Herb Polenta with Mushrooms

Polenta is a nutritious corn-based dish that is good for Pitta since corn can be a bit drying. However, adding a topping that is suitable for Vata or Kapha can make polenta digestible for all doshas.

Note that two types of polenta meal (or cornmeal) are available – a quick or instant variety and the traditional, slow-cooking one. For most purposes, I find that the quick polenta is good enough. Either one can be used for this dish.

The dish here makes a soft polenta. You may wish to double the quantity, as it is always good for snacks!

 

lemon Compote

  

Preserving lemons opens a whole new avenue in terms of flavour. The combination of salt, lemon juice, and time softens and breaks down the lemon skin and turns it into a sharp, aromatic treat. 

You can buy preserved lemons at many stores or you can make them your- self, but bear in mind that they take time: two to three weeks of preserving in order for the flavours to fully develop. 

Yotam's Smoky Marinated Feta

This delight maze is one of those snacks that you can place over the kitchen counter and take a bite of every time you need to stop and remember it is time for a break. I also use cheese and oil over almost anything as a complement to a meal or a party snack.

Harissa with rose water

Inspired by Ottolenghi cooking, this recipe is a must to have in the fridge to accompany any meal. I had made modifications not to make it too hot, but still keeping the flavour of chillies.

Makes about 11⁄2 cups 

Harissa is a North African chilli paste that’s wonderful when stirred into soups and stews or spooned over roasted vegetables and meats. 

Chia and Chocolate Pudding

Making this pudding is incredibly easy. All you need to do is stir together the chocolate milk ingredients— almond milk, cacao powder, maple syrup, and a splash of vanilla– and then pour that over the chia seeds. 

Use a whisk to make sure the chia seeds will get evenly coated with the chocolate milk mixture, then transfer the pudding mixture to the fridge to thicken up! The pudding should be ready to serve in roughly 15 to 20 minutes, but you can also keep it in the fridge for several days as an easy make-ahead meal.

Bhudha bowl with carrot ginger dressing

 

This bowl is easy to ensemble, store, and serve. It is very gratifying as a light supper or as a hardy breakfast.

• 1/2 pound quinoa,

• 2 red bell peppers, roasted and sliced

• 1 cup carrots, shredded

• 1 cup zucchini, cut with a Julienne peeler as noodles

• 1 avocado, sliced

• 3 green onions, diced

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

• 4 sheets of toasted nori

Oat Milk

 Oat milk is an easy dairy-free milk that you can make at home in just minutes. I love that it’s nut-free, low in fat, and super-affordable!

The biggest challenge I’ve found when making oat milk at home is that sometimes it can come out with a “slimy” texture, for lack of a better word. There are a few things I’ve found that help you avoid the slimy outcome.

• Don’t over-blend the oat milk. If you have a powerful blender, like the Vitamix, I wouldn’t blend this for longer than 30 seconds.

10 Ayurvedic tips you want to know in early summer

 Summer is pitta time, and in early summer our bodies use the extra fat accumulated in the winter. Our appetite changes and our Agni (digestive fire) increases so the body is ready to change to a diet that is lighter and better to sustain the heat of the summer.

Simple Basmati rice

Basmati is a fragrant, nutty-tasting long grain rice grown in the Himalayas and Pakistan. “Bas” in Hindi language means “aroma” and “mati” means “full of,” hence the word Basmati — or “full of aroma.” The key to making basmati rice that is light, tender and fluffy is to rinse it first, otherwise, the grains will be gummy and stick together. It only takes a minute or two. Simply place the rice in a bowl with water, and then swish it around to release any excess starch. The water will be cloudy at first but after several rinses, it will be clear.

Coconut and lemon soup

When the fall start I  run to a soup that is vatta reducing but not as heavy as for winter soups. The secret of this soup is the basic broth. You can choose this soup to be vegetarian by making the broth with kombu ( seaweed), instead of using fish sauce. The broth is so versatile you can add rice noodle, ( cook them separately) mushrooms and tofu. The creamy lemony test is recomforting, you can also add a tsp of ashwagandha in case of convalescing.