Looking for a healthy fall meal that will delight your senses and help you find lightness in your body? Look no further….We’ve got you covered!

Kitchari

Autumn is the season that nudges us to slow down, turn inward, and enjoy warmer, heartier, and grounding foods and beverages to balance the dry, rough, and cold quality that is present. Listening and honoring nature’s cues can support our physical and mental health and well-being as we transition to winter.

One of our favorite nourishing meals to enjoy this time of year is Kitchari - a healing Ayurvedic dish. The ingredients include mung dahl which is an easily digestible, high protein containing legume, a variety of spices (to support healthy digestion!), white Basmati rice and a variety of vegetables.

As a popular dish in India, there are thousands of versions of Kitchari. Our GCF version comes from Kerrie Shur, Ayurvedic Yoga Teacher at True Nature Healing Arts. Traditional recipes include ghee, which is clarified butter, but we substitute coconut oil in our vegan GCF version.

Kerrie’s Kitchari

Ingredients:

• 1 cup split yellow mung beans (rinsed and sorted & soaked overnight)

• 1 cup white basmati rice

• 2 tablespoons ghee (we used coconut oil)

• 3 teaspoons whole mustard seed

• 2 teaspoons fennel powder

• 2 teaspoons turmeric

• 2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 2 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) or small piece of komba

• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

• 5 cups water

• 3 cups diced seasonal veggies (sweet potato, carrots, beets, zucchini, cauliflower or any combination of these)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

To serve:

• Fresh cilantro 

• Fresh lemon

Directions:

Measure the yellow mung beans, rice, and spices. Grate the ginger and break off a small piece of kombu, if using. Kombu is an edible sea vegetable rich in iron and calcium that aids in digestion.

Melt the coconut oil in a large, deep skillet or pot over medium-low heat. Add the mustard seed and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the remaining spices to the skillet, along with the ginger, yellow mung beans, and rice. Stir to coat the yellow mung beans and rice in the spice mixture and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Pour in the water, and bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Set your timer for 20 minutes.

Add the diced vegetables - Continue to cook covered until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes more.

Remove from heat. Season the kitchari with salt and pepper

To serve, ladle into bowls and top with fresh cilantro, and lemon. Enjoy and feel nourished!

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Kerrie is a Holistic Health Coach and Restorative Yoga Teacher. She has a background in Ayurveda, mind-body nutrition, and eating psychology. She relies on the wisdom of Ayurveda (the sister science to yoga) to inform and support her clients and her personal daily/seasonal self care routines.

For more information about Ayurveda and seasonal eating, contact Kerrie at Live In Rhythm

With Fall in full swing and Halloween just around the corner, we are getting in the baking groove, and loving every morsel!

These delicious and healthy, Chocolate No Bake Cookies are a hit!

Super easy to make. Loaded with super food ingredients. AND….They combine the best two flavors in the history of all desserts: peanut butter and chocolate.

Recipe inspiration from one of our favorite food blogs: loveandlemons.com

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut oil

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup almond milk (+ a touch more if PB is super thick)

• 2 tablespoons cacao powder

• 1 tsp maca powder

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 1/2 cups whole rolled oats

• 1 tsp malden sea salt
  

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium saucepan, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the maple syrup, almond milk, cacao, maca, peanut butter, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring often.

Remove from the heat and stir in the oats. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the batter onto the baking sheet.

Chill for 30 minutes or until firm.

And The Foods That Will Help Balance Your Hormones!

Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance In Women:

• Low libido

• Irregular periods

• Swollen or tender breasts

• Fibrocystic breast

• Bloating

• Headaches

• Mood swings

• Fatigue

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Weight gain

• Brain fog

• Insomnia

• PMS

• Thyroid nodules

• Fibroids

• Endometriosis

• Polycystic ovarian syndrome

• Cancer – breast, uterine

Foods That Help:

Food with sulforaphane, which support estrogen receptors. This includes:

• Broccoli

• Kale

• Brussels sprouts

• Bok choy

• Collard greens

• Cauliflower

• Cabbage
  

Foods from the Brassicae family, which include the compound Indole-3-carbinol. These include:

• Turnips

• Napa cabbage

• Wasabi

• Broccoli

• Cauliflower

• Cabbage

• Bok choy

Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such wild caught fish, nuts and seeds, especially flax seeds

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Lifestyle Habits That Help:

• Saunas – Saunas are one of the best ways to support detoxification within the body.

• Exercise – Exercise, especially sweating, is another great way of supporting detoxification.

• Reduce stress levels – You’ve probably heard me say time and time again that reducing stress levels is one of the best things you can do for your health and estrogen is no exception.

• Lose excess weight – Estrogens are stored in fat on the body. So when you lose weight, you reduce storage space for estrogens.

• Drink clean water

• Use clean personal care and beauty products – Beauty products and personal care products are some of the worst culprits for xenoestrogens (chemicals that mimic estrogen in the body). Clean out your products and opt for clean options.

• Avoid hormonal birth control – If possible
  

Photo credit: choosingchia.com

Our healthy Pumpkin Spice Chia Pudding takes the flavors of your favorite holiday dessert and turns it into a gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and Good Clean Food approved healthy snack!

(“How do you make your chia so fluffy?”: our video tutorial below!!)

Here’s how we do it…….

To an 8 oz mason jar add:

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds.

To your high speed blender add:

• 1 can coconut milk

• 1/3 can pumpkin puree

• 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1.5 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp clove

• 1/4 tsp allspice

• 1 tsp vanilla

• * 1 tablespoon whipped coconut cream (directions below)
  
  

Blend for 8 to 10 seconds working from low to high (do not over blend!). Pour this mixture over chia seeds and thorough stir to combine. Refrigerate for 10 minutes and stir again. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.

To make the whipped coconut cream:

Refrigerate 1 can of coconut milk. When cold blend the cream on high speed for 10 seconds (do not include the water).

Top with a tablespoon of whipped coconut cream* and a sprinkle of cinnamon and enjoy!

HOW WE MAKE OUR CHIA: