Category: All Recipes

Pitta: Neutral

Kapha: Decreases

Season: Spring

This apple chutney can be served for Passover or with any meal. Substitute other fruit for apples to make other fresh fruit chutneys. If you add cinnamon, substitute walnuts for coconut and Manischewitz (sweet red wine) for spicy oil, you’ll have a traditional Charoset for Passover. For a Sephardic Charoset add raisins, dates, figs and sesame seeds. Many cultures have spring rituals, like Lent, where fasting and cleansing allow the body to purge winter toxins in readiness for Spring and new healthy growth. In the Pacific Northwest, our spring comes early and Ayurvedic Apple Chutney variations can be enjoyed on warm, wet days (after some cold ones). For someone with high Vata and constipation, a raw apple is cleansing. If you have the opposite issue (diarrhea), then by all means cook your apples and enjoy fresh applesauce. Make the choices that are best for you. An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Ingredients:

• 3 cored, finely chopped raw apples (peeled if not organic)
• 1/4 t salt (omit for Charoset)
• 1 t honey or other sweetener (more for Charoset)
• 1 cup coconut flakes (or toasted chopped walnuts)
• 3 T spicy oil (OR Manishewitz and cinnamon)

Directions:

1. Mix ingredients of choice.

2. Adjust salt/honey to taste.

3. To make Spicy Oil, heat 3 T vegetable (canola) oil in a pan with 1 t mustard seeds. When seeds pop,  add 1/2 t cumin seeds, 1/2 t  turmeric and a pinch of hing. Remove from heat. DO NOT COMBINE SPICY OIL AND MANISHEWITZ.

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 10 minutes

For Individual Doshas:

Vata: Sprinkle with sesame or chia seeds.

Pitta: Replace mustard seeds with coriander seeds.

Kapha:  Add a dash of cayenne.

Vata: Decreases

Pitta: Neutral

Kapha: Decreases

Season: Winter

This vegetarian split pea soup is a healthy choice for late winter. Warming the belly on cold winter days, this soup is filled with healing spices for flu prevention, respiratory health and cleansing. This soup has tridoshic qualities (benefitting all doshas in winter), but if you had it on a hot summer day, it would be overheating for Pitta. The green peas are an easily digestible legume for Vatas (the smaller the bean, the easier to digest), and the protein and the root vegetables are grounding for Vatas. But as we approach the Spring equinox, be sure to start introducing Kapha balancing spices and veggies, which includes stalks and bitters.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry split green peas washed twice
• 5 cups water or stock
• 2 T vegetable oil or ghee
• 1 onion
• 3-5 cloves minced garlic
• 1 large carrot
• 2 root vegetables cubed (turnip, celeriac, etc.)
• 1 small cabbage grated (optional)
• 2 t mustard seeds
• 2 t cumin seeds
• 1 t coriander seeds
• 1 t fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 t turmeric
• 2 t fresh ginger
• 1 t Hing
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt, Petter, Cayenne (fresh chili peppers) to taste

Optional: dried parsley, thyme

Optional: Top with Avocado and fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Saute spice seeds in oil until mustard seeds pop, add turmeric, hing, ginger and bay leaf

2. Cook in the onion until translucent, then mix in the garlic

3. Add split green peas and water and simmer until soft (30 minutes)

4. Prepare the vegetables, add to the soup and cover until soft, adding water as needed

5. Top with avocado, and fresh lemon juice

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 45 minutes

For Individual Doshas:

Vata: Add more hing for gas prevention

Pitta: Omit chili/cayenne, reduce garlic and top with sour cream or yogurt

Kapha: Add 1 cup tomatoes