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As we transition from the chilly depths of winter to the blossoming warmth of spring, our diets change to reflect this huge seasonal shift. In the yin of winter, Chinese Medicine prescribes a diet full of warm foods that are more heavily cooked. In spring, as we move towards the yang of summer, we want to eat foods that are both lighter, and more lightly cooked. Consider steaming your vegetables, instead of boiling or roasting them.
The LIVER is the organ associated with springtime.
The Liver is associated with regulating the smooth flow of energy in the body, as well as our emotions. It makes sense that in this Liver season, we eat specific foods to appease the Liver and keep it happy and regulated. This can be a tough one to try to apply in our modern society, but The Liver likes to keep things pretty chill, so if possible, try to eat food without haste and when you are feeling more calm, as opposed to when you are emotionally heightened.
GREEN is the color of spring.
Think about incorporating more greens into your diet, such as kale, watercress, mustard greens, collards, Swiss chard, arugula, basil, dandelion greens, parsley, cilantro.
SOUR is the taste of spring.
Spring is a really great time for any type of citrus and vinegars. Fermented foods like kimchi or kombucha are great for The Liver at this time of year. Might be a good time to check out local Baltimore ferment gurus over at HEX Ferments.
Other foods that Chinese Medicine invites for this season are spices like turmeric, cardamom, fennel, cumin and marjoram. For protein, think about eating less red meat and eating more chicken or white fish.
Recipes for Spring
Zesty is the name of the game for spring nutrition according to Chinese medicine. Both of these recipes work nicely with the season’s recommendations – we’ve got cilantro, spices, garlic (of course!) and lemon.
The first recipe is a favorite from the NY Times. It’s easy, quick and very nourishing with an amazing combination of flavors. The second recipe is zhoug, which is thought to be kind of like a Middle Eastern version of chimichurri. You can put zhoug on just about anything – soups, toast, hummus, eggs, veggies, meat, etc.
Warning: zhoug has got quite a kick. If you don’t want the extra spice you can easily leave out the jalapenos.
Lemony Carrot and Cauliflower Soup
Zhoug
