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Chai

Categories: Asian, Beverages, Qi Stagnation, Spleen Damp Cold, Spleen Qi Vacuity, Spleen Yang Vacuity, Stomach Cold, Vegetarian

chai-tea

CHAI TEA

makes 2 quarts

Ingredients:

2 qts water

2 cinnamon sticks

¼ c green cardamom pods

1 heaping tsp black peppercorns

½ heaping tsp whole cloves

Several slices of fresh ginger

1-2 black teabags (I like Darjeeling or Earl Gray)

Honey

Goat’s Milk

nutmeg

1) Combine all ingredients except for the tea bags; bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 45 min.  Add the tea bags and continue to simmer for another 10-15 min.  Strain into a container to store.

2) To serve, reheat a desired amount and add honey and goat’s milk to taste; grate nutmeg over the top.

Variations:

Experiment by adding other dried herbs like dried tangerine peel or dried coconut.

You can substitute soy milk, rice milk, or almond milk for the goat’s milk.

TCM ANALYSIS

Qi Stagnation with Cold in the Middle Jiao

Cinnamon:  Hot, acrid, and sweet; HT, LV, KD, SP; strengthens stomach, warms body.

Cardamom:  Warm, acrid; KD, SP; aids digestion, warms and resolves dampness, regulates Qi, stops

nausea and vomiting.

Black Peppercorns:  Hot, acrid; ST, LI; warms body, aids digestion

Cloves:  Warm, acrid; KD, SP, ST; warms body, reverses rebellious Qi.

Ginger:  Warm, acrid; LU, SP, ST; releases exterior Wind Cold, stops nausea/vomiting

Black Tea:  Cool, bitter, sweet; clears the head, resolves phlegm, promotes digestion and urination

Honey:  Warm, sweet; LU, SP, ST; lubricates dryness, strengthens digestion

Goat’s Milk:  Neutral, sweet; strengthens, nourishes Qi and Blood, lubricates dryness

This recipe contains very warming and moving herbs that promote good digestion.  Goat’s Milk is

the traditional ingredient in this drink and even though it can be considered an acquired taste, in a

small amount, it works to tonify Qi and Blood.   Goat’s Milk is also much easier to digest than Cow’s

milk.  It can be used for indigestion, fatigue after meals, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

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Smooth Move Smoothie

Categories: Large Intestine Damp Heat, Large Intestine Qi Stagnation

Smooth Move Smoothie
L.I. shi heat leading to constipation
By Katie Fritz

1 apple, cored/sliced
1 pear, cored/sliced
1 plum, pitted/sliced
2 bananas
1/2 avocado
1/2 c. silken tofu
1-2 c. green tea (depending upon your preference of consistency)
1-2 tbsp. Maple syrup (to taste)
Cinnamon, to taste

Place the apple, pear, plum, bananas, avocado & tofu in your blender. Boil 8-16 oz. of water and add to 1-2 heaping tsp. of green tea leaves, steep for about 5 minutes. Once steeped to your liking, add green tea (w/o leaves) to your blender. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Give it a taste test & add maple syrup & cinnamon to your liking!

Serving size: 2-3 people

TCM analysis:
Apple: reduces dryness, alleviates thirst, tonifies qi
Pear: cools ST heat; generates body fluids, quenches thirst, clears heat, descends qi (& stops cough)
Plum: aids digestion, regulates body fluids, removes stagnation of qi
Banana: moistens the L.I.; clears heat, lubricates intestines
Avocado: nourishes yin & xue, moistens LU, skin & intestines
Tofu: expels heat & moistens/lubricates dryness, strengthens SP/ST
Green tea: cools heat, relieves thirst, promotes digestion
Maple syrup: sweet, tonifies SP/ST
Cinnamon (gui zhi): strengthens ST, warms coldness

The overall focus of this recipe is to cool L.I. heat, generate fluids & stimulate digestion. The cinnamon will counteract the mostly cold nature of this recipe, while stimulating the digestive organs. The fruits, tofu & tea cool heat & moisten the bowels.

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Daikon no Namasu (Carrot and Daikon Salad)

Categories: Large Intestine Fluid Vacuity, Liver Qi Stagnation, Lung Phlegm Heat, Spleen Damp

Daikon no Namasu (Carrot and Daikon Salad)
Japan

The color combination of white daikon and red carrot is regarded as a symbol of happiness.

Serves four

Ingredients
8 inch daikon
2 carrots
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
4 ½ tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp white sesame seeds

Cut the daikon into three pieces, and then thickly peel the skin. Peel the carrots and cut them into 2 inch pieces. Slice both vegetables very thinly lengthwise then across to make very thin matchsticks.

Place the daikon and carrot in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and mix well with your hands. Leave for about 30 minutes. Drain in a sieve and gently squeeze out the excess liquid, then transfer them to another mixing bowl.

Mix the sugar and rice vinegar together in a bowl. Stir well until the sugar has completely dissolved. Pour over the daikon and carrot, and leave for at least a day, mixing it two or three times.

Mix the two vegetables evenly and place in a small bowl or plate. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Daikon: cool acrid sweet LU ST
Actions: clears Heat, transforms Phlegm, cools the Blood, promotes urination, directs qi downwards, and improves digestion.
Indications: Phlegm Heat cough, Heat in the LU, febrile illness.

Carrot: sweet neutral SP LV LU HT
Actions: strengthens the SP and aids digestion, benefits the LV, improves vision, directs qi downwards, stops cough.
Indications: Indigestion, weak digestion, abdominal distension, constipation, visual weakness, night blindness; LU Heat cough and whooping cough, assists in the rash disorders of childhood, dysentery.

Salt: salty neutral KI
Actions: moistens dryness, softens hardness, benefits digestion, and promotes bowel movements.

Caster Sugar: sweet neutral LU SP
Actions: moistens the LU, increases yin fluids, and benefits the SP.
Indications: dry cough, dry throat, thirst, dull abdominal pain.

Vinegar: sour bitter warm LV
Actions: improves digestion, disperses stagnant Blood, stops bleeding, and balances rich and oily foods.
Indications: food stagnation, abdominal and hypochondriac masses and accumulations, hematemesis, hemafecia, epistaxis, postpartum dizziness and fainting, food poisoning.

White Sesame Seeds: sl. warm sweet LV KI
Actions: LV and KI tonic, lubricates intestines, general tonic.

Daikon no Namasu (composite): cool acrid sweet sour LU SP ST LV HT KI
Actions: clears Heat, transforms Phlegm, cools the Blood, promotes urination, directs qi downwards, and improves digestion, strengthens the SP and aids digestion, improves vision, stops cough, LV and KI tonic, lubricates intestines, general tonic.
Indications: Phlegm Heat cough, Heat in the LU, febrile illness, indigestion, weak digestion, abdominal distension, constipation, visual weakness, night blindness, LU Heat cough and whooping cough, assists in the rash disorders of childhood, dysentery.

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Shiitake and Shan Zha Congee

Categories: Heart Blood Stagnation, High blood pressure, High cholesterol, Large Intestine Qi Stagnation, Lung Qi Vacuity, Spleen Qi Vacuity, Stomach Food Retention, Wei Qi Vacuity

Shiitake and Shan Zha Congee

 

Spleen Qi Vacuity with high cholesterol

Function: strengthen SP, help digestion, regulate qi and relieve stagnation.  It could use for sp/st xu with blood stasis and to lower LDL.

Ingredients : shan zha 15g, shiitake 10g, Geng mi 50g, sugar 1/2 tbs ,Water – enough amount to create congee
Serves: 3-5 people

How to cook:
1. soak shan zha, shiitake in warm water about 30 minutes then drain out water
2. in another pot make shan zha and shitake as tea , then add geng mi and sugar to make as congee

Function of ingredients:
Shan zha: disperse food stagnation, dissipate blood stasis, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol
Shiitake (xiang gu): sweet, neutral/ Spleen, Lung, strengthen qi, boost wei qi; lower cholesterol and prevent cancer
Geng mi: supplements the center and boots qi, fortify the Spleen and harmonize the Stomach

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Green Bean/Walnut salad

Categories: Kidney Jing Vacuity, Kidney Qi Vacuity, Liver Qi Stagnation

Green Bean/Walnut salad
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
1 lb of fresh chopped green beans
2 cups of chopped walnuts
1 clove of chopped garlic
4 tablespoons of olive oil
4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to frying pan, heat up oil and add the chopped garlic and sautee garlic, then add fresh green beans and stir fry for 3 minutes, then add walnuts and stir fry for 5 minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons with 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and pour over green beans and walnuts. Mix everything together and enjoy.

TCM Breakdown:
Green Bean: tonifies KD
Walnut: Tonifies KD and nourishes jing and marrow
Garlic: warm and acrid, releases exterior, regulates qi,
Olive oil: moistens dryness
Vinegar: sour, invigorates blood, clears toxin, astringent

CI for garlic: don’t use for hot/dry disorders

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Salmon Steamed in Napa Cabbage

Categories: Kidney Jing Vacuity, Kidney Yin Vacuity, Large Intestine Damp Heat, Large Intestine Qi Stagnation

Salmon Steamed in Napa Cabbage

Ingredients

  • 12 leaves Napa cabbage
  • 2 lbs salmon fillets, skinned
  • 2 tb olive Oil
  • 1 tb lemon juice
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/4 c minced shallots or scallions
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (1/4 tsp dried thyme)
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh basil (1/4 tsp dried basil)

FOR THE SAUCE

  • 1/2 c Seafood stock
  • 2 Red bell peppers roasted puree
  • 1 1/2 tsp Lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Anchovy paste or salt
  • 1 pinch white pepper

Instructions

  1. Bring water to a boil, and blanch the cabbage leaves until pliable, about 2 minutes.  Drain and set aside.
  2. Cut the salmon and sole into 1/2-inch cubes, and set aside.
  3. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallots and garlic, and saute, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.  Add to the fish, along with the lemon juice, pepper, salt, thyme and basil.  Mix gently.
  4. Place 2 cabbage leaves overlapping slightly.  Divide mixture in the center of the six sets of leaves. Roll cabbage, tucking in the sides to enclose the filling, and secure the rolls with toothpicks.  Place in a bamboo steamer, and steam over boiling water for 7 to 10 minutes.
  5. While the rolls are steaming, puree the stock, peppers, lemon juice, anchovy paste and pepper in a blender or food processor with a steel blade.
  6. Pour into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce by half, stirring frequently.
  7. To serve, place a pool of sauce on the plate, and top with a cabbage roll.

Cabbage and Salmon in particular are great foods to use to tonify KD Jing.  Cabbage is sweet and neutral, goes to KD/ST and harmonizes the ST and nourishes KD Jing.  Salmon is also sweet and neutral, goes to the SP/KD and nourishes yin, blood and KD Jing.  This would be a well balanced dish making it a fairly neutral temperature meal.  The garlic and shallots would be warming and help with digestion.  (Tao of Nutrition states that Napa cabbage is actually sweet and cold.  It’s actions are clearing heat and lubricating intestines.)

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Mustard Greens

Categories: Liver Blood Vacuity, Liver Qi Stagnation

Mustard Greens

Ingredients:

  • ½ C thinly sliced onions
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb. mustard greens, washed and torn into large pieces
  • 2-3 Tbsp chicken broth
  • ¼ tsp dark sesame oil

Instructions:

  1. In a large saute pan, saute onions in olive oil over medium heat until the onions begin to brown and caramelize, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more, until fragrant.
  2. Add the mustard greens and broth and cook until the mustard greens are just barely wilted. Toss with sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

TCM breakdown:

onion: acrid, warm; LU, ST, LI; promotes sweating; resolves phlegm, regulates qi
garlic: acrid, hot; detoxifies meat & seafood; removes stagnant food or blood; warms yang
olive oil: sweet, sour, astringent, neutral; clears heat, detoxifies, promotes body fluids
mustard greens: acrid, warm; LU, LI; strengthens & lubricates intestines, increases appetite
chicken broth: sweet, warm; SP, ST, KD; supplements qi, nourishes xue, boosts wei qi
sesame oil: sweet, neutral; LV, KD, LU, LI; nourishes LV/KD, moistens LI, nourishes jing

This recipe is primarily acrid, sweet, and warm.  According to the Clinical Handbook of Internal Medicine, mildly acrid flavor promotes the movement of qi to regulate the LV.  The sweet ingredients in the recipe (primarily the oils) moisten the LI and promote body fluids.  The main ingredient, mustard greens, also strengthens and lubricates intestines.  For these reasons, I would recommend this recipe to patients with IBS due to LV qi stagnation leading to constipation, especially if their bowel movements are dry.

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Morning Sickness Mush: A recipe to help ease nausea in expecting Mommies

Categories: Spleen Qi Vacuity, Stomach Rebellious Qi

Morning Sickness Mush: A recipe to help ease nausea in expecting Mommies
By Katie Fritz

This recipe is to be prepared the evening before and placed in a crockpot to cook overnight

1/4 c. green lentils
1/4 c. brown rice
1/2 c. millet
1 slice of ginger (sheng jiang)
A slice of organic orange peel (sm. amount)
Honey to taste

A handful of fresh, organic strawberries

Place lentils, brown rice, millet, orange peel & ginger in a crockpot and cover with 4 cups water. Cook in the crockpot on low overnight.

In the morning add fresh strawberries to your mush & sweeten to taste w/ honey. Enjoy warm.

TCM analysis:
Lentils: neutral & sweet: supplement qi & blood; harmonize digestion, strengthen ST & descends rebellious qi
Brown rice: neutral-warm & sweet: supplements qi, supplements center burner; quenches thirst, relieves irritability
Millet: cool-neutral-warm, sweet: supplements qi & cools heat; stops vomiting, clears heat, soothes morning sickness
Ginger: warm, acrid & sl. sweet: warms middle burner, benefits ST
Orange peel: warm, bitter & acrid: moves qi
Strawberries: cool, sweet & sour: forms body fluids & blood, strengthens SP
Honey: neutral & sweet: supplements qi & blood; nourishes yin, tonifies weakness, strengthens SP

The overall goal of this recipe is to strengthen the middle burner & descend ST qi. There is more millet to cool & supplement the MJ and stop vomiting. The ginger and orange peel help regulate the qi (and are present in very small amounts). The orange peel is bitter to direct ST qi downward. The strawberries then nourish qi & blood. The honey is added for its tonifying properties & for taste!

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Hong Dou Tang (Red Bean Soup)

Categories: Shen Calming, Spleen Damp Cold, Spleen Qi Vacuity, Spleen Yang Vacuity, Stomach Rebellious Qi

Hong Dou Tang (Red Bean Soup)
China

Treatment Principle: strengthens SP, regulates qi, dispels Phlegm, drains Damp, promotes urination.

Serves 4

Ingredients
2/3 cup dried azuki beans
1/2 dried tangerine peel (chen pi) torn into pieces
3/4 cup of brown sugar or Chinese hong tang

Soak the azuki beans overnight in 4 cups of water.

Bring to a boil, reduce to medium low, add the tangerine peel, cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes. Add a further 4 cups of water and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 30 minutes.

To test to see if they are ready, press one bean between the fingers. It should crush without any effort. If it is still hard, cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, then check again.
Add half of the sugar to the pan containing the beans and stir gently continuing to add more sugar until it is sweet to your taste. Simmer for a few minutes longer.

Serve hot.

Azuki Beans: sweet sour neutral HT SP SI
Actions: strengthens the SP, promotes urination, and eliminates stagnant Blood.
Indications: SP deficiency edema, Damp and Damp Heat painful urination, diarrhea, leucorrhea, intestinal abscess, hemorrhoids, bleeding from the bowel.

Brown Sugar: sweet warm SP ST LV
Actions: supplements middle jiao, expels cold, invigorates blood, moves LV qi.
Indications: middle jiao deficiency cold, menstrual cramps, post childbirth recovery.

Chen Pi: acrid, bitter, warm, aromatic LU SP ST
Actions: regulates the qi, adjusts the middle, and relieves the diaphragm, dries dampness and transforms phlegm, prevents stagnation.
Indications: epigastric or abdominal distention, fullness, bloating, belching, nausea and vomiting, damp turbidity obstructing the middle with a stifling sensation in the chest, loss of appetite, fatigue, loose stools, thick greasy tongue coat.

Red Bean Soup (composite): aromatic sweet sour warm HT SP ST LV LU SI
Actions: adjusts and supplements middle jiao, promotes urination, invigorates Blood and eliminates stagnant Blood, expels cold, regulates and moves the qi, dries dampness and transforms phlegm.
Indications: SP deficiency edema, middle jiao deficiency cold, epigastric or abdominal distention, fullness, bloating, belching, nausea and vomiting, damp turbidity obstructing the middle with a stifling sensation in the chest, loss of appetite, fatigue, loose stools, thick greasy tongue coat.

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Carrot squash soufflé

Categories: Large Intestine Qi Stagnation, Spleen Damp Cold, Spleen Qi Vacuity, Spleen Yang Vacuity

Earth - Spleen yang xu, spleen qi xu

Carrot squash soufflé

The carrot squash soufflé is meant to help strengthen your digestion. It strengthens the spleen and large intestine, in order to stop diarrhea. The recipe is warm and nourishing, and will not be hard to digest. It also has anti-inflammatory properties to help your overall health.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups carrots, grated
  • 3 cups squash puree
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • ½ teaspoon each coriander and cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ cup ground almonds

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Sauté onion and ginger.
  3. Mix all the ingredients together.
  4. Sprinkle with almonds, bake for 35 minutes. (Healing with whole foods page 565).

 

Carrots- Sweet, neutral; spleen, liver, lung heart; Strengthens spleen and liver, nourishes and soothes liver, benefits the lung, diuretic drains damp, anti-inflammatory.

Squash- Cool, sweet; spleen, stomach; clears heat, detoxifies, promotes diuresis, quenches thirst, relieves restlessness.

Ginger-Pungent, warm; lung, spleen, stomach; disperses exterior cold, stops nausea and vomiting, detoxifies other herbs, reduces inflammation.

Coriander- Pungent, slightly cool; lung and spleen; promotes sweating, strengthens digestion, promotes qi flow.

Cumin- Pungent, bitter, slightly warm; spleen, stomach, large intestine; helps with abdominal pain and distention, protects against diarrhea and dysentery.

(Ginger, coriander and cumin together help with problems of flatulence (Healing with Whole Foods 210)).

Salt- Salty, cold; kidney; clears heat, cools blood, eases bowel movement, nourishes kidney.

Dijon mustard- Acrid, warm; lung, large intestine; harmonizes middle jiao, opens chest, descend qi.

Almonds- Sweet, neutral; lung, large intestine, Spleen; moistens lung and large intestine, supplements spleen and lung.

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