Winter is here again, and some female friends have become "ice beauties" - their hands and feet are cold. Some people think it's just because they're not keeping warm enough, but actually, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), cold hands and feet are a sign of qi and blood deficiency. Medicinal diet therapy is a commonly used method in TCM, and below are 5 recipes that can help replenish qi and blood.
1. Stewed Pigeon with Wolfberry and Longan
Ingredients: 30g wolfberry, 50g longan flesh, 6 jujubes (pitted), 1 pigeon.
Instructions: After slaughtering the pigeon, remove the intestines and clean. Cut into pieces and wash. Put all the ingredients into a clay pot, add water and bring to a boil. Transfer to a stewing pot, cover, and simmer over low heat for 3 hours. It is ready to be served.
Effects: Nourishes the liver and kidneys, replenishes qi and blood, and moisturizes the skin.
Suitable for: People with liver and kidney deficiency, imbalanced heart and spleen, dull complexion, insomnia, and forgetfulness.
2. Black Chicken and Chinese Yam Soup
Ingredients: 1 black-bone chicken, appropriate amount of Chinese yam and dates (dried), salt, scallion, ginger, cooking wine, and pepper.
Instructions: Cut the black chicken into pieces, peel and cut the Chinese yam into pieces, and cut the scallion into sections. Slice the ginger and set aside. Blanch the black chicken in boiling water to remove impurities, then remove and drain. In a clay pot, add water, bring to a boil, and add the black chicken pieces, red dates, scallion, ginger, and cooking wine. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Add the Chinese yam pieces and simmer until the yam is soft. Finally, add wolfberry, salt, and pepper.
Effects: According to TCM, cold hands and feet are closely related to weak constitution. Black chicken and Chinese yam soup has a good effect in tonifying the middle, invigorating qi, and nourishing blood, making it especially suitable for people with cold hands and feet.
3. Eight Treasure Rice
Ingredients: 100g glutinous rice, 100g rice, 50g adzuki beans, 50g coix seed (Job's tears), 20g lotus seeds, 20g wolfberry, 20g longan flesh, 50g jujubes.
Instructions: Wash the adzuki beans, coix seed, and lotus seeds with water and soak them for 2 hours. Then add glutinous rice, rice, and other ingredients and steam over high heat. Add an appropriate amount of sugar to taste.
Effects: Eating glutinous rice is a tradition during the severe cold. Eight Treasure Rice has the effects of invigorating the spleen, replenishing qi, nourishing blood, and calming the mind. It is suitable for people with weak constitution, fatigue, and weakness due to qi and blood deficiency.
4. Lamb Hot Pot
Ingredients: 800g lamb, 10 jujubes, 10g wolfberry, 10g salvia miltiorrhiza, 10g polygonatum odoratum, appropriate amount of green onion, ginger slices, garlic cloves, spring onion, salt, chicken essence, brown sugar, star anise, dried chili, Shaoxing wine (20g), white wine (20g), 1500g broth.
Instructions: 1. Wash the lamb and cut it into pieces. Blanch in boiling water for a moment, then remove and rinse. Wash the medicinal herbs and set aside. 2. Stir-fry the green onion, ginger, and garlic until fragrant, then pour into the broth. Add the lamb, Chinese herbs, and various seasonings mentioned above. Bring to a boil and then transfer to a clay pot. Simmer over low heat until the lamb is tender and cooked through. It is ready to be enjoyed.
Effects: This dish is warm and hot, with the effects of nourishing yin and yang, keeping warm, and improving immunity. It is suitable for middle-aged and elderly people who need nourishing and warming.
Note: This dish should be consumed with caution by teenagers with abundant qi and blood, middle-aged and elderly people with yin deficiency and internal heat, those with high blood pressure, and women during menstruation.
5. Milk Porridge
Ingredients: 500ml milk, 100g glutinous rice.
Instructions: Wash the glutinous rice and add it to a pot with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until the rice is 60% cooked. Add the milk and continue to cook until it becomes porridge.
Effects: Moistens the lungs, promotes bowel movement, and nourishes the deficiency and replenishes blood.
