Author Archives: Lorien

Simple One Pot Kitchari Recipe

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Kitchari Recipe

Ingredients: Split Moong Dhal, Basmati rice, Cummin, Coriander, Coconut oil or Ghee, Himalayan Salt, Spinach! So easy to digest, nourishing & in Ayurvedic texts said to be a ‘complete protein’!

1. Add 1 tblsp Ghee or Coconut oil

2. Once melted, add 1/4 teaspoon of Cummin seeds & Coriander seeds. Allow to toast.

3. Add 1/2 a chopped Onion, a few slices of chopped Ginger & 1/2 a clove of chopped Garlic & toast. (Garlic & Onion is optional).

4. Add a teaspoon of turmeric powder & stir.

5. Add 2 cups of soaked & rinsed lentils.

6. Add 1 cup of rice.

7. Stir & toast in the spices for a few minutes to lighten the lentils & rice for improved digestion.

8. Add 8 cups of boiling water & stir. Allow to gently boil.

9. Add a pinch of Himalayan salt

10. Continue to stir regularly

11. When Rice & Moong become creamy, turn off the heat and add some freshly chopped Spinach and allow to sit for 15-20 minutes before serving. Adding the spinach last will ensure that it stays fresh and full of life force!

Serve with some chutney, fresh coriander on top & a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to nourish all the six tastes and promote great digestion.

(Note: Add more water to make your Kitchari lighter and more cleansing, and slightly less if you want a heavier and more grounding meal.)

Ginger Water

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Ginger Water

Sipping on warm ginger water is a simple & gentle Ayurvedic remedy used to improve digestion, circulation, clear the mind, cleanse toxins & naturally make you feel light & bright!

Simply finely chop or grate some fresh Ginger (organic is best!), place in our tea pot or cup and add hot water. Allow to sit and gain ‘gingery’ strength, then enjoy drinking it when it has cooled down to a warm temperature.

Ginger is regarded in Ayurvedic medicine as a wonderful healing herb/food that can be used on a daily basis. Ginger’s warming qualities are supportive to the digestive fire, boosting for the immune system, assists in nausea and morning sickness and at times when the body or mind is feeling heavy, lethargic and slugish. Since ginger is warming, it helps to improve circulation and allow toxins to be released from the channels within the body, allowing proper flow and harmony.

Ginger is such a wonderful food that can be used as a daily medicine. Enjoy cooking with ginger in soups, stir fry’s, dhal’s, kitchari and any other savoury dish, where you wish to add a gentle warming flavor. Enjoy sipping on warm fresh Ginger water through-out your day to keep your channels open and digestion strong.

 

How to Make your own Ghee

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The benefits of Ghee in your life…
♥ Aids digestion
♥ Stimulates the secretion of stomach acids, which aids digestion & assimilation of nutrients (vitamins & minerals).
♥ Good for learning & memory.
♥ Is rich in Antioxidants
♥ Nourishes all 7 tissues of the body
♥ Strengthens the bodies immune system
♥ Has a high concentration of Butyric acid, a fatty acid that conatins anti-viral properties and is believed to inhibit the growth of cancerous tumours!
♥ Balancing for the nervous system which creates warm, happy, wholesome, loving, good thoughts feelings and emotions.

AND… you can make it yourself at home which add’s the special ingredient of LOVE into your diet!

Watch this little video to learn how to make your own Wholesome batch of Ghee!  Yum!

Ayurvedic Quinoa Porridge Recipe

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Porridge is so warming, nourishing & restorative for the body. Great for grounding your energy at the start of your day!

(Serves 2 people.) 

Certified Organic Ingredients:

      • 2 tsp’s of Ghee or Coconut Oil
      • 2 cups of Quinoa flakes
      • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
      • 4 Cardamon pods opened
      • Pinch of Fennel seeds
      • 1 tbsp Jaggery, Coconut Sugar or Rapadura
      • 4 Blanched Almonds
      • 12 Raisins
      • 3 to 4 cups of Hot water

Method:

1. Add your Ghee or Coconut oil to your pot & warm
2. Add Quinoa flakes & stir to toast the grain
3. Once smelling, looking & feeling ‘toasted’ add hot water & stir.
4. Add Cinnamon, Cardamon, Fennel & stir.
5. Add Raisins, Jaggery/Coconut sugar & stir regularly until Porridge becomes creamy & smells yummy!
6. Serve with 2 Blanched Almonds & some Raisins on top for presentation!

Enjoy!

Note: This Porridge can also be made with milk (un-homogenised, raw Organic milk is best). Simply use 1/2 milk and half water instead of all water.

*Feel free to add some more Water during the process if it looks to thick, and if it look too thin and runny you can add a few extra Quinoa flakes.

 

Staying Cool this Summer

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Today is the first day of Summer, a season that is predominant with the elements of Fire + Water (Pitta). Summer is a beautiful time of year to relax with the warmth of the enviornment around you and also a good time to stay cool.

Some simple tips for staying cool the Ayurvedic way:

  • Wake up early in the morning to enjoy the cooling qualities of Sunrise.
  • Walk on dewy grass to balance the fire element and cool your liver.
  • Enjoy fresh Coriander and Fennel seeds in your cooking, they are naturally cooling and avoid heating spices like chilli and mustard.
  • Enjoy seasonal fresh juicy cooling fruits such as Berries, Watermelon and Papaya. (Always eat fruits by themselves and watermelon always 20 mins away from other fruits).
  • It is easy to reach for ice cold drinks, however this hampers your digestive fire (Agni). Drink room temperature water or slightly warm, Your digestion will thankyou for it.
  • Enjoy Aloe Vera juice, Cucumber, fresh greens, light vegie soups and fresh fruit
  • Swim in fresh water and spend time in nature amongst lush green tree’s. Simply connecting with ‘cooling’ environments like this can make a huge difference to your entire wellbeing! 

lorien at the waterfalls

The Simplicity of Eating Well

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Eating well can be simple. It is about reducing the amount of packaged items in your fridge & pantry and increasing the amount of fresh, alive, real, wholefoods such as vegies, fruit, legumes & whole-grains! Being aware of what you are buying will make a big difference to the way you eat, which will make a huge difference to your overall health & wellbeing!

Ayurveda – What you need to know about your honey!

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Known in Ayurveda to be heating for the body, thus great for healing colds and boosting your immune system. It is important in Ayurvedic nutrition to not heat honey, never using it to cook or bake, and choosing to use it in your food, drinks, tea and porridge once your food or drink has cooled. Heating honey changes the chemical structure of this wonderful substance, so it’s important to keep it nice and cool as nature created it.

Honey is known to be poison when heated and a medicine when used properly & used un-heated.

Use organic Rapadura sugar, coconut sugar or palm sugar instead. Those sugars are unprocessed, high in nourishing minerals and vitamins and can handle being heated to high temperatures.

Enjoy your honey with intelligence & always purchase RAW honey, so that you can be guaranteed that it hasn’t been heat treated and still contains all the healing goodies it was created with!

Ayurvedic Superfood Energy balls!

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This was a new creation that I made for the recent SoulFire Spirit Adventure & Wholesome Loving Goodness retreat last week at Fraser Island. They were a hit!

Certified Organic Ingredients:

  • 10 Medjool dates1 handful of raisins
  • 10 Blanched almonds1/4 cup of toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon1 tsp of cardamon powder
  • 1 tsp of fennel seeds
  • Half a tsp of ginger powder
  • 3-4 tblsp’s of coconut oil
  • 1.5 cup’s of desiccated coconut
  • A dash of organic vanilla essence
  • 1 tsp of Organic Brahmi herb (For the brain!)
  • 1 tsp of Organic Shatavari herb (For hormonal balance).

Method:

  1. Place ingredients in a food processor & blend for a few minutes until all ingredients are mixed.
  2. Roll into balls, and then roll the balls in a bowl of desiccated coconut to give them a finishing touch!

These balls are rich & full of energy. A great afternoon or mid-morning snack for a spicy, sweet, Ayurvedic inspired boost of energy!

Enjoy ♥ x

(Note: It is still possible to make these balls, without a food processor. If you do this, you need to cut the dates into small pieces and let them sit for a few minutes in a small amount of warm water to soften them slightly. Then cut the almonds into small pieces, add the other ingredients and mix in a large bowl with your hands! Keep mixing until creamy!)