Follow Me for Wellness: Spring Wellness Season 8

Follow Me to Health: Spring Wellness Guide, Season 8

Spring has arrived, and with it, a variety of wild vegetables have emerged. However, selecting the right ones can be a challenge. Here are some tips to help you distinguish between edible and inedible varieties.

For wild vegetables that are commonly consumed and have been confirmed to be non-toxic, such as Malan beans and shepherd's purse, feel free to eat them. Wild vegetables with a distinct bitter or astringent taste often contain higher levels of alkaloids, glycosides, and tannins and should be eaten sparingly or not at all. Edible varieties should be soaked for at least 2 hours before consumption to remove glycosides, alkaloids, and tannins. Alternatively, you can blanch them in boiling water, rinse them in clean water to leach out the bitterness, and then cook them thoroughly before eating. Wild vegetables growing in polluted areas such as contaminated ditches, garbage dumps, near factories, or alongside roads often contain chemical toxins and heavy metals and should not be collected or consumed. Wild vegetables that are explicitly known to be poisonous, such as Tianlvxiang, Aconitum kusnezoffii, wild carrot, Xanthium sibiricum, and wild mushrooms, should absolutely not be eaten. For wild vegetables that you are not familiar with, never eat them casually, especially if they have a strange smell, until you have confirmed their safety. When buying packaged wild vegetables, be cautious of excessive additives. If the color looks particularly vibrant, be extra vigilant as it may have been enhanced with additives.

Now, let's talk about how to prepare shepherd's purse.

Locally Grown: The Shepherd's Purse Chapter

Food Recommendation Chapter 1: Shepherd's Purse Meat Tangyuan and Vegetable Balls>>>

Reason for Recommendation: Shepherd's purse is known for its spleen-soothing, diuretic, hemostatic, and vision-improving properties. Spring is a time for light meals, and for wild vegetables, I particularly recommend this light flavor, which preserves nutrients and provides a very satisfying feeling. When it comes to food, cooking methods like boiling and steaming minimize nutrient loss. This way, the dish isn't too greasy and maintains the fresh, delicious characteristics of the wild vegetable. Highly recommended!

Food Recommendation Chapter 2: Shepherd's Purse and Soybean Porridge>>>

Reason for Recommendation: Besides making balls, you can also use shepherd's purse to make porridge. Shepherd's purse also has the effect of strengthening the stomach and aiding digestion. Shepherd's purse is slightly cool in nature and is rich in protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin A. Soybeans, known as the "king of beans," are neutral in nature and can invigorate the spleen to remove dampness, nourish the blood to tonify deficiency, and detoxify. The combination of these two is very beneficial for regulating women's health and is suitable for all ages, making it perfect for family meals.

Food Recommendation Chapter 3: Shepherd's Purse and Tofu Soup>>>

Reason for Recommendation: In traditional Chinese medicine, shepherd's purse is believed to aid the liver's digestive functions and is considered a medicinal vegetable. The benefits of tofu have been mentioned in previous articles, such as its ability to help prevent and alleviate menopausal symptoms, osteophytes, and improve memory. A key point for this dish is that the shepherd's purse must be blanched and then cooled in advance to make it healthier and more beneficial for the body's absorption.

Tip: In wellness, it's important to eat seasonal foods. For light ingredients like wild vegetables, it's best to keep their natural characteristics and not make them too greasy. Shepherd's purse can also be eaten as a salad. Simply blanch it in hot water, cool it down, and dress it with a sesame sauce. Some people like to add MSG or chicken powder, but my advice is not to. At this point, the chicken powder won't dissolve properly and its flavor won't be released. Sometimes, the simpler the dish, the better the taste. With peach blossoms and green willows just around the corner, adding a green dish to your table might just brighten your mood. Why not give it a try?

This Lettuce is Not That "蜗居" (蜗居 is a homophone for lettuce) - Lettuce Chapter

Introduction: Also known as stem lettuce, asparagus lettuce, green bamboo shoot, lettuce, and fragrant asparagus lettuce, it is in season from January to April. It is native to central or northern China. The above-ground stem is edible, with a white-green skin and crisp, tender flesh. Young stems are emerald green, turning white-green when mature.

Food Recommendation Chapter 1: Garlic Fragrance Lettuce Stir-fried with Egg>>>

Reason for Recommendation: Eating lettuce regularly can enhance the secretion of gastric and digestive juices and promote bile secretion. The potassium in lettuce is 27 times that of sodium, which helps promote urination, maintain water balance, and is highly beneficial for patients with hypertension and heart disease. Therefore, patients with hypertension can use lettuce as a conditioning food. Eggs are a high-protein food and are excellent to eat more of in the spring. Paired with a touch of garlic fragrance, it's a personal favorite—light yet elegant, a great choice for family life.

Food Recommendation Chapter 2: Bacon Stewed Lettuce>>>

Reason for Recommendation: For those who are physically weak, have a deficiency in yin, experience bleeding from the gums, or have a dry nose that is prone to nosebleeds, stewed lettuce slices with soy sauce or salt can help treat and reduce bleeding. We usually see lettuce stir-fried, but this dish is stewed. You can add your favorite ingredients as you like; this is just a reference recipe. The key features are a rich broth and a delicious taste. You can thicken it slightly with a starch slurry.

Food Recommendation Chapter 3: Pig's Ear Stir-fried with Lettuce>>>

Reason for Recommendation: The fluorine in lettuce participates in the formation of tooth enamel and dentin and is involved in bone growth. Lettuce is also high in iodine, which is beneficial for the body's basic metabolism and physical development, making it a good food for children to eat more of during this season. Pig's ear contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and calcium, phosphorus, iron, and has the effect of tonifying deficiency and strengthening the spleen and stomach. It is suitable for those with qi and blood deficiency or a lean physique. In spring, this combination is very clever. Highly recommended!

Tip: After introducing these few dishes, it seems we're missing a cold salad method. Let me briefly explain: Peel the lettuce, cut it into simple strips about 0.5 cm square and about 5 cm long. Bring water to a boil (you can add some salt, star anise, and green onions), add the lettuce, and remove it with a slotted spoon after ten seconds of bubbling. Cool it down, arrange it on a plate, and add minced garlic and crushed chili. Heat oil in a pan, add Sichuan peppercorns to cold oil, filter them out once fragrant, and pour the hot oil over the arranged vegetables. Finally, you can sprinkle with crushed peanuts or cashews, or toasted sesame seeds for garnish—the result is also excellent. If you're still wondering what to eat this spring, come and try these recipes.

Crispy Outside, Tender Inside: Duck Chapter

Introduction: When it comes to duck, Peking Roast Duck is a must-mention. With its vibrant red color, tender meat, mellow flavor, and rich taste without being greasy, it is renowned as a "delicacy of the world." Flavor characteristics: Slightly yellow in color, soft and lightly fragrant.

Food Recommendation Chapter 1: Crispy-Skin Roast Duck>>>

Reason for Recommendation: The feature of this roast duck is its crispy skin and delicious meat. When eating roast duck, it's usually served with scallions. The reason is that duck meat is considered cooling in nature, and scallions can neutralize its coolness. Additionally, the pancakes are typically made from unleavened dough, and a sweet bean paste is served to aid digestion. The rest of the condiments can be added according to your personal taste. In the end, what matters most is that you enjoy your meal. If you have the time, you must experience it.

Food Recommendation Chapter 2: Two Ways to Use the Duck Carcass>>>

Reason for Recommendation: After eating the duck meat, don't throw away the carcass, as there's a delicious treat waiting for you. Sometimes when you eat roast duck, you can bring the carcass home. You can shave the meat off with a knife, cut it into strips (not too thin), and stir-fry it with scallions and cilantro—it tastes great. I ate it this way a few days ago. Just remember to use less oil. The carcass can also be cut into small pieces for stewing or used to make congee. Imagine a rich congee dotted with chopped green scallions—it's beautiful even before you take a bite.

Food Recommendation Chapter 3: Duck Stir-fried with Mushroom>>>

Reason for Recommendation: Spring is a time when it's easy to get "heatiness" (internal heat), and eating duck can help reduce it. It is especially beneficial for those with low-grade fever, a weak constitution, poor appetite, constipation, or edema. People with a cold spleen and stomach should eat it in moderation and can pair it with a little scallion. Mushrooms are relatively expensive, but at home, we can substitute them with more common mushrooms found in the market. This ingredient is popular and suitable for most people, and it's good for your health, so you can eat a bit more of it.

Tip: It's not just duck meat that is suitable for spring; duck gizzards and duck liver are also excellent ingredients. They can be paired with ingredients like soybean sprouts to make dishes like "Flavorful Duck Gizzards." Some people also use duck to make soup. The broth is milky white and looks very appetizing. Pair it with a bowl of rice and some broth, and you can taste that deliciousness for yourself. Spring and winter are the best seasons for eating duck, and the duck meat is particularly plump and delicious during this time. However, eating too much greasy food is not easy to digest. You can take a few hawthorn pills to aid digestion. Of course, more delicious flavors are waiting for you to discover.

The "Follow Me to Health" series consists of eight seasons, and that's a wrap for this one. We've offered a lot of suggestions, and we hope you can find something that suits you from this series—learning how to eat well, how to eat healthily, and how to pay attention to your own health this spring. Many of the recipes for the ingredients mentioned are for your reference only. If you have good or different recipes or creative ideas, you can contact us. If you have any good topics, feel free to email us at meishichina_2011@163.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

Next week, we will continue to write more solutions for common spring problems, such as spring fatigue and allergies. We hope you will continue to follow our section and communicate more. If you encounter any difficulties, we can solve them together. As the saying goes, "There's nothing difficult in the world if you put your mind to it" (I'm not sure which philosopher said that). Let's work together.

More excitement, more delicious food, all on Meishi China. We hope to gain your recognition and ask for your continued attention. We look forward to meeting you in our next special feature. See you then!

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