
Ayurvedic kitchari's are India's chicken soup and the congee equivalent of Chinese medicine. This kitchari includes cilantro and coconut and is adapted from Dr. Lad's book Ayurvedic Cooking for Self Healing.
Enticing aromatic spices...
The buttery rice and sweet peas are complemented by lemon's sourness. Cumin adds a savory note to the luxurious feel. This simple yet exotic dish is topped with crunchy roasted cashews. This is a satisfying dish that feels good in the body.
When I first discovered daal, I ate it every meal for a week in a row. Then I was so sick of daal I didn't eat it again for several months. Now we have a more stable relationship and I enjoy daal once a week.
Cool, soothing, and nourishing, it's no surprise that Coconut Rice is a staple of so many tropical cuisines. Your digestion is much weaker when the weather is warm than when it is cool. Luckily, coconut rice is easy enough for your body to break down...
Shake things up and experiment with Coconut & Cilantro Savory Pancakes. These are unlike your average run-of-the-mill pancakes. Sprinkled with chewy coconut and bright cilantro. They're impossible to resist!Appropriate for any meal of the day,...
Get cozy this season. Rather than reach for hot cocoa, try sipping this creamy Coconut Curry & Pumpkin soup. Soups are the ideal fall food. They are warming, grounding and easy to digest. Who doesn't love something warm and sweet on a cool fall day?...
Bright and colorful, Ginger Dal adds a festive highlight to any meal. With its spices, Ginger Dal warms your body from core to limbs. This savory, heartwarming Indian favorite is belly filling. It provides comfort and calm as it satisfies a big...
Complex, spicy, sweet, sour, savory, you name it- every flavor you can dream up has its place in Indian curry. Spice up mild chickpeas and sweet carrots with pungent ginger, cayenne, cinnamon, and cumin, bitter fenugreek, aromatic cloves and cardamom,...
Sweet, sour and savory, a delicious and warm way to enjoy apples during the winter months.
Experiment with fermented batters. Rich, complex flavors, easier to digest and more nutritious. Fermented foods are rich in vitamin B12.
Bananas with Lemon Juice and Cilantro is a sweet, refreshing and restorative summer snack. Lemon and cilantro add a fresh and zesty taste to your appetite for excitement in the summer. It is common in India to serve fruit with spices. This spicey fruit...
Spicy, sweet and sour Coconut Turmeric Sambar is a spring soup warms your belly on the coldest day. Awaken your senses as you journey to beautiful South India, a landscape palm trees, endless blue skies, and scents of spices greeting your nose. Sambar...
Hearty, golden, grounding 'pumpkin pie'. Discovered by Rose Ortiz, yoga instructor in Asheville, NC.
Coconut mint chutney is an Indian classic and one of our favorites. Used as ubiquitously as our beloved ketchup, coconut mint chutney is a refreshing garnish on dosas (fried savory pancakes), curries, potato, chick peas and just about any dish.
Looking for a menu to suit the whole family? This 'one pot wonder' meal is tridoshic, meaning it is suitable for all body types. It's easy to prepare and a stress free option for a weekday night. Plus, it has all the makings of a traditional curry. If...
Ayurveda's version of a backyard barbecue favorite, the minty green yogurt sauce helps beat the summer heat!
Aromatic saffron and delicate rose delights you long before your first bite. Tenderly prepared with exotic spices and rose petals, this luxurious saffron rice is sure to soften any heart. Sweetly spiced raisins, rich almonds, and buttery ghee add a...
Sweet, rich and tropical, mango lassis are a favorite in India. They make for a great afternoon snack when you feel tired, so make this simple recipe at home for a relaxing, energizing treat.
Coconut milk and okra are heavy, cooling and smooth an irritated digestive tract.
A western twist on the famous Indian lassi. Peach warms cool yogurt, while rosewater adds a sensual soft touch. Light, aromatic cardamom adds depth and complexity to this sweet treat. Best if prepared with fresh-ground...
Fruits are frequently garnished with cayenne pepper in tropical countries, where summer heat makes digestion sluggish.
This warm and drying tea blend is a perfect lung tonic on cold, damp winter days.
This rich, creamy breakfast treat is called shudji haalwa throughout India. Kids fight over it while adults pretend not to. This decadent recipe is somewhere between a dessert and a proper meal - everyone needs to let loose once in a while! If you have...
Refreshing like dew on a fern.
Cool, smooth and sweet Chai Spiced Yogurt is a calming start to a hot summer's day. Heavy, grounding yogurt makes you feel calm, cool and collected. The enjoyable aromatic spices are a delightful complement to the creaminess of yogurt and help to...
Blended dates, warm ghee, and cardamom sauce poured over split bananas. Discovered by Michele Schulz of Alchemy of Tastes, Albuquerque, NM.
Vijay Bhatt was my first introduction to Indian culture. We were both computer programmers at Fidelity Investments in Boston, MA but he was my boss and mentor. We used to take lunch together in Post Office square or at the Indian restaurant at the food...
Surprise! Homemade ice cream can be Ayurvedic! No need to deprive yourself of one of summer's most special treats. Knowing a few simple tricks about foods and spices is the key to making an ice cream that not only tastes good, but makes you feel good. ...
Called Aloo Bharta in India, a soft and spicey favorite making American mashed potatoes bland by comparison.
Experiment with crunchy snacks in sweet & savory sauces. Called Dahi Papdi Chaat in India, this recipe often includes tamarind or mint chutney, cumin, chopped raw onions, or cilantro. It may also include exotic 'black salt' which has a deeper, more...
Light as a feather, sweet, and aromatic, you'll never feel as pampered as the moment you take a bite of Saffron Milk Thousand Layer Crepe Cake. Easy to griddle (you might say it's a piece of cake!) and without an oven, thousand layer crepe cakes can...
My herb teacher Frank Cook used to say, "It's all about the sauce." A good meal should come with good sauces. We love including cilantro lassi next to summertime rice dishes.
In a failed attempt to woo a young Bengali girl at Dhaka University, I fumbled through my first 'gazur halwa' or carrot halwa.
Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’