College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC RECIPES

Summer Squash Arugula Salad


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4.67 out of 5 stars
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"This looks so refreshing and summer balancing. Thank you, John. "
- Laura AL

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How to Make Summer Squash Arugula Salad

INGREDIENTS


SKILL LEVEL: EASY
3 tbsp
3 tbsp
3 tbsp
2 whole
1 tsp
1 c
1/4 tsp
1/4 tsp
1/4 lbs

PREPARATION OF THIS HEALTHY RECIPE

1. Wash arugula and spin dry.

2. Heat a frying pan and dry toast the walnuts for 2 minutes. Place in a bowl and set aside. Thinly slice summer squash and chop tomatoes. Heirlooms and cherry tomatoes will be the best for this salad. Saute any variety of summer squash and tomatoes in ghee. Use the same pan. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

3. Toss arugula with white wine vinaigrette. In bowls or plates, lay a bed of arugula. Place a layer of sauted squash and tomatoes over the arugula. Sprinkle walnuts, feta and picked basil on top of the squash. Serve!

4. To make the dressing, see Orange Zest Vinaigrette.

How Does This Ayurvedic Recipe Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Get Energized

The rainbow of colors in this fresh summer salad is a bright way to energize your day. Got the blahs? You'll perk up with one bite of crisp, peppery arugula, juicy tomatoes, and snappy summer squash. In the hot dog days of summer, crunchy greens and veggies seem to wake you while tomato's juiciness revive you. The bitter orange zest in this light dressing adds a vivacious flare to the mix.

Something Missing in Your Life?

When you feel like something's missing in your life and you don't know what - it's probably vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy. Without them, you feel your vitality wane. To satisfy this health-itch with a broad spectrum of nutrients, Ayurveda says to eat a variety of colors, textures, and tastes. This dynamic salad has got it all - and can lift your spirits when you're feeling dull, down, or lethargic. Its freshness leaves you feeling clean and ready to 'digest' whatever life sends your way.

Does Your Stomach Feel Like a Bottomless Pit?

Have you ever felt like you couldn't eat enough food to feel satisfied? That even though your stomach is full, you want to keep on eating till you're uncomfortably stuffed? Often, your body stays hungry until it gets all the vitamins and minerals it needs. If you're eating pizza or empty carbs, your body will never get the nutrients it needs because it isn't there. The solution, when you feel like a bottomless pit, is to invest in nutritionally dense food. This salad is a great way to "fill the void" so to speak.

Note: If you ever eat wild foods such as dandelions, lamb's quarters, or other "weeds" growing in your yard, you'll find that you can satisfy your hunger with less than half of your normal portions. These foods are among the most nutrient-dense in the world, and thus quickly satiate your body. Wow!

Soothing, Cooling Squash

The vivid colors of summer squash appeal to the eyes, while its soothing and cooling qualities assuage late-summer exhaustion due to heat. A taste of these sweet, watery vegetables rehydrates and cools your off after a long day under the sun. Its gentleness and easy digestibility make it a perfect remedy for hot, sluggish August days. When sauteed lightly in ghee, summer squash takes on a rich, oily quality which it makes more satisfying and even easier to digest.

A Summer Cornucopia

Summer squash, tomatoes, and arugula create a perfect compilation of summer vegetables. If you have a garden, it might very well be bursting with tomatoes, arugula, and summer squash this time of year. Tomatoes start growing heavy on the vine, announcing the arrival of late summer, and almost beg to be picked, while a whole host of colorful squashes begin to flourish. If you are lucky enough to find squash blossoms, try putting one on the top of this lovely salad for a touch of gourmet refinement!

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 Summer Squash Arugula Salad Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Summer Squash Arugula Salad' 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.

Metabolic Nature of Summer Squash Arugula Salad

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

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

Find Out More

CLEAR

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR

MOBILE

ABOUT MOBILE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MOBILE

LIQUEFIED

ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED

HOT

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

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

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT

DIFFICULT

ABOUT DIFFICULT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Difficult refers to anything that is difficult to digest, or takes a long time to digest.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DIFFICULT

TASTES

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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SOUR

ABOUT SOUR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Sour refers to anything fermented or acidic.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SOUR

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

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PACIFIES
Kapha pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Pitta aggravating Vata aggravating

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

Find Out More

PACIFIES
PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot & moist. Full-blooded, vigorous. Vivacious, social, and epicurean. Bullish.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

AGGRAVATES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

Other

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

,
Crunchy

CRUNCHY

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

SEE ALL 'CRUNCHY' FOODS / HERBS

, Bland
Outward

OUTWARD

Outward-moving substances stimulate circulation, push heat towards the skin, or are stimulating.

SEE ALL 'OUTWARD' FOODS / HERBS

,
Downward

DOWNWARD

Downward-moving (Adho Gati Marga) substances move food downward in the GI tract, settle the nervous system, and relax muscles.

SEE ALL 'DOWNWARD' FOODS / HERBS

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Summer Squash Arugula Salad
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.

(see all)
Quenches Thirst

QUENCHES-THIRST

An herb or substance that relieves thirst.

SEE ALL 'QUENCHES-THIRST' FOODS / HERBS

Relieves Burning

RELIEVES-BURNING

Herbs that soothe a burn or reduce an internal burning sensation, such as aloe vera.

SEE ALL 'RELIEVES-BURNING' 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

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

,
Warms Head

WARMS-HEAD

An herb that increases sensations of heat and warmth in the head.

SEE ALL 'WARMS-HEAD' FOODS / HERBS

,
Warms Ears

WARMS-EARS

Stimulates peripheral circulation to warm extremities, including the ears.

SEE ALL 'WARMS-EARS' 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:
Melatonin, Vitamin C, Potassium, Quercitin, Vitamin K,
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

, Fats, Alpha Linolenic Acid,
Aromatase Inhibitor

AROMATASE-INHIBITOR

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

SEE ALL 'AROMATASE-INHIBITOR' FOODS / HERBS

, Protein,
Rosmarinic Acid

ROSMARINIC-ACID

Inhibits autoantibodies from binding to TSH receptors in the thyroid.

SEE ALL 'ROSMARINIC-ACID' FOODS / HERBS

, Tannins,
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

, Essential Fatty Acids, Beta Carotene, Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Foods with a Similar Nature to Summer Squash Arugula Salad

  • Mustard

    Mustard has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Warms-ears, Diuretic, Warms-head

    LEARN MORE

  • Mustard Seed

    Mustard Seed has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Warms-ears, Diuretic, Warms-head

    LEARN MORE

  • Mustard Powder

    Mustard Powder has these Actions in Common

    Diuretic, Warms-head, Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Warms-ears

    LEARN MORE

  • Daikon Radish

    Daikon Radish has these Actions in Common

    Diuretic, Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Warms-head

    LEARN MORE

  • Basil

    Basil has these Actions in Common

    Diuretic, Cardiac-stimulant, Warms-ears, Diaphoretic, Warms-head

    LEARN MORE

  • Spanish Black Radish

    Spanish Black Radish has these Actions in Common

    Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses

    LEARN MORE

  • Wasabi

    Wasabi has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Horseradish

    Horseradish has these Actions in Common

    Diuretic, Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Cloves

    Cloves has these Actions in Common

    Warms-ears, Cardiac-stimulant, Warms-head, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Garlic (raw)

    Garlic (raw) has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Flushes-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Summer Squash

    Summer Squash has these Actions in Common

    Quenches-thirst, Relieves-burning, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Summer Squash Arugula Salad

  • Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

    Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

    Diuretic, Warms-ears, Warms-head, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Hot Shower

    Hot Shower has these Actions in Common

    Flushes-sinuses, Warms-head, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Hot Bath

    Hot Bath has these Actions in Common

    Warms-head, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses

    LEARN MORE

  • Epsom Salt Bath

    Epsom Salt Bath has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Warms-head

    LEARN MORE

  • Deodar (Himalayan Cedar, Devadaru)

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

    Cardiac-stimulant, Diuretic, Warms-ears, Warms-head

    LEARN MORE

  • Hot Foot Soak

    Hot Foot Soak has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses

    LEARN MORE

  • Mustard Poultice

    Mustard Poultice has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses

    LEARN MORE

  • Regular exercise

    Regular exercise has these Actions in Common

    Builds-stamina, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Inhale Steam

    Inhale Steam has these Actions in Common

    Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Warms-head

    LEARN MORE

  • Shilajit Tonic

    Shilajit Tonic has these Actions in Common

    Builds-stamina, Cardiac-stimulant, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Hyssop Powder

    Hyssop Powder has these Actions in Common

    Diuretic, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

View Other Healthy Recipes for Summer

This recipe is recommended for Summer. Check out these other Summer recipes here.
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About the Author

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

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy, & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. His wife and family of 7 kids live in Asheville, NC.

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Comments & Impressions of 'Summer Squash Arugula Salad'

Do you like 'summer squash arugula salad'? Why or why not? What makes it unique? Is there something else you'd like to know about 'summer squash arugula salad'?

(4.67 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 196 likes
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Amanda Walker Moncarapacho
2014-08-22
“What is arugula? The summer squash looks more like courgette. "
“Arugula is a mustard green - it is delicate, crunchy, yet peppery in flavor. It has been popularized in recent years, especially gourmet venues, but often can be found in salad mixes at your local grocery store."
Laura AL
2014-08-23
“This looks so refreshing and summer balancing. Thank you, John. "
Kimberly Kubicke Asbury park, NJ
2017-07-14
“No, courgette is what we call zucchini. Summer squash is yellow. This article has an image - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_squash"
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