CHAPTER SEVEN:
An Ayurveda Garden

 

TO NURTURE A GARDEN IS TO FEED NOT JUST THE BODY, BUT THE SOUL.

Alfred Austin

 

 

In Ayurveda, everything is connected. Food comes from the earth, and ultimately returns to the earth and becomes earth, in the life cycle of decomposition and regeneration.

Thousands of years before modern medicine, the sages of India developed this holistic science that recognizes at its heart the mind-body connection (ayur means life, and veda means science or knowledge). Ayurveda survives today as a mind-body health system and ethos that focuses on exercise, yoga and meditation as well as diet and connection with the land. The concept of balance is also central to Ayurvedic thinking, encompassing a balanced diet as well as mental and spiritual balance and well-being. It also extends to reflect the symbiosis of humans as existing within nature, and the balance of our inner nature with the environment (external nature).

One element of this balanced dietary philosophy is to eat a rainbow – a range of differently coloured foods. This makes food selection, preparation and propagation a source of sensory wonder and joy.

 

 

 

 

GROWING YOUR OWN

Growing your own is an intrinsic part of deepening your connection with food and makes sense on so many levels. It’s economical and convenient and means you can be 100 per cent assured that your produce is organic. It also reduces your carbon footprint in terms of food miles and natural food production compared with large-scale intensive growing. And how satisfying to know the total distance from farm to fork is only a few metres instead of halfway across the world! The physical benefits of gardening are also manifold: labouring in the garden is physical exercise, you are soaking up vitamin D and the exertion releases endorphins, which alleviate stress and lower blood pressure. More than anything, however, it increases your understanding of the natural life processes of growing plants, and the enormous satisfaction of observing something grow from a tiny seed into a fruiting, leafing source of food.

If you live in an apartment with no outside space, a window box or pots on the windowsill can be enough to grow a range of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs, and if you plan it carefully you could have a continuous supply all season, while shaving a fair amount off your grocery bill. Allotments and community gardening initiatives are another way to grow your own, if you don’t have the means to do so at home – search for schemes near you. Salad leaves and herbs can also be grown in the kitchen, ensuring fresh leaves all year round.

You can compost any peels and uncooked plant waste in a small caddy placed outdoors in the sun, then use the nutrient-rich compost to grow more plant food!

Replacing one-fifth of the food you eat with home-grown produce could reduce your annual carbon footprint by nearly 32 kg of CO₂.

 

 

 

 

HERB JARS

These jars provide an attractive and convenient way of growing your own herbs on a windowsill for daily use. You can also grow chillies in this way.

You will need

• Seeds to grow herb plants, such as basil, mint, parsley, thyme, oregano, chives, dill, lemon balm, rosemary and coriander
• A selection of jam jars – pick shapes you find appealing
• Gravel, grit or small stones
• Organic multi-purpose or potting compost
• Water

Instructions

Clean your jam jars with washing-up liquid and warm water, rinse and leave to dry.

Fill the base of your jars with gravel, grit or stones – make sure it’s at least 5 cm in depth. This layer is vital for drainage, to prevent mould from rotting your plant roots.

Fill the jars about two-thirds full with compost. Plant three herb seeds in each jar.

Once shoots start to form, add more compost around the base of each plant. Water your plants and place them on a windowsill. Choose a shadier spot if your choice of herb prefers shade.

Trim your plants regularly to avoid them getting stringy and bolting.

Now you’re all set to enjoy the taste, sight and smell of herbs all year round, and they’ve travelled zero food miles!

TOILET-ROLL TUBE PLUGS

Empty, unbleached toilet-roll tubes make ideal containers for growing crops from seed and mean an end to plastic pots.

Fold in one end of the toilet roll to form a small pot. Fill the container two-thirds of the way up with compost. Place a seed in each container (or follow packet instructions – sometimes two seeds are recommended per hole), then cover the seeds with a little more compost and moisten with water. Find a suitable flat-based waterproof tray to house your toilet-roll planters so that the water doesn’t soak through onto your windowsill or floor. A sunny spot will help the seedlings to sprout.

Once the seedlings are well established, if you have space in a garden, you can plant the whole plant – including the container – into the ground or in larger pots. The cardboard will protect the roots from pests before it biodegrades. Keep your seedlings moist and within as little as four weeks you could have your first crop of rocket and lettuce leaves. Pinch off the outer leaves, wash them, and you have ready-made salad!

PLANTS TO GROW IN YOUR TOILET-ROLL POTS:

• Lettuce
• Rocket
• Radish
• Spring onion
• Parsley
• Cherry tomatoes
• Dill
• Sage
• Aloe vera (the edible variety)
• Chillies
• Peas
• Broad beans
• Spinach

You can also start your seedlings off in a used unbleached teabag. Simply break open the teabag and place a seedling inside – the nitrogen in the tea promotes growth. Then pop the teabag and seedling into compost.

 

 

 

 

PLOTTING YOUR GARDEN

Note down things that you’d like to grow in a journal or on a piece of paper. Then, all you need to do is buy the seeds from a garden centre or online and you’re all set to have your very own micro-scale smallholding!

Growing a wildflower patch in any size of garden is wonderful, to attract bees, butterflies, moths and wasps, which pollinate the plants that we eat – and to simply enjoy observing the natural beauty of the plants as they grow and flower. If you don’t have a garden, you can grow wildflowers in a pot or window box. Choose a mix native to your area from a seed specialist, and you will be helping to preserve the biodiversity of your particular area.

 

 

 

 

CRANACHAN

This Scottish dessert is a delightful surprise combination of foraged fresh raspberries, oatmeal and cream, with optional honeyed whisky.

Serves: Two

Ingredients

• 80 g medium oatmeal
• 2 tbsp agave nectar (or honey is traditionally used, for non-vegans)
• 250 g/ml whipped cream substitute such as cashew cream or soy cream (or whipped cream is traditional), chilled
• 200 g raspberries – foraged, home-grown or shop-bought
• Optional: 2–4 tsp whisky
• Optional: rolled oats or seeds

Method

To toast the oatmeal, arrange it on a baking tray and grill under a medium grill for a few minutes until you notice the warm, toasting smell. Alternatively, you can fry the oatmeal for 2–3 minutes in a dry frying pan.

Fold the oatmeal and agave nectar into the whipped cream. If using whisky, fold it in at this stage.

Place a few raspberries in the bottom of two wine glasses, tumblers or glass dessert bowls. Spoon half of the oatmeal and cream mixture into the glasses, forming a clear layer.

Arrange a second layer of raspberries and a second layer of oatmeal cream in each glass. Top with raspberries and an optional sprinkling of rolled oats or seeds.

 

 

 

 

SENSORY FORAGE

A walk in any wild, natural setting can be transformed into a wonderfully mindful activity if you approach it with curiosity and appreciation. Wild environments are naturally stimulating, and pausing to observe with all your senses can really help you to reconnect with the wilderness. Add in foraging for wild foods, and you can take a mindful walk to a whole new level of wonder and purpose.

Stick to well-known plants you feel confident identifying, such as wild garlic, blackberries, raspberries and elderflowers, and avoid anything that may have been sprayed or that is too close to the road.

• Bring a water bottle of fresh water in your backpack – not only for drinking, but for rinsing any edibles you forage.
• Walk tall and feel your feet rooted through the ground with each step. Swing your arms and feel your heart beating and your breath deepening as you walk. Be mindful of sensations, smells, sounds and sights around you.
• Look up, and observe the world above you – the canopy of trees, the sky and clouds, the wildlife. Allow yourself to absorb the wonders of nature through all your senses.
• Now look down, and observe the living world at your feet. Kneel, sit or squat on the ground and take time to notice all the tiny details you’ve never noticed before. It can be quite magical and humbling to notice something new.
• Observe the plant you are foraging. For instance, if it is a blackberry bush, observe the shape and feel of the leaves. Notice their smell. Focus in on the thorns, and admire the plant for this clever defence mechanism, to protect against predators that would otherwise attack the plant. Touch a berry. Feel how it is attached to the plant. Gently pull it away. Taking your time, observe, smell and taste it. Notice the flavour and texture. Be grateful to the plant for this gift.
• If it is wild garlic you are picking, observe the vivid green and feel the smoothness of the leaves. Notice the strong smell of the leaves, especially when you fold, tear or crush them. Tear off a piece, and observe the leaf structure and the liquid inside. Wash with a little water, then chew a piece slowly and marvel as the flavour explodes in your mouth.
• Whatever the item, take time and care to really notice it and its particular characteristics. Be thankful for these offerings from nature.

If you wish to extend your foraging skills, book yourself onto a foraging course with an expert. Never pick anything you haven’t identified as 100 per cent safe to eat – many plants as well as fungi and berries are highly toxic, and fatal if consumed.

 

 

 

 

FORAGED WILD GARLIC PESTO

The first crop of chives will be ready just as wild garlic is really coming into its own in spring. Combine the two for a really fresh-tasting – and frankly quite powerful – homemade pesto. Thoroughly wash the wild garlic after you pick it and ensure it is dry before storing it in the fridge ahead of making this recipe.

Makes: 1 jar

Ingredients:

• 1 large bunch wild garlic
• 150 g chives
• 50 g pine nuts
• 150 ml olive oil
• 60 g Parmesan
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Blitz the garlic, chives, pine nuts and olive oil in a blender until well combined but still a little rough. Add more oil if you’d like the consistency to be smoother.

Add the cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the lemon juice just before serving, or at the end if making to store.

 

 

 

 

HOW TO SPROUT LENTILS

Ancient civilizations have been sprouting grains and pulses for millennia. Sprouted foods are also known as macrobiotic foods. When you sprout lentils, you are beginning the plant’s natural germination process, which changes the composition of the lentils. Sprouting augments the bioavailability of nutrients by neutralizing the phytic acid in lentils – effectively this means more vitamins, minerals and fibre can be absorbed by your body as they’re digested. When soaked in water, the lentil “wakes up” and begins to sprout, whereas unsprouted grains are dormant, with more of their nutrients locked up. Enzymes work their magic by breaking down growth inhibitors, making nutrients easier to absorb, especially B vitamins and carotene. Sprouting also helps to break down some of the naturally occurring sugars in lentils that can contribute to stomach gas.

You can also sprout other beans, pulses and grains in this way. This is an excellent mindful and healthful gardening option if you don’t have a garden or balcony.

• Place your desired quantity of dried lentils in a clean jar and cover with water. Cover the jar with a clean muslin cloth and secure with a rubber band around the rim – choose a fine cloth with a loose weave. Leave overnight in a cool, clean spot.
• Drain the water, rinse the lentils (they will have tripled in size) and replace the cloth lid (make sure you wash your hands first).
• Turn the jar upside down on a clean surface and sit it on top of two chopsticks laid under the rim like railway lines, for air circulation and drainage. Leave overnight.
• Rinse and drain again. Sprouted lentils will grow white tails (shoots) and are ready to eat after two days – they don’t need to be cooked, but to be on the safe side, you can boil your sprouted lentils vigorously for 2 minutes before consuming/preparing. Boiling kills bacteria including E. coli.
• Once sprouted, refrigerate and eat the same day, within 12 hours. You can eat them raw or cooked. Use them in salads, in breads, on their own as a snack or in any recipe that calls for dried or cooked lentils (you can make sprouted lentil soup for example).

If you would like to bring more macrobiotic foods into your diet, you can also buy sprouted flours and sprouted breads, in which the grain has been sprouted then dried and ground.

WARNING!

Several cases of food poisoning have been attributed to sprouted grains, beans and pulses. Make sure you wash and drain your lentils thoroughly every 24 hours and be sure to allow ventilation. Discard immediately into the rubbish – not the compost – if there is any smell or sign of mould. Sterilizing your jar first and keeping it in a cool, clean place while sprouting will help to prevent contamination.

 

 

 

 

GUT FEELING

The human body contains trillions of microbes, most of which are beneficial. Our biggest microbe population lives in our gut, where these tiny bacteria are busy playing a critical role in digestion, immune function and weight regulation. Keep them happy and healthy with a balanced, nutritious diet.

TIPS FOR A HEALTHY GUT

• Eat a wide range of plant-based foods. Different foods feed different microbes – just like you, they have their own micro food preferences!
• Eat plenty of fibre. Fresh vegetables, fruit, pulses, nuts and wholegrains are ideal.
• Avoid highly processed foods.

DID YOU KNOW?

We have an estimated 500 million neurons in our gut, hence why it is sometimes referred to as our “second brain” – so the notion of our “gut feeling” is in fact backed up by biology. Microbes have been around for 3.5 billion years, and less than one in 20 causes disease.

PRE V. PRO?

Prebiotics – complex carbohydrates such as vegetables and whole grains – “fertilize” our gut bacteria and promote the development of a diverse community of “friendly” microbes. They are non-digestible fibres that feed the beneficial bacteria in our gut. How lovely to know your body is host to this happy internal village!

Probiotics, such as fermented foods, some cheeses and live yoghurt – yoghurt fermented with live culture bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus – are foods that contain live bacteria thought to be beneficial to gut health.

 

 

 

 

POTATOES IN A BUCKET

Potatoes are very easy to grow in a bucket. Simply leave an organic potato in a dry, dark cupboard and it will soon sprout. Once you can see shoots forming, place the potato in a large bucket outdoors lined with stones or bricks at the bottom for drainage, then fill with compost. Disease-resistant seed potatoes are sold for this purpose, but I’ve always grown a reasonable crop from sprouted organic potatoes. Potatoes can rot in waterlogged conditions, so drill a few holes around the base of the bucket. You can arrange up to nine sprouted potatoes around the bucket, depending on its size. Cover with a further 15 cm compost. Allow the rain to water them naturally, or water during dry spells. After 90–120 days, once they have flowered and the flowers have wilted, simply empty the bucket onto a sheet of tarpaulin, plastic or hessian, and have fun picking out all the potatoes, noticing the feel and earthy smell of the soil on your hands. You should have 5–10 new potatoes for each one you planted. Marvel at the ease of growing this wonderful crop! Tip the compost back into the bucket for reuse. Wash the potatoes, dry and store in a hessian sack or a cool, dark box or cupboard.

A small open jar of dried peas placed on a shelf in the cupboard with the sprouting potatoes will absorb any moisture and stop the tubers rotting. The same goes for the harvested potatoes.

GROW AN ONION
FROM AN ONION

With care and water, you can grow a new onion from an old onion in 90–120 days! This kind of growing is wonderfully rewarding, demonstrating the continuous potential of plants to regenerate. If you can keep this going year-round you could have a perpetual supply of onions!

• Place your onion on a chopping board and, using a sharp knife, cut off the bottom and remove the outer peel. Your onion section should be about 2.5 cm from root base to cut.
• Leave your onion section to dry for 24 hours and, of course, use the remainder in any suitable recipe.
• Fill a small jar or bottle with water and rest your onion section on the rim, with the cut-side up and the base submerged in the water. If you don’t have any narrow-necked jars, you can poke four cocktail sticks into the flesh of the onion near the cut, and suspend the onion into the jar, with the sticks resting over the rim.
• After two to three days, you will notice white shoots appearing. It is now ready to plant in soil. The centre layers will rise and sprout and the onion will regenerate a new onion.

DID YOU KNOW?

Onions are nutrient-dense – high in vitamins, minerals and fibre and low in calories. They are a particularly trusty source of vitamins C, B and potassium, as well as allicin. According to various studies, their potent anti-inflammatory properties contained in the flavonoid antioxidant quercetin may lower your risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Another study showed a reduction in cholesterol levels after consumption of raw red onions.

 

 

 

 

SPROUTING GARLIC

Garlic can be wonderfully self-perpetuating: if you separate a bulb of garlic into individual cloves and plant the cloves a few centimetres apart, each clove will grow a new bulb of garlic. One bulb of garlic can therefore regenerate ten to 14 new bulbs, so you theoretically never need to buy another bulb again if you continue to plant one or two cloves and eat the rest! Store in a cool, dry cupboard over winter – in France, they sell them as hanging edible decorations in pretty plaits. Yours will be smaller than these in all likelihood, but the flavour and nutrition will be concentrated and they’ll taste all the better for having been home-grown.

Garlic is antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and immune-boosting, and has been shown to reduce the incidence of colds by 63 per cent compared with a placebo, and reduce the length of symptoms by 70 per cent (US National Center for Biotechnology Information). Allicin in garlic also offers reported cancer-combatting benefits. According to various studies, it encourages the production of glutathione S-transferase, an enzyme which helps to kill cancer cells, eliminate toxins and protect healthy cells from free radicals which can cause cells to mutate and become malignant. Consuming garlic also offers protection to our heart and blood vessels by lowering our blood level of homocysteine, an amino acid linked to cardiovascular disease. It really is a superfood!

 

 

 

 

ELDERBERRY, BLACKBERRY AND RASPBERRY CRUMBLE

This beautiful hearty crumble is a wonderful warmer once autumn has arrived. Forage for wild elderberries, blackberries and raspberries and eat in season, or freeze for a taste of autumn at any time of year. This crumble uses oats instead of flour, and extra virgin rapeseed oil instead of butter. Simple and delicious. Serves: Four

Ingredients

For the filling

• 100 g elderberries, fresh or frozen
• 200 g blackberries, fresh or frozen
• 200 g raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 60 g soft brown sugar
• Optional: 50 g flaked almonds, pre-roasted for 5 minutes if you like

FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING

• 250 g rolled oats (porridge oats, not jumbo oats)
• 100 g flaxseeds, flaxseed mix or ground almonds
• 100 ml rapeseed oil
• 60 g raw cane caster sugar
• Optional: small pinch cinnamon or mixed spice

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Arrange elderberries, blackberries and raspberries in the base of a pie or lasagne dish. Frozen berries work just as well as fresh berries – you don’t need to defrost them first. Sprinkle sugar and flaked almonds over.

Place the crumble topping ingredients together in a bowl. Mix with fingertips into a breadcrumb-like consistency. Sprinkle this evenly over the crumble filling.

Bake for 35–40 minutes, until golden and bubbling.

Serve with your choice of cream and enjoy the bite of the berries and the textures of the flaked almonds and topping ingredients, combined with the rich, soul-feeding flavours.

VARIATIONS

Rhubarb is a wonderful crumble option in late spring. Use 500 g rhubarb in place of the berries.

Apple and raspberry also works well. Use 300 g apples and 200 g raspberries (fresh or frozen).

WARNING!

Elderberries can only be consumed cooked. They cannot be eaten raw as the seeds contain cyanide-inducing glycosides. Cooking them breaks down these compounds. They are an excellent seasonal source of vitamin C and have cold-combatting powers – in tests, black elder has been shown to shorten the duration of colds and flu by inhibiting the viruses’ ability to penetrate cells. Elderberries (and blackberries) are a good source of anthocyanin antioxidants. If you don’t have an elder tree nearby, you can substitute extra blackberries.

 

 

 

 

MY PERSONAL MINDFUL KITCHEN JOURNEY

If you’ve been keeping a food journal, jot down words, phrases or visuals that will help you to prepare, cook, eat, grow, reflect upon and develop a deeper connection with plant foods. Which elements would you like to focus on? Note down any words that will inspire you.