RECIPE ~ Colourful Quinoa

My apologies for not posting photos, but visualize these ingredients and trust me that it's a delightful side-dish, warm or cold!

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 heaping Tbsp currants
sea salt
1/2 tomato, diced small
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 tsp butter (use olive oil for a dairy free recipe)
juice of half a lemon
2 Tbsp slivered almonds

Place quinoa in a small pot and add 1 1/2 cups of water, the currants, and a pinch of sea salt. Bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the tomato and herbs. Set aside. In a dry pan, lightly toast the slivered almonds, then set aside.

When quinoa is done, fluff with a fork and stir in butter. Transfer to a large serving bowl and add tomato and herbs. Squeeze the lemon juice over all, add another sprinkle of sea salt, and toss together. Garnish with almonds (can also use raw walnut pieces).

Serves 3.

RECIPE ~ Simple Kamut Pasta with Chives

The weather is cool and wet (Kapha qualities), time for some pungent, warming foods (with Pitta qualities)!

2 cups kamut spiral pasta

1/4 cup minced fresh chives

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

paneer or soft goat cheese, optional

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta until soft, about 12 minutes. When done, drain and return to the pot.

Combine the minced chives and garlic in a small bowl, stirring in the olive oil and salt. Stir this mixture into the cooked pasta. Sprinkle in the paneer or goat cheese if using, and gently toss. If using cheese, add some fresh ground black pepper to help make the cheese more easily digestible.

Serve with a mixed green salad with tomatoes and basil, or as a side dish to grilled or roasted dishes.

Serves 2 to 3.

RECIPE ~ Light and Lovely Lunch

Back on track with a healthier diet, today I made a quick, easy, warm, fresh made lunch that I'm sure to repeat!

1 small squash (I used acorn)
1 small tomato, diced
1/2 cucumber, diced
2 Tbsp chopped olives (I used kalamata)
flax oil
fresh lemon juice
sea salt and black pepper to taste
garnishes: choose from hemp seeds, sesame seeds, fresh herbs

Wash the squash then cut into quarters. Scoop out the seeds then cut quarters in half again. Place in a steamer and steam until cooked, around 20-30 minutes.

Place half the squash on one plate and half on another (I peeled my squash after cooking). Distribute the tomato, cucumber and olives over each plate of squash, then drizzle with flax oil and lemon juice to taste. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and add any garnish you like.

So yummy and easy. Can also be a side dish to a rice pilaf, veggie kabobs, etc. I accompanied it with a ginger peppermint tea. Enjoy!

New Year Lentil Salad

Happy new (calendar) year! I hear it's good luck to serve lentils on new year's, probably to usher in a year of plenty. I like the story, so for New Year's Eve I made this easy and delicious brown lentil salad.

1 can (2 cups) cooked brown lentils, rinsed
1 ripe tomato, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced small
1/2 cup parsley, minced
1/4 red onion, finely sliced
juice of half a lemon
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp ground cumin

First place the sliced onions in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt, about 1 Tbsp. Let sit for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, place the rinsed lentils, tomato, garlic and parsley. Stir together then stir in lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and cumin.

Rub the onions together with your hand to squeeze out the pungent juices, then rinse well under hot water. Stir into the rest of the lentil salad.

Serve as a side dish, or with rice or other salads. We served ours with stuffed avocadoes on a bed of lettuce leaves! Enjoy and happy new year!

RECIPE ~ Mess o' Greens

Greens are a favourite in our home (well, not so much for the 2-year-old) and we regularly crave a mess o' sauteed greens! Here's my recipe.

1 large bunch rapini*
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
sea salt and fresh pepper
hemp seeds

Wash the rapini. Cut off the stem tips and discard. Then cut off the whole stem and keep separate from the leaves.

Heat a large cast iron pan and add the tips with a little water. Cover and let steam cook 5 minutes, til half softened. Then add all the leaves plus a splash of water, cover and let steam cook 5 minutes longer. When all the water has gone, sprinkle with garlic and drizzle the whole mess with olive oil, stirring well over medium-high heat. Season with paprika, salt and pepper. Sauté until fully wilted and a little browned here and there. Sprinkle with hemp seeds.

Serves 2-4. Delicious on the side with rice dishes or pastas.

*If rapini is unavailable you can substitute with a bunch of kale. Wash thoroughly to get the grit out, and chop leaves and stems coarsely.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS are best off thoroughly cooking the greens and using ghee. PITTAS are fine but don't use too much salt, pepper and paprika. For KAPHAS, reduce oil and salt to a minimum.

RECIPE ~ Collard Greens with Lentils

I'm always looking for ways to incorporate more greens into my meals. This is a quick and yummy side dish that would go great with sesame encrusted tofu, stuffed zucchinis, open-faced veggie burgers, and so on.

olive oil
1 bunch collard greens, washed and chopped
1 red onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
sea salt to taste
2 cups cooked lentils (I used canned, drained)

In a large pot on high heat, drizzle about 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add onions, garlic and bay leaves, and reduce heat to medium. Cook til onions are translucent, then add paprika and collards with another drizzle of olive oil. Continue cooking around 10 minutes til collards are soft, then add the lentils. Season with salt to taste while lentils heat through. Done!

Serves 3-4.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS replace collard greens with other leafy greens; use red lentils or black lentils
PITTAS minimize or omit onion, garlic and paprika
KAPHAS minimize use of oil and salt; use red lentils or chickpeas

RECIPE ~ Brown Rice Risotto with Asparagus

Traditonal risotto is made using arborio rice, which is white and glutinous and produces a very creamy rice dish. The trick to making a creamy and tasty brown rice risotto is to use short grain rice and lots of veggie stock. Pictured here with a spinach salad topped with sauteed apples.

3/4 cup short grain brown rice
2 cups vegetable or mushroom stock
1 Tbsp each butter (or ghee) and olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried basil
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped
black pepper
grated parmesan or reggiano cheese

In a medium, heavy pot, heat the butter and olive oil. Add onions, garlic and red pepper flakes, sauteeing until soft. Stir in rice, basil and half the stock. Let simmer covered on medium for 20 minutes, then add remaining stock plus asparagus. Stir well, cover, and let cook until all the liquid is absorbed and rice is creamy (not firm or dry), about another half hour. If needed, cook in another 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup of stock to reach the right consistency. Stir in parmesan to taste and grind in some black pepper. Serves 2.

NOTE: Ayurvedically, cheese is not recommended as it is difficult to digest, but it also purports that black pepper helps make it more digestible.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
Great for all doshas. Pittas, omit or minimize garlic, dride basil, and red pepper flakes; Kaphas, omit or reduce butter and oil to 1 tsp each.

RECIPE ~ Monster Salad

Invited to a potluck barbecue this past weekend I thought I'd take a vegetable side that was something between a salad and a side of vegetables, and came up with this really delicious dish! Hearty enough to have on its own as a summer lunch, or added to a meal of rice and whatever else (dahl, samosas, falafels, etc). Use whatever quantities of veggies you like.

1 bagful of green beans, yellow beans or string beans, ends trimmed
2 red peppers, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced in crescents
10-15 new or baby potatoes, halved (or larger potato, cubed)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

DRESSING
3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1 tsp each ground cumin and ground coriander
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper to taste

Get a large pot and add 2 inches of water, insert a steamer basket and start steaming! Begin with the green beans, steaming until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Remove beans and add potatoes, steaming until easily pierced with a sharp knife. Remove potatoes and steam onions until wilted, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and sprinkle the onions generously with salt. Let sit a few minutes then mix well and rinse under cold water. This is to remove the "bite" of onions so they're just left sweet and tasty.

In a large bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients. Add all the steamed vegetables, plus chickpeas and cilantro, and toss well to coat. Be gentle so the potatoes don't get crushed and the beans don't break. Check the seasoning, adding more of whatever you think it needs (more salt? cilantro? ground coriander?). I didn't do this but it occurred to me after that it would be really good with a few cups of shredded napa cabbage added. Feel free to try it! If you do you'll have to increase the amount of dressing by about half or double. Serve warm or cold. Yum!

HOT SIDE-DISH VARIATION
Steam the green beans then the potatoes until tender-crisp, so not quite cooked all the way. Then, in a large pan or wok, heat some oil and saute the raw onion slices (not pre-steamed) until soft. Add the garlic, cumin and coriander and stir a bit, then add the steamed veggies and chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper while sauteing for a few minutes. Serve hot sprinkled with cilantro and a big squeeze of lemon juice! Definitely great with rice -- perhaps some coconut rice with basil? :-)

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS replace red pepper with carrots cut in matchsticks; replace potatoes with cubed parsnips or sweet potato; replace chickpeas with aduki beans
PITTAS minimize garlic and black pepper
KAPHAS minimize salt and oil

RECIPE ~ Rice Pilaf & Coconut Green Beans

This is a bright and colourful dish, the rice pilaf has lovely flavours and textures with the sweet raisins and crunchy cashews, matching nicely with the fresh snap of the green beans with aromatic toasted coconut. Serve as side dishes or make a meal out of it with a dahl stew, naan bread or samosas.

RICE PILAF

2 cups basmati rice (brown or white), washed
2 Tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 large carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp minced ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup whole cashews or chopped almonds
3-4 cups water or broth
1 cup fresh chopped cilantro

In a medium-large pot, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, stir in onion and carrot. Cook for a few minutes until the onions begin to get soft, then stir in ginger, cloves, bay leaves, turmeric, garam masala and salt. Combine well, then add rice, nuts and raisins. Add the water or broth (3 cups if using white rice, 4 cups if using brown) and stir well. Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer on low until cooked (20 minutes for white rice, 40 for brown). While rice is cooking, prepare Coconut Green Beans (recipe below).

When done, stir in a tablespoon of ghee if you like, plus 3/4 of the cilantro, then serve garnished with remaining herbs. Serves 4.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS a great Vata dish
PITTAS choose white basmati; replace mustard seeds with coriander seeds; omit garlic; replace carrot and onion with 1/2 a zucchini (diced) and 1 cup green peas (added with the rice); choose almonds
KAPHAS reduce oil to 1 tsp; choose almonds; omit salt


COCONUT GREEN BEANS

2 large handfuls of green beans, ends trimmed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp grated coconut (unsweetened)
sea salt and pepper to taste
juice of half a lemon
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Steam the green beans until tender crisp (slightly under-cooked). In a wok or pan, heat oil with mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to pop, add semi-cooked green beans, sesame seeds and coconut. Stir fry for several minutes until beans are done and coconut is lightly toasted, then season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Just before serving, sprinkle with the lemon juice and cilantro. Serves 2.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS a great Vata dish
PITTAS omit mustard seeds; use salt, pepper and lemon minimally
KAPHAS reduce the quantities of oil, sesame seeds, coconut and lemon to half; omit salt

RECIPE ~ Mixed Grain Salad

It's a rainbow in a bowl! This dish makes a light-yet-hearty lunch or a great side dish. Feel free to experiment with different grains, vegetables and dressings!

1/4 cup each dry barley, french lentils and quinoa
1/4 cup each corn kernels and drained canned beans of your choice
1/3 cup each minced red pepper, carrots, celery and parsley
1-3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup Liquid Gold Dressing
(or use a dressing of your choice, or simply lemon and olive oil with salt and pepper)

Rinse barley and add to a medium saucepan half full of water. Cook on low for 20 minutes, then add well rinsed lentils* and quinoa. Cook for 20-25 minutes longer til all grains are cooked. Drain and let cool.

Combine grains with all the remaining ingredients. Mix well with the salad dressing. Serves 4.

NOTE: French lentils cook in 20 minutes. If you substitute with other lentils (with the exception of red lentils which also cook in 20 minutes), start cooking them with the barley so they get a full 45 minutes to cook.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS use wheat kernels for grains; cook or steam veggies before adding; add 1-2 Tbsp tahini to the salad dressing
PITTAS use barley, wheat kernels and quinoa; omit garlic
KAPHAS use a low-fat dressing with little or no salt

RECIPE ~ Green Bean & Asparagus Salad

Tangy, fresh and easy to digest, you can't go wrong with all the healthy ingredients in this salad! Here I added a cubed turnip to the mix, which I steamed together with the vegetables.

2 cups asparagus, chopped in 2-inch pieces and tough ends discarded
2 cups green beans, cut in half
1 red onion, finely sliced in half moons
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
juice and grated rind of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
2 tsp dried tarragon
salt and pepper to taste

Steam the green beans and asparagus until tender, 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse under cold water. Drain. Steam onion until just wilted, a few minutes.

In a small pan, heat the pine nuts over medium heat until lightly browned and fragrant.

In a large bowl, place the green beans, asparagus, onion and parsley, and toss with the lemon juice, grated rind, olive oil, nuts and tarragon. Season with a bit of salt and plent of fresh ground black pepper and top with pine nuts. Makes a hearty side salad for two.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
A wonderfully tri-doshic recipe!
PITTAS replace pine nuts with chopped almonds or sunflower seeds; use minimal salt and pepper
KAPHAS replace pine nuts with chopped almonds or sunflower seeds; use minimal oil, salt and pepper

RECIPE ~ Rice Salad

One of my favourite things to do with leftover cooked rice is to make a delicious rice salad. The best part is, you can use almost anything you want to add to it! All the ingredients below are really just suggestions...

about 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, any kind
1/2 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup cucumber, cubed
1/2 avocado, cubed
6 pieces artichoke hearts, chopped
1 green onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped spinach
2 Tbsp flax oil
1 Tbsp mayonnaise (try Vegenaise)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried herbs or 1 Tbsp minced fresh herbs

Place the rice in a large bowl and fluff it up with a spoon, fork or your hands to separate the grains. Add all the remaining ingredients and fold in gently and thoroughly to evenly distribute all the vegetables and seasonings. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Serves 2 (as a main dish) to 4 (as a side dish). For a pretty presentation, spoon onto bowls lined with boston lettuce leaves.

OTHER INGREDIENT IDEAS:
olives or capers
fresh basil
grilled zucchini
roasted red peppers
sundried tomatoes
grated carrots
asparagus pieces
corn kernels
steamed peas or green beans
squirt of lemon or lime
sliced hard boiled eggs

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS choose cooked or roasted veggies
PITTAS use basmati rice; choose raw or cooked sweet and astringent vegetables; reduce salt
KAPHAS use basmati rice; avoid avocado, choose raw and/or astringent vegetables; reduce oil, mayo and salt to a minimum

Holiday Food Ideas

It's the season of festive gatherings! Here are ideas of recipes from my website of food ideas to make for holiday meals or to give as gifts...



~ FOOD GIFT IDEAS ~

Biscotti
in a container with colourful tissue paper

Carob Nut Balls
in a decorative reuseable box

Puffed Rice Squares
(adding dried cranberries!) in a glass or pottery cookie jar

Green Chai Tea
in a tin or baggie with a teacup, small bodum, or metal tea strainer

Greens Pesto
packaged in a decorative jar

Liquid Gold Salad Dressing
in a decorative bottle

Pumpkin Spice Cookies
in a reuseable box lined with doilies

Sugar-Free Jams
in decorative jars

Walnut Butter
in a decorative jar, along with fancy oat biscuits




~ MEALS ~ DESSERTS ~ POTLUCKS ~

Herbed Quinoa with Citrus
a light and minty grain side-dish

Parsnip Salad
to replace the standard, heavy potato dish

Stuffed Zucchini Boats
an enticing hot main or side dish

Asparagus Niçoise
an impressive vegetable side

Mediterranean Stuffed Squash
as a seasonal vegetarian main course

Carrot Apple Soup with Toasted Almonds

Apple Spice Chai Tea Loaf for dessert with fragrant tea

Chickpea Chocolate Cake
wheat-free, dairy-free, fat-free and guilt-free!

2 RECIPES ~ Steamed Veggie Salad with Chickpeas & Garlic Sauteed Dandelion Greens

Two side dishes packed with flavour and massive health points! I had this recently for a light-yet-filling lunch with toast and hummus.

STEAMED VEGGIE SALAD WITH CHICKPEAS
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup cucumber, chopped
1/4 cup kalamata olives and/or artichoke hearts, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh chopped herbs (like basil, rosemary, etc) or 2 tsp dry
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive or flax oil
juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp each ground cumin and ground anise or fennel seed
sea salt & pepper to taste

Steam the cauliflower and broccoli together for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender but still still crisp. Run under cold water to stop cooking, and drain. Place in a large bowl with the chickpeas, cucumber, green onions, olives/artichoke hearts and herbs. In a cup, mix together the garlic, oil, lemon juice and spices. Stir into the salad. Serves 4.

GARLIC SAUTEED DANDELION GREENS
a handful of fresh dandelion greens*
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
juice of half a lemon
sea salt & pepper to taste

In a skillet, heat the oil and add the garlic. When it starts to fry a bit, add the dandelion greens and toss around until wilted and a bit crisp on the edges, around 4 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and toss again. Serves 1 as a side dish.

*NOTE: If you like, you can chop the dandelion greens first and add a few pine nuts while sauteing. Makes an exciting topping to toast with hummus!

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS replace broccoli with diced cubed sweet potato, and steam cauliflower until mostly soft; replace chickpeas with whole cooked mung beans
PITTAS omit garlic; use salt minimally
KAPHAS choose artichokes; replace cucumber with celery; use salt minimally

RECIPE ~ Grain Salad with Mixed Herb Pesto

Yum! Summertime, picnics, barbecues... all call for a fresh and herby side salad other than potatos or macaroni. Pictured here using buckwheat and a pesto made with basil, thyme, oregano, chives, mint, parsley and walnuts.

PESTO
1 cup packed mixed fresh herbs* (about 2 cups loose)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup walnuts (or pine nuts or blanched almonds)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
water as needed

In a food processor, pulse the herbs until coarsely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and process until an even paste is formed (can be completely pureed, but leaving it a little chunky is nice, too). Add a bit of water to reach the consistency you'd like (I added around 3 tablespoons of filtered water).

GRAIN SALAD
2 cups whole grain (brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, etc), washed
4 cups water
batch of pesto (recipe above)
2 cups spinach, washed and torn

Bring grain and water to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes (quinoa, buckwheat, barley) or 45 minutes (brown rice) until cooked. Fluff with a fork and let cool in a large bowl. When cool, stir in pesto until well combined. Stir in spinach, taste and adjust seasoning, and spoon into a decorative serving bowl. Garnish with fresh herb leaves and a sprinkling of walnuts. Serves 4.

*NOTE: Use any fresh herbs you like, such as oregano, sage, mint, lemon balm, cilantro, parsley, sage, etc. Be sure to include basil if you want that familiar pesto flavour.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS choose quinoa, rice or kasha
PITTAS choose whole barley, couscous or rice; choose blanched almonds; replace spinach with other leafy greens; reduce salt
KAPHAS choose whole barley, buckwheat or quinoa; replace nuts with sunflower or pumpkin seeds; reduce oil and salt

RECIPE ~ Garlic Ginger Fried Rice

There are lots of things that can be done with leftover rice, and making fried rice is one of them! This is a Korean version which uses sesame oil, green onions and kimchi -- but if you don't have or don't like kimchi, just leave it out and savour the rest of it!

1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked rice (I use brown short grain)
2 Tbsp oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece ginger, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp to 1/2 cup kimchi, chopped (basically use as much or as little as you like)
1 cup quartered mushrooms (or 2/3 cup other various chopped vegetables)
2 tsp sesame oil
salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
2 green onions
fresh sprouts, lightly steamed vegetables (carrots, peas, broccoli stems), optional
2 eggs, optional

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a wok-type pan over medium-high heat and add garlic, ginger and onion. Saute until golden brown, adding mushrooms or other chopped vegetables if using (ie. bell peppers, broccoli, sprouts, etc). Then add one more tablespoon oil and add rice. Mix well, breaking up clumps, and stir in kimchi. Season with salt and pepper and add sesame oil. Continue frying until well combined and some parts get lightly browned.

Spoon into 2 bowls and, if you like, top with sprouts, vegetables cut up into matchsticks, and/or eggs. The eggs you can prepare two ways. 1) Beat eggs with sesame oil, salt and green onions and fry into a thin flat omelette. Slice into strips and serve on top of rice. 2) Fry each egg separately, sunny side up, and serve on top of rice. Garnish bowls of fried rice with toasted sesame seeds and green onion and enjoy!

Serves 2.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS use a small amount of kimchi
PITTAS use white rice and little or no kimchi; reduce garlic to 1 clove; minimize salt and pepper used
KAPHAS kimchi is very good for Kaphas! See if you can replace rice with other cooked grains like barley or buckwheat; minimize amounts of oil and salt used

RECIPE ~ Baked Cherry Tomatoes with Parmesan

Another beauty from my mother! These were absolutely delicious and so juicy. Soon fresh cherry tomatoes will be growing everywhere, so pick some up and try this dish. Great as a side to rice or pasta.

4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 baskets (pints) cherry tomatoes
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Drizzle oil into a 13x9" broiler-proof caramic baking dish. Add tomatoes, rolling them around to coat with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with parsley and cheese. (Can be made 1 day ahead -- chill covered until ready to bake).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake tomatoes just until plump and shiny but not split, about 20 minutes. Then switch to broiler. Broil until tomatoes begin to split and cheese begins to color, about 2 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Makes 4-8 servings.

VARIATION For a non-dairy rendition, replace parmesan cheese with 1/4 cup bread crumbs mixed with 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS cooked tomatoes aggravate vata, so try using blanched zucchini sliced in 1-inch rounds instead
PITTAS tomatoes aggravate pitta, so try using blanched zucchini sliced in 1-inch rounds instead
KAPHAS replace parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast flakes, and reduce oil and salt to half

RECIPE ~ Spelt Grain Salad

Fresh, delicious, chewy and hearty! Adapted from "Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes" by Giada De Laurentiis, which I found in this Star article. You can use any type of sweet onion, but try with shallots for a sweeter flavour. Find whole spelt grain in health food stores.

1 1/2 cups dry spelt kernels
6 cups water
2 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
1 large clove garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper or to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tomatoes, seeded, diced small
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup each: chopped chives, chopped flat-leaf parsley, chopped fresh basil

Put spelt and water in medium pan. Bring to boil on high heat. Turn heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until almost tender, about 40 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Simmer until tender but still chewy, about 10 minutes. Drain well. Transfer to large serving bowl. Cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, mash garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a paste with a fork or pestle. Whisk in vinegar and pepper. Whisk in oil.

Add tomatoes, onion, chives, parsley and basil to the cooled spelt. Toss to combine. Add vinegar mixture. Toss to coat. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve at room temperature. Makes about 6 cups.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS use wheat berries instead of spelt
PITTAS replace tomatoes with 2 cups diced cucumber, steamed asparagus and/or steamed green beans; reduce salt and pepper to a minimum
KAPHAS replace tomatoes with 2 cups chopped steamed asparagus and/or steamed green beans; reduce oil and salt to half

RECIPE ~ Parsnip Salad

Lately my husband and I have been on a "salads for dinner" kick, perhaps because summer is on its way and we'd like to fit back into our lighter clothes! This salad is a full meal (and makes a great potluck or picnic dish) with a variety of nutrients, textures and flavours. And it's highly versatile -- use any root vegetable and green bean you like!

2 large parsnips
1 large handful snap peas
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
red leaf lettuce and spinach

DRESSING
juice of 1 lime + 2 Tbsp mayonnaise OR 1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried or 2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
salt and pepper to taste

Scrub the parsnips clean and trim off the ends plus any hard bits of skin. Chop into grape-sized pieces and steam until tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, wash snap peas and trim off the ends. Chop in half. Steam until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Lightly salt the steamed vegetables and allow to cool.

Wash, dry and tear enough lettuce and spinach to cover dinner plates generously. Wash and halve the cherry tomatoes. In a large bowl combine all the dressing ingredients; taste and adjust seasonings (more pepper or olive oil?), then add steamed vegetables and tomatoes and toss to coat evenly. Spoon over the greens and you're done! Serves 2 for dinner, or 4 as a side dish.

For extra healthy ingredients, substitute 1 Tbsp olive oil for 1 Tbsp flax or hemp seed oil, and/or add 1 small cubed avocado.

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS Great for Vatas; perhaps add 1 small minced garlic clove to the dressing
PITTAS Use all lettuce and no spinach; choose yogurt; reduce or omit salt
KAPHAS Better to replace parsnip with turnip or white potato; choose yogurt; replace 2 Tbsp olive oil with 2 tsp sunflower oil; reduce or omit salt; perhaps add 1 small minced garlic clove to the dressing

RECIPE ~ Green Salsa

This salsa is a multi-purpose fun food! It's delicious on rice crackers or chips, but my favourite way to eat it is topped on steamed rice and Chinese food.

1/2 cup finely minced fresh herbs: choose from green onions, cilantro, parsley or dandelion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tbsp finely grated or minced ginger
salt to taste
2 Tbsp oil (olive, canola or sunflower)

Combine all the ingredients together and you're done!

Depending on what herbs you choose for this salsa, you'll give it a completely distinct flavour. The way I first tasted this garnish was at a Chinese restaurant, where they used green onion, which went deliciously with the steamed rice and braised tofu with bok choy. At home I like to make it with dandelion leaves or parsley for their detox qualities. And with chips or crackers, the cilantro is really aromatic and delicious (and also complements Asian cuisine wonderfully). Or, try a combination of herbs like cilantro with green onion or dandelion with parsley. Great as a soup garnish, too!

FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS choose parsley or cilantro, and have as a garnish for hot food
PITTAS this may generally be too spicy for Pittas, but you can try using smaller amounts of garlic and ginger; do not use green onion
KAPHAS an excellent Kapha food, just use half the amount of oil (sunflower)