Spiced Pear Buckwheat Porridge

A seasonal, warming breakfast, reader requests, and a nature-based mindful moment

Hello friends,

We officially pulled in our last harvest from the garden with freshly dug potatoes - a nice mix of blues, reds, and yellows. It feels good to begin the process of tucking in for winter. As this newsletter often follows the rhythms in my life, you’ll notice a greater emphasis on learnings from the kitchen over the cooler months. These are the seasons when I spend more time reading, researching, and experimenting in the kitchen. In this newsletter, you’ll find a new recipe for a seasonal, warming breakfast, a rundown of reader requests for upcoming issues, and my recommendation for a nature-based mindfulness practice.

In The Kitchen

Spiced Pear Buckwheat Porridge

Cooler temps and shorter days often signal a yearning for the comfort of a hot breakfast. I’m currently experimenting with different grains/seeds for a foundational porridge to fit the bill. It may come as a surprise to some that buckwheat is actually not in the wheat family and the kernels (groats) are gluten-free. Buckwheat groats are quick cooking and serve as a hearty base for spiced, seasonal fruit such as pears.

Spiced Pear Buckwheat Porridge

Serves 3-4

Part 1: Buckwheat Porridge

1. Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a small pot.

2. Add 1 cup of buckwheat groats to pot with 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt, 2 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, and handful of dried cherries.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer while covered until tender (10-15 mins)

4. Drain off any remaining water and set aside until ready to serve.

Part 2: Spiced Pears

1. Cut pears (3-4 medium sized) in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and cut into 1/4” thick slices.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 star anise, and 1” knob fresh ginger to small sauce pan on low-medium heat.

3. Add pear slices to saucepan and gently simmer until soft (will only take 2-5 mins).

4. Remove star anise, ginger knob, and cinnamon stick and set aside until ready to serve.

Part 3. Assembly

1. To assemble the porridge, begin with cooked buckwheat in bowl.

2. Spoon over warmed, spiced pears and finish with assorted fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, etc

3. My current toppers of choice: fresh figs, pecans, hemp hearts (3 tablespoons = 9-10 grams of protein), and cashew milk.

I’d love to know if you make this one. Leave a comment below. Happy cooking (& eating)!

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Mindful Moment

There is a growing evidence base for the broad health benefits of mindfulness-based practices, which include improvements in stress, cognitive function, mental health, and even blood pressure. Jon Kabit-Zinn, father of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), defines mindfulness as “paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally.” A patient recently shared this mindfulness practice with me, which incorporates the senses as a way to ground oneself in the present moment.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding Practice

5 things you can see

4 things you can touch

3 things you can hear

2 things you can smell

1 thing you can taste

As she described how the practice helped her in the midst of an impending panic attack, I couldn’t help but notice how this practice could be applied (often instinctively) to experiences in nature. The photos below illustrate how we engaged our senses on a mindful walk in the woods this weekend. Give it a try the next time you are out on a walk or a hike and let me know how this felt for you!

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding Practice - In Nature

1. See: Peak autumn colors and bluebird skies on an October afternoon

2. Touch: Hug a tree - specifically this magnificent maple on our property affectionately named “Mother Maple”

3. Hear: The calming sounds of a spring-fed stream

4. Smell: The pleasing scent of fall leaves

5. Taste: The refreshing flavor of wild mint foraged along the river bank

(disclaimer: only taste edible plants of which you can absolutely identify)

If you’d like to lean into the benefits of mindful observation and nature, I highly encourage you check out

Through The Seasons with Megan Gilger

newsletter. She has a weekly column entitled, “How To Pay Attention”, which guides readers on how to tune into nature’s cues and signals as they shift through the seasons.

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On The Horizon

This weekend I put a call out to our Instagram community for topics of interest in future newsletters. Here’s what you had to say…

Reader Requests:

1. Winter soup suggestions

2. What to grow indoors in winter

3. Books to help me learn more about functional medicine

4. Cookbook roundup

Thank you for these fun suggestions! I’m looking forward to highlighting each in upcoming newsletters through the fall and winter months. I’m especially excited for a recurring “cookbook roundup”, which will feature reviews on classics and new releases. Stay tuned!

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A Piece of My Mind

The title of this segment is a riff on the popular JAMA series, which often highlights the joys, challenges, and hidden truths of practicing medicine in the modern era. Both are enjoyable, yet mine may be a bit more lighthearted.

• What I’m reading: The power of the breath cannot be understated. A dear friend and colleague recently recommended the NYT bestseller, Breath by James Nestor, which explores the new science of a lost art. Breathwork is a topic I discuss on a daily basis with my patients in terms of stress management and nervous system regulation. This is a fascinating read and one I think you’ll enjoy!

• What I’m following: A big win for the “Food is Medicine” community when the American Heart Association published a presidential advisory on the topic last month. The publication highlights the strong preliminary evidence for food is medicine interventions (like medically-tailored meals, produce prescription programs) and announced a new research initiative “prioritizing a human-centered design approach to achieve high rates of patient engagement and sustained behavior change”.

• What I’m making: Life-Changing Loaf of Bread by Sarah Britton of My New Roots. I’m a bit late to the game on this one, but it’s already a classic. This gluten-free, fiber-rich, seedy loaf makes the best toast.

• What I’m watching: Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones

• What I’m looking forward to: Later this week I will be traveling to Charleston, SC to attend a book club event with two of my absolute favorite culinary-literary superstars - Vivian Howard and Amy Thielen. Talk about a pinch me moment for a lowcountry loving, midwestern girl. More to share when I return…

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This newsletter is a work in progress and your feedback is valuable to me. If there are topics of interest or columns you’d like featured, please connect with me and/or leave a comment. Thanks for being here!

Yours in health,

Dr. Michelle

P.S. If you are enjoying this newsletter, I’d love if you’d share it with a home cook, gardener, and/or nature lover in your life!

In Case You Missed It:

Here are my most recent Substack sharings:

1. A Love Letter to September: Garden recap, produce rx news, & a new seasonal living recommendation

2. Watermelon + Feta Salad: A sweet + salty summer classic, plus a recap on the Taste of June

3. Fire & Ice: Exploring the health benefits of thermal stress

The contents of this newsletter are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.