I don’t want to steal any Game of Thrones thunder, but……………….Winter is here! 
The coming of the cooler weather behooves us to fuel our bodies in a manner appropriate to the season. The Chinese physicians of old exhorted their patients to eat seasonally. Being colder, winter is the time to consume more Yang-natured foods and drinks and conversely, less Yin-natured foods.
Farewell the (Yin) vestiges of summer, such as salads, fruit salads, smoothies, juices and fruits that speak of hot weather, like melons and grapes and so on.
Hello to Yang, in the form of cooked meals like stir-fry dishes, stews, and soups with generous amounts of the likes of ginger, onions, leeks and fresh vegetables – e.g., butternut pumpkin, sweet potato, cauliflower and broccoli.
I know its all the craze to take kale in a smoothie but for me it is a food I throw into a soup or stir-fry in the last few minutes, along with the broccoli so one doesn’t overcook them.
To add some taste and nutrients, one can also, at a late stage of soup preparation, add a heaped teaspoonful of miso paste. In soups and stir-fry I always use fresh spices like turmeric (again, not in a smoothie but in a warmer format), ground cumin and ground coriander and lastly garnish with fresh coriander (cilantro).
If you want a head start on winter, here is my Spicy Sweet Potato Soup recipe.
I try to use only organic produce and cook the vegetables until they just begin to soften, so as to preserve their nutrients.
Ingredients:
Two sweet potatoes sliced
One small butternut pumpkin diced
Three carrots sliced
Large piece of Broccoli cut up
One long red chilli chopped finely
Ginger – 3/4 inch piece finely diced
Onions – 2 brown onions sliced.
Garlic – 4 cloves bruised then cut into chunks.
1/3 bunch of Kale
One bunch Fresh Watercress
Italian parsley x 1/3 bunch
1/3 bunch Italian Parsley
Coriander Ground – 1 teaspoon
Cumin Ground – I teaspoon
Turmeric – 1 teaspoon.
Vegetable Stock – 1 teaspoon powder
Tomato Paste – 1 x small pack
Olive oil
Process
Cut the onion, ginger, chilli and garlic up and fry in olive oil gently for a couple of minutes, till the onion is translucent, adding in the ground coriander, turmeric and cumin.
Add 4 cups of water and bring to boil.
Add pumpkin, sweet potato and carrots, tomato paste and stock.
Allow to simmer gently 15 minutes or until the veggies just begin to soften. Add broccoli, kale and parsley and cress. Cook a further 5 minutes.
Blend when cooked .
Great to warm the cockles of the heart during the colder months. Serve garnished with fresh coriander.
Eat with Sourdough toast (if gluten isn’t a problem….)
Bon appetit and warm regards,
Michael
www.michaelfinnhealthservices.com.au
To find out more about the Yin and Yang of eating and other healthy lifestyle advice, call Michael for an appointment by calling him on 0411 537 394 or Bardon Counselling and Natural Therapy Centre 07- 3368 1300.