Grounding. That is what this season is asking for. It's winter. It's still cold. We still want to stay outside. We're starving. There are so many things happening and (not) happening. So, I needed to make something that was going to be satisfying without an overly date-like taste. 

From an Ayurvedic perspective, our appetite is the strongest in the winter time. All of that digestive fire is concentrated in our central channel, making our digestion so strong. Sometimes it even feels like we can't satisfy it in the winter months. So, we have to find ways to support that intensity. 

The ingredients in this recipe are warming, grounding, and bring in the qualities of satiating that intense hunger, without overdoing it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. 

Ingredients: 

• 20 dates, soaked
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp jaggery 
• 2 tbsp tahini 
• 2 tsp za'atar seasoning
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds 
• 1/2 cup almond flour 
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• Pinch of salt 
• Coconut flakes for rolling 

Recipe: 

1. First, you're going to blend your soaked dates with water to make a smooth paste. You can do this in a food processor. 
2. Place the the paste into a mixing bowl. Gently mix in the jaggery and the tahini. Again, mix everything well. Sometimes the tahini can clump. Using the back of a spatula can help to mash it all up together. 
3. The spices are up next. Za'atar, cinnamon, and salt. With each addition, again don't skip the mixing. It's important to make sure that everything is incorporated well otherwise the bites can get weird real quick. 
4. Lastly the sesame seeds and almond flour gets added. 
5. Let the mixture sit for just a few minutes. In the meantime pour your coconut flakes into a bowl. 
6. You are going to take your date mixture and make small bite-sized balls. Roll in coconut flakes, and that's it! 

This recipe takes no more than 15-17 minutes to make. Store your truffles in a air-tight container, and enjoy! 

I'm not sure what or who declared that brussel sprouts were either the worst vegetable ever or the quintessential green for a Thanksgiving or cold-weather meal, but it's safe to say it is one of my favorite veggies. The problem however, lies in it's properties from an Ayurvedic perspective. It's belonging in the cruciferous vegetable group naturally leads to them being tough to digest. They're super fiber-y, can cause some bloating, and sometimes can take a bit to move through. 

But thank god for Ayurveda, because we know exactly how to make them easier on the gut. all while enjoying them to their fullest extent. I cooked these up for Thanksgiving and it was the perfect side to supplement the heavier foods that were on my plate. In Ayurveda, it's all about how we moderate not only the quantity of food, but also the portions amongst the various items on your plate. 

I hope you enjoy this rendition of a brussel salad as much as I did! 

Ingredients: 

• 2-3 cups shaved brussel sprouts (Note: I like to shave them on a mandolin myself to get a thinner slice. I'm not a huge fan of the pre-shaved sprouts. The thinner the shave, the easier to digest.) 
• 3 tbsp of a neutral oil (I used avocado) 
• 2 gloves garlic 
• 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger 
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
• 3 tsp freshly ground coriander seeds 
• 4 tbsp pumpkin seeds (raw or toasted, doesn't matter) 
• 3 green onions 
• 1/2 lime 
• 2 handfuls arugula leaves 
• Salt to taste
• Optional: goat cheese 

Recipe: 

1. Prep all of your veggies: 
   
   1. Using a mandolin, shave your brussels
      
   2. Chop the green onions (be fancy and chop on a bias if you like) 
      
   3. Grate your ginger & garlic
      
2. Take a large skillet and warm your oil. While the oil is warming go ahead and grind the black peppercorns and coriander seeds. 
   
3. Temper the spices along with the garlic and ginger. 
   
4. Once the aroma has released from the spices, add in your brussel sprouts. Turn the heat to low-medium. You don't want to overcook the brussels to make them soggy. 
   
5. Give everything a good coat and make a little space in the center of your skillet. Add in the pumpkin seeds and let them warm in the center. After a few minutes, give everything a toss once again. 
   
6. Once the color of the brussels are nice and bright, turn the stove off. Mix in the green onions and salt. Again, toss really well. 
   
7. Squeeze in the lime juice. Another toss. 
   
8. Lastly, add in a few handfuls of the arugula for an additional pungency. Don't toss right now. You want the arugula to just sit on top to get a light steam. 
   
9. Give everything a final toss right at the time of serving. 
   
10. Optionally, you can add in goat cheese, but totally not necessary.
    

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This very easily became the favorite part of my Thanksgiving meal. Bon appetit! ​

This past full moon I was super inspired to make an offering (of course at the very tail end of the evening). This past full moon was the first official one of Autumn, and a truly auspicious one at that. It represented divine love and bestowed the gifts of abundance. All of the effort put forth in the summer in growing, we finally get to reap the benefits of the fruit of our labor. It's a sweet reminder of the gifts of the Universe...we are never without no matter what comes our way. 
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So in that vain, I thought I'd put together a quick little offering with ingredients that elicit the qualities of a full moon, that are sattvic and wholesome, and simple to digest. These took about 15 minutes total from prep to finishing with ingredients that I had laying around the house anyways! 

I hope you enjoy them as much as we did. 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups almond flour
• 3/4 cup sesame seeds
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup tahini

Recipe: 

1. Starting with the almond flour, mix the flour with the sesame seeds. You want to make sure that everything is incorporated well. Then add in the ginger powder and baking powder. Sometimes it's nice to use a whisk if you're noticing clumps, and of course feel free to use your hands as well! 
2. Slowly add in the maple syrup and vanilla. Your dough should look like wet sand at this point once everything is incorporated well. 
3. Finally, add in the tahini. If you feel like your tahini is clumpy, you may need to use your hands to dissolve it so that it gets incorporated well. 
4. Roll into small balls. I opted for a smaller shape for these to feel like little biscuits, but obviously lead with the heart on this one! 
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take your balls and just give a quick little pat so its slightly flattened. 
6. Bake for 5-7 minutes on 375 degrees. Be super careful because the bottoms can burn easily. 
7. Let it cool and enjoy! My whole batch was gone in a day between all my friends. 

Enjoy!