One of my favorite quotes from Yogi Bhajan, and it's been very active in my life here the past week! :

Poke

Provoke

Confront

Elevate

Markets are really crazy right now, talk about holding onto your hats! Consumer sentiment is at it's lowest in 10 years, so the wash out is getting close, oil prices going parabolic, its going to $200 going once, going twice.... other than the commodities and sentiment, it is looking much more stable and premiums are coming in on risky paper (junk bonds). So do yourself a favor and tune out some of the news media.

So here are a few of my favorite Ayurvedic recipes. These are foods you want to mono diet with, or mix with fresh vegetables otherwise you loose some of the healing qualities. Ayurveda is the ancient science of healing and is part of yogic science. I use food as my primary method of healing & prevention followed by- herbs, tonics, and supplements, and meditation.

I may write on this a little more as it is a big subject for a post, and may add foods and their healing properties, dosa's matching food to your type etc.

Here is everyones favorite:

Yogi Tea

Add to one gallon of filtered water:

20 whole cloves

20 whole black peppercorns

20 whole green cardamom pods

5 sticks of cinnamon

2” of sliced ginger

1 black tea bag (optional)

This can be adjusted to taste but take care with cloves and cinnamon sticks.

Crush green cardamom pods with rolling pin, or mortar pestle

Bring water to boil and add all ingredients

Boil from 1 to 3 hours

If desired add one black tea bag at the end and steep for 5 minutes, acts as a binder

Strain

Let cool refrigerate

Milk is added from 1/4 to 1/3 ratio. Alternately use soy or nut milk. Honey to taste. Sometimes I will leave ingredients in over night if the tea is weak before straining. Anyone who sells bulk herbs and spices is a good bet to keep cost within reason. Like Azure Standard in Oregon (internet). Cardamom pods I hear are cheap if you go to the Indian section of town, otherwise an internet search. I spent $18 a pound for what I have, it does tend to last awhile though. Ancient Healing ways sells a kit for $15 I believe (1#). Each ingredient has a specific benefit: black pepper is a blood purifier, the cardamom is for the colon, the cloves for the nervous system, cinnamon for the bones, fresh ginger for preventing and healing a cold or flu or feeling weak. The milk acts as an aid to assimilation of the spices and coats the colon and stomach to prevent irritation.

Golden Milk

Turmeric is known as an anti-inflammatory and is good lubricant for the joints. It breaks up calcium deposits and is also good for the immune system helping the body overcome fatigue. Here is a delicious drink you can make with it. At our Solstice events of long days of White Tantric we are treated with this healing and delicious drink. We had this during Spring Cleaning the day I taught.

¼ to ½ tsp turmeric

½ cup water

8 oz milk of your choice – Moo, Soy, or Nut

1 Tbl edible cold-pressed almond oil

1 to 1 ½ tsp honey

Boil turmeric in water for about 8 minutes. You may have to add more water. Add milk and almond oil, bring close to a boil, then remove from heat and add honey.

You can alternately make a stock up of turmeric , this will last about 1 month in the fridge:

Boil 2 tsp of turmeric in 2 cups of water for 8 minutes until a thick paste forms

Ginger Tea

Ginger tea calms the nerves and energizes the body and mind. Good for colds and flu, good for women during the moon cycle.

2 cups of water

4 to 6 - 1/8 inch-thick slices of fresh ginger root unpeeled

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp honey

Bring water to boil and add ginger root slices. Boil until water is light brown, about 15 minutes. Add fresh lemon juice and honey.

Mung Beans and Rice (Kitcheree)

1 Cup Mung Beans

1 Cup basmati rice

2 bay leaves

1 – inch piece of kombu seaweed (the smooth leaf kelp on the beach around here, or other)

9 cups of water

4 – 6 cups of assorted vegetables (carrots, celery, zucchini, broccoli, zucchini, etc.)

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 onions chopped

½ tsp pepper

1/3 cup ginger root, minced

3 – 4 cloves of garlic

1 heaping tsp turmeric

1 heaping tsp garam masala

1 tsp crushed red chillies (more or less to taste)

1 Tbl sweet basil

Seeds of 5 cardamom pods

Sea Salt or Braggs Liquid Aminos to taste

Soak mung beans over night, wash beans and rice at least 3 times. Bring water to boil; add beans, bay leaves, and kombu seaweed; and let boil over medium high heat. When the beans are soft, 40 to 50 minutes, add rice, lower heat to simmer, and let cook for another 20 minutes.

Clean and cut vegetables, Add vegetables to simmering rice and beans and continue to cook for approximately 15 more minutes. In the meantime heat oil in frying pan, add onions, ginger, and garlic and sauté over medium-high flame until brown. Add turmeric, pepper, garam masala, and red chilies. Add this mixture to the pot with beans and rice. You will need to stir often now to prevent sourcing. Continue to simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. Add extra boiling water if needed, ingredients should be soupy. Serve with yogurt. This excellent food if you are sick, breaking a fast, for the young and elderly, use as a healing mono-diet, is easy to digest.

This is an excellent recipe, you may substitute millet for the rice. It is spicy and will make you sweat. Sometimes I follow the recipe, but hold out the carrots, broccoli, and other veg until done cooking as I prefer my vegetables raw and add after it cools a little to the bowl. Yogi Bhajan believes it is essential to cook the trinity roots (onion, garlic, ginger) and the turmeric, so I do that. However I do not believe in cooking the veggies to death, but may make it easier if the digestion system is weak.

Have a good weekend!