Foods that support the spring season include the dark leafy greens, which are cleansing as well as nourishing. This lightly spicy dish (with ginger and turmeric) makes good use of spring greens.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons oil
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
½ tsp turmeric
1 medium carrot thinly sliced
2 cups Swiss chard coarsely chopped
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
Heat the oil and add the ginger and sesame seeds. Sauté for about one minute. Now add the turmeric and cook for 45 seconds. Add the carrots and stir-fry on medium heat for four minutes. Next add the chard and salt and stir fry for about three to four minutes. Add four tablespoons of water and cover with a tight-fitting lid and steam for about five minutes. Serve warm.
Aparna Khanolkar is the Mistress of Spice and the author of Happy Belly, Happy Soul, A Guide to Vedic Cooking: themistressofspice.com.
Book Review: Happy Belly Happy Soul, A Guide To Vedic Cooking
By Aparna Khanolkar, Reviewed By Heidi Rayden
As genetically modified food and our increasingly fast paced urban culture threatens to pull us away from connecting with our food, Happy Belly Happy Soul serves as an excellent resource to help us cook with intention and love.
Based on the ancient Ayurveda principles of Vedic food and Vedic cooking, this cookbook is full of both unique recipes and useful explanations that will help you increase your awareness about food preparation and consumption.
Khanolkar uses coconut oil as a base in several of her recipes which adds a unique flavor to the food such as Cauliflower with Coconut – a new favorite in my household, and being a coconut lover, Cabbage with Coconut (shredded coconut) also proved to be a hit.
The book itself is well-organized and provides the reader with an excellent explanation of Vedic cooking, a helpful list of kitchen staples and my favorite, a “Kitchen Tantra” section offering tips and suggestions for how to prepare your food, including a wonderful mantra to chant before cooking or eating (or both)!
Happy Belly Happy Soul is not a mere cookbook, it can help you transform the way you prepare and consume your food.
Find Happy Belly Happy Soul at: themistressofspice.com.
Read Kitchen Tantra by visiting: layogamagazine.com and check out yogi food.
Heidi Rayden is a yoga instructor, producer, writer and lover of all things yoga who enjoys preparing Ayurvedic foods with coconut: raydenproductions.com.
Enter to win a copy of Happy Belly Happy Soul by writing: edit@layogamagazine.com, subject line: Happy Belly by midnight on Monday, May 3.
By Aparna Khanolkar
