Summer season is the season with maximum yang energy. Therefore it is important to stay cool and hydrated. In Chinese Medicine, all foods have different energetic properties and temperature. In the summer, we eat cool, yin foods that are moistening.
Seaweed and cucumber are both excellent to eat in the summertime because of their cooling nature. Enjoy these two recipes:
Seaweed and Cucumber Salad
- 2 TBSP – dried Wakame
- ¼ – Organic Cucumber
- 1 TSP – Sea Salt
- ½ TSP – Organic Ginger
Dressing:
- 3 TBSP – Rice Vinegar
- 2 TBSP – Water
- 1 TSP – Cane Sugar
- 1 TBSP – Soy Sauce
- ½ TBSP – Sesame Oil
- Rehydrate the wakame. Let it soak in water for 10 minutes. Then rinse with water, and let it drain well. Squeeze the wakame to drain any excess water.
- Peel the cucumber. Cut it into thin slices about 1/8th inch thickness or smaller. Put the cucumber slices in a bowl and sprinkle the salt. Massage the cucumber with the salt and let it stand for a 5 minutes. Squeeze out any excess water. Combine wakame with the cucumber and mix well.
- In a pot over the stove, combine the ingredients for the dressing: rice vinegar, water, cane sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Cook until the sugar dissolves then transfer to a separate bowl to let it cool.
- When the dressing has cooled, pour dressing over cucumber and wakame and mix well together. Serve room temperature.
Cucumber Salad
- 1 – Organic Cucumber
- 2 – Thin Slices Grated Ginger
- 1 – Organic Bell Pepper, Red or Green
- 1 TSP – Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ TSP – Brown Sugar
- Sea Salt
(Cilantro may be added if desired)
- Slice cucumber and organic bell pepper in thin slices about 1/8 inch width and put in a bowl.
- Grate ginger and chop finely.
- In a separate bowl, combine ginger, apple cider vinegar and brown sugar. Mix well.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables. Let the vegetables sit overnight in the refrigerator. Serve the next day at room temperature.
