CILANTRO!

I’ve been using this to garnish my soups and dosas, and making herbal water from its seeds. In Ayurveda medicinal substances are understood by their qualities- here’s the break down on cilantro, excerpt from the medicinal foods directory in The Everyday Ayurveda Guide to Self-Care:

Coriander and cilantro are different parts of the same plant. Their classification is the same, but the seed’s medicinal capacity is much stronger. Cilantro leaf is used all the time in Ayurvedic cooking to add color and cool. The seed is often the main ingredient in spice mixes.

Botanical name: Coriandrum sativum
Also known as: cilantro
Parts used: seeds and leaves
Rasa: pungent, astringent
Virya: cooling
Vipaka: sweet
Qualities: dry, light
Actions: improves absorption, is a diuretic, reduces burning sensations

How do you like to use cilantro or Coriander?

BIG HUGE NEWS FOR AYURVEDA PROS.

This has been 15+ years in process my friends. My interest in supporting the professional field for Ayurveda Health Counselors and Practitioners continues to grow, the more I work with y’alls (and the more I look back on my own struggles). My next move is to help you offer seasonal community programs safely and effectively to build your community and practice.

My community cleanses were an essential part of building my consulting practice. Bringing clients into community to share the work motivates, inspires, and keeps the relationship with Ayurveda fresh. Building a detox into an on-going wellness plan is potent indeed, and gets great results.

These seasonal detox programs have sowed seeds of change in participants. They come back season after season, they learn themselves better each time. These offerings have grown, and now sharing my model, evolved over fifteen years, with other practitioners is a natural progression for Ayurveda to continue to find her seat in those willing to undergo a process, and to help practitioners find their way into holding space for others.

What do you think?

Space is limited for Fall term, application required. Please find the link in my bio and LMK if you have questions AFTER following the link and reading about it.

The Srotamsi system, my FAVORITE topic in Ayurveda.

We know that in the workings of the body, there is a lot of stuff getting moved around. Fluids, wastes, nutritive materials, and energy, to name a few, are constantly being transported throughout the body by an intricate system of tubes. These “tubes” are called srotamsi in Ayurveda, and a single tube is called a srotas. The word suggests the activity of flowing, and this channel system is constantly in a state of flow.

Which is infinitely cool! We are such dynamic beings!

A lot of the self-care practices, bodywork, and dietary wisdom of Ayurveda are working behind the scenes to maintain healthy channels. Many yoga postures, breathing techniques, and visualizations are also designed to increase circulation and break up pranic blockages.

OJAS: the Cream of the Body

An insanely interesting and important topic in health and wellness.

Unlike Prana and Tejas, Ojas is a substance. Like cream as the essence of milk, ojas is the end product of digestion, produced once all the dhatus are nourished, and is the stuff of vitality and immunity.

Charaka calls Ojas “the nutrient cream of the body,” and “that which keeps all the living beings refreshed.” Like honey, Ojas is the nectar of nutrition, and it takes volumes of food and days of digesting to produce a small amount.

During the process of digestion and metabolism, a small amount of Ojas is released into each tissue layer before the remaining nutrition is passed onto the next layer. This provides immunity and strength for each tissue. The refined end product, which takes thirty days to produce from food, results in Ojas for the vitality and longevity of the entire body.

OJAS AND AGNI

Ojas building foods are sweet, unctuous, heavy, and cool: such as dates, milk, almonds, avos, ghee. Such foods are always prepared warm, using digestive spices, and maybe enjoyed on an empty stomach, or as an evening tonic, depending on the person’s digestive capacity.

You can find a recipe for Ojas bars on my blog: link to blog here

It’s one thing to know what substances support the body best, and how all that nutrition gets around, but if it’s not being digested well, to begin with, anything that enters the body is potentially more harmful than helpful. Poorly digested food is the beginning of the disease. This is where the concept of Agni comes in, the digestive fire at the center of it all that transforms food into nutrition.

From an Ayurveda point of view, digestion is a key factor in immunity. To be vital and feel juicy requires a body that is getting full power from its food. There is so much more to share about how to use ojas-factor foods in the best way and how to get strong from within.

How to Make Ayurvedic Oil

A DIY Ayurveda Oil Recipe, with Herbs for Stress Relief

Brahmi’s affinity for the brain and nervous system mean it shows up in a lot of medicines for the mind. A Brahmi oil massage can cool and calm the body, nourish the nerves, and slow down an overactive mind. Use a sesame oil base if you run cold, have dry skin, or experience anxiety and fear due to stress. Use coconut oil if you run hot, or get inflamed and irritated by stress. Be sure to include oiling of the head, ears, and nose when you use this herbal oil.

Makes 16 oz.

Ingredients:

¾ cup Brahmi powder

2 quarts water

16 oz coconut or sesame oil

Make the decoction

In a wide saucepan, combine the Brahmi and water and boil the mixture slowly, uncovered over medium/low heat until the water is reduced to ¼ (16 ounces). Do not use high heat as it can burn the herbs. This may take an hour or two. Strain the herb out using a triple layer of cheesecloth inside a large metal strainer to hold the shape. Discard the herbs.

Infuse the oil

Add the oil and decoction to a large, wide pan. Bring to a boil over low heat.

Simmer until all the water has evaporated. You will be able to see and hear (like popcorn) the water bubbles disappearing. When it is finished, there will be no water bubbles and no popping sounds. Stir to be sure. This may take 2 hours.

Allow to cool completely and transfer to a sterile glass jar with tight lid.

Ayurveda Kitchari Recipe

This is a classic Ayurveda recipe that grounds you, calms you, and sustains you all at the same time. I’ve added the healthy bitterness of greens to cooling herbs and spices to mellow the mental heat of a busy day. When you feel like your mind is orbiting a bunch of tasks or appointments, have a leisurely sit-down with a bowl of this, and I guarantee you will feel much calmer.

Cleansing, Calming Ayurveda Kitchari with GINGER AND Greens

Ingredients:

6 cups water

1 cup basmati rice

1/2 cup yellow split mung beans, soaked overnight or at least a few hours

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

pinch of hing

1 inch of fresh ginger, grated

1 carrot, chopped into half inch dice

2 cups kale, Swiss chard, or collards, coarsely chopped into strips

1/2 to 1 tsp salt

for the tempering (optional):

1-2 Tbsp ghee

1/2 tsp cumin seeds, whole

1/2 tsp coriander seeds, whole

1/2 tsp fennel seeds, whole

In a large saucepan, boil 6 cups of the water on high heat.

Rinse the rice and mung beans twice or until the water runs clear. Add them to the boiling water along with the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, thing, ginger, and carrot and keep on high heat until the liquid boils again. Immediately turn the heat down and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes without stirring. Remove the lid, place the chopped greens on top to steam. Simmer, partially covered, 10 minutes more.

Meanwhile, to make the tempering, warm the ghee in a small skillet on medium heat. Add the whole cumin, coriander and fennel seeds and cook until the seeds pop, about 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, and pour over the kitchari. Add the salt, stir well, and let stand, covered, for a few minutes.

Kitchari should have a soupy, soft consistency. Serve it in bowls, as you would a stew.

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This recipe is inspired by a kitchari recipe from my second Ayurveda book, Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Calm, Clear Mind: 100 Simple Sattvic Recipes from Shambhala Publications.

Golden Milk Recipe

This evening tonic is well known in the Yoga and Ayurveda traditions for a long list of benefits, namely as an anti-inflammatory, bone nourisher, and immune booster. This synergistic combination of turmeric, coconut, ginger, and pepper is supported by ancient knowledge and by modern research as well. You will find it not only healing, but comforting. If you think drinking an entire cup of milk, even warm and spiced, is a bit heavy, use half milk and half water.

All-Healing Golden Milk

1 cup whole cow’s milk or almond milk
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp coconut oil
Pinch of black pepper
½–1 tsp raw honey (optional)

In a small saucepan, warm the milk uncovered over medium-high heat for 2–4 minutes, or until you see steam rising out of the pan. Add all the other ingredients, except the honey, and whisk by hand or with an immersion blender until combined.

Pour into a mug, sweeten with honey (if using), and drink immediately.
 
 

-From Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Calm Clear Mind by Kate O’Donnell © 2018 by Kate O’Donnell. Photographs © 2018 by Cara Brostrom. R

eprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc. Boulder, CO. www.shambhala.com

Butternut Kitchari

This is a fall favorite of mine. The roasted squash stirs into the body of the kichari for a sweet, creamy, orange festival in a bowl. Make sure you cook this stew to an absolute puree for the best results.

Butternut Kitchari

1 small butternut squash
Coconut oil
¾ cup split mung beans, soaked overnight or at least a few hours
¾ cup basmati rice
4 cups water
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp turmeric
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced
1 tsp salt
¼ cup coconut, large flakes, for garnish

To roast the squash: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, rub a few drops of coconut oil onto the cut faces, and place face-up on a baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven.

In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of the water and the coconut milk to a boil on high heat. Set the other cup of water aside to add during cooking as needed.

Rinse the mung beans and rice well. Add the rice, beans, spice mix, turmeric, and ginger to the boiling water. Keep on high heat until the liquid boils again. Turn the heat down to low.
Scoop the squash out of the skin with a large spoon and add, in chunks, to the pot. The chunks will break down as it cooks. Simmer, partially covered, for 40 minutes or more, adding the reserved 1 cup water as needed. It’s finished when the rice and mung beans are soft; the liquid is loose and soupy; and the butternut squash chunks are have fallen apart. Turn off the heat, and stir in the salt. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

In a frying pan, toast the coconut flakes on medium heat, stirring until they begin to brown. Remove from the heat immediately. Spoon the kichari into individual bowls, and garnish each bowl with 1 Tbsp coconut flakes.

Recipe excerpt from Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Calm Clear Mind by Kate O’Donnell © 2018 by Kate O’Donnell. Photographs © 2018 by Cara Brostrom.

Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc. Boulder, CO. www.shambhala.com

Chocolate Layered Ojas Bars

Dates, pecans, almonds, and coconut are all foods known to support ojas, the nutrient cream of the body. This substance is our storehouse of deep energy and immunity, and it is a major player in building energy, long-term health, and stability of mind. Here, dense, naturally fatty foods combine with spices to ensure that your digestive fires are lit and the nutrition makes its way into the deep tissues of your body. These grounding ojas bars are an excellent way to replenish your energy supply if you are drained from too much activity.

Chocolate Layered Ojas Bars

Base Layer
4 Medjool dates, pitted
1 cup raw pecans
½ cup raw almonds
2 Tbsp coconut oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger

Chocolate Layer
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup cacao powder
3 Tbsp maple syrup

Optional Toppings
2 Tbsp toasted coconut flakes
2 Tbsp chopped dried cranberries
2 Tbsp sliced almonds

Line the bottom of a 4 × 8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a food processor, pulse together the dates, pecans, almonds, 2 Tbsp coconut oil, salt, and Sweet Spice Mix until the mixture begins to stick together and form a ball. Press the date-nut mixture into the bottom of the pan.

Next, prepare the chocolate layer. Melt the coconut oil by standing the jar in hot water. In a small bowl, whisk together the ½ cup coconut oil, cacao, and maple syrup until smooth.

Working quickly, pour the chocolate coconut mixture over the base layer, tilting the pan from side to side so the chocolate is an even covering. Sprinkle with the topping of your choice (coconut flakes, dried cranberries, or slivered almonds). Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until very firm.

Remove the loaf and parchment from the pan, and using a sharp knife on a cutting board, cut the frozen treat into small squares. Refrigerate the squares between layers of parchment papers in a sealed container for up to 14 days.

For a decadent treat, eat one square at a time and enjoy!

Recipe excerpt from Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Calm Clear Mind by Kate O’Donnell © 2018 by Kate O’Donnell. Photographs © 2018 by Cara Brostrom. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc. Boulder, CO. www.shambhala.com