[2] Miso paste in Japanese packaging (photo courtesy Nagano).

[3] Miso paste (photo courtesy Steamy Kitchen)

Miso, a thick paste most often made from fermented soybeans,* is a traditional Japanese seasoning with which most Western cooks are unfamiliar.

If you’ve eaten at a Japanese restaurant, you’ve likely enjoyed a bowl of miso soup. If you make fish recipes, you may have tried a variation of the exquisite miso-glazed cod that chef Nobu Matsuhisa made so popular in New York, Los Angeles and elsewhere.

But miso rarely finds its way into American home kitchens. This is a shame, because it is a versatile and complex ingredient that can add depth and flavor across the culinary spectrum.

Savory and salty, miso paste is low in calories and fat yet rich in protein, vitamins and minerals, making it an important part of Japanese cuisine. This healthy ingredient was a favorite of the Samurai, the noble warrior class that existed from the 12th century until pre-industrial times.

It endures as a common ingredient in Japanese dishes, from pickled foods, sauces and spreads to the dish Americans know best, misoshiru or miso soup.

But miso can be an important culinary tool beyond Japanese cuisine. Chef Johnny often uses it simply to add umami to dishes that would otherwise lack that certain something.
 
 
MISO & UMAMI

The most common characteristic of miso, and arguably its defining attribute, is that elusive fifth taste: umami.

Umami refers to that taste in foods that is often described as a “brothiness” or earthiness on the palate. Mushrooms and meat are the best-known ambassadors of umami. Here’s more to help you understand umami.

Despite the difficulty one may have in describing it, umami plays an important role in cooking. Often you taste something and notice it lacks “strength” or seems “flat.” That absent quality you can’t seem to put your finger on is, quite often, umami.
 
The umami in miso can play an important role in perking up just about any world cuisine, requiring only cooks who are bold enough to try it.

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*In addition to soybeans, rice and barley can be used. Salt and the fungus kojikin complete the recipe.

TYPES OF MISO

Miso is available in different forms or flavors, such as red or white miso paste.

The differences depend on exactly which ingredients were used in its fermentation (such as rice or barley), the amounts of such ingredients, and how long they were fermented. Red miso paste, for example, is often fermented for a year or longer, whereas white miso paste is fermented for a much shorter period.
 
 
HOW TO USE MISO PASTE

You can make your own homemade miso soup, of course, but try it in American recipes. The beauty of miso is its versatility. It can be the star, providing its own unique flavor out front, or it can be one of many ingredients, lending that umami quality to a dish in need.

 
 
JUST DO IT!

The flavor and umami from miso can be unbelievably satisfying, which makes it a great tool to have on hand. Yes, its sodium levels can be high; but compared with salt, you get far more flavor and complexity with less overall sodium, as well as bonus healthy minerals, beneficial bacteria and protein. You’ll even pick up some antioxidants.

So the next time you are at the grocery store, head to the international foods aisle and locate the miso paste. There may be several varieties to choose from; choose any one to start. Different brands and types will have different levels of salty and/or sweet.

Then, add it to anything you feel could use a boost of umami flavor and won’t hurt from a bit of saltiness.

Get to know miso as more than just the soup you eat before the sushi. It may just be the secret ingredient you’ve been looking for: You just may become mad for miso—and that’s a good thing.

[5] Miso soup with tofu and garnishes (photo courtesy Sun Basket).

[6] Shrimp with miso grits (photo courtesy Silk Road Tavern [closed]).

Healthier mashed potatoes. Photo courtesy
U.S. Potato Board.

 
Please share your own tips and tricks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity has more than tripled over the last three decades. Today, more than one third of all children and adolescents are considered to be overweight or obese. Adult statistics are similar.

One way the CDC recommends addressing the problem is for healthy eating to become a part of every child’s life. It begins with reading food labels and learning how to make decisions. The process can be made fun, and a learning experience for both kids and adults.

As soon as they can read, children can begin to learn how to read food labels. Measuring food to learn portion control can be like a game for younger children, and also teaches measurements. Learning the components of food—fat, protein, salt and sugar, and how many grams are in a portion—leads to healthier food choices. Even young children can learn about vitamins and other nutrients in food.

Here are some tips for teaching kids how to read food labels, provided by Fresh Healthy Vending. The company is also part of the solution, packing vending machines with good-for-you snacks instead of empty-calorie choices. (The company also offers franchises, if you want to work with healthy foods.)

2. Move On To Nutrition Facts. Once kids understand portion sizes, explain the information on the Nutrition Facts label, including calories, cholesterol, total fat, fiber, protein, total carbohydrates and sugar. Explain why it is important to know how much of each is in a serving, and what amount is considered high. For example, kids can look at a can of soda and see that it has 40 grams of sugar, and that is considered high; a serving of Cheerios has one gram of sugar, and that is considered low. This exercise will likely be a learning experience for you, too. The USDA advises adults who eat a 2,000-calorie diet to limit sugar intake to about 40 grams (10 teaspoons) of added sugar per day (in addition to the natural sugars present in fruit, milk and so forth). A teenager who follows a healthy diet can consume about 18 teaspoons of added sugars, according to USDA; but the average sugar intake of a teenager is about 34 teaspoons of sugar per day.

3. Learn To Read The Ingredients List. Which ingredients are natural, which are artificial and chemical? Remind children that fresh fruits and vegetables don’t usually have labels but are usually the most natural and healthiest options around. Show them how to look up nutrition on the Internet (searching for “apple nutrition” will provide the answers). Explain the Daily Value, and how individual product decisions add up to the day’s total food intake.

4. Do Product Comparisons. The next step is to do label comparisons, so kids can determine which choices are better for them.
5. Head To The Grocery Store. Once kids have been exposed to label reading at home, take them to the grocery store. Give them the assignment of choosing between options. Over time, they’ll become familiar with many foods, know which are healthy and unhealthy, and be able to identify healthier food options without always having to rely on reading labels.

6. Take It To The Restaurant Level. How can kids make the best choices at restaurants? Chain restaurants have calorie counts. A calorie booklet or app can provide guidance at those without information.

Turn the process into a game, with quizzes. Keep quiz scores on the refrigerator door. Consider rewards for achievement—a trip to the movies or the zoo is also a chance to make healthy eating choices. Offer a binder to keep nutrition labels, articles and comments.

It will take time and practice—and patience—but you’ll be giving children a healthy advantage for life.

For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Childhood Obesity Facts.
  

One thing we love about January is arrival of delicious Ruby Red grapefruit. January through March are the peak months for the delicious fruit from Texas.

Grapefruit began life as an accidental hybrid of an orange and a pomelo, in 18th-century Barbados. For 100 years or so, the sour fruit was grown as an ornamental tree. But in the late 19th century, growers were able to make the fruit sweeter, and it became a major crop in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.

Over the years, grapefruit was bred in many varieties and in three colors: the original white flesh, plus pink and red flesh.

Patented in 1929, the first Ruby Red grapefruit was an accidental mutation, a red-fleshed fruit found on a pink grapefruit tree. A hit from the start, sweeter with that alluring red flesh, Ruby Reds are marketed under the names Rio Red, Rio Star and Ruby-Sweet. (Ruby Reds are grown not only in Texas, but in Florida and elsewhere).

If you aren’t already a grapefruit lover, head to the store and bring some home. They’re low in calories (42 calories per 3.5 ounces of flesh) and high in the cancer-fighting antioxidant vitamin A; the free-radical-fighting antioxidant vitamin C; the vision-friendly flavonoid antioxidants beta-carotene, lutein, naringenin and xanthin; the dietary fiber pectin (which also lowers cholesterol); and potassium, which counters the negative effects of sodium; among other nutrients such as B vitamins.

Red grapefruit also contains the powerful flavonoid antioxidant, lycopene, which protects skin from damage from UV rays and fights macular degeneration and several types of cancer. It’s one of our favorite great-tasting and great-for-you foods.
 
 
HOW MANY WAYS DO YOU ENJOY GRAPEFRUIT?

Here are nine pages of grapefruit recipes, from cocktails and appetizers through main courses, sides and desserts.

Another favorite preparation: broiled grapefruit. It takes just three minutes: Sprinkle a half grapefruit with brown sugar, place on a cookie sheet and broil for three minutes. It’s ready when the sugar melts and gets crispy—the grapefruit version of crème brûlée.

[1] Red grapefruit, winter’s delight (photo © Fit Mitten Kitchen).

[2] A yogurt parfait with red grapefruit, mint and honey. Here’s the recipe from Taste Of Home.

The video below demonstrates the best techniques to zest, peel, slice and section a grapefruit.

A second Tip Of The Day: Don’t throw out the rind until you zest it. Citrus zest, the grated rind, is a terrific flavoring for baked goods and desserts as well as in savory dishes, such as meats and sauces.

Add it to your vinaigrette, and toss it with cooked vegetables and olive oil or butter. If you don’t have a zester, here’s the one we use, from Microplane.
 
 
FOOD TRIVIA

Grapefruit was named not because it tastes like grapes (it doesn’t), but because the fruits grow on the tree in grape-like clusters.

SooFoo, a blend of nine* whole grains and legumes, was invented by the person who created SKYY vodka. He blended it at home for his own healthy eating plan, and found many ways to use the versatile food:

 
Soon, friends and family who tasted the all-natural, low-fat, sodium- and cholesterol-free blend encouraged him to market it. The name, SooFoo, is a contraction of “super good food.”

SooFoo proves that “better for you” can taste better, too. Add it to your meal plan for variety, texture and flavor.

Do You Know Your Legumes?
Check out the different types of grains and legumes in our Beans & Grains Glossary.

*Barley, black lentils, brown lentils, brown rice, buckwheat, green lentils, oats, rye berries and wheat berries.