Breakfast

Simple One Serve Ayurvedic Veggie Kitchari Recipe (To make the perfect amount for just one bowl!)

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Hello beautiful Wholesome Souls!!!

It’s been a few Moons since my last blog post here, and I tell you, it is SO beautiful and exiting – wonderful to be ‘back’ and sharing a super-duper practical and (in my opinion, and that of clients I have worked with over the years!), an essential recipe we ALL need in our Kitchens!

It is easy to make Kitchari for a group of people, there are a bunch of delicious and great recipes in my Ebook, ‘Simple Ayurveda in Your Kitchen’ (which has a lot of other goodies in there to inspire and support your holistic nourishment on a lifestyle level also!), however, they are for making Kitchari for 4 people, not for just 1, which often-times, if you’re single, or just making food for yourself one day, you most certainly need to have up your sleeve to avoid cooking too much (yay, no more leftovers!), and no more wasted food. Food is sacred and precious, and so are our resources and energy, the money we spend on our beautiful organic ingredients and food, SO — I am so excited to introduce to you (and yes, I will slowly bring out more ‘Single Serve’ recipes for you, and a little collection/Ebook focused just on this! Stay tuned for this), as I know you and I both need these ‘Single Serve’ recipes in our life! I got you! :)

For now, I introduce to you, the first of the ‘Single Serve’ Simple Ayurveda Wholesome Recipe collection with you!

Get your beautiful organic goodness and ingredients ready, put your favorite divine Vedic chants or other inspired divine music you love on – light a candle, say a prayer in your Kitchen for blessings of health and nourishment for you and your precious gorgeous body, and enjoy!!!

Before we get ‘into it’, I have some hot ‘One Serve’ Kitchari tips for you, that I think you’ll find helpful! :)

This recipe is for a super simple Ayurvedic One Serve Kitchari with spices, fresh coriander and your choice of seasonal veggies! If you wish to make it plain, without Veggies I recommend adding an extra tablespoon of rice so that it has a bit more substance and body! You can also make this with Whole Moong beans (they just require minimum 8 hours soaking) or Split Red Lentils.

My top Kitchari Veggie recommendations to consider are: Celery, Zucchini, Green Beans, Pumpkin, Carrot or Silverbeet / Spinach.

Simple One Serve Ayurvedic Veggie Kitchari Recipe

(To finally avoid food-wastage, left-overs which aren’t ‘ideal’ according to Ayurveda – for optimal cellular nourishment and digestion — AND, to  make the perfect amount for just one bowl! Yayyy!!!)

Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp of ghee or wholesome oil of choice***
  • 1⁄4 cup of Split Moong lentils or Red lentils soaked for minimum 30mins up to 8 hours and rinsed thoroughly
  • 2.5 tbsp basmati rice (or Quinoa) washed and rinsed 3 times
  • 3⁄4 cup of organic seasonal veggies of your choice (This isn’t hard and fast. Feel free to add a bit more or a bit less if you wish!)
  • 3 cups of ltered boiling water
  • 1⁄2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1⁄4 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2-3 fennel seeds
  • Teeny tiny pinch of asafoetida (optional!)
  • 1 fresh or dried curry leaf or bay leaf (optional)
  • 1⁄2 tbsp fresh ginger grated or chopped nely
  • 2 tbsp nely chopped red onion or shallots (feel free to not be exact with this! A little more or less will still work well!)
  • 1⁄2 tsp of fresh garlic crushed or nely chopped
  • 1⁄8 tsp of turmeric powder
  • 1⁄8 tsp of quality sea salt
  • A few cracks of black pepper to taste
  • 1⁄4 cup of fresh coriander to garnish
  • A wedge of lemon or lime as a garnish to aid digestion
  • Optional dollop of coconut yoghurt and or homemade date or mango chutney on top as a garnish also!
  • Your love!

*Wholesome oils to choose from if on a Vegan/100% Plant-based Healing diet, (ie: not using Ghee): Cold pressed Sesame oil (for Vata & Kapha), Quality coconut oil (for Pitta) or cold pressed quality avocado oil (Suitable for Vata & Pitta). (If you’re not sure which is best for you and your body, reach out to book a consultation so we can establish a bio-individual set of recommendations specific to you!)

**Extra note for ‘cleansing’: if you feel a lot of heaviness and ‘heat’ in your body, this can mean that your liver is feeling burdened and needs a little break. If this is the case you may nd that sauteeing your spices and ingredients in a splash of filtered water, veggie broth or even celery juice can be a great substitute and allows for a little more lightness.

Creation process:

(Prior to starting the cooking make sure you have your two main ingredients; your soaked and rinsed lentils and also your rice, strained and ready to go in bowls next to your stove to save time and make your cooking process more efficient!)

  1. Take a medium saucepan and place it on your stove over moderate to high heat. Add your Ghee or Wholesome Oil of choice and allow it to ‘melt’ or to simply warm for a moment or two.
  2. Next add your Cumin seeds, Coriander seeds, fennel seeds and stir with a wooden spoon to allow the spices to toast and sizzle for a few seconds. Next add a teeny tiny pinch of asafoetida (optional) and a curry leaf or bay leaf (optional) and stir for another moment.
  3. Add your fresh garlic, ginger and onion and turmeric powder, stir for a few minutes all together and saute until the onion is coated in the turmeric, golden and lightly caramelized.
  4. Add your lentils and rice and stir regularly and vigorously for 3-4 minutes until well sauteed with the spices and onion and then add your ltered boiling water and stir to make sure there is no sticking on the bottom of the pot and to combine everything together harmoniously!
  5. Add your Veggies (unless you are only using leafy greens like silverbeet and spinach in which case I recommend adding them towards the end, once your Kitchari is almost fully cooked to avoid over cooking them.)
  6. Add 1⁄8 tsp of sea salt (or a little more to suit your tastes – essentially, a little pinch!), a few cracks of black pepper, your LOVE (of course) and a little handful of freshly chopped coriander and stir through.
  7. Stir and bring to a boil for approx 10-15mins or until your lentils and rice are creamy, smooth and fully cooked. Stir every 5 minutes throughout this process to create a beautiful creamy consistency and to make sure there is no sticking on the bottom. If you see that there is sticking feel free to add a little extra splash or two of boiling water intuitively as you see/feel.
  8. Once creamy and fully cooked, remove your pot of Kitchari goodness from the stove and let sit with a lid on for another 5-10mins to allow the avours to deepen and the Kitchari to settle and become even creamier. This step is optional, if time permits I recommend it though!
  9. Your Kitchari is ready! Serve in your favourite bowl, add a generous garnish of fresh coriander on top, a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice to aid digestion and an optional dollop of coconut yogurt and home-made mango chutney (I have an amazing simple, yummy and sugar-free recipe for this that I shall post on the blog for you soon!) – as well as some extra salt and black pepper to taste and enjoy!!!

With immense love, joy, gratitude, blessings and prayers of goodness to you in your Wholesome Kitchen!!!

Aummm Shanti!

x Lorien

Wholesome & Easy Ayurvedic Beetroot Garden Vegie Patties Recipe!

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Gluten Free Ayurvedic Beetroot Protein Patties Recipe

A quick and wholesome lunch, simple dinner, savoury hearty breakfast or an on-the-go wholesome snack / plant-based meat-free alternative to bring to your next family event or Aussie bbq!

These delicious morsels of love are one of the MOST exciting, simple and yummy vegie-licious wholesome recipe creations to be born out of the Wholesome Kitchen!

I first developed this recipe for one of my clients who came to see me for holistic Ayurvedic Wholefood nutrition support for a series of health challenges he was experiencing. He needed a recipe that was quick and easy to make (as he travels a lot, is busy and ussually is just cooking for one), nourishing and nutrient dense, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free and that was something he could eat that had ‘texture’ so he had the experience of biting into something, along with enjoying the delicious soupy Kitchari’s and Soups that I gave him to have also.

…The result, HE LOVED them, and so did I! 

These patties hit the ‘Pattie spot!’ (if that’s even a thing!), and when you try them at home also, I think you’ll find they hit your ‘Pattie spot’ also! (…Please do email me to let me know!)

Since this recipe came into being I have made it a personal staple in my weekly Meal planning and have enjoyed these beauties for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at various times throughout a week!

I recommend serving these Patties with some fresh organic leafy greens dressed with a little olive oil and lemon or apple cider vinegar. So yum!

These Patties can also be enjoyed as something ‘substantial’ with a light evening soup or with a little chutney as a yummy tasty snack!

As this recipe takes less than 15 minutes to make for one person (as a quick ‘what should I take for lunch today’ meal! …don’t worry, we all have those moments!) I have written this recipe to be the perfect amount for ONE single person to make, with no excess/no wastage and so it’s something you can easily follow for making yourself  a quick meal when needed!

If you wish to make a larger batch for an event, a gathering, for the week and or for the whole family, you can simple double, triple or quadrouple the quantities to make it suit your desired situation and how many you wish to cook!

So, without further adue… here is the recipe for the worlds most divine, mourish, tasty, wholesome, Ayurvedically dosed in digestive loving spice and harmonious food combining qualities (…I know it’s bold, but I’m going to just go ahead and claim that these are the worlds best, because to me, they ARE!)

Enjoy my loves and please let me know how you go by coming to say hello to me over on my instagram!

Meat-free Ayurvedic Plant-based Beetroot Vegie Pattie Recipe

Wholesome Ayurvedic Beetroot Garden Vegie Patties Recipe

(Gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, sugar-free… totally delicious though!) 

Serves 1 person (this recipe makes 6 small yummy patties!) 

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium organic beetroot grated
  • 1 medium organic carrot grated
  • 1 medium organic zucchini grated
  • 1 small red onion finely chopped (optional if onion doesn’t agree with you!)
  • 1/2 cup of besan flour (chickpea flour)
  • 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp of cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp of coriander powder
  • 1/8 tsp of ajwain seeds (you can find these at asian/indian grocery stores)
  • 1/8 tsp of fennel seeds
  • 1/2 tsp of himalayn salt
  • a few cracks of black pepper
  • 2 tbsp of Coconut oil or Ghee for cooking

Creation Process:

  1. Add your grated beetroot, carrot and zuchini to a medium mixing bowl and mix them into each other using your hands so the three of them are well combined.
  2. Add your red onion, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, ajwain seeds, fennel seeds, salt and pepper and mix through.
  3. Slowly add your besan flour (chickpea flour), stirring as you add it so that any clumps in the flour get broken up and properly integrated into the mix. Once all of the flour has been added, use your hands to ‘massage’ the mix, squeezing the mix inbetween your hands to allow the naturally occuring ‘water content’ of the vegies to form a nice ‘batter’ with the flour.
  4. Once it’s all well mixed, juicy and a good ‘Pattie’ forming consistency, you are ready to form your patties so they can be cooked. To ensure the patties stay together and form a nice shape that you’d want to eat, I recommend taking a small-medium amount of the mix and forming a ball with it in your right hand, then transfering it back to your left hand, and back again until its a nice well firmed morsel. Then to make it ‘Pattie-ish’ gently use your hands to press the pattie ball into a flatter shape suitable for cooking! You are now ready to cook the patties! Yay!
  5. To cook, allow your healthy non-stick pan** to warm for 2-3 minutes with a little coconut oil or ghee on the pans surface. Once it is warm, place your patties one by one on the pan and allow them to cook for 4-5 minutes before carefully flipping them over with a spatula to cook the reverse side.

**(If you’re looking for a good healthy non-stick pan, the one I use is the Pancake/Crepe pan by Neo-flam, I’m not paid to say this, I’m just a big fan so want to share the good pan love!)

And that’s it! You did it!!

You made the worlds best, Wholesome Ayurvedic Beetroot Garden Vegie Patties and are about to enter a whole new realm of digestive feel-good ‘goodness’, love, joy and simple soulful – nourishment satisfaction!

If you loved this recipe, please let me know over on my instagram and or by dropping me an email saying ‘Pattie love!’. …These are my favourite kind of emails to receive!

P.S. If you are interested in diving deeper into the world of Wholesome Ayurvedic Wholefood Nourishment, in your Kitchen then my new soon to launch 6-Week Ayurvedic Food & Lifestyle Transforamation program, ‘Simple Ayurveda in Your Kitchen’ could be just the next step for you!

…To find out more and be first to know when the doors open next, click here to enter your details and join the official course waiting list!!!

 

Yay and yesss to feel-good nourishment in life!!! 

Loads of wholesome love, joy and warm yummy delicious Kitchen wishes!

 

x Lorien 

Ayurvedic Split Moong Breakfast Dhal Recipe

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Ayurvedic Split Moong Bean Breakfast Dhal RecipeBreaking your fast…

Dhal for breakfast!!??? Whhhhaaattt! I hear you say!

Yes, you can infact enjoy Dhal for breakfast – and if you’re a Dhal fiend like me, this news ought to bring you and your beautiful tummy great joy!

Breakfast is a meal where we are literally, ‘breaking’ a ‘fast’. If we are following a perfect Ayurvedic Lifestyle routine then eating dinner early in the evening, allows for the body to have a much needed fast, a period of approx 12+ hours of rest and rejuvenation infact, if you were to finish your evening meal by 7.30pm and have breakfast at approximately 7.30 or 8am.

So, since breakfast is the first meal of the day, after our digestive system has just been resting, it’s wise to eat something light, easy to digest and ideally warm in nature for the first meal of the day (after your morning routine of cleansing lemon and ginger water of course!)

Ayurvedic Porridge is a big breakfast favourite of mine, however sometimes it feels good to have a savoury option – something salty, hearty and protein-y for a change.

Dhal my friends, is a great answer for these savoury morning feels, and the best part is that you can make a batch of this up the night before and then simply heat it up on the stove for breakfast, (if you find that you are often time-poor when it comes to your morning meal, like I know so many of us often are!)

Not only is it convenient for breakfast, but it also makes a great easy and ready to go dinner meal as evenings are also a good time to eat light, warm and easy to digest soup – like dishes, and this Dhal certainly ticks all those boxes.

(Lunch is the meal that you want to make the biggest meal of your day in Ayurvedic medicine, as that is when the sun is the strongest and therefore your digestive ‘inner’ sun or fire, known as Agni is at its peak and can process a more complex meal more optimally.) 

Your frozen smoothie bowl might be making you hotter during summer!

Finally, for all my friends in summer right now, like I am, you might be thinking that it’s ‘too hot’ to eat Dhal this time of year, I am here to tell you otherwise. Not only is this delicious and healthy Ayurvedic Dhal appropriate for winter, it is also so great to eat during the warmer months of the year, and infact might even help you stay cooler.

When we eat warm foods our body doesn’t need to work so hard to digest, thus reducing heat being generated internally. When you reach for your frozen smoothie bowl however, you may be heating yourself up due to the extra work your system has to do in order to digest the food AND keep you cool at the same time! …Something the think about. :)

Ready to try a warmer approach to staying cool? Get the recipe for this delicious Ayurvedic Breakfast Dhal below… 

I garnished my Ayurvedic Split Moong breakfast dhal with a generous dollop of coconut yoghurt (to add creamy sweetness and dimension of flavour), a squeeze of fresh lemon (to aid digestion) + my new favourite locally grown summer green, lemon sorrel for freshness and a little bitter taste to cleanse and tone my liver!

Ayurvedic Split Moong Breakfast Dhal Recipe

*Makes approx 4 serves

Ingredients in order of usage: (100% organic wherever possible!):

  • 1 tbsp of coconut oil
  • 2 tsp of whole cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp of fennel seeds
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped (100% optional!)
  • 1 tbsp of fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
  • 2 tsp of ground coriander powder (I grind mine freshly in a coffee/spice grinder)
  • 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
  • 1 cup of soaked, washed and rinsed Split Moong Dhal (I buy mine from Santos Organics!)*
  • 1 tiny pinch of pure asafoetida powder (this will add a lovely flavour, 100% optional though!)
  • 1.5 litres of filtered boiling hot water for cooking
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp of pure himalayan salt or good quality sea salt
  • Coconut yoghurt of your choice to garnish, (make sure it is sugar-free! Read the label.)
  • Some fresh slices of lemon
  • Fresh seasonal greens to garnish; lemon sorrel, coriander, rocket, whatever you’re loving! :)
  • Your loving energy!

*To soak your Split Moong Dhal: Soaking allows enzyme inhibitors and gases present in legumes to be released, making the lentils easier to digest. Cover the lentils in a bowl of water and let sit for a minimum of 30mins, or for a few hours during the day. Once soaked, the lentils will have expanded/swollen. Take your lentils to the sink, and pour them into a strainer to give a thorough wash and rinse under cool water 3-4 times until they feel clean and well rinsed in your eyes. Sit the lentils aside, allowing the water to drain away and Voila, your lentils are now soaked and ready to go into the recipe.

(*Note: if you find that you only have powdered spices or only whole, you can exchange whole spices for powders and visa versa! It will just change the texture and flavour of the meal slightly!)

Creation process:

  1. Take a medium-large saucepan, add your coonut oil and place on a medium heat until coconut oil is warmed (or melted if it’s cold where you!)
  2. Add your cumin seeds and fennel seeds to the oil and using a wooden spoon, stir to toast the seeds, allowing the potent oils to be released into the oil.
  3. Add your chopped onion (optional), fresh ginger, coriander powder, turmeric powder and Asafoetida – and stir to combine the spices with the fresh onion and ginger until the onion softens and it feels well ‘toasted’.
  4. Add your soaked, washed and strained Split Moong Dhal to the pot and stir vigorously to mix the lentils with the spicey mix on the bottom. Stir for 3-5 minutes or until you feel the lentils are well toasted and starting to stick to the bottom of the pot.
  5. Add your boiling water (stand back for this as the oil and water can ‘spit’ at each other) then stir the water into the dhal.
  6. Turn up the heat to high and boil for 20 minutes, stirring regularly (adding your LOVE) and ensuring a nice even distribution of heat in the pot.
  7. Now you can add your back pepper and salt, place the lid on and reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer and stir for another 5 minutes, then turn the heat off and let sit with the lid on for 5minutes.
  8. You will know your dhal is cooked when it has reached a smooth soupy consistency (try adding more water if you feel it looks too thick at any point) and the lentils are no longer separate, they have become ‘one’ with each other! So spiritual indeed! :)
  9. When you are ready to serve your beautiful Dhal, scoop the desired amount into a bowl, add a dollop of your favourite coconut yoghurt, a sprinkle of black pepper, squeeze of fresh lemon and some freshly chopped leafy greens or herbs!
  10. Finally, before eating, take 3 deep breathes, say a quite inner prayer of gratitude and enjoy savouring each mouthful of this dhaaalicious easy to digest Ayurvedic savoury breakfast!

Enjoy this recipe and may your breakfasts be delicious, or should I say, dhaaalllicious for ever more!

 

x Lorien

Ayurvedic Split Moong Bean Breakfast Dhal Recipe

Vegan Savoury Buckwheat Moon Wraps Recipe!

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savoury wheat-free buckwheat wraps

The best wheat & bread alternative since… well, before sliced bread!

Organic Whole Foods, filled with innate wisdom and intelligence (for our beautiful bodies) from nature is where it’s at!!!

…One of the hardest things for many to give up and find satisfactory wholesome replacements for when switching to Whole Foods and wanting to clean up their diet is WHEAT and breads and bread-like products made from gluten and wheat.

I totally get it. We are often brought up eating it for breakfast, lunch and often dinner.

Regular (processed wheat, pesticide laden, nutrient devoid) bread has culturally become a staple in the west and sadly is heavily marketed to us by big companies as being highly nutritious, (think ‘wonder white’etc) when the plain, honest real truth is that it is the total opposite. It’s essentially like poison to the body due to the chemical pesticides these grains are grown with as well as the over-agriculturalisation of the grain in general ~ sadly making wheat today devoid of the goodness it once contained in the past that allowed our bodies to recognize and draw nutrients from it.

This literal stripping of goodness that has occurred over the last 100+ years is why so many now experience inflammation, swelling and gluten-intolerance when it comes to eating this major western staple.

So, what ‘bread’ and grain you’re eating is a big area to look into when exploring your health and wanting to heal your body and digestive system. Especially important for anyone currently experiencing high inflammation/join/skin/gut/anxiety issues.

So, this is why I for one am so over the Buckwheat Moon! to share this incredibly simple and easy recipe for making your own home-made wholesome wraps, pancakes, flat bread, roti, chapatis, naan and… whatever else that is flat and bread-like that you wish to find a wholesome alternative for!

Hello Buckwheat. 

Hello Savoury Buckwheat Moon Wraps!

P.S. Even though the name, ‘Buckwheat’, has the word ‘wheat’ in it, I want to ensure you that Buckwheat is not wheat at all, and is 100% gluten-free. Another interesting fact about this amazing wholefood is that while it is used like a grain in cooking, it is actually technically a ‘seed fruit’, not a grain, making anything you make with 100% buckwheat, not only wheat-free, but also ‘grain-free’. 

Vegan Savoury Buckwheat Moon Wraps Recipe:

(This recipe will make approximately 6 x large, thin wraps.)

Ingredients:

  • 2 x cups of Organic Buckwheat flour
  • 4 x cups of room temperature filtered/spring water
  • 1/2 a tbsp of Organic Potato Starch
  • 1/2 a tbsp of Organic Tapioca Flour
  • a pinch of sea salt
  • some organic coconut oil for seasoning your pan
  • of course, the most important ingredient, your love!

To Make Your Wrap Mix:

  1. Place Buckwheat flour in a medium mixing bowl and make sure you smooth out any lumps with the back of a wooden spoon or through sifting, (so your mix is nice and smooth).
  2. Next add the Potato starch, Tapioca flour and salt. Mix these into the buckwheat flour until well combined. 
  3. Slowly begin to add water, stirring slowly to gradually mix the liquid in with the flour. Mix until water and flour is well combined and forms  a smooth, runny, fall of the spoon consistency! 

Cooking your Wraps: 

  1. Warm a healthy non stick pan, and add a dash of coconut oil to help the cooking process.
  2. Using a ladel, pour a spoonful of your mix into you pan and quickly lift the pan of the heat to move it around, ’spreading’ the wrap mix around the pan to ensure it is thin and a nice big circle!
  3. Cook on one side until little air pockets show through from underneath, then using a spatula, flip to cook the other side for 2-3 minutes or until looking cooked.

That’s it. So SIMPLE!

You now have a beautiful, soft, digestive friendly, nourishing and wholesome Buckwheat moon wrap to enjoy immediately or to store in an air tight container for making lunches the next day! :)

The key to making a good wrap that you can put tasty delicious fillings into is to make it thin, flexible and supple (i.e.: unbreakable once goodies are inside)!

You’re in luck as with the recipe above, I’ve done the work of ensuring your mix is ‘unbreakable’ for you, so you can relax and simply enjoy some super versatile, wholesome, buckwheat wrap love in your life!

 

Making a thicker / Roti / Naan like bread from your Wrap mix:

The key to making your buckwheat moon wraps into more of a roti / naan like bread to go with soups and curries is to add slightly less water to your mix, so that the ‘wraps’ are  thicker. To do this I recommend:

  • Experimenting with using only 3 cups of water, rather than 4
  • Adding slightly more coconut oil (or ghee) to your pan while cooking them, to get them more toasty and buttery
  • To get some ‘air’ into the wraps, giving it a flakey/more roti like consistency, press your spatula onto the already cooked face up side of your wrap (once you’ve flipped it once) while cooking to encourage air bubbles and pockes to move around, helping make it more ‘bready’ and crispy.

wheat-free. gluten-free savoury buckwheat wraps. the best thing since before sliced bread!

…I’ve been a Buckwheat lover my whole life, (forever thankful to my awesome alternate, wholesome-nutritionist Mum!) So, as you can imagine, making buckwheat pancakes has been something I’ve loved doing forever.

Lately, while doing some kitchen experimentation (…which is ALWAYS happening, as I just love exploring new ways of doing things and new wholesome tastes, flavours and solutions for good nutrition) I stumbled upon this wrap mix/concept. Needless to say (from everything you’ve now read above), I got a bit excited about this development, and in particular, about how versatile something so simple, nourishing and wholesome like this can be, esspecially for families with making school lunches etc!

During one of my morning buckwheat feasts the wrap was born, and the photo above shows you the ingredients I prepared to go inside the wrap. The filling.

You can put anything you like inside a wrap obviously, it is a blank canvas for your nourishing tasty pleasure…

Incase you want to know what I put in (which tasted great!) I will list the items here for you to give you some inspiration!

  • fresh avocado with lemon juice 
  • fresh alfalfa sprouts (so yum!)
  • finely grated beetroot and fresh basil from the garden (herbs are excellent and add ‘wow’ factor!
  • fresh organic leafy green leaves
  • home-made sesame tahini dressing/sauce (tamari, toasted sesame oil, lemon juice, dash of maple!)
  • sauteed asian greens + vege (red onion, ginger, garlic, turmeric, wombok cabbage, silverbeet, red capsicum, brocolli) 

I hope this recipe brings you and your family endless wholesome Buckwheat Wrap love and joy! 

If you try it and love it, please let me know and help spread the word by sharing with others who may appreciate having this simple, delicious, wheat-free wrap goodness in their lives also!

 

With love & warmest gratitude,

 

x Lorien

 

I am clear – Ayurvedic Moong Bean Soup Recipe

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During my last trip to India I literally lived off Moong Bean soup! It was the staple meal served during my pancha-karma (ayurveda cleanse of the entire body) and even though it is virtually all I ate for two weeks, I still loved it. Yep, every single mouthful, even after 2 weeks!

This recipe has vegetables in it however you can also make this soup with no veggies – as a super simple cleansing soup that is perfect for recovering from illness, resetting your digestive fire (agni) and getting your inner flame burning bright once again.

Moong bean soup blog post recipe

{Recipe from my recipe eBook coming soon!} 

Ingredients: 

*Soak moon beans over night then rinse before cooking.

  • 2 cup whole moong beans
  • 1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • Pinch of fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 small red onion
  • 1 clove fresh garlic
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 cup chopped green beans
  • 1 cup chopped zucchini
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • A few cracks of black pepper
  • 1 cup fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 2 litre’s of boiling water from the kettle

Creation process:

  1. Warm ghee or coconut oil in your pot and add dry spices; cumin, coriander and fennel seeds. Stir to lightly to toast the spices for 2-3 minutes until they start to sizzle.
  2. Add fresh ginger, onion, garlic and turmeric powder. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes soft.
  3. Add soaked moong beans, freshly chopped green beans and zucchini. Stir for 3-5 minutes to sauté the moong beans and vegetables with the spices.
  4. Add 2 litres of boiling water from the kettle, 1 tsp of sea salt, a few cracks of black pepper and a handful of fresh coriander. Place the lid on and boil for 10 minutes then turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes until moong beans and vegetables are soft. Serve with a garnish of fresh coriander and a few cracks of black pepper.

Whole Moong Beans- Blog post small

photography: Shantanu Starick 

Yum, yum yum! 

The possibilities of what you can make with Moon beans are endless…

May this soup recipe inspire you in the kitchen and nourish you from the inside out!

 Eat soup and shine and your light in the world! 

x Love, Lorien 

Feeling Tropical! Vegan Black Rice Porridge Recipe

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Vegan Black Rice Pudding Recipe - Organic Wholefood Ayurvedic Cooking Vegetarian

H E L L O ~ D E L I C I O U S N E S S !

My aaaaalllllll time favourite food while growing up was this – (apart from its fruity counterpart: fresh papaya!)

I was first introduced to this nourishing, exotic, delectable pudding while on holidays in Indonesia with my mum. I also grew up close to an authentic Indonesian restaurant called ‘Masakan Indonesia’ on the Gold Coast ~ my love for black rice pudding was sustained between our family trips to bali and our family dinners at Masakan. :) Such happy , yummy memories! I’m smiling just contemplating those precious black rice days!

Mum and I made it at home also ~ as with anything delicious, it is fun to explore making it for yourself and this also adds to being able to appreciate the subtlety and elegance that chefs go through in order to master their recipes. I loved the ones we made at home and I loved the ones we ate either in Bali or at Masakan.

I recently discovered ORGANIC black rice for sale at my local health food shop. Excitement! :) One of the reasons I had not made my black rice pudding in a while was because I could only find black rice at specific exotic asian grocery stores – and this was not always convenient to find and I really do prefer to eat organic whole foods for optimum nutrition and care of myself and planet, so buying the non-organic heavily transported type turned me off a bit.

The second reason I stopped buying or making black rice pudding is because the bought ones in restaurants often have loads of sugar in them (as delicious as they are!). This turns me off. I have a new respect and awareness of sugar these days since reading ‘Sweet Poison’ by David Gillespie (great easy read!) and also since studying nutrition and the way food affects our immune system, mental functioning and emotions. Black rice tastes so good with sugar – these days I like to use WHOLE-FOOD sweeteners as much as possible.

My Favourite Wholefood Sweeteners:

  • Medjool dates
  • Maple Syrup
  • Carob 
  • Honey (not for baking or cooking)

If I’m ever going to use sugar I will choose the most ‘whole’ form I can get such as coconut sugar, rapadura sugar or jaggery. In my ayurvedic studies I learnt that these whole forms of sugar can be good for the body and this is true – at certain times and in certain instances, some whole sugar can be medicine. On the whole though – for me personally I feel cleaner, clearer and have more energy when I keep to my natural WHOLE FOOD sweetness listed above as even though whole-sugars still have minerals intact, they can still affect the body in a similar way to regular processed sugar as if you think about it – they are still concentrated condensed crystals of energy. It is easy to be addicted to sugar these days so I choose to get myself hooked on more sober tastes and flavours when I want a sweet hit and the list mentioned above generally always does the trick! :)

Organic Sugar-free Black Rice Pudding is now well and truly back on the menu in my kitchen! :)

If you feel like having some tropical ‘Indonesian’ black-rice pudding fun at home, here is my sugar-free + vegan black rice recipe for you to have a play with! :)

Wholesome Vegan Coconut Black Rice Pudding Recipe

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup organic black rice
  • 3 cups of boiling water
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon
  • 1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
  • 2 cups of coconut milk
  • shredded coconut (to toast and add as a garnish!)

Creation process:

  1. Rinse your black rice and boil the kettle (it’s always good to give your grains a rinse prior to cooking).
  2. Place your rice in your pot and add approx 3 cups of  boiling water to steam the rice.
  3. Bring to a boil and place the lid on. Cook until the rice is soft and the water has absorbed.
  4. Remove from the heat once steamed and add 2 cups of coconut milk, a dash of maple syrup, 2 tsp’s of cinnamon and your love!
  5. Serve your pudding warm in your favourite bowls and garnish with some fresh banana, papaya, toasted coconut and or a few cheeky raisins.

Voila! So easy, black rice pudding in a flash with whole food ingredients to make this sweety treaty nourishing and delicious! :)

Happy creating in the kitchen! 

Love,

x Lorien

Spring Moong Bean Kitchari Recipe with fresh parsley & creamy salted avocado! Gluten Free / Vegetarian / Vegan / Wholesome!

by

Ayurvedic Kitchari Recipe - Vegan - Vegetarian - Gluten Free - Wholesome

The best nutritional path to take in life is the one that suits you most!

We are all unique and this means that our bodies and digestive systems are unique as well! (Yay! how beautiful is that!)

Our bodies thrive when we can listen and be intuitive about our food & lifestyle choices.

Instead of following the latest food trend or getting overwhelmed by varying food philosophies – ask your body what it wants, what it needs and then listen. You are not like anyone else. Doing what everyone else does will never be truly nourishing.

In order to really nourish yourself – you must listen to the call of your tummy, your feelings, your passions and your inspirations.

Ask yourself these questions… Which foods feel amazing in your tummy? & Which foods make your heart and mind sing? and move towards those things… experiment, play and explore!

Often creating this inner connection with self is all that is needed to soothe, calm and rebalance the intelligence of our body, heart and mind. 

It’s exciting, it’s fun and it’s delicious to open up, to explore your body and to listen to what foods your body wants, loves and needs.

Master your eating and you will master your mind… this is what the Ayurvedic sages of India share with us.

“Quality of mind depends on quality of food.” ~The Vedas 


Ingredients:

  • 2 cup whole moong beans (soaked overnight)
  • 1 cup basmati or brown rice (washed 3 x and strained)
  • 1/4 pumpkin chopped into cubes
  • 1 cup green beans chopped into small pieces
  • 8 cups of boiling water
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
  • 1 tbsp freshly chopped ginger
  • 1 clove of garlic finely chopped/pressed
  • 1/2 a red onion finely chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1tsp coriander seeds, 1/3 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp himalayan salt & a few cracks black pepper
  • 1/2 ripe avocado & some fresh parsley or coriander
  • your love! :)

So easy to digest, nourishing & in Ayurvedic texts said to be a ‘complete protein’!

Creation process:

  1. Add 1 tblsp Ghee or Coconut oil to your pot
  2. Once melted, add 1/4 teaspoon of Cumin seeds & Coriander seeds. Allow to toast.
  3. Add Ginger, garlic and onion to the spices & toast. (Garlic & Onion is optional).
  4. Add 1/3 teaspoon of turmeric powder & stir.
  5. Add 2 cups of soaked & rinsed whole moong beans.
  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. Place your chopped pumpkin and green beans in the pot.
  9. Add 8 cups of boiling water & stir. Allow to gently boil.
  10. Add a pinch of Himalayan salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
  11. Continue to stir regularly – adding your juicy love! :) Cook for approx 20-30 minutes on a medium heat.
  12. When Rice & Moong become creamy, turn off the heat and serve with an extra spoon of ghee or coconut oil on top, 1/2 an avocado sliced and salted and a fresh garnish of parsley or coriander!

Voila!

A super delicious nourishing vegetarian and vegan (minus the ghee!) complete protein dish! Yum! This is such an easy meal to make during the week when it’s hard to come up with creative ideas for the family and you want something fast, nourishing AND delicious! :)

Bon appetite! :)

x Lorien