Castor Oil: Between Torture and Radiant Health

 There are some tasks in life that we avoid. At least there is one that I do, and that is to take the monthly 3 teaspoons of castor oil in the morning. Through the years I have tried to reinvent a way to take it in a way that is less unpleasant; however, I must admit that I have failed. There are ways to alleviated the strong taste of castor oil, like taking it with lemon juice and jaggery (cane sugar), or just imagine that you are in a bar and you take it in one chug. All I know is that after the intake of this

How to Personalize Your Ayurvedic Diet

One of the fascinating aspects of Ayurveda is that it considers you not only as a part of the universe but also as a unique individual with special requirements. Your age, your activities and mostly your dosha (constitution) determine the type of lifestyle, herbs and health program best suited for you. Your food is your medicine or your fatal poison. Your awareness of the energetics of your food makes a profound impact on your well-being.

Fresh Okra with Peanut Sauce

It is very refreshing to see okra in my Canadian town. This is a wonderful vegetable for the intestines with much nutritional value. Some people are discouraged by the taste. However, the whole secret is in selecting fresh okra. When purchasing fresh okra, choose those that are roughly 2 to 3 inches long and about 1/2 inch thick. Longer and thicker okra can be have a woody texture. Here another tip: pay extra attention to maintaining the cooking temperature at a low setting, or the spices will burn and give a bitter flavor to the dish. Okra is good for all doshas.

Kidney Beans in Creamy Cardamon Yogurt Sauce

This fragrant creamy sauce is refreshing and full of iron. I enjoy cooking the red kidney beans in a pressure cooker. It really is a complete different experience than using canned beans. However, if you are not as lucky as me to own a small pressure cooker, you can use canned beans. My Pitta friends may like to reduce the red pepper in this recipe and increase fresh cilantro. Serve with basmati rice or quinoa.

Ingredients for 4-6 servings:
1 tbsp  ghee or oil for your dosha

How to enhance six flavors from one spice

The sensuality of spices can be explore in many ways. You will be surprise how one single spice treated in 6 different ways can open 6 different flavors. The real secret of combining spices is to apply this simple techniques.

Lets take for example cumin.
flavor 1: use whole cumin seeds.
Flavor 2: ground cumin seeds.
Flavor 3 Dry-roasted whole cumin until reddish brown.

Winter moods?

Light is a source of nutrients, it is not only vitamins  D, but light serves as a catalyst to internal chemistry for emotional balance and a sense of well being.
Here some supplements you may want to incorporate in your diet if you are suffering from low energy or just feel moody.

Omega-3 fatty acid; reduce anxiety and may relieve depression. Walnuts, pumpkin seeds, mint, parsley, spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, flax seeds are rich in Omega-3.

Folic Acid ( folate) maintain mood balancing serotonin in the brain.  Find folic acid in

• Spinach — 1 cup = 263 mcg of folate (65% DV)
• Collard Greens — 1 cup = 177 mcg of folate (44% DV)
• Turnip Greens — 1 cup = 170 mcg of folate (42% DV)
• Mustard Greens — 1 cup = 103 mcg of folate (26% DV)

Coriander Detox Tea

I love this tea in early spring, when the body wants to feel light and the tummy is ready for some purification.

¼ tsp cumin seeds

¼ tsp fennel seeds

¼ tsp coriander seeds

1 ½ cups water

Boil the ingredients for 5 minutes. Let the tea cool down, strain and enjoy.

Make a big jar to drink during purification times.

Cumin, coriander and fennel tea is one of Ayurveda's most famous formulas for detoxification and burning up excess water weight. It is a soothing formula that reduces agitation and inflammation. It restores a calm clarity and spaciousness to a tense mind.

Coriander: Taming the Tummy

Nothing like the fresh aroma of the strong-scented leaves of the coriander plant; cilantro.Those leaves are not spices, however, the sweet nutty seeds of the coriander plant is known as a spice coriander.
In the kitchen coriander is a versatile spice that can be use in variety of dishes to give not only flavor but texture to meals. By itself coriander do not have a strong taste, however combined can be of a great companion. I personally love it with cumin and fennel.
Medicinal uses:

Cooling almond chutney

I realize this chutney was super good when I saw people in one of our retreat liking the serving plate. It is a great addition to salads, soups or just as a deep. Since the main ingredient is aloe vera gel, this chutney is not only nutritious but cooling for my pitta friends.

Ingredients:
5  fresh kumquat fruit. ( available in most oriental grocery stores.)
6 tsp almond butter or any nut butter.
1/4 aloe vera juice or gel, I prefer juice, however the gel is cooling and the juice is heating. Your choice.

Kumquat in Almond sauce over portobello mushrooms

Kumquat is not a common fruit in our supermarkets, however when you discovered in any Chinese grocery store, you will be enchanted in using this delicate fruit in a variety of savory and sweet dishes.
Although kumquats taste just like that of other citrus fruits, they are distinguished in a way that they can be eaten completely including the peel. Fresh kumquats are packed with numerous health benefiting poly-phenolic flavonoid anti-oxidants such as carotenes, lutein, zea-xanthin, tannins...etc. The kumquat peel is composed many important essential oils in it, including limonene, pinene, α-bergamotene, caryophyllene, α-humulene, and α-muurolene. Together, these compounds impart special citrus aroma to the fruit.