Turmeric Recipes For Healing And Health
Turmeric is sometimes mixed with other warming herbs, often ginger in the Ayurvedic diet.
The combinations allows for a proper synergy of herbs with food for healthy eating and digestion.
Turmeric doses and preparations
I often use about a teaspoon (a piece the size of my thumb) of chopped or grated fresh turmeric for a meal for two to three people.
Most of my Ayurvedic food recipes generally call for turmeric as an essential ingredient.
When using turmeric in Ayurvedic treatment, you should be careful not to take in excessive doses.
A dose of up to 3 grams of dried turmeric root or 0.5 milliliters of turmeric oil per day has been shown to be safe.
Too much turmeric may thin your blood and contribute to bleeding disorders. Excessive intake of turmeric may cause stomach upset.
Like most foods turmeric is better consumed fresh because it hasn’t been processes in any way and all its natural elements are intact. Buy organic if you can from your local health food store or farmers market.
Buying the herb fresh will often be cheaper and will also be free of many chemicals which are usually added to nutritional supplements.
The rhizomes or roots of the turmeric plant (Latin Curcuma longa) are often sun-dried and then ground to a powder which is use as a spice (found in most curries).
When using turmeric as a spice it can be sautéed in ghee or added to foods as they are being cooked. The Ayurvedic diet recommends cooking turmeric before you eat it.
Turmeric has a potent color, aroma and is quite flavorful. Continue reading
The Healing And Nutritional Properties Of Turmeric
Turmeric is a powerful healing food that has been used in the ancient India systems of medicine for thousands of years.
It is one of the most commonly used herb and spice in the Ayurvedic diet and it has many health benefits.
Turmeric – An Ayurvedic Super Food & Herb
Turmeric looks similar to ginger and can be identified by its bright golden orange color.
Typically the root of the plant is used, either fresh or dried.
It has a peppery, warm and bitter flavor and a mild fragrance slightly reminiscent of orange and ginger.
Grow your own Turmeric at home
Using fresh turmeric you purchased at the market, break off a piece about two inches long and place it in a pot with sandy soil such as cactus soil or soils used to grow tropical plants.
Water it regularly to keep the soil slightly moist and the root should start to grow in four to five weeks.
Whenever you need some turmeric, dig up the root underneath the soil and and break off a small portion. The turmeric root will continue to grow. Click here to check out a more detailed explanation on how to grow turmeric at home.
General uses of Turmeric
Fresh or dry powdered turmeric is often used in cooking as a warm, bitter and pungent spice not only for flavoring but also for assisting with the digestion of other foods. It pairs well with Ginger.
Turmeric can be used as an infusion (in the form of tea) where it is prepared by cutting the root into thin slices and infused into hot water for at least five minutes before straining.
Nutritional Properties of Turmeric Continue reading
Mung Bean Dal – Ayurvedic Recipe
Mung beans are very easy to cook and make a great meal for the Ayurvedic diet.
They don’t require soaking and usually cook within 30 to 40 minutes.
If you would like to cook mung bean dal faster, then I suggest using a pressure cooker rather that a pot.
Mung bean dal is relatively easy to digest and won’t cause flatulence like other harder to digest beans.
Mung beans offer a great source of protein(14-15 grams per cooked cup), and are also a good source of dietary fiber. They contain thiamin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and copper, and are a good source of folate.
Mung bean dal is a great Ayurvedic Recipe for those wanting to build strength, increase their energy and enhance their immune system.
Mung Bean Dal Soup (with a little more water)is great for those who are suffering from colds and flu – fresh garlic cloves, onions and extra ginger can be added to this Ayurvedic Recipe to fight and get rid of nasty viruses.
Like kitcheree mung bean dal is also good for cleansing and promoting good digestion. Here is the recipe below
Mung Bean Dal Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dry mung beans
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp oil or ghee
1 Tbsp of finely grated ginger root
1 Tbsp of finely grated turmeric root or
1 tsp of turmeric powder (only if the fresh root is not available)
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
Optional Ingredients (great for cold & flu) Continue reading
Ayurvedic Bliss Balls Recipe
These Ayurvedic bliss balls are yummy organic treats using tasty Ayurvedic spices and ingredients.
They are extremely nutritious and raw – so be careful how many you eat. You don’t want to become Vata provoked!
This Ayurvedic recipe makes about 16 – 18 large balls; however, you can make about 24 smaller ones if you like.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sunflower seeds (I sometimes substitute for pumpkin seeds)
1 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup dates (soak overnight if possible)
1/2cup goggi berries (soak overnight if possible)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup quick or rolled oats (optional but provide extra protein and make a good binding agent)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup of coconut oil (in warm liquid form)
1 cup soy nut butter (you can use your favorite nut or seed butter here)
3/4 cup cocoa powder (you can substitute with carob powder)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp of ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt Continue reading
How To Make Ghee – Simple Ghee Recipe
Ghee is regarded as one of the best food sources in the Ayurvedic diet and it is considered beneficial for all doshas. The yogis and practitioners of Ayurveda consider it to be a very sattvic (balancing & harmonizing) food because it lubricates all the muscle tissues of the body.
Making ghee gets rid of impurities (fats and milk solids) and water out of the butter so you are left with healthy clarified butter.
Ghee can be used in most recipes for flavouring and cooking. Here is what you need to make your Ghee.
Ingredients & Materials: 1 pound unsalted butter (organic if available), a large pot or sauce pan, A few sheets of cheesecloth, a strainer, a clean container or one pound glass jar with a lid.
1. Melt the butter in a large pot or sauce pan on low to medium until it comes to a boil. You will start to hear a popping sound. Do not stir.
2. Continue to cook the melted butter over low to medium heat. It should continue to pop and bubble and some foam may appear on top. You can skim off and discard the foam if you like but leaving it won’t affect the ghee.
3. Remove from heat when the popping sound and bubbling noise quietens down. Sediment at the bottom of the pot will start to turn golden brown. The ghee will turn to a clear golden or amber color. This usually takes about 20 minutes. A darker color means overdone ghee so it’s important not to leave the ghee on the heated stove.
4. Leave the heated ghee to cool for 10 to 20 minutes and then line a strainer with some cheese cloth and strain the ghee into clean containers (sterilized jars work great). Continue reading
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