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Mung Bean Noodle Chow Mein 

(single meal dish: vegan, gluten free)

5.5 oz mung bean noodles (3 little bunches)

1 lb tofu (long thin slices)

2 carrots (long thin slices)

1 small red bell pepper (finely chopped)

2 -3 green onions (finely chopped)

1-2 inch ginger chunk (thinly sliced)

3 cloves garlic minced

1 cup basil leaves (chopped)

1/2 fresh lime (juiced)

3 T sesame seeds

2 T roasted sesame oil

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1/3 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp chilpolte chilli 

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup hot water

1. Bring a pot of water to boil, add mung bean noodles.  They become clear when cooked; takes 3-5 mins.  When cooked, drain, rinse in cold water, drain and set aside.
2. In a wok or cast iron pan, add olive oil, ginger and tofu.  Cook until tofu is lightly brown and then add carrots and cook for a few minutes.  Turn off the heat and add red bell pepper and green onions.
3. In a pan, dry roast sesame seeds until lightly brown and add to the tofu veggies. Now in the same pan, saute garlic in roasted sesame oil for 1-2 minutes, add turmeric, chili, salt.  Add 1/2 cup water and boil for 1 min. (Use lid to avoid splashing) 
4. Mix everything together (noodles, tofu veggies, garlic water) and add lime juice and chopped basil.
5. Makes 5-6 servings. Serve room temperature.

How to create optimal digestion 
for good nutrient absorption 

“I am convinced digestion is the great secret of life.” 

~Sydney Smith

Having a healthy digestion allows all your cells, tissues, and organs to receive sufficient nutrition for a state of good health.  Ayurveda has some helpful tips for a healthy digestion:

1. Drink only room temperature or warm or hot water (avoid ice water and other refrigerated drinks).
2. Eat foods while they are still hot or warm (avoid cold and refrigerated foods).
3. Consider moderation in all foods.  For example, although nuts are healthy but too many will increase Vata (air and space energy) in your body and too many chiles will increase your Pitta (fire energy).
4. Eat freshly prepared foods, mostly vegetables and mostly greens.  (Avoid left overs, fried foods and processed foods)
5. Chew your foods thoroughly to allow the salivary glands to fully secrete the enzyme Amylase.
6. Use spices and herbs to enhance digestion; especially helpful are lime, lemon, ginger, black pepper and mint.
7. Eat simply as possible to avoid too much food combining.  Your stomach digests fewer food groups at a time more effectively.  Your stomach is not an electric blender!
8. Allow four hours between meals for eating protein, dairy, grains or legumes for stomach to regain its digestive powers.
9. If you need to snack, eat fruit or vegetables, or herbal teas because they are easier to digest.
10. Eat your dinners before or by 6:30pm because natural digestion energy slows down later in the evening.
11. Eat just the right amount so there is still stomach space for air, liquids and proper digestion. (tips: walk around before having seconds; use a small plate) 
12. Make your eating environment peaceful and pleasant because positive feelings enhance digestion.
13. Select food that are healthy and look desirable; they should be pleasing to the eyes, nose and mouth!   
14. Only eat when peaceful or happy because then you are more likely to make intelligent food choices and digest better.

When diet is wrong medicine is of no use.
When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.
~Ayurvedic Proverb

Stop Looking and Start Finding

I rarely find items when I felt pressured or anxious about them.  One time, I was about to go for a chiropractic appointment but I couldn’t locate my car keys; I was frantically looking and looking and I ended up finally calling and canceling my appointment.  A little while later when I stopped looking, I found my keychain resting in the deadbolt of the back door.  From this experience and many others, I have come to acknowledge that the anxiety that we feel hinders our intuition and sight for finding misplaced items.  Have you ever tried to remember someone’s name?  For me it comes so much easier when I deliberately stop thinking about that person.  Also, when I really want to figure something out or I want a solution fast, thinking about the problem over and over does not help with the solution; it isn’t until I change the subject and do something enjoyable and relaxing that I find an answer. There’s a reason why people tell you to “sleep on it.”

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book.       
~Irish Proverb

Indian Cooking made easy!

A typical elaborate Indian meal will consist of dal (soup), subzee (vegetable dish), spiced rice, spiced yogurt, and chapaties (flat bread).  Authentic Indian cooking style takes quite a bit of time and requires many ingredients.  Over the years, I have taken typical North Indian cuisine and simplified it so that it is healthy, tasty, and easy.  Below are a few dishes to get started with:

Gajar Subzee (Curried Carrots)

14 med size carrots (chopped in small cubes)

2 inch ginger chunk (finely chopped)

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 T Safflower oil (or of your choice)

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 cup water

Dry roast the mustard seeds in a wide medium stainless steel pot.  When they start to pop, add the ginger, salt and oil.  When the ginger is browned, add chopped carrots and turmeric powder and cook with the lid for about 10 min on medium heat.  Now add the water and cook for another 10-15 mins without the lid, stirring occasionally. Serves 5-7. 

Split Mung Bean Dal (Soup)

1 cup split mung beans (or use split yellow lentils)

5 cups water

5 garlic cloves (minced)

3 green onions (minced)

1.5 tsp sea salt

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 green chili pepper, chopped (optional)

1 T extra virgin olive oil

  

Wash and rinse the split mung beans.  Add them to a pot with the water, garlic, sea salt, turmeric, and chili.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then let it simmer for about 45 minutes or until cooked.  Cooking time varies with different altitudes. After it is cooked, add green onions and let it sit with lid for 5 minutes.  Before serving add olive oil.  Optional: garnish with chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice if you like.  Serve over rice or enjoy as a soup. Serves 4-5.

How to prepare kichari (mung bean recipe for all seasons)

Kichari is a wonderful vegetarian protein-rich dish cooked in many Indian households and in many different ways.  My recipe of choice is given below; the ginger, garlic, onions, lime, cilantro and spices in this recipe help the beans to become more digestible and the tumeric adds the healing anti-inflammatory qualities.  Kichari is to be eaten fresh and not recommended as a left over.  In Ayurveda, fresh foods are considered to be full of prana, the life sustaining energy; when cooked foods are stored, prana is significantly reduced.  When a fruit or vegetable is eaten immediately after it is harvested, the taste is very flavorful, vibrant and energizing; this is because it is full of prana.  If you would like more energy from your food, then definitely eat foods that are freshly prepared.  Here’s my very simple kichari recipe:

1 ½ cups whole mung beans

½ cup basmati rice

10 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 inch long ginger chunk, finely chopped

½ onion, medium size chopped

2 green onions, finely chopped

1  chopped jalapeno (optional if you like spicy!)

1 tsp tumeric powder

2 tsp sea salt.

12 cups water

Garnish:

3 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil or ghee (clarified butter)

½ bunch chopped cilantro

juice of fresh lime

Boil mung beans in the water for 10 mins.  Add rice, garlic, ginger, onion, and spices and cook another 30 mins at med-low or until cooked; then turn off burner, add green onions and let it sit with cover for the last 10 mins.  Before serving, garnish with olive oil, juice of fresh lime and chopped cilantro. (For added flavor and digestive enhancers: Dry roast one teaspoon of cumin or fennel seeds in a separate pan, and add them to the pot at any time.)  Makes 6 servings.

How to have a healthier spring! a few tips to reduce kapha

According to ayurveda, the season of spring is an excellent time for cleansing the body of excess “kapha,” or the earth and water energies.  Excess kapha can aggravate allergies, asthma, increase fat, slow digestion and increase colds and flus.  Decreasing the kapha will reduce the heaviness out of the body so one can feel lighter and energetic.  In Ayurveda, “like attracts like” and “opposites balance or decrease”; therefore kapha is decreased by fire, air and space or foods that warming and light in quality.

Some tips to decrease kapha:

1. Drink plenty hot water with a little juice of fresh lemon or lime.
2. Use more ginger tea and or other herbal teas. 
3. Use more fresh ginger and juice of fresh lemon or lime in meals.  
4. Eat freshly prepared food and mostly fresh vegetables (lightly cooked).
5. Cook with spices such as tumeric, cumin, fennel, coriander and black pepper.
6. Garnish with fresh herbs, such as cilantro, mint, chives, basil or parsley.
7. Reduce dairy, heavy foods, cold foods, cold drinks, left overs, desserts, fried and processed food.

A great website for learning about ayurveda is jiva.com.

Want to try some radish tops?

Our local farmers market is now open and the veggies are bright, energizing and delicious! Even the green tops of the radishes looked so good that I decided to cook them for a change along with eating the yummy crisp radishes.  I sauteed a few ginger slices in a little olive oil, added the chopped radish green tops and cooked them for 1-2 minutes; garnished them with sea salt, fresh lemon juice and some roasted sesame seeds.  They were quite tasty that I would definitely prepare them again.

How to treasure moments and find a treasure too!

“It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life.  Where you stumble, there lies your treasure.”  Joseph Campbell

Many years ago, I found myself shuffling through too many interiors of antique shops. I was on vacation in Jogjakarta, Indonesia, with my hubby, and he had suddenly become obsessed with Indonesian pottery.  As I was not passionate about antiques at the time, the shopping was an absolute bore!  By the time we were in the fourth shop, I realized that I had to quickly develop a strategy to overcome my unsatisfying shopping experience because I was definitely not interested in exploring the wild streets of Jogjakarta alone in the evening.  

The idea I decided on was to appreciate each item one by one and thoroughly observe the color, shape and style of each item.  Rather than breezing over everything, I did make a sincere effort to make a note of each item and its details, and before long I was enjoying the process.  I was about half way through the store when I came across a pleasant surprise; there was an interesting antique statue among the pottery.  Looking closer, I realized it was a beautiful marble statue of Guru Nanak, a teacher of universal truth and founder of Sikhism.  I knew that since statues of Sikh Saints were almost never seen due to an objection to idol worship, this was a rare find!  I now had my own antique to take home!  So the next time you take the extra energy to appreciate, you too, may find some wonderful treasures before your eyes! :-)

“For those who are willing to make an effort, great miracles and wonderful treasures are in store.”  Isaac Bashevis Singer

How to prepare Green Onion Tofu 


Tofu (Bean Curd) - a wonderful vegetarian superfood rich with protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin E. 


1 Pound Tofu
1 Bunch Green Onions
2 Inch piece of Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Cut the Tofu into little strips, and do the same with your green onions and ginger. Make sure you have washed the green onions and chopped the ends off, and make sure you have washed the ginger and peeled it before chopping. Add the green onion and ginger pieces to a pan (preferably cast-iron) and cook for a minute with the vegetable oil and salt. Then add your tofu strips. Stir constantly, try not to let the tofu stick. Once the dish is cooked enough, the tofu will have browned and the onions and ginger will have shrunk and browned also. Serve fresh and enjoy!

Is the flu going to get you?  How to avoid catching a cold

“Health is the consciousness of the unreality of pain and disease; or, rather, the absolute consciousness of harmony and of nothing else” Mary Baker Eddy

Have you ever wondered if Mother Teresa worried about hugging the sick and less fortunate?  And there is Amma ji, the hugging mother, who still hugs thousands a day; even those who are ill or unwashed.  I’m sure these women did not worry about picking up germs!  What they did was embody a state of well-being: a consciousness of health! 

Getting back to catching flu or a cold, I think yes, if you think you will catch it, you will.  Over the years, I have cleaned up my sloppy thinking and I am healthier during all seasons because of my thinking and eating habits!  Refrain from allowing past flu episodes, colds and allergies to dictate how present and future health should be, nor does it mean, one should be sloppy in eating or lifestyle, and leave health totally up to positive thinking. Don’t worry yourself sick!

When you feel weakness in the body, give yourself a complete rest for a few hours.  Avoid the mindset of weakness and complaining!  Practice optimism and focus on happy thoughts!   Simply rest, stay calm and practice long deep breathing many times throughout the day.  In addition, keep yourself warm and do minimal activity.  Drink mostly hot water throughout the day along with other hot drinks like soup broth, miso soup and or herbal teas.  The body knows how to heal, just be gentle and soothe yourself.

Well, when I feel a little under the weather, my favorite hot drink consists of one cup of hot water with one half fresh lemon or lime squeezed, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp cumin powder, 1/4 tsp ginger powder, 1/4 tsp coriander powder and 1/3 tsp sea salt or black salt. 

“The average disease would be practically harmless if it were not for the life and the power that it receives from the patient. We magnify our ills, and thus make them worse, and we increase their life and power by living for them and placing ourselves at their mercy. If we would look upon an ailment as insignificant, and then proceed to arouse the finer elements and forces of mind and body, those elements that can undermine and remove any conditions, we would soon restore perfect health and order.” Christian Larson

About that sweet tooth…

Ekongkar's Baked Burfi Kulfi Cake

At my house we tend to get creative in the Kitchen. Sometimes, too creative… But always tasty! Here's my favorite new dessert that combines the delicious flavors of Indian sweets with the rich nuttiness of a nice warm cake. I hope you enjoy it! For more comprehensive instructions, or other cooking videos from our kitchen, visit BodyMindSoulWellness's youtube channel :)

Happiness is a Butterfly

“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”  ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

Last summer, while on a phone call, standing barefoot on the grass in my backyard enjoying the sunshine, I was also watching a white and brown butterfly in the distance.  While talking, I extended my left arm out and silently invited the butterfly to come and sit on my arm.  As I continued with my phone conversation, I kept my arm extended and within a few minutes, the butterfly came and sat on my arm very briefly and then flew away.  I again invited the butterfly, it came and stayed on my arm just a little longer and then flew away.  Then for the third time, I invited the butterfly; this time, instead of my arm, it sat on the back my hand for a very long time!  It was truly a magical moment!  A few weeks later, I had a similar experience with a different butterfly and it was still so much fun!  

Try it sometime and communicate with the Butterfly Spirits as they soon will be arriving with the warm weather!

How to Cook Mouth Watering Greens for Vitality and Health!

I try to incorporate leafy greens into our meals at least once a day. Dark leafy greens are especially high in vitamins and minerals. Most people will experience a boost in physical energy when dark leafy greens are consumed regularly; my family loves them! Some greens that I like to use are Collard Greens, Turnip Greens, Beet Greens, Mustard, Arugula, Watercress, Cilantro, Mint, Basil, Bok Choy Greens, Kale, Swiss Chard, Escarole, Yo Choy Sum (Similar to Bok Choy), and Spinach.

Greens are especially known for their high chlorophyll, a wonderful nutrient for keeping the body full of health and vitality. To allow for maximum absorption of chlorophyll, it is important to keep the cooking time under 5 minutes, because overcooking will turn them brown and reduce their chlorophyll levels. The thicker the leaves, the longer the cooking time.

Some people will start adding greens to their diet after they have had some health scare! Eat them now! Use the following videos as basic guidelines on how to cook mouthwatering greens at home:

How to motivate yourself to reduce excess weight.  Some butter please?

This exercise, given by Stuart Wilde, involves going to the supermarket to the butter section, extending your arms out and holding exactly the pounds of butter that equal the excess weight that your body is carrying; for example, if your body is ten pounds overweight, then hold ten pounds of butter.  The purpose is to feel and understand the extra stress being put on the heart to deliver the blood through the body with all excess fat around.  So, do take care of your heart and be focused and determined to be at your healthy weight!
     
        “We never repent of having eaten too little.” Thomas Jefferson

Four Easy Steps To Get What You What

(or at least increasing the chances of getting what you want!)

Sometimes we can feel easily irritated by family members or colleagues because we feel that we have not been understood.   It takes conscious effort, non-judgement and awareness to identify and articulate our own needs and carefully listen to what others may be needing.  Marshall B. Rosenburg, Phd, the author of Non-Violent Communication, gives a four step process which can be helpful in making any communication better.  These four steps of communication are Observations, Feelings, Needs and Requests.

The first step, “Observation” is when we describe an event or a situation that we want to talk about.  The second step, “Feelings” is when we identify and articulate the emotion that is being felt.  The third step, “Needs” is when we reflect on the emotion and identify the actual need.  The last step, “Requests” is when we ask for something that we feel may help us meet our need.  The key word here is “request” and not “demand.”  A request is an unconditional way of asking without getting upset if we do not get what we want.    

Some years back, not too long after I had read Marshall Rosenburg’s book, I remembered a day when I was feeling irritated and at that moment I had put the “4 step process” in use.  As I had reflected on my irritation, I realized that although I was feeling irritated by the fact that my husband was spending endless hours on the computer, my real need was that I wanted a little social time with him.   So I said to him, “Honey, I’m feeling a little lonesome, I would love to have your company right now.” He immediately responded and joined me for a cozy chit chat.  Try it sometime!

The four step process can also be used not only while listening to our own inner dialogue but also when listening to others to find out what they really need and what they really are requesting.  When we are consciously communicating, we will most likely be following these steps naturally, however, it is good to check in with ourselves and make sure we are communicating effectively from a place of kindness, non-judgment and clarity. Happy chatting!

"The most important thing in communication
is to hear what isn't being said."
~Peter F. Drucker~

How to stop procrastinating and 

How to start accomplishing! Tip 1

Often, it is too easy to delay the process or task that we least prefer.  Sometimes the delay is caused by focussing on the “how” part of the task and the “how” really does not sound fun!  When we take the time to focus on the outcome or result, we are more likely to accomplish the task on hand.  For example, if we are going on a vacation which is going to require some 15-20 hours of air travel, we rarely concentrate on the discomfort of a closed confined space with poor air quality and bad food because we stay focussed on the fun and exciting activities that we will be doing on the trip!  

Likewise, when we take each activity and focus on what the completion feels like, we will already have begun!  Next time your closet needs organizing, ask yourself, “What will it feel like after it is organized?”  When you tell yourself repeatedly, “My closet will feel so good when it’s organized,” you will want to get started!  Before long you will have a clean closet.  More tips to be continued later! 

I hope this post is useful for you, but mostly I hope this post is useful for my son! :)

"The best way to get something done is to begin."        ~Author Unknown 

From my kitchen to yours: A delicious healthy greeny tahini chutney!

How about some tiger walking? And secrets from “Born to Run”

During my martial arts training, our walking forms required a toe-heel, toe-heel placement, a very quiet, sleek walk like a tiger!  This toe-heel practice is an excellent way to strengthen the calves and ankles.

A very similar style is described in the book "Born to Run", where author, Christopher McDougall sets off to research a tribe of the world's greatest distance runners and to learn their secrets. One of the techniques he discovered is running barefoot with the fore foot landing much like the toe-heel, toe-heel strike.  Normally when most of us walk in our runners, our foot placement generates a heel-strike (heel-toe, heel-toe).  

During my walks or at home, I frequently take some time to practice the toe-heel, toe-heel placement.  By bringing my awareness to my feet, I have noticed that my foot placement is much better; my toes are not curling up and that my calves and ankles have gotten stronger.  Overall, my feet are much happier!  Try it and see how your feet feel! Watch the posted video to learn more.   

“Good walking leaves no track behind it.” Lao Tsu

25 Plus Reasons Why Outdoor Walking Is The Best Exercise!  What do you think?

”The sum of the whole is this: walk and be happy; walk and be healthy. The best way to lengthen out our days is to walk steadily and with a purpose.”  Charles Dickens

Did you know that it is a common practice for writers to take morning walks before writing?  It is because walking stimulates creative thoughts.  I currently walk for one hour 5-6 times a week and I always feel really good afterwards.  

Walking is so fantastic because it: 

• Energizes and Refreshes
• Increases oxygen supply to body
• Improves digestion and metabolism
• Makes lungs and heart stronger
• Increases hip flexibility and coordination
• Strengthens joints by increasing bone density
• Aids in gentle massage for body organs
• Improves flow of creative ideas
• Allows direct sunlight for body to create Vitamin D 
• Manages weight by burning fat (burns 100 calories per mile)
• Replenishes the soul, improves mood and decreases stress
• Tones the body and makes your face glow
• Lowers blood pressure
• Improves sleep
• Increases good cholesterol (hdl)
• Safe and easy
• Creates an opportunity for distant eye focusing for vision health
• Requires no fee or membership
• Requires no equipment
• Can be a hobby or a social activity
• Creates an opportunity for appreciation of the outdoors
• Creates practice time for silence, prayer, visualization or good thoughts
• Creates practice time for good posture
• Creates practice time for proper foot placement
• Creates practice times for walking breath techniques
• Can accomplish errands by using feet
• Saves on petrol, parking and transport costs

"Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far." Thomas Jefferson

Feeling slow and lethargic? 

How to be energized right now:

Try going for a walk, or put on some favorite music and dance, clean your house, get active.  If you are still having a hard time, try taking a hot bath, lying down for 30 minutes and doing some long deep breathing.  Dehydration will cause fatigue in the body; make sure you are drinking 8-10 glasses of water daily.  Overeating and eating low quality food also make the body tired.   If you are still unusually tired, try sleeping.  After you awake and you are still not refreshed, articulate the emotions that are dominating your mind.  Emotions that feel less than contentment, like worry and frustration will contribute to fatigue.  First acknowledge the dominate emotion and then make an effort to soothe yourself and feel better.