Spring is the best time of year to take care of your liver. Follow the pattern of the days and lighten up your diet to stay in tune with the coming season. You can freshen up your diet with a variety of delicious spring greens which are now featured at the markets. Select spring lettuces, pea greens, garlic scapes, green onions, asparagus and lots of leafy greens next time you head to the store. Also great for the spring table are radishes, radicchio, fresh fava beans, morels and wild mushrooms. Be sure to include a predominance of sour flavors in your seasonings, which is the flavor that nourishes the liver most. For example, lemons and limes are a great addition to springtime meals, beverages, salad dressings and soups. Here are some of my favorite recipes for springtime that highlight the lovely lemon and lime. Enjoy! And play outside when it’s sunny!
Lemon Lentil Soup
(Served 3-4)
3 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
1 _ inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced or finely chopped
1 large onion, diced
5 T. Olive oil
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. cumin, ground
1 t. coriander, ground
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1/4 t. allspice (optional)
1 t. fresh thyme (optional)
1 bay leaf or 1 inch piece of kombu (remove when serving)
1 cup red lentils
1-2 carrots, small chop
1 stalk celery or _ cup jicama, diced
4 cups organic vegetable or chicken stock (1 quart)
1 1/2 cup water
2 inch piece of lemon peel
4 T. lemon juice
Ground pepper to taste
Cilantro (optional garnish or last minute add in!)
1. Heat olive oil in a medium stock pot over medium high heat. Once oil is hot add the garlic and ginger, stirring constantly for 15 seconds. Add the diced onion, _ t. salt and all the spices. Cook onion until it begins to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
2. Add lentils, vegetables and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Add broth, water, lemon peel and bay leave and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until lentils are very soft, about 30 minutes.
3. Remove lemon peel and bay leaf. Transfer 2 cups of lentil soup to blender and purée until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), then return to saucepan. Add lemon juice and pepper to taste. Stir in cilantro, if desired.
Arugula and Leek Stuffed Sole with Lemon-Parsley Sauce
(Serves 2-3)
1 lb. wild dover sole
2 cups fresh arugula
1 leek, white part only, chopped finely
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 collard leaves (to line baking sheet, optional)
Lemon-parsley sauce:
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. finely chopped parsley
2 T olive oil
2 T. water/stock
Fresh ground pepper and salt, to taste
(Optional) 1 T. apple juice or 1/2 T agave nectar or honey
Mix together lemon-parsley sauce and set aside. You can heat the sauce before serving, serve it room temp or pour over fish before broiling. Your choice!
1. Preheat the oven to broil. Clean and pat fish dry; lay out filets flat and in a row on a baking sheet or large plate.
2. As oven heats, place a skillet on the stove and heat 1 T. olive oil on medium high heat. Saute leeks with a pinch of salt; once slightly browned (2 minutes) add in arugula and toss until leaves are coated in oil and slightly wilted. Set pan aside and prepare to assemble rolls:
3. Lay collard leaves on baking sheet if using them. Lay out sole filets next to each other in a row. Add salt and pepper to each and drizzle with 1 T. lemon juice evenly over filets.
4. Divide filling evenly to the center of each filet (about 1-2 T. per filet). Roll up each filet and place them side by side, open seam side down on collard leaves/baking sheet. Add a small amount of salt and pepper to the top of the rolls, and spread 1 T. mustard over the top of the each roll (only a small amount needed per roll). Broil on the top rack of the oven until fish flakes slightly, about 5 minutes. Add lemon-parsley sauce over fish before broiling or after, at the table.
Easy Side Dish Idea!
Chop whatever veggies you have in the fridge into bite sized pieces:
(about _- 1 inch chunks ok)
(Example)
1 turnip
2 heads broccoli
1 carrot
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 T olive oil
1/4 cup olive or caper juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
1. Place veggies in a skillet with 1 T. oil over high heat. Allow oil to coat veggies, then add 1/4 cup olive juice or caper juice (or whatever similar vinegar you have around the fridge). Shake the pan to distribute juice, add two pinches of salt then cover the pan to steam, shaking once or twice to release veggies from pan. Steam 3-4 minutes or until veggies are crisp, flavorful and ready to go with the sole or any entrée you have going!
Coconut Cilantro-Parsley Pesto
Yield 1 1/2 cups
3/4 c. Pine nuts/cashews
1 bunch Parsley
1/2 bunch Cilantro
1 cup Coconut milk
1/2 T. Umeboshi plum paste
1/2 t. sea salt
1 clove minced garlic
3/4 t. minced ginger
2 T. lime juice
1 t. agave nectar (optional)
1. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor or with a blender until smooth, adjusting seasonings to taste. Great served over fish, tossed with vegetables or thinned with more coconut milk or coconut water to make a refreshing salad dressing.
Pan Roasted Radishes with Preserved Lemon and Rosemary
(Serves 3-4 as a side dish)
2-3 bunches radish (red, French breakfast, Easter egg) cleaned and destemmed, whole
2 T. olive oil
1/2 T. preserved lemons, minced
1/2 T. fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper, plus more to taste
1 t. agave nectar (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 325. Toss all the ingredients together and lay in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast on a middle rack for 20 minutes, then toss radishes and rotate pan 180. Roast 10-15 minutes more or until radishes are slightly carmalized and very delicious.
*Preserved Lemon is a seasoning often found in Moroccan, Middle Eastern and North African cooking. You can find it at gourmet markets and Mediterranean food stores; don’t worry, a little goes a long way. You can even make your own!
See this recipe: How to make preserved lemons
http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001815how_to_make_preserved_lemons.php
WINTER
Winter is an excellent time to rest and nourish the body in preparation from spring. Just as plants need water for growth in the springtime, the human body needs plenty of hydration and nourishment to build a reserve of vital energy for the spring and summer. The kidneys and bladder are the organs which are closely tied to water (what is needed for future growth and restoration) and thus foods which nourish these organs are the focus of a winter diet.
According to Chinese Medicine, salty foods and dark colored vegetables are the primary foods to include in your diet this winter. Sea vegetables in particular are excellent sources of essential vitamins and minerals, iron and protein that tonify and nourish the kidneys. Consider adding dulse flakes to cooked rice, wakame to miso soup, or make a delicious carrot, arame and onion salad (recipe to follow).
Other foods to include are: miso, tofu, eggs, fish, black sesame seeds, black mushrooms, chestnuts, walnuts, and of course plenty of vegetables, nourishing grains like barley and fruit. Please drink plenty of water and herbal tea - keep yourself healthy and well fed this season! Here are some excellent winter recipes for you to try. Let me know what you think!
Kinpira with Arame
(Kinpira is a traditional Macrobiotic dish that is very vitalizing. Burdock is very grounding and helps with focus and strength of spirit. Adding arame is an excellent way to make this dish amazingly beneficial)
4 servings
1 T. sesame oil
1 cup matchstick burdock, peeled
1 cup matchstick carrots
1/2 onion
1/4 cup arame, soaked for 20 minutes and drained
1/4 t. – 1/2 t. sea salt
1-2 t. tamari, to taste
water, for cooking
1. Heat sesame oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt; sweat onions 4-5 minutes. Add burdock and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Spread burdock evenly over skillet and top with a layer of arame and then carrots. Do not stir. Add water just to cover arame only, and cover to cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Season with tamari to taste and cook 10 minutes more. Stir well and enjoy!
Nori Wrapped Sole
*recipe adapted from Jill Gusman Vegetables of the Sea.
4 servings
2 1/2 lbs sole filets, cut into 3-inch square pieces
1/4 cup lemon juice (or more, to taste)
1 T. dried chives or fresh herb of choice (thyme, oregano, marjoram)
1-2 T white miso (optional)
1 1/4 t. sea salt
9 nori sheets, cut into 3-inch
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Place clean fillets side by side in a long baking pan. Pour the lemon juice on top and sprinkle with herb of choice, sea salt and a small brush of miso. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
Place a strip of nori on a cutting board and place the fish square on the end of the nori closest to you. Quickly roll up the fish in the nori until you reach the end of the strip. Set the roll seam side down on a large plate. Repeat with each piece of fish.
Heat the oil on low for 20 seconds. Put 7-8 pieces of fish in the oil, seam side down. Cook 5 minutes on low heat until nori is crispy on the bottom. Flip fish pieces over and cover skillet to cook fish 3 minutes longer. Fish bundles will puff up and nori will be taut. Serve with a light sprinkle of sea salt and a lemon wedge.
Chestnut and Sweet Potato Soup
Served 4-6
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into small dice (1 cup)
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced on the diagonal (1/2 cup)
1/4 t. nutmeg
2 medium-size sweet potatoes (1lb.) put into 1-inch chunks
2 cups chestnuts, peeled and soaked (you can buy dried or roasted)
1 bay leaf
1/2 t. sea salt + more to taste
black pepper + cayenne (if desired)
1. Heat oil and sauté onions and celery about 10 minutes, until softened. Add nutmeg and sweet potatoes and cook a couple of minutes more.
2. Add chestnuts and bay leaf. Add 8 cups water or stock and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the chestnuts and sweet potatoes are soft, about 45 minutes.
3. Remove bay leaf and puree half of the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender. Return soup back to the pot and stir in sea salt, pepper and cayenne as desired.
*Try adding 1 T of rum at the end! Yum.
Jade Green Soup
1 T. sesame oil
1/2 T. each minced garlic and ginger
1/2 cup tofu, diced
2 cups leafy greens, chopped and destemmed
1/2 t. sea salt
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 T kuzu dissolved in 2 T. water (optional, to thicken)
1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, 15 seconds. Add tofu and sauté 5 minutes or until slightly brown.
2. Add broth and leafy greens until bright green, 1-2 minutes. Add kuzu, if desired.
FALL
Fall is my very favorite time of year. As some of my favorite vegetables and fruits reach their peak of flavor and freshness, it's hard not to get excited about the possibilities in my kitchen. I encourage you to get out to a farm nearby to collect baskets of apples, pears, filberts, walnuts, and of course, pumpkins! Not only is this a fun activity, it will give you an opportunity to feature these local goods in your diet this season.
As the ground begins to cool and the earth produces it's harvest, it's time to get our bodies ready to endure the winter weather and the damp rain. And here is the secret: the ground is producing what we should be eating to stay healthy! According to the Chinese Five Phase Theory, fall is the time which coorelates to metal, which in our bodies coorelates to our lung and breathing. Be sure to eat plenty of nourishing fall plants that balance and nourish metal, such as pumpkin, fall squashes, root vegetables, apples, pears, and pungent foods such as garlic, ginger, miso, seaweeds, and some leafy greens. Here are a couple favorite fall recipes!
Ginger Spiked Poached Pears
Yield: 4 servings
{ INGREDIENTS}
4 medium pears, core and peeled with stem intact
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise pod
1 lemon, halved
1/2 t. cardamom or aniseed
1 1/2 T. freshly grated ginger
1/3 cup agave nectar or brown rice syrup
1 cup water
1 cup cider or port
{ PREPARATION}
1. Bring water, cider/port, and agave to a boil in a medium saucepan. Simmer a few minutes while you rub the lemon halves over the peeled pears. Squeeze remaining lemon juice into the poaching liquid and add the spices, lemon halves and pears (one at a time).
2. Liquid should be at a very low simmer. Cook until pears are tender, about 18 minutes, being sure to flip them if only one side is submerged in the liquid. Discard lemon shells and transfer pears to a plate using a slotted spoon.
3. Reduce the poaching liquid by 1/3, or until it coats the back of a spoon and is syrupy, about 5-6 minutes. Spoon sauce over each pear and serve with coconut whip cream for a special fall treat!
Pears with Coconut Whip Cream
Yield: 4 servings
{ INGREDIENTS}
4 pears, sliced or poached
1 T. lemon juice (to prevent browning, if unpoached)
Coconut Whip Cream
1-2 cups thick coconut milk
1 T. vanilla or coconut extract
1 T. maple crystals or 2 T. xylitol or 1 T. agave nectar
1. Whip thick coconut milk by hand or with a hand mixer, about 1-2 minutes. Add extract and sweetener and continue to whip until thick and well blended, about 1 minutes further. Chill in freezer for 10 minutes, and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Pumpkin in Turmeric Coconut Curry
Yield: 4 servings
{ INGREDIENTS}
1 small kabocha squash or winter pumpkin (about 6 inches across)
1 can coconut milk
1 t. ground tumeric
1/2 t. curry powder
1/2-1 t. garam masala (adjust according to spice preference)
1 pinch (1/8 t.) cayenne pepper
3/4 t. sea salt to taste
1/2 - 1 c. water
*Pot with a tight fitting lid is needed for this recipe.
{ PREPARATION}
1. Carefully slice pumpkin into wedges roughly 1 1/2 inches wide,
leaving the skin on as you would a cantaloupe. Remove the seeds and pulp with a spoon and arrange wedges on the bottom of a pot or a pan with sides (and a fitted lid).
2. Sprinkle pumpkin with 1/4 t. sea salt, and add just enough water to coat the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and cover the pumpkin to steam until you can easily run a knife through the flesh, about 8-10 minutes. Replenish the water as necessary if it evaporates.
3. While the pumpkin cooks, add thick coconut milk (from the top of the can) to a small skillet and heat over medium high heat.
4. As the coconut milk starts to simmer, add the remaining thin coconut milk and all the spices, starting with a pinch of cayenne pepper and adding more to taste. Add 1/2 t. salt or more to taste. Reduce the heat to medium to allow the flavors to blend, about 5 minutes.
5. Serve pumpkin wedges with warm coconut curry sauce generously poured over. Alternatively, allow the pumpkin to cool just enough to touch (5 minutes), cut the skin off with a small knife, and toss the pumpkin and warm curry sauce together. Enjoy with your favorite simple Asian entree.
