Summer Corn with Umeboshi

Looking for a new way to jazz up all that corn on the cob your family is eating this summer? We love ours grilled and charred with olive oil and salt, Mexican-style with chili powder, cilantro, and lime, and also this way - with a smear of umeboshi paste and gomasio on top. It’s just as easy as anything to make, and chances are you have NO idea the benefits of eating this intensely pickled, funny sounding Japanese plum - it’s great to have an easy way of incorporating them into such an American staple. 

Food Facts: Umeboshi Plums (or plum paste)

Umeboshi salt plums are extremely sour and salty. They are commonly called “Japanese alka seltzer” because of their common use in treating digestive upset. They are highly alkalizing and can help with indigestion, diarrhea, liver issues, fatigue, the elimination of toxins and even worms! Because of their action on the liver, they have also gotten a popular reputation as a hangover cure. You can buy them whole or commonly as vinegars or pastes. One umeboshi plum a day = the apple of the East! 

Summer corn with Umeboshi

Fresh corn, kept on the cob

2 Tbsp umeboshi paste

1 splash Mirin rice wine

Gomasio (a sesame seed and sea salt mixture) or toasted sesame seeds

Cayenne pepper (optional)

Grill or steam corn to desired doneness. While your corn is cooking, mix umeboshi paste with a splash of mirin and stir/whisk together to thin the paste - you may need a splash of water as well to taste. Umeboshi paste is VERY strong, so thinning it out makes the flavor less punchy and adding the wine will balance a little sweetness into the paste. Spread a thin layer over each cob, top with gomasio sprinkles or sesame seeds and cayenne for kick. 

Fennel Tea "Cure-All"

Fennel teas are plentiful and easy to find in tea bags in many grocery stores, but making your own straight from the seeds is so much more effective and therapeutic if you are really looking for the health benefits it has to offer. And what are those, you might say?? Well, personally, I like to think of fennel tea being a digestive “cure-all” for many stomach & GI issues. I think that is its biggest strength. Upset stomach, heartburn, gas, bloating, nausea, IBS symptoms, even pain from stomach ulcers can be relieved by fennel tea. You can also modify fennel tea with a few other herbs to customize it to your own taste and need, although it’s already pretty delicious on its own. Another benefit of fennel - the naturally sweet & cool flavor makes a great breath freshener. It would be wonderful to serve a large glass pitcher of this herbal tea alongside lunch for friends or family- they will never suspect you are looking out for their health as well as relishing their company. :) Here is my recipe for basic fennel tea, with some additional variations you might find work best for your tummy:

Fennel Tea:

3 tsp crushed, whole fennel seeds (crushed with a mortar and pestle works just fine to release the oils)

3 C water

Bring water and fennel seeds to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Strain and drink up to 3 C daily for health benefits. 

Fennel + Licorice Root Tea: Licorice has been researched and proven to help with stomach ulcers, heartburn, and as a general digestive aid. You can buy whole licorice root from an herbal pharmacy and use about 3 grams with the recipe above. *

Fennel + Ginger Root Tea: More warming and stimulating, ginger adds another benefit for digestion by helping nausea, bloating, or feeling “stuck” or cold in your gut. Cut up 3-4 slices of fresh ginger root and add to the recipe above. 

Fennel + Dandelion Leaf Tea: Dandelion focuses more on digestive issues related to the liver. Promoting bile flow, helping digest fats, & cleansing from a rich diet. Add 2 tsp of bulk dandelion leaf in a cheesecloth bag or metal tea ball to the recipe above for a great digestive “detox” tea. *

Happy sipping! 

*Always consult with your healthcare practitioner or nutritionist to be sure licorice and dandelion are right for your body type before consuming in large amounts.

Natural Solutions to Gastritis

Millions of folks are dealing with stomach issues in America. This is not new. The commercials and ads for acid reflux medications are not new either. Getting VERY old, in fact, in my opinion. Here is some information that may be new to you, some natural tips on dealing with your heartburn, especially when due to inflammation of the stomach lining, or gastritis.

Many people think acid reflux/heartburn issues are due to too much stomach acid, and that the pills you can take for it will neutralize this acid from causing you pain. That’s not entirely correct. Most of these problems are due to a completely normal & healthy amount of stomach acids just going the wrong way, or irritating a place that is damaged from some other cause. Here are a few natural ideas for reducing stomach inflammation, thereby relieving the symptoms of heartburn from gastritis:

• Carrot juice or Cabbage juice: Drink about 1 C per day to relieve inflammation in your stomach lining. 
• Aloe Vera Juice: Use up to 4 oz of aloe juice per day to relieve gut inflammation. This can also be used as a laxative, so be cautious with that. 
• L-glutamine powder: Try this amino acid supplement as a powder form, and it will soothe gut inflammation and can even heal stomach ulcers. 
• Pistachio nuts: Eating pistachios is a great way to get fiber and prebiotic action for your gut to encourage healthy bacteria. They are also naturally low in calories so make a great snack. 
• DGL Licorice root extract: This supplement acts by increasing the mucous coating in your esophagus, stomach & intestines, thereby protecting that tissue from irritation by stomach acids. 

*thanks to posts from Andrew Weil and Leo Galland on the latest info about acid reflux and gastritis*