Bodhimed

What if I told you that there was a way to satisfy your sweet tooth without actually eating anything sweet?  By changing what you think of as sweet, you can really accomplish this.  Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese medicine both emphasize the need to include all six tastes in your daily diet, so we still want to acknowledge the importance of the sweet flavor, just not sugar itself.  Here's a revolutionary way for you honor your sweet cravings without feeding the desire for sugar.

Empty Sweets vs. Full Sweets

Traditional Chinese Medicine makes a beautiful and radical distinction between empty sweets and full sweets.  Empty sweets are treats containing any sweetener.  I'm talking raw sugar, honey, maply syrup, agave, brown rice syrup, barley malt syrup.  You get the picture.  While some sweeteners are certainly healthier than others, the point is that they are still empty sweets.  They are called "empty" because while they momentarily satisfy a sweet craving, they do nothing to nourish our digestion, so we are left wanting it more and more.

I think a lot of you can relate when I say it can be challenging to figure out what to make for dinner every night. Especially when we're aiming to make something really healthy and tasty, and for the whole family! Recently I got the brilliant idea to throw all my favorite super-nutritious beans and grains in the crockpot and call it chili.  On top of natural corn chips and with lots of fun toppings, this awesome version of a tostada is high in protein, minerals and fiber, and is easy and quick to prepare. This nutrition-packed recipe is sure to become one of your favorites too.

One of the hardest things about doing any kind of cleanse is feeling deprived and hungry. Ayurveda recommends eating a mono diet of the traditional dish called Kitchari while cleansing. It is nourishing and easy to digest. It allows the digestive fire to focus on  burning off old toxins instead of on the new food coming in. Here's a recipe you'll enjoy anytime, whether you're doing a cleanse, recovering from an illness, or simply giving your digestion a much needed break.

The chai recipe I'm famous for is a synthesis of recipes from several ashrams I've lived at. I can thank the Hanuman Temple in Taos, NM and the Ayurvedic Institute for inspiring my love of chai. This recipe was then refined during my time at the Siddha Yoga Ashram in South Fallsburg, NY and at Ananda Ashram in Monroe, NY.

Like many Ayurvedic recipes, the chai ingredients have two purposes - they enhance the flavor and they are medicinal too. The stimulant effect of the caffeine in black tea is mitigated by the digestive benefits of the spices.

I usually just eye it, but I've tried to get more formal here:

Fill a large pot with 3 cups of water. Grate 3 Tbs. of fresh ginger into the water. Toss in 6 cinnamon sticks, 1 Tbs. whole cloves, & 1 1/2 Tbs. cardamom pods. Grate 1/4 tsp. nutmeg into the water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Add 3 cups of whole milk and turn up the heat. Do not walk away from the pot. Just stand by and sing and wait for the chai to froth up to the rim of the pot and then immediately turn off the flame or remove from heat. Now sprinkle loose Indian black tea to cover the entire surface of the chai. Indian Red Label or Taj Mahal is best. Stir and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain into a thermos and sweeten with raw sugar.

Traditional Indian chai is sweet, so to really be authentic, don't be frugal with the sugar. This is the best chai you'll ever have.  Your friends will insist that you make it for parties and brunches. You may find yourself unable to drink store-bought or cafe chai ever again.