When I talk about eating Ayurvedically, people often think that equates eating Indian food. And for good reason! Ayurveda began in India 5,000+ years ago, so that’s where the ancient texts originate from.
However! Modern day Ayurveda isn’t about the TYPE of cuisine you’re eating, it’s about HOW and WHAT you’re eating, as well as how it serves YOUR body and NURTURES you in the season of life you’re in. Once you understand this, an entire world of eating opens up.
There’s an easy Ayurvedic hack I use for my main meal of the day, which is lunch (and quite honestly, most of the time results in leftovers for dinner.) It looks like this:
Ayurveda In A Bowl
1 grain
1 protein
1 cooked vegetable (using ghee + spices)
1 raw vegetable
dressing or sauce
sprinkles
Why do I love this? Because the possibilities are absolutely infinite, and can change with the seasons or with my moods. It allows you the creativity to get all the six tastes in—which is also super important according to Ayurveda.
Whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan, or meat eater, this bowl can be adapted to meet your unique needs. Also, it takes the guess work out of cooking a healthy meal. I can be fairly certain that as long as I’m incorporating these things into my main meal of the day, I’m easily getting the nutrients my body needs. And a bonus reason to love this model is how cost effective it is to purchase groceries. Simply make sure you have a food or two in each of the groups, and you’re set for the week!
Here’s an example of what this looks like in action. This was my lunch recently, and was crafted as follows:
1 grain = basmati rice (the easiest grain to digest, according to Ayurveda)
1 protein = navy beans
1 cooked vegetable = zucchini sauteed in ghee with cumin and sea salt
1 raw vegetable = carrots
dressing = tahini lemon
sprinkles = black sesame seeds + sunflower seeds
And here’s another example, for good measure:
1 grain = basmati rice
1 protein = lentils
1 cooked vegetable = sweet potato roasted in ghee with cinnamon
1 raw vegetable = cucumbers
dressing = basil pesto
sprinkles = sunflower seeds
Tip: the dressing/sauce is really what makes these meals sing. It’s worth spending time experimenting in your kitchen to see what combinations really tickle your tastebuds. I’ve been into pestos lately, and playing around using different greens and nuts in the blender.
Unfortunately, a good chunk of the dressings and sauces you’ll find in bottles at the supermarket are chock full of non-Ayurvedic stuff—so stay away if you can. But of course, if that’s the best option for you right now, just take care to read the ingredient list and pick something that you could recreate in your kitchen, for the best health benefits.
And in case you missed it, here’s 5 Ayurvedic tips for better digestion. Combine these tips with this Ayurvedic meal hack and report back to me in a few weeks about how GOLDEN you feel, friends!
What do you think about this Ayurvedic meal hack? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
A Hygge Haiku From My Week
Seventy degrees!
Two words that bring infinite
joy in early spring.
Announcements
—For April, we will be discussing the book “Fifty Places to Practice Yoga Before You Die: Yoga Experts Share the World’s Greatest Destinations”. This will be a virtual meeting on Monday, April 17th at 7pm EST. You can join the Hygge Yoga Community to participate!
A Cozy Poem To Leave You With
“taking a moment
to figure out
how you really feel
instead of letting
old patterns decide for you
is one of the most
authentic things you can do” —Yung Pueblo