Light Living

Welcome the Fresh Energy of Early Summer

Medicine Meal explores the intersection of food and herbs as medicine. The name comes from the Japanese Yakuzen culture, which is about creating delicious, healing meals using traditional Chinese medicine herbs and principles.

The early summer months are an auspicious time to lighten up—just as each season brings fresh energy, we too can transform how we feel. Feeling sluggish, foggy-headed, or stuck is common—a lingering heaviness caused by rich foods, inactivity, and stress. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this often signals excess dampness, where the body holds onto too much fluid, leading to bloating, water retention, brain fog, and fatigue. To regain balance, focus on foods that drain dampness, support digestion, and invigorate circulation, helping the body feel lighter, clearer, and more energized.

Signs of Dampness in the Body

  • Feeling sluggish or heavy
  • Puffiness or water retention
  • Stiffness in the joints
  • Excess mucus, sinus congestion
  • Digestive discomfort
  • Brain fog, poor concentration

How to Clear Dampness with Food and Herbs

  • The bitterness of leafy greens (i.e., dandelion, watercress, spinach) helps the body clear excess water retention.
  • Barley, green tea, aduki beans, and astragalus root are mild diuretics that gently clear Dampness.
  • Fermented foods (i.e., Kimchi, sauerkraut, miso) balance gut health and prevent stagnation and inflammation in the body.
  • Fresh ginger tea warms digestion and helps the body metabolize fluids.
  • Oolong Tea benefits digestion and mental clarity.
  • Avoid excess dairy, sugar, fried foods, and iced food and drinks, which create more dampness.

In TCM, feeling lighter isn’t just about food—it’s also about movement, breath, and mindset. As the season shifts, try some of the following ideas.

  • Gentle movement like walking or stretching in fresh air.
  • Deep breathing to increase healthy energy (Qi) and move “stuck” feelings out of the body.
  • Declutter your home and workspaces, which mirrors clearing out internal heaviness.

Barley and Greens Congee

Makes 6-8 servings

Barley congee is about balancing healthy bodily fluids and nourishing Blood. The barley and greens strengthen the body in a way that slows hair loss, resolves constipation, and reduces bloating. It is a wonderful healing meal to make when you need deep hydration and a reset for the digestive system.

Ingredients:

½ cup pearl barley 

½ cup uncooked white rice

1 cup roughly chopped spinach

1 cup roughly chopped kale, chard, or other greens

6 cups chicken stock or water

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pine nuts (optional)

1 tsp black sesame seeds (optional)

Optional herbs: 3” piece of kombu seaweed, five jujube dates, two reishi slices, and/or 1/8 cup astragalus root

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large soup pot, bring the pearl barley, rice, spinach, greens, herbs (if using), and 6 cups of chicken stock or water in a large pot. Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir in the butter and salt. Serve warm topped with pine nuts and black sesame seeds (if using). 

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat congee over low heat on the stovetop, stirring in additional liquid as needed.

Kinpira Gobo

Stir Fried Burdock Root

makes 4 servings

A humble dish often served in a bento lunch, Kinpira is a quick stir fry simmered in soy sauce. The star of this recipe is the shredded burdock root, “gobo” in Japanese, which purifies the Blood by clearing heat and toxins. It is a versatile side dish that can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Burdock Root
Burdock Root

Ingredients:

9 ounces (250g) burdock root, peeled and julienned

1 small carrot, peeled

1 ½ Tbsp sesame oil

1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp mirin

1 Tbsp sake

1 Tbsp cane sugar

1 dried red chili pepper, chopped (optional)

2 tsp black sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS:

Using the back of a large knife, peel burdock root and slice on the diagonal into thin rounds. Cut burdock root slices and carrot into 2-inch matchsticks (julienne). Soak gobo strips in water for 10 minutes, changing the water halfway to remove the strong astringent flavor. Drain in a colander and remove as much water as possible by pressing with the back of a wooden spoon. 

In a wok or large skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the burdock root and carrot, and stir-fry for 5 minutes, or until tender yet firm. Add the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar and simmer, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed. 

Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped red chiles, if using. Kinpira can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipes and text excerpted from Asian American Herbalism: Traditional and Modern Healing Practices for Everyday Wellness by Erin Masako Wilkins. Published by Princeton Architectural Press, owned by Chronicle Books. Copyright © 2023 by Erin Masako Wilkins.

Disclaimer: Be sure to identify plants properly when foraging for wild plants. Exercise caution and seek guidance from experienced foragers. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before taking new herbal supplements or changing your diet, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, immunocompromised, or on medication. As always, seek outside help if something doesn’t feel right for you.

Find a Sonoma County Farmers’ Market near you:

ourfarmersmarkets.org

nuestrosmercados.org

Bodega Bay 

Bodega Bay Community Farmers’ Market

bodegabaycommunitycenter.org/farmers-market                                                                   

Community Center, 2255 CA-1                                                 

Sundays, 10am-2pm                                                           

Memorial Day through October 

Cloverdale                                                                    

thesantarosafarmersmarket.com                                                       

225 N Cloverdale Blvd

Tuesdays, 4-7pm                                                     

April-November 

Cotati

Cotati Community Farmers Market

ilovefarmersmarkets.org

La Plaza Park W. Sierra and Old Redwood Hwy.

Wednesdays, 4:30pm-7:30pm

June-September

Forestville

Forestville Farmers’ Market

forestvillefarmersmarket.com

6990 Front St.

Tuesdays, 4:30-7:30pm

June-September

Guerneville

Russian River Farmers Market

sonomacounty.com/farm-farmers-market/russian-river-farmers-market 

Downtown Guerneville, Fourth and Church 

Thursdays, 3pm-7pm

June 6-September 5

Healdsburg

Healdsburg Farmers’ Market

healdsburgfarmersmarket.org

West Plaza parking lot (one block off plaza) 

Saturdays, 8:30am to Noon

April 12-December 20

On the Plaza Downtown

Tuesdays, 9am-12:30pm

May 13-September 30

Occidental

Occidental Community Farmers’ Market

occidentalcommunityfarmersmarket.com

Main St. between 1st & 3rd

Near Howard’s Station Cafe, Occidental

Thursdays, 4-8pm

May 16-October 31

Petaluma

Petaluma East Side Farmers’ Market

ilovefarmersmarkets.org 

320 McDowell Ave. 

Tuesdays, 9:30am-1:30pm 

Check website for details on curbside pickup 

Accepts CalFresh

Petaluma Walnut Park 

Farmers’ Market

Walnut Park, 4th St. and D St.

Saturdays, 2-5pm

May 3-November 22

Petaluma Evening Market

Petaluma Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Dr

Thursdays, 3-7pm

June-September

Rohnert Park

Rohnert Park Farmers’ Market

ilovefarmersmarkets.org

500 City Center Dr. next to the library

Fridays, 5-8 pm

June-August



Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa Community Farmers’ Market

ilovefarmersmarkets.org

1501 Farmers Ln.

Saturdays, 8:30am-1pm 

Wednesdays, 9am-1pm 

Accepts CalFresh

Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers’ Market

thesantarosafarmersmarket.com

Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd.

Saturdays, 8:30am-1pm, year-round 

Wednesdays, 8:30am-1pm March-December

Accepts CalFresh, EBT & Market Match

Mercadito Market at Roseland Village

ilovefarmersmarkets.org

777 Sebastopol Rd. 

Thursdays, 2pm-6pm

Sundays, 9am-1pm

Oakmont Certified Farmers’ Market

sonomacounty.com/farm-farmers-market/oakmont-farmers-market

Oakmont Drive & White Oak Dr. 

Saturdays, 9am-12pm, year-round

Sebastopol

Sebastopol Farmers’ Market

sebastopolfarmmarket.org 

Sebastopol Plaza at Weeks Way

Sundays, 9am-1:30pm, year-round 

Accepts CalFresh

Sonoma

Sonoma’s Tuesday Night Market                           

sonomastuesdaynightmarket.com      

Sonoma Plaza                                                          

Tuesdays, 5-8pm

May-August

September hours, 4:30-7:30pm

Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers’ Market 

Depot Park, 241 First Street West

Fridays, 9am-12:30pm, year-round 

Windsor

Windsor Farmers’ Market

windsorfarmersmarket.com

701 McClelland Dr at Market St. 

Sundays, 9:30am-12:30pm  April-December

Thursdays, 5pm-8pm

Accepts WIC,  EBT and matches first $10

Ride your bike and get a $2 Bike Buck

 

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