This seasonal dish is suitable for anyone who enjoys a variety of flavor and color along with a medicinal approach to eating with the seasons. It offers all five flavors to the pallet and has a colorful display that entices the senses and delights the spirit. Following a traditional diet based on our ancestral lineage, we can be nourished and enlivened by eating whole foods in their least manipulated form.

Ingredients for the congee:

1 cup white rice 

1 tablespoon coconut oil 

Salt to taste (approximately 1 tablespoon) 

8 cups of broth made with medicinal Chinese herbs* or herbs of your choice (can substitute with water) 

Toppings: 

1 large beet, grated 

1 or 2 large carrots, grated 

Micro greens sprout mix, spring salad mix, or sautéed dark leafy greens 

9 shiitake mushrooms, sautéed in butter or cooking oil of choice 

Local pickles, sauerkraut, or kimchi 

NOTE: Additional seasonings can include butter, tamari, umeboshi plum vinegar, grated ginger or other spices. Additional protein toppings can include smoked local trout from Sunburst Trout Farms, cooked tempeh from Smiling Hara, or braised pork. 

To make the broth: *The following Chinese herbs are traditionally used in Chinese dietary therapy to strengthen digestive function and benefit the spleen and stomach: Codonopsis (Dang Shen) Dioscorea (Shan Yao) Poria (Fu Ling) Atractylodes (Bai Zhu) Ginger (Sheng Jiang) 

Boil the herbs in 9 cups of water for 30 minutes, uncovered; strain. 

To make the rice: Sauté the uncooked rice in a pot with the coconut oil. Add salt; continue to stir. Once the rice is fully coated, add in herb broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a slow simmer for at least one hour. The rice will swell and will take on a porridge consistency, then it can be seasoned to taste. To serve: Ladle the rice congee into bowls adding toppings to taste.