Cookbooks are one of my greatest passions in life. In each episode of Tastemakers, I go behind the scenes with the authors of my very favorite cookbooks and uncover their stories, what makes them tick, and the secrets to making mouthwateringly delicious food.
Candice Kumai was an influencer in the wellness space way before the term “influencer” was a thing… and most people weren’t throwing around “wellness” that much at the time either, come to think of it. She was a trailblazer! I first fell in love with her delicious food and passionate personality when she released Clean Green Eats several years ago, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting her follow-up ever since. Candice’s newest book, Kintsugi Wellness, does not disappoint, and I was thrilled to have Candice join me in the kitchen to talk life, love, and teach me why Japanese culture really has this whole “imperfection” thing figured out.
Watch the episode above, and scroll on for the Avocado Miso Mushroom Bowl recipe that Candice and I made.
Avocado-Miso-Mushroom Bowl
Serves 2
Tastemakers Ep. 7: Candice Kumai is the Queen of Matcha
Categories
Ingredients
Salad:
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cups thinly sliced mixed mushrooms: shiitake, maitake, buna-shimeji, or your fave mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 4 cups cooked grains: your choice of brown rice, freekeh, farro, or quinoa
- 4 cups packed fresh greens, such as arugula or finely chopped kale leaves (reserve 3 cups for the salad, 1 cup for topping)
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons crushed gomashio, for topping
Creamy Miso-Tahini Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons organic miso paste
- 3 tablespoons tahini paste
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Instructions
- In a large sautĂ© pan, warm the sesame oil or extra-virgin olive oil over mediÂum heat. Add the mushrooms and sautĂ© until lightly golden, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the tamari and sauté for 2 minutes more. Deglaze the pan with the mirin to release the bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn off heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Using a spatula, stir in the grains and fully coat. Add the mushrooms and 3 cups of the greens, and gently fold to coat well with the dressing. Top with the avocado, reserved greens, and gomashio.
Cooks' Note:
Gomasio, aka Japanese sesame salt, can be purchased in the Asian spice section of some grocery stores and online at Amazon.com.
