Almonds are sattva and build ojas. Lavender relaxes the nervous system. Sesame provides enough power to agni to digest. Altogether, oily but cooling.

Bitter, rough parsnips softened by cooking. Cut with turmeric for digestibility and depth. Garnished with pungent, cooling cilantro.

At Joyful Belly, we simply love cookies. These perfectly delectable little drops of wholesome goodness remind us of mom baking for the holidays. Ayurveda tells us that cakes and cookies provoke Kapha, bog the circulation, and cause mucus and weight gain. Yuck! Our body wishes we would abstain from them. Yet our taste buds, not to mention our friends, continue to tempt us with baked delights. In response, we've designed a seven step process to make desserts healthier. For example, spelt, ghee, and raw sugar are winning alternatives substantially healthier than wheat, butter and white sugar. Cardamom clears the tendency of flour, sugar and fats to build mucus. Tart cherry stimulates digestive juices.