She Essential Blog

Summer is here to stay, it seems. So as we settle in for six more weeks of high temperatures, it is nice to take advantage of the body’s natural ability to easily digest raw, cooling foods. Early August marks the time when our natural circadian rhythm is in full yang mode. As our appetite continues to wane and our energy rises, the body becomes more efficient at utilizing what is being eaten.

Summer foods are notorious for being easily digestible, light and refreshing. During this cleansing time in the seasonal dietary cycle, it is best to stick with simple dishes that can be easily prepared. What comes to mind is that beautiful green summer squash: the zucchini. Loaded with manganese, vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin A and fiber, zucchini ends up being a very important heart-smart vegetable.

Traditional Chinese Medicine theory links summer to the energy of the heart, so there is no better time to prepare and eat veggies that have a calming and strengthening effect on the heart.

Enjoy this vegetable with a balance of flavors, served over toasted bread or rice crackers.

Zucchini Bruschetta

3 medium zucchini
1-teaspoon salt
¼ cup shredded basil
½ cup almonds, chopped
½ cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
fresh ground black pepper
1 loaf of ciabatta or favorite toasting bread, use rice crackers for a gluten free option

1. Using a box grater or food processor, coarsely grate zucchini. Place shredded zucchini in the middle of a clean kitchen towel and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 5 minutes, and then squeeze the towel to remove the excess moisture. Repeat until as much liquid as possible has been released. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Add garlic, basil, almonds, cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season to taste with extra salt and pepper and lemon juice. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Just before serving, drizzle the remaining olive oil over bread and broil or grill until toasted.

4. Top each slice of bread/cracker with the zucchini and serve.

Laura Kauffmann and Beth Hooper are licensed acupuncturists and Chinese medicine specialists practicing in New York City, and co-founders of She Essential Beauty, an organic skin care line formulated to enhance your beauty from within.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 9th, 2010 at 9:38 am and is filed under Beauty and Diet, Seasonal Beauty. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.