Ayurveda Cooking Class

So while normally each morning is immersion into the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga (Mysore style) we had a special treat recently on our Full Moon, of an Ayurveda Cooking Class. Our daily meals are delicious Kerala style meals, with Ayurveda menu items, as suggested by our beautiful Ayurveda Doctor. Since everyone has been enjoying the meals, part of our experience included a lovely Ayurveda Cooking Class. Our amazing Ayurveda Chef, a fellow Malayalee made some amazing food items.

The menu included:

1. Beet Root Rice
2. Snake Gord Thoran
3. Pineapple Curry
4. Payassam (dessert)

The food was delicious!

Supermodel Yogic Diet - Coconut Oil

So while many people embrace yoga for various reasons, it is also important to maintain a clean diet. Clean diet can include veggies, fruits and "good fats". A common staple growing up for me was the use of coconut oil. Coconut oil was the oil of choice for every food prepared or cooked, it was like how people use "butter" in the Western part of the world. The irony of this was mostly all of my relatives consumed a healthy amount of food with dietary staples like (Sambar, Dahl, Vegetable Thorin, Rice etc) all made with a coconut oil, and everyone of my relatives and neighbors were slim and healthy. It was not until Western Scientists deemed that Coconut oil contributed to high levels of Cholestorol, that many Indians made a switch to Sunflower or Olive Oil.

The switch altered the taste of the food, and I noticed how my relatives and neighbors were changing their body structure. Coconut oil and coconut water has many medicinal values for the human body. When taken internally it is a healthy fat which our body needs for cellular function. It also provides Vitamin E and K, and high amounts or minerals and high amounts of Iron. While it is an oil that has been extensively used in Ayurveda, it is especially a wonderful oil for those in the Ayurveda Dosha type of Pitta, as it has wonderful cooling properties. This "medium chain triglyceride fat assimilates well in the body. According to research antibacterial, anti fungal, anti microbial, and anti oxidant properties are rich in Coconut Oil which is attributed to the high amounts of lauric acid, and capric acid.

The Ayurveda research concludes that Coconut oil when applied topically sinks into the subcutaneous levels of the skin to break apart fat particles and give a smooth glowing appearance. Coconut oil was also used in our hair, basically in most every Indian girls hair to provide nourishment to the scalp and hair follicles, and perhaps the reasons for strong, shinny, healthy hair. It can be used like conditioner or a leave in treatment.

If you are worried about consuming coconut oil and it's high caloric count, well Mirranda Kerr (Victoria Secrets Supermodel) consumes 4 tbs a day, and she is, ummmm, well she is pretty slender. If anything, try it out, and consult your doctor to discover your cholesterol level before making any switch. The reality is, if you add coconut oil to your diet and you are still consuming McDonalds or various other popular weaponized foods, you may want to blame other dietary sources for your cholesterol levels or weight loss hurdles. Find the foods that give you optimal energy, optimal taste, optimal beauty, and optimal longevity for a healthy life.

Yogini Kitchen - Simple Kitchari Recipe

After introducing a Dosha Workshop at Bamboomoves a few of the participants approached me, requesting a "Kitchari Recipe" I had given them. Kitchari (pronounced Kitc-a-ree)is a nourishing meal that is essentially made of 50% basmati rice and 50% split yellow mung dal, with some spices for flavor. The meal is commonly used in Ayurveda to heal and cleanse the system. This high protein meal is suitable for all three Dosha types: Vata, Pita and Kapha. While there are a variety of recipes available, my simple Kitchari Recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice

1 cup yellow split mung dal

1 small handful cilantro leaves, chopped

6 cups water
1 cup of LOVE

Directions: With plenty of water wash the rice and mung dal at least twice. If you have time, soak the mung dal for a few hours prior to cooking, to soften and help with digestion. Add rice, dal, cilantro, and LOVE to the water in a pot. Bring pot to a boil, boil for 6 minutes uncovered, and stir. Once the water is not covering the rice & mung dal, lower the heat, and cover the pot. Cook until tender and water is absorbed.

Additional spices you can add for yummy taste after the recipe boils: salt, 1/2 tsp tumeric, 2-3 cinnamon sticks, 1 tsp fennel, 1 tsp cumin.