Millet with Sauteed Vegetables

Meredith enjoying her millet salad!

Millet is yet another easy to digest and healthy grain, and a lovely alternative to rice and pasta. It is gluten free, nearly 15% protein, and contains high amounts of fiber and B-complex vitamins. The high protein content also makes is an excellent vegetarian main dish. My roommate Meredith claims this millet salad is "delicious!" But you can be the judge. It is slightly increasing for vatas and pittas, and reducing for Kapahs. Vatas should substitute couscous if they are imbalanced.

1 cup millet (or couscous)
2 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onions
1 cup bok choy
1 to 2 cups diced tomatoes
3/4 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 tbsp tamari or braggs amino seasoning
1 tbsp lemon juice or umeboshi vinegar
1 tsp dried basil

In a large pot, bring millet and water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pan, and cook at a simmer until done, about 30 minutes, or more depending on the type of millet used. While the millet cooks, saute onions over medium heat in oil. When the onions brown, add the other vegetables and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a cover to allow the mixture to cook in its own steam of it begins to dry.
Add tamari, vinegar or lemon juice and basil. Cook 5 more minutes. Add vegetable mixture to millet and mix well.

Makes 6 servings. Can be served hot or cold.

Lentil Curry Coup

I love Lentils! I believe I have mentioned this before, but they really are a bean to be reckoned with. Lentils are full of fiber and protein, making them excellent blood sugar stabilizers, and so easy to cook and prepare.

This curry soup is easy to make for your particular doshic type. (Variations are included below the main recipe). If you already have homemade vegetable stock on hand this is preferable to canned or boxed stock as it is fresher and has much less sodium. Serve this satisfying soup with warm cornbread for a healthy meal in about an hour.


Lentil Curry Soup

Ingredients

1/4 lb potatoes (1 to 2 small)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 cup red lentils
2 cup vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
juice of one fresh lemon
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Heat ghee in a pot. Add ground spices, turmeric, and curry, and saute over medium heat. Add the potatoes and lentils and cook without browning. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, let simmer, covered for about 35 minutes. Puree, then season with salt and pepper and lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro.

VARIATION
(Vata) Use fennel seeds instead of coriander. Cook with 2 whole cloves, removing them before pureeing. Season with nutmeg and caraway.

(Pitta) Use softened mung dal; use 1 teaspoon fennel seeds instead of cumin. Season with cream rather than lemon juice.

(Kapha) Cook in 1 to 2 tsp freshly grated ginger and 2 whole cloves.

Adapted from AYURVEDA: Inspired cooking for your individual well being (Vegetarian) by Anne Buhring and Petra Rather

Healthiest Apple Cake Ever

I love cake, especially with fruit, so I was very excited to try this updated recipe for fresh apple cake. This is the healthiest apple cake recipe I have ever seen and just as easy as using a boxed mix. (I bought an entire 1/2 bushel of apples from a local orchard in December, and I am still trying to come up with ways to use them all!)

This cake recipe has no white flour, just one egg, no oil and fresh fruit. Another plus? Easy to make! Simple, yummy and healthy. It is so moist from the applesauce that no frosting or ice cream is needed. Makes 8 servings.

• 2 cups diced apples (about 2 medium)
  
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9" pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Sprinkle diced apples with sugar. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat the egg. Mix in the applesauce and vanilla. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture, until well mixed. Add apples. (The batter will be much thicker than traditional cakes, but this is okay! )

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Lentil Love!

Although beans in general are common foods in Ayurveda, lentils are considered to be nutritional powerhouses. They are full of fiber and protein, and more importantly, when they are properly cooked they are very easy to digest.

I also love to cook with lentils because they are the quickest bean to soak and prepare. Lentils usually do not need to be soaked at all, unlike other dried beans which might take 2 to 3 hours of soaking time. They also cook down in 20 to 30 minutes, whereas other types of beans might take 40 to 60 minutes.

My favorite lentil recipe is for Lentil Loaf, a recipe that was given to me by my Mom. It is a hearty and healthy alternative to meatloaf.

2 cups green or yellow lentils (cooked for 30 minutes)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 bunch scallions, chives or parsley
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. Bragg's liquid aminos or tamari
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and place in a greased loaf pan or casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes.

Serves 6.

Crunchy Cabbage and Broccoli Slaw

Cabbage does not have the best reputation in the vegetable world, but I think it is under-appreciated in modern cuisine, and I want to do my part to bring it back! Most people probably don't like cabbage because they have only experienced it steamed or boiled (which is absolutely flavorless) or as sauerkraut, which is potent enough to turn away anyone with a delicate palate. However, cabbage is very high in vitamins, fiber and provides a highly nutritious crunch to many recipes.

This yummy alternative to coleslaw makes a great lunch on the go. I like to serve it in warm pita bread. If you are a kapha, or simply don't like mayonnaise, substitute yogurt or vegan mayonnaise. Raisins are optional, but should be soaked in water, especially for vatas. Enjoy!

Salad:
2 cups broccoli stems, julienned
1 cup carrots, grated
1 cup purple cabbage, finely chopped
1/4 cup raisins

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise
(Kaphas should substitute yogurt)
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, combine all salad ingredients and toss. In a small jar, combine all dressing ingredients and shake well. Pour over salad and toss again. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

*Adapated from Amrita Sondhi's The Modern Ayurvedic Cookbook.

Simple Vegetable Soup

I am no Julia Child, nor do I aspire to be....But I have recently been inspired to start my own food blog. I spend so much time researching recipes and browsing food blogs to inspire my cooking, but then I end up creating my own version anyways! I decided it was time to start my own blog to share my adventures in the kitchen. This blog is especially for those people interested in learning easy ways to integrate healthy vegetarian recipes based in the Ayurvedic tradition into their diets.

The first recipe of the blog, and of the New Year, is Simple Vegetable Soup. I call it "simple" because it is easy to make, and basic enough to be used for a stock when some of the denser ingredients are omitted. This soup is balancing for all doshic types (kapha, pitta, and vata). As the holiday season comes to a close, you may have been eating more white flour and refined sugar than is good for your body, and a warm vegetable soup full of fiber and herbs is a tasty way to get the nutrition your body needs back into your system. This makes a wonderfully filling and easy lunch once it is prepared.

Finally, one important Ayurvedic principle to consider is the freshness of the foods with which you are cooking. Choose the freshest herbs, spices, and vegetables and choose organic when possible. These foods are the most life sustaining and best for physical and mental health and balance.

Simple Vegetable Soup

1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
3 large carrots
4 stalks celery
1 cup red cabbage
1 green or red pepper
2 cinnamon sticks
5 peppercorns
10 cups water
fresh herbs to your taste (the fresher the better)
2 bay leaves

Combine all ingredients in a large pot or slow cooker. If cooking on the stove top, bring soup to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. If you choose the slow cooker method, cook on high for one hour, then let simmer on low for 3 to 5 hours.

To reduce pitta, decrease the peppercorns as they are heating.

Eliminate the cabbage and green pepper to make a simple vegetable soup stock.