CHAPTER 8
The air is dry, cold, clear, and light. Gentle morning dew hardens into snow and ice. Most vegetation is storing energy in its roots, protected from the season’s cold, rough winds. Our bodies do the same, and we put on hats, gloves, and boots to keep the extremities warm. The digestive fires naturally accumulate in the core in cold weather, and the body’s furnace is at its best to digest and metabolize delicious winter recipes of healthy fats and proteins. Ayurveda suggests enjoying the hearty, dense, and oily qualities of foods like nuts, sweet potatoes, and ghee. The following nicely spiced, warming, grounding recipes feature such ingredients as dates, sprouted beans, cooked fruits, and cinnamon. Use the winter recipe section to keep you feeling centered and burning bright.
Winter Diet and Lifestyle Overview
Feels Like: Cold, dry (especially inside when the heat is on), light, windy, rough, hard
QUALITIES TO INTRODUCE/REDUCE
Introduce
Warming
Moist
Grounding
Soft
Reduce
Cold
Dry
Erratic
Hard
POTENTIAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF IMBALANCE
Constipation
Dry, cracking skin and joints
Cold hands and feet
Weight gain
Lethargy and sadness
TASTES TO ENJOY
Sweet
Sour
Salty
Winter Foods Guide
Favor cooked, protein-rich meals, including soups and stews.
FOODS TO FAVOR
• Starchy vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, root vegetables, and squash; cold weather greens, such as sea vegetables, kale, collards, and chard; artichokes (late winter). Be sure to take bitter taste in moderation—it makes you cold—and balance bitter greens with sweet grains or root vegetables.
• Warming spices, such as cinnamon, ginger, cumin, salt, black pepper, chilies, and vinegars (in moderation); unrefined sweeteners such as maple syrup, raw honey, and molasses
• Warm, spiced almond, cow’s, or goat’s milk; diluted yogurt
• Raw or home-roasted seeds and nuts; nut butters
• Rich oils, such as ghee and sesame
• Moist grains, such as wheat, brown rice, and oats, cooked with a little extra water
• Sweet or heavy fruits that bring moisture and building qualities, such as oranges, bananas, dates, figs, papayas, mangoes; grapefruits and lemons (very good in late winter)
• Proteins, such as lentils, small beans, tofu, and eggs; most meats, for nonvegetarians; winter is the season for occasional red meat if you eat it.
FOODS TO REDUCE
• Dry foods, such as chips and crackers
• Raw foods
• Drying grains, such as millet, rye, and barley
• Cold foods, especially dairy products
• Fruits and vegetables that are not in season
WINTER LIFESTYLE GUIDELINES
• Use a rich, warm oil, such as sesame, for your morning massage. You can add sweet, warming scents, such as sweet orange and rose oils, to the sesame. Be sure to massage the oil into the scalp at least once a week and wash your hair after one hour or the following morning.
• Wear a hat and scarf to protect the ears and neck from accumulating cold and hard qualities.
• Practice nasya (oiling the nose) in the morning or at bedtime (see page 277). Use a humidifier in your bedroom at night.
• Take moderate exercise daily, such as yoga, dancing, and walking.
• Wear colors and keep colorful things around you.
• Sit in a steam room or take warm baths at least once a week.
WINTER SHOPPING LIST
VEGETABLES
Artichokes
Beets
Carrots
Collards
Kale
Parsnips
Roasted red pepper (once or twice a month)
Sea vegetables (dulse, nori, wakame, sea palm)
Squashes
Sweet potatoes
Swiss chard
Tomatoes, farm-canned
White potatoes, in moderation
Yams
FRUITS
Apples
Bananas
Dates
Grapefruit
Mangoes (ripe for eating and green for chutney)
Oranges
Papayas
Pears
GRAINS
Brown rice
Bulgur wheat
Oats
Red rice
Rice noodles
BEANS
Black beans
Green lentils
Red lentils
FATS
Almond butter, raw
Almond meal
Cashews
Coconut, shredded
Cow’s milk
Eggs
Goat’s milk
Sesame oil
Sunflower butter
Tahini
SPICES
Chili powder
Paprika
Red chilies, dried
EXTRAS
Apple cider
Cacao powder
Maple syrup
Molasses
Rice vinegar
yam and oat muffins
makes 6
The yam (or sweet potato) is a vegetarian’s best friend. Pair it with the minerals found in molasses, and this recipe will provide a goldmine of building qualities to help you recover after working out, to warm you up when you get home, to feed a sweet tooth, and to nourish people you love—especially you. The recipe contains no oil, so be sure to spread each muffin with ghee, coconut oil, or nut butter. You can also pair these muffins with Gingered Apple Butter (page 230).
1 egg (or substitute 1 flax “egg”—see below)
½ cup whole cow’s milk or almond milk
½ cup mashed sweet potato
1 tbsp maple syrup or molasses
½ cup oats (to grind)
½ cup rolled oats
¼ tsp baking soda
⅛ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger powder
⅛ tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
1–2 tsp ghee, coconut oil, or nut butter per muffin, for garnish
MIX-INS (OPTIONAL):
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup chopped pitted dates
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tin with muffin cup liners or grease the muffin tin with coconut oil.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg until fluffy, then stir in milk, mashed sweet potato, and maple syrup or molasses.
To grind ½ cup of oats, place oats in dry blender carafe or food processor and pulse until ground. This will take less than a minute. In a large mixing bowl, mix the ground oats together with the rest of the dry ingredients.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, just enough to incorporate. Do not overmix. Gently fold in your optional mix-ins. Evenly distribute batter into 6 cups. Bake for 30 minutes, or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in muffin center comes out clean.
Serve each muffin spread with 1–2 tsp of ghee, coconut oil, or nut butter to provide the oils needed in winter.
To make 1 flax “egg”: In a blender carafe, combine 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds with 3 tbsp water and blend on high for 2 minutes.
IS THAT A YAM?
Sweet potatoes and yams are used interchangeably in Ayurvedic recipes, but they are not quite the same vegetable. Sweet potatoes have brown skin, orange flesh, and the richer vitamin content of the two. Yams are purple skinned, and have pale flesh. Yams are larger, sweeter, and have a milder flavor than sweet potatoes. I often choose sweet potatoes for soups because of their bright color, yet in these muffins, yams taste sweeter.
overnight bulgur wheat breakfast
serves 2
Bulgur can cook overnight by soaking it in hot water. Just warm it up in the morning and add some vegetables to the same pot for a hearty, savory, one-pot meal. You can grate or shred vegetables in advance (it only takes a minute in a food processor) and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. When you add them in the morning, they will cook in a few minutes. A savory breakfast, as opposed to a sweet one, sets you up for a steady day. Take the leftovers for lunch and serve with a Black Bean and Oat Burger (see page 242) or a Red Lentil Pâté and Mineral Gomasio (see page 251, 253).
1 cup bulgur wheat
2 cups boiling water or vegetable broth
2 tsp Winter Spice Mix
¼ cup raisins (optional) or ½ cup grated carrots or yams or shredded cabbage
pinch of salt
Rinse the bulgur wheat and place in a medium saucepan. Pour 2 cups boiling water or broth over the grains, cover, and soak overnight.
In the morning, add Winter Spice Mix and a bit of water to the pan to keep the bulgur wheat from sticking to the bottom and turn the heat up to medium. Add raisins, if using, or vegetables. (You can grate the carrots or yams or shred the cabbage right into the pot, if you like.) Do not stir. Cover and steam for 7–10 minutes.
Add salt and fluff with a fork before serving in 2 bowls.
NOTE: You can make this recipe without vegetables; soak the raisins and the spice mix overnight with the bulgur wheat and simply warm the cereal on the stove top for a few minutes before eating.
serves 1
Reminiscent of pie, but without the crust, this warm breakfast takes only a few minutes to prepare and satisfies a light appetite.
2 tsp ghee
½ tsp Everyday Sweet Spice Mix
1 large apple, cored and sliced
1 tbsp raisins or chopped figs (optional)
Warm the ghee and spice mix in a small frying pan on medium heat. Add the apple slices to the pan and stir to coat all the pieces. Fry on medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring. Add a tablespoon or two of water to keep the apples from sticking to the pan, and fry for 2–3 minutes more, until tender.
For variety, add raisins or chopped figs with the water.
Transfer to a small bowl and enjoy as is.
serves 4
While red lentils and tomatoes together are primarily a heating combo, this dish also satisfies the pungent, sour qualities we crave in winter. The bright colors—yellow, green, and red—are a welcome sight in deep winter. Balance the heating qualities of the dal by serving it over a sweet grain, such as basmati rice, or with a sprouted wheat tortilla.
4 cups water
1 cup red lentils
1 tbsp Winter Spice Mix
2 whole fresh tomatoes or one 16-oz can whole tomatoes, chopped (reserve juice)
2 leaves lacinato kale
1 tbsp ghee
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp salt
In a large saucepan, bring the 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Rinse the lentils until the water runs clear. Add the lentils to the water along with the spice mix.
In a separate, small pot, parboil the whole fresh tomatoes, stem and all, in water for 4–5 minutes. Pull out with a slotted spoon and cool them until you can slide the skins off. Discard the skins, coarsely chop the tomatoes, and add to the dal. If you are using canned tomatoes, add the tomatoes and their juice to the dal. Bring to a boil again, then turn heat down to low and simmer, uncovered. Set a timer for 30 minutes, then slice the kale leaves into thin ribbons and add to the pot. Continue to simmer, partially covered, until the timer hits 30 minutes. Let the dal simmer on low while you warm the ghee in a small frying pan over medium heat and sauté the cumin and mustard seeds until you can smell them, just 2–3 minutes. If the mustard seeds are jumping out, cover the pan.
Add the spiced ghee and the salt to the lentils and boil, uncovered, 5 minutes more.
Stir and serve in 4 wide bowls with rice or tortillas.
NOTE: This recipe also works great in a slow cooker or pressure cooker. Red lentils don’t need to be soaked overnight, although any dal will be creamier if you do soak the legumes.
TOMATO TALK
Tomato skins are difficult for some people to digest and contain more acid than the inside of the tomato—making skins a potential irritant. Parboiling tomatoes to remove their skins is the traditional method in India, where there are many tomato dishes. One cannot digest so many tomato skins in a day. Removal of skin creates a milder dish, one that’s easier on the gut and also nicer to look at, as there will be no floating pieces of skin.
Canned tomatoes, though convenient, will not have the vitality of fresh ones. However, if you put the energy into growing and canning your own, you are likely to feel great eating them, thanks to the prana and sattva fresh food provides.
serves 2
This easy recipe can be doubled, and you will have extra patties to pack for tomorrow’s lunch. A Black Bean and Oat Burger served over an Everyday Steamed Salad Bowl or paired with rice and mango chutney will keep you warm any winter day.
1 cup cooked black beans
1 handful baby spinach
¼ cup diced roasted red pepper
1/3 cup oat flour (see below)
1 tsp Winter Salts
1 tsp ghee (optional, for frying)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, mash the beans well with a fork. Continue to mash in all the other ingredients except the ghee until the mixture reaches a uniform but chunky consistency. Form 2 large or 3 medium-size patties, lay them on the parchment paper, and bake for 10 minutes on each side. Alternatively, you can melt 1 tsp of ghee in a frying pan and pan fry the burgers slowly over medium heat, about 5–7 minutes on each side, until well browned.
TO MAKE OAT FLOUR: pulse rolled oats in a blender carafe until finely ground.
NOTE: If you don’t suffer from any signs of internal heat (see “Understanding Internal Climate,” page 64), you can substitute salsa for the roasted peppers.
huevos rancheros and brussels sprouts hash
serves 2
This is one of those complicated recipes for a fun brunch or just for you when you have the time and a hankerin’ for a special meal! Traditional huevos rancheros can be a food-combining nightmare, but fear not—I have applied Ayurveda’s helpful hints to the creation of this warming dish. For protein, choose either eggs or beans and serve with Brussels Sprouts Hash on the side. To keep preparation simple, omit the ranchero sauce and serve just the eggs or beans with hash.
RANCHERO SAUCE
NOTE: Since this recipe requires a bit of work, it makes 4 servings. Keep the extra 2 servings to eat with grains or vegetables later.
½ cup diced red onion
½ clove garlic, diced (optional)
2 tsp ghee
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 heaping tsp paprika
dash of cayenne powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup vegetable broth
In a medium-size saucepan or large frying pan, fry the onions and garlic, if using, in the ghee over medium heat, stirring, until they soften, a few minutes. Add the spices and stir. Then add the tomato, celery, and carrots, stirring for 1 minute more. Pour in the broth and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Take off the heat and process with an immersion hand blender just long enough to make a chunky sauce. Cover to keep warm.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS HASH
2 cups Brussels sprouts
1 tbsp ghee
dash of salt
Shred the Brussels sprouts by holding on to the stems and grating with the large holes on a box grater, or cut off the stems and pulse in the food processor.
Warm 1 tbsp ghee in a large frying pan, then add the shredded Brussels sprouts, stirring. Add a dash of salt and continue stirring. Remove from heat when hash is browned to your taste. Spread the corn tortillas over the hash and cover to warm while you make the eggs.
HUEVOS (OR BEANS) RANCHEROS
4 eggs or 1 cup cooked black beans
1 tsp ghee
1 tsp turmeric powder (for eggs)
4 corn tortillas
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
If using eggs, warm the ghee in a large frying pan, break the eggs directly into the pan, and sprinkle with turmeric. Fry the eggs until the yolks just begin to harden. If using cooked beans instead, warm them in a saucepan with 1 tsp ghee and mash with a fork or, for a creamy texture, process with a hand blender.
TO SERVE
Place 2 warm tortillas on each plate. Divide the eggs or beans into 2 servings over the tortillas. Spoon Ranchero Sauce on top. Divide the Brussels Sprouts Hash and serve beside the tortillas. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.
NOTE: If you do not own 2 large frying pans, use a smaller one for the hash and warm the tortillas in the oven. Preheat to 275 and spread the tortillas on a baking sheet. Remove when warm, after 3–5 minutes.
serves 4
Sprouted mung beans are easy to grow and lend a fresh, energizing atmosphere and a slight crunch to this rich winter stew. The energy of the sprout is light, mobile, and full of prana, life force. Deep in the winter, growing mung sprouts takes only a little effort and adds bright qualities to your diet.
5 cups water or broth
1 cup green mung beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
1 tsp Winter Spice Mix
2 cups cubed sweet potatoes, white potatoes, or carrots
4 leaves Swiss chard
1 tbsp ghee
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp salt
½ cup fresh Sprouted Mung Beans
4 tbsp yogurt for garnish
In a large saucepan on high heat, begin to boil the water or broth. Drain the soaked mung beans and add to the water or broth, along with the spice mix. Boil for 10 minutes. Add cubed potatoes or carrots. Turn heat to low, partially cover, and set the timer for 30 minutes. While the dal simmers, slice chard into thin ribbons and add for the remaining simmer time, partially covered.
In a small frying pan, warm the ghee on medium heat and sauté the cumin and mustard seeds until you can smell them, just 2–3 minutes. If the mustard seeds are popping out, cover the pan.
Pour the spiced ghee into the pot with the beans and vegetables. Add the salt and the sprouted beans, partially cover, and boil until the timer goes off.
Serve as a stew, perhaps over rice, with a tablespoon-sized dollop of yogurt on top of each serving.
fresh sprouted mung beans
Beans grew on a vine and were picked and dried. Now the bean is a seed, with dormant, potential energy until it gets soaked and watered. Sprouting awakens the energy of the seed and makes it a living food again.
Start with beans that aren’t old and stale. Shop somewhere with good turnover in the bulk foods department. A place that is generally busy and has a large bulk section is likely to fit the bill. Old beans will refuse to sprout; they have lost their mojo.
Soak ½ cup of beans in 1½ cups water overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse the beans in a strainer or colander. Spread them out in a thin layer on the bottom of the colander or strainer, place a wide bowl underneath to catch drips, and a towel over the top. Leave out on the counter all day and night to sprout.
The next morning, rinse and drain the sprouts again. Cover with a towel and repeat the process. Within 48 hours or so (depending on how warm your kitchen is) the beans will begin to grow little white tails. It’s best to eat the sprouts before the tails grow longer than ¼ inch. If you are not ready to eat them, you can refrigerate them in a glass storage container for a few days.
I generally make sprouts once or twice a week in winter. It’s great to enjoy fresh produce from your own kitchen even in the depths of this season.
GET YOUR SPROUT ON
Sprouting has a rhythm, and once you are used to doing it, you won’t forget to rinse the beans. Consider putting them in a bowl to soak when you get home for the day or before you go to bed. In the morning, rinse them and place them on top of the fridge (a nice warm place), covered with a towel. When you get home later that day, rinse them again. They should be sprouting by the following morning and ready for eating anytime that day, or you can let the tails grow another day or two, until you are ready to make Sprouted Mung Dal. Your sprouts will thank you for bringing them to such a beautiful finish.
noodle bowl with toasted nori and mineral gomasio
serves 2
This recipe gets you working with the world of sea vegetables, high in minerals and B vitamins and a staple of a winter vegetarian diet. The taste of sea vegetables is sweet and salty, lending water to the body in dry times of year. The soup contains dried sea vegetables, and the two condiments, Toasted Nori and Mineral Gomasio, can be used to enrich any winter meal. Sea vegetables do not appear in the Ayurvedic texts, but those who live along the coast will do well to take advantage of this local food, rich in iodine, a key mineral for thyroid health.
NOODLE BOWL
4 cups water
8 oz tofu, cut into 2-inch triangles or ½-inch cubes
2 cups chopped vegetables: leafy greens cut into strips, carrots, daikon radishes
½ cup dried sea vegetables (sea palm and wakame both work well)
2 hearty handfuls of rice noodles, kelp noodles, or Zucchini Noodles (see page 176)
2 tbsp red miso
Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the tofu, chopped vegetables, and sea vegetables. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes. Add noodles for the last 2 minutes of cooking and simmer until the noodles and the vegetables are al dente. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, add just enough hot (not boiling) water to the miso to make a thin paste, about ¼ cup. Add this miso paste to the soup pot and stir. Boiling miso kills the enzymes, so it is important to add after taking the soup off the heat, just before serving.
Ladle into 2 large soup bowls and serve with Toasted Nori, if you like, and Mineral Gomasio.
TOASTED NORI
For this optional condiment, toast 2 sushi nori sheets by waving them over a stovetop burner until they turn bright green and crispy, just a few seconds. If you put the nori too close it will blacken—especially if you’re using a gas burner. Toasted Nori can be used as a crispy side dish or crumbled on top of the soup before serving. I like to tear the sheets into quarters and pile on a small plate.
½ cup sesame seeds
1 tsp finely ground salt
1 tbsp dulse flakes
Dry roast the sesame seeds in a heavy-bottomed pan (cast iron works well) on medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until they begin to brown, just a few minutes. Cool completely, then halfway crush sesame seeds by hand with a mortar and pestle or by whizzing briefly in a spice-dedicated coffee grinder. Transfer to a small mixing bowl and stir in the salt and dulse flakes.
Store in a shaker jar at room temperature.
NOTE: Most health food stores carry dulse, nori, and wakame in the Japanese or Asian food department. See “Resources” (page 306) for culinary seaweed sources.
collard wraps with red lentil pâté
makes 4
Once you get the concept, you can make almost anything into a collard wrap, a cabbage wrap, or, in summer, a lettuce wrap. Red miso is very salty, sour, and slightly heating, and collards are one of those deep greens that is still in good shape in the winter, so this recipe makes a nourishing winter choice—but think of incorporating the collard wrap freely in all seasons. Wrapping kichari in collards is a quick way to change up a dal and rice routine.
½ cup red lentils
¾ cup water
2½ tsp Winter Spice Mix
1 tbsp sesame tahini
juice of ½ small lemon
1½ tbsp red miso dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
Rinse and soak lentils overnight. Drain and rinse. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the lentils and spice mix. Simmer on low heat, covered, 30 minutes, until lentils are soft and water is absorbed. Remove from heat and cool a bit. Add the tahini, lemon juice, and miso paste and work in with a hand blender if you want your pâté creamy, with a fork if you want it with more texture. Add more water to the pâté if you prefer a thinner consistency.
COLLARD WRAPS
4 large collard leaves
1 cup cooked basmati rice
½ cup shredded carrots, cabbage, or beets (optional)
Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a large saucepan with a steaming basket inside.
Cut the stems off the collard leaves, and if you have delicate digestion, cut the thick part of the stem out of the middle too—a notch 1–2 inches up into the leaf will still let you use it for a wrap. Place the collard leaves inside the steaming basket and cover the pot. Steam on medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Take off the heat and remove leaves with tongs. The leaves should be bright green—do not overcook them.
TO MAKE THE WRAPS:
For each wrap, flatten a collard leaf and spread ¼ cup lentil pâté and ¼ cup rice up the middle in a rectangular shape. To add crunch, sprinkle on ⅛ cup shredded carrots, cabbage, or beets. Turn up the two short ends first, then roll up like a burrito, as shown in the photographs.
mixed potato pie with roasted maple almonds
serves 6
If your farm friends bring you lots of potatoes this winter, here is a deliciously sweet and savory way to serve up a bunch of potatoes for family and guests. White potato is light, cool, and dry and a member of the nightshade family. Nightshades are slightly poisonous when consumed in excess and promote inflammation, so they only appear in moderation in Ayurvedic cooking. This recipe integrates the beneficial sweet potato, which is not a nightshade. Always balance the dry, light, and cool qualities by serving potato dishes well oiled and with something of a sweet taste. The Roasted Maple Almonds not only look and taste wonderful but also balance the qualities of white potatoes.
ROASTED MAPLE ALMONDS
½ tsp Everyday Sweet Spice Mix
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 cup raw almonds
¼ tsp sea salt
1 tbsp coconut sugar or maple sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium-size mixing bowl, mix together the Everyday Sweet Spice Mix and maple syrup. Add the almonds to the spiced maple and coat thoroughly. Mix together the salt and sugar and combine with the almonds. Spread the mixture on the lined baking sheet and roast for 10–12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. When cool, coarsely chop the almonds.
MIXED POTATO PIE
2 tbsp ghee, plus extra to grease the dish
2 cups cooked sweet potato, mashed (to roast your sweet potatoes see The Yam Bomb (page 211)
2 tsp Winter Spice Mix or Everyday Sweet Spice Mix
1 egg (optional)
sea salt and ground black
pepper to taste
1 medium white potato
Lightly grease the sides and bottom of a 9-inch pie dish with ghee. Using a food processor or hand masher, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, ghee, spice mix, egg, and salt and pepper and mix until well combined. With the skin on, slice the white potato into ⅛-inch thick slices. Layer the white potato slices on the bottom of the pie dish, overlapping the slices so the bottom of the dish is fully covered. Carefully spoon the mashed sweet potato mixture on top of the white potato slices, spread evenly to the sides of the pie dish, and smooth the top.
Bake on the top rack at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until the top begins to brown. Remove it from the oven, top with the coarsely chopped Roasted Maple Almonds, and allow to cool slightly before slicing.
Set out the remaining almonds in a bowl for those who would like to add more.
sweet potato bisque
serves 2
If you feel cold and hungry, this soup will comfort you—it’s like having dessert as a meal. Sweet taste is the building block of a cold weather diet, balancing dry, hard, rough qualities. The heavy, oily hit from a bit of cream served warm and spiced here will nourish the deep tissues. Kids like it, too.
2 cups vegetable broth
½-inch piece fresh gingerroot, peeled and roughly chopped
¼ cup heavy cow’s cream or coconut milk
1 medium-size or 2 small baked sweet potatoes (2 cups), skin optional
½ tsp turmeric
dash of nutmeg
dash of salt and pepper (optional)
2 tsp ghee
extra cream or coconut milk for garnish
Warm the broth, chopped gingerroot, and cream or coconut milk in a medium-size saucepan on medium-high heat. Slice the baked sweet potatoes into 4–5 pieces each and add to the pot to warm. Add spices, salt and pepper, if using, and ghee and simmer until the liquid boils. Remove from heat and use a hand blender to process to a smooth consistency, making sure to puree the gingerroot well.
Serve in 2 soup bowls with a tiny extra drizzle of cream or coconut milk on top.
NOTE: If you include the sweet potato skin in the soup, the color won’t be as pleasing—it will be more brown than orange. I like to pull the skins off the baked sweet potatoes and eat them hot, on the side with ghee, my own version of “potato skins.”
sunbutter truffles
makes about 12
Peanut butter often appears in treats, but the peanut, known as the “groundnut” in India, is not recommended in Ayurveda. The peanut is actually a legume; it is considered difficult to digest and increases heavy, dense, slow qualities. You will not miss peanut butter in this treat that calls for sunflower seeds and almonds instead. Sunbutter Truffles are so good, you may eat an extra one but not feel heavy because sunflower seed butter is lighter than any nut butter. The chocolate coating must stay refrigerated to keep from melting.
SUNBUTTER FILLING
2 tsp melted coconut oil
½ cup sunflower butter
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¾ cup almond meal
½ tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ashwagandha
CHOCOLATE COATING
3 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tbsp + 2 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp + 2 tsp cacao powder
shredded coconut for decoration (optional)
Melt the coconut oil by standing the jar in hot water. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tsp melted coconut oil, sunflower butter, honey, and vanilla. Add the almond meal, sprinkle with cinnamon and ashwagandha, and stir to combine. Cover and place in the freezer for 45 minutes.
Cover a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Meanwhile, make the chocolate coating in a bowl by whisking with a fork the remaining 3 tbsp coconut oil with the maple syrup and cacao powder. Prepare it for dipping by placing the bowl inside a larger bowl of warm water. This will keep the coating from solidifying while you work. Take care not to get any water inside the chocolate.
With the chilled sunflower butter mixture, shape 1-inch balls and drop them, one at a time, into the chocolate. Using two spoons, roll the ball until it is totally coated, then lift it out and lay it on the papered cookie sheet. If desired, sprinkle coconut over the top before coating hardens.
Keep refrigerated until serving.
NOTE: These truffles contain ashwagandha, an adapto-genic herb known for its ability to nourish the deep tissues (bone, nervous tissue, reproductive tissue) and help the body cope with stress. Due to its warming energy, its use is especially indicated in fall and winter. If you don’t have any, substitute 1 tsp almond meal for 2 tsp of the herb.
almond ginger macaroons
makes 12
With the addition of cacao nibs, these crunchy, chewy, flourless, sugarless macaroons leave nothing to be desired. Seriously! Fresh ginger adds a little kick and improves digestion. This is a great recipe to make for a holiday gathering, as they travel well in a storage container.
¾ cup almond meal
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
¼ tsp baking powder
⅛ tsp salt
¼ cup dehydrated sugarcane or coconut sugar
2 tbsp cacao nibs
1 egg or 1 flax “egg” (see below)
1½ tbsp coconut oil
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp finely grated fresh gingerroot
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with coconut oil.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat the egg with a fork until fluffy.
Stir the oil, vanilla, and ginger into the egg. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined.
Use a large spoon to drop in tablespoon-size balls 2–3 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Press each ball down gently with a fork to flatten the bottom. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned. Cool before removing from the sheet.
To make 1 flax “egg”: In a blender carafe, combine 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds with 3 tbsp water and blend on high for 2 minutes.
chocolate bark
The joys of melting chocolate chips and sprinkling different nuts and fruits over them to make bark at holiday time can never be underestimated. This love inspired me to create a recipe made with beneficial fat and unrefined sugar. May the spirit of the holidays live on without challenging your gut.
½ cup coconut oil, melted
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup finely ground cacao powder
1 tsp cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger powder or 1 drop pure peppermint oil (optional)
dried cranberries, chopped nuts, hemp seeds, orange zest, candied ginger (note: candied ginger often contains white sugar), or dried lavender for decoration
Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
Whisk together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, cacao powder, and spice powder or peppermint oil, if using, in a medium bowl. If your kitchen is chilly, you must move quickly so the chocolate doesn’t begin to harden or else stand the bowl inside a larger bowl of hot water while you work.
Pour the chocolate mixture onto the paper-lined baking sheet and spread with a spatula to make a ¼-inch layer. Sprinkle your decorations on top. Refrigerate until hard, about 20 minutes. You should be able to touch the chocolate without leaving a fingerprint. Remove from the refrigerator and break into pieces with your hands—it works better than chopping.
Keep bark refrigerated so it doesn’t melt.
NOTE: Coconut oil has been separated from the meat and fiber of the nut. Coconut butter is the meat of the coconut and its naturally occurring oil blended together. The body is likely to absorb the pure oil better; however, your bark will hold solid at temperatures below 76 degrees if you substitute coconut butter for the oil in this recipe. If you plan to take your bark out at a party or make it for gifts, it will be more stable at room temperature if made with coconut butter.
stuffed dates
serves 2
Sweet tooth got you? Need to whip up a quick dessert? These fancy dates are dense, moist, and deeply satisfying without containing any refined ingredients. Dates are known as an aphrodisiac in Ayurveda, and they increase rajas, or excitability of the mind. Best enjoyed in moderation, Stuffed Dates contain minerals, fats, and natural sweetness that bolster the system through the cold months.
4 Medjool dates
4 tsp raw almond butter
4 whole almonds or cashews
dash of Everyday Sweet Spice Mix or cinnamon
Cut a 1-inch slice lengthwise in each date and remove the pit. Stuff 1 tsp almond butter into each slit, letting it stick out the top a bit. Press an almond or cashew into the almond butter.
To serve, arrange the dates on a plate and sprinkle a dash of spice mix or cinammon over all.
winter digestive tea
serves 2
This tea is a true winter warmer for the body. Cumin is known for its ability to help the body eliminate mucus—especially helpful in late winter, when mucus begins to accumulate.
2 cups water
½-inch piece fresh gingerroot
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp cinnamon
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Coarsely chop the gingerroot and add to the water; don’t worry about removing the skin. Add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and cinnamon to the water. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes or longer if you prefer a strong flavor.
Strain hot tea into two mugs for serving. Take 6 ounces with or after meals.
serves 2
Traditionally this tonic is taken in the evening, sometimes with the addition of building herbs, such as a teaspoon of ashwagandha, to support ojas, the nutrient “cream” of our bodies. If you are a smoothie maker, try this warm variety in place of cold, fruity versions, which freeze the gut and make you cold. Serve as a filling breakfast, a rich dessert, or a tempting snack for kids. Those who don’t tolerate dairy products can substitute any nondairy milk.
3–4 Medjool dates
10 almonds, soaked overnight
1 cup whole milk or Everyday Almond Milk
½ tsp Everyday Sweet Spice Mix
1 tsp ashwagandha (optional)
In a small bowl, soak the dates in warm water for 20 minutes. Remove the pits from the soaked dates.
Drain the almonds and remove the skins. They will slide right off between your fingers after soaking.
In a small saucepan, warm the dates, almonds, milk, spice mix, and ashwagandha, if using, on medium heat. When the milk is hot, remove from heat and blend with an immersion hand blender to smoothie consistency or process in a blender carafe until almonds and dates disappear.
Serve in a big mug. You’ve got a warm winter smoothie!
NOTE: Some find 1 cup of whole milk to be a bit too heavy or fatty for the digestive system. Rather than buy denatured, reduced fat milk, just dilute the whole milk with water to the consistency you prefer.
masala chai
serves 4
Some things should never be compromised. The perfect cup of chai offers a joie de vivre not to be tampered with. This recipe contains cow’s milk, a healthy dose of sweetener, and black tea “dust,” the Indian type of finely ground black tea leaves. Over the years, I have made many milk-free and caffeine-free variations: chai with rooibos, green tea, soy milk, almond milk—you name it. But I simply must offer you the real thing. You can omit the tea and still have a beneficial spiced milk, an excellent dessert. Do enjoy playing with this chai recipe, and soon you will make it your own with a unique choice of spices.
4 cups water
1 cup whole milk
1½ tbsp Indian-style fine tea dust or 3 tbsp loose leaf black tea (Brooke Bond Red Label is the choice of most Indian households)
2 tbsp coconut sugar
BASIC CHAI SPICES
½ tsp ginger powder or freshly grated ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
5 green cardamom pods, crushed
FANCIER ADDITIONS
2 whole cloves
½ tsp fennel seeds
dash of nutmeg (powdered or freshly ground)
My Secret Ingredient: 1 tsp coriander powder
In a medium-size saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add all of the spices. Turn the heat down to low and simmer the spices for 10 minutes minimum. Turn the heat up to medium, add the milk, bring the liquid just to a boil again, and turn the heat down to low. Add the tea and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Do take care, because once you add the milk it can foam up suddenly. Do not leave it unattended until you are sure it’s on a gentle simmer and not going to boil over. If I had a buck for every time I’ve blown up the chai pot . . . I’m trying to save you from the same fate. Simmer, uncovered, for 5–7 minutes. (The shorter time produces less caffeine and less drying astringency.) Take off the heat and pour through a fine strainer into another pot.
To serve, ladle into 4 small chai mugs from the new pot.
NOTE: I often bring 1 cup of water to boil the night before, add the spices, turn off the heat, and then let them steep overnight. In the morning, I add the milk, the rest of the water, and bring to a boil again.
ON MY SECRET INGREDIENT
Most self-respecting chai wallahs have a secret ingredient, and I am divulging mine. I picked this up from a yoga teacher in Rishikesh in 1998. He called his chai, with the addition of liver-boosting coriander powder, “yogi tea.” I was sold and have made chai with this spice ever since.
saffron lassi
serves 2
The flavor of a Saffron Lassi is subtle, yet exotic. The golden color is pleasing and invigorating. The stigmas, or fine threads of the saffron plant’s flowers, are prized for their aphrodisiac and rejuvenating qualities—both of which we can use in the winter. I haven’t called for saffron in many recipes, as it is expensive and not easy to find. But in this case, it’s worth a try.
¼ cup organic whole milk yogurt
1 cup water, room temperature
1 pinch saffron threads
1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
In a 16-ounce wide-mouth mason jar, churn all the ingredients together for 1 minute with a hand blender, or use a carafe blender.
Pour into 2 glasses and serve at room temperature.
winter ayurvedic spice mix and salts
Welcome, winter spices! Salt, sweet, and sour are the tastes that ease the winter. Both of the blends here contain a hearty dose of salt and a bit of natural sweetness to go nicely with all your winter cooking. Winter is the time of year to be generous with spices.
WINTER SPICE MIX
makes ¼ cup
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp turmeric powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp dehydrated sugarcane
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp black pepper (optional)
Dry roast the coriander and cumin seeds in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until you can smell them, a few minutes. Cool completely. Combine with the other ingredients and grind to a uniform consistency in a spice-dedicated coffee grinder or by hand with a mortar and pestle.
Store in a small glass spice jar with a shaker top.
WINTER SALTS
makes 1/3 cup
2 tbsp dried rosemary
2 tbsp dried marjoram or oregano
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp dehydrated sugarcane or maple sugar
1 tbsp black pepper
Mix the dried herbs, salt, sugar, and pepper together in a small glass shaker jar. Grind in a mortar and pestle first, if needed, to a uniform consistency. Many of the recipes in this section call for Winter Salts; however, you may also choose to keep the jar on the dining table as a condiment.
Keep a fresh pepper grinder on the table in winter and spring, filled with tricolored peppercorns. You can use it to grind 1 tablespoon for this recipe.
green mango ginger chutney
makes 16 ounces
Shopping for green mangoes always signals the beginning of a beautiful thing. Pick mangoes that are quite hard and have a fully green skin. When I am ready to make a big batch of this chutney for a winter’s month, I plan it on a day when I can be home long enough to boil the cauldron for a while. A few hours of chutney preparation gives you a bounty of flavor that lasts for weeks in the refrigerator. I recommend making this chutney towards late winter, when sweet, sour, and spicy qualities are appropriate. Put on some tunes and lose yourself in the rhythm of dicing for a while.
4 green mangoes
optional heat: 2 small green chilies or ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
4-inch piece fresh gingerroot
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup dehydrated sugarcane
optional neutral spices: 1 tsp cinnamon, cumin, and/or coriander powder
Peel and chop the green mangoes into 1-inch cubes, small enough to cook down easily.
Chop the chilies up very small, if using. Remove some of the seeds if you want a less spicy chutney, without compromising the flavor.
Peel and chop up the gingerroot into skinny, ½-inch sticks, so the fibers of the root are in small pieces.
In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients together and simmer on low heat, uncovered, until the mixture reaches a jamlike consistency, an hour or so. All the ingredients could also be simmered in a slow cooker overnight.
Cool and transfer to a 16-ounce mason jar, keep refrigerated.
NOTE: I recommend adding the optional heat or, for those with a hot internal environment, the optional neutral spices—but not both. Although that could be tasty, it would mean there’s a lot going on in one condiment.
tomato date chutney
makes 16 ounces
This Punjab-inspired recipe is a great way to use home-canned tomatoes preserved from the summer garden. Fenugreek keeps the liver functioning well as the winter wears on. Try this chutney as an accent for dosa or alongside rice dishes. Tomato Date Chutney will keep for a week in the refrigerator.
1 tsp ghee
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 cups home-canned tomatoes
6 deglet noor dates, pitted
1 tsp salt
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Melt the ghee in a medium-size frying pan or wide saucepan on medium heat. Toast the fenugreek seeds in the ghee, stirring constantly, until you can smell them, 2–3 minutes. Add tomatoes and salt to the ghee and stir to combine. Chop the dates into ¼-inch rounds and add to pan. Turn the heat down to low and simmer, uncovered, until the dates almost disappear, 15–20 minutes. Stir a few times while it simmers. When the chutney has reached a jamlike consistency, take off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
Let it cool and transfer to a 16-ounce glass mason jar for storage—but try some hot with dosa before you put it away!
miso sesame dressing
makes 2–3 servings
Four of the six tastes are represented in this kingly condiment. Sesame’s triple taste of sweet, bitter, and pungent, mixed with the sour of miso, creates a very balanced dressing, especially when served with the bitter, astringent tastes of dark leafy greens. Make this pairing a winter staple.
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp red miso dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
¼ cup sesame oil (raw or refined for medium heat, not toasted)
¼ cup rice vinegar
½ tsp ginger powder
½ tsp cumin powder
dash of ume plum vinegar (optional)
In a small frying pan, toast the sesame seeds over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until they begin to brown, just a few minutes.
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together with a fork or shake in an 8-ounce mason jar.
This dressing will keep for a week in the refrigerator. To serve, shake or stir vigorously before drizzling over an Everyday Steamed Salad Bowl, Red Lentil Pâté, sautéed greens, or cooked grains.
AYURVEDA AND FERMENTED FOODS
Fermented foods, such as miso and vinegar, increase heat in the body and balance stomach acid levels. Ferments are meant as a condiment only and can cause imbalance when taken in excess. Those whose digestive systems tend toward acidic might avoid fermented foods altogether or consume them as a strictly medicinal part of the diet in a 1 tbsp serving size.
In Ayurveda, fermented dairy products, such as buttermilk and homemade cheese, called “paneer,” are a regular part of the diet. Pickled fruits and vegetables may be served in small quantities (1–2 tsp) to enliven the digestion in cold and rainy weather, while a few ounces of fresh buttermilk often appear at the end of midday meals (see Everyday Digestive Lassi, page 106).
In the Western diet, vinegar, wine, pickles, kombucha, aged cheeses, sauerkraut, and kimchi are often served in quantities that are less medicinal than they are habitual. Too much of a good thing—in this case, the sharp, penetrating qualities of fermentation—can cause a rise in the internal climate, which can promote imbalance in some cases.
Finally, remember that the longer something sits around, the more sour its taste. Traditional ferments are usually homemade and fresh, not store bought. Introduce fermented foods into the diet with moderation and find a local provider or learn how to make small batches at home.