Goya Salad

Aug12

I know, I know. Another goya post… I get it. But it’s just so dern good for the kaphas and pittas out there! Maybe you don’t like goya as much as our vata friends do, but give this a try. It’s surprisingly tasty. It’s really balancing to our typical American diets which are mainly made up of the sweet taste.

Typically, ayurveda encourages 80-90% cooked food. More raw foods in the summer time when digestive fire is strongest. So, while you probably shouldn’t be eating raw goya in the winter, it’s great to try some in the summer time. I’ve got 8 different preparations you can try out. Continue reading →

Beni Imo Sweet Potato Cakes with Coconut Chutney

Aug4

I made some steamed beni imo and was feeling ho-hum about mashed beni imo or a soup. I wanted something crunchy, like roasted beni imo or beni imo chips, but I don’t have a real oven. We only have a fish grill, which works great for… um… fish. And nothing else. So, I made sweet potato cakes in a pan.

These can be made with any ol’ variety of sweet potato. Beni imo is my fav, it’s local, and that’s what I had in my pantry. I went with Indian spices, but it’s a pretty flexible recipe, so use whatever strikes your fancy. Garam Masala is a combination of roasted spices. If you don’t have this on hand, I have a recipe for it here! It will only take a few extra minutes and is totally worth it. Plus you can store it for several months. Continue reading →

Urizun mame- Winged Bean Thai Noodle

Jul22

We have the winged bean here, with lots of names like; asparagus pea, Goa pea, and Thai green bean. Interesting-looking bean, don’t you think? I’ve walked past it several times thinking it was Goya San’s cousin, then hurried by, trying not to make eye-contact.

I’m so glad I finally picked it up to try. It’s got a really pleasant crunch and a nice flavor. It cooks faster than a regular green bean too. Continue reading →

Kabocha Ice Cream with Miso Caramel Sauce (Dairy-free)

Jul21

Yes! I did it again. Ice cream. Well, since my last ice cream post, l’ve discovered that people are much more excited to read about ice cream recipes than various gourd curry recipes… Dessert bloggers get all the love. So, today I bring you a Japanese squash dessert!

I found kabocha at my local farmers market, but I think you can easily find it in the states too. Kabocha is a type of winter squash. It’s sometimes called a Japanese Pumpkin. It’s fairly sweet, which means less added sugar and more winning. Continue reading →

Dragon Fruit Salad

Jul16

Beautiful. Simple. Fresh. I always make this salad when I have dragon fruit. It’s eye-popping and delicious. To me it tastes like a soft mix of kiwi, pear, and chia seed. Continue reading →

Shikuwasa-Gingerade (Okinawa Lime)

Jul15

There’s an old saying in Okinawa that says, “When life hands you shikuwasas… celebrate with shikuwasa-ade.” Ok, they don’t say that, but they should. I was thrilled to find shikuwasa at the market this week. I’ve been eagerly waiting for them to show up this year.

Dainty little shikuwasa. Oh, how I love thee. It’s called an Okinawan lime, but I think it’s much tastier than lime. If lime and tangerine had a teeny tiny little baby, it would be named shikuwasa. Continue reading →

DIY Homemade Vanilla Extract OR Vanilla Infused Bourbon

Jul14

I won’t tell if you “accidently” pour too much “vanilla extract” into your morning coffee. It will be our little secret…

If you happen to still be buying imitation vanilla extract, here are a few things that could be in it: chemically synthesized vanilla flavor from cloves or a paper byproduct, toxic blood-thinning substance from the Tonka bean, corn-syrup, sugar, or a vanilla-like substance from coal tar or rice bran. Guess what is NOT in it? Vanilla.

OK! Real vanilla extract only has two ingredients. Alcohol and vanilla beans. You can use anything from top-shelf to bottom-shelf booze for this. Vodka, bourbon, rum or brandy are all good choices. Go with something nicer if you’re planning to slip some into your morning coffee, if not, bottom-shelf vodka works just fine for extract. Continue reading →

Kabocha Squash Thai Curry

Jul13

Oh, hey kabocha. You delicious lil thing, you. Continuing on with the delights from the Japanese farmers market. Will it ever end? I hope not.

Kabocha is a winter squash, but it’s often called Japanese Pumpkin. I remember seeing it occasionally in the states. Additionally, a kabochayarou is a man with an unattractive, unusually-shaped face. Yay! Fun Japanese words!

Continue reading →

Tougan Soup- Winter Melon, Ash Gourd, Wax Gourd, or White Gourd

Jul7

So many names for this guy! So, is it really a gourd or a melon? When ripe, it’s used as a vegetable, but the unripe “fruit” is very sweet, and is used as a fruit. Interesting? I think so too! At least the Japanese could decide on one name. It’s called a Tougan (冬瓜). The kanji in this word is for winter 冬and melon瓜. Yay for fun with kanji! Why did this winter melon show up at the farmers market last month and not in December? It actually ripens during the summer, but because of the waxy exterior, it lasts long through the winter.

This vegetable is useful in ayurveda for both pitta and kapha. It’s very cooling for pitta during the summertime. It helps balance acidity for those with pitta issues like ulcers. It is also useful for diabetics and those desiring to lose weight. It’s also a diuretic so it will support in detoxification. Continue reading →

Green Tea Ice Cream (Dairy-free)

Jul2

My friend came to visit last month. We had an amazing time traveling around Okinawa, Osaka and Kyoto. That probably goes without saying though. We found ourselves on an ice cream kick in Okinawa, before heading to Osaka and Kyoto. It all started with ube ice cream then we moved on to green tea ice cream. There was some Okinawan sugar cookie, pistachio, vanilla and beni imo ice cream mixed in there as well. I’m addicted to the ube ice cream which is a type of purple potato. It tastes like carnivals and magic. I know you want some now, but it’s not what this post is about! Gomennasai. Seriously, we probably ate 14 ice cream scoops each in the 2 weeks she was here. We may, or may not have had double ice cream on some days. What can I say? It was really hot!! Continue reading →