Butajiru (or Tonjiru) is a comforting Japanese miso soup made with pork and a variety of vegetables.

Yon-shoku (４色) means "4 colors" in Japanese and this was one of my fav bento lunch box menus when I was a child. Originally san-shoku (3 colors) but mom added another color, baked salmon. 

Chinese water spinach is categorized as a cold-natured vegetable, meaning that it cools your body down. 

This is my second summer growing Chinese water spinach in my garden and it is so easy to grow them.
This dish is perfect when you have a poor appetite due to summer lethargy. 

This is a classic summer dish in Japan using popular summer veggies, eggplants and bell peppers.

Bitter melon is a popular summer vegetable in Japan these days and this great combination with pork is beneficial for preventing summer fatigue.