Try this lavender latte instead of a hot chocolate at night when the late night cravings kick in! The chamomile also helps to soothe you to sleep…
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A breakfast favourite, this bowl of green goodness is great for the gut, skin, immune system and is yummy to boot!
The bitter green gotukola balances out any internal heat and inflammation (not to mention chlorophyll/ greens in general being detoxifying, improving digestive health and oxidation), the coconut milk is nourishing and strengthening to the body, the curry leaves balance blood sugar, support digestion treating constipation, gassiness and/or diarrhea, great for hair, skin, eye sight while garlic is great for immunity, high blood pressure, cholestorol and more…. POWER PACKED!
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Christmas and other festive times of the year ends up indulgent, with heavy rich food and coloured & flavoured strong drinks and spirits... and while it’s important to let loose and enjoy times like this, a well rounded approach to well- being is to always keep some balance. For instance, you could do this by mixing it up with what you choose to serve or eat.
Meat or poultry is usually big focus on many tables and overdoing it leads to it being hard to digest, blocked up (you know the rest!)… a good way to switch things up would be to add in some flavourful meat free options as a main instead of ‘just a side’.
Here, I made some Lebanese fatteh, with chickpeas, Smokey paprika (not as hot as chilli but still a good kick!), fresh parsley, crispy pitta, garlic tahini yoghurt and almonds toasted in butter going all the way through the dish. The yoghurt brings some sourness for digestion, the butter is sweet and oleating yet balanced by the chickpeas. Recipe is below.
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We made these gorgeous bliss balls for a pop up shop we hosted last year and they were a hit!
They are great blend of cacaco (heating), oat (dry) balanced with sattvic rose petals and soothing and nourishing coconut oil, fig, almond meal. In this season of hot and dry and then cold and wet days this is a balanced in-betweener.
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This warming, umami soup is a nourishing and easy to make ahead soup for dinners. The greens, soba (buckwheat), and ginger are great for kapha balancing, rounded off with sesame oil, black pepper and miso broth for an umami yumminess.
Simple, wholesome, nourishing and warming!
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Even if you are on a diet to pacify a specific dosha, it is still good to include all six tastes (sweet, salty, sour, astringent, bitter, and pungent). Focus on the ones related to the specific dosha you are trying to balance and take less of the other ones. In Ayurveda, understanding the tastes and including them in proportion to what elements you are balancing within your constitution is the key to unlocking nature’s healing power through diet.
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Buckwheat or kuttu (if buying at an Indian / Sri Lankan shop) is naturally gluten free, and is a good source of fibre. It helps to dry and warm up the heavy and wet qualities of kapha dosha. It also has a diuretic quality which helps to remove excess water from the body - helpful if there is water retention and sluggishness. Use in moderation if you feel heaty pitta or dry erratic vata predominant in your system - try balancing with ghee for vata or cooking in coconut milk for pitta
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A new discovery on how to cook lentils + rice (plus ghee, pine nuts, onions, raisins) and spiced with Baharat, made of beautifully warming black pepper, cardamom, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, coriander, paprika - perfect for cold days and yummy!
Although it is a hearty mix of lentils and rice, it is not a ‘cleansing’ food like kitchari because it has lots of fried onions in the mix, however it is certainly still nourishing and wholesome so is excellent to have for lunch or dinner with some salad and spiced yoghurt or raita. A great option to take to a party as well!
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Try this quick, wholesome & yummy oat slice recipe for breakky or as a snack instead of reaching for the unhealthies. Can be prepped in 5 -10 minutes, baked in 20 - 25 minutes, tops. Use stewed apples instead of banana in colder months.
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Try this roast veggie dish with some herbed couscous on a cold winter night for wholesome yummy comfort. The sweetness of the veg is balanced with white pepper and the warmth of the cinnamon and 5 spice blend making it balanced and easy to digest in kapha dominant winter months. Takes about 10 min to prep and 25-30 min to bake, tops!
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The traditional decoction is called “Paspanguwa” consisting of five plants. These are boiled in water to produce a decoction (‘Peyawa’). If you cant get your hands on Paspanguwa (check any local Indian / Sri Lankan store) or are not able to find all of the ingredients used in the traditional version, some of the essential ones are sure to be in your kitchen so give it a go if needed!
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I made these beautiful turnip pickles that add a tanginess and digestive boost to all the fresh and cooling green salads I've been having on warmer days. It's a nice way to round out a dish adding a dash of sour tang to the greens.
Quite a bit of turnip pickle used here, but this was a base to which a lot more fresh leaves, cucumber, other veg etc were added. I also chopped up the turnips to smaller pieces, and this was for about 2-3 servings. If doing for one, use half the amount.
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White and black sesame seeds come from the herb Sesamum indicum. It is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world and used widely in the ayurvedic tradition in our foods, oils and medicines.
Black sesame seeds have a slightly nuttier flavour than white sesame seeds, but both are excellent sources of phytonutrients, antioxidants, dietary fibre and nutrients. Black sesame in particular is a great source of healthy fats, supports the digestive system, keeps bones strong, contains beneficial anti-oxidants and much more..
You might have been recommended black sesame oil for use at home in your abhyangha but there is so much more you can use this wonder seed for.... I have created a lovely black sesame and honey energy ball recipe below.
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I’ve started to get into warm smoothies as a near-midday snack, because Breakky happens quite early and I get peckish before lunch.
In the cold months, it can be tricky to get a smoothie fix in, so I created this warming and balanced blend that is yummy and hits the spot! This one has a semi sweet banana which I’ve balanced out with warming spices like turmeric, cinnamon and black pepper and added some spirulina and a few drops of hemp and flax oil for an extra boost. I used a tiny bit of Jalna natural yogurt (the best ever) and hot water to liquefy and blend.
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This soup is a great alternative to Kitchari when you are in a period of cleansing or fasting, or as a warming lunch or dinner with a piece of toast on a cold day..
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If you’re at home working / distancing and thinking about boosting your immunity, here’s a little tonic that is easy and quick to make. This has powerful but simple ingredients that are generally available in most kitchen pantries. Handy for when you go out to the shops and all the shelves are empty these days!
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I was looking for a quick lunch on one of those typically erratic Melbourne days. Warm-ish and windy, mostly turning cool in the shade and then back again. Vata dryness and windiness, pitta heat moving around me I needed something grounding and wholesome, slightly warming but not too heaty.
So I opted for the sweetness and wholesomeness of these kent pumpkin crescent moons, basted in olive oil and the beautifully balanced ras el hanout with cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, coriander, ginger and more.
I grilled the pumpkin and served it with a salad of spinach, feta, walnuts and a small serve of spiced turmeric basmati rice. Recipe for the pumpkin is below!
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This Sri Lankan ‘devilled’ chickpea dish is healthy and delicious and packs a spice punch with turmeric, cumin, mustard, black pepper, coconut and more. It can be enjoyed for breakfast, as an accompaniment to couscous and greens for lunch or as a healthy snack.
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Try these banana and honey buckwheat pancakes for breakky this week! I used buckwheat flour as it is more nutrient dense than white flour. Despite its name, buckwheat is not wheat. It's a seed, which means it is gluten-free and safe for people with gluten sensitivity.
It’s also the perfect ingredient for balancing the heaviness of kapha tendency that sets in at winter-time, so is a great pantry item to have on hand when you are craving things like pancakes. Kapha dosha is increased in cold, wet and soggy weather conditions and should be monitored as we approach winter. Signs are heavy head, runny and blocked nose and ENT, fatigue.
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We’ve had a few more reports of rumbling, gurgling and churning sensations in the stomach, as well as more pronounced bloating in the last few weeks. Try this tea recipe to alleviate this condition, and also consider improving agni (digestive fire) with a modified diet and a few yogic/breathing techniques.
In general also, try to cut out any cold water consumption, avoid drinking water with meals and cut out any cold, heavy, dense, fried food.
Pre-prepare this tea (recipe below) and have it 30 minutes before or after meals.