Spring Recipes For Immunity And Fertility

By Dr. Anju Sodhi (Bams, ND)

It's springtime and we have some ama to get rid of. During this season of birth and growth, some people are feeling the need to conceive children. The recipes below can help with conception but also nurture those without the itch to grow families. The reproductive organs are the last tissue in Ayurvedic nutrition to receive nutrients. They are the most refined and strongest organs that not only produce gametes but also the immune system. These recipes are made to nurture the reproductive system to support immunity, increase chances of getting pregnant, and burn that extra winter funk out of the body.

SPRING KITCHERI

Many of you have seen kitcheri on our monthly recipes. The recipe changes to support the season and to target different body systems. Kitcheri provides easy to digest protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Adding spring appropriate vegetables provides proper nutrition that will start the last tissue on its way to health.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cup white basmati rice-washed
  • 1 cup green spit dahl (mung dahl)- soaked for an hour
  • 2 tablespoons ghee or avocado oil, plus more for garnish
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon CoCurcuminÔ
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground fennel
  • ¼ cup carrots
  • ¼ red squash
  • ¼ chopped leeks
  • ¼ asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • A handful of spinach leaves
  • 8 cups of water
  • Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

  1. After the rice and beans are washed, place them in a bowl together.
  2. Heat the ghee in a 4-quart Dutch oven at medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir until aromatic. Add the CoCurcuminÔ, coriander, cumin, and fennel and stir spices to activate them.
  3. Stir in the carrots, squash, leeks, and asparagus, coating them with the spices and garlic mixture.
  4. Add the rice and beans, again stirring to coat.
  5. Add the water and let everything to come to boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer about 20 minutes.
  6. For the last 5 minutes of cooking, throw in the spinach.
  7. Stir one final time and serve. Add a dollop of ghee to the top of the kitcheri. If you would like, squeeze a wedge of lime on top or garnish with cilantro.

NIGHTLY OJAS MILK

We do much of our healing while we sleep. Providing an ojas beverage (the ultimate ambu) to foster high immunity and reproductive health during the healing time of the day. This drink is a tasty dessert-like beverage that can be customized for each drinker. You can premix the dry ingredients so all you have to do is add it to the heated milk and ghee. After drinking this beverage, notice how well you sleep and how peaceful waking up is.

INGREDIENTS (FOR 1 CUP):

  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/8 teaspoons ground clove
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon trikatu
  • 2 dates, pitted and chopped
  • 3 almonds, chopped
  • ¾ cup whole milk (or non-dairy alternative)
  • ½ tablespoon ghee
  • 1-3 strands of saffron
  • Honey to taste

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine the cinnamon, cardamom, clove, nutmeg, and trikatu in a food processor with the almonds and dates. Pulse until a fragrant paste is formed.
    1. Note: If you would like, you can make a week’s worth of paste in advanced. Multiple the first seven ingredients by 7. Store the paste in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
  2. Place the milk in a small saucepan. Heat at medium heat.
  3. While heating, add the ghee and paste to milk, stirring to homogenize the ingredients.
  4. When the milk is hot, but not boiled over, remove the pan from the heat and place the saffron. Let sit for 3-5 minutes.
  5. Pour the mixture into your favorite mug. When cool enough to drink, at honey to taste.

GARBANZO BEAN BROTH

That bean water is full of valuable nutrients, just like a chicken broth is. The broth can be served on its own or with vegetables to make a hearty soup. The broth provides high impact nutrition in a very easy to digest water-based broth. This recipe allows the body to provide refined nutrition to each tissue because the Agni was able to break it down perfectly.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup dried garbanzo beans
  • 3 cups of water
  • ¼ teaspoons cumin powder
  • ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/3 tablespoon CoCurcuminÔ
  • 1 teaspoon trikatu
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 1 carrot, peeled
  • A pinch of sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Place all ingredients into a large stockpot.
  2. Allow to simmer on low heat for 2 hours, or until the garbanzo beans are cooked through and are a little mushy.
  3. Stain out the garbanzo beans, garlic, and carrot. Save for later use if desired.
  4. Enjoy the broth with some sea salt or coconut aminos, or use the broth for a hearty vegetable soup.

GARBANZO BEAN SNACKS

Agni starts to fire up this time of year. Sometimes energy feels low and it’s not due to lack of sleep. A high protein snack in small quantities fuels the digestive fire and provides a sustained pop of energy.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups dried garbanzo beans, soaked overnight and drained thoroughly
  • 2 tablespoons melted ghee
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ tablespoon coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon trikatu
  • 2 pinches of sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Stir the melted ghee with the cumin, chili, and coriander powders and trikatu in a medium-sized bowl. Once combined, add the salt to the mixture.
  3. Add in the chickpeas and coat in the ghee mixture thoroughly.
  4. Spread the beans on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
  5. Roast the beans, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, or until the beans are slightly browned.
  6. Enjoy as an easy snack

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