recipes
All-Day Beef Stew
A fantastic recipe for the midst of winter. Warming, soothing and nourishing to the digestive system as well as easy to make. Put it on in the morning when you have a busy day and a delicious dinner will be waiting for you when you get home in the evening.
Serves 6 - 8 so it is great for a big family or to set you up for a few meals / lunches during your week.
This recipe is courtesy of Sally Fallon and her fantastic book which I highly recommend ~ Nourishing Traditions.
INGREDIENTS
1.1 kg beef chunks (approx 1 inch pieces) - Easiest to get already prepared from your local butcher
1 cup red wine
3-4 cups beef stock
1 can tomatoes
4 tablespoons tomato paste
6 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2-3 small pieces of orange peel
7 small potatoes diced into chunks
2 large carrots chopped how you please
salt and pepper
METHOD
Marinate meat in red wine overnight. In the morning place all ingredients except carrots and potatoes in a slow cooker on low heat for 8 hrs. Add carrots and potatoes approximately 3 hours before serving. Season to taste. If you want to thicken it up slightly add a little arrowroot flour an hour or so before serving.
Serve with fresh bread and butter. Enjoy!
Coconut Mung Bean Soup
This soup is one of my favourite recent finds. First discovered on one of my women’s retreats, made by our amazing cook Samadhi. A VERY simple and delicious soup perfect for all doshas but in particular Pitta types, given the use of greens (good for liver health) and coconut milk (cooling). Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole mung beans (soaked in waterovernight or for at least 8hrs)
1 can of full fat coconut milk
1 large zucchini, grated
1.5 tsp Tikka Masala or Curry Powder
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
TOP WITH
Lime juice
Ghee, butter or a little coconut oil
Fresh Coriander
Chopped avocado
Serve with flatbread or fresh bread if you like!
METHOD
Rinse soaked mung beans thoroughly
Place mung beans in a large pan, cover with water and simmer away for approx 30 minutes.
Drain and rinse the beans thoroughly in a sieve.
Wash the pot while the beans are draining (removing the gunk left by the mung beans)
Return mung beans to pot, adding coconut milk. grated zucchini & the Tikka Masala or Curry Powder.
Bring to a boil and simmer until zucchini is tender (5 minutes or so) *It can seem like there is not enough liquid but this will increase as the zucchini begins to cook.
Add spinach and simmer for another 5 or so minutes.
Simple Chicken Curry
I often get asked what Ayurveda’s opinion is on eating meat. Ayurveda is not necessarily for or against meat, for certain doshas especially Vata types it is very helpful to eat in moderation. What Ayurveda asks us to consider is the quality of the meat, where we are sourcing it from, how it was killed and what has the animal been fed? Ultimately doing our best to source ethically raised and slaughtered meat, free of hormones and as local as possible is ideal as the energy of this animal is becoming a part of us!
INGREDIENTS
4 chicken thighs diced in pieces approximately the size of the picture.
3 tbsp ghee (sunflower or coconut oil are also ok)
1 onion, diced
2” piece of ginger (grated)
3-4 garlic cloves (grated or diced finely)
1 tsp each of turmeric, cumin & coriander powder
1/4 tsp chilli powder (can omit for Pitta types)
1/2 - 1 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 cups of fresh coriander (chopped)
1/2 lime (juiced)
Salt to taste
METHOD
Chop chicken thighs, set aside.
Heat ghee in large saucepan or wok, once hot add all the spices except for the fresh coriander, sauté for 30 seconds or so before adding the chopped onion, garlic and ginger.
Continue to sauté the onions and spices until lightly browned (stirring constantly to avoid burning)
Add the chicken and toss well to coat in all the flavours, if the spice paste is too dry you can add a little water.
Cook the chicken until half way done (this won’t take long) and then add the fresh coriander, lime juice and salt. Cover and continue cooking on low heat until the chicken is cooked through. Again you can add a little more water if it looks too dry.
Comments: I like to serve this simple yet delicious curry with basmati rice (cooked with a little turmeric) and sautéed greens. Enjoy!
Serves approximately 5
Recipe is a personal modification of a chicken curry recipe from myayurvedakitchen.com
Tridoshic Vegetable Curry
A delicious and simple curry suitable for all constitutions. I serve it with basmati rice cooked with a little turmeric, sesame seeds and ghee and/or wholewheat flatbreads.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup fresh green peas (frozen can be used if necessary)
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup potatoes, diced
1/2 cup green string beans, cut in 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup asparagus, cut in 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons ghee
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 - 1 1/2 cups water
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup natural yoghurt
METHOD
Heat ghee in a large saucepan / wok
Add mustard and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds pop add the turmeric.
Then add all the vegetables and the water. (If using frozen peas, do not add until the rest of the vegetables are almost done.)
Cook covered until the vegetables become tender.
Next add the yoghurt, coriander, salt/pepper, stirring well. Simmer uncovered on low heat for another 15-20 minutes.
Comments: This is beautiful served with condiments: fresh coriander, cucumber raita and/or lime pickle. If I cannot find asparagus I will replace with some diced broccoli.
Serves approximately 5
Mung Bean Soup
This is another one of my favourite staple Ayurvedic meals. It might not sound too appetising but it is absolutely delicious if prepared, spiced and garnished well. Mung beans are a god send to the digestive system. They actually have certain properties / structures that help to ‘sweep’ out toxins and stagnation in the digestive system, promote digestive fire, decrease water retention and are an amazing source of protein.
To make the dish more interesting add in any seasonal vegetables such as leafy greens or finely chopped root vegetables.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of whole green mung beans (soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight)
2 litres of water
1 - 2 tsp of turmeric powder
2 pinches of asafoetida / hing (from Indian or Asian supermarkets or good health food stores)
Lime juice
2/3 tsp of fresh grated or finely chopped ginger
Half an onion, finely chopped
Ghee
1 tsp each of Cumin, Coriander, Fennel seeds or any other spices as per your taste.
Salt & pepper to taste
2 cloves of garlic optional. (Omit for Pitta types)
METHOD
Rinse the soaked Mung beans thoroughly.
Heat ghee in a large pan and add 1 tsp of turmeric powder and 2 pinches of Asafeotida. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the Mung beans, water and some of the fresh ginger.
Leave to bubble away for 30-40 minutes.
While the beans are bubbling away take out another frying pan. Heat some more ghee and sauté the onion and garlic, add the remaining ginger.
Next add the Cumin & Coriander seeds and any other spices you choose. I like to add in black mustard seeds, a few fennel seeds and more turmeric powder.
Add these sautéed spices and onion into the Mung bean mixture with some rock salt and continue to simmer away. If you were adding seasonal vegetables to your soup this is when you would add them.
Serve with fresh lime juice, a dollop of ghee and fresh coriander!
Makes approximately 5 serves.
Recipe thanks to Karin at Lakshmi Ayurveda.
winter warmer
vata pacifying spiced oats
This breakfast recipe is perfect for the Vata inducing time of year, late autumn and early winter or any time of year if your dominant dosha is Vata. It’s consistency, temperature, ingredients and spices help to counterbalance the Vata qualities of light, dry, cold and mobile helping you to feel warm, grounded, stable and also to support and stimulate your Agni (digestive fire).
Ingredients
1/2 cup oats (organic if possible and best to avoid quick oats as they are highly processed)
1 chopped date (I alternate this with raisins)
1/2 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, clove & cardamom
½ - 1 teaspoon grated ginger (reduce quantity for Pitta types)
teaspoon of ghee (ghee is an amazing source of healthy fats, beneficial for immunity, brain function, nervous system health & to remove Ama (toxins) from the system). Ghee can be found at health food stores and good supermarkets.
~ Milk of your choice, dairy, oat, almond milk etc (staying away from soy is best for women as it can mess with our oestrogen levels)
Optional extra: I add 1 large teaspoon each of the following seeds depending on where I am at in my cycle:
Flaxseed & Pumpkin seeds (from menstruation to ovulation)
Sesame & Sunflower seeds (from ovulation to menstruation)
* Seed cycling is a great way for us women to support our reproductive hormones
Cook altogether in a pot on the stove, add a little more ghee and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top should you wish!
tridoshic kitchari
Kitchari is one of my favourite staple meals. It is quick and easy to make, nourishing and soothing for your digestive system and with the appropriate spices suitable for all dosha constitutions.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of ghee (increase for Vata, decrease for Kapha)
1 teaspoon each of black mustard seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds
1 teaspoon each of ground turmeric, coriander and cumin
Small handful of curry leaves
pinch of asafoetida (can be found in Asian supermarkets, reduces the gas inducing properties of lentils)
½ cup of yellow split lentils or mung beans (soaked overnight)
½ cup of basmati rice (soaked overnight or at least for a few hours)
½ cup of quinoa (can replace this with another ½ cup of basmati rice if you prefer)
approximately 2 cups of finely chopped seasonal vegetables. I like to use any of the following: carrot, sweet potato, broccoli, green beans, summer squash, yams, kale, zucchini. I normally choose about 3 different vegetables to use)
1 – 2 cups of chicken or beef bone broth (replace with vegetable stock if you are vegetarian)
salt and pepper
approximately 4 cups of water
Method:
Heat ghee in large pot and add mustard, fennel, coriander & cumin seeds.
Once mustard seeds start to pop add the remainder of the spices, asafoetida and curry leaves, fry for about 30 seconds.
Add soaked and rinsed lentils, rice and quinoa mixing into the ghee and spice mix.
Add water and bone broth, bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer.
While bubbling away chop veggies and add to pot.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and continue to simmer for about 30 minutes or until the consistency is life porridge.
Serve with a little extra ghee, fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice.
Pumpkin Fruit Bread
This delicious favourite of mine was shared to me by one of my own beautiful teachers, Lara Dwyer. It’s principles are very Ayurvedic in the use of spices for digestion, pumpkin for grounding and raisins which are OJAS building (immunity and stability). I love to enjoy it with a good slice of butter!
Ingredients
250g (2 cups) grated raw pumpkin
2 organic eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
¼ cup macadamia nut oil or extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup raw honey or organic maple syrup
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup (160g) raisins
1 cup (150g) wholemeal spelt flour (or Almond meal for gluten free)
walnuts, pecans, hazelnut - to garnish
Method
Preheat your oven to 150°C fan-forced or 170°C no fan.
Combine the raw pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, oil, honey, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and raisins.
Add the spelt flour and mix through.
Spoon into a prepared baking tin lined with baking paper. The size tin I used was 10 1/2 cm wide and 26 cm long.
Garnish the top if you like then pop into the oven.
Bake for 1 hour - 1 1/4 hour or until cooked through. You may need to cover the top with a little foil if necessary.
The top of your cake should spring back when touched.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before removing from the tin.
Sourced from thehealthychef.com