Plantains are a delicious fruit belonging to the genus Musa, which includes the banana. There is no formal botanical distinction between plantains and bananas. Plantains are often eaten cooked. The plantain (banana) is indigenous to tropical Southeast Asia — including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines — and Northern Australia.

In ayurvedic terms, plantains have an astringent taste. People who need to balance Pitta and Kapha generally need to eat more bitter and astringent foods. Raw plantains and bananas can be harder to digest and, when eaten uncooked, are cold in nature, so cooking is an ideal way to prepare this fruit. In ayurveda, the banana is thought of as nature’s personal fountain of youth. It is known for stimulating healthy digestion and helps the body retain essential elements such as calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. Enjoy!

No longer just a frilly garnish, kale is taking the culinary world by storm. Along with it, leafy greens like spinach, chard, and even collards and turnip greens are gracing plates everywhere from fine dining hotspots to fast food restaurants across the country.

These nutrient-packed veggies have long played a starring role in Ayurvedic cooking, and with good reason. They’re hydrating, nutrient-rich, and when prepared while fresh, they contain prana, or life-supporting energy. Below, we’ll share both Ayurvedic and nutritional insights on leafy greens, along with tasty ways to incorporate them into your daily diet.

Greens Are Good for You

From a nutritional perspective, leafy greens are excellent sources of antioxidant vitamins A and C, and they also provide vitamin E, folic acid, vitamin K, iron, calcium, magnesium, and fiber. They’re low in calories, and many varieties—especially the cruciferous (cabbage) family—contain unique enzymes that have been associated with supporting the immune system.

Ayurvedic vaidyas (experts) regularly prescribe a daily dose of leafy greens, because they’re good for your skin, hair, and for removing amavisha (toxic wastes) from the body. The human body is about 60 percent water, and leafy greens help purify your shrotas (the subtle channels of the body) and replenish your inner hydration stores.

Nothing beats a lazy Sunday brunch—a welcome antidote to the hectic work week. Any brunch worth its salt tends to feature the following ingredients: hearty fare, a mix of sweet and savory tastes, and good conversation with loved ones. But if you find you often feel heavy after those waffles with a side of Eggs-Benny, you might want to consider hosting your own Ayurvedic brunch next week.

Here are some delicious, dosha-balancing brunch options to fill you and your guests up without weighing you down. Word to the wise: agni, your digestive fire, is strongest around noon, so try to rally your friends to show up around 11.

The Menu

• Apple Pancakes: Made with a crepe batter, these pancakes are softer and more moist than regular ones. They’re also sweeter because of the apples, so they don’t require any topping.
• Scrambled Tofu or Panir: This Heaven’s Banquet recipe from Miriam Kasin Hospodar is Vata-balancing, quick to make, and a great substitute for scrambled eggs.
• Cranberry Muffins: Packed with vitamin C, these muffins taste great with nut butter.
• Raja’s Cup Latte: A delicious, grounding, antioxidant-rich alternative to coffee.

And, if brunch turns into an afternoon visit...

• Golden Milk: A warm, frothy drink that’s rich in turmeric, which helps purify the blood and promotes healthy circulation, lung function, and immunity. Note: it’s best to drink Golden Milk at least an hour away from meals to avoid slowing the digestion.

The Recipes

Apple Pancakes

This is a basic mung bean dhal, meant to be a simple everyday Indian meal with rice and chapati, or a side dish as part of a larger meal. The wonderful buttery flavor is obtained from the technique called tarka, which means spices sizzled in ghee, added to the pot at the end of the cooking process.

This savory Greek pie traditionally comes in the shape of a small triangle, and it is a truly attractive, delicious, and welcome addition to any meal. Spanakopita is one of the best finger foods you can serve for just about any occasion. 


In What is Spanakopita?, wiseGEEK provides an overview of spanakopita through the ages: “This tasty dish may have originated over 400 years ago, and may have been introduced during the Turkish occupation of Greece. A Turkish dish, ispanaki, is almost identical in presentation, though it sometimes has scallions added. Spanakopita is better known as a Greek food, however, and one will find it served in most Greek restaurants outside of Greece, as well as in virtually all restaurants in Greece. Chefs and food historians credit Epirus, Greece with the most delicious spanakopita.

The mouthwatering aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg waft through homes everywhere as chefs lovingly recreate traditional holiday favorites such as pumpkin pie and gingerbread. Nothing conjures up the holiday spirit more than festive meals eaten in the company of family and friends.

Eating in the pleasant company of friends and family is wonderful for health. According to ayurveda, the spiritual components of cooking and eating are just as important for digestion and assimilation as are the physical components. That means, for example, cooking in a joyous rather than a stressed atmosphere, giving positive attention to the process of cooking and serving the meal, saying thanks before you begin, and enjoying companionable silence or quiet, pleasant conversation with friends and family as you eat. Such a meal converts quickly to ojas, the substance that sustains life and promotes good health, radiance and bliss.

Barley is a wonderfully versatile cereal grain with a rich nutlike flavor and an appealing chewy, pasta-like consistency. Its appearance resembles wheat berries, although it is slightly lighter in color. Sprouted barley is naturally high in maltose, a sugar that serves as the basis for both malt syrup sweetener. When fermented, barley is used as an ingredient in beer and other alcoholic beverages. 


As the weather begins to turn cold, a big pot of soup simmering on the stove warms the heart as well as the hearth. Adding some whole grain barley to the pot will improve your health along with the flavor of whatever soup or stew you're cooking. In addition to its robust flavor, barley's claim to nutritional fame is based on its being a very good source of molybdenum, manganese, dietary fiber, and selenium, and a good source of copper, vitamin B1, chromium, phosphorus, magnesium, and niacin.


In this recipe, barley is sautéed similar to what you would do with rice. The added herbs and spices makes this a great dish on its own or serve with with a salad. Enjoy!

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 Disclaimer
The sole purpose of these articles is to provide information about the tradition of ayurveda. This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. If you have any serious acute or chronic health concern, please consult a trained health professional who can fully assess your needs and address them effectively. If you are seeking the medical advice of a trained ayurvedic expert, call or e-mail us for the number of a physician in your area. Check with your doctor before taking herbs or using essential oils when pregnant or nursing.