So what do you do with leftover basil and chili?
Hummus LTF Style
This simple hummus is perfect for you and your family to enjoy
Detoxing - The Scoop
So I have taken on the challenge of the 3 day cleanse from none other than Punch Detox. This cleanse states that it helps remove toxins from the system.
There are many signs of toxicity and usually when I feel myself coming down with a flu I usually get right to fasting, as this can really facilitate healing from a much greater level. I actually had gastro last week in Singapore and so I decided to give my body a full overhaul by doing the Punch Detox challenge. Since I have fasted before, I did level 2, which is awesome because it doesn’t have high amounts of sugar and sweetness common to other fasts. I can honestly say that Day 1 wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Although I had only a slight headache, I expected this because this is what I suffered from the first time I ever did a cleanse, and at that time I was in caffeine withdrawal mode, which is horrible!!!There are many detox symptoms which can run rampant if the diet is still loaded with sugar, caffeine and processed foods such as cookies and chips and I highly recommend that you ween off these foods close to a week or two before you fast, it will ease symptoms.
In Ayurvedic medicine, such extreme juice cleansing is not really recommended for Vata types, although Pitta and Kapha types can benefit from it. Kapha will benefit the most from juice cleansing. Vata types can still do cleansing via a Kichari Cleanse, as this is ledd harsh for them and can still cleanse the entire body. Kichari is known as the food of the God’s because civilisations were sustained solely on beans and rice, not only does it nourish the body completely, but it allows the body to reach homeostasis. The beans are the split yellow kinds called dhal, more specifically mung dhal, which causes the least amount of disruption for the Vata type. As Vata experiences the most gas, the split beans can be cooked with kombu.
The truth is that detoxing or cleansing is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. Just look at all the religions across the board, lent, ramadan, navratari etc. Mostly we get out of the way and let our body’s do all the work for us. By giving a much needed break to our digestion, the body can then get to work on removing toxins from the deeper layers of our being. This is why you see common detox symptoms such as headaches, sluggishness dry mouth, runny nose, irritability or anger, weakness, cravings, nausea, constipation or diarrhoea, and gas. By allowing our body to do the work, we can naturally and safely achieve homeostasis and remove unwanted cravings. Some people feel an intense amount of energy whilst fasting as the energy that usually goes into digesting is now available. I know of some Vata types that have fasted and felt high or spacey. It really all depends on your Ayurvedic constitution.
The Punch Detox is a great way to reboot your system, as you don’t feel like you are starving your body. The juices are fair and not too sweet. The best part about day 1 was the gasPUNCHO, as it felt heavy enough to be like a soup.
There are many different ways that you can fast , water fasts, juice fasts and mono fasts. With water fasting you only take water for a length of time. I would not recommend this unless you have experience fasting. The juice fasting is one of the most popular ways because you are still flooding your body with optimal nutrition so your energy levels can remain high. With mono fasting you are still eating solids but you eat the same thing to prevent the body from breaking down many different kind of foods, this is another way to cleanse and can be adapted for Vata types in Ayurveda. Hence Kichari.
Now on Day 2, my headache has stopped and my tongue is slightly coated, a common symptoms of detoxing. I’m really looking forward to seeing the result after day 3.
For doing a complete Kichari cleanse, please visit ready made meals section here.
Until day 3!!!
Vegan Kimchee
A beautiful pre biotic, this recipe uses apple instead of sugar. This simple fermented dish can be served with steamed rice for a boost to the immune system. Most cultures use fermented foods for a healthy gut, and this one is delicious.
Cream of Carrot Soup by LTF Kitchen
Cream of Carrot Soup
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- Carrots, 2 cups chopped
- Onion, 1 chopped
- Sun dried tomatoes, 3 pcs
- Rolled gluten free oats, ¼ cup
- Ghee, 1 ½ tbsp
- Ginger, 2 inch pc chopped
- Garlic, 2 cloves
- Rosemary, 2 sprigs
- Bay Leaf, 4 pcs
- Thyme, 6 sprigs
- Splash of white wine
- 4 cups vegetable stock, (plus extra for desired consistency)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: ¼ cup cream or cashew cream *
What to do:
In a soup pot, heat ghee on medium heat, add onion and brown for 2 minutes . Add carrots, tomatoes, ginger and garlic, sauté for 5 minutes until carrots are soft. Next add the rolled oats, the mixture should dry substantially. Add the herbs and sauté for 2 additional minutes, then deglaze with wine. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add the vegetable stock, bring up to a boil then reduce to simmer. Add cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Chai - The Spicy Truth! - by Shivaun Dipshan
If you’re tying to kick your coffee addiction, one healthy alternative is to drink chai, a spiced milk tea from India. Unlike coffee, chai has an array of health benefits due to its exotic blend of spices.
Chai tea was created by Ayurveda, the traditional and holistic medicine of India. Since Ayurvedic medicine works with each individual’s body constitution, the spices used in chai can vary based on what your body needs.
Chai typically consists of black tea, milk, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and pepper. Other popular spices used are fennel seeds, star anise and saffron.
All of these spices contain medicinal and healing properties such as aiding the digestive tract, boosting your metabolism and excreting toxins from the body. Although the spices are infused together to make chai, it’s important to analyze the health properties of each ingredient so you can create your own therapeutic concoction.
Black tea
Black tea contains many antioxidants which help boost the immune system and fight inflammation.
Cardamom
Widely used in Indian cooking, this spice helps detoxify the body and is especially beneficial for the lungs, kidneys and heart.
Cinnamon
Aside from its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, studies show that cinnamon can increase circulation and help reduce fatigue.
Cloves
Cloves help aid the digestion process and have pain-relieving and antiseptic
properties.
Fennel seeds
This powerhouse herb has many antioxidant properties, helps relieve water retention and aids digestion.
Ginger
This root has been used for centuries to aid digestion and reduce inflammation. It is also used as a stimulant for the immune and circulatory systems.
Black pepper
Commonly used to support our metabolism and circulation, black pepper also provides antibacterial and antioxidant benefits.
Saffron
Saffron has been used to relieve a plethora of aliments since it provides a good source of essential minerals and vitamins.
Star anise
The star-shaped fruit is known to contain antifungal, antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
Given the aromatic flavors and vital health benefits chai provides, its no wonder that it has grown in popularity and is now being offered in coffee shops. However, to gain the full health benefits of this drink, we would recommend making your own brew at home since many of the commercial chai concentrates contain added sugars.
How to make Masala Chai - Makes 1 cup
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup milk (if you are using skim, 1 percent or a milk substitute, use half milk and half water)
- 1-2 black tea bags (Assam, Darjeeling, Ceylon)
- 2 cardamom pods
- 2-3 whole black peppercorns
- 1-2 pieces of cinnamon
- 2-3 slices of fresh ginger
- 1 strand of saffron (if available)
- sugar or sweetener to taste
Directions:
1. Press the cardamom seeds until they crack. Bring the water, tea bags and spices to a boil.
2. Boil for 3-5 minutes or until the tea is black and the water has been reduced. The boiling process is very important because it helps infuse the spices together.
3. Add the milk and continue simmering on a low flame.
4. Turn off the heat and let the mixture steep for 2 minutes.
5. Strain out tea and spices.
6. Add sugar or a sweetener to taste.
If you would like to find out about your Ayurvedic constitution and receive LTF news and updates, visit http://www.lovetruefood.com/lakshmi-harilela/
Masala Okra - serves 4
This recipe tantalises the tastebuds and is excellent for pitta and kapha. Okra is an excellent laxative and lubricates the gut, making digestion easeful. It has also been known to help with arthritis conditions.
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch okra, chopped into thirds
- 2 tbsp. ghee (preferably organic)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp. ginger & garlic paste
- 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp. coriander powder
- 1 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. chilli powder
- optional; 2 green bird's eye chilies
- salt and pepper to taste
- coriander leaves and spring onions (small bunch chopped roughly.)
what to do;
In 1 tablespoon ghee, stir fry the okra for 3 minutes. This step helps them dry out the insides; Set aside. In the same pan, add the rest of the ghee, the chopped onions and cook until the onions turn slightly golden and soft. Add the ginger/garlic paste and continue to cook for additional 3 minutes until all flavours are enhanced. Add the chopped tomatoes until they become soft and have imparted their acidic nature. Lastly add all the spices and let them cook for 1 minute. Make sure the okra is soft to the bite. Lastly add the coriander leaves, chilies and spring onions, cook for an additional 30 seconds then turn off heat.You can add a little water if it is too dry. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
* this dish is great with rice or chapati, and can be put into a sandwich for the next day.
Ayurvedic Kitchari Recipe
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Kitchari, Serves 4
Ingredients: 3 ⅓ cups (800ml) water, ⅓ cup (80ml) split mung beans, ⅓ cup (80ml) red lentils, ⅓ cup (80ml) basmati rice, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 12 curry leaves, 1 teaspoon crushed fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, 5 pepper corns, 1 carrot, chopped, 1 medium zucchini, chopped, 2 kale leaves, thinly sliced, 1 teaspoon rock salt, 1 tablespoon ghee, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ⅓ cup (80ml) chopped fresh cilantro, 1 lemon, 1 lime
What to do: Bring water to a boil in a medium pot. Add mung beans, lentils, rice, turmeric, curry leaves, and fresh ginger. Once it is boiling again, reduce heat and simmer.In the meantime, grind cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and pepper corns in a coffee grinder. Add 1 teaspoon of the spice mix to the kitchari. Add carrots, zucchini, kale, and salt. Cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until the lentils are tender and the mixture resembles a thick porridge. Stir occasionally. Add more water if necessary. Heat ghee in a skillet. Add . teaspoon cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds. Add rest of the ground spices from step 2, then immediately add a little bit of the kitchari to prevent burning and stir well. Add the spice fry to the kitchari and stir.Garnish with fresh lemon and lime juice and cilantro.
Variation: Add fresh chili peppers and fresh ginger for a spicier version.
Healing Soba Noodles with Garlic, Vegetables
LTF Recipe collection.
CASHEW CHEESE RECIPE
REMEMBER THOSE DAYS OF DAIRY WHEN CHEESE MEANT THE WORLD!!!Well the dairy industry is corrupt and thus most milk products are tainted with hormones and the kind of stuff that wrecks havoc on your body. I'm not saying all dairy, but the majority of it is tainted. In Ayurvedic medicine, dairy is considered sattvic, meaning that it is a great food item for stilling the mind, and adheres to the principles of Sattva (purity).
In Ayurvedic medicine however, the milk is't tainted with growth hormones, and so its use is actually healing to the body and mind. Although some types of milk are still conducive to healing and health, at the LTF home kitchen studio, we've managed to find alternatives for the dairy and cheese cravings. One thing that we've found works great is cashew cheese. It's rich creamy texture gives way to amazing satiation on the taste buds.
Here is a great recipe for the cheese itself.
Vegan Cashew Cheese
Makes 4 cups
1 1/4 cups raw cashews 1/2 cup nutritional yeast (depending on the saltiness, use more or less according to taste) 2 teaspoons sea salt 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon chilli powder 1/8 teaspoon white pepper 3 1/2 cups plain unsweetened almond milk 1 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) agar agar flakes 1/2 cup canola oil 1/4 cup yellow miso 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
How to do it:
1) In a Blendtec, ground the cashews (do not allow the cashews to turn into a paste). Next, add the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, chill powder, and white pepper. Pulse 3 more times to blend in the spices.
2) In a saucepan, place the almond milk, agar, and oil and simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium and continue to simmer for 10 minutes, until all the agar is combined with the milk.
3) Keeping the Blentec running, gradually add the almond milk mixture through the feed tube and into the cashew mixture. Blend for 2 minutes, the mixture will be a creamy smooth consistency, once this is achieved, add the miso and lemon juice. Readjust the seasoning if needed.
You can use the cheese as is, or place in the fridge until a harder cheese is formed.
The cheese lasts for 4 days, in the fridge