What better way to start the morning on a cold winter day, then with a hot bowl of congee. This breakfast is traditionally used in Chinese homes to promote good health and long life. Congee is a grain based porridge that can jump start your digestive system, tonifies your blood and qi, and harmonizes your digestive organs. It is easy to make the night before in a crock pot or over the stove on simmer  for 2-4 hours stirring often.  When making congee you want to make sure your using stainless steel, glass, or a clay pot when cooking.

4 servings

1/2 cup short grain brown rice

1/4 cup millet

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

5 cups water.

Millet is used in this recipe as it is also very nourishing for the spleen. Chopped root vegetables, beans, lentils, and medicinal herbs can be added before cooking and simmered right along with the grains.

A variety of cooked greens such as kale, spinach, collard greens, or Swiss chard.

Cooked beans, tempeh or tofu.

Roasted pumpkin seeds and/or sesame seeds.

Sauteed sea vegetables or strips of nori seaweed.

Sautéed onions, ginger and garlic.

Baked sweet squash.

Combine in crock pot and cook on low overnight (8 hours). You should adjust the proportions of grain to water until you get the consistency of congee that satisfies you the most. Increase serving size as desired. For added flavor, you can add your favorite appropriate spices .Your health care practitioner may suggest specific flavorings or added nuts, fruits, vegetables or herbs that would be most beneficial to you.

The Chinese say the longer you cook the congee the more medicinal it is.