Asparagus Fever!

Asparagus are cold, sweet and bitter. They help counterbalance heat caused by the environment. Asparagus are now in season so here is a great soup that can cool you down when summer eventually arrives. Serves 4 Ingredients: 50g butter or vegetable oil 2 sprigs thyme 1 onion, chopped 2 potatoes, scrubbed and finely chopped 500g

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Root Vegetable Soup

– A root or two is mighty good for you! This soup recipe is jam-packed not just with one or two roots, but with multiple delectable and very colourful root vegetables. It is so easy to make and so full of goodness that it’s hard to believe. It will soothe your tastebuds, strengthen your digestive system, nourish your blood,

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Winter warmer vegetarian curry

Cauliflower, pea and fried tofu curry This is a delicious and warming vegetarian curry stuffed with protein and goodness. Cauliflower is from the same family as cabbage, broccoli and kohlrabi and shares many of their health benefits. Both peas and cauliflower can help strengthen the digestive system. Tofu is a source of protein often used

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Spanakopita

This traditional spinach pie is not only delicious, but also high in protein. Protein is essential for strengthening and nourishing our bodies. Ingredients 1/4 cup olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 bunch shallots, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1kg spinach 2 tbs dill, chopped 250g fetta, crumbled 150g ricotta 3 tbs parmesan, grated

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Hanza Pie

Here is a delicious, high protein vegetarian recipe. Ingredients: 1 cup cooked brown rice Shredded, wilted chard Crushed garlic Chives 250g ricotta 2 tbs yoghurt 1 egg Crumbed fetta (small piece) Handful of grated cheese Method: Mix 1 cup of cooked brown rice with shredded wilted chard, crushed garlic and chives. Stir through 250g ricotta, 2

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Quinoa Porridge

Kick-start your day and your metabolism with this easy and delicious porridge Ingredients: ¾ Cup Quinoa, rinsed & drained 375 ml low-fat milk 1/3 cup cranberries 2 tbsp raisins ¼ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped Method: Combine quinoa with 500ml water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer,

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Baba Ganoush For Your Blood & Tastebuds

Eggplant is in season now (summer and autumn) and is a great food for your blood. It both moves and cools the blood. It can also help reduce imbalanced flow, reduce stagnation and relieve problems caused by overeating meat. Enjoy this easy recipe for a tasty eggplant dip, great to have as a snack with

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Pressed Cucumber Salad

Here is a cooling, cleansing salad using dill and cucumber. Dill is good at detoxifying the gastrointestinal tract and soothing for a sensitive stomach. Cucumber clears heat and cools the body, which is perfect for either during or after a hot spell of weather. Ingredients: Cucumbers, sliced paper thin 1/2 tsp salt in 1 cup water

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Keep Cool With Cooling Foods & Herbs

Here is a list of foods, drinks and herbs that are cooling: Cooling Foods Apples Asparagus Avocado Banana (not eaten excessively) Basil Broccoli/Cauliflower Cabbage Melons/Papaya Celery Chrysanthemum (tea) Crab (not eaten excessively) Cucumber Duck Eggplant Grapefruit Lettuce Mung Beans Pears Peppermint Plums Rhubarb Rye Seaweed Sesame Soybeans Spinach Water Chestnuts Cooling & Strengthening Foods Coconut

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Tahini Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients: 1 cup of tahini (or any nut butter) 1/2 cup agave 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats or old-fashioned oats 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans (any nuts) chopped up bar of dark chocolate Method: Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C. Grease cookie sheets or use parchment paper. In a

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Berry Cobbler

This delicious recipe is grain free, gluten free, refined sugar free and vegan. Serves 6 – 8 Ingredients: Berry filling: 3 cups of organic berries – I used a pint of blueberries and 1 cup of fresh strawberries, sliced 2 tablespoons maple syrup (you could also use honey, brown rice syrup, coconut nectar or whatever

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Gluten Free Pancakes

Here’s a ‘sweet’ idea for your weekend breakfast cook up Makes 24 pancakes Ingredients: 3 cups blanched almond flour ½ cup heavy cream 8 eggs ½ cup salted butter, melted ¼ cup agave nectar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 pinch celtic sea salt Butter for frying Method: In a Vitamix, combine

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Paleo Banana Bread

Ingredients: 3 bananas (about 1 ½ cups) mashed 3 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon honey 1/4 cup vegan palm oil shortening 2 cups blanched almond flour 1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt 1 teaspoon baking soda Method: Place bananas, eggs, vanilla, honey and shortening in a food processor Pulse ingredients together Pulse in almond

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Tranquil Soup

Try this fantastic soup to get your family through cold and wet weather. Ingredients: 1 whole chicken 1 brown onion 5 celery stalks 1 whole leek 4 carrots 2 spring onions 1 bunch asparagus 4 silverbeet leaves, shredded 1/2 cup snow peas, sliced 2/3 cup broad beans 2 bay leaves 2 garlic cloves Fresh chopped

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Lingering Pathogen

The concept of a ‘lingering pathogen’ has been around for a long time in Chinese Medicine. It applies when you haven’t been able to shake that cold or flu, or you haven’t fully recovered or simply not felt quite right since getting a ‘bug’ a few months ago. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), using the modalities

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Warming Kale & Chicken Stir Fry

According to TCM the bitterness of Kale is great for the liver and it has stomach strengthening and pain reducing qualities also As the temperature starts to cool now, it’s important to change the way we eat. Using foods and recipes, which have warming and stomach nourishing qualities will help prepare us for the cold

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Shiitake Mushroom with Tofu

Shiitake mushrooms are good for the stomach, blood and energy. Peas are an excellent toner for the spleen in Spring. Peas also help qi to move in the appropriate direction – and ease hiccups and coughing. People who are cold or deficient may need to add ginger to this meal. Ingredients: 3 dried shiitake mushrooms

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Lentil-Walnut Bake

Feel a little less “mental” with some more lentil Food is like medicine for both the body and the mind! The ingredients in this recipe are not only warm, strengthening and comforting, but lentils and walnuts can also help us feel grounded and able to cope better. Wheat germ is pungent and can help lift

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Warm Lentil Salad

Lentils are cheap, nutritious and also very delicious! According to Chinese Medicine lentils improve circulation, and strengthen your heart, kidneys, and constitutional essence. Lentils enhance the health and appearance of your complexion and your hair. And lentils support your will-power and encourage feelings of being calm and content. This simple warm red lentil salad is

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Traditional Chinese Medicine 2

An attempt to explain Traditional Chinese Medicine – Part 2 This article will attempt to explain how the different modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are applied to improve health or treat disease. The key modalities of TCM are acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary therapy and exercise. Acupuncture Acupuncture is based on the theory of Qi.

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Traditional Chinese Medicine 1

An attempt to explain Traditional Chinese Medicine – Part 1 Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a unique system of health. It evolved over thousands of years in China, stemming from the Taoist philosophy. TCM looks at health as a system of balance. If the balance is comprised in any way this may lead to ill

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Coconut Chicken Soup

Coconut-ey nourishing goodness in a bowl. One for the whole family to slurp up. Ingredients: 3 cups chicken stock 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, sliced into thin coins 1 cup coconut milk 1 tablespoon fish sauce 2 teaspoons agave nectar 6 ounces leftover chicken 1 cup mushrooms, rinsed, drained and sliced in half lengthways

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Green Ginger Soup

This recipe is sure to shake the winter chills and fight off those lingering germs. Recipe from http://www.elanaspantry.com Serves 6 Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 teaspoon celtic sea salt 2 large leeks, white and green parts, sliced 1 bunch collards 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced (plus more to taste) 2

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Ginger Tea

If you feel a slight chill or tickle in your throat make sure you try this ginger tea recipe asap! The ginger and onion have a slight diaphoretic action; this means they will cause a slight sweat. The best thing to do is drink the tea as soon as you feel a cold coming on and

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Baked Quinoa Loaf

A nurturing recipe for a delicious, baked quinoa loaf. Quinoa has the highest protein content compared to all other grains, and is gluten free. (Perhaps use gluten free flour instead of whole wheat if intolerant). It is versatile and strengthening for the whole body, especially the kidneys. Ingredients: 3 cups cooked Quinoa 1 cup of whole

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Quinoa With Oats

Oats are a great start to your day as they have a calming, stabilizing and grounding effect on the mind. Oats have many healing properties: they are soothing, restore the nervous and reproductive systems, strengthen the spleen and pancreas, help remove cholesterol, regulate and build the Qi (energy) in the body. Oats also contain phosphorus,

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Blood Building Soup

The warmth from the lamb moves down towards the kidneys. According to Chinese Medicine diet therapy, the lamb’s downward flow is especially good for the kidney yang energy, and therefore has healing qualities. This soup will increase strength and nourish blood, which makes it very good for women, especially after giving birth. It can also

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Asian Chicken Soup

Easy and quick winter warmer chicken soup! This Asian Chicken Noodle soup is one of our absolute favourite cold and flu food remedies. It’s easy, it’s quick, it’s yummy and as good as any medicine. Serves 4 Ingredients: 220g thin dried egg noodles 7 cups chicken stock 3 spring onions 8 slices (15g) fresh ginger 2 teaspoons

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Shepherd’s Barley Soup

A post to warm you up! Here is a warming and yummy recipe from Paul Pitchford’s ‘Healing with Whole Foods’. Paul suggests adding more sour flavours to autumn cooking, sourdough bread, olives, leeks, vinegar, yogurt, plums and grapes. Move away from summer salads and embrace warm, nourishing dishes with lots of cooked veggies, soups, casseroles

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Thai Beef Salad

KEEP COOL, THAI STYLE Here’s great and easy recipe to try on the weekend, or on any hot day. It’s yummy and cooling, and is usually a great hit with the kids too. Serves 4 Thai Salad 500g Beef rump steak/ substitute with tofu for vegan option Zucchini noodles (can be made using spiralizer, veggie

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Coconut Flour Bread

This recipe is gluten and sugar free, high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Delicious fresh out of the oven with some almond butter or honey or enjoy it savory too. This recipe is SO easy, fuss free and requires little ingredients. Coconut oil can be a good one for people trying to lose weight or generally

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Cooling Teas

A cooling cuppa: Drinking a cup of tea is perhaps not what springs to mind in this relentless Melbourne autumn heat. Some teas can be quite cooling and soothing however, and taste great whether drunk hot or cold as an ice tea. Try brewing one of these herbs fresh (or even as tea bags…): Dandelion:

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Apple Crumble for Breakfast

Apple crumble for breakfast?! Yes indeed. Making some simple swaps turns this dessert into a nutritious breakfast. Enjoy warm or cold with your favourite yoghurt. Filling: 4 cups of peeled and sliced apples (4 med) 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Topping: 1/2 cup almond

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Warm Chargrilled Pork Fillet & Cranberry Salad

Pork fillet is an excellent, nutritious and lean meat. Alternatively, lamb fillet can be used and dill can be swapped for mint. Naturally you can add any favourite vegetables to your salad. Sweet potato and fennel work well. Bon appetite! Serves 2 Ingredients 1 large clove garlic 50ml olive oil 50ml white balsamic vinegar 100g

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Home Remedy Cough Syrup

Try this home remedy cough syrup to soothe annoying coughs and help clear the chest. It’s particularly useful for stubborn night time coughs, which can be a tad annoying for everyone in the house. Ingredients 2 cored pears chopped into quarters (peel on) 1 mandarin or tangerine skin baked (for 5mins) or dried 2 slices of

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Breakfast Cookies

Check out this healthy breakfast snack from Teresa Cutter. It ticks all the Chinese Medicine boxes. http://www.thehealthychef.com/2012/07/apple-cinnamon-breakfast-cookie/

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