Japanese cooking uses variety of mushrooms for different dishes. They use Shitake mushroom, Mitake mushroom, Enoki mushroom, King Trumpet mushroom, Shimeji mushroom, Nameko mushroom and many more. Mushrooms are an ideal ingredient for 500 calories set meals. They are delicious, low in calories and rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. There is a good mushroom grower called Hokto in southern California. I have seen their variety of mushrooms at Asian grocery stores, Whole Foods store and farmers markets. The prices are reasonable. By the way, the most expensive mushroom in Japan is Matsutake mushroom. It costs up to $1000 per kilogram (about 2.2 lb.)! They are grown in Washington and available to us at $20 to $100 per pound. I will skip that mushroom for my cooking until I become rich!
Butter Sautéed Mushroom Chicken Set Meals 463 calories
Main – Butter Sautéed Mushroom Chicken
Side 1 – Cauliflower and Egg Salad
Side 2 – Cucumber and Daikon Salad
Soup – Miso Soup
Steamed White Rice
All recipes are made for 2 servings. This printable recipe box will allow you to change the serving size to adjust the recipe.
Main: Butter Sautéed Mushroom Chicken 163 calories
Let’s use white mushroom as we easily find them at our local grocery store. I like them on my pizza, in my omelet and salad. I like them when sautéed with butter. Butter is low in calories, high in vitamins A, D & K2, and fatty acids help control weight gain. Use wet paper towel to wipe gently dirt and peat moss off mushrooms. Washing isn’t good method as it will wash off delicate flavors as the soluble fiber absorbs water.
- 200 g chicken thigh
- salt & pepper
- 100 g white mushroom or any mushroom
- 2 & 1/2 teaspoon butter or 2 heaping teaspoon
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 30 g lettuce
- Cut chicken into bite size. Salt and pepper chicken for 10 to 30 minutes. Slice mushroom
- Melt half of butter (1 heaping spoon) in pan and add chicken.
- Cook chicken until brown both side and then add mushroom.
- When mushroom cooked, add half of butter (1 heaping spoon) and soy sauce.
- Place hand cut lettuce as garnish on plate when you serve.
Side1: Cauliflower and Egg Salad 77 calories
Cauliflower is a white vegetable. My mom never cooks cauliflower because they are not a green vegetable. Therefore she cooks broccoli every day. It’s wrong! Cauliflower is high in vitamin C and a good source of dietary fiber. As you know, mayonnaise is high in calories, 80 calories per tablespoon. Even in Japan, a diet became a popular topic as young people are attracted to American food. No wonder McDonald and KFC are always crowded at my hometown. Japan sells half calorie salad dressing and mayonnaise. You can reduce calories in mayonnaise at home. For example mix half tablespoon of mayo and half tablespoon of milk. This way you can mix it in vegetable better.
- 120 g cauliflower
- 30 g carrot
- 50 g cucumber
- salt
- 1/2 boiled egg
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon grain mustard
- Cut cauliflower and cucumber into bite size. Slice carrot. Sprinkle salt over cucumber and squeeze excess water. Dice a hardboiled egg.
- Steam or boil cauliflower and carrot. Drain water.
- Mix mayo and mustard in bowl.
- Add cauliflower, carrot, cucumber and egg into the bowl. Mix well until vegetables get coated with the mixture. Add salt & pepper for taste.
Side2: Cucumber and Daikon Salad 33 calories
Daikon is one of my favorite vegetables. It’s so versatile! It’s a radish but much bigger than traditional radish. The freshness is measured by the leaves. If you’re lucky to get the one with the leaves, everything is edible. I like sweet daikon when eaten raw. Pick the one where the hairy roots or lateral roots on the skin form straight lines. If the line isn’t straight, daikon was grown twisted. It means that it used more energy to grow. Therefore it’s not so sweet and could be a bit bitter or spicy when grated.
- Slice cucumber and sprinkle salt. Peel daikon skin and slice daikon. Cut daikon in half if it’s too large.
- Combine sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice and olive oil in bowl.
- squeeze cucumber to remove excess water and add to the bowl and then add daikon. Mix well until vegetables get coated with dressing.
Soup: Miso Soup 30 calories
Miso soup is a Japanese staple food. For me miso soup soothes my soul and body just like chicken soup does for American. Actually when I came to US, I used to smuggle instant miso soup packets in my suitcase. Every time I went back to Japan, I did it. Later I learned that those instant miso soup is loaded with MSG, preservatives, artificial flavors and colors. I was not so healthy as I am today! We all learn from history as we get older. Right? Let’s make a great homemade miso soup. You will need to Master How To Make Dashi. You will use Dashi just like chicken broth. Add root vegetables such as daikon and carrot, then add leafy vegetables like napa cabbage. There are no rules about what to add to make good miso soup. Just remember to add miso at the end and reduce to low heat. Miso will lose aroma when cooked in high temperature.
- 250 ml dashi or water
- 30 g daikon
- 30 g carrot
- 60 g napa cabbage
- 2 teaspoon miso
- Cut daikon and carrot into shapes of half/quarter circles. Chop napa cabbage into large chunks.
- Place dashi, daikon and carrot in pan. Cook until vegetables become tender. Add napa cabbage later.
- Stir in miso and simmer for few minutes. Do not boil.
100g of Steamed White Rice 160 calories
Each 500 calories set meal comes with 100g of steamed rice. You will need to cook rice in a rice cooker or in a heavy gage pot. And measure cooked rice for 100 grams. I will show you how to make your cooking life easier. Read more How To Cook And Store Japanese Rice.