A few months ago, I introduced you to Dr. Dana Leigh Lyons, DTCM- a licensed Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, writer behind the newsletter PERFECT HUNGER, and one of my favorite voices on nourishing, no-nonsense wellness. If you missed our first conversation on TCM and metabolic health, go back and read it- it's a gem!
Dana’s back, and this time we’re having a little fun. Today’s post is fantasy dinner party planning, choose-your-own-adventure style. You’ll build your ideal blood-sugar-friendly menu course by course, while Dana weaves in the Traditional Chinese Medicine insight behind why each pairing leaves you nourished and feeling good in your body.
It’s a playful mash-up of two things I love- my recipes and Dana’s wisdom and it’s just the kind of collaboration that makes this community so special.
So make yourself a matcha or a cup of tea, and let’s set the table.
Dana, take it away…
Thank you, Beth! I’m delighted to be back.
Both in my own life and in my work as a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, I’ve found diet to be a cornerstone of health.
In Chinese Medicine, we have an entire modality called yang sheng fa 养生法. While this is often translated as “dietetics,” a more literal (and accurate) translation is “nourishing life principles,” which encompasses what we eat and how we live, how we attune to internal and external changes, and how we address imbalances or illness if they arise.
Of course, knowing how we’d like to eat and knowing what to cook are two different things. Type “healthy soup recipe” into a search engine, and you’ll be hit with an avalanche of options. It can be tricky to know what’s good, what’s healthy, and what the heck to make for dinner!
That’s one reason I’m so grateful for trusted resources like Nest Wellness, full of beautiful, delicious recipes that align with what I recommend as a TCM doctor—and with the principles I lay out in my Guide to Transformative Eating.
My hope is that today’s choose-your-own dinner party offers a small taste of Chinese Medicine, while reminding us that eating for health can be delicious.
Here’s how it works:
I’ve gathered some beautiful, nourishing recipes from Nest Wellness.
For each recipe, I’ve included a short note explaining why it’s beneficial from a TCM perspective. I’ve kept these intentionally simple, but if you’re curious to learn more, feel free to ask questions in the comments.
Vote for your picks in the polls!
Whether you actually make all of these recipes or not, they offer an expansive sense of what nourishing eating can look like.
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*TCM Tip: Chinese Medicine generally recommends minimizing cold, raw foods, especially during the colder months and for those who tend to feel cold, tired, bloated, or depleted. It’s fine to enjoy raw salads in moderate amounts—especially during warmer weather, or alongside warming ingredients and cooked foods. If you find you don’t feel your best after eating raw vegetables, try lightly blanching or steaming them instead. Simple vegetable soups can also be beautifully nourishing for the Spleen and digestive system.
Blood orange and fennel salad with citrus vinaigrette - Oranges and orange zest regulate Qi and support digestion; fennel and garlic are warming and help dispel cold. When we speak of “regulating Qi” in Chinese Medicine, we simply mean helping things move smoothly throughout the body and mind.
Asparagus salad with caper herb vinaigrette - Asparagus is cooling and supports fluid metabolism; radishes move Qi, clear heat, and relieve stagnation. Compared to the citrus salad above, this one is slightly more cooling in nature.
Green blender soup - Spinach clears heat, nourishes, and moistens; avocado nourishes and moistens; kombu softens hardness and promotes fluid metabolism; ginger warms and aids digestion, balancing the other ingredients. Refreshing yet nourishing, especially for those who tend to run warm.
5-step bone broth - Bone broth nourishes the body’s deepest reserves plus supports the Spleen and digestive system. Long-simmered broths are excellent tonics for those who feel cold or depleted.
Tuna tartare with avocado - Tuna is neutral in temperature, a tonic, and transforms “dampness”; avocado nourishes and moistens; black sesame seeds nourish Yin. An excellent choice when deep nourishment is needed without heaviness.
Easy homemade crab cakes - Crab clears heat and nourishes; cod is a neutral, nourishing tonic; eggs deeply nourish; scallions add a warming quality. A lovely example of balancing a cooling ingredient with a bit of warmth.
join me in my metabolic kitchen
*TCM Tip: In Chinese Medicine, cooking method influences a food’s thermal nature—meaning its effect on the body after eating, not its temperature on the plate. Quick cooking at higher heat is less warming than long, slow cooking at a lower temperature.
Chicken satay - Chicken is a warming, nourishing tonic; cooling cucumbers are complemented by warming, invigorating turmeric and cinnamon. Nourishing and energizing, combining warmth and freshness.
Banh mi bowls - Beef warms and is a potent tonic in deficiency; cauliflower is neutral and gently supports the Spleen; carrots benefit Qi and support the Spleen; ginger warms and supports digestion, while garlic moves Qi. Especially supportive when energy feels depleted.
Tom ka gai soup - Chicken is a warming, nourishing tonic; coconut milk nourishes and moistens; galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass move Qi and support digestion. A beautiful balance of warming, aromatic, and moistening ingredients.
Sausage and spinach quiche - Eggs are a neutral, nourishing, and moistening tonic; spinach clears heat, nourishes, and moistens. Omit the sausage for a less warming, non-meat-based option that’s still deeply nourishing and sustaining.
Miso glazed salmon - Salmon is a warming, deeply nourishing tonic; shiitakes tonify Qi and Blood; baby bok choy clears heat and moistens dryness; miso adds a salty, grounding quality. Deeply nourishing and replenishing for body and mind.
*TCM Tip: Sweets made with whole-food ingredients can be beautiful, indulgent treats, especially on special occasions. Just keep in mind that excess sweetness (even from whole foods) can contribute to what we call “dampness” and stagnation in Chinese Medicine, taking a toll on the Spleen, metabolism, and physical and mental health. Fortunately, these recipes come from Nest Wellness and align with Beth’s blood-sugar-friendly approach, so you’re in good hands!
Key lime pie - Coconut cream and gelatin moisten dryness; egg yolks deeply nourish; key lime juice is sour and cooling, generating fluids while balancing the richness of the other ingredients. Tangy, refreshing, and moistening.
Cinnamon apple + zucchini spice muffins - Apples generate fluids and moisten dryness; zucchini supports fluid metabolism; cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves are strongly warming and aid digestion. A perfect transition from late summer into fall.
2-ingredient fudge - Dark chocolate warms, moves Qi and Blood, and calms and uplifts the spirit; nut butters nourish and moisten. Decadent, warming, and energizing.
I’m genuinely excited to see the poll results and so curious to hear what dishes you’re most excited to try.
Share your top picks—or your full fantasy menu—in the comments.
Bonus points if you make one (or more!) of the dishes and tell us how it turned out.
I’m also happy to answer questions about what Chinese Medicine has to say about specific foods or cooking methods. Drop your questions for me in the comments!
If you’d like to explore Chinese Medicine more deeply, you may also enjoy my TCM Deep Dives, where I write about everything from the organ systems and emotions to nourishing foods, holistic beauty, and everyday practices for living well.
Thank you so much for having me, Beth! Bon appétit, everyone!
Dana
A note on TCM food energetics: Chinese dietary sources sometimes differ slightly in the energetic properties they attribute to foods, especially foods that weren’t part of the traditional Chinese diet. The notes above reflect my clinical training and experience as well as reference works such as Chinese Natural Cures: Traditional Methods for Remedy and Prevention by Dr. Henry C. Lu, Prince Wen Hui’s Cook: Chinese Dietary Therapy by Bob Flaws and Honora Lee Wolfe, and Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition by Paul Pitchford.
Beth here again🧡
I hope this was as fun for you to read as it was for me to put together with Dana. What I love most about her perspective is that it’s never about rules or restriction- it’s about tuning in to what your body needs, which is exactly the lens I try to bring to every recipe that I share here.
Now it’s your turn! Vote in the polls above, and tell me in the comments what your fantasy menu looks like. If you have loved Dana’s TCM insights as much as I do, subscribe to PERFECT HUNGER
See you in the comments!
Together, we’re building a community focused on real food and metabolic health. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” and “restack” to help others find their way to better health, too!
Thank you for being here,
join me in my metabolic kitchen
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