Our recipe posts are quickly becoming a firm favourite with the Wandering Dao team, mainly because whatever gets written about we get to eat! So we’ve been having great fun deciding what recipe to share with you this week, and there have been a lot of enthusiastic suggestions… “Maca Power Bar!” “Buckwheat Burger!” “Carrot Cake!” But the most shout-outs went to a summer favourite, the Mudslide. Both dairy and sugar free, this frozen dessert is a great alternative to ice-cream. Delivering both in flavour and nutrition, the Mudslide is creamy and refreshing. Just what you need on a hot day! It’s also packed full of the good stuff… Banana Power Pre-packaged, low cost and great when you’re on the go, bananas are Mother Nature’s answer to convenience food. And they pack a real nutritional punch too! One medium-sized banana provides a whopping 400mg of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining good cardiovascular health. Including more potassium in your diet may help to lower blood pressure and improve heart function. Potassium also helps to relieve muscle cramps, making them a favourite among endurance athletes. Due to the unique mix of vitamins, minerals and low GI carbohydrates, bananas are great at sustaining energy levels, and are the perfect snack when you need an extra boost. Tahini fun Tahini is a thick paste made from sesame seeds, and is a traditional ingredient in many Middle Eastern and Asian dishes. Providing the same nutritional benefits of sesame, tahini has the added bonus of being much easier to digest than the whole seeds, which can be hard work for the body to break down....
One of the projects currently under development at Wandering Dao is The Nutritional Healing Resource. We are currently in the process of compiling both an E-Book and a phone Application that will provide valuable information on a huge range of foods, herbs, illnesses and natural remedies. Coming from a holistic perspective, these resources will be presented in a fun and easily accessible format, allowing you to quite literally ‘play with your food’. Although The Nutritional Healing Resource is still under construction, we wanted to provide an insight into where we are currently. We hope the article below will give an idea of what there is to look forward to. Enjoy! Onions Honored throughout history for their culinary and medicinal properties, onions have been used as medicine in India since the 6th century.They were also highly praised by the Egyptians and used as currency to pay the workers who built the pyramids. They were even placed in the tombs of kings, including Tutankhamen, to carry the gifts bestowed with spiritual significance to the afterlife. Onions, like garlic, are members of the Allium family. They have no fat or cholesterol and are packed with vitamins (niacin, folate, choline, betaine pantothenic acid and vitamins A, C, K and B6) and minerals (calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, selenium, flouride and iron). Onions are rich in antioxidants, improve blood sugar balance and can even increase bone density. They have antibacterial properties that help to prevent infection and anti-inflammatory properties which lower the risk of colorectal, laryngeal and ovarian cancer. Though onions may bring a tear to your eye and a pungency to your...
The last few weeks in Yangshuo have seen temperatures rise to a blistering 35 degrees, and the WSP students have been looking for yummy new ways to stay refreshed and nourished in these high temperatures. This Veggie-Fruit Salad has been a satisfying solution! It provides plenty of vitamins and minerals in the form of seasonal fruits and vegetables, and a healthy, guilt-free dressing. It’s also delicious, with a good balance between both sweet and salty flavours. Let’s take a look what’s so good about it: Papaya for the digestion Not only does papaya taste great, it also does great things for you. Christopher Colombus named it the ‘Fruit of the Angels’, and it certainly has some heavenly properties. One of its primary health benefits are the digestive enzymes it contains; Papain and Chymopapain. These enzymes are responsible for breaking down proteins into amino acids, so they can be easily utilised by the body. As we get older, the stomach and pancreas produce less of these digestive enzymes, so papaya can be a great way to supplement. The Papain enzyme is also very useful after antibiotic treatment, as it replenishes the good intestinal bacteria and destroys any parasites you may be harbouring. Cashew nuts for the heart Sweet, succulent and satisfying, cashew nuts are one of nature’s gifts… especially for those suffering from illnesses related to the heart. Cashews contain high levels of healthy monounsaturated fats, which are great at reducing triglyceride levels in the blood. This actually lowers the risk of heart disease. Along with the fact they contain absolutely no bad cholesterol, and very high levels of magnesium...
One of the most popular items with WSP participants on the Mood Food menu is the Mood Food Power Smoothie, a delicious, nutritious meal in a cup! “You actually get all the nutrients you need for the day from this smoothie” says Master Daniel Li Ox. It’s really an energising way to start your day, jam packed with superfoods, fruits and other goodies such as… Bee Pollen The Greeks and Romans gave Bee Pollen the name ‘Life giving dust’… and they knew what they were talking about. It contains almost all the nutrients needed by the human body, and is a great energy enhancer. It is very soothing for the skin and is often used to treat inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. At 40% protein, the free amino acids within Bee Pollen also help protect the skin and aid the regeneration of cells within the body. Chia Seeds Chia contains twice the amount of potassium as a banana, and 3-times as much as spinach, meaning it’s great for the heart. It is also high in fibre, aiding digestion, and contains many of the trace minerals lacking in the modern diet. Reports suggest it may also help weight loss, by slowing the speed our bodies break down carbohydrates and helping stabilise blood sugar levels. Maca Grown in the mountains of Peru, Maca has long been valued for its energising and life-enhancing qualities. It is well known for promoting sexual functions, increasing libido, stabilising hormones and increasing fertility. Packed full of vitamins and minerals, Maca is great for your overall health, and is also often used by athletes to...
Big news! The baby of Wandering Dao has a new sister – Mood Food Energy Café is open and running! Healthy, organic, vegetarian, GMO-free and/or raw meals are not so easy to come by in China, even in such a tourist-friendly place as Yangshuo, but luckily now there’s us! Monday was Mood Food’s first opening day and since then people have been trickling in and we can say by now that our menu is a success! Actually we’ve already had to tell people wanting to praise us on Tripadvisor that unfortunately we’re not listed yet! But we are working on it and it will happen soon… We’ are on Foursquare though, so do feel free to check in and leave your comments there! The more, the better! And here’s a little peek into our new world! Welcome! And enjoy your meal! (Why no pictures of food? No worries, they’re coming up in the next batch of...
Immediately upon entering the Work/Study program at Wandering Dao, Nils was introduced to superfoods – e.g. chia seeds, raw cacao, maca powder, etc. The bond was instant, and it is clear to everyone that Nils and superfoods were made for each other. “I feel much more energy starting the day. I have more sunshine in my mind. My mind is more light, thinking is more in focus. I can use it for my work…” Nils reflects. In addition to superfoods, Nils also takes the prize for the one among us who pays the most attention to his nutrition. He is always experimenting with new recipes and ideas. However, we rarely see Nils enjoying his meals as he usually prefers to eat in private. “For me, eating my food is my favorite meditation of the day,” he reflects. “I need to feel; I want to enjoy the different perceptions of the tastes. It helps the digestion. When you are aware when you’re eating, then you are sending information to your digestive system and it produces more enzymes. Being aware allows me to get the most benefit of the nutrition in my food.” Whether eating “superfoods” or “normal foods,” putting that much intention into the process of eating will make any meal a super...
Breakfast gives us a physical boost in the morning and is the key to bring focus and the ability to problem-solve throughout the day. Science has provided evidence that without breakfast we are more vulnerable to cravings and less likely to make healthy choices throughout the day. Aside from this dry health-magazine talk, we here at Wandering Dao have all found that what makes our breakfast special is the way we look forward to it every day. What’s interesting, is that this anticipation can’t possibly only be due to the quality or flavor of the food, since we actually prepare and eat pretty much the same stuff every day! What is unique, however, is that we prepare the meal as a community and enjoy it together. This experience can be magical; it makes our morning fruit salad even more delicious too! When preparing our breakfast, we work together with a flow and try to maintain an intention of always seeking to improve our lives and the life of our small community through proper morning nutrition. In this way, we never tire of having the same meal every day, and the routine of having breakfast has become a daily ritual that helps to build community, friendship, and compassion. Since eating is something that most people make a routine of already, it is a natural place to start developing a ritual. And since breakfast is the first meal of the day, we’ve found it to be the perfect time to set an intention that can then be carried on to our work, training, and all other daily activities as well! Superhero Fruit...
Along with the rebirth of the physical center, a new training, the Work/Study Program, has also just begun here at Wandering Dao. The four participants – Aixing (Vietnam), Jesse (USA), Nils (Germany) and Maris (Estonia) – have begun a six month training to prepare themselves and the center for six weeks of retreats beginning in the end of October. In the process, they are all experiencing a sort of personal rebirth as well, as they have just completed ten-days on a detox diet and a seven-day fasting protocol. Catch a glimpse of the team in full detox mode in this video shot by Nils. It also features an in depth interview with Daniel about detox. Holistic Detox 1: Why We Need It and How To Do It from wanderingdao on Vimeo. There are more videos on the Vimeo channel too! Even now, with the fast behind them, the purification continues as the students become more and more immersed in the deep practices of the Self Healing Empowerment Essentials Program. “It seems we are all standing on the rubble of our old life and discovering that there’s now room for something new,” Maris reflects. But this space hasn’t been left empty for long as everyone is busy with their own “work” aspect of the Work/Study Program. “It is a good balance of knowledge flowing in and productivity coming out. The practices allow me to be present and work more effectively, and the work helps to solidify the practice in my mind,” remarks Jesse. Each participant is looking forward to having a very successful retreat in October and learning how to put their new skills...
