recipe: butternut squash soup

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This is the ultimate soup for fall! The sweet taste of the butternut squash and carrots nourishes, while the spices provide warmth and help with digestion. It’s delicious. And, bonus, you’re house smells amazing when your cooking it.

Makes 4-5 servings 

2 tsp ghee (sub coconut oil for plant-based version)
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp clove
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1” pieces
3 cups of water
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup coconut milk

Melt the ghee in a large soup pan on medium heat. Add the onion, and saute until soft and translucent. Stir in the carrots, cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and all of the other spices and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Add the butternut squash, stir for a minute, then add water. Bring to boil, then simmer, covered for 25 minutes. Remove lid, simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Turn off heat, and let soup cool slightly (about 5-10 minutes). Add the salt, pepper and coconut milk. Use an immersion blender to blend, or blend in a blender in batches.

 #holistichealth #holisticliving #holistic #holisticnutrition #naturalhealth #foodismedicine #ancienthealth #ayurveda #naturalliving #eatrealfood #herbalmedicine #ayurvedicmedicine #yogalife #yogi #mindbody #recipe #ayurvedicrecipe # ayurvedic soup #healthydigestion #soup #butternutsquashsoup #autumn

vata season

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As I write this, we have fully transitioned into the fall season.  Temperatures have dropped. The air has become dry and windy. The sound of blowing leaves fills the air. The colors of nature have shifted from green to brown. The days are getting shorter. You also might have noticed that your schedule has become more busy and hectic, and you might be experiencing more anxiety. You might feel more spacey in your mind. In your body, you might notice symptoms like constipation, dry skin, cold extremities, cracking joints and dehydration.

Image by Waldrebell from Pixabay 

In Ayurveda, autumn is known as vata season. Vata carries the characterics you notice in fall – cold, dry and mobile. In Ayurveda, opposites balance. So in the fall, you want to focus on qualities like warm, oily (opposite of dry in Ayurveda), and stability/groundedness. Below are some tips on how to do this to navigate your way through the fall season gracefully.

Diet

Focus on eating nourishing, grounding, well-cooked, well-spiced and well-oiled food. Include sweet, sour and salty tastes. Foods that are warm and liquid, like oatmeal, stews and soups are great for vata season. Eat meals at regular times every day. Stay hydrated by drinking Ayurvedic Gatorade (instructions below) and warm herbal teas. Reduce your intake of raw and dry foods like salads, cold smoothies, crackers, rice cakes and popcorn.

  • Well-oiled food – olive oil, coconut oil, ghee
  • Well-spiced food – pretty much all spices! I especially like, cinnamon, cumin, astofida (hing), ginger, garlic and turmeric
  • Sweet taste – root veggies, like sweet potatoes; winter squash, like butternut squash; and cooked grains, like basmati rice and quinoa
  • Salty taste – add pink Himalayan salt or mineral salt to your food 
  • Sour taste – add a dash of lemon or lime juice to your meals; cook your oatmeal with dried raisins or dried cranberries
  • Healthy fats – all nuts and seeds
  • Ayurvedic Gatorade – to warm water, add a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of pink Himalayan or mineral salt

Lifestyle

Think relaxing and grounding. Vata season is associated with the air element. When you imagine the air element, think more of movement, like the movement of the wind – what is called mobile quality. The opposite of mobile is stable and grounded. This is the time of year to consider slowing down, and to get a good night’s sleep.

  • Keep a consistent sleep schedule, getting 7-8 hours of sleep. This means getting up and going to bed at the same time everyday.
  • Do grounding practices like meditation, restorative and yin yoga
  • Stay warm, layer up, protect your head and hands on chilly days
  • Try to get 10-20 minutes of natural sunlight every day
  • Practice self oil massage with sesame oil daily. This practice has been life changing for me!  Instructions to do this are here: https://www.joyfulbelly.com/Ayurveda/article/Abhyanga-Oil-Massage-to-Soothe-Your-Nerves/4132

Image by Leon_Ting from Pixabay 

Herbs

In vata season, use herbs that help build immunity, keep the body hydrated, and keep your digestive fires strong. 

  • CCF tea – more information on CCF tea with recipe here
  • Chyavanprash is a nutritive jam packed with vitamin C that strengthens immunity (it’s also yummy)
  • Licorice tea – licorice is a demulcent herb, helping you hold onto water. I like the Traditional Medicinal brand.
  • Ginger – in your tea or in your meals helps keep your digestive fire strong and is warming

 #holistichealth #holisticliving #holistic #holisticnutrition #naturalhealth #foodismedicine #ancienthealth #ayurveda #naturalliving #eatrealfood #herbalmedicine #ayurvedicmedicine #yogalife #yogi #mindbody #herbaltea #healthydigestion #vata #vataseason #autumn

the tea I drink every day

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When I was in India a few years ago, I visited an Ayurvedic doctor who recommended drinking CCF tea. I had never heard of CCF tea before – it’s an Ayurvedic digestive tea made up of cumin, coriander and fennel seeds (recipe below). I’ve been drinking it almost daily for over a year, and its made a big difference in my digestion, my eating patterns (less cravings and snacking) and the quality of my skin. CCF tea helps to strengthen digestion and metabolism, and has a gentle detoxification effect. In fact, its included in most Ayurvedic cleanses and purifies the blood.  It’s also helpful for proper nutrient absorption, having a clear mind, healthy urination and weight loss. Personally, I notice I have better digestion, fewer cravings for snacks and a clearer complexion from drinking CCF tea. Plus, I like the taste, and enjoy having a warm beverage to sip on throughout the day.

You can buy premade CCF tea mix, but it’s cheap and easy to make your own. Make a large batch to keep on hand for everyday use. I usually make about a quart of CCF tea daily, keep it in a large insulated water bottle, and sip it throughout the day. Locally in Colorado, I buy the seeds at Natural Grocers. You can also order them online from Mountain Rose Herbs. During the summer, you can also enjoy this tea lukewarm (never ice cold!).

CCF Tea Recipe

1 large serving (about a quart)

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
(use whole seeds, not ground)

I use a french press to make CCF tea. Boil about a quart and a half of water, add to the french press along with the seeds. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Strain and enjoy at warm temperature. If you don’t own a french press, bring the seeds and water to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, strain and drink. Optional, add honey to sweeten.

To make a large batch, mix about 1/2 cup of all of the seeds, then use a few teaspoons to make your daily brew.

 #holistichealth #holisticliving #holistic #holisticnutrition #naturalhealth #foodismedicine #ancienthealth #ayurveda #naturalliving #eatrealfood #herbalmedicine #ayurvedicmedicine #yogalife #yogi #mindbody #herbaltea #healthydigestion #CCFtea

New Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

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pumpkinsmoothie

Get your pumpkin fix with this healthy, easy and delicious pumpkin pie smoothie.

Makes 1 serving

Gather:
1-2 frozen bananas
Half a can of organic pumpkin puree
Good sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp flaxseed
1 tsp hemp seeds
1 tsp blackstrap molasses

Make:
Put everything into your high speed blender and cover with water. Blend & enjoy!

Thai Inspired Spring Salad

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Lately  I’ve been loving this fresh, crunchy salad. Use whatever vegetables and herbs you like!

thaisalad

Thai-Inspired Spring Salad
(serves 3-4)
1 package extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 1” cubes
1 package of rice or soba noodles
1/2 head of Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
2 carrots, julienned
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (for garnish)

Dressing:
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
3/4 rice vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp chili flakes

To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients and stir.

Marinate the tofu in half of the dressing for at least 30 minutes. Heat your oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake the tofu into golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Cook the noodles to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water and set asid.

To assemble the salad, evenly divide the noodles, tofu, lettuce, cucumbers and carrots onto your plate. Top with cilantro, sprouts, green onions and peanuts. Ladle dressing over the entire salad and eat!

How to ferment your own veggies!

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IMG_1935
Next in our probiotics series, all about making your own fermented vegetables. One of my favorite fermented condiment to make is kimchi. Kimchi is a Korean fermented vegetable condiment that is spicy and sour (and a little funky). It’s typically made with Napa cabbage, some kind of root vegetable like carrot or radish, chile paste and onion. I like to use is as a topping for stir fries and steamed vegetables – anything where you want to add some heat.

Home-made Kimchi Recipe:

Here is what you’ll need:
About one head of cabbage (Napa or regular), chopped (put aside 2 or 3 of the large outside leaves)
1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
1 tsp chile paste or ground cayenne pepper
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
A large mixing bowl

A large jar or container for fermenting – do not use stainless steel or plastic. I use half gallon or full gallon glass mason jars. They also sell ceramic crocks that you can use for fermenting, but those are pretty pricy.
A small piece of cheesecloth and rubber band that fits over your jar.

Something to weigh down your ferment – 2 options are a ziploc bag filled with water or a small mason jar filled with beans.

Now let’s make some kimchi…
Combine all of the ingredients into a bowl and massage with your hands. You’ll want to do this for at least 5 minutes, until the cabbage starts releasing water. You want to release as much water from the veggies as possible.

Pack the mixture into your jar. Make sure there aren’t any large air bubbles. The mixture needs to be completely submerged in liquid. If is isn’t submerged, make a quick brine solution by mixing 2 cups of water with an additional 1/2 tsp sea salt. Cover the mixture with the large leaves you set aside, and put the weight on top. Cover the top of the jar with cheesecloth and rubber band.

Store the jar at room temperature for about 5-7 days. It should begin to produce little air bubbles, this means that the fermentation has begun. At 5 days begin to taste your kimchi. The longer you let it ferment, the more sour it gets – so continue tasting it until it tastes good to you. Don’t worry if there is mold or scum on top, this is called bloom and is completely normal. It’s just surface mold and won’t contaminate the kimchi, just skim it off. If you keep your house pretty cool it could take more than 7 days.

When it’s finished fermenting, put into a clean jar and store in your fridge for up to 6 months.

It’s basically the same process to ferment other veggies too! Get creative! In the photograph I’m also showing a traditional cabbage sauerkraut and a red cabbage apple kraut.

Gettin’ spicy with cinnamon

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One of my favorite spices, especially this time of year, is cinnamon. Cinnamon has been used as food and medicine since ancient times. It comes from the rust colored inner bark of the cinnamon tree.I love it in smoothies, oatmeal, granola, coffee and hot toddies. Luckily, cinnamon has some great health boosting properties.

In addition to being delicious, cinnamon:

*Helps balance blood sugar, which is why it’s so great to add to smoothies and desserts

*Is rich in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation

*Reduces the risk of heart disease and also lowers blood pressure

*Boosts brain health – 2 compounds found in cinnamon appear to inhibit the buildup of the protein that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease

*Keeps your teeth pearly white and your breath smelling fresh with its anti-microbial effects

Cinnamon Grapefruit Tea

IMG_1853
1/2 grapefruit
1 stick of cinnamon

Put the grapefruit and cinnamon in a tea pot (or a quart mason jar) and cover with boiling water. Let seep for 10 minutes, then enjoy! I love to drink this during the cold months.

THE BEST veggie burger recipe

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Last week I wrote about making a big pot of beans every week. So here is another thing you can make with those beans – you own homemade veggie burgers! Have you ever read the label of most store bought veggie burgers? Can you identify everything listed there? Likely, not so. Making your own is cheaper and healthier. Sure, it does take more time… but you can make one large batch and freeze for later.

Black Bean Veggie Burgers
Makes 10 good-sized burgers.

Gather:

1/2 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup of cooked brown rice (short grain works best)

3 cups of cooked black beans

2 tsp coconut oil

1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/2” pieces

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 of a 8 oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (freeze the rest for later)

1 TBSP ground flaxseed

1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 400.

Toss the butternut squash on a baking pan with 1 tsp coconut oil. Roast until tender – about 25 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, chop and prep everything else.

Saute the onion and garlic over medium low heat in 1 tsp of coconut oil until onion is translucent.

Put all of the prepped ingredients into a large bowl – including the squash. Mash it all together with your hands, then form into 10 patties.

Bake the patties at 400 for 20 minutes – turning once.

Eat, or freeze, or save to grill later!

I like to eat these served on a lettuce leaf with some tomato and avocado – yum!

What I’ve been eating lately – june/july

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I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! I thought it be fun to write about what foods and beverages I’ve been including in my diet lately. What foods and drinks I gravitate towards always changes with the seasons. Lately, I’ve been really keeping it simple with my meals, and am drinking a lot of smoothies.

Brown Rice Noodles :: My husband and I love to make veggie stir fries with brown rice noodles, then add Sriracha, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or homemade peanut sauce. You can find them in the Asian Section of your grocery store.

Homemade Sauerkraut :: Real sauerkraut is actually pretty easy to make! By real sauerkraut, I mean no canned or pasteurized – if you’re not buying it in the fridge section of the store it’s not the real deal. It’s great for gut health, and it’s pretty darn tasty. I add it to salads, as a topping to stir fries, or own its own as a snack. If you want to DIY  your own, try this recipe.

Coconut Water :: It’s hot out and I live at a high elevation. Mix that with running several times a week, and that equals dehydration! Coconut water has natural electrolytes, and always energizes and revives me. If you ever get a headache on a really hot and sunny day, try drinking some coconut water for relief. I go for plain coconut water, no pulp, whatever’s cheapest.

Cherries :: The organic cherries in season right now are SO GOOD. I can’t stop eating them! Coming in second place are organic strawberries. I love fruit in the summer.

Tiger Nuts: I recently discovered these at a conference. They have a sweet, almost maple, taste and are pretty filling. They are actually not a nut, but a small root veggie – weird! Don’t be scared, try em. I buy this brand.

My new favorite smoothie :: This is inspired by a smoothie recipe in The Plant Power Way cookbook, which I highly recommend. It is so refreshing on a hot day.

Blueberry Basil Smoothie:

1/2” slice of ginger

1/2” slice of beet

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 frozen banana

2 tablespoons hemp seeds

2 handfuls of spinach (or 2 large kale leaves, stripped off stems)

8 basil leaves

1/2 lemon, peeled

2-3 cups water

Blend!

Beans, beans…

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Where do you get your protein? That’s almost always the first question I get asked when I tell people I eat a plant-based diet. The answer? Well, first, protein is in all fruits, vegetables and grains, and most people are eating more than an adequate amount. Most of the protein in my diet comes from beans. I make a big pot of beans every week and build my week’s meals around that.

Even if you don’t eat a plant-based diet, there are some great reasons for eating beans. Beans are loaded with iron, B vitamins, and soluble fiber that may help to lower or maintain your blood cholesterol. If you are trying to lose weight, ditch the saturated fat from animal protein and switch in more beans. They are filling and satisfying. They are also inexpensive, especially if you buy them in dry form.

I encourage you to try making your beans from scratch. It’s so easy, and so much cheaper than buying canned. Let’s say you buy a can of beans for $1.50. You could make 4 times that amount of beans for the same amount of money by buying dried. Even though it takes awhile to cook a pot of beans, you can do it while you’re cooking dinner, cleaning, watching tv, reading, whatever. My favorite beans are black beans and chick peas.

Make a pot of beans…

Ingredients

1 cup of dried beans of your choice (see cooking chart below)

Directions

  1.    Rinse.
  2.    Soak for 6 hours or overnight.
  3.    Drain and rinse the beans.
  4.    Place the beans in a heavy pot and add 3 to 4 cups of water.
  5.    Bring to a full boil and skim off the foam.
  6.    Add flavor! Bay leaves or garlic cloves taste great and also add digestibility.
  7.    Cover, and let simmer.

Check beans 30 minutes before the minimum cooking time.

Add 1 teaspoon of unrefined sea salt 10 minutes before the end of cooking time.

  1.    Beans should be tender and soft to squeeze when finished.

Cooking times per 1 cup of dry beans  

Black 60-90 minutes
Lentils 30-45 minutes
Black-eyed peas 60 minutes
Lima beans 60-90 minutes
Cannellini 90-120 minutes
Navy 60-90 minutes
Chickpeas (garbanzos) 120-180 minutes
Pinto 90 minutes
Kidney 60-90 minutes
Split peas  45-60 minutes

Recipe: Black Bean Quinoa Salad
blackbeanquinoasalad
2 cups cooked black beans
1/2 cup of quinoa
1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeno, diced
3 green onions, diced
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lime, juiced

Cook the quinoa in 1 cup of water – bring to a boil, put on low covered for 13 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop and mince all of the veggies & herbs, add to a big bowl with the beans. Mix the dressing.

Once the quinoa is done cooking, let cool. Then add to the bowl with the dressing.

Keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days.