Green Tea Chazuke – Gluten-Free & Vegan

As the season changes and it gets colder, I find myself craving hot food more often. Unfortunately that doesn’t always mean I have the energy to cook! Chazuke, or a rice submerged in a steamy green tea broth, is a great quick-fix dinner using whatever you have stocked in the fridge. My version is gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb and vegan. It’s packed with protein thanks to the tofu and  full of antioxidants thanks to the green tea.

Green tea, a beverage commonly consumed across Asia, is heavily promoted in the nutrition community for its health benefits.  Green tea contains different polyphenols such as catechins and tannins. Catechins are shown to have strong antioxidant properties to help fight free radicals (Kuriyama et al., 2006). Green tea also contains a high quantity of tannins, compounds that help boost immunity and minimize toxins in the body.

Researchers have looked at the relationship between tea consumption and bone health, however epidemiological studies have shown mixed results (Shen et al., 2009). Extensive research has also shown that green tea can help prevent cancers and cardiovascular disease (Shen et al., 2009). Animal and cell studies in particular have indicated potential mechanisms of action through which these preventative properties may stem, however the definite relationship between green tea consumption and disease risk in humans remains unclear (Kuriyama et al., 2006).

Green tea is also believed to enhance energy metabolism, thus leading to improved weight loss. A meta-analysis from the International Journal of Obesity found that green tea supplementation has a small, positive influence on weight loss and weight maintenance (Hursel et al., 2009).

Hope you give this recipe a try! Comment down below with your favourite type of tea!

Green Tea Chazuke - Gluten-Free & Vegan

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Originating in Japan, chazuke is a light, refreshing dish made from rice and assorted sides submerged in a steamy green tea broth. Although this dish traditionally includes fish, my version puts a vegan twist by using tofu, enoki mushrooms and lots of veggies!

• CourseDinner, Lunch, Main, Main Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian
• CuisineComfort Food, Japanese

Servings	Prep Time
1 serving	5 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings Prep Time 1 serving 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Green Tea Chazuke - Gluten-Free & Vegan 1 2 3 4 5 Votes: 2 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Add to Meal Plan: Select Course to Add: BreakfastLunchSnackDinner This recipe has been added to your Meal Plan Originating in Japan, chazuke is a light, refreshing dish made from rice and assorted sides submerged in a steamy green tea broth. Although this dish traditionally includes fish, my version puts a vegan twist by using tofu, enoki mushrooms and lots of veggies! CourseDinner, Lunch, Main, Main Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian CuisineComfort Food, Japanese Servings Prep Time 1 serving 5 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Servings Prep Time 1 serving 5 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown rice cooked
• 1/4 package extra firm tofu diced into 1" cubes
• 1/8 bunch enoki mushrooms
• 1/4 cup zucchini grated or spiralized
• 1 tsp Chili flakes (optional)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 handful baby spinach
• 2 drops sesame oil
• 1 dash low sodium tamari sauce or any gluten-free soy sauce
• 1/2 cup brewed green tea high quality
• 1 tsp 2 green onions chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp pickled ginger (optional)

Servings: serving

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

1. Cook the brown rice according to your preferred method. Approximate 1/2 a cup of dry brown rice make 1 cup cooked.

   
2. On a non-stick (or lined) baking sheet, place the tofu, enoki mushrooms and zucchini. Sprinkle with pepper and chili flakes (if desired), then roast in a 350F oven for 5-10 minutes. Alternative, you can pan-fry them on medium heat until the zucchini is al dente and the tofu is golden in colour.

   
3. To your hot cup of brewed green tea, stir in a dash of tamari-style soy sauce and 2 drops of sesame oil. You can also use regular low-sodium sauce or liquid aminos if you prefer.
4. To assemble your chazuke: To your serving bowl, add your brown rice base. Top with spinach, zucchini, enoki mushrooms and tofu. Pour in your green tea mixture, then garnish with green onions and pickled ginger* if desired.

   

Recipe Notes

*For this dish, I ran out of my favourite brand of pickled ginger so I used what I had on hand. When I usually make this, I use a dye-free, gluten-free organic pickled ginger, but you can also grate a small amount of fresh ginger instead!

References

Hursel, R., Viechtbauer, W., & Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S. (2009). The effects of green tea on weight loss and weight maintenance: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Obesity, 33(9), 956-961. doi:10.1038/ijo.2009.135

Kuriyama, S., Shimazu, T., Ohmori, K., Kikuchi, N., Nakaya, N., Nishino, Y., . . . Tsuji, I. (2006). Green tea consumption and mortality due to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all causes in japan: The ohsaki study. Jama, 296(10), 1255-1265. doi:10.1001/jama.296.10.1255

Shen, C., Yeh, J. K., Cao, J. J., & Wang, J. (2009). Green tea and bone metabolism. Nutrition Research, 29(7), 437-456. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2009.06.008