What dosha is my child?-Questionnaire

This questionnaire is a good guideline for parents to know what dosha is their child. You can implement diet and life style accordingly. It you child is sick or have special needs, please consult your ayurvedic practitioner.

No tomato Marinara

           

It looks and tastes enough like the real thing to fool anyone!  And with all the genetic altering being done to tomatoes, this is probably a much safer alternative to the original sauce. 

Hint: You can make this sauce for another dish (such as a tomato-free ratatouille, or as a sauce over stir-fried vegetables and quinoa or baked spaghetti squash for an unrefined and wholesome alternative to pasta) and freeze half of it for a ready-to-go pizza sauce to be used on another day.

Yogy Pizza

This pizza is wheat-free, yeast-free, sugar-free and tomato-free.  Tomatoes, being high in oxalic acid (a calcium inhibitor), are a particularly difficult member of the nightshade family of vegetables and are difficult for people to tolerate when eaten frequently.  Not only do they block calcium absorption, they cause heat and inflammation within the colon.  Mentally, this physical inflammation can manifest as irritability, anger and restlessness. 

Mung Beans Patties

Allow the children to eat with their hands, and this recipe make the process fun and clean. 

V-, P+ (slightly), K- (use less oil)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mung beans (soaked overnight or for 2 hours)
• coriander (handful chopped)
• leeks (1 stalk)
• 1 carrot (shredded)

Almond Milk

(taken from Amadea Morningstar’s book “Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners”)

-Vata, 0Pitta, mildly +Kapha

Makes 2 cups

 Ingredients

3 Tbsp almonds

2 cup water

Pinch Ground cardamom

And/or pinch Saffron

½ tsp honey

Equipment
Bowls
Strainer
Measuring cup
Blender or food processor
Fine-mesh nut bag or cheese cloth  

How to prepare almonds for children

Almonds have a warming nature and a sweet flavour.   They are excellent for vata children.

• Relieves stagnant qi energy of the lungs, transforms phlegm, alleviates cough, and lubricates the intestines.
• Builds ojas, (vital fluid in the body)
• A sattvic nut, (increases mental calmness and spiritual attunement)
• Alkalizes the blood
• Great for the skin

Iron tonic for children

Kids food- and for mamas as well.

Iron Tonic

(Taken from Rosemary Gladstar’s book “Herbal Healing for Women.”)

Ingredients:

3 parts nettle
3 parts dandelion leaf
3 parts dandelion root
3 parts raspberry leaf

Ishtak’s Veggie Shepherd’s Pie

Food for kids- by Satkiana

Vata -, Pitta +, Kapha +
(For Pitta, use leak instead of onion, ginger root or omit ginger, omit the chipotle and add the curry leaves and cilantro)
(For Kapha, use goat's milk cheese and dry ginger powder and chipotle, if your child can handle a bit of heat)

Prep Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

2 tsp ghee

1 medium onion or 1 leek, chopped finely

½ tsp black mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp ginger powder, (or 1/2 inch fresh ginger, chopped finely)

1/8 tsp chipotle powder, (optional)

Hearty Kidney Bean and Veggie Soup

Food for kids- By Satkiana.

Preparation: 1/2 hour, once kidney beans are cooked.

Vata -, Pitta 0, Kapha + slightly
(You can leave out the coconut milk for kapha, substitute a bit of rice milk for creaminess if you want).

This recipe comes from my very own creative kitchen play.  My own teacher taught me to cook without being a slave to recipes.  I learned to cook intuitively, tasting along the way to see how my various flavours were combining.  On this particular day, I was looking for a warm and hearty soup that would have a predominantly sweet taste with a zap of sour and an undertone of salty.  I wanted lots of veggies and some hearty beans for protein.  I have to say, I was very pleased with the results!

Ingredients:
¼ tsp asafoetida