Feel Fresh After Thanksgiving.

We all know the feeling...

Too much stuffing, turkey and pie. It can still be a celebration without being a tax on your digestion and your health. Here are some easy recipes you can include in your Thanksgiving line-up to ease your digestion and benefit your energy after your big meal:

1. Try Hawthorne Berry Chutney instead of cranberry sauce. 

Hawthorne berries have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands to years to support healthy digestion. They are called "Shan Zha, 山楂" in Chinese. These little tart berries taste a lot like cranberries, but with potent health effects. They have actions similar to ACE Inhibitors, and reduce blood pressure. They have also been found in studies to reduce elevated LDL cholesterol. They taste great, ease digestion and support cardiovascular health! Quite the condiment!

Your best bet is to get them from someone who has a tree. But if none is available, you can also buy them in the International District of any major city. 

Ingredients:
2 cups of fresh or dried hawthorne berries
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 T apple cider vinegar
ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves-to taste

• Pick the stems and leaves our of your hawthorne berries.
• They can have seeds as well so slice them in half and remove any seeds you see. 
• Simmer everything together on the stove for 20-45 minutes until the berries break down into a chunky mixture.
• Add the seasonings to taste, and use as you would use cranberry sauce, pile it on your turkey, stuffing and in your turkey sandwiches for the next week. 

2. Make a Traditional Indian Kitchari



While it may not sound like a traditional Thanksgiving dish, Kitchari fits very well with the typical Thanksgiving line-up. It contains a lot of aromatic spices like ginger, cinnamon, fennel, and cloves that work well with the rest of the meal. It is an unusual starch in that rather than slowing down digestion and making you feel full, it actually lightens and supports healthy digestion. Kitchari is made from 2 basic ingredients: basmati rice and ming beans, with lots of herbs and spices added in. The aromatic spices aid digestion, reduce cramping pain and 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup basmati rice
1 cup mung beans (yellow or green)
6 cups of water
2 thick slices of ginger
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
salt to taste
2 tsp ghee, butter or olive oil

• Thoroughly wash the rice and mung beans, and combine in a pot with the water.
• Simmer till soft.
• In a separate saucepan sauté the spices and seeds in the butter or oil for 2-3 minutes.
• Stir the spice butter mixture into the rice and beans.
• Season further as needed and serve. (recipe from ayurveda.com)

3. Try a Digestion Supporting Tea

• Combine any or all of the following: cinnamon sticks, fennel seed, ginger, orange peel, cardamom, black pepper, bay leaf, lemon peel, cloves, and star anise.
• Steep for 8-10 minutes and sip throughout your meal. 

Thanksgiving doesn't have to spell pain and bloating. I hope these suggestions let you enjoy the holidays more. I'd love to hear how they go!