Our garden is overflowing with lettuce, so I brought salad to a recent bbq. People suspiciously eyed the flowers on top, but this salad was a hit! Expressions of doubt were replaced with delight, thanks to the edible nasturtium flower.
Nasturtium imparts a spicy flavor to a dish, similar to watercress. It best complements a sweet lettuce, and contrasts nicely with the bright citrus notes of yuzu. Let’s get real though, nasturtiums are here to look pretty; they make salad sexy. Continue reading
I’m not a milk drinker, so the idea of combining turmeric and milk was the furthest from my thoughts, but I was missing out.
It’s very tasty, and something that I now enjoy each night before bed. In ayurveda, this golden milk is helpful for calming vata and clearing mucus from kapha. Milk increases our ojas, or immunity, and we want all the ojas we can get! It keeps away coughs and sniffles during the winter months and between seasonal shifts. We enjoyed the cherry blossom festival last weekend on Okinawa, so spring has already sprung and it’s not even yet February (try telling that to the trapped motorists on snowy Atlanta roads last night or anyone who survived the 2014 “polar vortex”). Continue reading
We spent New Year’s Eve in Kyoto this year with my sister-in-law and her beau. It was beautiful and busy, but most restaurants were not open. It seems to me that Japanese people take their holidays very seriously. I mean, where are people going to eat? Options limited for dining and drinking, we made the best of the situation and bought kimonos to stroll around the streets of Gion, greeting passersby with “Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!” During our stay, we ended up eating at an okonomiyaki place twice… in one day. Yes, it was that delicious, but our hand was a little forced by the occasion.
Kyoto is in a region of Japan that is well known for its okonomiyaki. The name for this savory, grilled “pancake” translates as okonomi, for “whatever you want,” and yaki, for “grilled.” I particularly like how easy this is to throw together. I think it’s a great, last-minute meal for cleaning out the refrigerator, which is appealing to my frugal senses. I purchased a gigantic head of cabbage for fewer than two bucks and had to make plans for using it up. After Mexican and Vietnamese inspired coleslaws, I still had a lot leftover. Okonomiyaki is the perfect vehicle for hiding lots of veggies into a quick and delicious dinner. Continue reading
Ohayou gozaimasu! Good morning from Okinawa, Japan. It’s January, the month of new beginnings and changes. It also began with a new moon, which is interesting even if you don’t think so.
Did you make any resolutions this year? If so, tell me about them. If not, I suggest that you add warm lemon water to your morning routine, known as dinacharya in ayurveda. It’s uncomplicated and effective, valuable attributes in resolutions if I do say so myself. Continue reading
It seems like the recent typhoon activity ushered in some cooler weather here in Okinawa. It’s a welcome change from all the heat. Warming soups and stews are particularly good during the changing weather. They’re also great for balancing vata.
I picked up some Okinawan spinach, or handama, this week. Handama has a beautiful purple color on one side the leaf. It can be eaten raw or cooked. It’s got a pleasant and mild taste. I also found fresh lotus root, known as renkon in Japanese. It’s easy to find packaged renkon in the local Japanese stores, but this is the first time I’ve been able to use it fresh. It’s cooling and great for the liver. Continue reading
I’ve had this bunch of rosemary from our garden hanging up to dry for longer than I care to mention. I love rosemary, but I don’t enjoy the large chewy pieces of fresh rosemary or the dry whole pieces that seem like they stab the inside of your mouth. Wah! I just wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with it. Today, I thought it would be nice blended up with some salt for sprinkling over popcorn, veggies, or potatoes. Continue reading
Ginger is my go-to herb of choice. I prefer ginger to analgesics, and have been known to carry raw ginger in my purse. It’s a great anti-inflammatory, immunity booster, and is wonderful for digestion. Helpful for breaking up colds, coughs, and phlegm, you’ll want to keep ginger around all winter. Continue reading
Body scrubs are ridiculously cheap and easy to make. You can use all sorts of things to make a body scrub: beans, grains, salt, sugar, herbs, flowers, or spices. A body scrub should be edible. If you can’t put it in your mouth, you probably shouldn’t put it on your skin.
If you’re a variable vata person, your skin is probably on the dry side, especially during the winter. We’re going to be making a nourishing body scrub today. Most oils are good for vata. Olive oil is easy to find and is warming. The lentils and nutmeg are ground into a fine powder and are gentle enough for daily use. Ashwaghanda is calming for the skin and helps to keep it from thinning. Honey is nourishing and moisturizing. This scrub has a lovely spicy floral scent, and is very soothing. Continue reading
Autumn is approaching. I know this because my Facebook news feed is full of comments about a certain company’s Pumpkin Spice Latte. Not because there’s been a weather change or anything silly like that. It’s Okinawa. It’s still hot here. Thank goodness my news feed keeps me informed.
Seriously though, let’s make a healthier version of this fall treat for you pumpkin lovers. You can say no thanks to the artificial pumpkin-flavored syrup, and hello to real food. Since I’ve yet to see a real-deal pumpkin in the local Japanese markets, guess what we’ll be using? Kabocha, of course! Continue reading
Body scrubs are ridiculously cheap and easy to make. You can use all sorts of things to make a body scrub: beans, grains, salt, sugar, herbs, flowers, or spices. A body scrub should be edible. If you can’t put it in your mouth, you probably shouldn’t put it on your skin. Continue reading
Naturally DIY 