Why no parmesan? 

While dairy is highly valued in Ayurveda (for those with no sensitivity to it) Parmesan is a hard, aged cheese… not recommended on a regular basis, because it is hard on the digestive tract and the liver, increases vata (because it’s dry & hard), pitta (because its salty and oily & the hardness means the liver goes crazy trying to break it down) and kapha (because it’s aged).  On occasion, and in moderation it’s okay… but why not learn to make a pesto without it?  Plus it’s great for vegans!  If you must have cheese, go for fresh, white cheeses when possible (mozzarella, ricotta, feta).

Why no garlic? 

Garlic is considered both rajasic (increases agitation, anger, division, aggressiveness, hyperactivity, competitiveness) and tamasic (increases laziness, darkness, stagnation, attachment).  While it has a healing purpose (beneficial for those needing to stop a cold in its tracks), it is not ideal for everyday use in a yogic diet, because of the rajasic & tamasic effects on the mind.

I vary the amounts in this recipe all the time… but the ingredients stay about the same.  Depending on season and availability, the ratio of basil to parsley will change quite a bit.  I used to use pine nuts, however the price has significantly increased! Still, they are ideal Ayurvedically, because they are lighter and easier to digest than other nuts.  If one has a very hot constitution, splurge on the pignolis!

Pesto is such a striking almost neon green color, I love to serve it with something else bright – like the shredded beet salad (golden beet would be beautiful as well) …

Ingredients

• 4 oz basil
• 2 small (or one large) bunches Italian (flat leaf) parsley, washed.
• 1/4 Cup plus 1 TB Olive Oil
• 1/2 heaping cup walnuts (or pine nuts)
• 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste – it’s best to under-salt the pesto and add more to taste when eating)

plus one of the following:

• juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon plus 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/4  whole milk organic plain yogurt
• 2 TB balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 Cup cheese of your choice (parmesan, ricotta, feta, etc.)

Instructions

Blend all the ingredients in food processor.
Taste and adjust the recipe accordingly – if becomes too thin, add more nuts.

To Serve

Great with fresh ground black pepper when served.

Toss a generous amount with pasta – an aldente penne holds up to the heaviness of the pesto.

Spread over flat bread and bake with olives and veggies for a healthy flat bread pizza.

Serve over polenta

Great on rye toast, baked sweet potatoes, or whatever could use some intense green!

The color is even more striking aside something red or golden yellow in color…

Purple Kale

Greens all fall into the “bitter” category of taste.  I pretty much always make them with ginger… which balances the lightness & bitterness with the sweet, spicy and earthy taste.  It’s a great way to get your green on, without relying on salad (which is too dry & cold to enjoy in the winter – especially for those with a lot of vata).  The bitter taste is good for the heart You can pair them with something orange (like sweet potatoes) and a heavier dressing like a tahini dressing for a well-balanced preparation for all doshas.

Here’s my favorite way to prepare it…

Instructions

1. Stack several kale leaves into a neat pile. Slice them cross-wise (perpendicular to the center vein) into thin strips, like skinny kale noodles.  Repeat until you’ve done one or more heads of kale.
2. Place the sliced kale in a big bowl in the sink and fill with cool water.
3. Pour 1 or more TB of oil (I prefer coconut or sesame oil) in a pan or large pot.
4. Shred lots of ginger into the oiled pan (1-2 inches).
5. Heat the pan on medium to infuse the oil with the ginger for about a minute.
6. Pull the wonderful kale strips from the water boil by the handfil and place in the pan… the water drips on the kale will help the kale to steam gently, so give ‘em one gentle shake in the sink and then just toss ‘em in the pan.
7. Cover and cook over medium heat until the kale is tender (time will vary by the kind of kale – some are tougher than others) and the amount you are cooking.

This recipe will work with collard greens, mustard greens, chard, and bok choy.

You can enjoy them as is… or with a tahini dressing.  I often serve kale with something bright orange – like butternut squash, red lentil dal, or sweet potatoes. Here it is below in a Spring season preparation – on cornmeal flat bread with a watermelon radish salad.

Kidney Bean Bake with Corn Bread & Kale

It’s a great warm winter dish… because it cooks all day, you keep the kitchen warm with the oven.  Plus kidney beans are a wonderful winter selection.  Very high in protein, rich in flavor, grounding, earthy & heavy… all the qualities we look for in a winter food.  Because kidney beans are toxic if  eaten raw (who would do that?!), or if cooked at extremely high temperatures, they make a perfect bean for “low & slow” cooked stews and bakes like this recipe. Beans in general in Ayurveda are always soaked, with the soaking water discarded, and cooked with digestive spices to mitigate the gassiness – this recipe uses cinnamon.  I recommend that you soak the beans overnight, and then start baking early in the morning so that the meal is ready for lunchtime… this way you will have this meal when your digestive fire is at its zenith point – around noon – the ideal time to eat heavier & high protein items.  This is a great dish for a rainy or snowy day when you plan to stay inside.

The first time we made this was when we were living in the National Redwood Forrest on the northern California coast… it was very “The Shining” – we were caretakers for a 30 bed hostel during the low season… so we baked this dish all day, listening to the waves crashing outside, against the silence of a big empty house.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried kidney beans, soaked overnight
• 7 cups hot water
• 4 bay leaves
• 2/3 cups molasses
• 2 tsp yellow mustard powder
• 20 black peppercorns (you can slightly crush them in a mortar & pestle)
• 8 TB tomato paste (buy in a glass jar)
• 1 and 1/2 Cup butternut squash or sweet potato, cut into cubes
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 275F
2. Drain the beans and place in a pain with the hot water. Bring to a boil and boil vigorously for 10 minutes. Skim off white foam.  Transfer the beans and cooking water to a baking dish.
3. Add the bay leaves, 1/3 cup of the molasses, mustard powder and peppercorns. Cover with a baking lid (or aluminum foil) and bake for 6 hours.
4. Check every hour or 2 to give a stir & see if it’s getting dry, (then add some more water – over the course of the 6 hours you’ll for sure add more water).  You can choose whether you want this dish to be for spoons (soupier) or forks (stickier)… we had a stickier version
5. Stir in the tomato paste, sweet potato or squash, carrot, celery, salt, cinnamon stick, and the other 1/3 C molasses.  Bake for 2 hours longer.
6. Serve warm.

Serving Ideas

I really can’t imagine too many other ways to have this besides with some kind of steamed or stirfried greens (we did kale with shredded ginger in sesame oil) and some corn bread or polenta… maybe a piece of crusty bread.  This is serious southern comfort food… I felt like wearing a ‘do rag and singin’ in the kitchen.

Ayurveda says, chocolate is bitter, stimulating and aphrodisiac. It is not recommended in excess, and should be balanced with cooling, sweet and nourishing tastes to ground the bitter and stimulating qualities.  The fact is, folks LOVE chocolate… and rather than take it away (we don’t want Ayurveda to be an excuse to be become pickier and narrower and more hyper-sensitive), learn to have it in small doses, when one is relatively balanced, and to combine it with the right ingredients.  Cardamom in particular is considered a balancer for caffeine and stimulants as well as sweets… so a pinch of freshly ground cardamom in your tea, coffee or in chocolate recipes is delicious and ayurvedic! It’s a fantastic surprise ingredient in chocolate chip cookies!

Dates are sattvic, nourishing, sweet, and grounding and balance vata & pitta dosha.  Coconut is cooling and nourishing and balance pitta dosha.  Nuts are warming, heavy and nourishing and balance vata dosha. Poor kapha dosha – does best without sweets in general… however, these are so satisfying, kapha types can eat just one, and walk away!

Make these Chocolate Nut Dreams if you are:

• Vegan or Gluten-Free
• On a raw foods regimin – only recommended for short periods of time in Ayurveda – use raw cacau powder or raw carob
• Cooking with kids: they can press the button the the food processor and add ingredients and watch as it turns to a paste! Then they can help roll the balls and roll them in coconut or coco powder.  MAKE SURE THEIR HANDS ARE CLEAN (and yours are too) – since this is an uncooked item.
• Wanting a super delicious treat that will be made fast!
• Want to sneak in extra protein wherever you can.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Nuts of any kind – I used 1/2 Almonds and 1/2 Walnuts (Brazil nuts would work great!)
• 1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder (or Roasted Carob Powder)
• 2 tsp Cardamom Powder
• About 2 cups Dates – remove the pits!
• 2 TB Maple Syrup
• Dried shredded Coconut

Instructions

1. Clean your hands thoroughly!
2. Grind the nuts in a food processor until they are like a flour (not too long or you make a nut butter)
3. Add the cocoa powder, to make as chocolatey as you like
4. Add 1 cup of the dates plus the maple syrup
5. Blend together in the food processor, adding more dates until you get a “breakable” dough (not to goo-ey and not too dry like sand) that can form into balls
6. Form into walnut sized balls in your hands
7. Roll and gently press the balls in the coconut.
8. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days… if they last that long!

Lots of Ladoos!

Yogi pancakes drizzled with almonds butter & maple syrup

When we were kids, my mom made pancakes on a regular basis (from scratch, like everything she made) – for breakfast or dinner (especially on cold winter days).  She shaped them into the first initials of our names and served them with warm stewed apples or peaches on top, or homemade raspberry syrup from berries we handpicked at local farms in the summer.

Made with wholesome ingredients, pancakes are indeed nourishing, warm, and help build tissue.  Because they are a bit on the heavy side, they are an ideal food for fall & winter.  They make a nice cozy dinner, and if served for breakfast, pair with a green tea or ginger tea to balance digestion.

*Many eggless pancake recipes make use of banana, however, Ayurveda warns against combining banana with either grain or dairy, as it will cause fermentation in the g.i. tract.  Here are a few eggless pancake tips from Heaven’s Banquet:

1. For best results, prepare pancake batter, minus the leavening (baking powder / soda) at least an hour in advance (or the night before) & let it sit in the fridge. This allows the flour to swell so the pancakes hold together better.  Beat in the baking powder and soda before cooking.
2. The pan should be hot enough that a drop of water flicked on it sputters and dances.  If the water evaporates immediately, the pan is too hot, and if it just sits there, it is too cold.
3. Pour the batter onto the skillet into a circle that is a manageable flipping size.  When bubbles form all over the surface, the pancake is ready to be turned over.  Check to see that it is golden brown and not too pale.  The second side will cook in half the time.
4. The first batch may stick to the pan a little, but the succeeding batches will not.
5. Add more oil / butter to the pan as needed.
6. Do not stack the finished pancakes until they are brought to the table – the steam they produce will make them soggy (*note from Vedicook – I keep the oven at about 150 degrees, with a cookie sheet inside, and lay finished pancakes on the sheet (without stacking) until serving.)

Ingredients

• 1 Cup white flour (or Gluten Free Classic Blend)
• 1 Cup whole wheat flour (or 1/2 Cup yellow corn flour plus 1/2 Cup buckwheat flour
• 2 Tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 – 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 TB melted ghee, butter or oil
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 2 cups liquid: my favorite way to get fluffy pancakes is to combine 1 cup plain whole milk organic yogurt + 1 cup water.  Otherwise, you can do 1 cup organic milk or almond milk + 1 cup water.

Instructions

1. Blend the dry ingredients by hand or in a food processor.  Then add the wet ingredients, and blend in by hand or in a food processor. **For best results, omit the baking soda & baking powder, and store the batter in the fridge for an hour or more – even overnight – then beat in the leavenings before cooking.
2. Cook according to the instructions above!
3. Serve with pure organic maple syrup, and maybe a smear of ghee or almond butter.  Pair with green tea or ginger tea.

Here’s an fantastic freestyle rap about pancakes that my husband insisted should be included in this post:

I have to share with you, that my mom calls these “tit cookies”… if you can’t see why, well then don’t worry about it…

*If you want to enjoy these with a cup of chai or warm milk, then do a date or almond alternative to the filling, or use a rose jam or raisin jam – basically something non fresh-fruit based because you don’t want to combine anything acidic with dairy in your belly at the same time.

These cookies have a touch of protein & are quite nourishing because of the almonds.  Plus, pretty wholesome for cookies, because of the use of maple syrup and brown rice syrup instead of sugar… so these are great sweets for kapha type folks or during the kapha season. Cinnamon or cardamom adds a digestive and invigorating ayurvedic kitchen herb as well… cardamom is best in the summer and for very pitta-type folks while cinnamon is really warming and good for kapha-type bodies… vata can enjoy these ’til the vedic cows come home either way!

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Raw almonds (oryou can experiment with walnuts, but keep in mind they are an oilier nut so you’ll get an oilier result)
• 1 Cup Rolled Oats
• 1 and 1/4 Cup Oat Flor or Whole Wheat Pastry Flour or Gluten Free all-purpose Flour (I recommend Authentic Foods brand)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or cardamom works well, especially with a rose jam in the center or dates)
• 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup or Brown Rice Syrup (or do 1/4 Cup each – brown rice syrup has a carmel taste & texture)
• 1/2 Cup Sunflower Oil orMelted Butter or Melted Ghee
• 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract (or a combo of those or any other extract)

• Fruit Jam (blackberry, rasberry, apricot work really well) or Rose Jam or halved dried dates

Instructions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees (or 325 if like me, you a have an oven that runs hot!)
2. Grind the almonds in a food processor until like a rough flour
3. Grind the oats in a food processor until like a rough flour
4. Combine almonds, oats, flour, and cinnamon (or cardamom) in a bowl
5. Add all the wet ingredients (except the filling) in the center of the dry mixture..
6. Mix well
7. Form into walnut sized balls on a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or oiled)
8. Gently press your thumb into the middle of each ball, to flatten slightly and create a divit for your filling (don’t press all the way through and create a hole in the bottom)
9. Fill the divits with your choice of filling
10. Bake for about 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees (or 325 if you have a very hot oven, like I do!) or until golden

Enjoy… SO GOOD!!

Cookie Batter

Prepping for filling

Fresh out of the oven

Creamy Dal with Yogurt & Sweet Potato-Kale

In our house, we make dal alot… and today, I was in the mood to alter the basics a little… so I made a basic dal, but added both celery & celery root to it, and then blended it up for a really creamy result.  It ended up tasting very similar to split pea soup… with a similar texture.   You’ll need the hand-held immersion blender for this recipe… or a regular ol’ blender (but it’s not nearly as fun or convenient!)

Celery Root - it's pure white inside the skin!

If you don’t already know this, Celery Root (also known as celeriac) is an amazing way to make soups creamy… I learned this in a fantastic restaurant that has a daily vegan soup… they put celery soup in EVERY soup, and blend it up for a creamy result. Plus, Celery Root is not as heavy, starchy or sweet as potato or flour (the traditional go-to thickeners to soups and sauces).  Its popular in France, and is used in all kinds of ways.  Its sweet, creamy, flavor is well balanced by sour, salt and pungent tastes (such as lemon, rock salt and mustard).  In this particular recipe, the spices and the dollop of yogurt on the side provided delicious balace in rasa (taste).

Creamy Dal Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 Cup red lentils (can also use split yellow mung… they will take a little longer to cook)
• Water to cover
• 1 heaping tsp turmeric powder
• 1/3 bulb of celery root, peeled & chopped into small cubes
• 1 celery stalk, washed and chopped roughly
• 2 TB sunflower oil or ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 TB sucanat (raw sugar)
• 4 curry leaves (if available – find them at an Indian market)
• 1 chopped small green chilie (optional)
• 1-2 inches chopped fresh ginger

Instructions

• Rinse the lentils
• Immerse in enough water to cover in a pot, and bring to boil
• Add the turmeric & simmer for 15 minutes (longer if using mung) or until lentils are soft (adding more water as needed)
• (While lentils are cooking, prep the ginger, chilie, celery & celery root)
• Add the celery & celery root to the pot
• (Meanwhile) heat the oil or ghee in a small pot or saucepan
• Add the cumin, coriander and mustard seeds and stir over medium heat until they turn color and become aromatic (about 2 minutes)
• Add the ginger, chilie, sucanat and curry leaves and stir into the mixture for about 1 minute
• Pour the spice mixture into the lentil pot and stir in.
• Continue cooking until celery root is soft
•  Remove from heat & blend it up thoroughly (with your hand held immersion blender or regular ol’ blender)

Serving Ideas

• Enjoy with a squeeze of lemon or a dollop of plain whole milk organic yogurt.
• You might pair with a good bread or whole grain or quinoa (which is technically a seed – making a high protein combo with the soup)
• Pair it with a mixed veg curry or even some steamed veggies, such as zucchini, green beans or ginger kale. Something green goes great with this soup!

Polenta Sliced and Ready to Bake

I love polenta… and it’s one of the rare things that I use pre-made.  Āyurveda recommends that all food be freshly prepared… one should avoid or reduce eating left overs or pre-prepared foods as much as possible… And yet… we live full lives.  Some people live alone, work full-time, have kids who want to eat NOW, and so on.  Polenta is available in these ready-to-cook tubes… and I have not seen any negative health effects from making delicious & creative use of them.

Use ready-to-go Polenta if:

• You are cooking for kids – they are very kid friendly, fast, easy.
• You love sauces – they are a fantastic “vehicle”
• You are on the go, have a busy day, and need to make something quick.
• You are on a gluten or wheat-free regime
• You are vegan – polenta has a creamy, chewy & satisfying texture without dairy or eggs

You can make Polenta from scratch… but here’s an image of the pre-made tube I use… available at Whole Foods & Trader Joes.  Please use ORGANIC – so you avoid (as much as possible) the GMOs that are rampant in US corn crops.

Organic Polenta

You simply remove the wrapping, and then you can slice it or crumble it.  Various ways to prepare it…

• Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper & drizzled with oil.  You can sprinkle them with salt, pepper and dried herbs (dill, coriander, rosemary are lovely).
• Cook on the stovetop in a pan in oil with salt, pepper, dried herbs… and some red pepper flakes (more spice the better for kapha types & in cool / damp weather)
• Mash and cook with veggies, like a tofu scramble or scrambled eggs.
• After cooking you can top with sliced feta or tomato sauce or olive oil & balsamic
• Top with Pesto – Parsley, Cilantro or Basil Pesto (made with walnuts or pinenuts)
• Towers – layer baked polenta with stirfried veggies and pesto in between

Here are some images to inspire some ideas….

Baked Polenta with Feta (and a side of green beans)

Polenta Mash - with Brocalli, Watermelon Radish & Black Olives

Polenta with Feta, Green Olives, & Asparagus

Baked Polenta layered with Pesto & Sauteed Lima Beans, Butternut Squash and Black Olives

Blended WInter Soup

I love blended soups… not just because of the smooth creamy texture, but because it’s a great way to “hide” any veggie… I’ll often do a “cleanse the kitchen soup” – the day before it’s time to go to the market,  mixing all my  fresh veggies in one pot, blending them into an awesome color. The key to a blended soup is a hand-held immersion blender, which you literally hold in your hand and immerse into the item you want to blend!  I use it for dressings as well.

Here I am about to blend the soup!

Ayurveda teaches that vata (which will be high in cold / dry / windy environments) is calmed and balanced by foods that are warming, grounding, oily, rich, and easy to digest.  A blended soup is about as easy to digest as it gets – it is baby food for all ages!  To really balance vata, choose grounding root vegetables and emphasize warming digestive herbs or spices and a high quality olive oil or ghee.  I love using butternut squash, carrots or sweet potatoes because the enlivening orange color warms the mind and heart!

Today’s soup also includes red lentils… “sneaking in” the protein to make a heartier soup that is both satisfying, warming and easy on the digestion.

Ingredients & Instructions

• 1 Cup Red Lentils
• 2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 Cups water

Rinse the lentils and then place in a large pot with the 2 cups water & turmeric.  Bring to boil and simmer on medium heat as you prep the veggies. 

• 6-8 Cups chopped veggies – washed / peeled & chopped into medium sized cubes (see photo).  I used 1 Sweet Potato, 1/2 Celery Root, 1 large parsnip, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks.
• 6 Cups water (approximately)
• Salt to taste

Veggies Chopped and Ready

Add the chopped veggies, salt and water (enough water to cover the veggies) to the pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down to cook over medium heat, partially covered.  As the veggies are cooking, you can prep the spices & herbs..

• 3 TB olive oil or ghee
• 2 TB ginger, shredded or chopped
• 1 tsp dry ginger powder (optional)
• 3 TB dried dill (or other herb of your choice)
• 2 dried red chillies (or one fresh one)
• 1 heaping TB sucanat (raw cane sugar)

As the veggies simmer, heat the oil or ghee in a pan over medium heat..  Add the other ingredients (or make up your own spice mixture – coriander, cumin, fennel, turmeric and ginger work well!).  Stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes – until it becomes aromatic.

Now add the spice mixture to the soup pot.  Continue cooking until the veggies & lentils are soft.

BLEND!! With an immersion blender, or transfer to a regular ol’ blender.  Add water to get a smooth (but not too thin) consistency.
Add salt & black pepper to taste.  

Soup with Gingered Kale & Organic Blue Corn Chips

Serving Ideas (choose one or more of…)

• with some fresh bakery bread with ghee,  olive oil, or feta cheese
• with some rye toast (especially for kapha types who do best with less wheat or white flour)
• with a side of quinoa or brown rice
• with some organic corn chips (chips are dry and can increase vata… but if you LOVE chips… now’s the time to have them, when they are balanced by the smooth liquidity of the soup)
• with some stirfried kale or other greens
• with some baked polenta & olives

Mujaddara

Legumes in general are high in proten.  Ayurveda considers them sattvic and astringent (drying)… on their own the can increase vata… but are easily balanced with spices, bay leaves, oil and a grounding grain like rice.  Large beans like kidney beans, chick peas and black eyed peas require soaking, but small lentils and dals need only be rinsed before cooking.  This recipe relies on cumin which enkindles agni (digestive fire) without overheating, cleanses the urinary tract, and encourages good absorption and clean breath.

Mujaddara Recipe

• 1/3 Cup Green, Brown or French Lentils, rinsed
• 2/3 Cup Water
• 1 Cup White Basmati Rice, soaked in 2 Cups water for 15 minutes
• 3 TB Sunflower Oil, Butter, Ghee, or Olive oil
• 3 tsp cumin seeds
• 1-2 Bay Leaves
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Black Pepper to taste

Preparation

In a medium pot, head the oil over medium heat.  Add the cumin seeds and stir until slightly browned & aromatic..

Add the lentils and stir into the oil & cumin to coat.  Add the salt, bay leaf and 2/3 cup water and bring up to boil, stirring occasionally.

Add the rice plus the 2 cups soak water and bring up to boil.

Cover and turn down to low to simmer.

Cook about 20 minutes (checking occasionally that the bottom isn’t sticking – without overstirring… if it’s starting to stick or water is absorbed but lentils and rice are not yet cooked through, stir in more water)

Turn off heat & let sit for 10 minutes before serving.  Add black pepper to taste and top with extra olive oil.

Serving Ideas

• Top with a thin lemon-tahini dressing.
• Before stirring stir in finely chopped fresh mint or parsley or top with ground dried mint.
• Serve with a dollop of organic whole milk plain yogurt.
•  Serve with a side some baked or roasted beets.
• Serve with a simple salad of thinly sliced radish, fennel, & cucumbers with mint, lemon & olive oil.