Ghee ~ Ayurvedically Healing Clarified Butter

“It is promotive of memory, intelligence, vital fire, semen, vital essence (ojas), kapha, and fat. It is curative of Vata, Pitta, fever and toxins.” — Charaka (author of ancient Indian Ayurvedic text, Charaka Samhita).

Ayurveda teaches that ghee is a medicinal food that is excellent for good health when used in cooking or added to foods. It is one of the most ancient and sattvic foods known, healing to all doshas: best for Vatas, soothing for Pittas, and balancing for Kaphas in moderation. For cold, dry, stiff and airy Vata types, ghee adds heaviness and lubrication to the body in the joints and in the digestion. Ghee is cooling and soothing for the fire-based ailments of Pittas, such as fever, acidity, and inflammation. For all three doshas, ghee helps memory and is a healthy fat that is good for the liver and immune system, though Kaphas should consume it in moderation as it also helps build body mass.

(You can read more about ghee by googling “health benefits of ghee”.)

When buying ghee, or any dairy product, look for organic. All toxins like to settle in body fat, and especially mammary glands, which makes it important to choose organic animal products like milk and butter, otherwise they tend to be the most laden with impurities like pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and other drugs, and toxins found in air, water and feed.

The other day I spoke with someone who cooked magnificent, healing ayurvedic food, and she said she made her own ghee and that it’s really quite simple. I believed her so I thought I’d try it myself, using organic butter of course! Here’s how I make my own ghee in less than half an hour.

HOW TO MAKE GHEE WITH ORGANIC BUTTER

1 block organic, unsalted butter

Place the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot and melt on medium-low heat. Adjust the heat until it begins to bubble nicely, without going too hot. Foam will begin to accumulate quite a bit on the top, and the melted butter will be very opaque. Stir occasionally for 15 minutes until the foam starts to reduce and break up, and the milky butter begins to look like clear, golden oil. When there’s a bit of brown sediment beginning to form at the bottom of the pan, the ghee is ready. Be careful not to burn it during these final minutes of cooking. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, sterilize a jar and its lid in a pot of boiling water, then remove and dry with a clean towel. Gently pour the ghee into the jar through a fine metal sieve, with or without cheesecloth lining it -- you only want to get the golden liquid oil and not the sediment at the bottom of the pot. Store closed; no need to refrigerate. Use as you would butter or oil, in soups, cooked vegetables, stir into cooked rice or lentil dishes, or spread on toast and tea biscuits.

RECIPE ~ Pumpkin Jam

Have the treat of pumpkin pie anytime with this easy-to-make spread! Pictured here on kamut toast with a layer of walnut butter.

1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree*
3/4 cup apple juice, apple cider or orange juice
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
sweetener to taste*
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Combine pumpkin, juice and spices in a large saucepan; stir well. Give it a taste and sweeten as needed.* Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently. Makes lots! Great on toast, biscuits, pancakes, etc. Can for yourself or pour into small decorative jars to give as seasonal hostess gifts.

*Or use 1 1/2-2 cups of your own cooked/baked/steamed pumpkin, pureed.
*Choose natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup or agave syrup. If using honey, choose unpasteurized and stir in after jam is cooked and cooled down slightly.

FOR CANNING: Spoon hot pumpkin mixture into hot, boiled jars, filling to within 1/4 inch from top. Remove air bubbles by firmly tapping jar on the counter. Wipe jar rims and cover tightly. Finish off by processing in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Or, simply spoon into an air-tight jar or container and store refrigerated for up to a month.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS a great Vata treat
PITTAS omit or reduce dried ginger to 1/4 tsp
KAPHAS winter squashes like pumpkin are not recommended for Kaphas

RECIPE ~ Raita (Yogurt with Cucumber and Mint)

Raita is an excellent tri-doshic topping for rice, curries, dahls and soups, as a dip for samosas, falafels, naan bread or parathas, or as an accompaniment to pretty much anything piping hot, or too bland, salty or spicy that needs a cooling, creamy, flavourful counterpart. Delicious!

1/2 cup plain yogurt (fresh yogurt is always best; wonderful with organic sheep's milk yogurt, or try with goat or soy yogurt)
1/2 cup grated cucumber
2 Tbsp mint, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic*, minced
1 Tbsp ginger*, minced
pinch of salt and pepper

Seedless cucumbers work best for this, but if using cucumbers with seeds and tough skin, peel first and scrape out seeds.
Stir all ingredients together. Eat. Enjoy!

*The raw garlic and ginger make this otherwise cooling condiment, spicy and pungent. For a truly cooling raita (also best for Pittas), omit these and keep it simply yogurt, cucumber and mint with just a touch of salt.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS consume liberally
PITTAS minimize or omit ginger, garlic, salt and pepper
KAPHAS consume in moderation

RECIPE ~ Red Lentil Hummus

This incredible recipe is straight from Domestic Affair. "Lentils tend to be easier to digest than chickpeas. They also cook up a lot faster. This variation from your standard hummus makes a great spread for sandwiches, burgers or falafels, or as a veggie dip." I tried it and love how smooth and creamy it turns out, and tastes very subtle while having a good hummus quality.

1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed really well
1 1/4 cups filtered water
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
1 tsp ground cumin, lightly toasted
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp flaxseed oil or olive oil
2 Tbsp tahini
2 cloves garlic, chopped
cayenne pepper or paprika to taste

Place the lentils, sundried tomatoes and water in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Uncover and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then stir in oil, tahini, garlic, cumin, turmeric and salt and puree with a hand-held blender, or scrape everything into a food processor and blend until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with a olive oil or flax oil, and sprinkle with cayenne or paprika. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

VARIATIONS
Don't want to use sundried tomatoes? Replace with 1/2 cup roasted red peppers (homemade, or the kind you can buy at a deli or in jars), or 1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts (home cooked, or you can use marinated ones, or the kind that come canned in water -- drain) and reduce the lentils' cooking water to 1 cup. Puree along with the other ingredients.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS a great Vata recipe
PITTAS best to replace red lentils with regular lentils (will need to cook longer if not using canned); minimize or omit garlic
KAPHAS reduce oil and tahini to 1 tsp each and add 2 Tbsp water when blending; minimize or omit salt

GUEST RECIPE ~ Linda's Guacamole

Linda has just signed up to my Recipe Club, enthusiastic about all the gluten-, soy-, casein- and yeast-free recipes on this blog, and contributes this perfect warm-weather treat!

Mash together:
1 ripe avocado
1 Tbsp Vegenaise
1 Tbsp of your favourite salsa
1 Tbsp flaxseed
1 clove garlic, chopped
1-2 Tbsp onion, chopped
celtic sea salt
black pepper
soy bacon bits (like Bac Uns)
1/4 red pepper, chopped
carrots, peeled and shredded

Linda recommends leaving the carrots whole and dipping them into the guacamole. Also good with raw spinach.

NOTE: Dilute with a bit of rice milk and you have a salad dressing great for all kinds of allergies or for people on a Type-O Blood Type diet -- there is no sugar, yeast, caffeine, alcohol or vinegar. For a soy-free dip/dressing, substitute the Vegenaise for soy-free mayo.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS dip with soft bread or steamed vegetables
PITTAS omit onion, garlic and black pepper; use salt minimally
KAPHAS avocadoes are too cool and heavy for kaphas, best to consume in moderation or with half the avocado replaced with 1/2 cup cooked and mashed chickpeas or beans; use salt minimally; dip fat-free rice crackers and raw crunchy vegetables

RECIPE ~ Greens Pesto

If basil is out of season and you're looking to get more fresh greens in your diet, make this pesto!

1/2 cup shelled pistachios
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp miso
grated rind of 1 lemon
1 cup fresh chopped bitter greens (rapini, dandelion, arugula...)
1 cup fresh chopped spinach
generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/4 lemon wedge

Place all ingredients in a food processor and grind until a chunky paste forms. Use immediately or refrigerate in a jar for a few days. Makes about 1 cup.

WAYS TO USE YOUR PESTO
~ toss in cooked rice for a hot side dish or a cold rice salad with chopped cucumbers and cherry tomatoes
~ toss in pasta for a hot side dish or cold pesto pasta salad with artichoke hearts, olives and sundried tomatoes
~ stir into hummus for an exciting variation on the chickpea dip
~ mix with mayonnaise (vegan or regular) for a delicious dip for fries like oven-baked sweet potato fries

Heavily inspired by the deliciousness of the recipes found on Vegan YumYum!

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS spinach and leafy greens are too pungent for Vatas so consume in moderation
PITTAS choose dandelion and other leafy greens but avoid arugula and spinach; replace pistachios with soaked almonds
KAPHAS excellent for Kaphas! reduce oil to a minimum (1 Tbsp), adding water or more lemon juice if needed for the right consistency; replace pistachios with soaked almonds

RECIPE ~ Tofu Spread

Here is a fun food from Food As Medicine by Dharma Singh Khalsa, who states that "tofu and sesame seeds are high in calcium and protein." I've made some personal modifications to the recipe which I find makes it very tasty (pictured here using spinach and carrots). Use as dip, too!

1 pound medium or firm tofu, rinsed and squeezed of excess water
1 to 2 celery sticks or 1 cup spinach, finely chopped
1 scallion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp diced sweet red pepper or finely grated carrots

Juice of 1 lime or 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (optional) or grated parmesan (try soy or rice parmesan)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sea salt or a herbal sea salt like Herbamare
1 tsp vegetable seasoning like Spike or mixed dried herbs of your choice
3 Tbsp tahini

Steam tofu for 10 minutes. Squeeze out any remaining water again, then crumble tofu and mash with a fork. Blend in celery, scallion, parsley, and red pepper or carrots.

In a separate bowl, blend together the lemon juice, mayonnaise, olive oil, yeast flakes or parmesan, garlic, salts/seasonings, and tahini. Combine with tofu mixture.

Serve with rice crackers and sliced vegetables, or as a sandwich spread. Makes about 2 cups.

VARIATIONS
~ Mix in 1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes, either the kind packed in oil, or dry (in which case rehydrate by soaking in boiled water for a few minutes, then drain)
~ Add 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped small, either the kind packed in oil or canned (drain before using)
~ Make it soy-free using 1 cup cooked cauliflower and/or carrot in place of the tofu
~ For a silky smooth dip, use a hand blender to puree all ingredients, or just tofu and dressing before mixing in vegetables

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS choose spinach and carrot; choose parmesan; add cayenne or paprika to taste
PITTAS omit scallion; choose lime juice and replace tahini with sunflower seed butter; reduce salt by half
KAPHAS cold tofu is aggravating to Kaphas, so opt for the soy-free variation; replace tahini with sunflower seed butter OR reduce to 1 Tbsp; reduce salt by half; add cayenne or paprika to taste

RECIPE ~ Sugar-free Fruit Spreads

I've been on a sugar-free regime for some years now but sometimes I just NEED some jam on my whole grain yeast-free toast! I've discovered that by taking dried fruit and soaking them in juice, just a quick puree will produce a naturally sweet, sugar-free jam that's even suitable for raw diets.

1 cup chopped dried fruit of your choice
(such as prunes, apricots, raisins, apples, papaya...)
1/2 cup or more juice
(such as apple juice or apple cider, orange juice, fruit nectars...)

Soak the dried fruit in the juice overnight, making sure there's just enough liquid to completely cover the fruit. Using a small food processor or wand-style hand blender, puree the mixture until smooth. That's it! Store in a jar, refrigerated. Why not try it on scones or pancakes with walnut butter!

Makes about 1 cup. Pictured above made with equal parts dried apricots and prunes, soaked in orange juice.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
Great for all the doshas!
VATAS generally should avoid dried fruit, but all soaked dried fruit is fine, especially prunes and raisins
PITTAS avoid pineapple, strawberries and cranberries
KAPHAS avoid mangoes, papaya and pineapple

RECIPE ~ Pumpkin Seed Butter

Pumpkin seeds are a tri-doshic gem, even Kaphas can have them! Kaphas have few choices when it comes to nuts and seeds because of their high fat content. But as I was making this pumpkin seed butter I could see why it would be Kapha-friendly; when you toast the seeds you can see that inside are air pockets (which when heated makes some of them pop!) and a bowl full of these seeds is light and airy -- and Kaphas need foods that have Vata (air) qualities for balance.

Use this butter on toast, biscuits, pancakes, or in cookie recipes or salad dressings!

2 cups raw shelled pumpkin seeds
4 Tbsp oil (sunflower, canola or sesame)
4 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt

Lightly toast the pumpkin seeds until they get a warm golden hue. I like to swish them around in a dry pan over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

You can use a food processor or wand-style hand blender to make the butter. Either way, place the cooled seeds in the container and begin by grinding to a fine powder. Then and add oil, maple syrup, allspice and salt. Blend and puree until you get a smooth butter (takes 5 to 10 minutes of processing). The longer you process it, the smoother it will become.

Pumpkin seeds are quite dry with less oil content than nuts, so the butter will be drier than usual. Vatas and Pittas can add more oil or sweetener while blending, but Kaphas would do best keeping the butter as-is. For the creamiest results, find pumpkin seed oil (very healthy!) and drizzle in upto 1/2 cup replacing the 4 Tbsp of other oil. Makes about 1 1/2 cups. (Do not refrigerate, it will stiffen!)

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS choose honey; eating a lot of nuts or seeds can be too heavy on digestion so consume in moderation
PITTAS choose sunflower oil and maple syrup
KAPHAS choose canola or sunflower oil and honey; due to the added oil, enjoy in moderation

RECIPE ~ Avocado Hummus (guacammus!)

Sometimes guacamole is just too good with all that healthy fat... so to lighten things up and add a twist to the same old hummus, try this crazy combo! It's creamy yet light.

1 ripe avocado
1/2 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp each olive oil and water
juice of 1 lemon
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp salt or 1 tsp Bragg's
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
handful of cilantro, chopped
1 green onion, minced
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped (optional)

Cut the avocado in half, remove the nut and scoop out the flesh into a blender or food processor. Add the garbanzos, olive oil, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt or Bragg's, cumin and thyme. Process until nice and smooth. Pulse or stir in fresh chopped cilantro, green onion and tomato. Spoon into a pretty bowl and serve with rice crackers, tortilla chips or pita triangles.

* FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS garbanzos are not so good for you, so replace with 1 cup white beans or cooled steamed peas
PITTAS reduce garlic to 1 clove or none at all
KAPHAS avocados are too cool and fatty for Kaphas who need warming, astringent foods, so why not try this with 2/3 cup roasted red peppers instead to make a roasted red pepper hummus

RECIPE ~ A mean Black Bean Dip

Although patio season is not quite here yet, there's no harm in having summer party fare in early spring, is there? I made this dip last night for a lovely dinner party with friends, along with rosemary focaccia, olives and hickory almonds.

1 can black beans*
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp Bragg's
2 Tbsp water
3 cloves garlic, chopped*
1 Tbsp sesame seeds or tahini*
herbs & spices: I used 1/4 tsp each of ground cumin, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, marjoram & basil
create whatever flavour combos you like! Other flavour ideas: 2 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro or parsley; 2 tsp toasted sesame oil; 1/4 tsp ground coriander; 1/4 tsp dried parsley
garnish: drizzle of olive oil, sprig of parsley, and/or chopped green onion

Drain the can of black beans in a colander and rinse well. Place all ingredients except garnish in a food processor and blend until smooth. Scrape into a serving bowl and garnish to your heart's delight. Serve with baked tortilla chips.

* FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
KAPHAS omit sesame seeds/tahini
PITTAS reduce garlic to 1 clove
VATAS use canned aduki or soy beans

DID YOU KNOW?
Beans are astringent, which means they have a puckering effect on the mouth. They are hence drying and have a sponge-like effect on your digestion, absorbing toxins and excess fluids. Beans are great for Kaphas in controlling weight, fine for Pittas, but too drying for Vatas who should stick to small amounts of soft lentils and soy products. Unless you're a Fata like me in which case following a Kapha diet will help with weight loss.

RECIPE ~ Tahini Dip

Falafels, potato balls, veggies, chips, oven baked sweet potato fries... whatever, just dip it in this! Sesame seeds are the highest source of calcium and should be a staple in dairy-free diets.

1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)*
1/8 cup water
juice of half a lemon
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic
dash of salt or squirt of Bragg's

Place all ingredients in the blender and process until smooth. Also makes a nice dressing for grain, lentil, avocado, tomato and spinach salads, just add a bit more water.

* FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
KAPHAS use this dip in small amounts due to the seed oils in tahini.

RECIPE ~ Walnut Butter

Walnut is an excellent nut containing protein, iron and essential fatty acids. Use this spread on toast, pancakes, or in cookie recipes! Makes 1 cup.

1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts*
1 Tbsp olive oil or as needed*
1 tsp raw honey or maple syrup*
pinch of salt*

To toast the walnuts, spread on a baking sheet and heat in a 200 degree oven for 5 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned.

In a small food processor, place the walnuts and start the machine. In a slow and steady drizzle, pour in the olive oil. If after 1 tablespoon it isn't coming together, pour in 1 teaspoon at a time until it does. Stop the machine often to scrape down the sides. When it forms "butter", add the salt and sweetener then stop the machine.

Store in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to one month.

* FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
KAPHAS should avoid walnuts but this recipe is great using almonds instead; use sunflower oil; omit salt
PITTAS walnuts occasionally is fine, but almonds are better; use maple syrup instead of honey; omit salt