After I posted a photo of this meal, there were a ton of requests for the recipe. So I thought I would take some time to make it informative as well. External winter coldness can lead to physiological body changes. The science of Ayurveda understands that the shift in our macrocosm directly influence our bodily microcosm. The winter months can create conditions that aggravate Vata. If the term Vata is new to you, please read my article Introduction to Ayurveda: Doshas 101.
When Vata increases our bodies may feel dry, cold, windy and achy, manifesting dry skin, dry bowels, creaky joints, cold hands, poor circulation, gas, bloating, insomnia or anxiety. To reduce these effects of vata, it is recommended to cook your vegetables in the colder seasons. Raw vegetables and salads can increase vata dramatically. Just cooking your veggies can make a big difference in how you weather the winter.
So if you want to dig deeper here are some resources I have compiled, or just skip to the recipe for a tasty winter veggie meal.
- List of upcoming webinars, classes and certifications on Ayurveda, nutrition and wellness with Dr. Christie Smirl
- Article on Ayurvedic Nutrition Guidelines for Balanced Doshas
- YouTube video on Getting a grip on VATA with Dr. Christie Smirl
- YouTube video on Ayurveda Fundamentals with Dr. Christie Smirl
- Podcast on Ayurvedic Nutrition Fundamentals
- YouTube video on Ayurveda Nutrition Introduction featuring Dr. Christie Smirl
For this recipe I used the following ingredients.
- 1 cup shredded organic purple cabbage
- 2 cups organic greens – spinach, bok choy, dandelion greens
- 2 teaspoons MCT oil
- 3 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon Himalayan salt
- 5 olives
- 5 cloves of marinated garlic
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions:
- Place the oil, spices, seeds and garlic in a pan and sauté on a medium heat for a few minutes.
- Add the greens, cabbage and water. Continue cooking on a medium heat till the vegetables are wilted. Stir occasionally and determine if you need just a bit more water to avoid burning.
I don’t like to over cook my vegetables, but cabbage needs to be cooked till soft to reduce vata aggravation. Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable and can aggravate vata even when cooked if consumed in large quantities. However, in this recipe the addition of healthy oils from the MCT, seeds and olives should counterbalance vata. I like to sprinkle a little hingvashtak on top to aid digestion and add a sprinkle of ponzu sauce or lemon for a little zip. – Enjoy!
Stay connect at HealthierVibrations.com.
Christie Smirl - Healthier Vibrations 