Part 8: Registered Dietitian Atsumi Mayumi’s Yogurt Bark Snacks Provide a Quick Energy Boost

You want to get your day’s cooking over with as quickly and efficiently as possible, but at the same time you want to make sure your meals are nutritionally well-balanced. Atsumi Mayumi’s popular recipes are a brilliant solution to this dilemma.

A registered dietitian, Atsumi suggests combinations of fermented foods and fruits. In this column, she shares with us two recipes she recommends both for people who tend to suffer from nutritional imbalances and for people who love sweet treats.

Fruits are the ally of busy modern people

As a registered dietitian, Atsumi probes the relationship between health and food. She claims, however, with a laugh, that her motto is to hold her tongue about nutrition and just offer delicious food.

“I believe you can communicate more to people by moving them emotionally with a dish that instantly looks delicious than enumerating a bunch of nutritional science theories. It’s about dishes that are easy to make with readily available ingredients, colorful dishes that elevate your spirits, and, more than anything, dishes that taste great. Ideally, this way your body will naturally get lots of food with good nutritive value.”

It’s true that eating begins to feel like a chore if you have to count calories and check that you are getting enough of all the required nutrients. Moreover, it’s no easy task to prepare nutritionally balanced meals in our busy lives. Many people are simply too busy to take the time to make and eat conscientious meals.

“What I recommend for such busy people are fruits. They are easy to eat and require no cooking, and they are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Fruits are healthy foods that fit the busy lives of people today.”

Yogurt bark is crunchingly refreshing

Despite its photogenic appearance, yogurt bark is super simple to make

An easy way to make eating fruits a habit that Atsumi recommends is to make your own chilled yogurt bark.

“Just mix together yogurt and amazake [a sweet drink made from koji rice malt], lay out your favorite fruits, and then freeze until solid. Although its refreshing sweetness makes it a sweet treat, you are also getting lots of protein, vitamins, and minerals.”

“The natural sweetness of amazake mellows out the sourness of the yogurt, making the yogurt bark easier to eat. Because the sweetness of amazake is not overpowering like that of sugar, it brings out more of the fruits’ taste. You can use any fruits you like, such as bananas, persimmons, or grapes, as well as kiwifruit. Have yogurt bark with seasonal fruit so you can enjoy the sensation of the changing seasons.”

During the colder months, Atsumi recommends making a warm dessert soup with the same ingredients.

“Warm the yogurt and amazake slightly, add the fruits, and enjoy. If you prefer, you can add a bit more amazake or drizzle in some honey to make it even more delicious. It’s perfect for breakfast on a cold day because it gradually warms up your stomach.”

Stopping Japanese people from abandoning fruit

“In 2023, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare raised its recommended daily allowance of fruit to 200 grams. Reports show, however, that more than 60 percent of people between the ages of 20 and 49 eat less than 100 grams of fruit, half the recommended amount. In the past, fruit was the easiest kind of dessert or snack, but we live in an age now where you can buy all sorts of sweets at convenience stores. Fruits are appearing less often on the nation’s dinner tables. I think it’s a shame not to make use of fruit, which provide lots of nutrition while you enjoy them. I would like to see easier ways for people to incorporate fruit into their diets.”

This is the reason why Atsumi has singled out yogurt and amazake, both of which are fermented foods.

“One of the attractions of fermented foods is the commingling of different umami flavors. The natural sweetness and acidity produced by the fermentation process are mellow, not sharp or strong. The more kinds of umami you combine in a dish, the richer and more complex it becomes. So using fermented foods is a quick way to add depth to your cooking.”

Use amazake to conceal the acidity of fruits

This fruit marinade is made by putting two peeled grapefruits into a storage container and adding 100 mL of amazake. Marinate thoroughly with mint or other herbs to taste.

Another of Atsumi’s go-to items are fruit marinades that are made by thoroughly marinating fruits in amazake.

“I recommend combining fruits with amazake for people who don’t like sour fruits. The rich sweetness of amazake cleverly conceals the fruits’ sourness and bitterness, making the fruits noticeably easier to eat. If you prepare the marinade the night before, you can start the next day quickly with a breakfast enriched with fruits even on busy mornings. Marinades are even easier to make if you use precut fruits that you can readily find in convenience stores and supermarkets. Fruit marinades will keep in the refrigerator for about three days.”

The vitamins and minerals contained in fruit help to boost the body’s metabolism. Knowing this, you can see why the old saying “fruit is gold in morning” rings true. Combining fruit with fermented foods such as amazake or yogurt further improves the taste and nutritional value.

“The recommended daily allowance of 200 grams is equivalent to about two mikan mandarin oranges. Ideally, you would split your intake into two 100 gram portions, such as at breakfast and then later as a snack.”

Next time, we pass the baton to cooking expert Sakashita Chie. Be sure to follow along on our journey.