Easy-Digest … Your quick and easy meal plan for tummy support
Easy-Digest
Planning meals can be hard work when you’re not prepared. And when you’ve been sick it’s even tougher!
Here’s a few easy meal ideas to help you through those times when your tum tum needs some support. Whether that’s post-virus, when the whole house is unwell, or when you’re just feeling bloated generally.
Keep in mind, during acupuncture consults, I make an assessment on your current health status, and we explore how things could be improved. The info provided in your consult is INDIVIDUAL so it’s best to have your own consult to gain the benefits of what applies to you.
Tips as a general rule include
ensuring you eat breakfast, even if you’re feeling crap!
keeping fluids up, this means having around 1.5litres of water each day, minimum
herbal formulas to improve digestion, stomach/large intestine/small intestine qi or energy, and of course, regular acupuncture treatment based on your diagnosis
The Easy-Digest meal plan looks like this…
BREAKFAST
1/2 to 3/4 a cup of oats (can be quick oats)
1/2 cup water, milk or milk alternative
handful of goji berries and/or 3 chopped chinese dates
10-12 blueberries if you’re a fan - add these at the end before serving
1/2 a thinly sliced pear
Microwave or boil up the ingredients (oats, goji berries, pear) until the oats are cooked. Serve warm topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg, and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy!
SNACK
Vegetable or Bone Broth soup
Find a good Broth powder (we have some in stock at the clinic late May!), add water and folow directions. You can also add in 2-3 chinese dates and let them soak up the broth-then enjoy the dates at the end! Remember-chinese dates have a strange pip inside, so eat around it carefully…
LUNCH AND DINNER
Congee is a typically easy to digest, nourishing and wholesome meal cooked traditionally in East Asian medicine. There are many different variations of congee. There is chicken congee (this recipe), century egg congee, and even a vegetarian mushroom congee version. The options are endless! It is such a versatile dish that can be served with many different toppings and proteins. This can be prepared when you wake in the morning by throwing all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Then it’s ready at lunch time!
1 & 1/4 cups Jasmine rice – Any kind of long grain rice will work for this recipe. Different kinds of rice cook differently, so I would check the congee for texture as you simmer it.
ALTERNATIVE 1- small chicken - put the whole chook in the rice cooker if it fits. You may need to cook it for longer so always check that chicken is fully cooked before consuming. Boiling a whole chook isn’t recommended as you will need to watch it doesn’t dry out-however you can make a broth with the chook first, and then remove the meat for use in the congee.
ALTERNATIVE 2 - use thigh chicken fillets and chop them into large chunks (my preferred option!).
ALTERNATIVE 3- finely chop 500gm of your choice of mushrooms and gently sautee before adding to the slow cooker or stove top.
ALTERNATIVE 4-choose any veg you like, sautee and add to slow cooker or stove top!
Garlic OR Ginger – Adds more flavor to the rice. BUT don’t go overboard!
Garlic can be sauteed first, and if using ginger just finely chop it and add to the final mix to simmer.
Fried shallots (optional) – Adds some texture and extra flavour to your dish. You can buy them from the shops if you wish to add them in.
Chili oil (optional) – You can use either chili oil or sesame oil for this congee.
Pepper (optional) – Adds more flavour to this dish.
Green onions & cilantro (corriander) – Adds freshness and makes the dish look pretty! Add at the end before serving.
Number One rule! RINSE YOUR RICE FIRST! This stops the congee from becoming too cloudy and starchy.
Sauté the rice, minced garlic in a pot until the rice turns a light brown color (you don’t need to use oil). If using ginger, you don’t need to use garlic aswell-do one or the other.
STOVE TOP - Add 10 cups of stock and bring to a boil . You can make your own, use liquid stock or powdered stock. Lower to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour on medium low until the rice is mushy. Add more broth if needed.
SLOW COOKER - Add 10 cups of stock to the other ingredients. You can make your own, use liquid stock or powdered stock. Add all the ingredients and let simmer on low heat for 5-6hrs. The rice will go nice and mushy. Make sure to stir every once in awhile, so the rice at the bottom doesn’t burn.
Add a few spoonfuls of congee to a bowl, top with green onions, cilantro, fried shallots, shredded chicken (if desired), a few drops of chilli oil, and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
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