Kitchari Recipe

by Deborah Keene | Mar 28, 2024 | Uncategorized

Recipe

Kitchari:
Ayurveda’s Healing Meal

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice
½ cup yellow mung dal
1 tablespoon Kitchari Spice Mix*
2 tablespoons ghee
6 cups water
1–2 cups chopped vegetables (optional)

Overview

Kitchari is one of the few foods that provides both nourishment for the body and benefits digestion due to its spice combination. This makes kitchari ideal during stress, illness, change of seasons, and it is the primary food during Ayurvedic internal cleansing.

Instructions

Step 1

Wash rice and mung dal and soak overnight. Drain soak water.

Step 2

In a medium saucepan warm the ghee. Add the Kitchari Spice Mix and sauté for one to two minutes. Add rice and mung dal and sauté for another couple of minutes. Then add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Step 3

Once the kitchari has come to a boil reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until it is tender (approx. 30–45 minutes).

Step 4

If you are adding vegetables to your kitchari, add the longer cooking vegetables, such as carrots and beets, halfway through the cooking. Add the vegetables that cook faster, such as leafy greens, near the end.

Step 5

Add more water if needed. Typically, kitchari is the consistency of a vegetable stew as opposed to a broth. A thinner consistency is preferable if your digestion is weak. You will notice that kitchari will thicken when it cools and you may need more water than you originally thought.

GARNISHES

Try these garnishes for added flavor.

• Coconut (great for pitta, good for vata, best to avoid for kapha)

• Cilantro (great for pitta, okay for vata and kapha)

• Lime (great for everyone!)

*Kitchari Spice Mix

The following spices may be used in place of Kitchari Spice Mix

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 small pinch of asafoetida (hing) powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
4 thin slices of fresh ginger root

Love Yourself

by Deborah Keene | Feb 17, 2023 | Practice, Vibrant Living

“Your self love is a medicine for the earth” ~Yung Pueblo

My teachers often speak about the importance of connecting to our own deep center and the divine essence within. Unconditional self-love and self-compassion are the first steps to becoming free of suffering.

What does that mean to love yourself? Pure and simple, if we want to love someone, we must love ourselves unconditionally first.

Believing in our hearts, knowing in our bones that we are enough just as we are is key for being able to live a happier healthier more love filled life.

I know this to be true.

There were a whole lot of years I didn’t feel good about who I was.

I struggled with anxiety, insecurity, and depression among other things. Looking back, I suffered a lot.

It’s not that way for me anymore. I accept who I am, the way I am, and love me for it.

“The love and attention you always thought you wanted from someone else, is the love and attention you first need to give to yourself.” – Bryant McGill

When struggles do arise, as they will given the human nature that I am, I don’t get gripped by fear or insecurity or feelings of less than. I don’t beat myself up anymore.

I protect me and the spirit of Debbie Keene.

“Guard the doors of your temple, do not let anyone pollute it with their mess.”― Patricio Telman Chincocolo

A morning practice has been the most significant factor in this transformation. Begin with the gift of a daily practice, a morning sadhana. If you’d like easy, on-demand access to yoga practices, consider subscribing to my Radiant Living Membership. Click HERE to learn more.

Thank you for visiting the Ayurveda Yoga Center where we provide teachings, practices, and wisdom from Yoga and Ayurveda and other spiritual traditions.

If you find this content helpful, please check out our site and share your favorite articles and info with friends and family.

With love and gratitude,

Deb

Riding the Waves

by Deborah Keene | Sep 7, 2022 | Seasonal Events, Vibrant Living

We have a full “Harvest Moon” coming this weekend: Friday into Saturday.

Full moons have a lot of energy. They can magnify whatever is going on in our lives If you have been feeling out of sorts, you may find you feel even more so.

And women, remember, we are ruled by the moon.
This means we may have an “extra special ride” ride when it’s the full moon time.

On the other hand, if you are feeling strong, even tempered and on top of your game, this too can be more heightened. You may feel even more joyful, inspired, and expanded.

The planet Jupiter, the largest planet known for its wisdom, is contributing to the full moon effects this month.

Jupiter’s influence helps cut through confusion.
Thoughts and feelings that have been stuffed down may rise up.

We may find we have the power and courage to see and feel what needs our attention and take action that moves us in the direction that is right for us.

Please join me for the weekly Free Online Yoga Class!

Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022
9-10am
All Levels, everyone is welcome!

Join the Free Online Class 9/8/22

Let’s come together for a full moon practice with breath and movement to help clear what is obstructing us in daily life, heighten our intuition, and open us to new possibilities and uplifted moods.

We will chant a mantra dedicated to the moon to help bring peace of mind:

Click Here for the link to one such version of the mantra.

Hope to see you!

Balanced Living During the Late Summer

by Deborah Keene | Aug 29, 2022 | Summer, Vibrant Living

There can be challenging forces at play when August comes especially when the heat continues to be a predominant force. The accumulated heat can cause inflammation and a dry internal environment.

We can experience fatigue, overwhelm, and agitation.

We also have the change in the air now with cooler nights, signaling Vata is on the rise. (This means the nervous system will be more tender.)

The good news is that the body will let us know if there are things going on that we need to pay attention to.

And, thankfully, we have the wise ways of Ayurveda’s daily and seasonal lifestyles and foods, yoga practices, and the underlying philosophy of both, Vedanta, to help show us the healthy path through the ebb and flows of the changing days, nights, seasons, and life cycles.

Before I get into some tips for late summer care, I want to remind you of a fundamental principle of Ayurveda. It’s one of the first things I talk about when I’m asked about Ayurveda.

We’ve got to get this one.

Ayurveda says that Mother Nature’s law and rhythms guide all of life including ours. Our greatest health is found when our daily and seasonal lifestyle practices are synced with nature.

Rise with the sun and the birds
Sleep with the moon and the stars.
Eat 3 meals per day with the main meal in the middle of the day.
Read spiritual scriptures.

– My teacher, Dr. Lele’s prescription for health

Translated:

Rise by 6am- the time of Divine consciousness- a perfect time for yoga and meditation
Bed by 10pm-when the energy supports settling and sleep
Eat the biggest meal between 11a and 2p based on foods for the season when the digestive fire is the brightest
Awaken to the truth of our spiritual nature- so that we can remain situated within our own selves and feel the joy, peace, and love that is our birthright

This guidance falls into the Dinacharya –Daily Routine – category.

The teaching about specific foods and practices fall into the Ritucharya –Seasonal Practices category. These two go together and are equally important.

Signs of imbalances
-and things we can do to alleviate them in late summer

Some of the telltale signs of imbalances:

irritability,
feeling critical, angry, short tempered,
impatience,
a tendency to “push” too hard,
loose stools or constipation,
dry skin,
skin rashes, especially the ones that spread quickly,
anxiety,
and sleep troubles just to name a few.

What to do!

We want to make sure we hydrate well and lubricate the tissues of our bodies.

And we want to slow down. Regardless of what we are doing, see if we can do it a little more slowly.

Favor foods with sweet, cool tastes
Focus on hydration
Eat smaller portions in general

Here’s a partial list of foods to favor ~

peaches, plums, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapes, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers
green beans, carrots, dates, raisins
white chicken or turkey
mung beans
ghee, olive oil, coconut oil
coconut water
sunflower seeds
cumin, coriander, fennel, dill, cardamom
Reduce dry, hard, rough foods like popcorn, pretzels, chips
Reduce salt
Pungent taste such as raw garlic and onion and spicy foods

We have a lot of say when it comes to health and wellness. We need to remain aware of the connections between how we are living and how we are feeling.

If we want to sleep good tonight and feel good tomorrow, we need to pay attention to how we are living today.

“A well lived day is medicine unto itself.”

Today is a perfect day to begin living an awakened life.

Thank you to all of my teachers and to all the Yoga And Ayurveda Community.

Choosing Between the Hard and the Hard

by Deborah Keene | Jun 28, 2022 | Uncategorized

Here we are in full bloom of summer; a time of high energy and activity.

The power of the sun fuels the fire element and propels us to action. The sun gives us strength, vitality, and focus and rules our digestive fire.

Clarity and radiance are born from this power.

Plus, this week we have a new moon in cancer on Tuesday, the 28th. The watery elements heighten our emotions and provides an opportunity for us to clear away what has been and open to new possibilities.

Personally, I am in the thick of these very things.

The fire and water elements that predominate right now can give way to us feeling out of sorts such as irritated, angry, and critical. We may be more sensitive, emotional, and reactive.

We may experience more inflammatory conditions…..acid reflux, skin rashes, etc. Or maybe we push ourselves too hard rather than surrendering to the pace of the body. Add to the equation the circumstances in the world around us and in our own personal lives.

What a wild ride it can be. This we know: the more we can remain calm and steady, the better off we will be. This is especially true when faced with making a difficult decision.

I am in the midst of making a decision between “the hard and the hard”.
So how do we choose between the two?

My beloved studio/barn and one plus acres of land is for sale. My Yoga and Ayurveda business is, and will remain, alive and well…online.

I have come to the point in my life where I want and need more simplicity and a financial cushion for my elder years. What I know to be true is that this decision cannot be rushed.

I have taken time over the past two years to reflect on this.

I’ve needed to get quiet and centered and clear about my intentions and the “why”.

I’ve needed to allow the time and space for the emotional roller coaster ride.

I’ve applied the teachings about the importance to go beneath the surface waves of turmoil.

I have sorted through the fears, the heartache, the letting go as well as being open to the possibilities and new beginnings.

The words from Jack Kornfield help comfort me:

“ Like a traveler on a train.
We can put down our bags.
We can relax our grip and trust
in the unfolding of life.”

In the end, when the answer comes of what is truly right for us, we will know.

There is a calm and peace way deep down inside that shows us the way.

And all will be alright.

For those of you who are facing difficult decisions at this time, my heart is with you.

May you too take all the time you can and need so you can hear the wisdom of your soul to show you the way.

With love,
Deb

Kitchari Recipe

Recipe

Kitchari:
Ayurveda’s Healing Meal

Ingredients

Overview