vata — ayurvedicyogalifestyle.co.uk

Vata is made up of space and air and is very light, dry and cool. If you develop an excess of vata in your system, it is important to use opposite qualities to bring the body and mind back into balance.

Diet should be warm, grounding and nutritious. Include foods that are sweet, sour and salty to balance the bitter, astringent and pungent qualities of vata.

Avoid cold food and drinks. Warm food and drinks will balance vata.

Recipes to Balance Vata

Porridge Oats with Bluberries

40g Organic porridge oats

150ml of water

150ml almond milk

Tsp natural honey

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Handful of blueberries

25g sunflower seeds

Bring water and milk to the boil in a pan, add oats and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the honey and cinnamon, mix well. Crush the seed to allow the natural oils to release then mix into the porridge and serve with blueberries on top.

Pineapple Kitcheri

100g split yellow mung dahl

140g basmati rice

2 medium or 1 large pineapple

4-5 baby sweetcorn or ½ can tinned sweetcorn

Handful of cashew nuts

1 pint water

2 tbsp ghee

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger root

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick or 1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp turmeric

Raisins

To prepare the pineapple, slice in half lengthways. Slice a grid form into the pineapple and use a spoon to scoop out the insides, these can be set aside and eaten separately or you could combine some of the pineapple juice into the kitcheri or throw some of the pineapple chunks into the kitcheri near the end of cooking.

Cook the dahl in water for 30 minutes until 2/3 cooked. Then add rice, ghee, vegetables, raisins and stir all the ingredients together. Bring to the boil and then cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes.

Toast the cashew nuts in a pan and set aside, combine with the kitchari before filling up the empty pineapple and baking for 10-15mins. This dish is so yummy! It’s my favourite!

Caramelized Pear & Pecan Salad

6 small new potatoes

100g pecan halves

1 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 firm pear, thinly sliced

¼ tsp nutmeg

4 Handfuls of spinach

40g crumbled feta cheese

(2 Servings)

Boil water in a pan and cook the new potatoes. In the meantime, heat a large pan and add pecans until golden brown then set aside.

Add ghee and sugar to pan and add pear to cook, turning occasionally until golden brown and caramelized. Stir in the nutmeg and mix well. In the same pan, add spinach for 30 – 60 seconds to warm through. Do not let the spinach wilt you just want it warm. Remove spinach and place on plate. Add pears over the spinach and toss to mix through. Serve sprinkled with feta and walnuts and new potatoes on the side or cut into halves and mix them into the salad.

Flapjacks

15 organic chopped dates

125g ghee

2 bananas

2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 ground cardamom

50g sunflower and pumpkin seeds

50g handful of raisins

500g of rolled porridge oats

almond milk

(12 Servings)

Put dates in pan with a little water and cook for 5 minutes until soft then blend into a thick paste. Add ghee and bananas into the pan and melt over a low heat. Add the spices, seeds, fruits and enough oats to make a thick consistency, mixing all ingredients. Add a little almond milk and stir the mixture over heat for a few minutes, adding more oats to bulk up the mixture. Cooking the oats in this way makes them soften and the flapjack bind. After 5 minutes of cooking, pour onto a baking sheet or in a flat oven dish and flatten down with a spoon. Place in a preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius/ Gas mark 4 until they are golden brown on top. Enjoy!