Three Nutritious Vegetarian Dishes for Summer Supplementation

As the saying goes, "One summer without illness is three parts weak". In the hot summer, the body sweats a lot and consumes a lot, resulting in varying degrees of weakness. Especially for the elderly who are already weak, reasonable supplementation in early autumn can replenish the deficiencies of the summer.

In the summer, most people crave cold drinks and cold food, and their spleen and stomach function has not fully recovered. If you indulge in heavy meals, it will add burden to the spleen and stomach and affect digestion and absorption. Using some nutrient-rich vegetarian food for supplementation can not only replenish deficiencies but also not burden the spleen and stomach, which is a win-win solution.

Three Recommended Vegetarian "Treasures" You Must Eat

◆Supplement Food: Sweet Potato◆

Also known as yam, sweet potato, etc. "Compendium of Materia Medica" records that sweet potatoes have the effects of "replenishing deficiencies, enhancing energy, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and nourishing the kidney yin", making people "long-lived and less prone to illness". They can also nourish the middle, warm the stomach, and stabilize the five viscera, so they are commonly used for supplementation. Regular consumption of sweet potatoes can also maintain the elasticity of blood vessels, prevent arteriosclerosis, and provide certain protection to the cardiovascular system.

Sweet potato pineapple soup can dissolve fibrin and blood clots blocked in tissues, improve local blood circulation, eliminate inflammation and edema. It also has the effects of weight loss, promoting digestion, relieving cold symptoms, improving appetite, and diuresis.

Ingredients: half a pineapple, 6 red dates, 1 sweet potato, 20 water chestnuts, appropriate amount of rock sugar.

Instructions: Wash and cut the pineapple and sweet potatoes into pieces; pour water into a clay pot, boil it over high heat, add sweet potato pieces, pour in rock sugar and boil over low heat for about 13 minutes, add pineapple and water chestnuts, and then add washed red dates to simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Do not use an iron pot to cook sweet potatoes, otherwise, the soup will turn black; red dates can be added with sweet potatoes, which makes the soup stickier; do not put too much rock sugar, otherwise, it will be too sweet, as these ingredients have a relatively high sugar content.

◆Supplement Food: Taro◆

Also known as fragrant taro, yam. In traditional Chinese medicine, taro is considered to be neutral in nature, with a sweet and spicy taste. It enters the intestines, stomach meridians and has the effects of nourishing the stomach and generating fluids, relaxing the intestines, transforming phlegm, and tonifying the middle and benefiting qi, making it very suitable for supplementation. Regular consumption of taro can nourish the liver and kidneys, replenish essence and marrow, invigorate the stomach and spleen. It is especially suitable for the elderly with weak spleen and stomach, intestinal diseases, and chronic illnesses.

Ingredients: 1 sausage, 1 taro, a small amount of spring onion, salt, sugar, soy sauce, cooking oil.

Instructions: Slice the sausage, peel and slice the taro, chop the spring onion; heat the wok, stir-fry the chopped spring onion until fragrant, add the sausage slices and stir-fry, add the taro, and then add broth or water; bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until the taro is cooked through, add a little sugar and salt, season with some soy sauce, remove from heat, and sprinkle with chopped spring onion before serving.

If using other vegetables instead of taro, there is no need to simmer in water, but the stir-frying time of the sausage needs to be adjusted.

◆Supplement Food: Lotus Root◆

In traditional Chinese medicine, raw lotus root has a sweet taste, a cold nature, and enters the heart, spleen, and stomach meridians. It has the effects of clearing heat and generating fluids, tonifying the spleen and appetizing, and stopping diarrhea. Cooked lotus root has a warm nature and has the effects of nourishing the stomach and spleen, nourishing blood, and replenishing qi. It can be seen that cooked lotus root is needed for supplementation, which has good nourishing effects on weak spleen and stomach and deficiency of qi and blood.

Ingredients: 2 sections of lotus root, red pepper, spring onion, garlic sprouts, garlic, salt, apple cider vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, olive oil.

Instructions: Boil a pot of water, slice the lotus root thinly; take a small bowl, chop the garlic sprouts and ginger, crush the garlic; add apple cider vinegar and a little soy sauce to the small bowl, add salt and a little sugar, mix well for the sauce; put the sliced lotus root into the boiling water, cook until tender, remove and let it cool; take out the lotus root slices, place them in a bowl, pour the sauce prepared earlier, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with some crushed red pepper.

It is best to use tender lotus root, the crunchy type is the best. The lotus root does not need to be cooked for a long time, it can be removed from the water after boiling.