Bread free Stuffing Balls

These festive bites have all the flavours of traditional stuffing, but they’re protein-packed, bite-sized, and gluten-free, to boot.

You can store the uncooked balls in the fridge (tightly wrapped up on a plate) for up to 36 hours before baking, so there's less fuss the day of a big meal. The uncooked balls can also be frozen in a freezer-safe bag for 1 to 2 weeks. To bake, simply pop the frozen balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 to 33 minutes (they need roughly 7 to 10 minutes more bake time when baking from frozen). Also, the Cranberry-Pear Sauce can be made 1 to 2 weeks in advance and frozen until ready to use.
Thank you Angela Clipton for your lovely recipe.

Vegan Peppermint Patty Slice

From Oh She glows
This peppermint patty is a showstopping dessert that's coloured naturally with spinach—though only you and I will know its nutritious secret! As an added bonus it’ll only set you back 15 minutes of prep.
The filling calls for at least 4 hours of freezing time, so I like to whip it up before bed to pop in the freezer overnight. This way, all I have to do the next day is add the ganache on top and freeze it for another 10 minutes.

Ashwagandha almond butter

Raw almond butter can be tedious to make but it is worth the patience, especially when you know the health of your adrenals is on the line. Having this adaptogenic version of almond butter on hand is as useful as it is delicious. You can use it as an ingredient in other dishes or add it as a topping on things like toast with honey and cinnamon. You can also use cashews instead of almonds. Soak them overnight.

Energy truffles with Ashwagandha.

Nothing says comfort food like a sweet dessert. After you push your dinner plate to the side, you can pull out these truffles made with ashwagandha and  ojas building dates. They’re sure to make you and your adrenals smile.

Evening Tonic for Vatta Dosha

Ending the day with a tonic is a great evening ritual. While the routine alone creates a calm setting, you can choose to add ingredients to your tonic based on how you feel and how your day and week have been. This tonic has not only adrenal-hugging ashwagandha, but nutmeg which can support sleep and relaxed muscles, and comfort your agitated mind.

Roasted Potatoes in Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

Pictured here is the main dish variation.  Yum!

This hearty salad has a sweet, sour and herbal taste, giving it that comfort food flare. The vinaigrette is a real winner when we want to please all doshas and all tastes. To make this salad a main dish, add fresh tomatoes and steamed kale or chard.  You can also add a boiled egg or fresh goat cheese. Serve with generous amounts of fresh herbs.

Makes: 4 servings

Roasted Potatoes Ingredients: 

1 cup mini potatoes

5 to 8 tsp ghee, at room temperature

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp red pepper flakes

        Salt 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475 F.  In a large bowl, combine well all ingredients, except the potatoes. Stir in potatoes until evenly coated. Place potatoes in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, turning occasionally to brown on all sides

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

5 tsp grapeseed oil

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

3 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp tamari sauce

¼ tsp black pepper

handful fresh basil

Handful fresh cilantro

Directions:

Chop all the fresh herbs, mix together the rest of the ingredients and pour over the roasted potatoes. Serve warm or cold.  

Variation – add to the above dish:

½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

2 cups swiss chard or kale, chopped

3 boiled eggs, quartered

OR 

1 cup soft goat cheese

Shatavari Cardamon Milk Decotion

The liquor resulting from concentrating the essence of a substance by heating or boiling, especially a medicinal preparation made from a plants or roots are call decoction.  Decoctions are use in a variety of healing needs, specially in those that require quick action or quick fortification. Shatavari milk decoction  is usually used in Ayurveda to treat kidney infections and for fortification of females organs. I had add cardamon as a consolidating spice and juggery to make this medicine a delicious supplement to your diet.
Weak Children and elderly can drink Shatavari decoction before bed for 7 days.

Coconut mango tapioca pudding

Summer deserts need to be light and refreshing, here a cooling pudding for all ages. If you don't have mango available, use peaches, straberries or any fresh fruit in season. Consider fruits that alleviate Pitta dosha like pineapple, peaches and pears.

Tapioca is a starch extracted from the cassava root, native to the North Brazilian area. It can be found in form of flakes and powders, although it’s most commonly available in the form of little round pearls. I’ll also try to come up with a healthy recipe for the amazing tapioca

Raw Beet Salad

This raw salad is very good for your liver as it promotes bile production.  If you feel your digestion is slow, raw beets can help to increase Agni (digestive fire).  If you have difficulty digesting raw food, you can steam the grated beets for 3 minutes. You can also add fennel or mint to aid digestion. This salad is especially beneficial if you have difficulty digesting fats. 

 

Makes:  4 Servings

Ingredients:

1 medium or large beet, grated

1 apple, sliced thin (optional)

1 medium carrot, grated

1 tsp jaggery

½ lemon, just the juice

1 tsp nutritional yeast 

Dijon mustard to taste (about 1 tbsp for a large beet, optional)

fresh ginger, finely grated

salt to taste 

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir to evenly coat. Enjoy a portion of this salad with each meal. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Basmati rice, avocado and Sweet Corn in ghee for a summer dinner

Corn and summer are great companions. Corn is also friendly to pitta doshas. I like to use the juice of the fresh corn to curries, rice and soups.

In here however, I am using the  corn kernels to make a simple quick side summer dish. I like to add hing to avoid gas forming and to pacify the Vatta effect of corn. This dish goes well serve with fresh avocado, steam asparagus and basmati rice.

If you need to replace ghee, use coconut oil and add at the end 3 tsp of coconut cream to give a creamy consistency to the dish.

Urugula an coriander Pesto for pitta dosha

Summer months tent to aggravate pitta dosha. The garden has plenty of flowers and herbs to cool you down and to sustain the liver during summer.
This pesto can be use rice, salads, soups and pastas. Urugula and coriander are great companions. You can also add fresh nettles to give that extra strength and minerals.

Ingredients

• 1 small bunch arugula 

Nut free vegan power bars

Inspired by the vegan guru Angela Liddon, these nut-free Glo Bars contain oats, ground flax, sesame seeds, and coconut oil, all of which are thought to help boost milk supply in breastfeeding women.  They are also easy to digest and a great snack to children.

 

Ingredients:

For the dry ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (150 g) gluten-free rolled oats
• 3/4 cup (25 g) gluten-free rice crisp cereal
• 1/4 cup (40 g) white sesame seeds*
• 1/4 cup (40 g) pepita seeds*
• 1/4 cup (30 g) ground flaxseed
• 1/3 cup (45 g) dried cranberries or dried cherries**

Wake up digestion yellow drink

I personally love this drink in times of panchakarma. My body is refresh and at the same time warm with this drink.

This delicious tulsi smoothie will help soothe your nerves and clear the clutter from your mind.
 Tulsi or Holy Basil, was used by ancient cultures for its healing and rejuvenating qualities.

Four Ayurvedic methods for cooking vegetables

The preferred Ayurvedic method for cooking vegetables is to sauté them in ghee or steam in a little water. Adding salt at the beginning reduces the cooking time. Excess raw vegetables are not advised as they are heavy and hard to digest! Raw food is better in Summer, or at lunch time when digestion is strongest.

Sundried tomatoes, olive and feta corn bread

In our latest community brunch, Christiane delight us with this corn bread. Savory and light, great company with dhal or other soups. Great for vatta dosha. 

• 3 eggs
• 150 g  Cornbread Mix, by Bob’Red Mill (found in the gluten free section of most grocery stores)
• 2 tsp baking powder

Banana Cream Pie ( Vegan)

Absolutely delicious, 10-ingredient vegan banana cream pie! Crispy gluten-free crust, fluffy and silky cream center, and layered with 3 whole bananas! (Adapted from a recipe by The Minimalist Baker)

Don't let the 8 hours scare you.  Most of this time is fridge time.  Do note that you have to put the coconut milk in the fridge overnight, if you are making your own coconut cream.  The pie is so worth all of the steps it takes to make it.  In fact, you might want to prepare two of them, as I can assure you your guests will want seconds.

4 Legumes You Want to Have in Your Ayurvedic Pantry

In most cultures around the world, there is a combination of one legume and grain to produce an easily digested protein. In South America, corn and black beans had being a humble diet to a large population. In India the science of making soups, and dishes using dhals, lentils and beans, had being the based for the science of Ayurveda to balance each dosha, to nourish them, and to purify them.

Lets overview 4 different lentils, dhals and being that can make a difference in the way you understand cooking for each dosha.

Golden Milk for Each Ayurvedic Dosha

Golden milk has been used in the Yogi tradition for centuries to strength the weak and to delight the kings. Golden milk is versatile, giving a variety of options for each constitution and for each occasion. You can use any milk of your preference and a combination of spices for your constitution. The key is to use turmeric and ginger as a base.

Ayurveda and the 3 types of Menopause

By Dr. Shamna Prudith.

Womanhood is a great blessing and is, of course, a big responsibility. A woman passes through various life transitions including menarche, pregnancy, labour, breast-feeding, child nurturing and finally menopause. These phases are all part of normal female physiology. Through bloodletting in menstruation, the body provides the woman with a natural way of monthly cleansing and rejuvenation. At menopause, the body puts an end to her reproductive life.

Ginger, ayurveda and it multiple uses.

  

Origins and History

The origin of ginger is not unknown for certain, and it is not known to grow wild, but it is grown in many tropical climates around the world. Nevertheless, since antiquity, there have been references to its cultivation and medicinal use in ancient China and India, suggesting that it may have originated somewhere between northern India and eastern Asia.