Wise Earth Ayurveda Summer Spice Grind!

Naomi & Brian

Embrace the sunshine and add each beaming ray to your Bonus moments.  We are starting the transition into the Summer season (even though our spring was pretty much absent).  Summer is a time of celebration, cultivating our gardens, weeding, graduations, and many other fun reconnecting activities.  

Naomi & Don - Brian & Helena

We will all be invited to many wonderful celebrations this summer.  Now is the time to reflect on how you might approach the many summer feasts, picnics, barbecues and other celebratory functions accumulating on your calendar.  Food-combining is always a good way to start.  Keep it simple and keep the carbs and proteins separate.  I know - I know - you've heard this before.  
The question is, are you doing it?  So any way, when presented with a huge buffet of  delectable yummies....try to keep it simple.  The more complicated your plate looks the harder your digestion has to work. Mindful eating is always that best route to take.

Janet, Melissa & Doris

Terry, Don, Leslie & Helena

This weekend we roasted and blended a Masala designed for the up coming summer season.  During the summer our bodies mirror our environment.  When it's hot and  humid outside - it will be hot and humid inside your body.  Creating a Masala is a way to bring the 6 tastes into balance on your plate. Our bodies need sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent tastes to help activate our digestive processes.  Blending spices is a wonderful way to awaken our dormant senses and build a community of healing love and support.  

Brian

We blended Coriander, Cumin, Fennel, White Pepper, Turmeric and Saffron.  You can find many seasonal Masala recipes in Living Ahimsa Diet Nourishing Love & Life ~ Maya Tiwari.
http://www.wiseearth.com/on-maya-tiwari/



As a little bonus I demonstrated how to use our Summer Masala to make an Ayurvedic Trail Mix.  This is a very loose recipe that will allow your creative juices to flow.  I measured with my hands so please feel free to work with your intentions and add and subtract as you see fit.
 The Ghee, Masala and Lime are going to blend together with the fruit and nuts creating a unique melding.  Ordinarily dry fruit and nuts wouldn't work and especially not together but, heating them with the other ingredients not only works but will enhance your ability to digest them. The lime will act as a preservative and the Curry leaves have amazing digestive qualities. For those who were in class and asking for more information on Curry leaves - http://www.nzhealth.net.nz/herbs/curryleaf.shtml This is a very sustaining mixture and a little will go along way. 
I purchase my organic raw nuts and dry fruit from http://www.nuts.com

Ingredients for Ayurvedic Trail Mix

Ayurvedic Trail Mix
Ingredients:
Ghee 2 tablespoons (more or less)
Nuts 3 cups (I used cashews, pecans & pistachios or  
 any of your favorites)

Dry fruit 3 cups (I used dried blueberries, cranberries, 
 cherries and elderberries or any of your favorites)

2 Tablespoons Summer Masala (or any Masala that you 
have or enjoy)

1 lime

Pinch of salt

2-3 sprigs of fresh Curry leaves (strip from stem)

Naomi making Trail Mix

On med heat, melt Ghee in cast iron or stainless steel sauté pan.  Add Masala & Curry leaves (be careful leaves will sputter and pop).  Add nuts and stir to coat.  Add dry fruit and toss.  If it starts to get sticky add a little more Ghee.  Sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt.  When everything has heated and the nuts have browned and fruit has plumped remove from heat.  While still hot add the juice from 1 lime (again use as much as you like 1/2 to a whole lime your choice). Toss to cover.  Delicious  snack and easy to travel with. Enjoy! Be Warned....this is addictive!!

Finished Ayurvedic Trail Mix

Blessings to All!
Sweet Spicy kisses!
Namaste`
Naomi