Dosha-licious: Vata Inspired

This is the first in a 3-part series on the doshas, an Ayurvedic terms which refers to the bio-energies of life, and relating to the energies and principles of the five elements: space and air combine to give Vata dosha, fire with some water gives Pitta dosha, and water with earth give Kapha dosha.

Vata Inspired

Curious, creative, communicative, our Vatas inspire, innovate, enliven.

Everyone has all five elements, but Vata has a predominance of space or air, making them free-thinking, free-floating, free-flying, air bending avatars. Always moving, they keep us on our toes. Life is never boring with a well nourished Vata.

To be Vatalicious

• Daily oil massage

• Healthy fats (ghee!) in your diet

‍• Warm cooked meals eaten at regular times

• Nature’s sweet, sour and salty tastes in your meals

• Sweet spices such as cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg

‍• Ginger lemon tea, CCF tea, spice tea, warm hydration throughout the day

‍• Epsom salt baths and early to bed

‍• Gentle kindnesses

‍• Deep breaths

‍• Daily reminders that you are perfect, whole and complete exactly as you are. In fact, you are the clear, spacious sky, the uplifting winds of life, the pollinators, seed bearers, winged generators of beauty, the song of creation in perpetual adoration of existence itself.

If you are Vata, you are the gift of life seeking its highest expression and inviting us all along. Thank you for serving life, its generative and regenerative powers, as you do. ‍

Share this post with your favorite Vata and let them know you love them. Or, whip up this gorgeous Cardamom Banana Bread and invite them over for tea and treats.

Liscia Cardamom Banana Bread

Sweet, grounding, and gently spiced this is a tea bread that nourishes and comforts. It is great for breakfast toasted and lathered with ghee, or dipped into chai for an afternoon refreshment. In addition to the apple cider, you can mix in a chopped apple or pear for more sweetness, cashews and pumpkin seeds for more crunch, or chocolate chips for pure indulgence.

Ingredients

2/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup apple cider
1-3/4 cup whole wheat or gluten free flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 ripe bananas
1/3 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup jaggery or light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the raisins with the cider, and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat, and let sit for 10 minutes.

3. While the raisins are soaking, in a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. Mix well. In a smaller bowl mash bananas with a fork.

4. Stir the oil and brown sugar, and beat for 1 minute. Continue beating as you add the eggs. With a spoon, fold this into the flour mixture until well blended. Stir in walnuts and the soaked raisins with their liquid. Pour the mixture into greased loaf pan.

5. Bake the bread 45-50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven, place it on a rack, and let the bread cool for 10 minutes before removing from the loaf pan.

Wrapped well, this bread keeps at room temperature for 5 days or longer if refrigerated.