Recipe for Nourishing Beauty - Sweet Rice Congee

Sweet black rice, when cooked with longan berries (euphoria longana) and Chinese dates, becomes a congee that nourishes blood and Qi.

In the Oriental medicine system of food cures, these three foods work together to enhance beauty and longevity.

• The sweet rice promotes the flow of liver Qi, which helps keep angry feelings at bay and leads to calmness.

• The Chinese dates (different from the Mediterranean variety) nourish blood and spleen, promoting restful sleep and mental clarity.

• Longan fruit, a blood enhancer, was used by the ancients to add luster to the skin. From a Western perspective, we know that longans contain large amounts of Vitamin C and phenolic compounds, which may help to detoxify and protect the liver.

Sweet Rice Congee

(Taken from Ancient Healing for Modern Women, by Dr. Xiolan Zhao, C.M.D.)

Ingredients:

6 cups water

1 cup black sweet rice (wash before using)

½ cup dried longan fruit

10 Chinese dates

2 tablespoons raw sugar

½ inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

Instructions:

In a large heavy saucepan, add 6 cups of water, black sweet rice, longan fruit, dates, and raw sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally. Garnish with ginger. Makes four servings.

Note: All ingredients are available at most Asian grocery stores.

Author: Elizabeth G. Lynch

Quinoa Salad with Radicchio, Chicken and Pine Nuts

A nutrient-dense, filling winter salad, quinoa combines with faintly bitter radicchio, chicken and salty feta cheese. Read more at nourishedkitchen.com:

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa, chilled
• 1 small head radicchio, chopped
• 1 cup cooked chicken, cut in bit-sized pieces
• ½ cup cubed feta cheese
• 1 small red onion, chopped fine
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• Olive oil and vinegar dressing, to serve

1. Toss cooked quinoa, chopped radicchio, cooked chicken, cubed feta cheese, chopped red onion, pine nuts and parsley together until all ingredients are well distributed.
2. Dress the salad with olive oil and red wine vinegar

YIELD: Serves 4

TIME: 5 minutes

Ginger Tea

Freshly made ginger tea is delicious and healing. It's wonderfully soothing on a cold day and it's very healing for digestive discomfort, nausea, morning sickness, menstrual cramps, and common cold. Ginger tea bags are just not the same as the freshly made tea!

Traditional Recipe for Ginger Tea

• 4-6 thin slices of organic fresh ginger (each slice should be about the size of a quarter coin)
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups of filtered water

Bring the water and ginger to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 10-20 minutes (20 minutes will yield a stronger ginger tea). Strain the tea and enjoy. You can add honey or lemon to taste. If this is too gingery, add more hot water to dilute.

No-Simmer Ginger Tea Recipe

• 1 teaspoon of grated organic fresh ginger
• 1 cup of boiling water

Simply add the boiling water to a mug with the teaspoon of grated ginger. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes. You can strain or simply drink with the pieces of ginger. You can add honey or lemon to taste. If this is too gingery, add more hot water to dilute.

Stir-Fried Rice Stick Noodles With Bok Choy and Cherry Tomatoes

Rice noodles are delicate and light, and especially welcome to those who are gluten-intolerant. You might find it easier to use tongs for this once you’ve added the noodles to the pan. Bok choy is a member of the cabbage family and has all those antioxidant-rich phytonutrients that the brassicas are known for.

7 ounces thin rice stick noodles (1/2 of a 14-ounce package)

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce (low-sodium if desired)

1 tablespoon Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 to 2 teaspoons minced jalapeño

2 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 pound (2 medium) baby bok choy, trimmed, washed and dried, cut in 1-inch lengths

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (can include stems), plus additional sprigs for garnish

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1. Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with warm water. Soak for at least 20 minutes, until soft. Drain in a colander and, using kitchen scissors, cut into 6-inch lengths. Set aside within reach of your wok or pan. Combine the broth, soy sauce, and rice wine or sherry in a small bowl. Combine the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes or minced jalapeño in another bowl. Have everything within reach of your wok or pan.

2. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or a 12-inch skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in 2 teaspoons of the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan. Make sure that the bottom of the wok or pan is coated with oil and add the eggs, swirling the pan so that the eggs form a thin pancake. Cook 30 seconds to a minute, until set. Using a spatula, turn the pancake over and cook for 5 to 10 more seconds, until thoroughly set, then transfer to a plate or cutting board. Season to taste. Allow to cool, then roll up and cut into strips 1/4 inch wide. Place near the wok.

3. Swirl the remaining oil into the wok or pan and add the garlic, ginger and chili. Stir-fry no more than 10 seconds, until fragrant, and add the bok choy. Stir-fry for 1 minute, until it is bright green and the leaves are wilted, and add the broth mixture, the drained noodles, and the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, until the noodles are just tender and the tomatoes are beginning to soften. Add the cilantro and egg shreds, and the salt and sugar, and stir-fry another 30 seconds to a minute, until well combined. Add the sesame oil, stir together, and serve, garnished with cilantro sprigs if desired.

Yield: Serves four to six.

Nutritional information per serving (four servings): 340 calories; 12 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 106 milligrams cholesterol; 49 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 381 milligrams sodium (253 milligrams if using low-sodium soy sauce; does not include salt added during cooking); 8 grams protein

Nutritional information per serving (six servings): 227 calories; 8 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 71 milligrams cholesterol; 33 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 254 milligrams sodium (168 milligrams if using low-sodium soy sauce; does not include salt added during cooking); 6 grams protein

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN in NY Times

Golden Tomato Sauce Recipe

This is the season for tomatoes! The Farmer's Market is bursting with Heirlooms of all colors and sizes. Here is a recipe for the multicolored tomatoes you find.

I don't bother peeling the tomatoes here, but you certainly could. You can also do a double or triple batch. The sauce will keep refrigerated for about a week. Also, the color of your tomatoes will dramatically impact the color of your sauce. I like to choose tomatoes that are bright yellow in color, like you see here. Alternatively, yellow tomatoes with a hint of orange make a striking sauce as well.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds or 24 oz ripe yellow (or multi-colored) tomatoes, cored and halved

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Run your finger along the inside of each tomato to remove and discard the seeds. Chop the tomatoes into 1/4-inch chunks, reserve any juice, and set aside.

Combine the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper flakes in a cold medium sauce pan. Now, heat the ingredients, stirring occasionally, until the garlic begins to sizzle and take on a bit of color. Stir in the tomatoes and reserved juices, and bring to a simmer. Cook for just a couple minutes, long enough for the tomatoes to start breaking down a bit. Remove from heat, taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Makes 2 cups of sauce.

From 101cookbooks.com

Recipe: Make Your Own Salad Dressing!

Bottled, store-bought salad dressing (even “organic” brands) are often made with poor quality oils and preservatives. Making your own salad dressing is easy and so much healthier than buying bottles in the store. And, you can be creative by adjusting the ingredients to your taste!

Basic Salad dressing

Ingredients

1 teaspoon organic dijon mustard

2 Tbsp wine vinegar, raw apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, white vinegar, etc. or lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of these ingredients in a jar and shake it up. Taste. Adjust the ingredients as desired.

Variations:

• Add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup
• Add crumbled goat or blue cheese, or add grated parmigiano cheese
• Add fresh or dried herbs- parsley, cilantro, basil, oregano, dill, etc. Whatever is handy!
• Add a clove of minced garlic or finely chopped green or spring onion
• Add about 1/4 cup of yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, or creme fraiche for a creamy and tangy dressing.
• Add mashed avocado (this goes especially well with lemon juice)

(adapted from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon)

Cold Chrysanthemum Tea

Cold Chrysanthemum Tea (For Quenching Thirst & Mild Sunstroke)

With this heatwave upon us, this is a great recipe to prevent sunstroke and treat dehydration. It also clears Heat, benefits Qi, promotes body fluid secretion and is an excellent thirst quencher! 



Ingredients:

60 - 80 White Chrysanthemum Flowers

3 teaspoon of Jasmine Green Tea

Rock sugar or honey

4 liters of water


Instructions:

1. Wash the chrysanthemum.

2. Put chrysanthemum and tea into a cooking pot.

3. Pour in 4 liters of water and bring it to boiling.

4. Reduce heat and continue to cook for 20 minutes.

5. Put in rock sugar or honey.

6. Remove pot from the heat and allow to cool till room temperature.

7. Strain the tea and put into refrigerator.

8. Serve the tea chilled and enjoy!

From AcuFinder.com

Honey-Balsamic Bean Salad

This is such a great summer recipe. You can use green beans, or substitute for something seasonal, like Romaine lettuce. If you're trying to come up with a substitute for the green beans, imagine ingredients that might go nicely with the honey-balsamic vinegar. And I suspect it goes without saying, but you can certainly play around with the type of beans you use here. I would have used borlotti beans in place of the black beans, but I went with the beans I had on hand, rather than make a trip to the store.

8 oz / 225 g (about 1 1/2 cups) EACH cooked chickpeas, pinto beans, black beans

1 small head of romaine lettuce, washed, dried, shredded

1/3 cup / 1 oz / 30g sliced almonds, toasted

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons runny honey

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4+ teaspoon fine grain sea salt

10 sprigs fresh thyme

Combine the beans, lettuce, and most of the almonds in a large salad bowl. Set aside. Make the dressing by whisking the olive oil, honey, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and sea salt in a small container. Taste, and adjust to your tastes.

Run your fingers up each thyme sprig, removing the leaves. Add to the salad bowl along with a good amount of the dressing. Toss well, and add more dressing if you like. Finish by sprinkling with the remaining almonds.

Serves 4- 6.

Inspired by a recipe in Teaching Dad to Cook Flapjack by Miranda Gardiner (Hardie Grant Books, May, 2010).

From 101cookbooks.com

Soup au Pistou Recipe

This soup is great for late spring/early summer. You can substitute vegetables based on whatever is seasonal at the time. You could also substitute other small white beans.

1 pound / 16 oz / 450 g dried flageolet beans, soaked for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, then drained

1/4 cup / 60 ml olive oil
4 medium onions, chopped
2 medium leeks, trimmed and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
12 cups / 3 liters water
1 28-ounce can, whole tomatoes, well drained, chopped
4 medium yellow potatoes, chopped
1 bouillon cube, optional
1/4 pound / 4 oz. stellette (tiny star) pasta, or other small pasta
3 small zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup (a big handful) chard stems, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Pistou

1 tablespoon crushed garlic
scant 3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
4 1/2 cups / 2 oz / 60 g basil leaves, torn into small pieces
1 tomato (from above), well chopped
1/4 cup / 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup / 2 oz / 60 g grated aged Gruyere cheese

In your largest soup pot heat the oil, then add the onions, leeks, and celery. Saute for about 5 minutes, then stir in the soaked beans and 12 cups water. Bring to a boil, dial back to a simmer, then cook for about 15 minutes. Reserve one of the tomatoes for the pistou, then stir the remaining tomatoes into the pot, then the potatoes. Cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the beans seem like they are nearly cooked. Add a bouillon cube if you like, then the pasta, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and the chard stems and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in salt - perhaps less if you used a salty bouillon - essentially, you want to salt to taste. At this point the pasta should be cooked through, as well as all the beans and vegetables. For the soup to taste good, you really need to get the right amount of salt in it - just be mindful of this, and adjust if needed.

While the soup is cooking, you can make the pistou. I use a mortar and pestle, but you can use a food processor if you like. Pound the garlic with the salt into a paste. Add the basil a handful at a time and pound and grind until nearly smooth. Add the tomatoes, then gradually stir in the olive oil a bit at a time. Stir in the cheese, then chill until ready to use.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with a generous dollop of pistou.

Serves 8 - 12

from 101cookbooks.com

Spinach Rice Gratin Recipe

I recently tried this recipe and loved it! Spinach and brown rice provide so many essential vitamins and nutrients. Enjoy!

Spinach Rice Gratin Recipe

2 1/2 cups leftover/pre-cooked brown rice, room temp
1 1/2 cups cups well finely chopped spinach
4 ounces firm organic tofu, crumbled
10 black olives, chopped
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/3 cup pine nuts or almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup shredded Manchego cheese (or Parm, or Gruyere)
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Rack in the top third. Grease a 10-inch round baking dish (or equivalent) with a bit of olive oil.

In a large bowl combine the rice, spinach, and tofu. Now, reserving a bit of each for garnish, stir in the olives, and red onion, pine nuts and olive oil. Now stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, and salt. Fold the eggs into the rice mixture, pour into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until the casserole is set, and the top toasty and golden. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with remaining onions, olives, and nuts. Sprinkle with a bit more salt before serving - or taste and get a sense of whether you need any.

Serves 8 - 12

from 101.cookbooks

Make your own tea!

Here is a recipe for a naturally sweet and nutritious herbal tea blend. Rooibos is caffeine-free, high in antioxidants, and has a relaxing effect. Rosebuds relieve stagnation, support the digestion, ease PMS, and lift the spirits. Add in some vanilla and this combination is soothing, calming, and opens up your heart.

At most health food stores, you'll be able to find loose herbs:

1 cup organic loose red rooibos

1/2 cup organic red rose buds (gently crush them to separate the petals)

1 organic vanilla bean (split lengthwise with a knife)

Combine these herbs in a glass jar. Shake this up and let the jar sit for at least two weeks to allow the herbs to blend. The vanilla bean will infuse its' scent into the other herbs. I just leave the vanilla bean in the jar to allow it to continue infusing, but I don't directly use it for my brew.

Use a Tablespoon per cup of hot water. I use a stainless steel tea ball, strainer or ceramic tea pot to infuse this tea. Sip slowly, smile, and enjoy!

Miso Harissa Delicata Squash Recipe

Yum! Squash season is not over yet! Give this recipe a try:

1/2 pound / 8 oz small fingerling potatoes, washed and dried

3/4 pound / 12 oz delicata squash

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

scant 1/4 cup white miso

scant 1 tablespoon harissa paste

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 oz kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped

4 radishes, very thinly sliced

1 1/2 oz Marcona almonds, toasted pepitas, or other toasted nuts

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. If the potatoes aren't tiny, slice them into pieces no larger than your thumb. Cut the delicata squash in half length-wise, and use a spoon to clear out all the seeds. Cut into 1/2-inch wide half-moons. You can leave the peel on these squash.

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, miso, harissa. Place the potatoes and squash in a large bowl with 1/3 cup of the miso-harissa oil. Use your hands to toss well, then turn everything out onto a baking sheet. Bake until everything is baked through and browned, about 25-30 minutes. Toss once or twice along the way after things start to brown a bit. Keep an eye on things though, you can go from browned to burned in a flash.

In the meantime, whisk the lemon juice into the remaining miso-harissa oil. Taste, it should be intensely flavorful, but if yours is too spicy or salty, you can dilute it with a bit more olive oil or lemon juice. Stir the kale into the leftover dressing and set aside.

Place the warm roasted vegetables in a bowl and toss with the kale mixture, radishes, and almonds.

Serves 2 to 4

Check out more healthy, seasonal recipes at 101cookbooks.com

Double Broccoli Quinoa Recipe

Heidi Swanson has a great cooking blog called 101 Cookbooks, which provides seasonal recipes with lots of whole grains and veggies. Plus she's a photographer, so it makes for an even more inspirational cooking experience. Here's a yummy one for the fall:

Double Broccoli Quinoa

3 cups cooked quinoa

5 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets and stems

3 medium garlic cloves

2/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 big pinches salt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup heavy cream

Optional toppings: slivered basil, sliced avocado, crumbled feta or goat cheese

1. Heat the quinoa and set aside.

2. Now barely cook the broccoli by pouring 3/4 cup water into a large pot and bringing it to a simmer. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for a minute, just long enough to take the raw edge off. Transfer the broccoli to a strainer and run under cold water until it stops cooking. Set aside.

3. To make the broccoli pesto puree two cups of the cooked broccoli, the garlic, 1/2 cup of the almonds, Parmesan, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and cream and pulse until smooth.

4. Just before serving, toss the quinoa and remaining broccoli florets with about 1/2 of the broccoli pesto. Taste and adjust if needed, you might want to add more of the pest a bit at a time, or you might want a bit more salt or an added squeeze of lemon juice. Turn out onto a serving platter and top with the remaining almonds, a drizzle of the chile oil, and some sliced avocado or any of the other optional toppings.

Healing Soups to Fight Colds/Flu

The weather is so temperamental and, with all these temperature ups and downs, many of my patients are coming in with colds and flu! Soups are a great way to prevent and treat seasonal illness. To read more, there is a great article in the Yoga Journal called Healing Soups.

Here is a great recipe for an immune boosting soup:

Immune Boosting Soup*

If you need an extra immune boost, the article recommends using 1/2 the total garlic you desire to the soup, and then adding the remaining 1/2 of the garlic (crushed) after the soup is cooked, along with the lemon juice.

4 cups mushroom or chicken broth

1 small yellow onion, chopped

4-10 garlic cloves (to taste, crushed and chopped)

1 carrot, grated

4-8 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1-3 tbsp. grated ginger root (to taste)

3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1. Bring the broth, onion, garlic, carrot, mushrooms, and ginger root to a slow boil.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer on low, covered, for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
3. Remove from heat. Add the lemon juice, parsley and any remaining garlic. Cover and steep for 5 minutes.

* This recipe appeared in the December 2008 issue ofYoga Journal and was provided by Debra Brammer, N.D., associate clinical dean of naturopathic medicine at Bastyr Center for Natural Health.

Walnuts: A Great Fall Food

I’m glad to see the walnut getting its due attention In this recent New York Times article (which also includes a delicious recipe for Bulgarian Cucumber Soup With Walnuts!). In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), walnuts have a multitude of health benefits. They tonify the kidneys which, according to TCM, are responsible for maintaining brain functioning. Walnuts strengthen muscles by nourishing the blood, relieve asthma by warming the lungs, aid in digestion and have sweet and warming properties, which means they are great for this season!

Nutritionally, walnuts provide a lot micronutrients: potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, zinc, copper, vitamins B9, B6, E, A and substantial amounts of dietary fiber, which eases constipation. They are also full of essential fatty acids like linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid.

How to Eat More Walnuts: Freshly shelled walnuts taste great eaten raw or cooked. Add raw walnuts to salads. Chop them up small and eat with a baked apple or pear or add them to your baked goods – breads, muffins, and cookies. Roast them as an appetizer or add them to a grain dish – like rice, quinoa or pasta.

How to roast walnuts? Spread them onto a baking sheet and place them in the oven for a few minutes (until lightly brown).
To toast them, place them in a skillet with a little bit of oil.

Walnut oil is another way to get the essential fatty acids (but not the fiber). Walnut oil is wonderful in salad but does not react well to heating so it’s not recommended for cooking.

A Note About Storage
: Because of their high fat content, walnuts turn rancid quickly. Chopped or ground walnuts turn rancid more easily than walnuts in the shell. 
 If they are stored in a cool place in the shell, you can keep them for up to a year. 
If you prefer to buy them unshelled, store them in an airtight container, in a cool, dark place. You do not want to keep them for more than a month.

Miso Soup with Scallions

This past week, so many of my patients have come in sick! The temperatures dropped and then rose again - which is prime time for illness. So, I am reposting this great Miso Soup recipe. As soon as you feel run down, make this soup and throw in some extra ginger and scallions.

Miso Soup with Scallions, a very popular dish, is actually an ancient herbal remedy for colds. In 300 AD, Ge Hong, a famous herbalist, wrote about Miso Soup with Scallions in a book called, Bei ji zhou hou fang or Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve.

The soup is intended to be eaten at the onset of a cold when a person is just beginning to feel a headache, stuffy nose and a slight fever. So, the next time you feel a cold coming on, be sure to have your miso!

Miso Soup (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

* 6 cups water
* 3-4 Tablespoons Aka Miso or red soy bean paste (usually sold in the refrigerated section)
* 3-5 green onions stalks, chopped

Directions:

* Dissolve the miso in a little bit of boiling water (about 2 tsp.)
* Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and add the miso & scallions.
* Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
* Remove from heat top with green onions and serve.

Variations: you can add various other ingredients to make a more substantial soup, such as tofu, seaweed, fresh mushrooms, cooked shrimp, snow pea sprouts, cooked rice noodles, or paper-thin slices of fresh ginger.

Late Summer Polenta

As we shift into late summer, the fifth season in Chinese medicine, we can enjoy an abundance of nutritious food the earth offers up. This season is associated with the color yellow, so what better in-season food to enjoy than corn?

One of my favorite takes on this mildly sweet vegetable is polenta, finely ground corn cooked into a thick paste.

To make polenta, all you need is

1 cup polenta
3 cups water
1/8-1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

*Mix 1/2 cup water with polenta.
*Boil the remainder of the water and gently pour into the polenta. Stir while pouring.
*Bring back to boil.
*Add salt and cover.
*Simmer 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Variations: Mix vegetables or raisins and nuts into cooking polenta. You can pour it into molds or cut it into squares when it has cooled.

No-Cook Tomato Watermelon Soup

It might be rainy in New York this Friday, but the sun is coming back this weekend, along with warmer temperatures. Who wants to slave over a hot stove when it's nice outside?

The current issue of Self features a bunch of no-cook recipes that sound delicious. This Tomato-Watermelon Soup includes some of the best parts of a watermelon-and-feta salad I love, with an added twist. From a Chinese medicine standpoint, cooling foods are especially important in the hot weather to regulate heat in the body. This photo from the magazine's website makes me want to run to the farmer's market to buy all the ingredients!

To make this soup, you need:

2 cups cubed watermelon (about a 2 1/2-lb piece)
2 tomatoes (about 1/2 lb), quartered
2 tablespoons unsalted almonds, ground
1/2 shallot, quartered
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons feta, crumbled
1 tablespoon black olives, pitted and chopped
2 teaspoons fresh mint

Directions:

Blend watermelon, tomatoes, almonds, shallot, lemon juice, vinegar and oil in a food processor until smooth. Divide soup among 4 bowls and top with feta, olives and mint.

Have a lovely weekend!

For more information about about Diet and Nutrition, check out the Five Seasons website!

Sharon

Bean Burgers—great blood-strengthening fuel!

And now for Part Two of our post-partum haircare episode...

Foods rich in iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 can help fortify the blood, promoting optimal health in new mothers and anyone else who needs to strengthen their blood.

Beans are a great source of iron, B-vitamins and protein (another key nutrient). These bean burgers, when paired with a salad of leafy greens and sprouts (for folic acid) and sliced tomato (for vitamin C, which aids absorption), are a tasty way to boost your intake and say hello to renewed energy and shiny, healthy hair!

Bean Burgers

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked beans
1 carrot, diced
1/4 onion, diced (optional)
1 tablespoon herbs*
1/2 cup bread crumbs, whole wheat flour, or cooked grain
Sea salt to taste
Toasted nuts or seeds


Directions:

Mash beans
Mix ingredients together and form patties or small balls.
Fry or bake at 350oF until browned (approximately 30 minutes)

*Some herbal combinations to try:
Coriander, cumin, ginger (lentil, black, aduki)
Sage, thyme, oregano (black, pinto, lentil, kidney)
Dill, basil (lentil, garbanzo, split pea)
Fennel or cumin (pinto, kidney)
Mint, garlic (garbanzo, lentil)

—recipe courtesy of Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford

Spring Salad

Spring has officially begun!

As the season of renewal of energy, spring is also the time of year when we “clean out” the heavy, dampening foods of winter in favor of lighter, fresh fare. A diet rich in yang-type foods that echo the expansive energy of springtime are recommended, such as vegetables like kale, collard greens, corn, asparagus and celery. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and cranberries also help cleanse the liver. Consuming a moderate amount of raw foods can also stimulate liver qi flow. And remember, consuming organic and local ingredients taste better and is better for you! Why not throw together a festive spring salad?

Ingredients:

3 cups Salad Greens
½ cup chopped Celery
1 cup sliced Strawberries
Walnut Oil and Red Wine Vinegar for dressing
Salt and Pepper as needed

Directions:

Make sure greens, celery, and strawberries are all properly washed.
Place ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Mix 1-2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.
Toss salad with oil and vinegar mixture.