It’s been an outstanding summer, with plenty of sun, but not too much heat in these parts. Hope you have been enjoying it.

Now it’s late summer, which means we need to dial down the expanding (yin) foods that we enjoy in hot weather, such as raw fruit, tropical foods, ice cream and other sweets, alcohol and sweet drinks, as well as raw salads.

If we do not, we may have problems keeping warm in the winter, and we may find ourselves with problems such as excessive nighttime urination and ear wax, ear infections, headaches, wet ear, colds and difficulty hearing.

One great tip is to eat boiled millet often, perhaps twice per week, for the next few weeks. It’s available at Whole Foods in the bulk aisle. To prepare, simply boil two cups water and add a pinch of sea salt, then add rinsed millet and simmer covered for :20. Don’t let it dry out, you can add a bit more water or perhaps water with some More-Than Gourmet vegetable broth and/or a bit of smart balance for flavor.

Another great recipe is to add one cup of butternut squash (small cubes) to the 2.5 cups boiling water first, and simmer for :10, then add the millet and cook for an additional :20. Creamy and delicious!

You can also do lots more with millet, even make desserts like blueberry cake in a pot.