V1, I11

"I am the Allower of my own Wellbeing"

A monthly newsletter written by Sherry Dell, PhD, CN

Volume 1, Issue 11
May, 2008

Grandma's Spring Tonics

Spring Tonic Chicken Salad

Ingredients

	1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
	2/3 cup canned coconut milk
	1 piece fresh ginger peeled and sliced thin
	1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
	1/2 teaspoon salt
	small amount grated horseradish to taste
	4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
	2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
	1-1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
	2 tablespoons pineapple juice
	1 bunch watercress stemmed
	1 bunch dandelion greens stemmed

Directions

In a food processor that has a metal blade combine pineapple, coconut milk, ginger, horseradish, salt and pepper then process until smooth.

Place the chicken breast halves in a single layer in a shallow glass dish and pour the pineapple mixture over them turning to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Remove chicken from the marinade reserving the marinade.

Place a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook turning once and brushing with marinade for 10 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

In a bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, pineapple juice, salt and pepper. In a large bowl toss the watercress and dandelion greens with the vinaigrette. Divide the greens among 4 plates and top each with a chicken breast.

I don't really remember my Dad's Mom, Flora. She died in 1963 and I was 6 years old. But I've heard my Dad talk about her spring tonics all my life. And the spring vegetables. Dandelion greens, rhubarb, watercress, asparagus, horseradish. Dad said, and I quote, "My mother made us eat our vegetables. And every spring she made us eat the dandelions and rhubarb to clean out our systems. She was big on the spring tonics."

My Dad grew up on a farm in Iowa, which meant they lived with a long, cold, dark winter. And if you happen to be coming out of a northern winter yourself, you might especially want to heed Grandma Flora's advice. But you don't have to live in Iowa to benefit from spring tonics. It turns out, grandma knew what she was talking about.

The definition of a tonic is something that invigorates, refreshes and restores. In herbalism, a tonic herb is one that strengthens and improves overall body function or specific organ function, depending on the herb. This is pretty much what grandma had in mind when she was doling out the spring plants at her dining table, even if she wouldn't have known the technicalities of why they worked.

Dandelion leaves (1,2), for example, have chemical constituents such as bitter glycosides, carotenoids, terpenoids, choline and potassium salts, that function as both liver and digestive tonics. The leaves also have diuretic properties which helps the encourage urine flow and thus, elimination of toxin through the kidneys. And dandelion promotes bile flow through the gallbladder and has mild laxative properties. Will you think a little bit differently about that little yellow flower when you're yanking it out of your back yard the next time. It qualifies as a nearly magical spring tonic..

Rhubarb has anthraquinone glycosides which have a strong laxative effect, increasing intestinal peristalsis significantly and thus helping to eliminate sluggishness and toxicity of a long, sedentary winter. Because rhubarb is such a strong purgative, it can cause abdominal cramping and so is perhaps best taken with a small amount of fennel or ginger which act as gentle carminatives to soothe and relax the intestines.

Watercress contains more sulfur than any other vegetable, except horseradish. Sulfur-rich foods (others include onion, garlic, legumes, eggs and cruciferous vegetables) are important in helping the body to bind up and eliminate toxins. Both the Romans and the Greeks wrote of the medicinal properties of watercress. It was also written that Persian King Xerxes fed watercress to his soldiers, to keep up strength and stamina. Watercress has potent diuretic and digestive properties as well as antiscorbutic properties (meaning it can help prevent scurvy due to its high Vitamin C content).

Horseradish, as already mentioned, has a very high sulfur content. An interesting fact regarding horseradish is that when the root is unbroken, it has no odor. It does, however contain, in separate cells a glucoside called sinigrin, and an enzyme called myrosin, which when they are combined produce a volatile oil called Allyl. It is the volatile oil that we smell and associate with horseradish. This volatile oil is actually only created when the root is scraped or bruised in some manner, which is enough to bring the cells of sinigrin and myrosin together. Horseradish is a strong stimulant and when eaten with foods can help to improve and complete digestion. It is also a diuretic, increasing urine flow, as well as another antiscorbutic, high in Vitamin C.

To these tonics of grandma Flora's, you can add any of the springtime vegetables that begin to appear at your local farmer's market: asparagus, artichoke, baby greens, baby carrots, etc. Make your own grandmother happy and eat up!

Here are two of my favorite references for checking on the properties of herbs:

(1) Ody, Penelope, The Complete Medicinal Herbal, 1993.

(2) Tierra, Lesley, The Herbs of Life, 1992.