Kanpo Pharmacist Ai Okubo's Cell-Revitalizing
January "Food & Medicine Recipes"

[January 2024]
Cauliflower Recipes to Start the Year Positively

When you think of January, you might associate it with the first sunrise of the year and imagine the sun. However, in reality, daylight hours are overwhelmingly short, and the cold, dry air can make you more susceptible to colds. You might also experience dry skin, disrupted body clock, decreased bone density, or a general lack of motivation. Therefore, while remembering to get some sunlight, let's incorporate vitamin C, D, K, calcium, and dietary fiber into our diets. We can also start practicing feeling hunger to help alleviate internal organ fatigue caused by overeating during the holidays.

◆This Month's Key Ingredient

Cauliflower

Many of you may feel refreshed after the long holidays, but it's also possible you've accumulated waste products and toxins. Detoxify with cauliflower, which is rich in vitamin C, sulforaphane, and dietary fiber, all of which help reduce damage to the gut and liver. It also contains vitamin K, essential for bone density, potassium, effective for reducing swelling, and iron and folic acid, which help prevent anemia, making it ideal for those who want to be beautiful and healthy.

◆Recipe Introduction

For beautiful skin, fatigue recovery, and improved sleep quality!
Garlic Shrimp & Cauliflower

This dish combines shrimp, packed with winter-friendly nutrients like astaxanthin for beautiful skin, taurine for fatigue recovery, and glycine for improved sleep quality, with garlic, effective for cold prevention and boosting vitality.

→Watch the video for instructions

Ingredients
Shrimp　　　　　　　　　　approx. 15-20 pieces
Cauliflower　　　　　　　　1/3 head
Garlic　　　　　　　　　　2 cloves
Olive oil　　　　　　　　　2 tbsp
Salt and black pepper　　　to taste
Parsley (dried also OK)　　　optional

Instructions
① Peel the shrimp and remove the veins. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces and mince the garlic.
② Put the shrimp, cauliflower, garlic, olive oil, salt, and black pepper into a plastic bag and mix well. Let it marinate for about 10 minutes.
③ Sauté the cauliflower in a frying pan for 3-5 minutes.
④ Add the remaining ingredients to the frying pan and cook the shrimp on both sides.
⑤ Finish by tossing with parsley.

Point
* Peeled shrimp can also be used. Larger shrimp will give you a better texture.

Satisfying without rice! Low-carb
Cauliflower Curry

Cauliflower rice and oatmeal are well-known diet ingredients. This is a rice-free curry that uses these two ingredients as a roux. It's healthy, gluten-free, and uses minimal oil.

→Watch the video for instructions 

Ingredients
Ground chicken　　　　　　200g
Cauliflower　　　　　　　1/2 head
Garlic　　　　　　　　　　1 clove
Onion　　　　　　　　　　1/2
Oatmeal　　　　　　　　　4 tbsp
Curry powder　　　　　　1.5 tbsp
Miso　　　　　　　　　　　2 tbsp
Water　　　　　　　　　　500ml
Soy sauce　　　　　　　　2 tsp
Chocolate　　　　　　　　2 squares

Instructions
① Roughly chop the cauliflower, slice the garlic, and mince the onion.
② Sauté the onion and garlic well in a pot. Add the cauliflower, ground chicken, and curry powder and sauté briefly.
③ Add all remaining ingredients to the pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes until done.

Point
* If possible, use high-cacao chocolate.

 

 

Profile

Ai Okubo

Pharmacist, Kampo Counselor. Studied Kampo, medicinal cuisine, and oriental beauty at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, becoming the first Japanese to obtain the International Chinese Medicine Beauty Specialist qualification. After managing Kampo pharmacies, dispensing pharmacies, and beauty salons, she now works as an expert in medicine and beauty, including Kampo and medicinal cuisine, engaging in product development, writing, and corporate consulting.

Official Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aivonne85/

Official Twitter:https://twitter.com/Ai_loveflower