1. Jujube dates, goji berries are rinsed. If Jujube dates have pits, cut it in half to take the pits out.
2. shiitake mushrooms usually comes in dried form. They need to be soaked in water and washed to get the little dirt out from the gills. Then cut them into half or quarters.
3. carrots, ginger, and garlic peeled and cut
4. All ingredients are just a handful. Traditional Chinese home cooking has no measurements. Your handful is just right for you.
5. For a pot of soup for 4, half of whole chicken is enough. This chicken with bones, wings etc. Not just the chicken breast.
6. Put them all together, add water, bring to boil then simmer about 60 - 90 minutes. Add salt to taste.
7. If you would like to enhance the flavour of the chicken add some sea kelp as well.

This dessert is one of my favourites. It's called Jiang Zhuang Nai (姜撞奶). It's fusing of milk with fresh ginger juice. Two important parts are 1) get the milk temperature right otherwise it would not firm up like silky tofu, 2) fresh ginger juice is required.
Use full fat milk is best because the fat helps to set this dessert like siiky tofu. After warming up the milk, add some crystal rock sugar for sweetness. Depends on how spicy you like, you can add more or less fresh ginger juice. It can be eaten warm or room temperature.
In Chinese medicine, milk is sweet and cold (taste sweet with cold property 味甘性寒) and has tonify, balance function. Ginger is spicy warm (辛温) can expel cold, warm stomach, relieve nausea and direct stomach Qi downward.
The story of this dessert goes like this: long ago, an elderly woman was coughing really bad. She heard that ginger juice can help relieve coughing. But she couldn't drink pure ginger juice because it's so spicy. One time by accident, she knocked some warm milk into the fresh ginger juice. To her delight, the milk firmed up became like silky tofu. That's how this dessert came about.

​Looking to improve your immunity? Try adding these ingredients to your soups or other cooking.

Zinc deficiency is associated with lowered immunity. Here are some zinc rich foods: chickpeas, mushrooms, wheat germ, spinach, pumpkin seeds, squash seeds, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, almonds, walnuts, cocoa, cooked oyster, crab, lobster, beef, lamb, pork, and chicken.

Vitamin C paired with zinc has synergetic effect on combating cold and flu symptoms. Add dark leafy vegetables to your soups such as Kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, papaya, chili pepper, green or red bell pepper. A reminder for kale and other cruciferous vegetables. It is a goitrogenic vegetable. When eaten raw in small quantities, this vegetable can inhibit the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland. If it's eaten in excess, these chemicals can inhibit the incorporation of iodine into thyroid hormone. More reason to cook them in soups.

Garlic: These bulbs contain allicin. A 2014 study found that people who eat garlic every day are nearly two-thirds less likely to catch a cold than non– garlic eaters.

Hot broths: Steaming stock makes your nose run, which helps flush out congestion. Broth-based soups also keep you hydrated.

Crushed red peppers: Capsaicin, which adds heat, can clear sinuses for non-allergic rhinitis.

Vitamin D rich food: A deficiency in vitamin D3 has been linked to an increased risk of infection. The highest sources are fish. 3 oz of cooked salmon provides, 447 IU, and swordfish, 566 IU. Be aware that vitamin D in mushrooms is in the form of vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) which is different from vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). They are not absorbed the same way in human body. Mushrooms are rich in vitamin B2, B3, B5, copper, selenium, potassium and phosphorus, which are great for the immune system.

Here is an example of immune boosting soup. Very simple and easy to make. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 pound presliced vitamin D-enhanced mushrooms (such as Monterey Mushrooms)
• 10 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (15-oz.) can unsalted chickpeas, drained
• 2 pounds skinless, bone-in chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 12 ounces curly kale, stems removed, leaves torn

Instructions:
Step 11. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add onion, celery, and carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring often, 3 minutes.
3. Stir in stock, thyme, bay leaves, and chickpeas; bring to a simmer.
4. Add chicken, salt, and red pepper; cover and simmer until chicken is done, about 25 minutes.
Step 25. Remove chicken from Dutch oven; cool slightly.
6. Shred meat with 2 forks; discard bones.
7. Stir chicken and kale into soup; cover and simmer until kale is just tender, about 5 minutes.
8. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.

original source www.cookinglight.com/recipes/immunity-soup

Hot summer days are here. Time for mung bean soup. Here is another variation of the mung bean dessert soup.
Mung bean with Lily Bulb Congee
Mung Bean is the best food to remove summer heat while lily bulb can soothe the nerve as well as clear away heat. The combination of the two foods will help us to remove extra heat in our body and bring us a clear mind.
Further more, lily bulb moisten the lung which is prevention to autumn cough.
This congee tastes smooth with a texture of mashed potato. You can put in fridge and serve as dessert.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup mung bean
2 lily bulb, fresh or 1/2 cup dried lily bulb
1/4 cup white rice(option)
Instruction:
1. Wash and clean mung bean, white rice, and lily bulb. Peel lily bulb layer and layer.
2. Add about 10 cups of water in a pot. Bring to a boil; add mung bean, lily bulb and white rice.
3. Bring to a boil again. Turn to low heat. Continue to cook for about 40 to 50 minutes.
4. Turn off heat, serve after cool.
Tips.
1. Adding some white rice can make this congee smoother and more flavor, but not necessary.
2. It’s better to be served in room temperature. However, you can add some sugar or honey and put in a fridge. Then serve as a dessert.
3. If you cannot find fresh lily bulb you may buy dried one. Please note, there are two kinds of lily bulb from taste, bitter flavor and sweet flavor. The bitter one has the function of clearing away heat. So you should choose lily bulb with bitter flavor in summer.

Elder tree branches 接骨木 is great for rheumatic arthritis, and difficult urination in Chinese medicine.

Elderflower is used for swollen sinuses (sinusitis), colds, influenza (flu), swine flu, bronchitis, diabetes, and constipation. It is also used to increase urine production as a diuretic, to increase sweating as a diaphoretic, and to stop bleeding.

Ingredients

1. 6 fluffy cups of elderflowers, remove the thickest stems. (The thick stems of American varieties are considered toxic)
2. 1/2 gallon of filtered or fresh water. This is fairly flexible.
3. 1/2 cup of sugar, or local raw honey or evaporated cane juice.
4. 1/4 cup of Whey. You can get this by just draining some off of your yogurt.
5. one lemon

Instruction:

• Rinse flowers in a large bowl
• Boil some water, and pour it over your flowers, enough to cover them completely. 
•  Cover the flowers and water with a dishtowel and leave to steep for 24 hours or up to 48 hours.
• Strain out the flowers and save the elderflower tea.
• Add the juice of one lemon into your tea, and add sweetener of your choice. The sugars here will be digested to make the fizz, so you want it a bit sweeter than your end product. 
•  Pour all of this liquid into a glass container or demijohn, and add a couple tablespoons of whey. Cover loosely, and put it in your cupboard.
• Wait. Taste. Wait. When it’s a barely sweeter than you want your final product, pour the soda into swing-top (grolsch-style) bottles and let it sit for another day or two, to develop some good fizz. Leave some room at the top or it could explode otherwise. Don't shake.

Store bought almond milk or rice milk is full of guard gum or carrageenan. Try making these milk at home. 

Almond milk
​Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
1 cup raw almonds
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons of honey
1 pinch of salt
6 cups of water

PREPARATION
1. In a medium bowl, soak 1 cup of raw almonds in 2 cups of water overnight.
2. Drain the bowl of water and place the almonds in a blender.
3. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla, 3 tablespoons honey, 1 pinch of salt, and 4 cups of water to the blender.
4. Blend the mixture on high for 90 seconds. 
5. Use a cheesecloth to strain the liquid into a pouring container.
6. (Optional) refrigerate 1-2 hours or serve immediately.
7. Enjoy!


Pistachio milk
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons honey
1 pinch salt 
4 cups water
PREPARATION
1. Place 1 cup of cracked pistachios into a blender.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla, 3 tablespoons of honey, 1 pinch of salt, and 4 cups water to the blender.
3. Blend the mixture on high for 90 seconds. 
4. Use a cheesecloth to strain the liquid into a pouring container.
5. (Optional) refrigerate 1-2 hours or serve immediately.
6. Enjoy!

Chocolate hazelnut milk
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
1 cup raw hazelnuts
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pinch of salt
6 cups of water
PREPARATION
1. In a medium bowl, soak 1 cup of raw hazelnuts in 2 cups of water overnight.
2. Drain the bowl of water and place the almonds in a blender.
3. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 pinch of salt, and 4 cups of water to the blender.
4. Blend the mixture on high for 90 seconds. 
5. Use a cheesecloth to strain the liquid into a pouring container.
6. (Optional) refrigerate 1-2 hours or serve immediately.
7. Enjoy!

Chocolate pecan milk
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
1 cup raw pecans
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of honey
1 pinch of salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
6 cups of water
PREPARATION
1. In a medium bowl, soak 1 cup of raw pecans in 2 cups of water overnight
2. Drain the bowl of water and place the almonds in a blender.
3. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon honey, salt, 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, and 4 cups of water to the blender.
4. Blend the mixture on high for 90 seconds. 
5. Use a cheesecloth to strain the liquid into a pouring container.
6. (Optional) refrigerate 1-2 hours or serve immediately.
7. Enjoy!

In my Healing Soup blog you can look forward to yummy recipes, and information on our Healing Soup meetups. At our Healing Soup meetups you can join me in person, enjoy some great soups and ask me any questions you have about soup, acupuncture, and Eastern and Western medicine.    So come back and visit often, come out and meet me, and have some good tasty soups!