Spring: A lovely reminder of how beautiful change can truly be.
— The Big Apple Blog
The last couple of days have been my idea of heavenly weather. Cool, clear nights and stunning, cloudless days filled with life-giving sunshine. So…I thought I would continue with last week’s theme about spring.
In Traditional Medicine spring is the season of the liver and the gall bladder. This means that you want to find a balance between the two organs. Your liver is a Yin organ and this makes it important in ensuring a constant flow of emotions in your body. Your gall bladder is the Yang organ and therefore is responsible for dreaming, making decisions and inspiration. So in order to keep both organs happy and balanced…try to remember not to abandon winter entirely. Spring is a transitional season so keep away from cold winds and eat warm foods in addition to salads and fresh fruit.
Spring is a time to renew and rejoice. So…get outside and soak up the sunshine. Reconnect with old friends, start an exercise program or just go for a walk. Spring cleaning is a great way to start fresh. If you are holding onto anger or resentment then forgiveness is a brilliant way to let go and and find joy in new beginnings. And don’t forget to treat yourself to a little self-care in the form of a spa treatment or acupuncture to keep you feeling your best.
And to help you eat well for spring – here is one of my favourite salad recipes. I hope you enjoy!
Buckwheat and Rocket Salad
(Recipe from Delish.com)
INGREDIENTS
1 c. Buckwheat
3 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 Bay leaves
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
2 tsp. honey
Freshly ground black pepper
2 c. lightly packed rocket
1 Green apple, chopped
1/2 c. shaved parmesan cheese
1/4 c. freshly chopped basil
1/4 c. freshly chopped coriander
1/4 c. toasted pecans, roughly chopped
1/4 c. Pine nuts, roughly chopped
DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, combine buckwheat, vegetable broth, salt, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook, stirring occasionally, until buckwheat is tender and no broth remains, about 30 minutes. When buckwheat is cooked, transfer to a large bowl to cool.
In the meantime, make dressing: in a medium bowl, combine the olive oil with vinegar, mustard, and honey and season with salt and pepper.
Assemble salad: combine cooked buckwheat, rocket, apple, parmesan, basil, coriander and pecans. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat.
NOTE: To make a more substantial main meal, add the protein of your choosing. Chicken, prawns, beef, lamb or pork all work well.