Creamy coconut milk paired with roasted, crunchy pecans pacify vata and pitta but aggravate kapha. Some vatas have trouble digesting coconut milk. In that case serve as a garnish instead of a sauce or use almond milk.

The combination of sweet and spicy liquefies mucous and expectorates. The heat and sweet also pacifies vata.

Grapefruit improves fat metabolism and lowers cholesterol. Scientists have hypothesized that the grapefruit reduced insulin levels, encouraging fat loss. In Ayurveda, the secret to grapefruit lies in the combination of sour and bitter. Stagnant bile tends to collect and thicken in the gall bladder, forming stones. The bitter and sour tastes in the grapefruit stimulate the flow of bile, diluting and flushing it out into the small intestine. Drainage of bile cleans the liver of congestion. The removal of bile from the liver, due to its oilyness, lowers cholesterol levels in the blood. Removal of bile directly reduces pitta making the spine feel cool and relaxed.

Raw honey is the only safe sweetener for kapha. It increases fat metabolism. Ginger gives this recipe an 'agni' kick meaning it ignites the digestive fire. Honey and ginger together heat the blood. Notice how they direct sensation to the frontal lobe of brain, the cerebral cortex, which awakens the mind's ability to concentrate and analyze. Ginger also stimulates the heart.

Lastly cardamom and the bitter rinds clear the stomach of kapha stagnation. Grapefruits are contraindicated for high blood pressure or when using anti-depressants.

A delicious dessert for all doshas. With so few choices to satisfy a kapha sweet tooth, roasted pears offers a rare reprieve. The spices enhance the sweetness and stimulate a sluggish winter metabolism. Cloves directly stimulate blood flow to the extremities, revitalizing the muscles, brightening and moistening the skin.