Kasha The Whole Grain for Winter
Cooking for Winter Water Energy
Winter is the season know as Water energy according to the Five Transformations of Energy. It is a time of flowing movement, spontaneity, flexibility, and expanding. The energy of this time lends to our creative side, our exploration side, our adventurous side. Water energy holds our deep life force, it is essential to supplying our body with vitality and nourishing us. It has great ascending energy and within it is great flexibility. It is a powerful energy time holding our inner survival, our will and also our fears.
When we have balance water energy in our body all those powerful emotions and life forces work wonderfully in our lives, but once out of balance and we can see conditions start to manifest on our lives. When water energy is depletes we can experience deep fears and we see the world as a threatening place, we may think we are weak and it make us vulnerable to any number of harmful ideas or thoughts. We could see the world as dangerous which can create chronic fear. Also we loss our sense of adventure, we loss our ability to be flexible, and we are not using our creative skills.
However do not fret about an imbalance because it can be corrected by eating the foods associated with the water energy phase, the winter season. The signature flavor is salty. The cooking techniques are salt pickling, stewing and steaming. Some of the foods for this time are: burdock, shiitake mushrooms, red cabbage and sea vegetables (arame, dulse, wakame, kombu, nori, hiziki).
Signature whole grain for Water Energy is KASHA
Pictured: Collard Kasha Lasagna - Cooking Class, Wed. Jan. 18
The whole grain Kasha, although it has two names, it is essentially the same. In the stores, usually kasha is the grain in its whole form, while buckwheat is in a flour form. Although not a true cereal grain, it is used like a grain and has similar properties of grains. And even though it is in the name (buckwheat), it is not a wheat at all, in fact it is gluten free. Many people with food allergies get confused and stay away from buckwheat, however they will find it is an excellent grain to start including in their diets.
Because it is a good blood building food, it can neutralize toxic acidic wastes. In Chinese Medicine it is known for feeding and nurturing the kidneys and reproductive organs. Also known as the signature grain of the winter time, it is medicinal to capillaries and blood vessels and can increase circulation to the hands and feet. Buckwheat has the longest transit time in the gut which makes it excellent to stabilize blood sugar levels. Also rich in vitamin E, very high in vitamin C, and contains almost the whole range of B-complex vitamins. Kasha contains flavonoids that have anti inflammatory, anti fungal and anti bacterial properties. Also contains 100% more calcium then any other whole grain.
Contains these flavonoids:
Rutin: strengthen blood vessels
Quercetin: helps reduce inflammation
To learn more about the whole grain Kasha and Water Energy Phase, please attend my cooking class, Wed. Jan. 18.
Menu: Collard Kasha Lasagna, featuring layers of sweet potato, zucchini, tofu and Mochi sauce. Vegetable with Creamy Tofu Sauce and Simple Sauerkraut Dish. Class is VIRTUAL or IN PERSON. (Michigan)
Pictured: Vegetables in Tofu Sauce
https://www.macroval.com/cookingclasses.htm
Pictures: Simple Sauerkraut Dish
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I am a self employed chef who make her living teaching cooking classes and doing lifestyle counseling. I would love to see you in a cooking class or work with you to overcome any health challenges you may be dealing with. And if you can not attend a cooking class, pleases share, and pass the word along.
Thank you! Love and Food, Chef Val