Creating Health In the Kitchen
True Ayurvedic cooking reflects Nature herself! The elements Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Ether; her qualities, quantities, and timings; and above all, respect and Love for every being.
Cooking for balance and healing involves noticing how you feel on any given day and season. Our body is dynamic, and our cells are ever-renewing– we are Nature too.
Food can be Medicine (or it can go the other way!)
There are a lot of misunderstandings and misleading trends around food and eating today; and we humans tend to develop strong emotional attachments to our food choices and habits, which often do not come from a holistic understanding. Collectively, this moves us away from a state of true health. True health, according to the ancient texts, is indicated by: having easeful digestion, balanced elimination of wastes, good formation of bodily tissues, and a peaceful mind, soul and senses. This means you are actually meant to live well, and not just “disease-free”. In Ayurveda, food is the first and best medicine when it is used properly. With simple ingredients, practice, and openness, we can make food that heals.
One of my biggest revelations when I was applying the Ayurvedic healing principles, was that it was not just about what I ate; it was also about when, how, how much, and what else I was consuming via the 5 senses. Everything is really connected.
I now bring the depth of this wisdom to people through my consultation process. Learn more about my Ayurvedic Consultations
Simple 1-bowl adzuki beans and rice with carrot and spinach; garnished with cilantro
Mung & toor dal with greens; rice; sweet potato, broccoli, carrot; chapati
1- bowl black beans and rice, with sweet potato, broccoli and avocado
A chickpea-rice stew with fennel bulb, carrots, greens, and avocado, garnished with cilantro, mint and dill; side of toasted chapati
1-pot green lentils and rice, romanseco cauliflower, turnip and carrot; garnished with dill and mint
Ayurvedic principles can be applied across cultural cuisines; it does not have to be Indian food. Also, much of today’s Indian foods are often not prepared according to Ayurvedic principles.
Above are some different takes on a simple vegetarian/vegan framework of grains/legumes/veggies.
I cook my food with ghee or oil, moderate spicing, and an Ayurveda-informed blend of elements and 6 tastes (which I cover more in-depth in my consultations and workshops). It is important to keep a clear, focused, calm and loving energy when I cook. This gives the most delicious and satisfying results.
If you would like any of these recipes then please join my email list!– I share about these, and more. (It is free to you and of course you can unsubscribe.) May you feel inspired to create something nourishing for yourself.
1-pot Kitchari (spiced mung beans and rice) variation with bok choy, kabocha squash and carrot; garnished with cilantro, mint and dill
Kitchari/ Kichadi is a 1-pot spiced rice and mung bean dish from India, and is a wonderful dish when prepared Ayurvedically– it is considered to be one of the simplest yet nourishing food combinations to digest, thus maintaining the needs of body and mind while simultaneously giving your digestive system a chance to rest and reset. It is especially helpful when you notice something is ‘off’, or that your digestive system has become “muddled or heavy with complexity”. It is often used as part of a cleansing protocol, and can support all the levels of mind, body, and spirit.
4 Eating practices that create a positive shift in your body
Ayurvedic wisdom teaches many simple foundations of long-term health, which is understood to be a direct outcome of one’s ability to digest both food AND life. The following practices are a great starting point for anyone looking to align with nature for improved health. If you’d like to know more about the ‘whys’, head over to the blog where I go more in depth.
Remember that you create your own experience, and it helps to go with openness and curiosity. 🙂 I recommend trying out one or two of these practices and see how it feels. As you gain comfort with those, you can add in more.
- Chew your food very well, until no solids remain, 15-25x each bite.
- Sit down to eat, in a calm and quiet place (as much as is possible), and leave the non-essential screens and electronics off.
- Leave at least 3 hours between dinner and your bedtime, and no food in between. (A small amount of warm tea, or warm spiced milk with optional sweetener is ok).
- Cultivate an attitude of gratitude and acceptance at each meal, and for where you are on your journey.
Personalized Guidance
I give more in-depth Ayurvedic food guidance in my consultation practice, which is always tailored to a person’s unique constitution and specific health needs. Sometimes a powerful shift in the mind and body can occur after making seemingly simple changes. Learn more about consultations
May we each find our path to truth and love. Om Shanti