Replies

[This caught my eye on one of the lists above, it would also work with squash added, LOL, and many other vegies........
granny]

http://marmeetoall.blogspot.com/2009/02/onions-new-recipe.html

Onions! A New Recipe

We LOVE onions. And when I say LOVE, I mean LOVE. My grandmother ate at least one entire onion every day of life. At least that is what I remember. My younger girls and I eat at least one onion every day. Jamie, in particular, eats onions with absolutely everything. Every sandwich that is made has onion on it. Every pizza that is cooked has onion on it. Every casserole I bake has onion in it. Every soup that I make has onion as one of the ingredients. Well, I have found and adapted an incredible casserole that is made with onion and bread! Two of my favorites. And now, I will share it with you. P.S. It is also vegetarian, which makes it even better in my house.

Cheese & Onion & Bread Casserole

4 eggs
3 cups low-fat milk (2%)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 loaf French bread (whole-wheat baguette from Publix, about 16” long, cubed)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 LARGE sweet (Vidalia) onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Whisk together eggs, milk and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add bread cubes. Let mixture stand for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add onions, sugar, salt and pepper; cook over medium-low heat until onion is very tender. This takes 15 minutes or so.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Spoon half of bread mixture into baking dish. Top with half of the onion mixture. Repeat with the remaining bread and onion. Sprinkle with ALL of the cheese (and maybe a tiny bit more). Don’t worry if your layers aren’t pretty and perfect - just sort of layer it. It all cooks together beautifully in the end.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until puffed and golden. Let cool slightly before serving.

I think this would be delicious served with steak. Or chicken. But, I rarely cook chicken and I pretty much never cook steak since James is gone. He was the steak man. So, we just ate it with some salad. Or maybe, we just ate it straight out of the casserole dish. Either way, it is yummy. I hope you enjoy it.

P.P.S. Summer decorated it with cilantro, which was also delicious on it. We love cilantro, too, and will try it with anything.

Posted by Gena

George Burns and Gracie Allen start a Victory Garden - Radio Classic 1943

Gracie: You were right George, we’ll just a have a sweet little Victory Garden.
George: Good. We’ll plant some asparagus.
Gracie: And we’ll plant some beets on top of it.
George: On top of it?
Gracie: Ah huh. So when the asparagus start to come up, they’ll tickle the beets
on the bottom and they’ll come up sooner.

Find Fruit - iPhone App

Neighborhood Fruit helps people find and share fruit locally, both backyard bounty
and abundance on public lands - 10,000 trees nationwide and counting!

Neighborhood Fruit was created to make use of the abundant fruit growing in our
urban environments. Currently, the bulk of fruit grown in backyards and in our cities
goes to waste, while the fruit we consume is grown in water-intensive orchards far
from our homes. We envision a different future, where the bulk of backyard fruit
is utilized and shared between neighbors and our diets replete with home-made goodies.

Join us in creating a future where the food we eat is truly fresh, seasonal and
local!

Superman, Batman and Robin are Victory Gardeners in 1941

Although there is no story to accompany this graphic in the 1941 edition of the
comic, it is a wonderful promotional image, which would have reached millions of
kids during the war. Superb!

‘Rooftop Salad’ on their menu every day of the year

From all the fuss over Bastille restaurant’s new rooftop vegetable plots, you’d
think that gardening on top of a building is a brand new concept. All over the world,
people in urban areas take advantage of the sun-drenched space up top to grow food
and flowers. Apiarists are even keeping bees on the rooftop of the Opera House and
the Eiffel Park Hotel in Paris. But here in Seattle we’re just getting used to urban
density, and owners James Weimann and Demming Maclise are out front putting a commercial
rooftop to work growing fresh herbs and lettuces for their restaurant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All stories here:
City Farmer News [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102928222396&s=1304&e=001ASvJLuLPsFq5QG7FElQv_EC39coGV5x-thAqsI1DK3A97_C7zCZ6LcDobjdHRa4BR2MENrCcyNRDb0O9-KV9xNiO7mrI9E8CRYh0NUzZUqONakvseJxskw==]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Levenston
City Farmer - Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture

You’re invited to a free webinar on DIY Biodiesel: Keeping It Safe, Keeping It Legal !

This FREE webinar is the second in a series on farm-scale biodiesel production.

DIY Biodiesel: Keeping It Safe, Keeping It Legal will help the novice biodiesel producer on the right track to establishing safe and legal production practices. It will cover safety practices including:

* personal safety
* workspace safety
* materials handling and regulations
* waste stream handling
* methanol; and
* compatibility with equipment and environmental safety and regulations

There will also be time to ask and get answers to your questions.

The webinar will feature a presentation by NCAT energy specialist and biodiesel homebrewer Rich Dana, along with special guest expert Steve Fugate. Dana is an energy specialist in NCAT’s Midwest office. He is an avid biodiesel home brewer, producing more than 400 gallons a year for use as a farm and heating fuel. In the past he has operated a community biodiesel pilot project in Grinnell, Iowa, and served as president of the Iowa Renewable Energy Association and legislative liaison for the Iowa Farmers Union. Fugate is the founder of the Yoderville Biodiesel Collective in Kalona, Iowa, and the biodiesel project leader for the Iowa DNR’s Trails Crew.

This free webinar will be held Thursday, January 28th at 11 a.m. MST. Please register in advance at http://www.attra.ncat.org/webinars2010/biodiesel2.

On the day of the presentation, please log on to the webinar Web site 10 minutes early to allow the required software to download. You can then listen to the webinar through your computer’s speakers and see the presentation slides on your computer screen. You may also listen to the webinar by calling a phone number provided after you register online.

TITLE: DIY Biodiesel: Keeping It Safe, Keeping It Legal
WHEN: Thursday, January 28th, 11 a.m. MST
WHERE: http://www.attra.ncat.org/webinars2010/biodiesel2

Please join us on January 28th for this informative webinar.

ATTRA — National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (http://www.attra.ncat.org) is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected sources for sustainable agriculture information. Resources include hundreds of expert publications and worksheets, as well as sustainable agriculture specialists who provide personalized technical assistance on sustainable agriculture topics. ATTRA is funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service (http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/index.html) and managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) (http://www.ncat.org), a nonprofit organization focusing on sustainable agriculture, energy and communities.

The following reports were added to the Open CRS database on Saturday January 09, 2010

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
RL30563 - December 22, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/RL30563/

Air Force Next-Generation Bomber: Background and Issues for Congress
RL34406 - December 22, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/RL34406/

U.S. Nuclear Cooperation with India: Issues for Congress
RL33016 - December 17, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/RL33016/

Chile: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations
R40126 - December 10, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/R40126/

Kuwait: Security, Reform, and U.S. Policy
RS21513 - December 09, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/RS21513/

Iran Sanctions
RS20871 - December 09, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/RS20871/

Status of the Copenhagen Climate Change Negotiations
R40910 - December 09, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/R40910/

Spyware: Background and Policy Issues for Congress
RL32706 - December 09, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/RL32706/

Iraq: Politics, Elections, and Benchmarks
RS21968 - December 08, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/RS21968/

China’s Currency: A Summary of the Economic Issues
RS21625 - December 07, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/RS21625/

Strategic Arms Control After START: Issues and Options
R40084 - December 07, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/R40084/

The Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement
R40502 - December 07, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/R40502/

http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Credit%20Crunch%20Recipes.htm

Credit Crunch Recipes
A collection of cheap recipes for the credit crunch

Published September 2008

This page is part of a series of articles on this site devised to give practical advice for saving money and preventing unnecessary food wastage. That’s extra money in the bank to spend on other things.

See Also: - Introduction | Cutting your Food Bills | BOFOFs (Buy one Get One Free) | Money Saving Foods

Below are just a few main course recipes on this site which will help you beat the credit crunch. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to find lots more similar recipes throughout the site which will enable you to save money on your food shopping bill whilst still being able to prepare delicious, exciting and nutritious recipes for yourself, your family and your friends.

Key:- Veg = Vegetarian HT = Hot CD = Cold MC = Main Course

Recipes using Leftovers Soup Recipes

Eggs & Vegetarian economical recipes

Chilli Omelette Veg HT MC 20mins

Chickpeas with Raisins Veg HT MC Moroccan 35mins

Cannelloni with Mushrooms Veg HT MC 40mins

Creamy Spinach Pasta Bake Veg HT MC 45mins

Cheese and Onion Quiche Veg HT MC 50mins

Cheese Stuffed Courgettes Veg HT MC 50mins

Cheese and Spinach Pie Veg HT MC 90mins

Economical Meat recipes

Egyptian Kofta HT MC 20mins plus chilling

Coriander Pork Burgers HT MC 30mins

Beef and Cabbage Bake HT MC British 75mins

Pork and Potato Tourtière HT MC Canadian 80mins

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce HT MC 90mins

Coriander Beef Stew HT MC Peruvian 90mins plus marinating

Lancashire Hotpot HT MC 135mins

Cheap Offal recipes

Fried Liver and Bacon HT MC 15mins

Braised Chicken Livers HT MC 20mins New! October 2008

Braised Liver with Orange HT MC 25mins

Liver with Mushrooms HT MC 25mins New! October 2008

Maitre Grilled Kidneys HT MC 25mins

Kidney and Bacon Brochettes HT MC 30mins

Cheap Pasta, Rice and Pulses recipes

Eliche alla Cipolle HT MC 20mins

Garlic and Mushroom Pasta Veg HT MC 20mins

Frankfurters with Macaroni HT MC 25mins

Haddock and Spinach Pasta HT MC 25mins New! October 2008

Cannelloni with Mushrooms Veg HT MC 40mins

Creamy Spinach Pasta Bake Veg HT MC 45mins

Ham and Mushroom Cannelloni HT MC 50mins

Economical Poultry recipes

Chicken and Bean Stir Fry HT MC 30mins New! October 2008

Coriander Turkey Burgers HT MC 30mins

Gingered Chicken Kebabs HT MC 30mins plus marinating

Khmer Grilled Chicken HT MC Cambodian 30mins plus marinating

Turkey Ginger Stir Fry HT MC 30mins New! October 2008

Molasses Chicken HT MC 35mins

Easy Chicken Curry HT MC 40mins New! October 2008

Find UK Holiday Cottages

For ease of reference, below are direct links to main sections on this site

Recipes4us is a lifestyle website featuring food related articles and sections on travel, culture, sport, health, gardening, home, history and reference covering all aspects of understanding, preparing and cooking food.

We are confident that there is something for everyone and we are constantly adding new recipes, articles and other food and cooking related material. All recipes are published for your convenience and are both suitable and tasty enough to be eaten by anyone without food allergies, as part of a normal diet.

Take a look at the neat house Heather built and so much more on this old and useful site:

http://peaceandcarrots.homestead.com/index.html

Links to Links pages....[have fun]

http://peaceandcarrots.homestead.com/OurFavoriteLinks.html

Our Favorite Links
Wendy’s Favorite Recipes

Wild Edible Foods, Foraging, Medicinal Herb Links

Camping and RVing Links

Camp Cooking Links

Dutch Oven Links

Collected Foil Packet and Pie Iron Recipes, Etc.

Foil Packet Meal Links

Backpacking Food

Recipes and Food Links

Thermos, solar and hay box cooking Links

PDF Cookbook Links

Pantry Links

Root Cellar Links

Gardening and Permaculture Links

Homesteading Links

Urban Homesteading Links

Involuntary Simplicity and Frugal Living Links

Brick, Adobe, Stone or other Bake Ovens Links

Alternative Structures and Systems Links

Prudent Survival Preparation Links

Dumpster Diving Links

72 hour kit Links

Sewing, Quilting and Needlecraft Links

Scrapbooking and Altered Book Links

Wood Heating Links

Homemade Wine, Beer and Soda Links

Fermented Foods Links

Canning, Freezing, Drying and Preserving Links

Whole Grain Milling and Baking Links

Sprouting Links

Greenhouse Construction and Use Links

Forest Management and Forest Gardening Links

Backyard Orchard Links

Bio Gas Production Links

Self Knowledge and Spiritual Growth Links

Links to My Diseases

Maple Sugaring Links

Primitive Living Skills Links

Barter and Local Currency Links

[Granny thinks all of you should start building a solar greenhouse and attach it to the home you live in, so you can continue growing food next winter, no matter how awful it is.

Trust me, you will love having one, I did.

granny]

http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/newsletters/newsfood-lunch.html

Lunch the Ayurveda Way

The most important thing to remember about the ayurvedic approach to diet is that our meals should be warm cooked meals. Eating warm food is nourishing and balancing to all the doshas. It is possible to prepare a warm lunch while you are getting ready to go to work or at work. The following tips will help you find alternatives to sandwiches and fast foods.

* Invest in a stainless steel thermos. Nissan makes a special thermos that is shorter and wider, to hold warm foods. In the morning, cook some fresh vegetables, dhal and a whole grain. Pour into the container. Pack some ready-made chapatis, flat breads or matzo crackers. To make lassi, take an empty glass container and fill with 1/4 part yogurt, 1 cup water, sugar and 1 teaspoon rosewater, and shake for several minutes. Take the jar with you to work with he other items and you can have a warm healthy lunch.

* If the dining hall at your workplace has a kitchenette, then keep a slow cooker there. Assemble all the ingredients at home for a hearty vegetable bean soup. When you get to work just put the already cut vegetables and measured out beans, spices and grains in the slow cooker with water. Take along some flatbreads and lassi. Your lunch will be done by the time you are ready to eat, and it will be fresh and hot. Don’t forget to turn the slow cooker on though.
* The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians recommends avoiding the commercial flavored yogurts. Fresh homemade yogurt is best because it has fresh lactobacilli in it that help keep the intestinal flora healthy. Commercial yogurts are cold and difficult to digest. They also may have been sitting on grocery shelves for weeks, with the lactobacilli dead and worthless. Many people eat these as snacks, and colds, congestion, and weight gain may result from this type of yogurt in your diet.
* For snacks, eat dates with the pit removed and a bit of ghee inside where the pit was. Almonds and raisins, and plenty of fresh sweet juicy fruit such as pears or plums are also excellent choices for energy and balance. Warm milk with a little Almond Energy or Raja’s Cup is great for your “coffee” breaks.

For a special snack, try Maharishi Ayurveda’s Almond Butter on crackers. If you are feeling a bit irritable or frustrated, try eating a spoon of Rose Petal Preserve. This delicious preserve helps to balance sadhaka pitta, which governs our happiness quotient.

The following are some recipes for take-along lunches:

Thermos Lunch

* 1/4 cup split mung dahl beans
* 1/4 cup basmati rice
* 1/2 cup fresh chopped vegetables such as zucchini, carrots, broccoli
* 1 teaspoon vata or pitta churna
* 2 cups boiling water
* 1 teaspoon ghee

Heat ghee in a frying pan. Add churna and vegetables and sauté for several minutes. Add the rice and dahl and stir. Add the boiling water and cook only for a few minutes. Pour everything in a stainless steel thermos and close lid tightly. Keep closed for about 4 hours. It will be done cooking in the thermos by lunch-time.

Slow Cooker Lunch

* 1/4 cup split mung dahl or any bean that has been soaked overnight
such as aduki beans or kidney beans
* 1/4 cup quinoa
* 1/2 cup chopped vegetables
* 1 teaspoon vata or pitta churna
* 1 teaspoon ghee
* 3 cups of hot water
* salt to taste

Place contents in slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 hours or cook on low for 4 hours.

E-mail this page to a friend

These articles provide a great resource from The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians on the knowledge, practices, products, and applications of Maharishi Ayurveda.

http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/recipes/emotionalspice.html

Spice Mixture for Emotional Balance

* 1 part ground black pepper*
* 1 part ground dried ginger*
* 2 parts ground coriander*
* 3 parts ground cumin*
* 2 parts ground turmeric*
* 1 part crushed black cumin (for women only)

Mix the spices together and store in an airtight container. Sauté small amounts in ghee to spice vegetables and grains.

http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/recipes/heartspice.html

Healthy Heart Spice Mixture

* 1 part ground turmeric
* 2 parts ground cumin
* 3 parts ground coriander
* 4 parts ground fennel

Mix the spices and store in an airtight jar. When it is time to cook the meal, steam the vegetables. Melt a small amount of ghee in the pan, and add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture per serving. Saute the spices until the flavor is released. Add the vegetables, saute lightly, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately. If you have constipation, be sure to cleanse the bowels by eating fruits, vegetables and grains with fiber, eating a stewed apple or pear with prunes or figs each morning for breakfast. By cleansing the bowel you maintain the digestive fire and enhance digestion and assimilation. This is an excellent breakfast for people with Sadhaka Pitta imbalance, and Prana and Vyana Vata imbalance. Sweet lassi (a drink made by blending 1/4 c. yogurt and 3/4 c. water along with honey) is also good for people with weak digestion.

http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/recipes/allergyspice.html

Allergy-Season Spice Mixture

* 3 parts turmeric*
* 6 parts fennel*
* 6 parts coriander*
* 1 part black pepper*
* 1 part ginger

Blend these spices together in bulk and store in a jar. When you are preparing a meal, place a small amount of ghee in a frying pan and heat it on medium. Add the detoxifying spice mixture, measuring out one teaspoon of spice mixture per serving of vegetables. Sauté the spices until the aroma is released, but be careful not to burn them. Add steamed vegetables, mix lightly and sauté together for one minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Or you can sauté the spice mixture in ghee and drizzle on cooked vegetables and grains.

http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/recipes/detoxifyingtea.html

Detoxifying Tea

Boil two quarts of water in the morning.

Add 1/4 t. whole cumin, 1/2 t. whole coriander,
1/2 t. whole fennel and let steep for ten minutes with the lid on.

Strain out the spices and pour water into a thermos and sip throughout the day. Start fresh by making a new batch of tea in the morning.

http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/recipes/detoxifyingspice.html

Detoxifying Spice Mixture

* 1 part turmeric
* 2 parts ground cumin
* 3 parts ground coriander
* 4 parts ground fennel

Mix these spices together in bulk and store in a jar. When you are cooking a meal, place a small amount of ghee in a frying pan and heat on medium. Add detoxifying spice mixture, measuring out one teaspoon of spice mixture per serving of vegetables. Sauté spices until the aroma is released (but be careful not to burn). Add steamed vegetables, mix lightly and sauté together for one minute. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Or you can sauté the spice mixture in ghee and drizzle on vegetables or grains.

http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/recipes/immunityspices.html

Immunity Boosting Spices
Here is a spice mixture for enhancing immunity.

* 2 parts turmeric
* 3 parts ground cumin
* 3 parts ground coriander
* 6 parts ground fennel
* 1 part powdered dry ginger
* 1 part ground black pepper
* 1/4 part ground cinnamon

Mix all the powdered spices well and store in an airtight container in a cool place away from direct sunlight. For daily use sauté one teaspoon of ghee. Heat until you smell the aroma. Immediately remove the pan from the heat to avoid burning the spices. Drizzle the spicy ghee on to cooked rice or other dishes before serving. Or add steamed vegetables to the spice mixture while still in the pan and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. This spice mixture should be used regularly to flavor one dish for the main meal of the day to boost immunity and enhance digestion.

http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/recipes/sugarfreefruitbread.html

Sugar-Free Fruit Bread

* 1 cup finely chopped dates
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 1/3 cup Maharishi Ayurveda Ghee, melted
* 3 sweet apples, peeled, cored and shredded
* 1 cup whole wheat flour
* 1 cup unbleached white flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Place chopped dates and raisins in a 2-cup measuring cup and cover with water. Soak for one hour.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
3. Mix ghee and apples. Add soaked dates and raisins.
4. Mix all the dry ingredients and stir into wet ingredients until thoroughly moist. Stir in walnuts; the batter will be thick.
5. Spoon the mixture into the buttered pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 50 minutes.

You can also make a dozen muffins from the same batter. Bake on 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes.

[LOL, so I did a double check on Ghee, take a look at the links, I had no idea it was so important....
granny]

http://www.google.com/search?q=Ayurveda+Ghee%2C&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Ayurvedic Foods — Ghee (Clarified Butter)
From the ayurvedic perspective, ghee is revered as a rasayana—a food that promotes overall good health, vitality and longevity. ...

http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/newsletters/brain_power.html

Seven Keys to Unlock Your Brain Power!

According to Maharishi Ayurveda, there are three equally important aspects to mental performance — “dhi” - learning and comprehension, governed by Vata dosha, “dhriti” - processing and retention of knowledge, the realm of Pitta dosha, and “smriti” - memory or recall, controlled by Kapha dosha.

For the best mental performance and realization of the fullest mental potential, each of these three factors individually needs to be at its peak, and, more important, the coordination among the three factors also needs to be optimal. Ayurveda recommends paying attention to the three fundamental pillars of good health — diet, sleep and lifestyle — to achieve this state of mental wholeness and balance.

Here are some tips from The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians to help boost brainpower:

Eat pure, “intelligent” foods
According to Ayurveda, it is very important to eat foods that are natural and pure for their full benefit to be absorbed by the body. When foods are as close to their state in nature as possible, that’s when they deliver the most potent nutrition. Foods that have been genetically altered, processed or refined have much of their natural intelligence stripped from them, andThe Council contends that they disturb the intellect and the coordination among the three aspects of mental prowess.

Also taboo are foods that are canned or preserved with artificial additives and preservatives, or foods with artificial colors and flavors. Cooking with fresh, organic ingredients can take a little more time and effort. But your brain, and indeed your entire physiology will thank you for it and repay the effort with accelerated performance.

Make shopping for food fun. Visit farmers’ markets in your area for the freshest produce and to try exotic new vegetables and fruits. Or grow your own in season.

Maintain a supply of balanced nutrition
The recommended ayurvedic diet is vegetarian. Grains, beans and legumes provide nutrients for the brain. Be sure to include plenty of cooked leafy greens. Several helpings of fruit and vegetables are recommended. Sweet juicy fruits are excellent cleansers — they help flush toxins out of the body. Freshly squeezed fruit juices deliver nutrients quickly to your mind and body.

[Has hidden urls in article]

http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/newsletters/ayurveda_acid_indigestion_minimize.html

Simple Ways to Minimize Acid Indigestion with Maharishi Ayurveda

Individuals with a pitta imbalance are susceptible to hyperacidity, peptic ulcers, and some types of inflammatory disorders. Stress, anger, impatience, extra-hot spicy foods, and environmental factors such as extreme heat can aggravate pitta. A few simple changes in lifestyle and diet can help bring pitta into balance for smoother, more effective digestion and greater calm and contentment.

Pitta is the heat energy within every cell but it is mainly located in the stomach area. Excess intake of heat producing foods can mean that the digestive tract overreacts with an increase in acid production. Pitta aggravating foods such as vinegar, tomatoes, sour citrus fruits, orange juice, salsa, yogurt (except lassi) onions, garlic, chili peppers, salty fried foods, and alcohol all aggravate the digestion when too much acid is present. These foods should be completely avoided until the acid level is brought into complete balance. And if there is a sensitivity to these foods they should be avoided in general.

It is important to not skip meals if you suffer from acid indigestion. Eating breakfast is especially crucial. Even if you are not especially hungry in the morning, it is important to at least take something light like stewed fruit, warm milk, or a date shake. Skipping breakfast has the effect of aggravating a subdosha of pitta called sadhaka pitta which governs the emotional heart. It is responsible for contentment and bliss. As lunch time approaches, with agni (the digestive fire) increasing and so also stomach acid, an empty stomach is not ideal from the ayurvedic viewpoint. It may result in irritability, anger, impatience and a feeling of being over hungry so that when lunch time comes you tend to overeat.

Try to avoid high-stress situations and practice stress management techniques. Enjoy natural beauty. The appreciation of natural beauty helps to balance sadhaka pitta and reduces stress. Favor cooling foods and drinks such as fresh coconut juice. Use an electric drill to make a hole in the coconut and use a straw to sip on the coconut juice. Use the fresh coconut meat in your vegetables, rice dishes, or chutneys. If you feel discomfort during the day, take a few sips of cool milk on an empty stomach.

Pomegranate juice and pomegranate chutney also help balance the acid in the stomach. It tastes sour but it is actually both astringent and bitter, which help balance pitta.

Fresh aloe vera gel straight from the leaf is balancing. Avoid the store bought juice as citric acid is used as a preservative and it is too acidic if you suffer from acid indigestion.

Baked fennel seeds are also recommended to help settle the stomach and balance digestion. Eat 1/4 teaspoon of baked fennel seeds 3 times a day between meals.

Rose water or mint lassi is good to drink with a meal as they are cooling and sweet to taste. Favor astringent, bitter, and sweet tastes in your diet. Split mung dahl, green leafy vegetables, grains, watermelon, honeydew melon, lettuce, mangos, and spices such as fenugreek seeds, coriander, cardamom, and mint should be included in your daily diet.

The Herbal Aci-Balance formula from Maharishi Ayurveda helps balance stomach acid and digestion. It contains turpeth root, a special herb that both cleanses and balances the digestion. The Mind Plus formula helps balance the mind, especially in stressful situations.

http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/newsletters/ayurvedic_ginger.html

Ginger: An Ayurvedic Medicine Chest

Ginger is used so widely in ayurveda that it is an entire medicine chest in itself. There is an ayurvedic sutra (verse) that says that everyone should eat fresh ginger just before lunch and dinner to enhance digestion. Not only does ginger stoke the digestive fire, it whets the appetite, improves assimilation and transportation of nutrients to targeted body tissues, and clears the microcirculatory channels of the body. The few situations in which ginger is contraindicated are in cases of hyperacidity, during any form of hemorrhage (including menstruation), vertigo and chronic skin disease.

Other than in these situations, ginger is an excellent spice that can be used daily.

Traditional ayurvedic texts recommend ginger for therapeutic use for joint pain, motion or airsickness and clearing the microcirculatory channels to facilitate better absorption of nutrients and better elimination of wastes. Modern science, by way of worldwide research, ratifies its effectiveness in preventing motion or airsickness, improving digestion and its pro-analgesic effect on the joints, particularly in early stages of rheumatoid arthritis.

If you can eat raw ginger, a good way to take it is to dip two or three thin slices of ginger in a little salt and limejuice and have them before a main meal.

If you find ginger hard to eat raw or by itself because of its pungent taste, consider adding two or three thin slices to your vegetables or lentils as they cook. Another way to eat ginger is to sauté some grated ginger in a tablespoon of Ghee and add the mixture to warm milk (add sweetener if you like) or desserts or other dishes.

http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/newsletters/ayurveda_yogurt.html

Ayurveda Health Benefits of Freshly Made Yogurt

Freshly made yogurt is filled with countless numbers of beneficial bacteria that help digestion and kill harmful viruses. The key here is fresh yogurt as compared to commercial store bought yogurt. According toThe Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians yogurt that has been sitting on the shelves at the grocery store does not have the fresh active bacteria that homemade yogurt does.

Store bought yogurt is cold, heavy, difficult to digest and can cause the finer channels or shrotas of the physiology to become clogged. Also, once the yogurt has been refrigerated then the quantity of friendly bacteria decreases and thus the health producing benefits are less. Also, from the ayurvedic perspective, it may contribute to weight gain due to the cold and heavy qualities it has.

To gain the benefits of yogurt bacteria choose products that contain live active cultures. If the yogurt has been pasteurized or heated at home, the bacteria are dead and will not provide benefits. Fresh yogurt is especially beneficial for individuals following a vegetarian diet since yogurt adds about 13 grams of protein (1 cup yogurt) as well as B complex, calcium (450 milligrams), potassium, phosphorus, and folic acid. People taking antibiotics (which can destroy lactic flora) are often advised to eat yogurt to replace the healthy bacteria. Fresh yogurt is digested in about one hour as compared to the three hours it can take to digest milk. Individuals who have trouble digesting milk may find that fresh yogurt is much easier to digest and actually aids in their digestion as well.

Other health benefits from fresh yogurt include decreased bloating, relief of both constipation and diarrhea and other stomach disorders. Ayurveda recommends taking yogurt in the form of a drink known as lassi. This makes the yogurt even more light and digestible and helps in intestinal comfort after eating a meal. Ayurveda recommends making a batch of fresh yogurt to be consumed each day. According to ayurveda, yogurt should not be combined with milk or cream. Yogurt is the only “fermented” food recognized as saatvic by ayurveda. Yogurt, as a sour taste, is good for balancing Vata, but should be reduced by people on a Pitta or Kapha balancing diet.

How to Make Yogurt
There are many methods to make yogurt. You can buy an automatic electric yogurt maker, but you can easily make yogurt without one. To make one quart of yogurt, you’ll need one quart of organic whole milk and 2 tablespoons of yogurt. Heat milk until it foams up. Turn off heat and allow it to cool to about body temperature. Just test the temperature with your finger, or if you use a kitchen thermometer, the milk should cool down to about 100 degrees. Pour the milk into a sterilized glass jar or ceramic bowl. Mix in the yogurt. Make sure the yogurt is at room temperature before you use it. Cover jar with lid and put in a warm place where there is no draft. For example, put the jar in an oven without the oven on but keep the oven light on. The light is just enough warmth that is needed to activate the yogurt. Do this in the evening and in the morning you will have fresh yogurt.

* If you do not have an oven light then you can place the jar on top of a warm toaster oven that is set on the lowest temperature for about 6 hours or more. (Not in the oven but on top.)
* Another method is to take a thermos and pour hot water into it for several minutes. Empty the water out and add the milk yogurt mix into the thermos. Cover and let stand overnight. In the morning you will have fresh yogurt. Save some of the yogurt from the new batch for your next batch.
* The Salton Yogurt Maker is also a good way to make yogurt however one should leave the yogurt in less time than the instructions specify in order to keep the yogurt from turning sour. 3 hours makes great yogurt for lassi.

Yogurt Recipes

Beet Soup

* 4 beets grated
* 1 cup fresh yogurt
* salt and pepper to taste

In a quart of water, boil beets for about 45 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the salt and pepper. Bring to room temperature and add yogurt. Stir well or add soup and yogurt to a blender. Serve at room temperature.

Spinach with Yogurt

* 1 lb spinach
* 1/3 cup water
* 2 tablespoons Ghee
* 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
* 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup plain yogurt

Wash spinach, tear off stems and chop fine. Set aside. In a frying pan, heat Ghee and sauté spices gently for about one minute. Add spinach and stir for one minute. Add water and cook for about 5 minutes until spinach is well cooked. Fold in yogurt and serve warm as a side dish.

Cucumber Salad
serves 4

* 2 cups plain yogurt
* 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
* 2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced

Mix all ingredients well in a salad bowl. Allow the salad to sit for 30 minutes before serving.

These articles provide a great resource from The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians on the knowledge, practices, products, and applications of Maharishi Ayurveda.

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Allergy-fighters: Cilantro and Coriander

Plants and pollen are sources of allergies for many people. But some plants contain valuable chemicals and compounds that actually fight allergies, such as flavonoids and phenols. One such plant is cilantro or coriander. The leaves and tender stems of the plant are used as a fresh herb, and the seeds, whole or ground, as a dry spice.

Cilantro and coriander are powerful aids to digestion. According to ayurveda, allergies result from improper digestion and an accumulation of ama in the physiology, which weaken the immune system and distort the body’s response mechanisms. Cilantro and coriander, by enhancing digestion, work to alleviate the root cause of allergies.

Use fresh cilantro, finely chopped, as a garnish for bean soups, vegetable and bean stews, lentils, cooked vegetables and rice dishes. Add finely chopped tender stems to soups and stews as they are cooking for even more potent flavor. Use freshly ground coriander seed in combination with other spices to flavor vegetables and grain dishes.

Here are some recipes to get you started:

Digestive Lassi with Fresh Cilantro
Ayurveda recommends lassi as the ideal lunchtime beverage to enhance digestion. Make it twice as effective with digestion-boosting spices and fresh cilantro leaves.

Ingredients:

* 3 parts pure room temperature or cool (not cold) water
* 1 part fresh homemade yogurt
* pinch of rock salt
* pinch of cumin (dry roast cumin seeds and fresh grind for the best aroma and flavor)
* pinch of black pepper if balancing Kapha
* 1/2 tsp finely chopped cilantro leaves

Blend all ingredients well in a blender.

Basmati Rice with Corn and Coconut Milk Sauce
Cream of coconut is a delicious alternative to dairy milk or cream in sauces.

Ingredients:

* 1 cup coconut milk (combine cream of coconut with a little water to obtain thick coconut milk)
* 1/2 tsp crushed fresh ginger
* 1/2 mild green chili, seeded and sliced (if trying to balance Kapha)
* 1/2 cup fresh organic corn
* 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
* 1 pinch asafetida
* 1 tbls Maharishi Ayurveda Ghee
* 1 tbls Cilantro leaves, finely chopped
* Salt and black pepper to taste
* Lemon wedges for garnish

Heat Ghee in a pot. Add asafetida and brown mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds start popping, add the green chili, ginger and corn and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the coconut milk, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 8-10 minutes until corn is tender. Add the chopped cilantro, season and stir. Serve over cooked Basmati rice with lemon wedges for garnish.

Spiced Garbanzo Beans
Great as a snack with crusty bread or as a side dish.

* 1 cup garbanzo beans, soaked overnight and cooked in plenty of water until tender-soft but not a mush
* 2 tbls Maharishi Ayurveda Ghee
* 1/2 cup fresh yogurt
* 1/4 tsp cumin powder
* 1/2 tsp coriander powder
* 1/2 tsp fennel powder
* 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
* 1/4 tsp whole cumin seeds
* 1 tsp fresh ginger, crushed
* 1/2 mild green chili, seeded and sliced (if trying to balance Kapha)
* 1 tsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
* Salt and black pepper to taste

Heat Ghee in a pot. Add whole cumin seeds. As they brown and release their aroma, add ginger and green chili. Sauté briefly, then add all the powdered spices and sauté for a further 2 minutes until aromas are released. Do not allow spices to burn. Add yogurt and continue to sauté for 3-5 minutes till it loses its raw look and is blended with the spices. Fold in the garbanzo beans, season and mix well. Garnish with the cilantro leaves and serve hot.