AcuLAND ThinkTANK

Congee up your immune system

There is a great way to boost your immunity and it starts with the most important meal of the day.. Breakfast!

In China congees, (con-geez) which are simply "porridge made of grains" have been used for centuries as a healthy breakfast. Chinese congees may be made with a single grain or combination of grains, beans, vegetables, animal protein, or Chinese medicinal herbs. Since each type of the above has its own Chinese medicinal description and use, one can tailor their morning congee to their exact health needs. As an alternative to our traditional western sweet and sugary breakfasts, it can help you shed some excess weight and build your immunity...

Basic Congee ingredients are very simple: Rice - 1 cup, Water - 5 cups. Usually, one makes rice by using a 1-2 ratio making the rice light and fluffy. We are going for a porridge consistency with congees, so we use 5 times the amount of water. Some folks use up to 8 times the amount depending on what they want to put in after. But to get you started, lets go with a 1-5 ratio.

The traditional way to cook congee is to bring it to a boil then turn it down to simmer for anywhere from 2-4 hours. Well, if you are like me and don't wake up 2-4 hours before work, then I suggest a slow cooker or crock pot. That way you you put all the ingredients in it and let it cook overnight, spoon it out season it to taste and enjoy! You can also make a big batch on Sunday and store in the fridge for the week.

Basic Congee for Immune Boosting in the Spring

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rice
  • 5 cups water
  • 4 ¼ inch slices of ginger

Directions:

Put the above in a crock pot over night or cook it up for 2-4 hours. The time depends on the level of cooked you like it.. try about 3 hours first and then play with it the next week.

  • The sweet version - Add some raisins, local honey, ground almonds and cinnamon on top.
  • The savory version - Add fresh chives, brewers yeast, and sliced soft boiled egg. (this is a super duper energy booster for the morning, you won't need coffee that's for sure!)

The special Weight loss focus Congee

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup barley
  • 5 cups water
  • Lara's special dried herb packages for weight loss. This is only 5 dollars for one batch of congee! Email me and I will happily put one together for your specific needs.

Directions:

  1. Combine herbal package, leaving the small package with berries aside, and 5 cups of water and bring to a low boil for 30 minutes.
  2. Strain or pick out the dried herbs and add the barley and cook up the congee as directed above on stove or in slow cooker.
  3. Add in the small package of berries near the end (they need at least 2-4 minutes to plump up), a little honey and ground almonds and enjoy!

I can put together a congee recipe for any type of illness you want to focus on, so feel free to call me with your ills and I will get one started for you.