AYURVEDIC RECIPES

Cashew Ricotta Cheese

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How to Make Cashew Ricotta Cheese

SERVINGS: 4
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

PREPARATION: RAW
FOR OCCASION: BRUNCH, DINNER-PARTY

INGREDIENTS

2 c
1 whole
1 tsp
1 clove
1 tsp
1/4 c
2 pinch
2 pinch

PREPARATION OF THIS HEALTHY RECIPE

1. Soak cashews overnight or for a minimum of 3 hours.

2. Drain and rinse.

3. Add to blender along with 2 tbsp of lemon juice and all other ingredients, slowly adding 1/4-3/4 c water or nut milk until reaches desired consistency.

How Does This Ayurvedic Recipe Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

This 'Cashew Ricotta Cheese' makes vegan dreams come true. The thick texture surpasses many other dairy free cheese options, while its invitingly mild flavor makes it a unique addition to your cheese board. Creamy and smooth, enjoy this cashew ricotta as a snack on crusty homemade bread or incorporate it into your favourite vegan lasagne recipe.

Lighten the Load

Many cheeses can leave you feeling heavy and sluggish and dairy products can be difficult to digest. This recipe is a nourishing substitute for those prone to congestion after eating traditional ricotta or other dairy cheeses. The addition of basil and lemon adds a diaphoretic element, stimulating the circulatory system and the removal of toxins. They are also known for their decongestant properties relieving any excess mucus, particularly in the lungs. You'll feel light and clear after this dish.

Build & Energize

This dish is heavy, sweet and anabolic in nature, building strength, stamina and energizing the body. Cashews are a rich source of magnesium, supporting the development and growth of healthy bones, muscles and tissues. But do be aware these heavy, sweet nuts are best combined with the digestive aids used in this recipe to add a light, fresh element to the ricotta and ease digestion.

Stimulate Digestion

Basil and oregano are warming, rustic herbs used to stimulate digestion while burning away accumulated toxins. The pungency of these herbs will leave your stomach feeling light after a creamy 'cheese' dish and give this ricotta some bite. The sour squeeze of lemon will further stimulate the release of digestive enzymes and offer a tangy twist.

AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

Is Cashew Ricotta Cheese Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Cashew Ricotta Cheese' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.
See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.
INCREASES
Guna Help

Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas)

Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic.

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HOT

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT

DRY

ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY

HEAVY

ABOUT HEAVY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY

TASTES
Taste Help

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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SWEET

ABOUT SWEET BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

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SOUR

ABOUT SOUR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Sour refers to anything fermented or acidic.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SOUR

DOSHAS
Dosha Help

The Three Doshas / Body Types

According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history.

The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded.

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PACIFIES
Vata pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Kapha aggravating Pitta aggravating
HAS THE FOLLOWING
Subtaste:
Crunchy

CRUNCHY

Makes an audible noise when you eat them. Can provide fun texture variation.

SEE ALL 'CRUNCHY' FOODS / HERBS

,
Aromatic

AROMATIC

Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.

SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS

HERBAL ACTIONS
(see all)

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Cashew Ricotta Cheese
Help
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Quenches Thirst

QUENCHES-THIRST

An herb or substance that relieves thirst.

SEE ALL 'QUENCHES-THIRST' FOODS / HERBS

Relaxes Eyes

RELAXES-EYES

Eases tension in eye muscles, so the eyes feel less strained, often by supporting the liver.

SEE ALL 'RELAXES-EYES' FOODS / HERBS

Satisfies Stomach

SATISFIES-STOMACH

Provides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach.

SEE ALL 'SATISFIES-STOMACH' FOODS / HERBS

,
Builds Stamina

BUILDS-STAMINA

Promotes strength, endurance and resistance in the body. Rebuilds weak tissues after a time of depletion.

SEE ALL 'BUILDS-STAMINA' FOODS / HERBS

Diaphoretic

DIAPHORETIC

An herb that induces sweating, often by dilating blood vessels close to the skin.

SEE ALL 'DIAPHORETIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Refreshes Skin

REFRESHES-SKIN

Flushes the lymphatic system to cool, awaken, and revive the skin.

SEE ALL 'REFRESHES-SKIN' FOODS / HERBS

Flushes Sinuses

FLUSHES-SINUSES

An herb that relieves sinus congestion by flushing out mucus.

SEE ALL 'FLUSHES-SINUSES' FOODS / HERBS

Cardiac Stimulant

CARDIAC-STIMULANT

Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area.

SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Calms Heart

CALMS-HEART

An herb that literally calms the heart. These herbs are helpful in the treatment of anxiety, sadness, depression, or other emotional imbalances in the heart. Related to the Chinese Herbal Category 'calms spirit.'

SEE ALL 'CALMS-HEART' FOODS / HERBS

Diuretic

DIURETIC

Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.

SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Constituents:
Fats,
Magnesium

MAGNESIUM

Helps muscles relax. Laxative.

SEE ALL 'MAGNESIUM' FOODS / HERBS

,
Phytates

PHYTATES

Phytates prevent absorption of nutrients. They are commonly found in all seeds, including nuts, grains, and beans. Sprouting greatly reduces phytate content, as well as long, slow cooking with vinegar.

SEE ALL 'PHYTATES' FOODS / HERBS

, Protein, Zinc,
Rutin

RUTIN

Rutin is a flavonoid with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Commonly used to treat conditions such as varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and high blood pressure.

SEE ALL 'RUTIN' FOODS / HERBS

,
Aromatase Inhibitor

AROMATASE-INHIBITOR

Blocks estrogen synthesis by inhibiting conversion of progesterone and testosterone into estrogen.

SEE ALL 'AROMATASE-INHIBITOR' FOODS / HERBS

,
Flavonoids

FLAVONOIDS

Flavonoids are a colorful type of polyphenol. As all polyphenols, they have a strong antioxidant effect. Many flavonoids have an anti-inflammatory, and/or antiallergen effect.

SEE ALL 'FLAVONOIDS' FOODS / HERBS

,
Nitric Oxide

NITRIC-OXIDE

Improves circulation by dilating blood vessels. Protects blood vessels from damage. Improves athletic performance, libido, immunity, and brain health.

SEE ALL 'NITRIC-OXIDE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Polyphenols

POLYPHENOLS

Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants seen in many fruits and vegetables. There are more than 8,000 types.

SEE ALL 'POLYPHENOLS' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Cashew Ricotta Cheese

Lemon

Lemon has these Actions in Common

Calms-heart, Refreshes-skin, Wakes-you-up, Diaphoretic, Refreshing, Quenches-thirst, Relaxes-eyes

LEARN MORE

Wasabi

Wasabi has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Wakes-you-up, Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Refreshing

LEARN MORE

Horseradish

Horseradish has these Actions in Common

Diaphoretic, Refreshing, Diuretic, Wakes-you-up, Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses

LEARN MORE

Daikon Radish

Daikon Radish has these Actions in Common

Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Refreshing, Diuretic, Cardiac-stimulant

LEARN MORE

Mustard Powder

Mustard Powder has these Actions in Common

Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Wakes-you-up, Diuretic

LEARN MORE

Mustard

Mustard has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Wakes-you-up

LEARN MORE

Mustard Seed

Mustard Seed has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Wakes-you-up

LEARN MORE

Orange

Orange has these Actions in Common

Refreshes-skin, Refreshing, Quenches-thirst, Wakes-you-up

LEARN MORE

Hemp Seed

Hemp Seed has these Actions in Common

Relaxes-eyes, Builds-stamina, Satisfies-stomach, Diuretic

LEARN MORE

Spanish Black Radish

Spanish Black Radish has these Actions in Common

Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Diuretic

LEARN MORE

Honey Dew

Honey Dew has these Actions in Common

Refreshing, Diuretic, Relaxes-eyes, Quenches-thirst

LEARN MORE

Herb Supplements with a Similar Nature to Cashew Ricotta Cheese

Regular exercise

Regular exercise has these Actions in Common

Builds-stamina, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Refreshes-skin, Refreshing, Wakes-you-up

LEARN MORE

Shilajit Tonic

Shilajit Tonic has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Refreshing, Wakes-you-up, Builds-stamina, Cardiac-stimulant

LEARN MORE

Sniff raw onions, chopped

Sniff raw onions, chopped has these Actions in Common

Flushes-sinuses, Refreshing, Wakes-you-up, Diaphoretic

LEARN MORE

Hyssop Powder

Hyssop Powder has these Actions in Common

Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Refreshing

LEARN MORE

Deodar (Himalayan Cedar, Devadaru)

Deodar (Himalayan Cedar, Devadaru) has these Actions in Common

Cardiac-stimulant, Diuretic, Refreshing, Wakes-you-up

LEARN MORE

Breathing Exercises

Breathing Exercises has these Actions in Common

Refreshing, Wakes-you-up, Builds-stamina, Cardiac-stimulant

LEARN MORE

Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama)

Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama) has these Actions in Common

Builds-stamina, Cardiac-stimulant, Refreshing, Wakes-you-up

LEARN MORE

Breath of Fire / Shining Skull (Kapalbhati Pranayama)

Breath of Fire / Shining Skull (Kapalbhati Pranayama) has these Actions in Common

Wakes-you-up, Builds-stamina, Cardiac-stimulant, Refreshing

LEARN MORE

Amalaki

Amalaki has these Actions in Common

Relaxes-eyes, Wakes-you-up, Quenches-thirst, Refreshing

LEARN MORE

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Refreshing

LEARN MORE

Long inhale, short exhale

Long inhale, short exhale has these Actions in Common

Wakes-you-up, Cardiac-stimulant, Refreshing

LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized school of biocharacteristics medicine.

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About John Joseph Immel

About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda biocharacteristics. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's interest in Ayurveda and specialization in digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, as well as public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.

John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well. Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with his wife and 7 kids, and pursuing his love of theology, philosophy, and language.

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