Wild Greens Risotto

At this time of year, our garden is abundant in lamb’s quarters (Chenopodium album), a delicious weed. So, part of planting is weeding out, prepping and cooking the lamb’s quarters. This is a deeply nourishing wild green rich in vitamins A, C, and K, along with important minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. Often compared to spinach, it provides abundant antioxidants and fiber that support healthy digestion, immune function, and overall vitality.

Serves 4 as a main dish

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups arborio rice

• 2 TB olive oil

• 7-8 cups vegetable broth (warm)

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 4 oz mushrooms, roughly diced (cremini, portobello, shitake etc)

• 1 TB butter

• ½ cup pecorino romano cheese, grated

• 2 cups (packed) wild greens

• A teaspoon or so of fresh herbs, chopped—thyme, tarragon, marjoram, oregano etc.

• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Pluck off the tender tops of the lamb’s quarters and/or amaranth, discarding the stems. Wash thoroughly. (You can use any kind of edible weeds or foraged greens)

2. Blanch the greens for five minutes in a pot of boiling salted water.

3. Plunge in cold water.

4. Blend the blanched greens, using a little of the blanching water.

5. Heat the broth on the stovetop.

6. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan.

7. Add mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes until mushrooms are somewhat softened and they start to release their juices, stirring frequently.

8. Add the garlic and cook one more minute, until fragrant.

9. Add rice to the pan and stir to mix with the oil and mushroom.

10. Add broth one ladle full at a time, continuously stirring, adding more broth when the last addition has been absorbed by the rice. To ensure maximum creaminess, while stirring slightly beat the rice against the sides of the pot to help release the starches. This step will take 20-35 minutes. It is the magic of risotto.

11. Risotto rice is not supposed to be al dente, per our friend Pino Bruno-Bossio, from Rome. Cook the rice until it is tender. Then ‘cream’ it by adding the butter and pecorino.

12. Stir in the blended greens  and fresh herbs and cook until you have your desired texture.

13. Add salt and pepper to taste.

14. Ecco! Wild greens risotto is ready.

I’ve made this recipe many times by the right brain method. Today, after typing it up with measurements, I tested the recipe by hosting Pino. It was delicious and throrougly approved by an actual Italian. I’d note that the three of us pretty much polished it off with a medium garden salad and some focaccia bread. So if you want to serve four, you might need an extra side dish. As a bonus fact, Pino said that risotto is a Milanese dish.

Dock and Dandelion Pesto

Here’s a delicious pesto you can make from garden  weeds.

Ingredients:

•   2 cups tender dock and dandelion leaves

•   ½ cup pine nuts

•    ¼ cup grated parmesan or sheep pecorino (or ‘vegan parmesan’)

•    ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

•    Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

• Wash the wild greens carefully, inspecting for slugs. Then put the greens outside, spread on a clean cloth, to air dry.

•   Chop the greens.

• Combine the greens, pine nuts and olive oil and process in your food processor.

• Add the cheese and process to a smooth paste.

• Add salt and pepper to taste and process of stir in.

• Store in a clean screw top jar in the refrigerator.

Good on pasta, or in lasagna, or on bread or matzoh.

How to make perfect basmati rice

Want to know how to have your basmati rice be perfect every time? Follow these simple steps.

1.     Measure the rice. We typically use a quarter cup per person, although it’s usually recommended to use one third cup per person.

2.     Wash the rice three times.

3.     Drain the rice

4.     Put the rice in a pan with a tightly-fitting lid.

5.     Add 2 cups water for each cup of rice.

6.     Optional: if you have time, let the rice soak for 30 minutes

7.     Bring to a boil, cover and turn down to low.

8.     Cook until the grains stand up on end. That should be 25-45 minutes, depending on how much rice you are using and whether you soaked it.

9.     Do not fork over, unless it’s fancy rice and the recipe instructs you to fork it really gently to mix in the other ingredients.

10. If you’re serving dal over rice, spoon into each plate/thali and gently make a well with the bottom of the ladle, to keep the dal on the rice.

Fragrant basmati rice should please your eyes, nose and tongue. Enjoy!

 Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

Italian Dock and Dandelion Soup

As promised, here’s a delicious recipe to use some of the curly dock and dandelion springing up in corners of your garden. I also used some lemon balm I found. The weeds come in handy as none of the actual cultivars are ready to eat! I boiled the water for blanching while I was harvesting. I’ve noted quantities but this recipe is flexible.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1 large colander full of dock and dandelion greens

• 1 medium carrot

• 2 stalks celery

• 1-2 cloves garlic

• A handful of fresh sage (optional)

• 2 cans organic cannellini beans

• 6 cups vegetable broth

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Salt

• Black pepper

Method

Boil a big pot of salted water and blanch the greens for one minute. Then plunge them in cold water and let them sit.

Meanwhile, chop and blend the carrot, celery, garlic and sage with a little of the broth. Heat some olive oil in your soup pot and toss in the blended mixture. Let it sizzle for five minutes or so, stirring it. Blend about a quarter of the beans in a little broth and add the paste to the pot and sizzle. Now add the remaining beans and the broth and bring to a boil.

Chop up the blanched greens and add them.

Add salt to taste and simmer for 45 minutes. Add more broth if needed.

Serve with extra virgin olive oil and fresh ground black pepper, with some crusty bread on the side. Enjoy!

 Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

A Special #CookForIran Thanksgiving Menu

This year, I’m combining my usual Alternative Thanksgiving Menu with a special human rights initiative, #CookForIran. Add one or more of these traditional Persian recipes to your family meal and take some time around the table to talk about the courageous protestors in Iran. ‘Women, life, freedom!”

And while you’re at it, remember to honor the original inhabitants of the land you are living on. Decolonize your Thanksgiving!

So here are some great traditional Iranian Recipes.

Persian Chickpea Salad

Dressing:

• 1 Lemon

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

Salad:

• 1 can chickpeas

• 1 4-in. piece seedless cucumber

• 3 plum tomatoes

• 2 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh mint

• 2 oz. queso fresco or feta cheese

• Toasted pita bread (opt)

Instructions

For dressing, juice lemon to measure 3 Tbsp. juice. Whisk together lemon juice, oil, cinnamon, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.

For salad, drain and rinse chickpeas in small colander. Chop half the onion and place into strainer; rinse under cold water. Drain onion and pat dry with paper towel.

Chop cucumber; seed and chop tomatoes. Add chickpeas, onion, cucumber and tomatoes to dressing; toss to coat. Thinly slice mint and fold into salad.

Dice queso fresco. Serve each salad topped with queso fresco

Persian Rice with Chard

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice

• 2 cups water

• 1 pinch saffron

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 Serrano pepper, de-seeded and chopped finely

• 4 Tbsp. dried cranberries or raisins

• ¼ teaspoon cumin

• 1 bunch Swiss chard

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 4 tablespoons toasted pistachio kernels

• Salt and pepper to taste.

• ½ cup mint leaves or dill, washed and chopped

• 4 oz. feta cheese, cubed

In Iran dried barberries would be used instead of cranberries.

Instructions

1. Soak the saffron in a couple of tablespoons boiling water

2. Wash the rice and cook in 2 cups water, adding the saffron and saffron water as well.

3. Wash and slice the chard.

4. Toast the pistachio kernels and chop them.

5. Pour the olive oil into a large skillet and put it over medium heat. Crush the garlic straight into the skillet. Add Serrano pepper, cumin and raisins or berries and sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Don't let the garlic and berries scorch - lower the heat if necessary.

6. Add the chard into the skillet and continue to cook for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pistachios, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and toss. Remove from the heat.

7. Add the rice into the skillet and toss.

8. Now gently stir in the feta cheese and sprinkle dill and/or mint on top.
   

   Saffron Butternut Squash Dessert
   

   Source: http://turmericsaffron.blogspot.com/2013/12/persian-saffron-butternut-squash.html

   
   Ingredients:

   
   Serves 4-6
   
   1 large butternut squash with long-neck, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick (will yield approximately 15 slices)
   2 tablespoons butter
   1 tablespoon vegetable oil
   1/2 cup sugar (adjust to your liking)
   1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron dissolved in 2-3 tablespoons of hot water
   Water
   

   
   Garnish:
   

   1 tablespoon pistachios, slivered or chopped
   2 tablespoons walnut halves or crushed
   

   
   Method:

1. In a large frying pan, heat butter and oil, over medium heat. Add the butternut squash slices to the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until just tender.

2. In a small pot, over medium heat combine sugar and a cup of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes.

3. Arrange the butternut squash slices in a large pan, pour the syrup and saffron evenly over them. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, leave lid ajar and cook 20-30 minutes or until the butternut squash is tender and all syrup is absorbed.

Serve on the platter and garnish with walnuts and pistachios.

Enjoy!

    Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

Zaidy’s Shakti Kindler: Herbal Support for lovemaking

Enjoy this post by third-year student Zaidy Charron.

 Ingredients:

•       ¼ tsp Ashwagandha

•       ¼ tsp Shatavari

•       1/8 tsp Rose

•      1/8 tsp Saffron

•     1 pinch of cinnamon (for stimulation) or 1 pinch of nutmeg for relaxation

•     1 cup of milk or a milk alternative

Directions:

Put milk in a pot or sauce pan on low heat and add in the herbal blend. Simmer the milk with herbs in the pot for 10-20 minutes. Drink 1 hour before making love and 2 hours before going to bed. You can also drink this after love making to restore ojas.

This piece was written by a student of the Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder, Colorado. Learn more about studying ayurveda at our home school, or access your deep wellness with the support of our student practitioners in the Alandi Ayurveda Clinic.

Thrifty Kichari Miso Soup

In these times, many of us are looking for thrifty ways to eat. Here’s a delicious way to use up leftover kichari. This recipe is comforting, yummy and pretty tridoshic.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

• 2 cups leftover kichari

• 4 cups vegetable broth or water

• 2 Tb white or yellow miso

Method

• Blend the kichari and broth or water together.

• Simmer for a few minutes.

• Take out a ladle of soup and blend it with the miso

• Sir the miso blend into the soup, mix throughly and serve.

• For a variation, boil 2 oz mung bean threads and add, to give the soup a noodley texture.

  It’s a good idea not to boil the miso, if you want the benefit of the live beneficial bacteria. But you need to simmer leftover kichari (and any leftover rice dish) to prevent botulism. And remember, this is a one-time soup. You can’t reheat it again if you are using kichari from the refrigerator. Twice-reheated rice is a food poisoning hazard.

  Take care and enjoy your yummy soup!

    Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

  Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

Agni Kindler Recipe

Agni Kindler Recipe

Grated marinated ginger and turmeric, chewed five minutes before the meal.

To make ½ cup agni kindler, grate ¼ cup fresh ginger and ¼ cup fresh turmeric. Squeeze on juice of ½ a lime or lemon and add ½ tsp salt.

Store in refrigerator in screw-top glass jar.

Chew about half a teaspoon five minutes before your meal.

Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally

 Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

Pumpkin, Zucchini and Broccoli Soup

Here is a healthy vegan soup that balances all three doshas and is delicious and comforting as well.

Ingredients

• 1 small pumpkin, cubed and peels

• 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets

• 1 medium zucchini

• 1 medium tomatato

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 6 cups vegetable broth

• 1 handful sage leaves

• A few springs of tarragon (optional)

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and and lightly stir fry all the veggies.

• Meanwhile, heat the broth in the soup pot.

• Pour the stir-fried veggies into the hot broth. Add the sage and optional tarragon and simmer until the veggies are soft enough to puree.

• Using an immersion blender, puree the soup.

• Add the salt, pepper, cinnamon and paprika.

• Enjoy!

 Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally

 Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

Rice Khir

During the season of Divali, the festival of lights, it’s traditional to celebrate by making sweets. Here’s a healthful treat described in the Ayurvedic texts as nourishing, building, and soothing to pitta and kapha. It’s really nice for children as well!

Rice Kheer

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice

• 2 cups water

• 8 cups milk

• 1 cup turbinado sugar

• 10 cardamom pods

• 1 cup sliced almonds

Preparation:

•    Cook rice in water on medium high heat until water almost cooked off and rice is expanded a little.

• Add milk and cardamom and heat until boiling, and then turn down to medium low.  Stir frequently to prevent burning.

• Continue cooking for 2-3 hours on medium low heat. It should simmer, not too vigorously.

• When milk has boiled for a while and khir starts to thicken, add turbinado and stir well.

• When khir is thick, add the almonds.

 Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally

 Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

Stuffed Whole Bitter Gourds in a Rich Sauce

Bitter gourds are the ultimate healthy vegetable. The help manage blood sugar and improve insulin status, calm pitta and kapha, benefit the liver, help clear up skin diseases and are antiviral and anti-parasitical. Their bitter taste can be off-putting at first, so here’s a delicious protein-rich recipe that will help you enjoy bitter gourds. You can purchase bitter gourds at Indian and Asian markets.

Stuffed Whole Bitter Gourds in a Rich Sauce

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

•       2 very long or 4 medium bitter gourds

•       4 cloves garlic, chopped very fine

•       1 bunch cilantro, chopped

•       2 ½” piece fresh ginger, chopped

•       ½ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

•       ½ cup water or as needed to blend

•       ½ cup ground, roasted peanuts ground to a fine powder

•       ½ cup ground, roasted sesame seeds ground to a fine powder

•       1 tsp masala powder

•       1/2 tsp turmeric

•       1 tsp salt

•       3 Tb sunflower oil

•       1 tsp black mustard seeds

•       1 tsp cumin seeds

•       1 pinch hing

•       1 cup water

 Preparation:

·      Wash and dry the bitter gourds. Cut off the ends. . Cut a slit across the middle of each gourd, down to within ½” of the bottom (do not cut them into halves). Make similar slit perpendicular, so you can spread the gourd open into four sections for stuffing. If they are very long, cut them in half. Remove the seeds.

Put the garlic, cilantro, ginger, coconut and the ½ cup water into a blender and blend until liquid.

  Pour the blended mixture into a bowl and add the ground peanuts and sesame seeds, then the masala powder, turmeric and salt. Mix well.

Now gently open up each cut piece of gourd and stuff it with the mixture.

Heat a shallow pan on medium heat. Add the ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and hing. When the seeds pop, add the stuffed melons and any of the stuffing sauce that is left. If baking the stuffed bitter melons, pour the spiced sauce over it.

  Rinse the blender with the cup of water (and pour over the bitter gourds.

Cook over medium-low heat, partially covered, until the gourds are tender to the touch, about 1 hour. Baste occasionally. You can also cook this recipe in the oven at 425’, covered by foil. You should still baste it

Modified from: : Usha & Vasant Lad, Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing (New Mexico, The Ayurvedic Press, 1994).

 Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally

 Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

Yummy Ojas Drink: Dairy and Non-dairy Versions

Ojas Drink Recipe  

(Scroll down for the non-dairy version) 

Almond Restorative Drink, Serves 1, Sattvic, V-P-K+

Ingredients

•       10 raw almonds

•     1 cup pure water

•    1 cup organic milk (unhomogenized if possible)

•   1 Tablespoon organic rose petals (optional - rejuvenative)

• 1 tsp ghee (rejuvenative)

•    1/32 tsp saffron (increases digestion & rejuvenative)

•    1/8 tsp ground cardamom (increases digestion)

•      pinch of black pepper (helps control the K)

•    ½ tsp of sweetener (increases lactose digestion
  

Directions

•   Soak almonds and water together overnight

•     In the morning, drain off the water and rub the skins off the almonds.

•     Bring the milk to a boil

•     Pour the milk in the blender with the peeled almonds

•     Add rose petals, ghee, saffron, cardamom, black pepper, and sweetener

• .    Blend until smooth.

•   Drink 3-4 times a week or as directed by your Ayurvedic Practitioner

Non-dairy Ojas Drink

Ingredients

•    10 raw almonds

•     2 cups pure water

•     20 raisins

•   1 Tablespoon organic rose petals (optional - rejuvenative)

•     1 tsp ghee (rejuvenative) Omit if vegan

•   1/32 tsp saffron (increases digestion & rejuvenative)

• ·1/8 tsp ground cardamom (increases digestion)

•    pinch of black pepper (helps control the K)

Directions

•   Soak almonds in 1 cup of water overnight

• Soak raisins in 1 cup of water either overnight or for several hours

• In the morning, drain off the almond water and rub the skins off the almonds

• In a blender, add the raisins AND their soaking water with the drained and peeled almonds

•   Add rose petals, ghee, saffron, cardamom, black pepper

•   Blend until smooth

•   Drink 3-4 times a week or as directed by your Ayurvedic Practitioner.

For a full assessment of your ojas and to receive guidance tailored specifically for your needs, see an Ayurvedic Doctor.

Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally

Apple Recipes for Vata, Pitta, and Kapha

Apple is known in Sanskrit as sevam. According to the text Bhavprakash, apple is sweet in taste and post digestive effect, cold in potency, heavy in action, nourishing, reduces vata and pitta, promotes semen production. Apple's beneficial effects for vata will be increased by cooking it. Apple lowers cholesterol and so helps kapha.

In honour of this year's extraordinary apple harvest in Boulder, here are apple recipes for each constitution.

Vata breakfast--spiced stewed apples for vata

This recipe is nice and laxative for vata, with the pectin from the apples and the addition of soaked prunes and figs.

Pre-prep

Soak the prunes and figs overnight

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet apples

• 4 prunes, soaked overnight

• 2 black mission figs, soaked overnight

• 6 whole cloves

• 1 inch piece cinnamon stick

• 3 green cardamom pods, split.

• If it's a cold day, add 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Directions:

1. Core the apples and chop into 1" pieces (do not peel unless your digestion is extremely delicate)

2. Add to a pot skin side down, with spices and soaked dried fruit

3. Add the soak water from the prunes and figs

4. If need be add more water, to cover the fruit

5. Bring to a boil, cover

6. Cook on low for 15 - 20 minutes or until apples are tender

7. Eat warm

8. You may accompany with yoghurt, cream, coconut butter or coconut custard

Recipe adapted from http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/spiced-stewed-apples.php

Pitta Breakfast: Spiced stewed apples for pitta

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet apples

• 1 Tbsp raisins or chopped dates

• 1 Tbsp slivered almonds, toasted

• 1 Tbsp unsweetened flaked coconut, toasted

• 6 whole cloves

• 1 inch piece cinnamon stick

• 3 green cardamom pods, split.

• If it's a cold day, add 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Directions:

1. Core the apples and chop into 1" pieces Add to a pot skin side down, with spices, raisins or dates and most of the toasted nuts

2. Add 1 cup water or enough to cover

3. Bring to a boil, cover

4. Cook on low for 15 - 20 minutes or until apples are tender

5. Garnish with the rest of the almonds ad coconut

6. Eat warm

7. You may accompany with yoghurt, cream, coconut butter or coconut custard

Kapha's Treat: Baked Apple

• 4 large good baking apples, such as Braeburn, Granny Smith or Jonagold

• 1/4 cup crushed jaggery or date sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 12 cloves

• 1/4 cup currants

• 1 Tbsp ghee or coconut oil

• 3/4 cup boiling water or ginger tea.

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Wash apples. Remove cores to 1/2 inch of the bottom of the apples. It helps if you have an apple corer, but if not, you can use a paring knife to cut out first the stem area, and then the core. Use a spoon to dig out the seeds. Make the holes about 3/4-inch to an inch wide.

3. In a small bowl, combine the sweetener, cinnamon and currants. Place apples in a 8-inch-by-8-inch square baking pan. Stuff each apple with this mixture. Press 3 cloves into each one. Top with blob of ghee or coconut oil.

4. Add boiling water or ginger tea to the baking pan. Bake 30-40 minutes, until tender, but not mushy. Remove from the oven and baste the apples several times with the pan juices.

Enjoy!

Adapted from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/baked_apples/

Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

Stir-Fried Nopales and Mushrooms with Mole Sauce

Enjoy this healthy and delicious Mexican recipe from guest blogger Savitri, offering the blood sugar lowering benfits of nopales (cactus) as well the antioxidants of chocolate.

Ingredients

• 3-4 cups chopped, steamed nopales (cactus)

• 1 pound mushrooms (sliced into 2 or 3 pieces)

• 1/2 onion

• 2 garlic cloves

• ½ tsp. cumin

• ½ tsp. oregano

• Ghee as needed

• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In a large pan over medium heat, fry the oregano and cumin with ghee for a few seconds.

2. Chop the onion and garlic. Add to the pan and cook until the onion becomes translucent.

3. Add the mushrooms to the pan.

4. Add the nopales to the pan.

5. Let all the flavors to mix.

6. Add salt and pepper.

Mole sauce

Ingredients

• 2 dried guajillo chillies, stemmed and seeded

• 2 dried ancho chillies, stemmed and seeded

• 2 dried california chiles, stemmed and seeded

• 2 tomatoes

• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

• 1 tbsp. ghee

• 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
  ½ tsp. fennel seed

• ½ tsp. coriander

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2 whole cloves

• 3 peppercorns

• ¼ cup raisins

• 2 corn tortillas, cut into strips

• 1/3 cup almonds (soaked overnight and peeled)

• 1/3 cup of brown sesame seeds

• 1 ounce dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

• 1-2 tbsp. jaggery

• 1 tsp. salt or to taste.

Preparation

1. Toast the chillies in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until warm and aromatic, about 3 minutes.

2. Then soak the chillies in boiling water until they are soft.

3. Cook tomatoes in a dry skillet on medium-high heat until soft and blackened, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add them to the blender.

4. Toast tortilla strips in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Or you may put them in your toaster. Add them to the blender.

5. In a pan, sauté the raisins with ghee until they puff. Add to the blender.

6. Sauté the almonds, and add them to the blender.

7. Sauté the sesame seeds until they have a light golden color, and add them to the blender.

8. Sauté all the spices with ghee.

9. Using a paper towel, remove the excess ghee. Grind in a spice grinder and add to the blender.

10. Add about 2 ½ cups of water. Blend everything.

11. Pour chile sauce into a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in chocolate, jaggery, and salt.

12. Bring mixture to a simmer; stir until chocolate is melted and sauce is thickened and slightly reduced, 10 to 15 minutes.

**Serve the mole over the nopales and mushrooms. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on the top of the mole.

Enjoy!

Encilantradas: Enchilada-Style Recipe with Cilantro Sauce

For all of us pitta types who love enchiladas but know we really shouldn't eat them--especially in pitta season, Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula student Savitri offers encilantradas, an enchilada-style recipe with a pitta-soothing cilantro sauce. As well as calming pitta, this sauce offers benefits in chelating heavy metals.

Encilantradas (4 servings)

Ingredients for encilantradas sauce

2 cups of cilantro

1/3 cup ghee or coconut oil

1/3 cup soaked peeled almonds

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. oregano

2 garlic cloves (roast them)

1-2 cups water (enough to give the consistency of melted chocolate)

1 small slice gluten free bread

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Blend all the ingredients

Heat oil in a pan and then add the sauce and cook it until it starts to boil.

Ingredients for the encilantradas

12 tortillas

Panela cheese, goat cheese or homemade yogurt

Encilantradas sauce

Ghee or oil

Preparation

1-Heat Oil or ghee in a pan and fry the tortilla.

2.-Put it on a plate

3.Cover the tortilla with the sauce and cheese.

4. Repeat step1 throughout 3, 2 times more (each plate is going to have 3 tortillas).

Between layers you may put your favorite roasted or stir fried vegetable such as zucchini or carrots.

Enjoy!

Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

Tomato Lauki Sabji

Enjoy this post from guest blogger Oana (November 2010).

Last week I went shopping for the first time to our Lafayette local Indian shop. I was planning to cook rice, sabji, dhal, and a tomato chutney. So among other things I bought some tomatoes. I also bought a lauki or bottle gourd by mistake. The dhal recipe had actually called for bitter gourds, so I went back to the shop and got the bitter gourd. Due to time constraints I was not able to make the tomato chutney so was left with more than a pound of tomatoes. And a lauki.

I am going away for a week, and this morning I realized I had to consume the tomatoes and the lauki urgently, as they wouldn't survive until I get back.

Chopped them up and then decided to look up the qualities (taste and energetics) of tomatoes, before I decide on the spices. I looked them up in Swami Sadashiva Tirtha's book "The Ayurvedic Encyclopedia". Swami Tirtha says that they increase all doshas when raw, and only Pitta when cooked. The red variety, which I had bought, is sour, astringent, hot and pungent for the stomach and heating for the intestines. He also says that when the tomatoes are cooked with mustard, cumin and turmeric, they become Tridoshic.

So I immediately roasted some mustard and cumin seeds in ghee and added the tomatoes. I then added the turmeric. It then occurred to me to look up the qualities of mustard and cumin seeds. Turns out they both increase Pitta too. Turmeric in excess also increases Pitta. So I'm not quite sure how these spices can turn the Pitta aggravating tomatoes into Tridoshic. He also says that tomato's action is refrigerant. This surprised me considering that their energy is hot.

Anyway...decided this called for a talk with Ma the following day and proceeded to add the turmeric and then the lauki. I then decided on some black cardamom and some fennel seeds, one of the few cooling spices I could find both in the Ayurvedic Encyclopedia book and in my cupboard.

Right at the end I added some curry leaves from the Indian shop. Left them to cook for about 2 minutes. I had read that as long as one leaves the curry leaves on the stalk, they can be safely preserved in the freezer and it is true. They had been in the freezer for three days but had lost none of their flavor.

I finished the dish by adding some salt and pepper. I served it with rice, organic canned beans to which I had added some kelp, and kefir. It was delicious, even more so, because I had created this recipe myself. I was also very happy I could make something delicious without using any garlic or onion.

Ingredients

• 7 medium size tomatoes cu in small pieces

• 1 lauki cut in medium size pieces

• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 2 cloves black cardamom

• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

• 5-6 curry leaves added right at the end

• 1 tablespoon ghee

• salt and pepper to taste

Enjoy!

P.S. Lauki is very cooling, so this in itself is enough to balance the heating quality of the tomatoes.

Zucchini soup with artichoke hearts

This week the ground was frozen and I couldn’t dig up root vegetables for soup. But there are still plenty of zucchinis as they have kept quite well in a bucket in the shed. This soup is comforting and delicious. You could use any toppings you like. I had small red sweet peppers, so I used some of them for a topping, and also some fried chopped shiitakes.

 Ingredients

Serves 4-6

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 medium zucchinis, cubed

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 can artichoke hearts

1 can canellini beans (or 2 cups cooked canellini beans)

4 springs rosemary, chopped

6-8 cups vegetable broth

Salt and pepper to taste.

Toppings as desired

Method

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot and fry the garlic until it is fragrant. Add the celery and zucchini and stir fry for a few minutes. Now add all the other ingredients and simmer until the zucchini is soft, maybe 30 minutes. Blend the soup with an immersion blender or upright blender. Serve.

Enjoy!

Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

Vegan Stuffed Zucchini/Stuffed Marrow

We had a great zucchini harvest this year and quite a few got away and became large, with harder shells. At that stage, they resemble the marrows we grow in Britain. A friend came over for lunch and I stuffed a big zucchini; the recipe was pronounced delicious.

Ingredients to serve 4

1 large zucchini/marrow

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 red banana peppers (or a red bell pepper), sliced

2 portobello mushrooms, chopped

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch chard, chopped

1 cup cooked chickpeas

Salt and pepper to taste

2Tbsp fresh herbs (parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme etc), chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 425.’

Slice marrow in half lengthways and cut into four chunks. Scrape out the seeds and hollow out a little, just so you can stuff it.

Brush with olive oil.

With the hollow side down, bake in oven until flesh can be pieced with a knife, about 30 min.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a sauté pan and add the garlic.

As soon as the garlic becomes fragrant, add the mushrooms and peppers and some salt. Sauté for a few minutes and then add the tomatoes.

When the vegetables have begun to soften, add the chopped chard, the chickpeas and the herbs. Continue stir frying until the chard in lightly cooked.

Add pepper to taste and additional salt if needed.

Stuff the cooked zucchini pieces with the filling.

Turn the oven down to 375’ and cook for about ten minutes, to let the flavours mingle. Then serve.

Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

Creamy Vegan Sunchoke Soup

I was able to make this seasonal soup with freshly harvested carrots, sunchokes and sage. A spadeful of sunchokes was probably about 2lb. It was delicious, very vata-soothing and digestible. White carrots will help make a creamy-white soup, but it will be delicious with any type of carrot.

Serves 5

Ingredients

1 clove garlic

2 T olive oil

2 stalks celery

2 carrots, ideally white carrots

2 lb Jerusalem artichokes

8 cups vegetable broth

1 can cannellini beans

1 handful fresh sage

Optional sweet red peppers

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Wash the vegetables thoroughly. Cut the garlic into small pieces, chop the celery and slice the carrots. Cut the sunchokes into chunks, discarding the tough ends. You can use them in your next vegetable broth.

Heat the olive oil in your heavy-bottomed soup pot and fry the garlic until fragrant. Now add the celery and carrots and stir-fry.

When they begin to soften, add the vegetable broth, chopped sunchokes and cannellini beans and simmer until the sunchokes are soft. That took me about 30-40 minutes.

Puree with immersion blender or use an upright blender if you don’t have an immersion blender.

Chop the sage and fry in olive oil.

I happened to have some sweet red peppers that needed using, so I chopped them up and fried them with the sage. They added some dashes of colour.

Pour in the sage and optional sweet peppers. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Enjoy!

Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!

Persian Tomato and Eggplant Stew | Khoresht-E Bademjan

There's nothing like a nice warm casserole on a cold day. And when snow and ice prevented us travelling on Thanksgiving Day, I was left to my own devices to create a meal from what we had on hand. That included four small eggplants from our garden (two purple and two white, to be precise), and six San Mazarno tomatoes we harvested at Munson Family Farms, a few miles away. We had shallots from Munson's as well. Of course, this dish is supremely vata soothing and ideal for a chilly day in fall. It could also be quite pitta provoking; but the chickpeas, lime peel and turmeric do help to modify the dish. As a pitta, I found it acceptable on a vata day in context of a menu of pitta soothing dishes, as noted below.

This dish is typically served over plain rice; we made ours a little drier and served it on the side with Persian Rice with Chard and Persian Winter Squash Soup. And the dish usually includes meat in the sauce, but our veggie version was delicious!

The original recipe says to peel the eggplants; we didn't peel ours as a lot of the blood sugar balancing phytonutrients are in the peel Another option is to stripe them with a peeler, leaving stripes of peel on while removing some.

Ingredients

Serves 3 people

• 2 medium-sized or four small eggplants, sliced

• 1 shallot, peeled and sliced

• 5 tablespoons of olive oil

• 6 large plum tomatoes

• Peel of half a lime, cut into small strips.

• A few squeezes of the limejuice

• ½ can of garbanzo beans, coarsely mashed.

• ½ teaspoon turmeric

• 2 cloves of garlic- chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and place them on sheet. Cook for 20-30 minutes.

2. In a medium-size saucepan sauté shallot and garlic in the olive oil until golden brown.

3. Add ½ cup of water, the tomatoes, lime peel, mashed garbanzos, salt, pepper, and turmeric to saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the tomatoes are soft and you have a nice saucy texture.

4. Place eggplants in a deep baking dish, top with tomato sauce. Cover and cook for 45 minutes in preheated oven.

Source: Based on http://shelbyvillemultimedia.org/2011/09/khoresht-e-bademjan-persian-eggplant-stew/

Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!