Conscious Eating Part 42

Remarks: Jicama is aggravating for V and balancing for P and K. The lemon juice and cayenne help calm and warm V so that the overall effect is neutral for V.

Zesty Broccoli

Balances V, P, K; unbalances V in excess All Seasons, best Winter 1 cup broccoli, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped, or tsp sun-dried garlic 1 Tbs fresh ginger juice Toss together with dressing of choice (see Salad Dressings). This combination of broccoli, ginger, and garlic makes a wonderful sauce if blended with fresh apple juice or water.

Green Papaya Salad

Balances V and K, slightly unbalances P All Seasons 2 green papayas, shredded green pepper, diced red pepper, diced cup parsley, minced cup balsamic vinegar cup raw apple cider vinegar tsp fresh ginger juice 2 cloves garlic, pressed Juice of 1 lemon Juice of 1 lime Celtic salt to taste Mix all ingredients.

Greek Salad

Balances V and P, unbalances K Summer 5 cuc.u.mbers, sliced 5 tomatoes, diced 1 cup olives, pitted and diced 2 Tbs raw apple cider vinegar 2 Tbs virgin olive oil (optional) 1 Tbs oregano Celtic salt to taste Mix well and serve. Serves 4-5.

Marinated Italian Veggie Salad

Balances V and K, slightly unbalances P Summer 4 cups cauliflower florets 1 cups carrot, sliced 1 cup olives, pitted 1 cup virgin olive oil cup celery, chopped cup white wine vinegar 2 Tbs raw apple cider vinegar 2 Tbs capers 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 small chiles, dried 1 bay leaf Mix all ingredients. Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving. Serves 6-10.

Zucchini-Squash Salad

Balances P and V, unbalances K Summer 1 zucchini, diced 1 yellow squash, diced Toss with Herb Dressing (see Salad Dressings: Light Dressings) Serves 2-3.

Seven-Spear Salad

Balances V, P, K All Seasons 7 asparagus spears avocado, sliced 1 cup sprouts cup Sweet Dill Dressing (see Salad Dressings: Light Dressings) Place spears and avocado on bed of sprouts and pour on dressing.

Remarks: Asparagus is balancing for V, P, and K. It is sweet, bitter, astringent, cool, light, and moist.

Tomato-Cuke Salad

Balances V and P, neutral for K Summer 1 large cuc.u.mber, sliced 4 cherry tomatoes, sliced 1 tsp fresh dill 1-2 cups Sweet Dill Dressing (see Salad Dressings: Light Dressings) Toss with dressing and allow to marinate for several hours or overnight.

Sunny Green Salad

Balances V, P, K All Seasons 1 avocado, sliced 1 handful kale, chopped 1 handful sunflower sprouts cup sunflower seeds sprouted cup Tahini-Ginger-Miso Dressing (see Salad Dressings: Light Dressings) Toss kale and sunflower sprouts with dressing. Decorate with avocado slices in a pinwheel design and top with sunflower seeds.

Underground Salad

Balances V and K, unbalances P All Seasons 1 daikon, grated 1 beet, grated 1 carrot, grated cup Tahini-Ginger-Miso Dressing (see Salad Dressings: Light Dressings) Toss the vegetables with dressing and serve.

Walnut Salad

Balances V and K, neutral for P All Seasons 1 cup Chinese cabbage, thinly sliced 1 cup carrot, grated cup walnuts, soaked cup Sweet Dill Dressing (see Salad Dressings: Light Dressings) Combine ingredients and toss with dressing.

BAK Salad

Balances V, P, K All Seasons, best Summer 1 beet, grated 1 avocado, sliced handful kale 2 cups mixed sprouts: alfalfa, clover, and sunflower cup Winter Heat Dressing (see Salad Dressings: Seed Dressings) Cover bottom of salad bowl with bed of sprouts. Place beets in a mound in the center and top with sliced avocado and dressing.

Remarks: Kale has 14 times more iron per weight than beef, plus many other nutrients. It is light and pungent with a heating aftereffect. Like many other dark greens, such as collards, arugula, dandelion, and mustard greens, it is good for the liver, immune system, skin, eyes, and mucous membranes because of its high nutrients and vitamin A content.

Carrot-Tomato Salad

Balances V and K, neutral for P All Seasons 3 carrots, grated 1 tomato, diced handful arugula 2 cups sprouts or several lettuce leaves Cover the bottom of a salad bowl with sprouts or lettuce. Place the carrots in a mound in the center. Garnish with arugula and tomatoes and pour on dressing of your choice.

Remarks: This is balancing for V and K, and neutral for P because of the heating effect of the carrots, tomato, and arugula. The arugula adds a bitter, pungent, heating effect that makes it good for all seasons, especially fall, winter, and spring cleaning.

California Hot Corn Salad

Balances V and K, unbalances P Fall, Winter, and Spring 1 cup mixed greens: Romaine lettuce, b.u.t.ter lettuce, red leaf lettuce, arugula 1 cup fresh white corn 1 avocado, cubed cup red-hot peppers, diced cup Guacamole Dressing (see Salad Dressings: Light Dressings) Remarks: Corn is light, dry, sweet, and astringent. Its dry, astringent warmth makes it good for K. With fresh corn that is still moist, this dish is neutral for V and slightly unbalancing for P. Corn in a dry form, as in chips, popcorn, or tortillas, is unbalancing for V. The peppers make this a heating salad that balances V and K, and unbalances P.

Chili Mole

Balances V, neutral for K, unbalances P Fall, Winter, and Spring 1 large tomato, diced 1 ear sweet corn kernels red bell pepper, diced green pepper, diced cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked cup parsley, chopped cup cilantro, chopped 1 Tbs virgin olive oil 1 tsp nutritional yeast 2 cloves garlic, pressed Juice of lemon Pinch of cayenne Celtic salt or miso to taste Mix ingredients by hand.

SALAD DRESSINGS.

A basic concept behind choosing a particular salad dressing in this live-food approach is to use a dressing to balance the salad according to one's dosha and other body needs. For example, adding a masala affects the heating or cooling properties of the food. The choice of the masala adjusts the energy of the total meal to one's doshas and the season of the year. The seeds and nuts add considerable building protein and oil to the salad. Walnuts add more omega-3 fatty acids.

In this approach to live foods, the addition of a seed dressing transforms a salad into a total balanced meal, which particularly balances vata. When one becomes well-established in live-food cuisine, this type of tasty seed-dressing salad becomes a filling meal in itself that simultaneously helps to meet one's minimum protein, fat, and complex carbohydrate needs, as well as biogenic needs. If I am not using a seed salad dressing, then I will often add some soaked nuts or seeds, such as walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds, to the salad. If eaten in moderation, soaked seeds and nuts neutralize the potential unbalancing effects on any of the doshas that unsoaked seeds and nuts have. Flaxseeds are not well-absorbed unless they are soaked and blended. Powdering the dry nuts or seeds in a spice mill helps a.s.similation.

The seed salad dressings can also be used as soups or even dips by varying the thickness. These dressings can even be thought of as whole meals in themselves.

SEED DRESSINGS.