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Medicinal Gummies

Maca Cinnamon Gummies

During the last few months, when you came for your appointment, you have probably sampled some of my latest nutritive experiments – GUMMIES.  What was my path to making gummies you might be asking yourself? Well, it all started with learning about the benefits of beef gelatin as a recovery and strengthening food. Beef gelatin (collagen) heals gut lining, strengthens bones, protects tissues/muscles, decreases joint pain, improves blood sugar levels, sleep, hair, skin and nails. Those health benefits are just too compelling not to make something of it so when one of my clients gave me a silicon gummy mold after sharing about this rich protein source, I became a gummy maker and connoisseur. There are many other ways to incorporate beef gelatin into diets but gummies are a particularly unique, adorable and stealth way (especially for children) to micro dose nutrients that come in powder form.

As a creative medium, the making of gummies is open for infinite experimentation and variation. Initially, I had some mushroom powders that I bought at Grocery Outlet and was eager incorporate them as a supplement in my diet. That led to other ideas and experiments. For the liquid portion in the recipe using fruit juices as your liquid gives a colorful presentation and medicinal teas can offer complex flavors. Mountain Rose Herb Company has an enticing selection of herb powders which might open your mind to the possibilities.  For example, after doing your research, you can make sleep gummies by adding valerian root powder or digestive gummies by adding aloe vera powder. Also consider converting your daily peppermint tea with added ingredients like greens superfoods into a gummy for a cheerful and stimulating mid-day snack or mini dessert! I don’t feel nearly as giddy when I take my multi-vitamin pill as I do when I pop a gummy in my mouth. There is a large selection of silicon gummy molds that you can find online. I am waiting for more iconic or groovy silicon molds to hit the market but for now I am settling for hearts, cute animals and patterned flowers.

Here is the basic recipe but experiment according to your tastes and ingredients.

1 cup liquid (juice, tea, water, milk – plant based or dairy)

2 tablespoons of sweetener (honey, maple syrup, agave)

4 tablespoons of Beef Gelatin (I use Vital Proteins)

1 tablespoon of supplement powders- medicinal mushroom (reishi, shitake, maitake), maca root, ashwagandha , greens superfoods, seaweeds, turmeric, beet root, hibiscus, magnesium, Vitamin C, etc 

½ – 1 teaspoon spices or flavors – ginger, cinnamon, lemon, lime, cacao, etc.

Here are some of my gummy recipes.

Pomegranate Reishi Ginger Gummy

1 cup Pomegranate juice

2 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons beef gelatin

1 tablespoon Reishi Mushroom powder

½ teaspoon ginger powder

Maca Cinnamon Gummy

1 cup water

2 tablespoons maple syrup

4 tablespoons beef gelatin

1 tablespoon Maca powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Matcha Green Tea Lime Gummy

1 cup water

2 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons beef gelatin

1 tablespoon Matcha green tea

1 teaspoon lime

Instructions

  1. In saucepan, combine liquid and sweetener and heat over medium heat until steaming hot but not quite boiling.
  2. Lower the heat to the lowest setting and stir in powders, spices or flavors.
  3. Whisk in gelatin one tablespoon at a time until fully dissolved.
  4. Remove from heat and use a dropper to fill gummy molds. A larger dropper makes filling molds quick and easy.
  5. Put molds in refrigerator to firm up – 15 minutes to ½ hour.
  6. When firm, pop gummies out of mold and store in sealed container in refrigerator.
Filling silicon mold

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Sprout Bombing

Lately, at the Acushack, I have been doing a show and tell on sprouting basics because now that it’s spring and new buds are pushing their way through the soil towards the sun, that same rising yang energy is also happening in our own bodies as well. The energy of the liver in Traditional Chinese Medicine is associated with Spring and it regulates the smooth flow of Qi. Sometimes we emerge from winter after consuming a lot of heavier foods, fats and intoxicants with low, blocked or overheated energy. This can manifest as sluggishness and tension in the body (headaches, neck and shoulder pain) or irritability and inflammation, especially allergy symptoms. Acupuncture helps with moving stagnation and clearing heat and seasonal dietary changes, which include eating fresh raw young greens – especially sprouts, can support and cleanse our liver and gallbladder.

Sprouts, with that uprising yang energy, have a lot of life force and nutrition. At this stage of growth, they are highly digestible and have greater concentrations of proteins, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and bio-flavonoids than at any other point in a plants life. 

There are many different sprouting and microgreens growing systems on the market and it is worthwhile to research ease of use, price points and materials that will work for your household. I use the Easy Sprout Sprouter because it is, in fact, easy and quick and inexpensive. When you rinse the sprouts twice a day, the water drains from the bottom of the inside container so the sprouts never mold. In the past, I tried using glass canning jars with stainless steel screens in the jar lid but sprouts tended to mold with that system. I have two sprouters going at one time. I am usually sprouting a salad mix with alfalfa, radish, broccoli and clover in one sprouter and mung beans in the other. I buy my beans for sprouting at bulk bins found at the local food co-op. I keep sprouting until May when harvesting young greens from my outside garden begins. If you don’t have outdoor garden space, sprouting is an ideal way to grow abundant nutritious plants on your kitchen counter. A pound of sprouting seeds, nuts or grains produces A LOT of fresh food.

Nearly every meal is sprout bombed now.  Sprouts are in every sandwich, salad, stir fry and miso soup. I put sprouts on my eggs and then sprinkle nut parmesan on top. I use mung bean sprouts in Okonomiyaki -Japanese Vegetable Pancakes as a primary ingredient. Sprouted bean burgers are a winner: https://sproutpeople.org/sprout-recipes/sprouted-bean-burgers-1. An online search on recipes using sprouts yields enticing results.

As the light increases and days lengthen, it is a seasonal directive to eat less and lighten up. Get on it – start sprouting!

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Nut Parmesan

This recipe for nut parmesan is from Fire and Earth Kitchen in Seattle. I like quick food processor blend em’ up and store recipes that I can pull out as toppings for cooked veggies, salads, eggs, grains and pasta. I like this recipe because it is plant based and mighty tasty. Fatty nuts like brazil nuts and walnuts, in addition to seeds, offer their nutritional benefits and a nice depth of flavor. The nutritional yeast gives that cheesy taste not to mention B vitamins. I double the recipe so I have a surplus for generous sprinkling of nut parmesan thus extra nutrition on many of my dishes. This recipe is amenable to substituting other nuts and seeds like cashews or hemp seeds or spices like onion and chipotle powder.

Nut Parmesan Recipe

¼ cup raw brazil nuts

¼ cup raw sesame seeds (white or black)

¼ cup raw walnuts

½ cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp garlic powder

1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast. (I use 2 Tbsp)

Blend all ingredients in a food processer until it resembles parmesan cheese. Refrigerate. 

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Lemongrass Tea

Growing lemongrass this past summer was one of my most successful experiments for both its medicinal benefits and culinary uses. I always enjoy the growing part of starting a plant by seed and watching its gradual development throughout the season but in October when a frost is imminent, I find myself hustling to figure out how to preserve my harvest and put it to work in my daily life. Even though lemongrass seems so exotic, it was easy to grow from seed, it was pest free and its long arching blades gave a full tropical look to the garden so I recommend growing and using its leaves in tea and roots in Thai soup.

When the season shifts to colder temperatures, I often find myself not drinking enough water in that transition. The symptoms of dehydration can show up as fatigue, dizziness or lightheadedness, dry eyes and mouth, wrinkly skin and reduced urination. This Fall, lemongrass is coming to my rescue with its subtle refreshing lemony taste. I refer to it as the universal taste donor because it blends beautifully with other herbs and roots. I especially like adding ginger, fennel seeds and honey to my tea and drinking it in a bowl so my nose has full access to all the aromas. 

As a compulsive maker, I spent many hours making little wreaths from the leaves which felt very satisfying. While the health benefits of lemongrass are numerous from both a Western and Eastern perspective, the aesthetics of having a wreath of lemongrass, a sprig of fennel and a chunk of ginger floating in a handmade tea bowl makes this cleansing calming cold chasing brew a keeper.

To make tea simply boil water and put a wreath or 1 tsp of dried lemongrass herb in a tea ball and let it steep. Add other herbs and honey, if desired. You can use the wreath multiple times.

You can buy dried lemongrass here.

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Black Sesame Balls

Okay, I admit it, I’m a nutrient hoarder, and these black sesame balls makes good on that obsession. In this recipe, there are just a few ingredients which you mix in a Cuisinart- black sesame seeds, walnuts, goji berries, cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, salt and a little bit of honey so it is a quick and unfussy snack to make. The flavor is nutty with bursts of sour sweetness and the spices gives an undercurrent of a far away land mystery.  And it’s not too sweet so one does not start craving and thus eating too too many.

In East Asian Medicine,  black sesame seeds nourish the blood so if you are vegan or eat primarily a plant based diet or are just looking for a satisfying snack then black sesame seeds can be used as a general tonic. They also lubricate the intestines so are helpful if one has constipation. The other unusual ingredient in this recipe is goji berries which also has a tonic effect on Qi and blood and is full of antioxidants. The spices are all warming and support digestion as well.

Goji berries are a cousin of tomatoes so if you have a sensitivity to that family or if you don’t have access to goji berries, you can substitute other dried unsweetened berries. For example, Trader Joe’s sells freeze dried raspberries which could be substituted. Feel free to experiment with other spices also. Enjoy!

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Bok Choy, Radish & Celery Ferment

A perfect and pretty side dish

Chop. Chop. Time to harvest and preserve the bok choy and radishes coming out of the garden. In this ferment, I use just the stems of bok choy and add celery to keep it crunchy. The red radishes offers a bit of spice and a pretty rosy hue.  Below is my recipe, such as it is. The fermentation process lends itself to experimentation and variation.  I change proportions of ingredients based on what is available from my garden or fresh in the grocery store, usually making quart size containers at a time.  Having a few different ferments bubbling away on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator allows me to serve several small side dishes (Korean-style) alongside main dishes at dinner.  I also use this ferment in salads, veggie roll-ups or as a garnish on crackers with cheese or spreads too. The variation at the table not only stimulates interest but digestion as well.

In Vegetable Fermentation Further Simplified, Sandor Katz gives the lowdown on how to ferment any vegetable. Trust me – fermentation seems exotic but it is really super easy. If you are looking to get into fermentation, follow his guidelines and you’ll be making very original side dishes and manufacturing your own tasty probiotics in your kitchen in no time.  I’d love to hear about what you are fermenting.

Fermented Bok Choy, Radish & Celery

A few bunches of bok choy (only use white stems)

1 bunch red radishes (thinly sliced)

3 – 5 stocks celery

2-3 tablespoons of salt (amount of salt depends on volume of veggies and taste). Experiment!

(You can add garlic or any spice you please to this ferment as well)

Place chopped bok choy stems, celery and thinly sliced radishes in a flat dish and sprinkle salt over veggies. Let sit for a few hours until fluid is released from veggies. After washing hands, you can also massage veggies to release more fluid if necessary.

This time I used a Japanese pickle press to submerge my veggies but if you don’t have this handy kitchen tool, you can pack vegetables into a wide mouth canning jar or crock. Ideally, veggies are totally covered in salt brine but if not then add water. If you are using a crock, submerge veggies with a weight on top of a plate. If you are using a canning jar, you can use a double plastic baggie filled with water to submerge veggies. 

Use a rubber band to secure cheesecloth or fabric over jar or crock to keep flies out and let sit on counter for 4 -7 days. The speed of ferment will depend on amount of salt and outside temperature. The longer you let it ferment, the tangier the taste will be. I generally let this ferment sit for 4-5 days. Taste your ferment frequently.

Place in refrigerator when you like the taste.

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Daikon Radish on the Daily

In our household we aren’t stockpiling toilet paper, we are stockpiling daikon radish during this pandemic. Using this stout root daily in raw salads, soups or main meals is one of our hedges for maintaining clear lung function.

In Traditional East Asian Medicine, daikon radish is considered to have a cooling thermal nature, and a pungent and sweet flavor. It cools heat, cuts mucous (dampness) and promotes digestion. It also acts as a detoxifier because, as a diuretic, it stimulates urination, helping to remove excess fluid from the body via the kidneys. These are ALL excellent indications for incorporating daikon radish into one’s diet, since the symptoms of Covid-19 are a fever, dry cough and accumulation of fluid in the lung.  

Compounding the coronavirus outbreak, we are in the midst of a seasonal change which is a typical time for common cold, flu, and allergy symptoms. As a preventative measure, use daikon radish to support your respiratory system and keep it congestion-free (regardless of the origin).  Of course, cutting down and/or eliminating phlegm producing foods like sugar, dairy, and alcohol will reduce inflammatory responses in your body.

One of the virtues of daikon radish is its versatility. It can be pickled, fermented, dehydrated, cooked or eaten raw. I hope this blog post doesn’t create a run on daikon radish, but currently Asian markets are well stocked.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes featuring daikon radish with simple and accessible ingredients. 

A white radish and ginger soup is the soup of our times. With our current damp weather, this clear and aromatic broth is soothing and tastes just right. It has just a few ingredients and requires merely minutes to make. The ginger brings warmth, helps improve digestion, and stimulates your metabolism, while the radish does its cleansing work. Just add any green on top. I especially enjoy adding nutrient rich chickweed or overwintered chives from the garden. Depending on how many individuals you are serving, adjust amounts and increase ginger if you want more heat.

White radish and ginger soup (serving 2)

3 cups water

handful of thinly sliced daikon radish

4 – 6 thin slices of ginger

I tsp chicken or vegetarian bouillon ( I use Better Than Bouillon)

Small bunch of coriander, chickweed, spinach, scallions or chives

Combine all ingredients and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or so. Add the greens just before serving, along with salt and pepper to taste.

Okonomiyaki – Japanese Vegetable Pancake 

This recipe has become a comfort food for us in the last few weeks. In addition to daikon radish, cabbage is the major ingredient in this recipe. Cabbage also clears heat and increases circulation. You can substitute other shreddable vegetables or sprouts. For example, instead of carrots, I used sprouted mung beans in this recipe. If you don’t have miso, mayonnaise mixed with horseradish works just fine as a topping.

https://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/walter-riesens-okonomiyaki-japanese-vegetable-pancake/

Raw Daikon Salad

Since daikon radish is considered a cooling food, it is best to serve this salad on a warm day or as a side dish for a spicy meal or a heavy dish. I often add horseradish in my vinaigrettes for its taste and its instant sinus clearing action!

https://www.japancentre.com/en/recipes/1313-daikon-salad

Daikon Chips

Fortunately, daikon radish stores well in the refrigerator but if you stockpile daikon radish then you have the mandate to use them or preserve them. I riffed off this recipe to make dehydrated Daikon Chips. I used olive oil instead of canola oil and experimented with different seasonings like nutritional yeast, chili pepper, onion and garlic salt and just simply salt and pepper. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use your oven if you can set it to 125 degrees. These chewy slightly spicy chips are a nutritious low calorie and tasty snack to have on hand.

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Fire Cider

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When my BFF dropped off six perfect little empty bottles, I was inspired to utilize them as carriers for this season’s remedy gift for friends, neighbors and clients.  Since I had always wanted to try Fire Cider and had a month to go before the end of the year, I decided to make my first batch. I can now report from my own and recipients’ reviews – this is good stuff.

Whether you take a swig straight from the bottle or put a teaspoon in hot water or cocktails, or add it to salad dressing, you will instantly register the delicious potency of this fine folk remedy.  It’s a perfect daily tonic for cold/flu season as it warms your insides up like an immune whisky.  It has all the requisite flavors (spicy, pungent, bitter, sour and sweet) for kicking pathogens like cold and dampness out of your body and stimulating blood circulation.

I followed the recipe below from Mountain Rose Blog and also added astragulus root.  I did keep my batch in a dark cabinet, but, full disclosure, I did not shake it every day. I only shook it once. This kind of recipe is infinitely adjustable to tastes and variations based on whatever you have in your pantry.  The apple cider acts as a perservative so it does not have to be refrigerated.  After I strained out my first batch, I added more cider vinegar over my shredded roots and herbs so I could extract even more of their medicinal properties.

With a dose of Fire Cider every day, I feel well armed this winter for keeping colds at bay.

Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh grated organic ginger root

1/2 cup fresh grated organic horseradish root

1 medium organic onion, chopped

10 cloves of organic garlic, crushed or chopped

2 organic jalapeno peppers, chopped

Zest and juice from 1 organic lemon

Several sprigs of fresh organic rosemary or 2 tbsp of dried rosemary leaves

1 tbsp organic turmeric powder

1/4 tsp organic cayenne powder

organic apple cider vinegar

raw local honey to taste

Directions
Prepare all of your roots, fruits, and herbs and place them in a quart sized jar. If you’ve never grated fresh horseradish, be prepared for a powerful sinus opening experience! Use a piece of natural parchment paper under the lid to keep the vinegar from touching the metal, or a plastic lid if you have one. Shake well! Store in a dark, cool place for one month and remember to shake daily.

After one month, use cheesecloth to strain out the pulp, pouring the vinegar into a clean jar. Be sure to squeeze as much of the liquid goodness as you can from the pulp while straining. Next, comes the honey! Add 1/4 cup of honey and stir until incorporated. Taste your cider and add another 1/4 cup until you reach the desired sweetness.

Ingredient Variations
These herbs and spices would make a wonderful addition to your Fire Cider creations:

Thyme
Rosehips
Star Anise
Schisandra Berries
Astragalus
Parsley
Burdock
Oregano
Peppercorns
Beet Root Powder
Habanero Powder
Bird’s Eye Chili Powder
Whole Chili Peppers
Fresh orange, grapefruit, lime juice and peels

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Eat Greens, Now.

IMG_1051Boom! Daylight savings arrives and like clockwork I’m out in the garden with a shovel, turning over our fall cover crop.  Even though we’ve had plenty of overwintering crops in the garden, the disconsolateness of frequent rain and ugly muck became a barrier for entering our backyard plot of late.

Today, in our designated sugar snap plot, I found squatters from last fall: handsome kohlrabi plants with not much of a root but flush with a plentitude of green blood nourishing leaves, pretty yin tonifying golden beets, large yang tonifying sweet parsnips and flowering dinosaur kale.  Before,  content letting them rest undisturbed, now I am ready to devour them – all, in the next week.  Craving large amounts of greens is my signal that spring has arrived.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, spring is the season of the liver and gallbladder, which regulate a smooth flow of Qi.  However, after a winter of eating heavier meats and oil rich foods, these organs often get congested which can leave us feeling sluggish, irritable and depressed.  Eating slightly sour foods, high in chlorophyll like greens and sprouts, can cleanse the liver by releasing toxins and moving stagnant energy.  Increasing foods that are slightly bitter such as dark leafy greens, asparagus, radish leaves, dandelion and romaine lettuce can help with the heat and inflammation of springtime allergies.  Turnips and radishes can also help cleanse the blood by breaking up mucous.

I love how garden cycles synch with seasonal and energetic shifts:  I need to get peas in the ground and I need to detoxify my liver.  By removing and eating the plants in the pea plot, I am waking up my own body for spring by nourishing and cleansing my blood, releasing stored up life-force, which in turn gives me not only space to plant my peas, but the energy and vision to begin a whole new garden season.

There’s that earth-based biolgical motive, and then there’s the more superficial vain motive, which crops up every spring too. If I can lose a few pounds by  lightening up my diet and eating more greens then I can strut around in my skinny jeans, and that, naturally, feels real good too.