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Lentil Dhal
Ingredients
1 ½ cup red lentils, rinsed
4 cups vegetable stock
2 chilies, whole dried
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp coconut oil, olive oil or ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 Onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, fresh grated
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 tbsp Lemon, freshly juiced
1 tsp garam masala
photo credit: Anne Bertand www.lesbohneurs.fr
Instructions
IN A LARGE SAUCEPAN, combine lentils, stock, chilies, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until lentils are tender, stirring frequently. You may add up to an additional cup of water or stock until desired consistency. ADD tomatoes and sauté for another 7 minutes.
HEAT oil in a small skillet on medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and sauté for about 30 seconds, until seeds are fragrant but not burning.
ADD onions, garlic and ginger. Reduce heat to medium and sauté for about 5 minutes, until onions begin to brown.
DISCARD chilies once lentils are tender. ADD onion mixture to lentils with lemon juice, garam masala, and sea salt.
Makes 6 servings
Date Added: October 22, 2013 | Comments (0) | Filed under: Shanti Kitchen
Asana of the week with Wendy: Plough Pose
This past weekend we were blessed to offer a Journey Dance and Expressive Arts Retreat with 2 great facilitators, Diane and Nicole. Guests also had the opportunity to enjoy morning yoga classes with Wendy. Read below as Wendy explains the various benefits of Halasana.
Halasana, or the plough pose, has so many wonderful benefits and is one of my personal favourites.
As an inverted asana there is the benefit of reversing the flow of blood in the body, increasing blood supply to the head and all of the glands located there. You are also reversing the effects of gravity on the body and therefore some yogis claim it is an anti-aging pose.
There is also the benefit of keeping the spine healthy and flexibility which is vital for one’s overall level of health and longevity. As well, there is the very beneficial effect that the pose has on balancing the thyroid gland.
From an energetic perspective, in the Agama Yoga tradition, halasana works on ajna cakra; the mental command centre of one’s being. Working with this chakra has the potential to improve clarity, concentration and focus of the mind.
With so many incredible benefits, it is no wonder the yogis consider halasana a powerful addition to one’s hatha yoga practice.
If you are new to the pose start slow; be mindful and aware of your body while performing it. In the beginning you may need to modify your performance. As you become more comfortable, increase the length of time you spend it. Perhaps working up to holding for 5 minutes.
Afterwards, pause and savour both the physical and energetic benefits.
Om Shanti, Shanti…..
MoonDance and Expressive Arts Retreat with Diane, Nicole and Yoga with Wendy
October 4th – 6th, 2013
Date Added: October 7, 2013 | Comments (0) | Filed under: Living with Yoga
Easiest dessert ever!!! Maple Flax Cookies
Sometimes we crave a delicious homemade, all natural dessert, but don’t have the time to spend hours in kitchen. If you can relate to this, this is the recipe for you.
Whenever we need a quick dessert for a retreat, I turn to Jae Steele for her delicious and simple cookie recipes. I have never tried this recipe before, but when I saw that there were only 6 simple ingredients, that I didn’t have to use/wash 2 separate bowls for wet and dry.. AND they only took 10-12 minutes to cook…I knew it was the winner!
The best part about these cookies (other than the fact that they melt in your mouth and taste like shortbread), was that all the guests loved them. Mission accomplished Shanti Kitchen!
Maple Flax Vegan Cookies
The cookies were gone so fast, that we didn’t think to take any photos. But the good news is, these cookies will be back again soon!
2 cups spelt flour
1/4 flax seeds (not ground flax, but the seeds)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine together flour, flax seeds, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
Add syrup and coconut oil and mix until just absorbed.
Roll dough into walnut size balls and place them on the baking sheet.
Use a fork to or your peace fingers to make an impression in each cookie.
Bake for 12 minutes, until bottoms are golden brown.
Enjoy and be sure to share with your friends, family, co-workers or neighbors!
Date Added: | Comments (0) | Filed under: Shanti Kitchen
Something Sweet: Lemon Bliss Balls
Even with the publication of our new (and first!) cookbook, there is no way we could have included all of our favorite recipes. Good thing for the Shanti Whole Foods Living Blog! We will continuously be posting recipes that you love (which are not found in the cookbook), so stay tuned!
There is nothing like sharing the benefits of whole foods – especially when it’s something sweet:)
Raw Vegan Lemon Bliss Balls (Makes about 15 balls)
2 1/4 cups almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp maple syrup
5 lemons (juiced)
3 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut oil
coconut, raw sugar for rolling
Place almonds into a food processor and pulse into small pieces (not into a flour).
Add remaining ingredients and process until well combined.
Take out a spoonful at a time and roll into a ball shape.
Roll half the balls in coconut and the other half in raw sugar.
Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Date Added: | Comments (0) | Filed under: Shanti Kitchen
