My Current Healthy Obsessions

My Current Obsessions:

Veg Out Bowl with Hot Curry Tahini Dressing  (recipe below).  I could live off of this dish.  It's so simple, super healthy, and truly delicious.

Kitchari.  We made this in my Ayurveda class.  It's simply mung bean dahl (split lentils), rice, and veggies, but the spices are what make this dish stellar.  (see recipe below as well)

Chai Tea.  Not from a box or a tea bag, but the real deal chai.  (recipe below)

Green Juice....and lots of it.

b'Bar in Del Mar.  Try the Rockstar smoothie, Thai Bo if you like spice, or the Sexy Mayan.  b'Bar offers San Diegans' deliciously healthy juices, smoothies, raw salads, and superfoods.

Raw dark chocolate from Alchemy & Craft made with love by Gong Master and Kundalini Teacher, Jenn Schultz, in Encinitas (you can reach jenn through her website or order here).  My favorite are the spicy squares and the circles with sea salt and almonds.

Ghee.  Who knew that just by cooking butter you can eliminate the lactose in it?  It's also considered a rasa (healing) in indian medicine and can be used for so many things!

Chavanprash.  It's especially delicious on toast with ghee and sea salt, by the spoonful, or mixed in with cooked oats.  Chavanprash is a comforting, sweet mix of immune boosting & tonifying herbs prepared as a jam used to maintain health and well being. 

All things Ayurveda especially my brahmi sesame abyanga oil and nasya oil.  You can get a nasya oil similar to the one we made in class through Banyan Botanicals (you can also order chavanprash here).  This nasya has brahmi, calamus, skullcap, and eucalyptus.  Use it at night for a restful sleep.  Tilt your head back drop a couple drops from the dropper in each nostril sniff in to help the oil move up your nose.  Abyanga (self oil massage) is typically done with sesame oil.  The oil i'm using was infused with cooked herbs, but you can infuse it much easier if you wanted to with essential oils.

If you are interested in learning more about Ayurveda I would recommend
 Dr Lads' book, "The science of self healing."

My straight iron which turns my poker straight hair into loose beachy waves.  

Beanies.  They rule for bad hair days or when color needs to be touched up at the roots.

Skinny colorful BDG cords from Urban Outfitters.  Loving the juxtaposition of yellow with the red thread.  Plus they were on sale for $29 from $54...and this girl can't resist a deal on a pair of stretchy (aka forgiving) skinny pants!

and room for my ba-donk a-donk!

And of course this guy.  OBSESSED!

SPOONER!

Recipes:

The Veg Out Bowl with Hot Curry Tahini Dressing:

Send 2 carrots and 2 parnsips through the food processor with the grating attachment (or grate by hand).

Chop a handful of broccoli.

Thinly slice a big handful of kale.

*put all of these ingredients in a steamer basket and steam for a few minutes until cooked through.

Meanwhile chop a handful of fresh parsley, cilantro, and a very small amount of red onion.  Toss into a bowl.  Make the dressing with:

1.5 Tbsp of tahini

juice from 1/2 a lemon

a little tamari (to you liking - about a tsp)

a solid few dashes of penzey's hot curry spice

water to thin to desired consistency

(also good with onion powder added if you omit fresh onion)

*stir all together well.

*Put the steamed veggies over the herbs and onions, drizzle in your dressing, mix well.  Serve as is, or with a side of beans.

Kitchari (this also made a huge pot for my entire class.  We added sweet potatoes and spinach but you can add any of your favorite vegetables. 

1-2 Tbsp Ghee

1 Tbsp Finely Chopped fresh ginger root

1/2 tsp cumin seed

1/4 tsp ajwan (optional)

1/2 tsp coriander powder (i think we used the whole seed)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tiny pinch asafoetida powder (hing)

1 cup presoaked moong dahl (yellow split mung beans) soak 2 hours and rinse

1/2 cup washed basmati (or other) rice (also soak for at least 30 minutes and rinse)

3 cups pure water  

Mix the ghee in a med size thick bottomed pot on med heat, add ginger, and stir until lightly brown, add cumin and ajwan and coriander (if using the seeds over powder).  After seeds pop, add strained moong dahl, stir for a few minutes over med heat.  Add coriander, turmeric and asafoetida/hing and stir.  Add strained rice.  Stir until all grains are coated, add water, bring to a boil.  Simmer until all water is absorbed about 20 minutes.

Cilantro Coconut Chutney (to be eaten with kitchari)

3 cups fresh cilantro

1 cup water

1 cup unsweetened coconut shredded

1/2 small green chili chopped

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp of ghee

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 pinch hing

4 curry leaves dried or fresh

1/2 a fresh lime squeezed

1/4 tsp salt  heat the ghee in a sauce pan and add cumin, mustard seeds, hing, and curry leaves.  Cook until the seeds pop.  Blend the other ingredients in a vita mix.  Cool the herbs and ghee and mix well into the cilantro paste.

The Real Deal Chai

this made a gigantic cauldron of tea for our entire class 

1/2 cup whole cardamom, crushed

thumb size peeled fresh ginger

3 cinnamon sticks, crushed

5 cloves

1 T whole black pepper

5 leaves lemon grass

1 very large pot-full of water (see picture)

Boil ~ 15-20 min

Add 1/2 gallon milk or milk alternative of choice + 5 Tbsp Assam Black Tea, Boil for another 5-10 minutes.