Thursday, November 20, 2008
Kidney Healing Borsht with Fennel
Directions: Thinly dice one garlic clove. Add to small amount of ghee or butter in a pan. Cook until lightly browned. After garlic is browned, add 1 tablespoon crushed fennel seed powder and cook until you can smell the aromatics. Add one quart of fresh borsht or store bought borscht (beet soup). Cook until warm while stirring well. Garnish with some fresh cubed fennel or fresh fennel tops.
Healing Qualities: Great for stimulating digestive function in the elderly. Beet are very detoxifying to the liver and kidney, while being a very strong rejuvenative. Served at health spas throughout Europe as a healing, cancer preventative soup. Fennel also helps to balance the effects of heavy root vegetables.
Curried Pumpkin or Squash Soup with Nutmeg Twist
Directions: Start with one quart of homemade squash or pumpkin soup. You can also use store bought pre-made soups. While heating, start by adding 1 tablespoon of curry powder. Taste to see if spicy enough. Keep adding small amounts until desired spice level is reached. Pour into bowls. Grate a small amount of fresh nutmeg onto the soup. Enjoy.
Medicinal Qualities: Pumpkin and squash are the most healing foods to help the body adapt to the four season changes. They both deeply strengthen the Spleen and Stomach in Traditional Chinese Medicine, which governs energy, immunity and all digestion. The curry and nutmeg further “warm” the Spleen to help counteract seasonal coldness, muscle pain, joint aches, mucus congestion and fatigue.
Chinese Five Spice Cabbage
Directions: Buy one whole head of purple cabbage. Chop into larger pieces, do not chop finely. Place on top rack of vegetable steamer. Sprinkle heavily with Chinese Five Spice Powder. Cook until very soft, about 30 minutes. Serve as an appetizer or with protein.
Healing Qualities: Cabbage is one of the strongest detoxifying foods on the planet, yet it is not very popular. Most people don’t like it, because they don’t know how to cook it. It has very strong effects on healing ulcerations of any kind. It is very cleansing and has been show to help the liver breakdown excess hormones. It can cause gas, unless it is cooked with spices.