Summer Time Hormone Balancing With Dong Quai Soup
Nourishment for the HEART. As summer rolls in, the heat rises and the heart is ignited. The FIRE element is present. Throughout the season changes, my inner cycles are experienced differently. With different temperatures and elemental influences. This time, as my ovulation phase came down, (hormone drop), I felt a bit burnt out by the heat. As the energy of yang rises, it’s important we nourish and cool ourselves through the rise of heat, to sustain the energy of our hearts. Through my monthly hormonal drop, I supported my body with this soothing soup.
I wanted to highlight the Chinese herb, “Dong Quai” that helps to balance the hormones, especially good for female bodies. This herb is the female version of Ginseng. It can be ingested throughout your cycle, besides during your menstrual phase. I have also heard great things for women during peri-menopause.
So, Let’s get to the recipe!
Dong Quai Soup:
3-4 cups of bone broth
2 hand fulls of select mushrooms, I used, Maittake & shitake
1/2 head of broccoli
3/4 block of tofu
6-8 slices of lotus root
1 tbsp Dong Quai root
3-4 pieces of licorice root
1 block of Jade Rice noodles
1 cup jujubes (Chinese dates)
3/4 cup goji berries
Topping:
Squeeze of lime juice
Mung bean spouts
*Your choice of fresh herbs. I used, Mint, fennel & cilantro.
Directions:
Add your bone broth to your medium sized pot. Add in all the veggies and mushrooms to cook in with the licorice root pieces. On medium/boil. While this is going, Add your Dong Quai root to a small tea pot or vessel with a strainer. Pour hot water over the root and let steep for at least 5-7 minutes to get the full medicinal qualities. Add tofu, lotus root and jade noodles into the medium sized pot to boil into the mix. By this time, the Dong Quai should be ready to be poured into the main pot. Add in jujubes and goji berries and let all the ingredients steep until soft but not mushy.
Add soup into your favorite bowl with all the crisp toppings that fill us with freshness and water during the summer months!
I hope you enjoy this medicinal broth. It soothed and nourished my heart and reminded me to enjoy the slowness that summer can bring. A reminder to cool yourself down before burnout occurs!
