The Experts Weigh In: Think Soup - Fall Diet Suggestions!

Image via wallike.com

BY: ELIZABETH FARRELL, CONTRIBUTOR

When I think of fall, I think of the trees changing color from blazing greens to yellows, oranges, and vermillion. The foods that we harvest are the colors of autumn - squashes drenched in orange and yellow skins enticing our senses and cultivating comfort and nourishment.

Ayurveda, the ancient healing system of India, honors the five elements (ether, air, water, fire, earth), which are a part of every living being. Ayurveda also uses the three doshas (vata, pitta, kapha), the intrinsic constitutions explaining our physical, emotional and mental state of being. Vata being air and ether, pitta fire and water, and kapha water and earth.

In order to create health, we are all working to balance these five elements within our bodies. The fall being cold and dry (or cold and damp depending on where you live) begs us to seek out earthy, comforting, warming, nourishing foods that will sustain us through this season of cold weather.

As we depart from the summer months, we naturally want to cleanse before the fall comes. It is important to keep our digestive fire active during this time so that we don't build up toxins, which can settle into our gut, causing disease. There are many ways to cleanse. One way is to start by eliminating inflammatory foods, which create "ama" (or toxins) in the system - foods like dairy, wheat, sugar and cold drinks. Sipping warm water throughout the day can be beneficial, as well as taking homemade ginger tea after a meal.

In the fall, eating a vata-reducing diet is suggested. Vatat has dry and cold qualities; therefore, the foods we eat need to be the opposite - nourishing and warming with sweet, salty and sour flavors. Thing soup!

Image via huffingtonpost.ca

Here are some great foods to incorporate into your diet this autumn. The list below has been modified to be anti-inflammatory and does not include gluten-containing grains. 

• Rice
• Quinoa
• Gluten-free oats
• Vegetables including: cabbage, cauliflower, squash, green beans, okra, pumpkin, cucumber, tomatoes, zucchini, sweet potatoes and leafy greens (cooked, not raw!)
• All oils, including ghee and sesame oil
• Mung dal
• Split peas
• Red lentils
• Fruits including: apricots, bananas, berries, coconut, dates, figs, peaches (stewed fruit especially!)
• Soups made with bone broth and seaweed
• Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut
• Spices such as ginger, cinnamon, garlic, fenugreek, basil and cumin

Here are three great recipes for incorporating these foods into your diet...

Image via rebootwithjoe.com

ZUCCHINI-KALE SOUP

Ingredients:

5 large zucchini squash

1 large onion

1 clove garlic

1 bunch kale
2-3 red potatoes

1 handful of seaweed of choice

Ghee (ie. clarified butter)

Water
Pinch of Cumin
Pinch of Coriander

*Chop all vegetables
*Add ghee to soup pot and heat
*Add cumin, coriander, onion and garlic to ghee and saute
*Add zucchini, kale and potatoes
*Add purified water to cover all of the vegetables (be careful not to add too much water - you will need about 5 cups)
*Let cook on a low simmer until the zucchini is cooked all of the way through
*When the vegetables are finished cooking, cool the ingredients
*Blend the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender
*Then, reheat the soup adding salt, pepper, ghee and additional spice to taste

GINGER TEA
Ingredients:
Whole, fresh ginger
3 Cups Purified Water

*Peel and slice ginger
*Simmer in water for 30-40 minutes
*Add local organic honey to taste

FRUIT COMPOTE

Ingredients:

Handful of dried prunes, apricots, raisins

2 Cinnamon sticks

2-3 Cloves

3-5 Slices fresh ginger

3-4 Cups purified water

*Add all ingredients to water and simmer on low seat

*Cook until all ingredients are thoroughly cooked and soft

*Serve over rice, oats or quinoa


For more information, I recommend reading Food as Medicine: The Theory and Practice of Food by Todd Caldecott and Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine by Harish Johari.

Elizabeth Farrell is the practice manager for UnityMedicine-Integrative Medicine and Ayurveda. She is also a health coach, yoga teacher, Reiki Master, lover of essential oils and writer. She is known for her impromptu dinner gatherings and freshly baked cookies. You can find her online at www.sisterhawkreiki.wordpress.com and coming soon - Nourished by Elizabeth Farrell.

Plant-Based Dining: Pomegranate-Glazed Portobello Mushrooms with Sauteed Garlic Kale!

I like to be courted (doesn't every girl?). That's why, even after 5 years of dating, Adam and I have date night every Thursday. We've agreed that unless there's a wedding, funeral or act of God, we WILL be on a date come Thursday night. One of the perks of living in NYC is that we never have to go to the same restaurant twice.

But last night, we decided that our refrigerator was too full to dine out. So we decided to cook together at home using a recipe I adapted from the book Superfood Kitchen by Julie Morris. This plant-based dish can be whipped up in 30 minutes and is so good that it might even trick the staunch meat-eaters in your life. Plus, you can dress it up all fancy-like, making it worthy of a dinner party or, in our case, date night!

But most important to note is the fact that this dish is full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and good-for-you fats!

Ready to get cookin'?

To make the pomegranate glaze:  Fill a measuring cup with 1 cup of pomegranate juice.

Grab your army of ingredients: 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves (chopped),  1/4 tsp. sea salt, 1 Tbs. sugar, 1/2 Tbs. coconut oil and 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar.

In a small saucepan, combine the pomegranate juice with the ingredients above. I recommend using a saucepan (vs. the saute pan pictured here - sadly, our saucepan is in need of replacement).

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes to reduce into a thick sauce (if it's not reducing properly at the end of 20 minutes, boil again for 2 minutes. Turn the heat off and set aside.

While the glaze is doing its thing, you can start multi-tasking. Wash and chop 1 head of kale. Then peel and thinly slice 2-3 cloves of garlic. In a saute pan with a little coconut oil (or oil of your choice), saute the garlic for 2-3 minutes, then add the kale and saute until soft, adding a splash or two of white vinegar right at the end of cooking.

Now for the portobello marinade. In a measuring cup, combine: 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup red wine (yes, it's OK to have a glass as you cook) and 1/2 tsp. sea salt.

Now peel and thinly slice 1 large garlic clove. Sprinkle a dash of sea salt on top and use the flat part of your knife to push against the garlic over and over again until it becomes a slimy paste. Then add it to the other ingredients and mix well.

Remove the stems from 4 portobello mushrooms and wash to remove any dirt.

Brush both sides with the marinade.

In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, cook the portobellos in a bit of coconut oil and the remaining marinade for 5-7 minutes (starting with the underside facing up, then flipping halfway through).

When they're done, the mushrooms will have soaked up all the liquid. 

If you're feeling fancy, remove the seeds from a whole pomegranate...

...like so (you'll have plenty of leftovers to eat for dessert or use in the morning with breakfast!)

To plate, make a bed of sauteed kale in the middle of your plate, top with a portobello mushroom, drizzle with the pomegranate glaze and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds for garnish!

Dinner fit for a king (or queen!).

I think this dinner proves that eating healthy can still feel indulgent! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!