What do you know about black sesame seeds?

I mean… besides the fact that you don’t want to get them caught in your teeth.

Well, for one thing, they are really good at building blood and moistening the body.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine Black Sesame seeds are deeply nourishing to both the liver and kidneys and are considered a “moistening” food that helps restore lubrication and fluids.

Blood, of course, is the vital fluid that lubricates and nourishes all of our organs and bodily systems. So, we need to build better quality blood if you want more energy and vitality. And, that’s where the black sesame seeds work really well.

Black sesame seeds are rich in healthy fats that can help resolve dry conditions like dry hair, dry skin, dry eyes, and constipation.

For best results, the way to consume these beneficial little seeds is by eating small amounts over a long period of time.

Quantity changes quality. If you eat too many seeds (of any kind), it can congest the system and contribute to internal “dampness”  with symptoms like sticky stool, skin rashes, bloating, low energy, and brain fog.

For a delicious triple whammy to build better blood, I combined the black sesame seeds with jujube dates and ginseng.

Jujube dates are a classic food used as medicine to nourish the blood, strengthen the spleen and stomach, and calm a racing mind. And, they have a bright red color (kind of like blood).

Ginseng has been successfully used for thousands of years to recharge the body, build vital energy, and restore strength.

With these Blood Building Tahini Truffles, remember that a little goes a long way.

One per day can help deeply nourish your body, resolve dryness, and build better blood and vitality.

Oh… and they’re delicious!

Enjoy!

Blood Building Tahini Truffles

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Andrea Beaman

Serves: 14 balls

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried jujube dates, soaked
• ½ cup black sesame seed paste (tahini)
• 1 tsp. powdered ginseng
• ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
• ¼ cup raw creamed honey
• 2 pinches of sea salt
• 1 cup black and tan sesame seeds (1/2 cup black, ½ cup tan)

Instructions

1. Soak jujube dates for 2-3 hours (or until soft) in enough water to cover.
2. Discard soaking water, and put dates into a food processor with sesame tahini, ginseng, cinnamon, cocoa powder, honey and sea salt.
3. Puree until you get a smooth consistency. It should resemble black sticky tar.
4. Remove the tahini/date mixture from the food processor and put into a container. Store inside the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or until mixture gets firm.
5. While the mixture is getting firm, rinse 1 cup of black & tan sesame seeds and.
6. Heat a large frying pan on medium/low heat. Add the seeds to the pan, plus a couple of pinches of sea salt. Lightly toast the seeds until fragrant and popping (10-15 minutes).
7. Set the seeds aside to cool.
8. Once the tahini mixture has a firm consistency, you can now work with it to create balls.
9. Take one tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a small ball. Continue with remaining mixture until it's finished.
10. You should get 14-16 balls.
11. Roll each ball in sesame seeds to coat evenly.
12. Store inside the refrigerator.
13. Eat one daily.

3.5.3251

The post Blood Building Tahini Truffles first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

I was enjoying a bowl of soup for lunch with my husband and he said, “Man, you just can’t go wrong with a bowl of chicken soup. It covers all the bases and, it’s always so good.”

I agree!

There’s a reason why chicken soup has made its way into almost every culture around the world as both food and medicine.

I grew up eating chicken soup and always thought it was originally created by my Jewish ancestors. But, that’s not the whole truth.

According to historical records (and recipes), chicken soup originated in Ancient China. The earliest written record of using chicken soup as a healing medicine dates back to the Han Dynasty over 2500 years ago.

“The first evidence of humans using chicken soup is from the 2^nd century BC. A medical document from China, Huangdi Neijing, where chicken soup was referred to as “yang food” which translates to a “warming dish”. Herbs were added to enhance the healing properties of the soup.”[1]

Chicken soup in Traditional Chinese medicine is viewed as a potent source of Qi (energy) and a warming food used to counteract “cold” illnesses. It’s the perfect food to warm and nourish you when you are feeling chilled or are coming down with a cold.

From Ancient China, chicken soup spread around the world and began filling the bowls in many other cultures.

Ancient Greek and Roman physicians prescribed chicken soup for a wide variety of ailments.

“Chicken soup as a healing therapy can be traced back to 60 A.D. and Pedanius Dioscorides, an army surgeon who served under the Roman emperor Nero, and whose five-volume medical encyclopedia was consulted by early healers for more than a millennium.”[2]

In modern times, chicken soup is affectionately known as, “Jewish Penicillin.” That’s how I knew about it. But, it has been used as medicine since the 12^th century in many Jewish households.

“In the 12th century, the revered Jewish philosopher and physician Moses Maimonides wrote extensively about chicken soup in his medical treatise On the Causes of Symptoms. Drawing from earlier Greek texts, Maimonides prescribed broth made from hens to “neutralize body constitution” and treat respiratory ailments.”[3]

Chicken soup as food and medicine has clearly stood the test of time. It’s still showing up on menus and in kitchens around the world today.

And of course, as my hungry husband wisely said, “Man, you just can’t go wrong with a bowl of chicken soup.”

If you’re feeling a little run down, or simply want to enjoy a big bowl of comfort, here are few of my favorite chicken soup recipes to keep you warm and cozy:

• Creamy Wild Mushroom Chicken Soup
• Simple Chicken Soup
• Comforting Chicken Congee

If you want to learn more delicious healing recipes that are good for your body, mind and soul, check out the fun cooking classes inside my Health is Wealth Community. You’ll get access to a new cooking class every month. And, get to enjoy the recipes with a group of like-minded people who all care about nourishing their bodies with ancient healing medicine, combined with modern wisdom!

[1] https://wordpress.kpu.ca/foodhistory/2023/04/03/from-nanas-kitchen-to-modern-medicine-the-healing-powers-of-chicken-soup/

[2] https://www.sciencealert.com/chicken-soup-has-been-a-remedy-for-thousands-of-years-but-why

[3] https://100jewishfoods.tabletmag.com/chicken-soup/

The post Chicken Soup for the Bowl first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

Chicken Congee

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

 

Author: Andrea Beaman

Recipe type: Health Coach Cooking

Cuisine: Food is Medicine

Serves: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 whole pasture-raised chicken (3 pounds)
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2-3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 cup long grain white or brown rice
• 8-9 cups chicken stock (use broth from cooking chicken)
• 2 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 3-4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced thin (discard stems)
• 2 scallions, minced

Instructions

1. Put whole chicken into a large soup pot with onion, carrots, and celery.
2. Add enough water to cover the chicken.
3. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer for 1 hour.
4. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside to cool.
5. Strain out the vegetables from the broth and discard.
6. Reserve the broth.
7. Rinse the rice in cold water to release some of the starch. You may need to rinse 2-3x until the water runs clear.
8. In that same soup pot add the rinsed rice plus 8 cups of the reserved broth. If you don’t have enough broth, you can supplement with water.
9. Bring the rice and broth to a boil.
10. Lower the heat to simmer and whisk the rice vigorously every 15-20 minutes to help break up the grains.
11. After 45 minutes, add the ginger, garlic, and shiitake mushrooms.
12. Cover and cook an additional 15 minutes.
13. Shred the chicken and discard the skin and bones.
14. Add the shredded chicken into the soup pot.
15. Season to taste with salt or miso.
16. Garnish with minced scallions.

3.5.3251

The post Comforting Chicken Congee first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

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The post Boost Immunity to Avoid Cold, Flu, and Viruses first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

In 2016, I wrote an article about cardiovascular disease where I shared that every 43 seconds someone in the United States dies from a heart attack.

That was a scary statistic.

And, it’s getting scarier!

As of 2025, the new statistics

There are lots of things in life that can kill us.

But, the number one known killer in the world is cardiovascular disease. Here are some scary statistics:

• Cardiovascular disease claims more lives than all forms of cancer combined.
• In the United States someone has a heart attack every 43 seconds.
• Every 90 seconds someone dies from a cardiovascular-related disease (stroke, heart attack).

Those are staggering statistics.

And, the most shocking of all is that over 80% of cardiovascular-related diseases are preventable with diet and lifestyle improvements.

By the time you get to the next paragraph, someone may have already had a heart attack that could’ve easily been prevented.

So, let’s get to the heart of the matter.

Below are some major contributing factors to this deadly disease that you need to be aware of:

• Bacterial infections
• Viruses
• Poor immunity
• Inflammation
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Lack of exercise
• High blood pressure
• Stress

You’ll notice that cholesterol has been omitted from the list of contributing factors. Cholesterol contributing to heart disease is a long overdue medical myth.

Your liver creates cholesterol in response to stress, cell damage, inflammation, and other factors. Cholesterol is created by your body to support bodily processes and protect it from damage, not harm it. You can read more about that here: The Big Fat Cholesterol Myth.

According to medical science, your heart is a muscle about the size of your fist. The heart sends blood to your body and provides your system with the oxygen and nutrients it needs to stay alive.

Without oxygen, your cells (and you) would die. Your heart is like a pump. The right side of your heart receives blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs. The left side of the heart receives oxygen from the lungs and then pumps out oxygen-rich blood to the body. The body then takes oxygen out of the blood and uses it in your cells. When the cells use that oxygen, they make carbon dioxide waste that gets carried away by the blood. And, the process of oxygenating the blood starts all over again.

By the way, it’s been approximately 3 minutes since you began reading this article. That means 4 people have had heart attacks and 2 people have died from some form of cardiovascular disease.

This is a BIG problem.

The time is NOW to improve your cardiovascular health, not 3 minutes from now.

Below are easy ways to support your heart and circulatory system.

Reduce/Eliminate Refined Sugars

We all know what that means….

Kick the Kit-kats, M&M’s, and Skittles to the curb.

As well as potato chips, pretzels and other crap.

And, real wholesome foods like fish, vegetables, pastured animal products, nuts, seeds, and fruit.

It’s as hard and as simple as that.

Eat Cooling Foods and Herbs

Heart disease is often considered a fiery hot condition, so it would be wise to incorporate foods like veggies and fruits that are cooling in nature.

This includes:

• Lettuces (Romaine, green & red leaf, arugula, etc.)
• Dark leafy greens (kale, collards, bok choy)
• Watermelon and other melons
• Blueberries (all berries)

There’s a lot to choose from.

Trust me… you won’t go hungry looking for cooling foods.

Use Bitter Herbs

If you are struggling with inflammation, or have high blood pressure, bitter herbs are awesome at clearing and cooling the body.

Dandelion, burdock, yellow dock, artichoke leaf, and gentian all promote good digestive health by clearing a stagnant system, and they increase the absorption of vital nutrients into the blood.

One final, and most important thing to consider is that the heart is NOT just a mechanical organ that does a physical pumping job.

According to ancient healing wisdom, the heart is responsible for human intelligence, understanding, compassion, joy, happiness, and the ability to connect with other humans in loving relationships.

Are you connecting with your heart on a deeper level?

Part of that could be doing things you love with other people.

For example, the thing I love to do most is teach people how to support their health with good food, herbs, and delicious recipes.

Free Immune-Support Recipe Guide

Boost Your Immunity to Improve Your Health!

Get 5 of Andrea’s most powerful, time-tested recipes to nourish your body and support your immune system now.

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The post Every 34 seconds someone dies of cardiovascular disease first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

I was speaking with a friend that was suffering with a seasonal cold.

She told me about all the natural remedies she was using to relieve the cold and stop its progression, but she said, “It descended into my lungs. Every time I get a cold, it always goes into my lungs, and there it stays for weeks.”

That’s very telling about her condition.

Unfortunately, even though she was doing everything she could to treat the cold before it went deeper into her body, the best time to support her system would have been BEFORE she got the cold.

Treating her recurring chronic condition, would NOT begin at the onset of the sickness, it would begin when she was feeling well.

I’ll explain.

Every time she gets sick with a cold her lungs are negatively impacted. This shows us that there is a weakness and/or a deficiency in her body that needs her attention.

Healing her condition begins with strengthening her “Wei Qi” and lungs BEFORE the onset of the next sickness.

The Wei Qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is similar to the way our Immune System protects us.

It is the body’s protective barrier; the defensive energy that acts as the body’s first line of defense against external pathogens, like viruses and bacteria, wind and cold.

If someone has a strong Wei Qi, they generally have a robust immune response and quick recovery from illness.

If someone has a weak Wei Qi (like my friend), they are more vulnerable to colds and flu that linger, they may fatigue more easily, and don’t have enough defense strength to stop the progression of an illness, or to heal quickly.

After she heals from this current lung infection, that would be the best time to deeply nourish her system with the foods and herbs that have been used for thousands of years to support the Wei Qi (immune system), spleen, and lungs. This would be true preventative medicine and would support her healing process.

If you struggle with poor immunity, slow recovery, and recurring illnesses, see below.

Top 3 Ways to Strengthen your Defenses Using Food and Herbs as Medicine:

#1: Eat Warm, Deeply Nourishing Foods

Raw or cold foods can weaken Spleen Qi and reduce energy production. Instead of beginning the day with cold cereal and milk, yogurt with berries, or a frozen protein smoothie, start the day with a warm breakfast like savory cooked oatmeal with breakfast sausages, or a creamy congee.

Congee prepared with the medicinal herb, Astragalus Root, is one of my favorite ways to strengthen immunity before the next illness settles in: Immune-Boosting Congee

#2 Add Warming Herbs and Spices to Your Recipes

If your body is feeling cold (internally) you’ll surely invite a “cold” into your system. It’s common knowledge that colds thrive in cold environments – and that includes inside your body.

Warm up your digestive system, and get your blood moving with ginger, garlic, scallions, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, star anise, peppercorns, turmeric, chili pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper.

Here’s a delicious Spiced Squash Soup to warm up your body deliciously: Cinnamon and Nutmeg Spiced Squash Soup

#3 Use Tonic Herbs to Support Energy

Most people think of using medicinal herbs only when they get sick, but tonic herbs are the everyday heroes that can be used regularly over a long periods of time to build energy, strengthen your internal systems, and rebalance your body.

“Tonic herbs and herbal formulas commonly include herbs that are gentle and nourishing. They feature many herbal adaptogens like licorice and schisandra. They also often include medicinal mushrooms like reishi and other plants that support a balanced immune response.”[1]

Common tonic plants to support immune and lung health include:

• Ginseng
• Ashwaghanda
• Astragalus Root
• Shizandra berries
• Reishi mushrooms
• Cordyceps
• Tulsi (Holy Basil)
• Nettles

Here’s one of my favorite Lung Support teas to sip on throughout cold and flu season to keep your lungs healthy and well. It contains Shizandra, Tulsi, and Mullein.

Don’t wait for the next illness before you start taking preventative medicine. Start now to give your body a better fighting chance to protect you and keep you healthy and well.

Want to learn more about natural healing?

Join me inside my Health is Wealth Community. We prepare you and your beautiful body (and mind) for all of the seasonal illness BEFORE they come knocking at your door.

Health is Wealth Community

[1] https://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/blogs/ppj/the-basics-herbal-tonics

The post Is it too late to support immunity? first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

You can put this sweet compote onto cake (including pancakes), or as a topping on oatmeal.

I like to put it on top of Polenta Lemon Cake. It’s totally delish!

Sweet Strawberry Compote

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: Andrea Beaman

Recipe type: Dessert Topping

Cuisine: Health coach cooking

Serves: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh or frozen organic strawberries (crowns removed and quartered)
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (can use honey or maple syrup)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Put the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice into a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
3. Cook 10-15 minutes until the fruit breaks down into a saucy consistency.
4. You can mash some strawberry pieces with a fork to get a creamier texture.
5. Remove from heat and let cool.
6. The compote will thicken as it cools.

3.5.3251

The post Sweet Strawberry Compote first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

Lemon Scented Corn Cake with Strawberry Compote

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

Author: Andrea Beaman

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Seasonal Eating

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 & ½ cups finely ground cornmeal or corn flour
• 1 & ½ cups almond flour or gluten-free flour
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• 1 & ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup granulated cane juice or other sugar (date sugar, coconut sugar, beet sugar)
• Zest of one lemon
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup unsweetened plain yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add dry ingredients into a mixing bowl (flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, lemon zest) and combine.
3. Put the wet ingredients into a food processor or blender (olive oil, yogurt, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla extract), and blend until creamy.
4. Add the dry ingredients into the food processor with the wet ingredients and blend together until smooth.
5. Grease a 9 inch pie pan or 9x9 baking tray with olive oil (or butter).
6. Bake 45 minutes or until lightly golden.
7. Remove from the oven and let the cake rest for 25-30 minutes or longer before cutting into it.
8. Top with flaky sea salt and Sweet Strawberry Compote.

3.5.3251

The post Lemon Scented Corn Cake with Strawberry Compote first appeared on Andrea Beaman.

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Print

Sweet and Tangy Homemade Tomato Sauce

Course Seasonal Eating

Cuisine Traditional Recipes

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Andrea Beaman

Ingredients

• 6 pounds of tomatoes
• ⅓ cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves peeled and minced
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 1-2 tsp. sea salt
• ½ tsp. baking soda optional, to reduce acidity
• 1 tbsp. sugar optional, to increase sweetness

Instructions

• Bring a pot of water to boil.
• Score the tomatoes with a little X at the base (opposite the stem).
• Drop the tomatoes, in batches, into the boiling water for 60 seconds.
• Remove the tomatoes and place into an ice bath.
• When the tomatoes cool, peel them and slice into quarters.
• Remove the stems, excess seeds, and water and discard.
• Dice the tomatoes.
• In a deep frying pan, or soup pot, add oil and bring to medium heat.
• Add garlic and oregano, and cook 1-2 minutes (do NOT burn the garlic).
• Add the diced tomatoes, 1 tsp. of salt, and 5-6 fresh basil leaves.
• Turn the heat to high and bring ingredients to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium and cover.
• Cook 35-40 minutes.
• Uncover and continue cooking until most of the “water” has evaporated (additional 30-45 minutes or longer depending on how thick you like your sauce).
• Season to taste and add additional salt and aromatics if needed.
• If you want a "smoother" sauce, puree in a food processor or blender.

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