Warm Cereal with Stewed Stone Fruit

There seems to be a conversation happening in the food wellness world around blood sugar and hormone balancing with an over emphasis on eating high amounts of protein, especially at breakfast. While this isn’t necessarily harmful advice, it is much more nuanced than that. Firstly if you think you have blood sugar or hormonal issues you should seek medical testing. Secondly we can consider the broader world and cultural food practices, we see that millions of people around the world start their day with simple carbs such as breads like toast, flatbreads, , assorted rice dishes/congee, rice and beans, corn breads/tortillas, and oats. It would be absurd to assume all these people are at best making poor health choices and at worst causing blood sugar related diseases. Is the high protein/hormone balancing fad perhaps diet culture in disguise as wellness?

In TEAM food philosophy there is more importance placed on 1) eating for your individual constitution and 2) eating in relation to the seasons. Warm breakfasts are advised throughout the year to keep your digestive energy optimal but we can customize them to reflect our bioregional food systems. Right now as we transition into autumn in the PNW stone fruits, berries, apples and pears are ripening and filling the farmers markets and grocery stores. All foods that help the body transition to fall by supporting the lungs and large intestines - the organs of the autumn season.

This has been my current warm breakfast base- oats with added seeds to nourish yin. If you are someone who likes extra protein you can add a scoop of protein powder and if the seeds are too expensive you can double the oats or even use white rice instead - I promise you will be healthy and nourished either way.

Warm Breakfast Base

• 1 cup oats

• 1/3 cup each ground flax, chia, hemp seeds

• optional 1 scoop protein powder

Mix all ingredients in a large tupperware - makes 6 servings. To cook one serving add 1/3 cup cereal to 2/3 cup boiling water and cook for 3-5 mintues. Add desired toppings.

Stewed Stone Fruit

• 4-6 cups stone fruit de-pittedand chopped

• 1 tsp each - cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice

• optional 2 -4 tbsp sugar or sweetener

Add everything to a pot and simmer on low heat until fruit has broken down into a thick sauce. Fill mason jars to can in a water bath if desired.

Apple Chai Quinoa Congee + Recipes for Seasonal Transition

Feb 19th marks the second solar term of the year - Yu Shui - rain water. Yang qi starts to rise in nature. We start to see snow & frost melt, birds return home, and new growth springs from the earth. With this time comes an increase in dampness, especially in the Pacific North West, so it’s beneficial to support your kidneys, spleen and digestion to prevent dampness in the body. Keep your feet, low back and neck warm, continue to rest or do gentle exercise, and consume warm, cooked and gently spiced foods. 

A note on TCM eating philosophy: there is an emphasis on eating foods that counter the energetics of the season, foods that support our individual constitution and generally incorporating warm cooked foods to lessen the digestive force needed to break down and assimilate nutrients. The latter especially during the colder months and the in between seasons change when our spleen/digestion is most in need of support. 

Congees are especially recommended this time of year. An easy and cost effective way to follow TCM eating principles. The recipe below swaps quinoa for rice. Quinoa supports the kidneys, containing a higher mineral & protein content than other cereals and is often tolerated by those who are sensitive to grains. Cooked in chai tea, the carminative spices warm + support the spleen + digestion, while black tea helps to regulate qi, and resolve dampness and phlegm. 

Apple Chai Quinoa Congee

Recipe:

6 apples, chopped 

1 cup quinoa 

3 cups water 

3 cups chai tea - steeped from a bag or pre-made concentrate 

2 tsp Cinnamon 

6 Chinese dates 

Goji berries 

Optional toppings: walnuts, nut butter, honey or maple syrup

In a slow cooker combine all ingredients. Set to low heat and let cook overnight. Wake up to warm breakfast.

Other Congee Recipes:

• Cantonese Jook Recipe

• Squash + Tahini Porridge

• Millet Congee

• Ginger-Honey Okayu

• Dampness Clearing Congee

Stewed Persimmon With Herbal Syrup

Persimmons are in season and have a long history of usage as medicine to clear “pathogenic heat” like coughs, high blood pressure, and hangovers. The peels can also be used in a face mask to benefit the complexion. In our cold damp climate, I like to cook them to neutralize their cooling thermal nature and added some herbal syrup for extra support. I used chaga syrup but elderberry would be nice too.

Ingredients:

2 persimmons sliced - fuyu preferred

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp herbal syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon

optional: toppings like nuts, seeds, coconut yogurt, almond milk

Directions: Simmer ingredients on stove top for 15-20 mins until soft. Serve warm with toppings.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

Fall comfort food that helps attune your body to the seasons. Winter squash in TCM supports the lungs and large intestine (Organs of fall) as well as the spleen and stomach which help to improve digestion, mental clarity and absorption of nutrients.

“In terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Winter Squash is known for its ability to Expel cold and resolve phlegm. It also helps to regulate blood circulation and resolve dampness.“

INGREDIENTS

• 1 butternut squash

• 1 egg

• salt, pepper, garlic powder, turmeric

• 1 1/2 cup tapioca flour

• 1 1/2 cup coconut flour

DIRECTIONS:

• Bake squash until very tender. Let cool and remove the skin. In a bowl or on a flat surface combine eggs, flour, squash and spices. Knead until a dough forms.
  

• Start with 2 cups flour and add by the tbsp until the right consistency is achieved. (The amount will vary each time depending on the size of your squash & eggs)

• On a floured surface roll sections of dough into long snake shapes and then cut into 1” pieces, dust with flour to keep from sticking.

• Working in batches drop your gnocchi pieces into salted boiling water, remove with a slatted spoon when they float to the top.

• If you like a softer gnocchi you can add them to your sauce now

• If like me, you like them a bit firmer, you can transfer them to a warm oiled skillet and brown them on each side with some salt and garlic.

Mung Bean Dal & Wild Rice Stew

Mung bean dal and wild rice stew :: a take on traditional Ayurvedic kitchari using a wild rice blend and increasing the cooking liquid to make a stew like consistency. This is a easy to digest meal that supports the spleen and digestion. Mung bean helps to gently cleanse the body of summer indulgence while the carminative spices support the stomach, spleen, lungs and large intestine.

1 cup wild & brown rice mix
1 cup dried split mung beans
1 inch ginger
1 tbsp cumin, coriander, fennel seeds
2 tbsp turmeric
I onion
4 cloves garlic
Salt & black pepper
3 tomatos
3 liters bone broth or vegetable stock
4 cup coconut oil or ghee
2 cups chopped zucchini
2 cups spinach
Cilantro to garnish

Add coconut oil to large pot and simmer garlic, onion, ginger and all spices. Add diced tomatoes and cook down for 5-7 mins. Add rinsed rice and dal to pot and stir into spices. Cover with broth and simmer for 1-2 hours until it reduces into a thick porridge like consistency. Add green veg and cook another 5 mins. serve warm with cilantro.

Three Sisters Stew

A celebration of indigenous agricultural practices, the three sisters: beans, corn and squash, have been planted together pan culturally over turtle island for millennia. Corn provides stability for beans to grow up, beans fix nitrogen in the soil, squash provide broad leaf shade and weed control. A beautiful lesson in companion planting and a reminder of the power of mutual aid and interdependence.

As the weather changes its good to swap the cold and raw dishes of the summer for cooked, steamed and stewed seasonal produce to help with digestion and absorption. This stew combines the three sisters which are all readily available in our gardens and farmers markets this fall, cooked in broth for a dish supportive of seasonal attunement. Squash supports the spleen and digestion while beans and corn support kidney energy. A nice dish to bring to potlucks or share with others that support you.

*If using canned veggies in this recipe try to look for non-gmo and BPA free tins.

Three Sisters Stew

1-2 ears local corn, roasted & shaved off the cob. Or 1 1/2 cups frozen or canned non gmo corn.

1 winter squash, peeled and cubed such as butternut

1 can beans - black, pinto or white

2 cups chopped garden tomatoes or 1 can diced tomatoes

1 bunch of kale, chopped

1 onion

4 cloves garlic

6 -8 cups broth

salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika

Directions

• In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic and spices until translucent.

• Add broth, tomatoes, squash and beans.

• Simmer until squash is fork tender.

• Add roasted corn and chopped kale, cook until kale is tender and vibrant green.

• Adjust spices as needed.

• Serve warm on its own or with bread or rice. Optional toppings: cilantro, pulled chicken, creme fresh.

Steamed Pink Scallops with Wild Rose Mignonette

In an attempt to eat less meat and be more conscious about where mine comes from, I signed up for a local fishing share this year. This supports small scale fishing families on the coast and allows me access to fish and seafood that I would otherwise never eat. Such as pink and spiny scallops. A local wild caught variety that is sustainable and delicious.

In TCM scallops are considering cooling, salty, and benefits kidneys, qi and yin fluids. While vinegar, shallot and rose gently move liver qi.

Steamed Pink and Spiny Scallops:

Pink and Spiny scallops are smaller in size and thus can be eaten whole. If you want a more mild taste, remove the black part (scallop stomach) before serving.

They are simple to cook, just add frozen scallops into a steamer basket for 5-7 minutes until all the shells open. Serve on the half shell with mignonette.

mignonette:

1 shallot finely diced

1/2 cup white one vinegar

3-4 tablespoons Nootka rose infused honey

salt and pepper

Combine ingredients well and let sit in fridge for a few hours before serving with shellfish.

Chickweed & Pesto Cake Salé

Chickweed is highly nutritional weed found just about everywhere through the spring and summer months. Rich in calcium, magnesium, vitamins and 80x more iron than spinach. Chickweed is getting a bit mature and woody to be eating in late summer but I used the last flush of it in this cake salé. A nod to my ancestry, cake salé is a common French savoury cake that can be served as an appetizer or for breakfast.

Chickweed Cake Sale

1 cup blanched and strained/squeezed chickweed
4 eggs
1/4 cup butter
1 cup gf flour
Salt & pepper
1/4 cup pesto - I had garlic scape & pumpkin seed pesto on hand
1 tsp each baking powder and soda

Blanch and strain your chickweed, making sure to squeeze out the excess water. In a food processor blend chickweed with butter, eggs and pesto until smooth. Add flour, salt & pepper and baking soda/powder. Pour into a greased cast iron pan and bake at 400 for 45-55mins or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool and serve with goat or cashew cheese. .

Tulsi Holy Basil Pesto

Transitioning into late summer I’ve been trying to get as many nervines and adaptogens in my diet as possible lately. Tulsi is a wonderful medicinal and culinary plant that helps the body adapt to the stressors of everyday and tones the nervous system. Grown locally, tulsi is ready to harvest this month and can be found fresh at farmers markets or at Green Muse herb shop downtown. Tulsi is related to the more commonly known culinary basil and they pair well together in this simple pesto recipe that can be served on pasta, in salad dressings, as a veggie dip or frozen/canned for a medicinal boost in the winter months.

Tulsi pesto:

2 cups chopped tulsi, de-stemmed
2 cups fresh basil
2 cups spinach or greens of your choice
6 cloves garlic
3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until desired consistency. Add more oil as you go if needed. Store in glass jars for up to two weeks or can/freeze for winter storage.
.

Cooling Herbal Grass Jelly for the Heat Wave

Grass jelly is made with the plant Chinese Mesona, a bitter and cooling herb in the mint family. It’s often served with fruit, grains and milk on hot days to help cool the body. A nice (sugar free & vegan) alternative to popsicles and ice cream. You can find it canned at most Asian grocers. Serve chilled with local fruit and coconut milk.

Nettle Dill Pickles

Herbal pickles are a fun way to experiment with botanicals. They enhance both the flavour profile and nutritional value as vinegar draws the medicinal constituents of the herbs. There are two ways to do this. By adding dried herbs to your canning jars before packing them with veggies or by adding fresh or dried herbs to your brine. I used the latter for this recipe for nettle dill pickles.

Nettle Dill Pickles

• Two 16oz mason jars

• 2 cups vinegar - I like to use apple cider or white wine

• 2 cups water

• 1/4 sugar or sweetener

• 2 tbsp pickling salt

• 2 tbsp nettle puree or 1/4 cup fresh chopped leaves

• 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped

• 2-3 cups veggies, cut into spears - cucumbers, peppers, carrots, string beans, etc

Method

• Pack your jars with veggies, leaving at least an inch of room at the top

• To make brine: bring all other ingredients to a gentle boil, make sure all salt and sugar is dissolved. Pour brine into your jars, covering veggies.

• Seal your jars and let cool or place in a canning bath for storage. Let sit in fridge for at least 24 hours before enjoying.

Nettle Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Comfort food dressed up for spring. There is something special about these slower recipes, especially this one which calls for an afternoon in the woods picking nettles. Though, if you aren’t a confident forager, many specialty grocers in town have nettles this time of year.

Ingredients

2 med sweet potatoes - white not orange

1/2 cup nettle puree*

2 eggs

2 - 2 1/2 cups gluten-free flour**

Optional: 1tsp liquid chlorophyll to enhance the beautiful color

Directions:

• Boil or bake your potatoes until very tender. Let cool and remove the skin. In a bowl or on a flat surface combine eggs, flour and potato and knead until a dough forms. Start with 2 cups flour and add by the tbsp until the right consistency is achieved. (The amount will vary each time depending on the size of your potatoes & eggs)

• On a floured surface roll sections of dough into long snake shapes and then cut into 1” pieces, dust with flour to keep from sticking.

• Working in batches drop your gnocchi pieces into salted boiling water, remove with a slatted spoon when they float to the top.

• If you like a softer gnocchi you can add them to your sauce now

• If like me, you like them a bit firmer, you can transfer them to a warm oiled skillet and brown them on each side with some salt and garlic.

• I like to serve these with arugula pesto or wild green pesto.

* To make nettle puree - add your nettles to a pot of boiling water and blanch for 3-5 minutes to remove the sting. Strain into a colander and rinse with cold water. Add nettles to a blender and puree.

** I’ve used gf flour mix, paleo flour mix and a combination of tapioca & coconut flours- all have worked well in this recipe.

Stinging Nettle Lemon Sponge Cake

A beautiful, chlorophyll rich sponge cake that also helps to build blood, minerals and iron. It was my first time baking with Nettle and it’s such a treat. If you aren’t a confident forager, many specialty grocers carry nettle this time of year.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup nettle puree*

• 2 cups gluten-free flour

• 4 eggs

• 1/2 cup butter

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1 tbsp vanilla

• 1/2 tsp each baking powder & soda

• juice of one lemon + some rind if you like it zesty

* To make nettle puree - add your nettles to a pot of boiling water and blanch for 3-5 minutes to remove the sting. Strain into a colander and rinse with cold water. Add nettles to a blender and puree.

Directions:

In a mixer combine nettle puree, lemon juice, eggs, vanilla, butter and sugar. Sift baking powder and soda into the flour and then add to wet ingredients slowly, mixing well. Pour into greased cast iron pan or baking dish. Bake at 350 for 50 mins or until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean. Delicious on its own with a cup of tea or served shortcake style with fruit and coconut yogurt or whip.

Thyroid Supporting Pumpkin Tart

Another gelatine experiment that turned out lovely. This tart uses zinc & selenium rich seeds for the crust, which help to balance hormones and support thyroid function. The pumpkin filling is thickened with seamoss gel* for extra iodine/trace minerals and gelatine which is full of amino acids that heal the gut lining, strengthen connective tissue and sooth the nervous system. Served best with probiotic coconut yogurt.

Ingredients:

Crust:

1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup of sunflower seeds

1/3 cup of baking dates, soaked in warm water to rehydrate

1 tbsp seamoss gel

Instructions: Pulse all ingredients together in a food processor until a crumbly dough forms. Press into a 10 inch cast iron pan or greased baking dish. Bake for 10 mins at 350.

Filling:

1 can of pumpkin puree

1 egg

2 tbsp gelatine

2 tbsp seamoss gel

2 tbsp sweetener of your choice - I used stevia

1 tbsp pumpkin spice

Directions: blend all ingredients in a food processor until well combined and pour over crust. Bake at 350 until a tooth pick comes out clean from the centre - about 30-40 mins.

Let cool and serve with coconut yogurt or whip.

*A note on seamoss - sometimes called Irish moss it is a neutral flavoured seaweed that is used as a thickening agent and health food supplement. You can find it in powder form at some health food stored and mix with water to make a gel or order online from Vancouver based https://akeempierre.com

Herbal Gummies

I’ve been playing with these since I accidentally bought a rather large tub of gelatin instead of collagen and turned my coffee into jello. Gelatin does have some great health benefits. In tcm it is used in to support deficiencies of yin and blood. It is a good nutritional source of glycine which can help strengthen connective tissue, heal gut lining and acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter which can help decrease stress hormones.

The ratio for jello gummies is:

•1 cup liquid to 4 tbsp gelatin powder: blend, heat, pour into molds & set in the fridge.

These ones are turmeric latte mix with liquid vitamin D but I think herbal teas and syrups will be the next experiment. Elderberry for immune support, ‘sleepy time’ tea for stress & sleep, nettle & green juice for liver support. It could be a great way to get kids and those on soft diets some extra herbs and vitamins.

If you have the means - there’s a lot of “ethical” options for sustainable gelatin these days but if you are on a limited budget Knox brand is very inexpensive and has the same health benefits.

Post Partum Confinement Broth

Confinement practices are part of the cultural tradition of sitting the month postpartum - where one is confined to their house to recover after giving birth. Sitting the month has a particular focus on dietary therapy to help heal the body gently. Herbal soups and broths are taken to replenish vital substances lost during delivery and to prevent illnesses from occurring while the body is in a depleted state. More on sitting the month here.

As such, I often give my clients bags of herbs to make broth or drop off a fresh batch following a birth. This is my current go-to broth recipe, delicious and full of tonifying & replenishing herbs. It freezes well, so I often make an extra large batch and store some for later use. It can be taken by the mug full as a supportive drink, used to cook rice or quinoa, or as the base for traditional confinement soup recipes.

Ingredients

• chicken bones - I use a whole carcass for a large batch

• if you don’t eat meat 2 cups chopped shiitake or maitake work well in place

• 4-5 stalks green onion

• 4 lobes of garlic

• 2 inch piece of ginger, sliced

• 3-4 Chinese dates

• 2 tbsp Goji berries

• 4 sticks of Huang Qi - Astragalus

• small handful Dang Gui - Angelica

• one whole lemon, halved

• 1-2 cups chopped veggies or veggie ends - carrots, celery, etc

• salt & pepper

Directions: place all ingredients in a large stock pot & fill with water. Bring to a boil, cover with lid and reduce to simmer for at least 2 hours - longer is better with bones. Strain off broth & refill water to boil a second batch of broth if desired.

Wild Rice Cauliflower Salad

Having roots in the lakes region, it always feels special when I find “Canadian” wild rice in stores. Not a true rice but the seed of a native aquatic grass - wild rice is an heirloom variety and one of cultural importance to First Nations across the lakes region of turtle island. Wild rice is high in antioxidants and minerals like magnesium. Cauliflower, parsley and turmeric are supportive of the liver. While lemon, vinegar and garlic help to move liver stagnation and circulate Wei qi (immune support!). A seasonal recipe for the start of spring - the season associated with the liver.

1 1/2 cups wild rice (look for Canadian grown)

4-5 cups water or broth

1 454g bag of cauliflower rice or 1 large head finely chopped

1 red onion

2-3 cloves garlic

4-6 tbsp dried currants

1 bunch of parsley

1 lemon

1 tsp turmeric

Salt & pepper

olive oil & rice wine or apple cider vinegar

Cook rice in water or broth & set aside. Sautee onion & garlic until med-soft, then add cauliflower, turmeric, salt and pepper. Combine with rice in a large bowl. Add currants & chopped parsley. Drizzle with juice of whole lemon, olive oil and vinegar. Serve warm or room temperature.

Blueberry Chia Seamoss Porridge

A recipe to support your kidneys & adrenals. (We could all use a little boost these days) Dark coloured & black foods are TCM recommended in the winter to support the kidneys - Such as dark berries, seeds, & seaweeds. The addition of sweet potato and flax in this recipe helps to build blood and is supportive of lactating bodies to boost milk production - it’s also a general tonic for post partum recovery. Seamoss is a neutral flavoured seaweed that is high in minerals. You can find it at most health stores or online.

Ingredients

2 cups blueberries
1 med white sweet potato (white not orange)
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup flax meal
Optional: 2 tbsp seamoss gel or 1 tsp powder
Toppings: coconut yogurt, dark chocolate, chopped walnuts.

In a slow cooker add berries, chopped potato and coconut milk and leave on low overnight. In the morning purée with emulsion blender and add chia, flax and seamoss if using.

*You can also use other dark berries like wild blackberries, salad berries, black raspberries, & saskatoon berries.

Turmeric Pineapple Carrot Porridge

Like carrot cake in a breakfast bowl. Nutrient dense, full of omegas & antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and immune supporting. Another recipe to support your spleen & stomach. I’m seeing a lot of Qi deficiency, exhaustion & burnout in clinic. The spleen is the organ related to helping us process emotionally & “digesting” our experiences and the world around us. After last year, we need to take a lot of care of our spleen/stomach & food is a good place to start.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped or grated carrots

• 2 cups pineapple - fresh or frozen

• 1 can coconut milk

• 2 inch piece of ginger - finely chopped or grated

• 1 cup shredded coconut unsweetened

• 1/2 cup flax meal

• 2 tbsp turmeric latte powder or 1 tbsp regular ground turmeric

• 2 tbsp pumpkin spice

• 1-2 tsp vanilla

• Optional: 2 scoops collagen powder

• Toppings: dried currants or raisins, chopped walnuts, coconut yogurt

Directions:

• Add all ingredients except flax and collagen powder (if using) to a slow cooker and cook on low overnight.

• In the morning, remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender. Stir in flax and collagen if using.

• Serve warm with toppings.

Carrot Chayote Soup

A recipe for supporting your body & immune system through the seasons change. As we are in relationship with the natural world - our bodies mirror the rythms of nature - the energy of the earth is starting to move up and outwards allowing for shoots & blooms. I’ve been starting to notice the energy rising in my own body and feeling the pulses and abdomens change on the table. To help our body move with the season we can incorporate more pungent herbs into our diet like onion, garlic, chilli and ginger which circulate Qi in the body up and out, protect against wind-cold (seasonal colds & climatic factor of spring) and move liver Qi (organ of spring). This recipe has lots of pungent herbs + veggies that support the spleen/stomach (digestion), are nutrient dense + support the liver. 

Carrot Chayote Soup Recipe:

  • 3 cups chopped carrots

• 2 - 3 small chayote squash chopped & peeled - or sub 1 cup roasted squash of choice 

• 4-6 cloves garlic 

• 1 cup onion and/or leek

• 3 inches of ginger 

• 1 litre of broth - chicken or veggie

• 1 can coconut milk 

• 1-3 tbsp of samba chili paste depending on spice preferences 

• salt and pepper to taste 

• thai basil for topping 

Method:

• Stove top: Simmer garlic, ginger and onion until fragrant. Add veggies, broth and coconut milk. Cover and cook until very tender, about 30 mins. Add chili paste, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and purée with immersion blender. Top with basil for serving.

• Slow cooker: add all ingredients to a slow cooker. Cook on high for 2-3 hours - or on low over night. Purée with immersion blender & top with basil for serving.