Quick and Easy Grain Bowl

It’s hard to satisfy everyone at the table even without considering one’s dosha characteristics. Building your own bowl is a perfect solution, allowing everyone to mix and match based on their own needs and preferences.

In Ayurveda it is encouraged that all flavors or tastes be represented at every meal, including sweet: not only our traditional sweets, but including more Earth element foods such as some root vegetables and winter squashes, salty: of course salt and high-mineral containing foods, sour: lemons, limes and citrus and yogurt for example, pungent: onions, cheese, ginger and garlic, astringent: similar to sour also includes ingredients like broccoli and legumes, and bitter: including young sprouts, many green herbs, and raw kale. Incorporating all flavors in balance helps to not only sate your appetite but improves digestion as well.

This particular bowl is aligned with the Winter season, grounding and encouraging gentle detoxification, while noting ingredients that can be increased, substituted or avoided for every doshas.

Serves approximately 4 people.

BASMATI RICE WITH FENNEL SEEDS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 3 ½ cups water
• 1 tablespoon ghee (remove for Kapha)
• ½ - 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon salt (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Soak rice overnight and rinse until water runs clear.
2. Add ghee to a warmed stock pot on medium heat. Allow to melt and add fennel seeds. Stir and let brown slightly.
3. Add rice, water and salt and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover for approximately 20 minutes.
4. Turn off heat and allow to sit for a few minutes before fluffing rice and serving with other components.

TRIDOSHIC DAL

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup split mung dal
• 8 cups water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ghee (V, P) or sunflower or mustard oil (more beneficial for K)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric, powdered
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Soak split mung beans overnight and rinse until water runs clear.
2. Add ghee or oil to a large heated stock pot over medium heat and add cumin seeds.
3. Stir and let brown slightly.
4. Add onions and continue to stir to avoid burning. Add water if necessary.
5. Cook until translucent and add mung dal, water, turmeric and salt and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to low and cover for approximately 45-50 minutes.
7. If a thicker dal is preferred, after approximately 30-35 minutes, remove lid and cook and reduce water content for another 15-20 minutes.

ROASTED WINTER SQUASH AND SWEET POTATOES

This easy roasted vegetable recipe is easy to substitute with other types of squash, or young eggplant, which is beneficial for K. We’ve chosen delicata squash which though a winter squash is less sweet in flavor, making it more beneficial for Kaphas.

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 delicata squash
• 1-2 sweet potatoes or Japanese sweet potatoes
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1-2 tablespoons melted ghee or sunflower oil (K)
• Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Wash and slice squash and potatoes into thin pieces.
3. On a baking tray, arrange sliced vegetables so they are evenly distributed and don’t overlap too much. Sprinkle with seasoning and oil.
4. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes until tender. At approximately 25 minutes, check on vegetables and stir to prevent burning.

SAUTEED KALE WITH SHALLOTS AND LEMON

This dish is most beneficial for P, K. For V, consume in moderation. Spinach, green beans, or asparagus can easily be substituted in place of kale. Water can be used instead of cooking oil.

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 heads of kale
• 1-2 large shallots, sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or cut into matchsticks
• 1 tablespoon ghee or sunflower oil
• Salt to taste
• Season with lemon or lime as desired (more beneficial for P,K)

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare all ingredients, cutting kale into small bite-sized pieces.
2. Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium heat, and add ghee or oil and shallots and ginger.
3. Cook until translucent and add kale, stirring to distribute oil and evening cook.
4. Season with lemon or lime and serve with other components.

TAHINI SAUCE

This delicious sauce is an easy solution to add flavor to any dish. Use in moderation on top of any vegetable dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tablespoons tahini
• 1-2 green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon braggs liquid aminos (unfermented soy)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ⅓ cup sunflower, olive oil or sesame oil
• Water as needed

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend all ingredients well until smooth.
2. If having trouble blending simply add more water.
3. Additional tahini and liquid aminos can be added to easily make it more or less salty.

ADDITIONAL TOPPINGS

• Microgreens (most beneficial for P,K)
• Lemon and lime (most beneficial for P, K)
• Sesame seeds (most beneficial for V)

Follow this recipe, step by step, over on our Youtube Channel