Seared Tofu Ginger Sesame Salad

Seared Tofu Ginger Sesame Salad

I love this dish for the variety of plant-based goodness in one dish! Diet diversity isn’t always easy, yet research shows the growing importance of incorporating more diverse nutrient supply to support gut microbiota. When the microbes in our gut are fed plants, fiber, prebiotics and more, they work in collaboration with our bodies to support more resilient immune system, production of anti-inflammation compounds, and metabolize neurochemicals that boost serotonin (happy hormones). So this summer salad is stacked with so many plants to support gut health! It’s a cooling salad with a dressing that will kindle the digestive fire. Easy to modify and make your own.

Serves: 2-3

Time: 10 Minutes Prep | 7 Minutes Cook

Kitchen Tools: Skillet + salad bowl

Ingredients for salad

• Choice of greens: recommendation includes spinach, dino kale and wasabi microgreens. Slice your greens in thin strips

• 1/4 purple cabbage shredded

• 1/4 green cabbage shredded

• 2 medium carrots peeled or thinly sliced

• 3-4 brussel sprouts thinly sliced

• Handful of cilantro

• 1 tablespoon of black sesame seeds

• Extra firm organic tofu

• Soy sauce

• Avocado

Ingredients for dressing

• 1-2 tablespoons of grated ginger

• 1 teaspoon of tamari

• Juice from 1/2 squeezed lime

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• Drizzle of fish sauce

Directions

1. Turn the skillet on to cook the tofu. If you have a cast iron, that’s recommended. Let it get hot.

2. While the skillet is heating, cut the tofu into large rectangles. Dab it on a paper towel or napkin to soak up the moisture.

3. Add 1-2 tablespoons of a high heat cooking oil (avocado or coconut) to the skillet. Then add the sliced tofu. Cook on medium to high heat for 4-6 minutes or until that side gets crispy. Drizzle soy sauce on the opposite side of the tofu. Flip to the other side and cook for 4-6 minutes or to preferred crisp. Drizzle soy on top. Remove the tofu and let it cool. Slice it into cubes when ready to top on salad.

4. In a salad bowl, add your desired greens, shredded red cabbage, regular cabbage, carrots.

5. Make the sauce:

   • Step 1: Grate the ginger

   • Step 2: In a small mixing bowl or mug, combine grated ginger, 1-2 tablespoons of avocado oil, 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar, lime juice from 1/2 a lime, 1 teaspoon of Tamari or soy sauce, and a drizzle of fish sauce. Modify quantity of ingredients to adapt to your desired taste.

6. Add tofu and sliced avocado to the top of your salad bowl. Drizzle dressing all over salad, sprinkle black sesame seeds to finish.

Modify for your Dosha

Vata: Make it a warm salad! Lightly sauté the cabbage, carrots, and brussel sprouts. Use a generous amount of avocado oil as oils tend to help ground and nourish Vata imbalances. If cooking spinach, add it last. Add a teaspoon of organic honey to the dressing mix to add the sweet taste.

Pitta: Be prudent with the quantity of ginger - too much of this can aggravate the fire element and elevate Pitta. Go wild with cilantro and lime, both cooling for Pitta.

Kapha: Add some jalapeño to the dressing for little kick. Ramp up ginger to stoke the digestive fire. This is a nice light, yet filling meal that will nourish Kapha.

Kitchari

Kitchari is one of the beloved Ayurvedic staples. It is a simple, soupy mixture full of spices that enhance digestion and is often used for cleansing. Because it is a combination of grains and legumes, kitchari is considered a complete protein, providing all the essential amino acids for a nutritious meal. It is a recipe that boasts gut health as it is easy to digest. While it is a “tridoshic” dish, meaning it benefits most constitutions, you can modify and choose the vegetables based upon your personal needs - there are truly infinite ways to make this dish.

Serves: 6

Time: 60 min (30 minutes soak / 30 minutes cook)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup basmati rice 

• 1 cup split yellow mung dal

• 6 cups water, approximately

• 1 and 1/2 cups of assorted vegetables (see doshic recommendations below)

• 1/2 to 1 inch ginger root, chopped or grated

• 1 tablespoon of ghee or olive oil

• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder 

• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder 

• 1/2 tsp. whole cumin seeds 

• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 

• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder 

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) 

Top with

• Handful of fresh cilantro leaves 
  1 and 1/2 cups assorted vegetables (optional)

• A few slices of lime to aid digestion

• A bit of mineral salt (1/4 tsp. or so) 

Directions

1. Soak dal either overnight, or for 30 minutes prior to cooking. Rinse in at least 2 changes of water. Soaking the legumes decreases their drying properties and makes them easier to digest.

2. Rinse basmati rise in at least 2 changes of water.

3. In a large pot, add rice, dal and 6 cups of water. Cover and cook on medium or until it becomes soft - about 20 minutes.

4. While rice and dal are cooking, prepare vegetables based on your constitution or any current imbalance you are feeling. Cut them into small pieces. Add the vegetables to the cooked rice and dal mixture and cook for another 10 minutes.

5. In a separate saucepan, sauté the seeds and ghee until they pop. then add the other spices. Stir and allow the aroma to release. Then add the spiced ghee into the dal, rice and vegetable mixture.

6. Once mixture is cooked, sprinkle some Himalayan or mineral salt to flavor

7. Garnish with cilantro and lime

Modify for your Dosha

Vata: Add a little extra ghee or olive oil as this can help with grounding. Add coriander to spices to enhance digestion. Suggested Vata friendly vegetables: Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Asparagus, Beets, Zucchini

Pitta: Go wild with the cilantro. Eliminate the mustard seeds and minimize ginger. Suggested Pitta friendly vegetables: Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Asparagus, Beets, Zucchini, Cauliflower, Broccoli, leafy greens

Kapha: Boost the digestive fire by adding a minced green Thai chile, or a jalepeño. Go light on the oil. Suggested Pitta friendly vegetables: Carrots, Cauliflower, Asparagus, Brussels, Broccoli, Beets, Spinach.

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Red Velvet Beet + Lentil Soup

I first tasted this delicious and simple soup on a retreat I guided. Our Ayurvedic Chef Alexandra Sargent served this recipe inspired by Divya Alter’s book The New Ayurvedic Kitchen What to Eat for How You Feel. With beets, lentils and digestive spices, this soup is perfect for grounding + nourishing oneself.

Beetroots are a great source of many essential vitamins and minerals including:

• High Fiber - supports smooth digestion and gut health

• B9 - assists with cell functioning and tissue growth

• Manganese

• Potassium - supports heart health

• Iron - essential for transporting oxygen in red blood cells

• Vitamin C - antioxidant rich, supports immune support, and skin health.

Lentils are rich in iron and folate and offer a great source of protein.

The recipe

Serves: 4

Time: Soak 30 min / Prep 5 Min / Cook 30 Min

Ingredients

• 1 cup red lentils, washed, soaked for 30 minutes, drained and rinsed

• 2 medium red beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric

• 2 small bay leaves

• 1 tablespoon of ghee or olive oil

• 1 tablespoon of salt

• 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper

• 3 cloves of chopped garlic

• 1/4 chopped red onion

Top with

• 1 tablespoon of shopped cilantro leaves

• Slice of lime

Note: This is modified from the original recipe. I added garlic and onion, which is not considered ‘Sattvic’ by Yogic standards, as these ingredients can aggravate meditation. But I chose to add them because garlic has many immune system benefits and onions add flavor and a more warming quality to the meal.

Directions

1. Soak 1 cup of lentils for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse them.

2. Combine red lentils and 4 cups of water into a pot. Bring to a full boil over high heat. Remove any froth from the surface as this will help reduce gassiness of lentils.

3. Once lentils and water reach a boil. Add beets, onions, garlic, cumin, turmeric, bay leaves, ghee and mix well. Still at a boil.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and let simmer until lentils and beats are soft or cooked through - approximately 20 min.

5. Turn off heat, uncover. Remove bay leaves. Add a splash of olive oil. Salt and pepper to your desire. Use an immersion blender to smooth soup to your desired consistency. If you prefer it on the silkier side, you can add more water as you wish.

6. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with lime slices, which help protein digestion and iron absorption.

Modify for your Dosha

Vata: Add a little extra ghee or olive oil as this can help with grounding. Add coriander to spices to enhance digestion

Pitta: Cut the garlic and onion. Go wild with the cilantro.

Kapha: Boost the digestive fire by adding a minced green Thai chile, or a jalepeño. Go light on the oil.

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Resources

Beetroot 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits via Healthline.com

What Are The Benefits of Beetroots? via MedicalNewsToday.com

Lentils: Nutrition, Benefits and How to Cook Them via Healthline.com

Carrot Ginger Soup

A grounding, warming soup packed with carotenoids and antioxidants which protect and enhance immunity. Carrots are known for being a good source of beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K, potassium and antioxidants. A thing about carotenoids - they are best absorbed with fat - so be sure not to skip the ghee or coconut oil in this recipe. In addition, the strength of the nutrients carrots are increased when chopped and cooked, so that’s a win.  

The grated ginger brings heat, increased fire element in the body, aids in digestion and is a powerful anti-inflammatory. There’s plenty of other medicinal properties to this simple soup, but I encourage you sense into how the ingredients affect your body, mind and thoughts. It’s a great way to develop a deeper relationship with foods and more so - intuitive eating.

Serves: 6

Time: 35

Ingredients

• 4 cups of chopped carrot

• 1 red onion diced

• 4 cloves of garlic diced

• 6 cups of vegetable broth

• 4 teaspoons of grated ginger

• 1 teaspoon grated turmeric

• 1-2 tablespoons of ghee {or coconut oil}

• 2 teaspoons of salt or to taste

• 1 teaspoon of pepper or to taste

• Pinch of cumin seeds

Directions:

1. Chop all the veggies

2. In a cast iron skillet add: ghee, carrots, onion, and garlic. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes or until carrots begin to get tender. Stir occasionally. Add the grated ginger, turmeric, and cumin near the end of saute session.

3. Transfer all cooked veggies to a pot, add 6 cups of vegetable broth. Cover and let cook on medium heat, about 3 minutes or until all contents are warm. Feel free to add more or less vegetable broth to your consistency preference.  

4. Use an immersion blender to blend veggies, bringing the soup to an even consistency. Add extra vegetable broth or water to personal preference. I like my soup a little thicker. Alternative: if you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer the soup into a blender or food processor.

5. Add final seasoning: salt + pepper. Serve warm and enjoy!

Optional topping:

A few slices of avocado makes it grounding and creamy.

Modify for your Dosha

Vata: Add extra oil or avocado to top, as Vata folks tend to by dry and lacking with oils.

Pitta: Use a little less ghee or oil. Moderation with ginger.

Kapha: Kick up the spice with extra ginger. Use smaller portions of ghee or oil. Extra pepper.

Green Tea Ginger Shiitake Miso Soup

Hands down one of my favorite soups to make, especially when I’m tight on time because… HELLO CROCKPOT!  This recipe is from an amazing book called The Healing Slow Cooker by Jennifer Iserloh. Definitely recommend adding it to your inspo bookshelf. I modified it by adding ginger for some extra digestive, warming qualities.

Love this for it’s antioxidant kick, thanks to the green tea. Detox super powers due to the kale. Shiitake mushrooms, the amazing immunity booster. Here’s what you need to know.

Serves: 6

Time: 10 Min Prep / 2.5 Hrs Crock Pot

Ingredients

• 8 cups bone broth or veggie broth

• ¼ cup of chinese black vinegar {you can use balsamic as a substitute, but I find black vinegar tastes better}

• 3 tablespoons of white miso paste

• 4 green tea bags

• 2 cups chopped kale

• 2 cups stemmed and sliced shiitake mushrooms

• 6 scallions, thinly sliced, green and white parts

• 4 garlic cloves minced

• 4 teaspoons grated ginger

Top with

• Drizzle sesame oil

• Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Combine broth, vinegar and miso paste in crock pot and stir to even consistency

2. Chop all veggies

3. Combine all veggies {except cilantro} in crockpot

4. Remove tags from green tea and tuck into the broth mixture

5. Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2.5 hours.

6. Spoon into bowls, top with sesame drizzle and cilantro.

7. Enjoy!

Modify for your Dosha

Vata: Add a little extra sesame drizzle to your bowl. Use less green tea bags to minimize caffeine, which can be vata aggravating if you feel ungrounded.

Pitta: Cut the ginger out of the recipe or use it minimally. Go wild with the cilantro. Add a little extra kale which contains magic powers to help your liver enzymes process toxins faster!

Kapha: Keep the agni kindling - digestive fire boosting heat with added ginger and scallion. Use the sesame drizzle sparingly. Enjoy!

For the original recipe check out The Healing Slow Cooker on Amazon.