Vegetarian Recipes

We highlight several easy to source Chinese medicinal herbs that are also excellent culinary herbs. Chinese dietary therapy emphasizes the concept of Yao Shi Tong Yuan 药食同源 “medicine and food have the same origin”.

Recently, one of our staff who is a homebrewer, and another who is our chief herbalist collaborated on a brewing experiment using Chinese herbs. After much discussion and some decoction sampling, we decided on a 3-ingredient simple Qi & Yin tonic formula. Sheng Mai San seemed appropriate both for its tonifying action and because we hoped would give the beer a lovely rose color from the Wu Wei Zi.

The first known mention of herbal tonic wine is from the Wu Shi Er Bing Fang (Prescriptions for 52 Ailments), which was unearthed at Ma Wang Dui tomb, an archaeological site located in Changsha, China. It is believed to have been written around 200 BC, although the prescriptions are thought to be much older.

Congee is a nourishing and comforting porridge, regarded to be particularly beneficial for its recuperative properties, often enhanced with herbs for specific functions that are added to the porridge while cooking. Rice is considered a Qi and Yang tonic. This particular recipe nourishes the skin by tonifying the Blood, preserving Yin fluids and helping to heal skin that has been damaged from UV exposure.

This traditional steamed pear recipe is often prepared in the autumn, the season of dryness, to prevent or treat an occasional dry cough or dry throat. Chuan Bei Mu/Fritillaria cirrhosa bulb is a very effective and versatile herb that both dissolves phlegm and clears heat, while also nourishing and moistening Lung Yin.

As we begin to prepare for Autumn and Winter, it is important to nourish the Metal element by adding more Yin foods to protect us from the dryness of the season. Plus, we LOVE figs! Figs are one of the oldest cultivated crops throughout the world, and are often said to be a symbol of peace and abundance. Entering the Lung, Large Intestine and Stomach meridians, figs can promote the secretion of saliva to soothe a sore throat and dry cough, as well as being supportive to the functions of digestion and elimination. Pork, which is neutral, sweet and salty, also moistens dryness and benefits the Spleen, Stomach and Kidneys.

Five Flowers Tea, or Wu hua cha 五花茶 is a traditional Chinese folk tea, enjoyed especially during the summer months by Cantonese people in the hot and humid south. Sweet and slightly cold, its’ main TCM functions are to clear heat and toxins, drain dampness, promote urination, cool blood, and alleviate summertime wind-heat.

The beloved apple has many benefits from a TCM perspective, aside from it being a nourishing and crunchy treat. Apples are cool, sweet Yin tonics that enter the Heart, Lung and Stomach meridians, and some sources say they enter the Liver meridian as well. Apples clear Heat and encourage the movement of Qi. When combined with the perfect spicy and warming trio of Rou Gui, Rou Dou Ko and Ding Xiang, which supports the digestive function, your middle Jiao will be exceedingly happy!

It’s the time of year to get cozy with a steaming mug of hot chocolate, and what better way to add a little warmth than with herbs? Drinking chocolate is a New World tradition that goes back to the time of the Olmecs. Cups of chocolate show up in Mayan glyphs and Aztec leader Montezuma is rumored to have drank 50 cups of chocolate a day.

Cozy teas made with Pang Da Hai seeds and raw honey are a simple way to support your lungs and respiratory system. Pang Da Hai seeds open the Lungs and simultaneously clear phlegm and protect Lung fluids.

Cool off from the inside out with this delicious and healthy twist on an old summer favorite! Making ice cream in a high-power blender is an easy way to incorporate more luscious seasonal fruits to enhance dessert, while using the whole fruit for the added nutrients and fiber.

Two recipes that both support the lungs, but with different herbal functions. The first is Pear Bai Mu Er Soup - a delicately sweet herb soup known to lubricate dryness and eliminate mucus. The second is Tai Zi Shen Soup - a supportive tonic for recovery after illness or chronic exertion. Both delicious!

A complex understanding of how the physical environment influences the human body is central to Chinese medical thought and is a hallmark of its’ sophisticated view of health and disease. From the early writings of the I Ching, The Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen, and the Shang Han Lun, Chinese physicians have been blessed by their understanding of how the body is influenced by the changing of the seasons, and the six environmental factors of wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness, and summer heat. The doctors of old understood that the negative influences of the environmental factors are counterbalanced by the Zheng or Upright Qi, which is comprised of proper levels of qi, blood, yin and yang, and the balanced functioning of the zang and fu organs. Today’s practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine evaluate these many factors to diagnose the cause and nature of the patient's illness and determine a path to healing. Read More

Adzuki (sometimes spelled aduki) beans are the Chinese herb Chi xiao dou: sweet, sour and neutral to slightly cold, they drain dampness and heat from the body. When balanced with warming vegetables and spices, Chi xiao dou prevents the curry from being overly warming and helps the body drain excessive dampness, something commonly needed as we transition from winter to spring.

This delicious sauce is a great twist on the old Thanksgiving favorite. Shan Zha/Hawthorn fruit blends well with cranberries both in color and in taste, and is a great addition to prevent potential food stagnation arising from the heavy meal. Shan Zha’s strong ability to resolve food stagnation will enable your guests to more easily digest the big Thanksgiving meal and be ready for dessert!