Cool It or Heat It?
Time and time again my patients ask whether they should apply heat or ice to muscular aches and pains and how to manage their injuries.
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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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Rice-Paper Rolls
Rice-paper rolls are one of our favourite dinner and lunch box solutions. Wrapped in pliable rice-paper sheets you can make rockin’ rolls with any fillings you or your family fancy, and to suit any season. Here is a delicious Vietnamese inspired recipe with mint and minced pork. The pork can easily be replaced with minced chicken or
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Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients: 1 large head of cauliflower 3 tbs coconut oil, melted 1 tsp sea salt 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp sweet paprika 2 tsp ground coriander 1/2C tahini, plus extra for drizzling 1 handful parsley, finely chopped A squeeze of lemon juice Lightly toasted pine nuts, to serve Method: Preheat oven to 170ºC. Line
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Salmon and watercress salad
Watercress is perfect in autumn as it strengthens your lungs, Qi and Yin. It can help relieve a dry, sore throat, phlegmy coughs, restlessness and even grumpiness. Serves 4 Ingredients: 4 salmon fillets, skin off 600g potatoes 150g flat beans, trimmed, cut into 4cm lengths 2 medium zucchinis, trimmed 1 bunch watercress, leaves picked 1tbs
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Popular Pad Thai – the healthy version
Pad Thai is popular because it tastes great! Here’s Michelle Bridges’ healthy homemade take on what’s often a rather greasy and fatty restaurant choice. Instead, this nutritious version can easily be converted into a vegetarian or allergy friendly meal, and a quick weeknight favourite for both adults and kids. Serves 4 Ingredients: 200g dried rice-stick noodles 300g
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Mushroom and barley pilaf
Mushrooms are terrific in autumn as they remove phlegm and toxins. They also relieve fatigue and boost energy. Barley is also an energy booster and improves physical strength. It can also help with indigestion and diarrhea. Thyme can ease the common cold and associated symptoms such as headache, cough, aches, pains and a sore throat.
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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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