the season.
Summer:
G: Polenta with fresh Corn (sweet)
P: Creamy Red Lentils (bitter & creamy)
S: Arame with Sunflower Seeds & Chives (salty, sharp & chewy)
V: Fresh Salad with Carrot flowers (crunchy)
P: Quickly-pressed Chinese Cabbage, Red Radish & lemon (sour)
D: Fresh Berries (sweet)
Autumn:
Always ask yourself - Do you have something Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Salty and Sharp in the menu plan? Usually the vegetables are sweet (i.e. squash), the salad dressing or pickle is sour, the leafy greens are bitter, the sea vegetable is salty and the protein is sharp (i.e. something with ginger). Don't feel that every meal needs to have 6-7 courses. These are just samples to give you an idea of what a balanced meal is all about - something cooked long + something raw, something more plain with something more seasoned, a light food with something denser.
Regarding sweet: It's important not to use any refined sugars. The best sweeteners are those from food, but maple syrup, barley malt, brown rice syrup, and agave syrup may be used too.
This is one of my personal favorite macrobiotic recipes of all time, and a huge hit with everyone I've made it for. "I am Whole" from Cafe Gratitude. I prefer it with brown rice instead of quinoa.
Here are more suggestions on how to balance the 5 tastes at each meal.
Other rules to remember:
One of the key components of meal planning is the philosophy of how nature flows between opposites. The study of this flow, called The Five Element Theory, is 5,000 years old in Oriental Medicine. The elements are Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Tree. These equate to the 5 tastes - bitter, sweet, sharp, salty, sour. Each meal should include all 5 elements to maintain balance in the body in a variety of ways. It's really helpful to get a book that specifically lists what foods are what elements.
The 7 Essential Components of a complete menu include:
- Grain
- Protein
- Sea Vegetable
- Vegetables: cooked and raw
- Pickles
- Dessert (optional)
And the 5 Elements:
- Bitter
- Sweet
- Sharp
- Salty
- Sour
Sound familiar? They should. They're the same elements of the Ayurvedic diet. Here are some suggestions of how to incorporate the principles into your meal planning based on the season.
Summer:
G: Polenta with fresh Corn (sweet)
P: Creamy Red Lentils (bitter & creamy)
S: Arame with Sunflower Seeds & Chives (salty, sharp & chewy)
V: Fresh Salad with Carrot flowers (crunchy)
P: Quickly-pressed Chinese Cabbage, Red Radish & lemon (sour)
D: Fresh Berries (sweet)
Autumn:
G: Broiled Millet Squash Loaf (sweet)Winter:
P: Baked or Fried Seitan Steaks with Mushroom/Basil Gravy (crunchy & creamy)
S: Hiziki with Mustard & Scallions (salty & sharp & chewy)
V: Sweet & Sour Red Cabbage (sweet & sour) or Collard Greens (bitter)
P: Takuan pickle (salty)
D: Dried Fruit Compote (sweet)
G: Brown Rice (chewy)Spring:
P: Baked or Fried Tempeh with Ginger (crunchy & sharp)
S: Shio Kombu (salty)
V: Sweet and Sour Red Beets (sweet & sour) or Kale with creamy dressing (bitter & sour)
P: Takuan pickle (salty)
D: Winter Squash pudding (sweet)
G: Hato Mugi Barley (sweet & chewy)
P: Sauteed Tofu with Peas & Ginger (sharp)
S: Dulse Condiment with Chives (salty)
V: Fresh Lettuce and Wild Greens (bitter & crunchy) with Carrot Flowers, Cucumbers, Sunflower Seeds & dressing
P: Pickled Red Radishes (sharp & sour)
D: Lemon Pudding (sour & creamy)
Always ask yourself - Do you have something Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Salty and Sharp in the menu plan? Usually the vegetables are sweet (i.e. squash), the salad dressing or pickle is sour, the leafy greens are bitter, the sea vegetable is salty and the protein is sharp (i.e. something with ginger). Don't feel that every meal needs to have 6-7 courses. These are just samples to give you an idea of what a balanced meal is all about - something cooked long + something raw, something more plain with something more seasoned, a light food with something denser.
Regarding sweet: It's important not to use any refined sugars. The best sweeteners are those from food, but maple syrup, barley malt, brown rice syrup, and agave syrup may be used too.
This is one of my personal favorite macrobiotic recipes of all time, and a huge hit with everyone I've made it for. "I am Whole" from Cafe Gratitude. I prefer it with brown rice instead of quinoa.
Here are more suggestions on how to balance the 5 tastes at each meal.
Other rules to remember:
- Unlike other "diets" that recommend lots of water, you should only drink when thirsty
- Eat two or three meals every day
- Foods should be organic and must grow, or be produced, within a 400-mile radius
- No cooking in a microwave. Stove-top cooking in cast iron or stainless steel preferred.
“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
- Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
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