Kitchary and Kanjee

In Ayurveda, food is considered to be the first and most potent medicine, and therefore changing and adapting your diet to the circumstances of your life is essential both to healing from disease and every day well-being.

Here are two of Ayurveda’s beloved healing foods: these are widely used in Pancakarma, or Ayurvedic detoxification ritual, and also throughout the year whenever your feel down or depleted. Simplifying your diet in times of stress, illness, emotional turmoil and changing seasons gives your body a chance to use the freed extra energy for healing and rejuvenation. These two recipes can be used as a stand- alone dish once or twice a week, or for monthly detoxifying protocol, as a part of 1 – 5 day monodiet. ( Monodiet simply means you are eating the same thing for breakfast, lunch and dinner). The duration of your monthly cleanse will be determined by your primary dosha.
To learn more about Ayurveda, doshas or Panchakarma please schedule a one-on-one consultation or register for one of Satori’s iLIVE workshops.

Kitchary:

1/2 organic short grain brown rice
1/4 split mung dal ( lentils)
salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric ( optional)
2 cups of water
2 tsp flax or hemp oil

In a medium pot on high heat combine all ingredients, except for oil, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover with lid, and cook for 45 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes, drizzle with oil before serving.

Kanjee:

10 cups of water
1 cup of white rice
pinch of salt

In a large pot bring the water and rice to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 hour, strain or puree, and eat ( or drink) as much of the mixture as you’d like.

Pumkin and Carrot Curry

What spells fall more than carrots and pumpkins?

Plus, the bright orange color stirs up the creative energy of the second chakra and balances vata – the dosha most likely to be out of balance this time of year.

Win – win – win!

Here we go:

You’ll need about 1/2 cup of vegetable stock;

2 garlic cloves, chopped;

1 fresh chili pepper, seeded and chopped; I usually pulse garlic and peppers in the food processor together – quick and easy!

4 carrots;

1 cup of cubed pumpkin;

2 tbsp of veggie oil ( I use ghee);

2 green onions, finely chopped;

3 tbsp Thai Yellow Curry Paste;

1 and 1/2 cups coconut milk;

fresh basil (Thai, if you can find it);

1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds;

Heat the oil in a large heavy pan; add garlic and chili and stir – fry for 2-3 minutes. Add Thai curry paste, and stir.

Add carrots and pumpkin, stir – fry for a 1 minute longer;

Add stock, bring to boil and simmer for 5 – 6 minutes ( or longer), until carrots and pumpkin are tender.

Stir in the coconut milk, green onions and basil; simmer for additional 2 – 3 minutes.

Serve hot, topped with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Enjoy!

References:

Curries: 40 Authentic Curry Recipes From Around the World. Bath, UK: Parragon Publishing, 2006

Healthy Fall Greens

Canada food guide suggest eating at least two servings of dark leafy greens a day – the more, the better, they say. Is that really true for everybody? For every season?

It can be with few minor adjustments.

But let me start from the top…

In general, Ayurveda prefers lightly steamed or cooked vegetables to the raw ones. The reason is quite simple – they are much easier to digest; your body can extract more nutrients from these “pre-digested” foods, and metabolize them completely. Modern science agrees – very few of us, apparently, have the enzyme to break open the tough cellulose membrane of plant cells. Of course, the beauty of Ayurveda is that there’s no hard and fast rules

- depending on your dosha type ( pitta has the strongest digestion, for example);

– season (our digestive fire is burning brighter during summer);

- time of day ( lunch is the best time);

one can add raw leafy greens to the diet without feeling dissatisfied, chilled, or getting gas and bloating. If your digestion is even a little bit compromised, though, sauteing your greens is just a better way to go.

And bonus! you might experience less colds and flues this season just by making this simple switch ( learn why at Digestive Health workshop on November 5th).

So here is Savory Swiss Chard recipe from the Chopra Center Cookbook. Don’t despair if you don’t have the chard, I’ve used anything from spring greens, to spinach, kale, Napa cabbage and even dandelion greens – as long as it is somewhat green.

You’ll need:

1 tsp of ghee or olive oil

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1 pinch of black pepper

1/2 cup chopped leeks or onions

1 teaspoon Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari

8 cups of greens, washed, drained and torn

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp garam masala

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the mustard seeds and pepper. Now, watch carefully – you don’t want to make mustard gas! Just as soon as the seeds start popping, add the leeks and aminos. Add the greens, stirring often to enable even cooking, and cook until they begin to look slightly limp but maintain a vibrant color. Add the balsamic vinegar and garam masala and simmer for 2 minutes before serving. Add a little more aminos if the chard tastes bitter. Serves 4. Enjoy!

Learn more about doshas:

Cost: 4.95$

Join me for Digestive Health workshop on November 19th from 6 to 8 PM:

Determine your dosha type and current state of balance;

Stoke your digestive fire with yogic breathing;

Learn to eat for your dosha and the season;

Practice conscious eating and BITS – body intelligence tips;

Feel fabulous!

Cost 55$

Wednesday Recipe: Ginger Elixir

Here is a coveted recipe from the Chopra Center cookbook – to improve your digestion and elimination, and feel fabulous in general. Ginger Elixir is especially good after Thanksgiving, when you feel like you’ve eaten a whole turkey and all the trimmings.

1 cup purified water

3/4 cup raw organic honey

Juice of 4 to 6 lemons

Juice of 3 to 4 inch piece of ginger ( or 3 to 4 tbs of ready made ginger juice)

1/4 tsp of black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until blended. Store in glass jar in refrigerator.

Take one ounce of Ginger Elixir before lunch and dinner to kindle your digestive fire.

Enjoy!

Best Carrot – Apple muffins ever

Ok, here goes my Wednesday recipe…

I was going to post this amazing and amazingly simple recipe for roast chicken my mom and I found about 30 years ago in some odd newspaper and have used it ever since for every family gathering without fail. Read more

Say Hello to Your Perfect Morning

I have to admit, this has been a difficult decision…

Last week my heart was set on writing about Italians and their art of arugula salad. But then, during my weekend in Jasper, I was served a cantaloupe – ginger soup for lunch and that’s where the trouble started. Read more

Real Russian Borsh

With the rainbow of fresh root vegetables at the farmer’s market, now is the perfect time for this soul warming, rib-sticking, just-like-my-Grandma used to make it recipe. You can use meat broth and add stewing beef together with the vegetables; vegetarian version is just as delicious! Read more

Hey Good Looking, What You Cooking?

Are you still eating your last summer’s diet?

In Alberta we are very fortunate to observe the changing of the seasons ( OK, OK, you might disagree with the “fortunate” ) Our supermarkets, however, are the land of eternal summer. Read more

Summer is here

Summer has finally arrived – the last two weeks have been sunny and hot. According to Ayurveda, it is the Pitta time of the year – hot and bright. The sun is at it’s strongest and our physical activity is high – we want to be outside and enjoy what summer has to offer – especially here, in Northern Alberta… Read more