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Yin Yang Diner column
Yin Yang Diner column
Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine believe that the high temperatures and humidity of the summer months lead to loss of appetite, fatigue, and dizziness, and thus it is important to eat cooling, or “yin,” foods. Following this approach, green vegetables, sweet fruits, shellfish, and cool beverages are preferable to the heavy, spicy “yang” foods you might favor in winter. In the summer, too many "yang" foods can over-stoke your internal fire.
The recipes below can be found in cookbook Ying's Best One-Dish Meals.
The complete recipes on this page are:
Enjoy this sampling!
The recipes below can be found in cookbook Ying's Best One-Dish Meals.
The complete recipes on this page are:
- Black Rice with Cranberries, Carrots, and Ginger
- Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce
- Gingerbread
Enjoy this sampling!
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Asparagus & Crab Salad
Yin foods are often green or white in color, and are generally served raw, lightly steamed, or blanched. For this dish, be sure to use only fresh, young, tender asparagus. Cut off and discard the woody end of the stalk. Use a vegetable peeler to lightly trim any rough areas on the spear. The best way to keep asparagus fresh is to place the stalks in a tall container, then add 2 inches of spring water. Keep them in a cool place or in the refrigerator. Change the water daily. |
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Black Rice with Cranberries, Carrots, and Ginger
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
1 cup diced fresh oyster or shitake mushrooms
3 medium carrots cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup minced onion (yellow or red)
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups cooked black rice, cooked according to directions (Also called Forbidden Rice, is usually found in the health food, or even the rice section at your grocery store)
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup toasted nuts (I used pecans)
Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 325F.
Step 2
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat, swirling pan to coat. Add ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and sauté for 1 minute. Add carrots, onion, and celery. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Stir-fry until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in cooked rice, orange juice, and cranberries. Toss to mix well.
Step 4
Put rice mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover loosely with foil and bake until heated through and liquid evaporates, about 30 minutes. Garnish with nuts, if desired, and serve warm.
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
1 cup diced fresh oyster or shitake mushrooms
3 medium carrots cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup minced onion (yellow or red)
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups cooked black rice, cooked according to directions (Also called Forbidden Rice, is usually found in the health food, or even the rice section at your grocery store)
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup toasted nuts (I used pecans)
Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 325F.
Step 2
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat, swirling pan to coat. Add ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and sauté for 1 minute. Add carrots, onion, and celery. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Stir-fry until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in cooked rice, orange juice, and cranberries. Toss to mix well.
Step 4
Put rice mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover loosely with foil and bake until heated through and liquid evaporates, about 30 minutes. Garnish with nuts, if desired, and serve warm.
Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon-Dill Yogurt Sauce
This salmon is a cooling summer dish. For a slightly sweet version, add a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice to the yogurt sauce.
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
1 cup plain soy or regular yogurt
2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed
2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 (4-oz) skinless salmon fillets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups cooked mixed fresh vegetables or thawed
frozen mixed vegetables
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1
In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, dill, lemon zest, and oil. Mix well and set aside.
Step 2
In a large sauté pan, melt butter on medium-high heat. Add salmon fillets and sear for about 3 minutes. Turn fillets over and cook for about 3 more minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork. Place fish on a warm serving plate.
Step 3
Heat oil and sauté garlic until fragrant. Add vegetables and sauté until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
To serve, arrange vegetables around salmon fillets and spoon yogurt sauce over fillets. Serve warm with couscous.
This salmon is a cooling summer dish. For a slightly sweet version, add a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice to the yogurt sauce.
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
1 cup plain soy or regular yogurt
2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed
2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 (4-oz) skinless salmon fillets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups cooked mixed fresh vegetables or thawed
frozen mixed vegetables
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1
In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, dill, lemon zest, and oil. Mix well and set aside.
Step 2
In a large sauté pan, melt butter on medium-high heat. Add salmon fillets and sear for about 3 minutes. Turn fillets over and cook for about 3 more minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork. Place fish on a warm serving plate.
Step 3
Heat oil and sauté garlic until fragrant. Add vegetables and sauté until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
To serve, arrange vegetables around salmon fillets and spoon yogurt sauce over fillets. Serve warm with couscous.
Gingerbread
This year, don’t reach for powdered ginger. Fresh ginger gives this traditional dessert a healthy, flavorful update.
Preparation time: 10 minutes. Total: 1 hour
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup light molasses
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup firmly packed minced fresh ginger
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the lower third of oven. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with waxed paper, then spray the paper. Dust the entire pan with flour and shake out the excess.
Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, turbinado sugar, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
Step 3
In a medium bowl, whisk together molasses, eggs, oil, and buttermilk.
Step 4
Dissolve baking soda in the cup of boiling water. Fold the baking soda and molasses mixtures into dry ingredients until combined. (Do not overmix.) Fold in the minced ginger.
Step 5
Scrape batter into the prepared baking pan; bake until cake is set around edges and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioner’s sugar.
Yields: Per serving: 252 calories; 4 g protein; 10 g fat; 36 g carb.
This year, don’t reach for powdered ginger. Fresh ginger gives this traditional dessert a healthy, flavorful update.
Preparation time: 10 minutes. Total: 1 hour
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup light molasses
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup firmly packed minced fresh ginger
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the lower third of oven. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with waxed paper, then spray the paper. Dust the entire pan with flour and shake out the excess.
Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, turbinado sugar, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
Step 3
In a medium bowl, whisk together molasses, eggs, oil, and buttermilk.
Step 4
Dissolve baking soda in the cup of boiling water. Fold the baking soda and molasses mixtures into dry ingredients until combined. (Do not overmix.) Fold in the minced ginger.
Step 5
Scrape batter into the prepared baking pan; bake until cake is set around edges and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioner’s sugar.
Yields: Per serving: 252 calories; 4 g protein; 10 g fat; 36 g carb.
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