From kids to college students to adults, I don’t know many people who don’t love ramen*. Yummy noodles in a delicious broth, what’s not to love?! Well, maybe the MSG for one. This recipe loses the little packets, powder and all that MSG and replaces it with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry!

* Recipe coming Monday!

How often does the clock strike 5 and you realize “oh *%#@, I haven’t even thought about what to make for dinner!” The night that I came up with these rice & cheese balls was one of those times, and since then, it’s become a total household favorite. The recipe is incredibly easy and you probably have all of the ingredients in your kitchen already. All you do is cut cheese sticks into cubes, use your hands to wrap the rice around them into balls and then steam them quickly. For extra flavor and added nutrition, I like to give them a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

I find that whenever food appears fun or has a hidden surprise, kids are most excited about eating it. This dish satisfies both criteria: it’s shaped like a ball (fun!) and has a cheesy center (surprise!). As soon as Kenya took a bite and realized there was gooey, melted cheese inside his rice ball, it was as if he found a new best friend! He just looked up at me with utter surprise and joy and said, “Mommy, there’s cheese!” Literally love at first bite.

(This is a great idea for the lunch box, too!)

Rice and Cheese Balls (Makes 14 1 1/2 inch balls)

2 Cheese Sticks (I use mozzarella or cheddar)
1 Cup Cooked Rice, brown or white (it helps if the rice is sticky, so if you’re cooking the rice just for these ball, it helps to use a little extra water when making the rice)
2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds or Gomasio

1. Cut cheese sticks into 1/2 inch cubes (it depends on the brand, but each cheese stick should make around 7 cubes).
2. Take about 2 tbsp of the rice with moist or damp hands (to avoid sticking) and place the cheese in the center, rolling the rice into a ball around it.
3. Place the rice balls into a steamer pot over boiling water for 2 minutes. If you don’t have a steamer, place in the microwave for 10 seconds or just until the cheese melts.
4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or gomasio.
5. Serve.

Once in a while we take Kenya out to dinner. I say “once in a while” because my husband gets so stressed out about keeping an eye on Kenya that it can take away some of the fun. In order to enjoy ourselves more, we try to take Kenya to restaurants with dishes he loves that are fun for him to eat too. Japanese restaurants are great for this reason. We order him edamame (always a favorite since he gets to pop the beans out in his mouth), a vegetable sushi roll (so fun to pick apart) and miso soup. He loves drinking the soup straight from the bowl and picking at the tiny pieces of seaweed and tofu that are left over. Miso is a traditional japanese food that is prepared by fermenting rice, soy or barley. There are different varieties such as light, dark, red and yellow miso, but each has its own distinct salty flavor which makes it even more delicious when added to spreads, marinades, sauces and soups. It’s also high in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals which is great for kids.

We had a ball trying out this recipe in the weelicious test kitchen. We bought several different types of miso paste and tried making the soup 10 different ways. The star of the test, was this recipe. It’s a traditional preparation and it takes only minutes to prepare. And last, don’t get freaked out by the ingredients kelp and bonito. They are delicious, inexpensive and so good for you. You can find them at most supermarkets in the international section or in health food stores. Once your kids start slurping up this soup on a regular basis, you can start experimenting by adding all kinds of other veggies such as edamame, broccoli or anything else your kids love.

Miso Soup (4 Servings)

2 Piece Kelp (Kombu)
4 Cups Water
1/4 Cup Bonito Flakes
3 Tbsp White/Yellow Miso
1/2 Cup Shiitake Mushrooms, julienned
1/2 Cup Tofu, chopped in bite size cubes

1. Place the kombu and water in a pot over medium heat. Just before it comes up to a boil and the bonito flakes and turn off the heat.
2. Let the kombu and bonito sit for 1-2 minutes.
3. Strain the liquid, discarding the kombu and bonito flakes. Pour the liquid back into the pot.
4. Whisk the miso into the broth and add the shiitake mushrooms and tofu.
5. Simmer over low-medium heat for 3 minutes.
6. Serve.

When I was living in NYC modeling, I used to splurge with my girlfriends once in a while and dine at Nobu. Nobu is a Japanese restaurant co-owned by Robert DeNiro and which features the cuisine of world-famous chef, Nobu Matsuhisa. Every dish at the restaurant is fantastic, but the miso cod is by far the crown jewel on the menu! It has been copied by many restaurants, but I have yet to taste one that comes close to matching the flavor and snap of the original. I was reading Saveur magazine last night and they rated the top 10 restaurant dishes ever and this dish was one of them. Yes, it is a unique recipe but you can make it at home for a fraction of the restaurant price.

Over the years I’ve tested tens of different variations on the recipe: marinating the cod for an hour up to 3 days, cooking the marinade ingredients over heat or just whisking them raw in a bowl. The original recipe uses tons of sugar which I didn’t think was the healthiest idea, so I substitute agave with fantastic results.

You can also use different varieties of fish or even try scallops, but black cod is always my first choice. It’s high in omega-3 fatty acids and has a mild flavor which is perfect for kids. I served this to my family and friends recently and let everyone roll pieces of fish in leaves of Bibb lettuce and eat it like a sandwich. The cool, crisp taste of the lettuce combined with the warm piece of miso cod was like heaven in every bite! There’s no reason why you can’t have the world’s best dishes at home.

Miso Marinated Fish (Serves 4)

1/2 Cup Yellow or White Miso
2 T. Agave
1/2 Cup Mirin
1 1/2 Lbs. Black Cod or Salmon (you need to use an oily fish)

1. Place the miso, agave and mirin in a bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Pour over the fish, cover, refrigerate and marinate for 30 minutes (can be marinated up to 24 hours).
3. Preheat oven broiler to high.
4. Remove from marinade and place on a foil lined cookie sheet.
5. Broil fish 6 inches from the heat source for 8-10 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
6. Serve.