Kitchen Pharmacy. There are also some staples that you can find in many healthy kitchens the world over.

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1 Kitchen Pharmacy It s no surprise that with the emphasis on digestion, Ayurveda turns to the kitchen for maintaining and recovering health. Foods and spices are the simplest and most accessible medicines, and they have no side effects. Each constitutional type has somewhat unique needs in terms of which foods and spices will help them stay most nourished and bright, but there are some foods that work well for any constitution in a healthy state. These include: rice, mung beans, ghee, apples, goat meat, cow s milk, many fruits and many vegetables. There are also some staples that you can find in many healthy kitchens the world over. Ghee We talk a lot about ghee in Ayurveda. It s one of the best oils to cook with for lots of good reasons. First of all, what is it? Ghee is clarified cultured butter (butter that has been separated out from yogurt) that has then been cooked over a low-medium heat until the water has been evaporated out. During this process, the casein and the lactose have solidified and separated out of the pure milk fat. Ghee has a very well balanced combination of saturated and unsaturated fats. Fat contents and proportions vary a bit throughout the year and depending upon the cow, but the proportions are about 65% saturated fats, 25% monounsaturated fats and about 5% polyunsaturated fat content. Most of the saturated fat is made up of short chain fatty acids and about 3% of that is linoleic acid which has antioxidant properties. Ghee also has a very high smoke point (485 degrees Farenheit), which makes it a very good cooking oil for all cooking styles. When an oil starts to smoke and burn, it releases free radicals which damage cells. Since ghee has a high smoke point, it can be heated higher without this danger. In fact, ghee is very protective of cell membranes and can even repair damage to the membranes. From the Ayurvedic perspective, ghee is special because it s the only fat that strengthens the digestive fire. Its subtlety allows it to penetrate deeply into the tissues of the body to increase lubrication and cool inflammation. Ayurveda prizes ghee as the most important medicine for pitta dosha.

2 Making Ghee Ingredients: 1 lb. unsalted cultured butter Put butter in a heavy pot with a rather thick bottom and high sides. Melt the butter over medium-low heat. When the melted butter starts boiling, it begins to foam and sputter a lot. Continue boiling (on a low boil) with the butter uncovered over medium-low heat. After the butter has melted, the cooking time is about 20 minutes, but this can vary depending on the heat source, the kind of pot you use and the water content of the butter. While boiling, small white curds appear on the surface, and the amount of foam decreases. The solids progressively settle on the bottom of the pot. Pay attention to the sputtering; the melted butter should boil in a way that you hear constant regular sizzling and spitting sounds. Stay close by so you can hear it and smell it as it cooks. As the butter ghee continues boiling, you'll notice that it becomes more transparent. From time to time, use a wooden spoon to gently move the foam on the top to the side (without stirring) to check the transparency of the melted butter. When the clarified butter has a golden transparent color and there is very little foam left on the surface, the ghee is ready. All solids should have settled in the bottom by now; lift the pot and tip it to one side to see if they have. You'll also notice a sweet popcorn-like smell, and that the sputtering and crackling sound has changed quality to more of a sizzling sound. Take it off the heat at once as it can burn easily. Allow the ghee too cool for a few minutes. Pour the golden liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a glass jar. Discard the brownish curds at the bottom of the pot.

3 Congee or Grain Porridge Also called konyi in parts of India, porridges made from spiced grains and water are served to anyone when digestion is a bit compromised. Variations are used for new moms as a post-partum recovery meal, for babies as their first solid food, and during any period of convalescence such as from illness or surgery. Congee can be made with just about any grain, although rice is quite common. The basic recipe is 1 part grain to anywhere from 4-10 parts liquid (water, bone broth, even milk). This dish is also the basis for the well-known Ayurvedic cleansing meal of Kitchari, which usually consists of a blend of rice and mung beans. Porridges like this allow the digestive system to relax a bit and help the body to release toxins and tension. In addition, since many of us sometimes have a hard time telling the difference between hunger and boredom, eating Kitchari or congee for a day or 2 can help us to sort out that confusion. During a cleanse period, Kitchari serves as a satisfying meal that fulfills all your nutritional needs while your body focuses on clearing out. Basic Rice Congee (makes 4 servings) ½ c. rice 2 c. 5 c. of liquid (water, broth, stock) ½ tsp. salt Rinse rice until the water runs clear. Place rice, salt and liquid of choice into a thick-bottomed pot and bring to a brief boil. Reduce heat and allow porridge to simmer until the liquid is thick and whitish and the rice has started to swell and lose shape. Rice porridge can be made as thick or as thin as you like it. During periods of recovery from digestive illnesses, a higher proportion of water makes the congee much easier to digest. In cases of extreme nausea with loose bowels and vomiting, you can even make it very watery and serve just the liquid portion. Water, vegetable stock or bone stock may be used in the recipe, but since water is a bit lighter on digestion, it s the best choice in the first stages of recovery. This can be a great breakfast, especially in the autumn and winter. For a more nourishing and substantial meal, many things can be added to the basic recipe. Some suggestions include: Dried mushrooms Goji berries Burdock root Pine nuts Chopped vegetables

4 Breakfast Congee (serves 2) ¼ lb ground meat 2 tbsp finely chopped onion or leek ¼ tsp teaspoon turmeric ¼ tsp ground coriander ¼ - ½ teaspoon salt ¾ c chopped vegetables ¼ c uncooked rice 3 c water, vegetable broth or bone stock 1-2 teaspoons ghee or oil Rinse rice until water runs clear. Heat the ghee on low to medium heat and add onions, coriander and turmeric. When the onions begin to become translucent add the meat and cook until the meat is just browned. Add meat mixture, vegetables, rice, water (broth or stock) and salt to a deep pot. Bring to a brief boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue cooking until rice begins to lose shape and congee texture evens out. Serve topped with fresh herbs or a small serving of pickled vegetables. Basic Kitchari or Mung Bean Congee (makes 4 servings) ½ c. mung dal (peeled mung beans) 1 large piece kombu seaweed (optional reduces gas) ½ c. basmati or jasmine rice 1-2 tbsp. Ghee or coconut oil ½ tsp. cumin powder ½ tsp. coriander powder ½ tsp. turmeric ¼ tsp. ginger powder ¼ tsp. black or white pepper ¾ tsp. rock or sea salt (to taste) 5-6 c. water ½ c. chopped veggies: carrots, broccoli, sweet potato, leek etc. (optional) Rinse mung dal well, several times, and place in a bowl with the piece of kombu seaweed. Cover with filtered or spring water and let soak min. Drain water and remove seaweed. Rinse again until water runs clear. Rinse rice until water runs clear and then leave to soak for min.

5 Add ghee to a deep, thick-bottomed pot. Heat on medium and then add cumin, coriander and turmeric, toasting them slightly. If using leeks, add to spices and ghee and sauté until soft. Strain mung beans and rice and add them to the pot. Toss to coat with spices and ghee. Add water, salt, ginger and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add optional veggies. Stirring frequently, cook minutes, or until the rice and mung beans have broken down and lost their shape. Remove from heat and serve topped with fresh cilantro, or other fresh herbs. If you bored of the traditional Indian blend of herbs, you can really use almost any culinary herbs or spices. The addition of the herbs boosts your agni, and just about every herb and spice used in cooking traditions around the world have this effect. I ve used thyme, rosemary and white pepper, to name a few, with great results. Baby s First Porridge or Baby Kitchari (15-20 servings) This is the traditional first food offered to babies when they begin weaning from exclusively breast-feeding. You should use split yellow mung beans (mung dal) instead of the whole green ones for this recipe. The green outer skin is too fibrous for little bellies. 2 tbsp split, peeled mung beans ½ c. basmati or jasmine rice Rinse beans and rice until the water runs clear and then lay out to dry on a plate or towel. Once completely dry, toast in a dry pan over a medium flame for 5 minutes. These two steps can be made a bit shorter by drying the mung and rice for an hour or so on a paper towel and then spreading on a cookie sheet. Toast in a low-heat oven until dry and slightly browned (about minutes). Grind toasted rice and beans in a spice grinder or blender (or a well-washed coffee grinder) into a coarse powder. Store in a clean, dry glass jar. To prepare: Place 1-2 tsp. powder in a small saucepan with 1-2 c. water. Add a pinch of salt and ¼ tsp. ghee. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on a very low flame until the cereal becomes a thick porridge. In the beginning, it might be helpful to thin out the porridge with some breast milk or formula.

6 Broth and Stock Bone broth or stock forms a central part of traditional cuisines all over the world. Besides adding rich flavor, it brings a host of minerals and vitamins into the dishes cooked with it. Long-cooked bone stock also has gelatin and collagen in it which strengthen the bones, hair and nails and greatly aid digestion while soothing the digestive tract. The same property by which gelatin attracts water to form desserts, like Jello, allows it to attract digestive juices to the surface of food particles. One of my teachers referred to gelatin as a major component of the topsoil of the digestive tract. This topsoil provides excellent conditions for the growth and maintenance of beneficial bacteria in your gut. Bone broth can also ease joint pain and soothe inflammation. Stock can form the base for a soup, but when reduced, it can also be used as the base for a rich and nutritious sauce, as in much of classical French cooking. You can even cook your grains using stock instead of water. Look for knuckle bones at your butcher shop. These are usually hip joints and have lots of collagen and gelatin that will cook down into your stock. It is also pretty important to use bones from organic, or at least grass-fed/free range animals for bone stock. You can use just about any animal bones for making stock. My favorites are goat, lamb, beef and chicken, but duck, pork and turkey work great too. Always preserves the turkey or chicken bones after roasting a whole bird!. Each animal has slightly different qualities, so you'll want to keep that in mind so that you can get the best results possible. Depending upon the season and on the type of bones you are using, you can cook your bone stock for as short as 4-6 hours or as long as 36 hours. Smaller, more delicate bones need much less time to release their nutrients into the stock. In the fall and winter, roasting the bones before simmering them and then cooking them for upwards of 12 hours adds an extra warming quality to the stock, helping us to stay warmer through the cold weather. For example, fish and chicken bones are delicate and their flavor will deteriorate if they are over-cooked. Chicken bones should not be cooked for more than 4-5 hours and fish bones of oily fish should not simmer longer then 1 hour. Beef bones will take 8 hours or more to release their full flavor and nutrient punch. In the fall and winter, roasted beef bones could cook for 24 hours or much more. You might also be surprised at just how much nutrition the bones will release. Try cooking a second (or even third) batch of stock using the same bones over again.

7 Beef stock and Duck stock gently warming (but not heating), moistening and heavy. Good for the autumn and the winter. Pork stock warming, moistening and heavier than beef stock. Good for autumn and winter. Chicken stock lighter and more heating. Useful for the end of winter and all of spring. Lamb stock heavy and warming, making it more suited to winter. To enhance the healing and nourishing benefits of your bone broth, you can add medicinal and digestive supporting herbs to your pot. In the autumn, one great addition is astragalus, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb which supports lung immunity. You can find astragalus online (I like Mayway Herbs in Oakland, CA). You could also add black pepper, mustard seeds, fenugreek, sage, rosemary, basil, tarragon, bay leaf or thyme an hour or 2 before the end of cooking to support digestion and help maintain body temperature as the weather gets colder. You will need a large, heavy bottomed stock pot or a crock pot so that the broth can cook for many hours without getting burned. Nourishing Bone Stock Ingredients: lbs beef bones c Water few pinches Salt 1/8 c vinegar or rice wine Optional additions: herbs augment digestion and immunity chicken feet excellent source of collagen for joint healing and skin health. Chop the bones according to their cooking time large pieces for long cooking times and small pieces for quick cooking. If you buy knuckle bones at the butcher, you can ask them to do this for you. Optional: For a more hearty autumn and winter stock, roast the bones in a hot oven or sauté in a cast iron pan before transferring to them a stockpot. Deglaze the roasting dish or frying pan by adding water or wine to the pan and add this liquid to the stockpot. This will result in a darker (and more internally warming) stock. If you deglaze with wine, you can skip the addition of vinegar.

8 Place bones, vinegar and salt in pot with water. Allow the pot to sit for about an hour. The addition of the vinegar helps to draw the minerals out of the bones and into solution. Bring the water to a boil and then turn the heat to the lowest setting and allow stock to simmer. In the first hour or so of cooking, a foamy gunk will rise to the surface a couple of times. Lift this off the stock with a spoon. You can also buy a stock skimmer if you plan on making stock often (and you should!). Once you have removed this gunk, you can transfer the stock to a crockpot if you would like to. This works especially well if you plan to be away from home or if you don't have a large stockpot. Add vegetables or delicate herbs about one hour before the end of cooking. After allowing the stock to cool for 30 minutes or so, strain stock into a cool pot or bowl for cooling. You can place the stock in the refrigerator or in an ice bath in the sink to bring the temperature down more quickly. Transfer cooled broth into glass jars with airtight lids. The stock can be kept in refrigerator for up to 4 or 5 days or in freezer for up to 2 months. If it was prepared properly, the stock should gel up once it has been in the refrigerator for a few hours. If you decide to freeze the stock, you should choose jars that don t taper at all in the neck the mouth should be as wide as the sides of the jar. Only fill the jar to about an inch from the top. This will prevent the jar cracking when the frozen stock expands a bit. You can also create nutrient-packed bouillon cubes. Once the bones and herbs have been strained out, bring the stock to a boil and then reduce to a strong simmer until the volume is reduced to ¼ the original volume. Transfer the stock to a glass or metal baking pan or pie pan and refrigerate until the gelatin hardens. Slice the gelatinized stock into cubes and store in the freezer in a glass container Chicken Stock 3 ½ lbs chicken legs or 1 small, whole chicken 3 sticks celery 1 onion, with skin, halved 2 carrots 1 leek or the green part of one leek Add ingredients to stock pot or slow-cooker with 8 cups of water. Simmer, covered, for 4 hours. Strain and when cooled, skim the fat.

9 Vegetable Stock 2 large carrots, roughly chopped 1 onion, with skin, halved 3 stalks celery 2 leeks, roughly chopped 2-4 handfuls vegetable greens (beet greens, green bean ends, parsley or cilantro stems, etc.) Add ingredients to a stockpot with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours. Strain, reserving the broth and discarding the vegetables. Variations/additions: 1-1 ½ c. dried mushrooms (shiitake, snow ear, wood ear, etc.) 1-2 beets 1 parsnip 5 fresh cilantro stalks ¼ celery root, 1-2 cloves garlic 4 sprigs dill 2 bay leaves 1-2 bouquet garni bundles of fresh herbs (traditionally includes parsley, thyme, bay leaf, oregano, sage, savory, marjoram, etc.) ½ fennel bulb

10 Seasonal Eating (And Drinking) When we walk into an average grocery store these days it may be hard to tell, but the availability of fresh produce varies greatly throughout the year. Until fairly recently in human history, it was impossible to get fruit or vegetables out of season unless we canned or dried them when they were available. And while it is nice to be able to get the occasional mango or tomato in the dead of a cold, grey winter, it is best for our health if we follow, for the most part, the cycles of nature. We take a huge step towards health by buying mostly fresh vegetables and meats, but we communicate even more profoundly with nature when we buy only local and therefore seasonal produce. This makes good sense for the planet by avoiding the pollution that would be caused by transporting food over long distances. But even more personally, buying local, seasonal produce deepens your conversation with nature. Evolving alongside humans, plants developed to be rich in the qualities we need when we live in the environment where they become ripe. For each season and weather pattern it makes sense to modify your diet and lifestyle to guard your body against the effects of extreme weather conditions while taking advantage of the environmental conditions which support health and cleansing in the body. For example, it is important to avoid allowing the cold and wind of winter to penetrate deep into the body so we can eat root vegetables and more meats and fats from autumn through winter to help us stay more insulted. Similarly, the natural flushing and clearing of spring-time can be used to great benefit to help the body to clear out, so we can take advantage of the blood-cleansing and organfunction-stimulating qualities of foods like young spring greens and burdock.

11 Spring (Kapha-Clearing) In spring our focus is on allowing the excess kapha we needed for insulation in the winter to clear out of the body. For this reason, spring diet recommendations seek to reduce heavy, moist and cold qualities. The emphasis is on bitter, astringent and pungent foods that are light, dry and easy to digest. Certain foods will exacerbate spring-time health issues because they are sour or heavy to digest. It helps to avoid or limit your consumption of: Alcohol Nuts Cheese Nut butters Cold drinks Pastries Cow s milk Rice (sticky rice, sushi rice) Fermented foods Sugar Fried foods Tomatoes Ice Cream Vinegar Mangoes Wheat Melons Yogurt Some useful springtime foods to choose include: Vegetables o Alfalfa sprouts o Artichoke o Asparagus o Bean sprouts o Beets o Bell peppers o Bitter melon o Broccoli o Brussels sprouts o Burdock root o Cabbage o Carrots o Cauliflower o Celery o Cilantro o Collard greens o Corn o Daikon o Endive o Fennel o Garlic o Ginger o Green beans o Greens esp. small ones o Jicama o Kale o Leeks o Lettuce o Mushrooms o Mustard greens o Onions o Parsley o Peas o Radishes o Snow peas o Spaghetti Squash o Spinach o Swiss chard o Turnips o Watercress

12 Fruits o Apples o Blueberries o Dried fruit o Grapefruit o Lemons, limes Grains o Amaranth o Barley o Basmati rice o Buckwheat o Corn Legumes o All sprouted beans o Adzuki o Black gram (urud dal) o Garbanzo o Fava o Kidney o Lentils o Pears o Pomegranates o Raspberries o Strawberries o Millet o Oats (dry) o Quinoa o Brown rice, long grain o Rye o Lima o Mung beans o Mung dal (split and peeled) o Red lentils o Split pea Nuts and Seeds o Pine nuts o Sunflower seeds o Pumpkin seeds Dairy o Ghee (in moderation) o Rice/Oat/Almond milk o Goat milk Meat o Chicken o Freshwater fish o Goat o Rabbit o Turkey o Venison

13 Oils (mostly internal) o Flax o Olive o Sunflower Beverages o Alfalfa tea o Black tea (in moderation) o Burdock tea o Chamomile tea o Chicory tea o Coffee (in moderation) o Dandelion tea o Ginger tea o Green tea (especially Matcha) o Hibiscus tea o Mead (honey wine) o Mint tea o Raspberry leaf tea o Strawberry leaf tea Herbs and Spices (almost all herbs and spices are good) o Anise o Garlic o Asafoetida o Ginger o Basil o Marjoram o Bay leaf o Mustard seed o Black pepper o Nutmeg o Caraway o Oregano o Cardamom o Peppermint o Cayenne (in o Poppy seeds moderation) o Rosemary o Cinnamon o Saffron o Clove o Sage o Coriander o Spearmint o Cumin o Tarragon o Dill o Thyme o Fennel o Turmeric o Fenugreek Sweeteners o Honey, local, raw o Maple syrup

14 Summer (Pitta-Pacifying) The recommendations for summertime focus on reducing heat, intensity and sharpness, in other words, excess pitta. In the hot months, the emphasis is on sweet, bitter and astringent foods that are cool, moist and light, all of which reduce heat in the body. Avoid or reduce your intake of: Alcohol the sour taste and transformative nature of the alcohol increases pitta. If you choose to drink alcohol, protect your body by mixing it with lots of water. Garlic, chilies and other pungent herbs and spices Excess meat eating Fermented foods (pickles, yogurt, pungent cheeses) Citrus (except for limes) Honey Some particularly useful cooling summer foods: White rice Milk Ghee Red grapes Young coconut water. Pomegranate Leafy (bitter) Greens their bitter taste stimulates agni Bitter Melon Burdock Root cools and cleanses the blood Melons (but, not within 2 hours of other food!) Venison, rabbit, quail, pheasant, goat, fish (especially fresh-water) Mushrooms moisten and ground the body Water Chestnuts cool and moisten Hibiscus Tea (without lemon, cloves or cinnamon) Chrysantemum tea Chamomile tea Lotus Root and Lotus Seed A more complete list of summer (pitta-pacifying) foods: Fruits o apples o apricots o avocado o cherries (sweet) o coconut o dates

15 o figs (fresh) o grapes (red and purple) o limes o mangoes o melons (but, not within 2 hours of other food!) Vegetables o asparagus o beets (cooked) o bitter melon o burdock root o cabbage (cooked) o carrots (cooked) o cauliflower o cilantro o daikon o fennel o green beans o Jerusalem artichoke o Jicama Grains o amaranth o kamut o mung bean threads (glass noodles) o quinoa Legumes o lentils (red, French, green, brown) o mung beans Animal products o beef o buffalo o chicken o duck o eggs (especially duck) o fish (freshwater) o papaya o pineapples (sweet) o plums (sweet) o Pomegranate o prunes (soaked) o raisins o leafy greens (esp. bitter) o leeks o lettuce o lotus root and lotus seed o mushrooms o okra o parsnips o peas (cooked) o sprouts o squash (summer) o water chestnuts o watercress o rice (white, sticky) o sprouted wheat bread o sweet potato noodles o wheat pasta, flat breads, etc. o garbanzo beans o adzuki beans o goat meat o pork o quail o rabbit o shrimp o venison

16 Dairy o butter (unsalted) o cottage cheese o ghee Nuts and seeds o almonds (soaked and peeled) o coconut o goat cheese o milk (goat and cow) o mozzarella cheese o flax seeds o pumpkin seeds o sunflower seeds Oils (internal and external) o coconut oil o ghee o olive oil Beverages o almond milk o aloe vera juice o apple juice (diluted) o chamomile tea o chrysantemum tea o coconut juice o dandelion tea o grape juice o hibiscus tea (w/o lemon, cloves or cinnamon) Herbs and Spices o basil (fresh) o black pepper o caraway o cardamom o coriander (leaf and seed) o cumin o dill o fennel o fenugreek o lemon balm tea o licorice tea o nettle tea o pear nectar o peppermint tea o pomegranate juice o prune juice o red raspberry leaf tea o rice milk o ginger (fresh) o mint o orange peel o parsley o rock salt o saffron o tarragon o turmeric o vanilla

17 Autumn (Vata-Calming) The recommendations for autumn focus on reducing dryness, roughness and cold (or excess vata) and in keeping agni strong and stable. As the weather gets colder, the emphasis should increase on eating sweet, sour and salty foods that are warm, heavy, oily and moist. Particularly sweet flavor should be emphasized. Because the air is so dry and mobile in the autumn, it is also important to protect the lungs in this season. Avoid or reduce your intake of: Dry, crunchy foods (crackers, chips, ricecakes, etc) Raw food (salads) Processed foods Caffeine Some particularly useful autumn foods: Naturally fermented vegetables aid in grain digestion and add sweet, sour and salty taste to your plate. Young wines (in moderation) support digestion this time of year. The type of wines used should be sweet (indicating that the fermentation process hasn t entirely digested the sugars). Pears moisten the lungs without making them too damp, easing breathing and helping to move phlegm before it accumulates. Great cooked with herbs. Persimmons help to dissolve phlegm, and reinforce the digestive energy. Persimmons are especially good when there is inflammation in the lungs with cough. Almonds reinforce the strength of the lungs. They balance all the doshas and create harmony. Soak them overnight and remove the skin, as it irritates the mucosa of the digestive tract. Turnips strengthen the lungs. Lotus Rhizome healing to lung tissue and helps alleviate damp cough. You can buy it at any Asian grocery. Astragalus and Reishii Mushroom. This combination strengthens the lungs and improves immune response and the ability to fight external attack. It also strengthens the transformation of dampness and fluids which tend to collect in the lungs. Celery good kidney, blood, and intestinal cleanser. Shitake Mushrooms rich in amino acids and are anti-viral and anti-tumor. They are protective of the liver and therefore, helpful in situations where the liver has been under stress (after illness, use of prescription or recreational drugs, etc.).

18 Some useful spices include: o Cardamom seed o Cumin seed o Fennel seed digestive aid which is not overly-heating. It can be used in sweet or savory dishes. It helps to reduce gas. o Hing (Asafoetida) very strong smelling. It is used to reduce gas in dishes with pulses and legumes. A very small amount of it is needed. Its strong smell dissipates with cooking. Once cooked, it has a pleasant, caramelized onion flavor. o Ginger fresh or dried o Turmeric warming and very healing. o Garlic use in moderation. Roasted garlic is less pitta-provoking than sautéed or raw. o Sage great addition to dishes with root vegetables. o Saffron wonderful blood/circulation medicine. It is great in savory or sweet dishes. A more complete list of autumn (vata-calming) foods: Fruits o apples (stewed) o applesauce o apricots o cherries o grapes (red and purple) o lemons o limes o peaches o prunes (soaked) o raisins (soaked) Grains o amaranth o buckwheat o mung bean noodles o oats (cooked) o quinoa o rice o seitan o spelt o wheat Legumes o adzuki beans o lentils (esp. red) Dairy o butter (unsalted) o buttermilk (homemade) o cottage cheese o cow s milk o ghee o goat cheese o goat milk o yogurt (freshly made and diluted) o mung beans

19 Animal Products o beef o buffalo o chicken o eggs (chicken and duck) o fish Vegetables o arugula o beets (cooked) o cabbage (cooked) o carrots o cauliflower o cilantro o daikon o fennel o green beans o leafy greens o leeks o mushrooms Nuts and Seeds o almonds (soaked and peeled) o flax seeds Oils (internal and external) o avocado oil o ghee o olive oil Beverages o almond milk o apple juice/cider o apricot juice o berry juice (sweet) o bone broth o fennel tea o fenugreek tea o goat o pork o rabbit o shrimp o venison o okra o onion (well cooked) o parsley o parsnips o peas (cooked) o pumpkin o radishes (cooked) o rutabaga o sweet potatoes o summer squash o winter squash o zucchini o pumpkin seeds o sesame seeds o sunflower seeds o sesame oil o sunflower oil o ginger tea o grape juice o miso broth o peppermint tea o prune juice o rice milk o vegetable broth

20 Spices (most spices are good) o basil (fresh) o black pepper o cardamom o cinnamon o coriander o cumin o dill o fennel o fenugreek o garlic o ginger (dry or fresh) o mint o orange peel o oregano o parsley o peppermint o rock salt o rosemary o saffron o tarragon o thyme o turmeric o white pepper o winter savory

21 Winter (Nourish all Doshas) In the winter, recommendations focus on making sure that you stay nourished, insulated and warm. None of the doshas are naturally aggravated during the winter, but if you don t eat enough hearty food, the cold of winter can penetrate your body and cause vata complaints. For this reason the food list for winter is pretty similar to the food list for autumn. The emphasis remains upon sweet, sour and salty foods that are warm, heavy, oily and moist. Particularly supportive winter foods include (in addition to the special autumn foods): o Winter squashes are heavy and moist and extremely nourishing. From a Chinese medicine perspective, they nourish the spleen and help to ground us. Their natural sweetness helps to satisfy the craving for sweet taste. o Sweet potatoes (and root vegetables in general) are similar to squash in their actions. Since they grow underground, they help to root us. o Lamb, pork and beef are all heavier meats. Lamb is especially warming, which can be very beneficial for vata complaints. o Chestnuts are a rich and nourishing food. They enrich soups, stews and pastries. o Miso soup with scallions in the beginning stages of a cold helps to open the channels and induce a little sweating which helps to move the illness out of the body.

22 Cooking Styles Your diet should be comprised predominantly of cooked foods but this can be supplemented with raw and pickled foods. Steam: Vata (make sure you use the water) Kapha Stir-fry/sauté: tri-dosic ( Kapha if excess oil) Baking, grilling, roasting: Vata Kapha Fry: Pitta Kapha Slow Cooking: Vata Soup, stew: tri-dosic (especially Vata) Pickling: Vata Raw: Vata Kapha Spices Using appropriate fresh spices really improves digestion. Generally, vata benefits from sour tastes and some gentle pungents although, over time, pungent taste aggravates vata. Vatas especially can make use of medicinal or digestive wines to assist agni. Bitter taste best stimulates pitta and kapha type digestive systems and pungent taste makes kapha less sluggish. Spices also help to digest ama in the system in the list below, the spices in bold are best for digesting ama for each dosa. V dry ginger, fennel, dill, cumin, lemon, lime, onion (especially caramelized), rock salt, garlic, black or white pepper, coriander, mustard seeds, fenugreek, asafoetida (used sparingly), ajwan, cardamom, mint, curry leaves, fresh sage, fresh basil, fresh ginger, turmeric, vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg P fennel, ginger (fresh, young ginger is best), bitters (Angostura bitters, gentian, neem leaves), lime, white pepper, saffron, fennel, dill, coriander, curry leaves, mint, fresh basil, turmeric, vanilla K dry ginger, black pepper, cumin, bitters, garlic, black or white pepper, pippali, coriander, mustard seeds, fenugreek, asafoetida, ajwan, cardamom, mint, curry leaves, fresh sage, fresh basil, fresh ginger, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg

23 Herbs and Spices as Medicine Almost all culinary herbs and spices from cuisines all over the world stimulate digestion, easing stomach upset and improving the absorption of food. Some have other special properties as well. Here are just a few of my favorite spices: Basil appetite stimulant, soothes upset stomach, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial Black Pepper appetite stimulant, mixed with ginger powder and honey can help drive off a cold in the early stages Coriander Seed stimulates digestions without overheating Dill as tea, soothes stomach upset Garlic anti-microbial Ginger appetite stimulant, anti-inflammatory Honey anti-microbial, scrapes the channels of excess kapha and ama. Lemon Balm soothes the nervous system, great for kids, soothes Herpes Simplex virus so can cut the duration of cold sores Mint as tea, soothes stomach upset or colic Oregano as tea, expectorant (helps the body expel phlegm), clears sinus/nasal congestion Rock Salt less heating and more earthy than sea salt, doesn t aggravate pitta in moderation Rosemary soothes stomach upset, calms migraines, eases menstrual cramps, may lower high blood pressure Sage as tea, improves appetite, eases inflammation in mouth, slows milk production in nursing women Turmeric appetite stimulant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial