A Perfect Ayurveda Recipe for Calming Your Mind with Food
Another Ayurveda superfood, opo squash promotes mental clarity, balance, optimism, and peace of mind. It is perfect for calming your mind with food, and a calming food for IBS. A great nourishing food, it also benefits your heart. It is easily digestible and tastes sweet.
This opo squash recipe is a personal favorite. I love how grounded and clear-headed it makes me feel, and I recommend it for anyone experiencing mental stress and turbulent emotions. It goes great with cooked rice, chappatis, warm wheat tortillas, and khichadi. You can buy opo squash at Indian or Chinese markets. If you can’t find it, you can substitute any winter or summer squash (depending on the season).
Serves 2-3.
Ingredients:
1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 pound opo squash, peeled and diced into 1⁄2-inch cubes
2 teaspoons ghee
Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Directions:
Warm the ghee in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and turmeric and cook for 10 to 15 seconds (be careful not to burn the cumin seeds).
Add the opo squash and stir again. Cover the skillet and cook until the squash is soft enough that you can easily cut it with a spoon, 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.
Learn how to make more delicious Ayurveda recipes, as well as the ins and outs of living an Ayurveda lifestyle by enrolling in our pre-recorded Ayurveda Wellness Ambassador Program.
Recipe excerpted from The Ayurveda Way: 108 Practices from the World’s Oldest Healing System for Better Sleep, Less Stress, Optimal Digestion, and More by Ananta Ripa Ajmera, published by Storey Publishing. Photos by Liz Daly.
