Spleen Qi Xu Lunch

JP got us all excited to nourish and tonify our collective spleens.  She whipped up an amazing dish with a wild rice mix, boiled chicken and a beet juice drink. This is the perfect lunch to wake up the Spleen and encourage its transforming and transporting function. It was delicious!

TCM DOS: Spleen Qi Deficiency

TCM SS: Poor Appetite, Abdominal distention (especially after meals), loose stools, fatigue and lassitude, sallow complexion, heaviness in the body, and mental fatigue. This condition is worse with raw cold foods and better with cooked warm foods.

Tongue: Pale with thick white coat, slightly swollen and scalloped

Pulse: Weak, Slippery (with dampness accumulation)

Western Correlations: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Mal-absorption, Chronic Gastritis, Chronic Enteritis, Chronic Diarrhea, Ulcers.

Foods that Help: Oats, Rice, Congee’s, Mochi, Black Beans, Squash, Parsnip, Yams and Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, Carrots (cooked), Beets, Fennel, Dates, Figs, Molasses, Brown Sugar (in moderation), Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom,Chicken, Turkey, Halibut, Tuna.

Foods to Avoid: Raw salads, Raw vegetables, Citrus fruits, ice cream, seaweeds, bananas, tofu, dairy.

Lifestyle: It is best to eat smaller portions, while eating slowly, and chewing food very well. Avoid big meals, rushing while eating, or eating while emotionally upset.

Helpful Cooking Methods:Boiling, Baking, Roasting, and frying will increase the yang energy of the food making it easier to digest.

SP QI Xu Lunch

Rice

Ingredients:

1 lb Varied Wild Brown Rice

1 teaspoon Nutmeg

10 pieces of Da Zao-Chinese Date

Pinch of Black Pepper

1 oz of raw onions soaked in 3 cups of warm honey and water

Sprinkle of cinnamon after the rice cools down

 

PRE PREP
Soak 1 oz of raw onions in warm honey water overnight

 

Cooking Directions:

In a medium size pan heat 2 Cups of distilled water on medium heat and then add 1 cup of the water from the onion/honey that soaked overnight.  Cook rice for on low/med heat for 45-60 Minutes. In the last 10 minutes of cooking add the Da Zao.

Add Black pepper, nutmeg-stir after the rice has stopped steaming. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top and enjoy J

 

 

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

6 medium size sweet potatoes

3 tablespoons of honey

1 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper

 

Pre prep

Cut the Sweet potatoes and roll them around in a small amount of honey and black pepper. Cover and leave them at room temp over night.

 

Cooking Directions:

Bake in oven at 325 for 30 -45 minutes with ½ cup of the honey/onion water.

Add sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon.

Stir in 1 TB of honey

Drink:Beet Juice

Ingredients:

2 Beets with roots and leaves

4 cups of water

2 cups of Coconut Water

Directions:

Make slice into the beet and add them to boiling water. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Let cool and add coconut water. Enjoy J

Boiled Chicken

Ingredients:

7-8 medium size Chicken breasts cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon of black strap molasses

1 tablespoon of Maple Syrup

Sprinkle of nutmeg and black pepper

1 slice of dried, sugar coated ginger

Cooking Directions:

Heat distilled water in a large pot on medium heat for 10 minutes with the sliced ginger. Add chicken pieces into the water and cook until chicken is done. Stir in the maple syrup and black strap molasses. Sprinkle the nutmeg and black pepper.

Enjoy J

 

Symptoms include lack of appetite, bloating, loose stool, and fatigue.

              P: Weak          T: pale, soft tongue with thin, white fur.

Western diagnoses: diarrhea, gastric or duodenal ulcers, anemia, or even chronic hepatitis.

Foods to eat

Cooked, warming foods such as squash, carrots, potatoes, yams, rutabagas, turnips, leeks, onions, grains, oats, butter, small amounts of chicken, turkey, mutton or beef, cooked peaches, cherries, strawberries, figs, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, custards, small amounts of honey, molasses, maple syrup, sugar, Millet, beans, pine nuts, figs, dates, cabbage, onions, and pumpkin. Food should be well chewed and eaten in moderate amounts.

 

Foods to avoid:

Salsa, citrus, too much salt, tofu, millet, buckwheat, milk, cheese, seaweed, and excess sugar.

Recommended foods for SP Qi Deficiency are foods that are easy to digest.  Only warming and nourishing foods should be eaten.  Cooked, warmed, slow-cooking foods are best for those who suffer from Spleen Qi deficiency.  Recipes like soups, broths, cooked vegetables, rice, oatmeal and small portions of meats.  Uncooked and raw foods should be avoided, as they are difficult for the body to digest.  Avoiding salads and raw vegetables will improve function of the spleen.  Over eating, fasting and eating while working should be avoided.

 

Sweet & Savory Spleen Qi Rice

LF got the summer semester kicked off with a brilliant rice dish to get our spleens (and subsequently,  our brains!) rockin’ & rollin’.   A variation on one of her old stand-bys, this rice had a little bit of something to satisfy everyone.  Every bite seemed to hold another surprise–a walnut! a date! is that…could it be… fennel?!  Indeed it was.   Given the rich blend of spices, the word “Thanksgiving” came up more than once; while this dish certainly comforted and nourished like a Thanksgiving side dish,  it wasn’t too heavy or cloying like some sweet rice dishes tend to be.   Satisfying your spleen and your tastebuds–it’s a win-win.

TCM DOS: Spleen Qi Deficiency

TCM SS: Poor Appetite, Abdominal distention (especially after meals), loose stools, fatigue and lassitude, sallow complexion, heaviness in the body, and mental fatigue. This condition is worse with raw cold foods and better with cooked warm foods.

Tongue: Pale with thick white coat, slightly swollen and scalloped

Pulse: Weak, Slippery (with dampness accumulation)

Western Correlations: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Mal-absorption, Chronis Gastritis, Chronic Enteritis, Chronic Diarrhea, Ulcers.

Foods that Help: Oats, Rice, Congee’s, Mochi, Black Beans, Squash, Parsnip, Yams and Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, Carrots (cooked), Beets, Fennel, Dates, Figs, Molasses, Brown Sugar (in moderation), Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom,Chicken, Turkey, Halibut, Tuna.

Foods to Avoid: Raw salads, Raw vegetables, Citrus fruits, ice cream, seaweeds, bananas, tofu, dairy.

Lifestyle: It is best to eat smaller portions, while eating slowly, and chewing food very well. Avoid big meals, rushing while eating, or eating while emotionally upset.

Helpful Cooking Methods:Boiling, Baking, Roasting, and frying will increase the yang energy of the food making it easier to digest.

Sweet and Savory Spleen Qi Rice

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

~2 Cups of Brown rice

~1 – 2 tsp of Himalayan salt (add to taste)

~1tbsp of Brown Sugar

~1tbs of Blackstrap Molasses

~1tsp of Cinnamon

~1/2 tsp of Cardamom

~1 inch piece of ginger minced

~1 Fennel bulb chopped

~1/2 cup of dates chopped

~1 cup of carrots chopped

~1/2 cup of walnuts chopped

~2 tbs of Coconut oil or olive oil

Directions

~Turn oven on to 375

~In a large pot add 4 cups of water to 2 cups of Rice and bring to a boil.

~Add 1 tsp of Himalayan salt and minced Ginger to rice

~Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 50min covered

~While rice is cooking place chopped Carrots and chopped Fennel on 2 separate baking sheets

~Add 1 tbs of Coconut oil to Carrots and 1 tbs to Fennel, coat evenly.

~Roast Carrots for 30 min or until tender

~Roast Fennel for 20 min or until tender

~When rice is cooked add Molasses, Brown sugar, Cinnamon, Cardamom, and mix well

~Add cooked Carrots, Fennel, Dates, and Walnuts to rice and mix well.

Note: This dish contains a variety of Spleen Qi nourishing foods such as rice, molasses, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, carrots, fennel, and dates. The added walnuts will help to support the Yang energy of this food and reinforce Qi.

Spleen-booting rice served in an appropriately 5 Element colored bowl!

Foods to Nourish Blood

When we speak about a “blood deficiency” (or “xue xu“) in Chinese Medicine , it oftentimes correlates with a clinical anemia.  In these cases, many practitioners guide their patients towards incorporating more meat in their diets.  Anemia is typically related to either a vitamin B12 or an iron deficiency, with animal flesh being a good source of both these micronutrients.  However, addressing a blood deficiency with the diet goes beyond supplementing with those two nutrients; it addresses the multiple organ systems in charge of creating, storing, and circulating the blood.

This week, S.V. has made a blood nourishing meal that is devoid of all meat.  The class chose to address blood deficiency in this meatless manner because it is very often our vegetarian or vegan patients who are also blood deficient.  It would be beneficial for every practitioner to have a way to address this imbalance that fits in with a vegetarian diet.   So, without further ado–building blood without meat!

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TCM pattern: Xue xu (blood deficiency)

Xue Xu is d/t:

1. an inadequate intake of nutrients

2. an inability of the body to absorb nutrients

3. blood loss through GI bleeding or excessive menstrual flow

4. chronic disease process

5. blood stasis preventing the production of new blood

S/s:

Dizziness, palpitations, nervousness, pale or sallow complexion, pale conjunctiva, lips & nails, insomnia, somnolence, lassitude, forgetfulness, tinnitus, SOB on exertion, thinness, spots in the vision field, unusual hair loss &/or premature graying & thinning of hair, dry skin & hair, fingernails that are flat or fragile, numbness in hands & feet, light menstrual flow, puffiness of the face, and edema of the lower limbs.

Tongue & Pulse vary according to TCM dx:

1. Qi & Blood Xu:  pale & swollen Tongue w/ thin coat; weak & thready Pulse

2. LV Yin & KD Yin Xu:  red Tongue w/ thin coat; thready, rapid, & forceless Pulse

3. SP Yang & KD Yang Xu:  pale Tongue; deep & thready Pulse

Chinese dietary therapy:

Foods to include would be tonics for the Blood & Qi since they usually occur simultaneously.  “Qi is the leader of Blood and Blood produces Qi.”

Not only is it important to include foods rich in iron, but also foods that contain adequate amounts of high quality protein, copper, vitamin C & B vitamins as these are needed for iron absorption.

Therapeutic foods include whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, sprouts, green foods and vegetables.

Some examples are blackstrap molasses, kale, avocado, black sesame seed, seaweed, cereal grasses, nettles, spirulina, spinach, lychee, apricot, blackberry, longan, cherries and raisins

To purify blood:  beets, celery, cucumber, grapes (dark colored), lemon/lime, raspberry, salt, tomato, vinegar, watercress

To tonify & build:  blackberry, chlorophyll, dang gui, grapes (dark colored), mulberry, raspberry, spirulina, turnip, watercress

For your xue building pleasure today, we will be enjoying:

~Freshly Juiced Beets, Carrots, Apple, Celery & Lemon

~Roasted Beets and Ginger Root Dice Topped w/ Toasted Honey-Glazed Walnuts & Black Sesame Seeds

~Gently Browned Garbanzo’s with Cumin Spice Blend

~Japonica, Spinach, Raisins and Carrot Dressed Lightly with Bragg’s Amino Acids

Juice recipe

carrot, beet, apple, celery, lemon juice

in that order of ingredients to preference

Roasted beets & ginger root dice topped w/ honey-glazed walnuts & black sesame seeds

roasted beets:

preheat oven to 350

scrub beets to remove dirt; cut to desired size whether sticks, chunks or rounds

lightly coat w/ toasted walnut oil & put into baking dish

add fresh dice of ginger root (peeled)

baking time will depend on the size of the cut; but check after 20 mins and adjust as needed

when done, top w/ toasted honey-glazed walnuts & black sesame seeds

Honey-glazed walnuts & black sesame seeds

place saute pan on burner and turn stove on to med heat

add small amt of toasted walnut oil (or oil of choice) and spread on bottom of pan

add walnuts; stir to coat w/ oil

lightly brown walnuts (keep them moving)

add black sesame seeds

add slow drizzle of small amt of honey & keep stirring

add small amt of brown sugar; keep stirring

add small amount of warm water to dissolve sugar & to coat walnuts

add small drizzle unsulfured blackstrap molasses

as all of these ingredients are being added, keep the walnuts moving in the pan to keep from burning

sprinkle w/ cinnamon, racked sea salt & crushed red pepper

Gently browned garbanzo’s w/ cumin spice blend

1 bag frozen organic garbanzo’s thawed

place saute pan on stove over med heat

add oil of choice to pan & spread on bottom of pan

add garbanzo’s & brown to desired color

sprinkle w/ cumin & touch of india spice blend

drizzle small amt of honey

finish w/ glaze of bragg’s amino acids

Japonica, spinach, raisins & carrots

cook japonica according to directions and set aside to cool

once cool add:

baby spinach leaves sliced into fine ribbons

carrot shreds

raisins

gently mix & add braggs amino acids and a drizzle of toasted hazelnut oil

BON APETIT!!

This meal was prepared mindfully using organic vegetables and spices (beets & parsley are local!)