Gomasio
Gomasio is a perfect winter food because it contains two ingredients that resonate very much with the Water element and the Kidneys. And those are the only ingredients!
Lemon Water
This simple recipe is a tonic that embodies the sour flavor of the wood element. Lemon water has a number of health benefits and contains only two ingredients, good quality water and the juice from fresh squeezed lemons.
Beet, Cabbage and Carrot Salad
Beets are wonderful for strengthening the Heart and the blood. They can even sedate the emotions of fire out of balance like anxiety, nervousness and agitation. They are literally grounding. Beets improve circulation, purify the blood, benefit the liver and relieve fluid-deficient constipation and vascular congestion. With carrots, they can regulate hormones during menopause.
Coconut Oil Deodorant
While we may think of the brain as the director of our lives, in Chinese medicine the heart is considered the benevolent leader, the true self, and it houses the shen, or spirit. The first acupuncture point on the heart channel is located deep in the armpit and the channel then traces the inner line of the arm down from the armpit to the tip of the pinky finger.
Congee
Congee is a staple food in Chinese culture, mostly consumed for breakfast, and I love it for its simplicity and versatility. You can make it with any grain, you can add anything to it. It can be bland or flavorful, sweet or savory. The only rules are to cook it for a long time, giving it the ability to break down and become porridge. The Chinese believe that the longer it is cooked, the more powerful it becomes.
Squash Pancakes
A simple, easy, and delicious breakfast or snack.
Bone Broth
Bone broth is a highly nourishing, protein and mineral rich food, excellent for building bone strength and intestinal health and rebuilding the gut lining. It is a great staple to have in the fridge or freezer for easy meals. You can sip on the broth by itself or add ingredients to make a quick soup. You can use the broth instead of water for steaming and boiling other foods (adds great flavor and nutrient value). Soup bones can be purchased from most butcheries and grocery stores and are reasonably affordable as one bone can make several gallons of broth. The marrow bones are best, where the bone has been cut so you have access to the inside of the bone.
Buckwheat, Hemp Seed and Chia Seed Cereal
This is a simple alternative to carbohydrate-heavy grain cereals. Buckwheat, hemp and chia are all seeds, which provide much-needed morning protein without the heaviness and fatigue that can come on after a breakfast of oat, corn, or wheat cereals.
