Simple Apple & Banana Turmeric Porridge

Leave a comment December 8, 2021 jayjagger

Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast

This simple apple and banana porridge infused with turmeric provides a super healthy and anti-inflammatory breakfast to kick-start your day.

Why Turmeric?

TURMERIC is a POWERHOUSE, a plant with amazing healing and anti-inflammatory properties, and is one of the most powerful herbs on the planet today to help us humans shield from inflammation, prevent disease, and to keep our bodies strong and healthy. For a full article on what turmeric is and what it does, read on here. Turmeric is also well digested and tolerated by all three doshas. It can sometimes aggravate a very high Pitta, but you would have to take very high dosages for this to happen and a teaspoon like suggested in this recipe should be more than fine.

Why Porridge ?

Porridge is a very nourishing staple breakfast for people with sensitive bellies

A warm porridge in the morning can be a very healing and warming food, especially for people with food sensitivities. Porridge has become a staple in my breakfast repertoire and since consuming it regularly in the mornings, with a teaspoon of added linseeds, it has really improved my digestive issues. It sets me up nicely for the day, especially in autumn and winter times: it gives you this super-nice; cosy and warm feeling in your belly. Especially for Vata types what’s not to like! This porridge is also flavoured with yummy cinnamon. Cinnamon is well torleated by all three doashas, stabilizes blood sugar, reduces blood pressure and its prebiotic properties may improve gut health. For more info on Cinnamon’s benefits click here.

Always opt for Gluten-Free Porridge

I recommend always opting for gluten-free porridge oats. Oats can be cross-contaminated with gluten from the sites that they’re being processed at and only oats that especially state that they are gluten-free can claim to be free of this cross-contamination. I myself do not consume any gluten at all, as I believe gluten is a very triggering substance for most human beings today. I also have very sensitive digestion and food allergies and after swapping my standard porridge oats for gluten-free porridge oats, I realised that I could suddenly handle oats well, whereas this wasn’t the case before.

However in the rare case that you do not tolerate oats well, even when they’re gluten-free, try and opt for millet instead. You can simply cook the recipe below and use millet instead of oats. Or if you don’t tolerate millet either, chose a breakfast grain that you know you do tolerate well, as long as you make sure that it’s gluten free. For more info on gluten and other triggering foods read on here.

Feeling Vata: You can play around with other fruits for this porridge if you like, Vata does well on most sweet fruits. If you want to add dried fruits ensure you soak these overnight. For very ‘dry’ Vatas it can be a good idea to add a little linseed oil on top of your porridge when serving (not during cooking).

Feeling Pitta: Ensure the bananas are very ripe and sweet, if not you can replace the banana with sweet pears instead. Generally avoid any sour fruits. If worried about your Pitta being too high opt for half a teaspoon of turmeric or leave out completly.

Feeling Kapha: Oats are usually too heavy and can make a Kapha feel sluggish and tired. Replace the oats in this recipe with millet, buckwheat flakes or quinoa (amaranth can also be ok in moderation). You can replace the banana with pears.

Healing Recipe

Simple Apple & Banana Turmeric Porridge

More Recipes

Simple Apple & Banana Turmeric Porridge

A warm porridge in the morning can be a very healing and warming food, especially for people with food sensitivities. Porridge has become a staple in my breakfast repertoire and since consuming it regularly in the mornings, with a teaspoon of added linseeds, it has really improved my digestive issues. It sets me up nicely for the day, especially in autumn and winter times: it gives you this super-nice; cosy and warm feeling in your belly. Especially for Vata types what's not to like! This porridge is also flavoured with yummy cinnamon. Cinnamon is well torleated by all three doashas, stabilizes blood sugar, reduces blood pressure and its prebiotic properties may improve gut health

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Course Breakfast

Servings 1

Ingredients

1 medium banana chopped
1 medium apple diced
5 tbsp porridge oats gluten-free and soaked overnight
1 tsp brown or golden linseeds (skip if doing a cleanse) soaked overnight
1 tsp turmeric powder, ground
1/2 tsp cinnamom optional

Instructions

Add the porridge oats and the linseeds (if using) to a heavy bottom sauce-pan and cover in water (just enough water to have everything just about covered)
Start cooking on medium heat, stirring frequently.
Add the chopped apple and banana.
Add the turmeric and the cinnamon (if using).
Add a pinch of salt and keep cooking for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring frequently, and until the apples are well cooked through.
Cook until you have reached a nice, creamy consistency. Add a bit more water at the time if the mix starts getting to dry and sticks to the bottom.
Take off the heat and serve.

Notes

You can sprinkle with some cinnamon and add maple or date syrup when serving to sweeten it up a bit. If not on a cleanse you can also sprinkle with nuts or seeds or try roasted coconut chips.

Keyword apple, banana, porridge, turmeric

Contact Me

mail@sarahjayhealing.com

This Sri Lankan Kola Kanda Bowl herbal porridge

Sri Lankan Kola Kanda Bowl – Green Godess

Leave a comment October 21, 2020 jayjagger

What is Kola Kanda?

This Sri Lankan Kola Kanda Bowl is a traditional Sri Lankan herbal porridge hailed for its nutritious and medicinal powers.

Kola Kanda (from the leaf Gotu Kola ‘Kanda’), is a traditional Sri Lankan herbal porridge, hailed for its nutritious and medicinal powers.
Gotu Kola, also known as the ‘herb of longevity’ is a staple in Ayurvedic, Chinese and Indonesian medicine.
Gotu Kola can heal skin issues, to boost circulation (to the brain and extremities). It is thus improving brain power and concentration.
Gotu Kola also promotes liver and kidney health.

In Sri Lanka ‘Kola Kanda’ people consume this soup as a nutritious ‘drink’ for breakfast. Sri Lankan’s prepare this dish to provide healing and to prevent disease.

If you don’t have fresh gotu kola to hand, you can sub with watercress, lambs lettuce or coriander. You can also buy dried gotu kola leaves online and add a teaspoon or two to the porridge made with watercress. Gotu Kola is balancing for all three doshas, predominantly kapha and pitta.

Feeling Vata: This is a great breakfast for you. You do well on all kinds of rice, and the greens mentioned here are fine for you too. If feeling very Vata add a bit of coconut oil before serving and season well with salt and pepper. You’ll enjoy the maple or date syrup.

Feeling Pitta: Gotu Kola is a great cooling herb for Ptta. Traditionally Gotu Kola was used to stop bleeding from high Pitta. Enjoy the cooling greens in this recipee and feel free to add more!

Feeling Kapha: This is great breakfast for your dosha. Gotu Kola tastes bitter and astringent, which is perfect to balance out Kapha’s sweet and heavy nature. Go easy on the syrups or leave out completly.

Weekly Recipe

Green Godess – Sri Lankan Kola Kanda Bowl

Kola Kanda (from the leaf Gotu Kola ‘Kanda’), is a traditional Sri Lankan herbal porridge, hailed for its nutritious and medicinal powers.

More Recipes

Yield: 1 Bowl

Greeny Goodness - Sri Lankan Kola Kanda Bowl

Kola Kanda (from the leaf Gotu Kola 'Kanda'), is a traditional Sri Lankan herbal porridge, hailed for its nutritious and medicinal powers. Gotu Kola, also known as the 'herb of longevity' is a staple in Ayurvedic, Chinese and Indonesian medicine. Gotu Kola has been proven to heal skin issues, to boost circulation (to the brain and extremities) and thus improving brain power and concentration. It also promotes liver and kidney health. In Sri Lanka 'Kola Kanda' is consumed as a nutritious 'drink' for breakfast: a nourishing mushy soup full of gotu kola leaves, providing healing and prevention of disease. If you don't have fresh gotu kola to hand, you can sub with watercress, lambs lettuce or coriander. You can also buy dried gotu kola leaves online and add a teaspoon or two to the porridge made with watercress. Gotu Kola is balancing for all three doshas, predominantly kapha and pitta.

Ingredients

50g white basmati rice
150ml water for cooking rice
1 x pinch of asafoetida or 1/2 clove of garlic
1 cup of fresh gotu kola leaf (if you don't have access to gotu kola leaf you can substitute with 1 x cup of watercress, lambs lettuce or fresh coriander)
50ml almond milk (try and find plant milk without any additional fats added such as sunflower oils - not good for your health!)
sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
Maple or date syrup to taste (if on a cleanse skip the syrup. If you need something sweet top with raw honey - but raw is a must on a cleanse).

Instructions

First, wash and rinse the rice at least three times.
Add the rice to a pot and add the water.
Add the asafoetida or garlic. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.
Simmer on a medium heat until the rice is cooked and very soft, so you can cook the rice a little longer than usual (10-15 minutes). You want a nice mushy consistency.
In the meantime chop the gotu kola (or lamb's lettuce, watercress etc.) and mix with some water and the plant milk. Mix until you have a consistency that you like. I usually put it in my Vitamix and blend it for a few seconds on a high speed with the milk and a little water.
Once the rice is nice and mushy, take it off the heat.
Now mix in the green smoothie with the rice. Give it a good stir.
Then put the pot back on the stove and get it to a simmer for a few minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add more water if you like a thinner texture, and if you like it sweet, serve with maple or date syrup.
Garnish with herbs of your choice!

warm amaranth breakfast bowl with apples and raisins

Warming Amaranth Bowl With Apples & Raisins

Leave a comment October 20, 2020 jayjagger

If oats, millet and Co. are not for you, or you simply want a bit of a change to your morning breakfast routine, try out some amaranth porridge for breakfast. It’s light and dry nature makes it an ideal grain for the Kapha dosha.
Amaranth ‘s astringent taste helps to dry up excess dampness and mucus in Kapha’s system. This benefits the lungs and respiratory system. Amaranth is completly gluten free. It also has a cooling effect on hot Pitta types. Vata’s should avoid Amaranth as it’s too light for already light and airy Vata.
Amaranth is very high in protein (30% more protein than rice), and contains four times as much calcium as wheat. It is also high in magnesium and manganese. Amaranth’s astringent taste is often balanced with oily, sweet, sour and salty ingredients. Vata’s can try this breakfast by adding plenty of coconut or olive oil, and adding sweet fruits, and salt for example.

Feeling Vata: you can try if this recipee works for you by adding coconut oil or olive oil, adding more salt and adding plenty of soaked raisins, figs or dates, and more of the sweet apple. Or simply cook this recipee but use oats instead of the amaranth.

Feeling Pitta: this is a great breakfast for you as amaranth is pacifying for Pittas. Raisins and sweet apples work well for you too, so it’s a WINNER!

Feeling Kapha: amaranth’s astringent nature is a superb psydo-grain for Kapha’s as it drys up excess mucus and helps remove Kapha’s excess dampness. Apples and raisins are fine for you too.

Weekly Recipe

Warming Amaranth Bowl with Apples & Raisins

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Yield: 1 Bowl

Warming Amaranth Bowl with Apples & Raisins

If oats, millet and Co. are not for you, or you simply want a bit of a change to your morning breakfast routine, try out some amaranth porridge for breakfast. It's light and dry nature makes it an ideal grain for the Kapha dosha.
Amaranth 's astringent taste helps to dry up excess dampness and mucus in Kapha's system. This benefits the lungs and respiratory system. Amaranth is completly gluten free. It also has a cooling effect on hot Pitta types. Vata's should avoid Amaranth as it's too light for already light and airy Vata.
Amaranth is very high in protein (30% more protein than rice), and contains four times as much calcium as wheat. It is also high in magnesium and manganese. Amaranth's astringent taste is often balanced with oily, sweet, sour and salty ingredients. Vata's can try this breakfast by adding plenty of coconut or olive oil, and adding sweet fruits, and salt for example.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 x cup amaranth, soaked in water over night
1 x full apple, diced
1/2 x teaspoon cardamom
1/4 x cup raisins, soaked over night
1/4 x teaspoon salt
1 x cup of water
maple syrup to serve
fresh figs or other fruit to garnish

Instructions

Chop the apple into small pieces.
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of water in a medium sized sauce pan.
Add the cardamom and cinnamom and mix well with the water.
Then add all remaining ingredients (apart from the water) and mix well, whilst still heating on a medium heat.
Then add the water and bring to the boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the amaranth becomes light and fluffy. Keep stirring every now and then, as amaranth can stick and burn quickly at the bottom of the pan!
Serve with extra cinnamon, maple syrup, and garnish with fresh figs or other stewed or fresh fruit.

Cleansing & Warming Smoothie-Bowl

Leave a comment September 24, 2020 jayjagger

This smoothie bowl will warm you up nicely in the morning, giving your digestion a nice, gentle start to the day whilst at the same time cleansing your system of built-up toxins and filling you up with a great dose of antioxidants.

It might come as a suprise to you to stew and lightly cook the fruits in this smoothie first. After all, we’re so used to consuming smoothies and morning fruits raw and uncooked. Now trust me when I say that you will love this smoothie so much after you’ve eaten it a few times in the morning, you probably don’t want to go back to raw smoothies ever again! Especially if you have sensitive digestion or food allergies where many things can set you off and can trigger you, eating a cooked breakfast in the morning is a godsent. It gives your body the chance to warm up nicely, giving your digestion a gentle kick-start to the day, rather than dumping ice-cold fruits and juices from the fridge directly into your system. Think of your body like an engine of a car, it has to warm up first before it can start going. So does your body. Also, cooking food gently before you’re eating it helps your body to digest foods faster as it doesn’t need to invest so much energy to break them down. This in turn frees up more energy to be used elsewhere in your system: to fight inflammation, to heal, and to give you more energy during your day. Ayurveda really favors cooked over cold breakfasts, and especially for Vata and Kapha types, a cooked breakfast is a must.

Spirulina: super nutrient dense, I call Spirulina the best ‘natural Multi-Vit & Multi-Mineral’ available from the plant world today. High in B-Vitamins, Vit C, E and K, plus high in Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Manganese, Potassium and Zinc, what’s not to like. It’s also high in plant protein, so great for vegans and vegetarians that are keen to up their protein intake naturally. Spirulina also has the capability to draw out heavy-metal toxins from our tissues, liver and brain and is thus a great all-round morning addition to any breakfast smoothie.

Wheatgrass Juice: also very rich in vitamins and minerals, wheatgrass has the added benefit of being super high in chlorophyll. This makes it a great detoxifying agent and can therefor protect against abnormal cell growth also known as cancer. Also, wheatgrass has been shown to boost levels of glutathione, the body’s primary antioxidant. Glutathione is used by the liver in all of its detox duties.

Atlantic Dulse Flakes: super high in anti-oxidants, dulse flakes make a great anti-inflammatory, fighting disease causing free-radicals. Studies have also shown that dulse (and also kelp) can reduce toxic heavy metals and also clear radioactivity from the body.

Coriander (Cilantro): is a powerful anti-fungal, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory. In Aryurveda coriander is hailed for its cooling effects on the digestive tract, for calming the immune-system and rashes, and for being a mild diuretic that clears inflammation from the urinary tract. Even though it acts as being slightly drying, it does not aggravate the Vata constitution, and pacifies (calms) all the three doshas.

Feeling Vata: add more fresh ginger and try adding warming spices such as cinnamon and or cardamom to your smoothie.

Feeling Pitta: ease off on the ginger, and instead try adding more cooling herbs such as fresh mint and more coriander to your smoothie.

Feeling Kapha: give your metabolism that extra boost by adding a pinch or two of cayenne pepper, and experiment with adding some bitter greens such as dandelion to your smoothie.

Weekly Recipe

Cleansing & Warming Smoothie Bowl

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Yield: serves one

Cleansing & Warming Smoothie Bowl

This smoothie bowl will warm you up nicely in the morning, giving your digestion a nice, gentle start to the day whilst at the same time cleansing your system of built-up toxins and filling you up with a great dose of antioxidants.

Ingredients

2 x ripe bananas, chopped
2 x handfulls of wild blueberries (I usually buy these frozen from the organic store and always have some in the freezer)
1 x apple, chopped (optional)
half a mango, chopped (optional)
1 x teaspoon of fresh ginger, minced (optional)
half a teaspoon atlantic dulse flakes (if you don't like the taste of atlantic dulse you can simply buy some dulse flakes encapsulated and take them alongside the smoothie)
one orange, peeled
1 x teaspoon spirulina powder (if you don't like the taste of spirulina buy spirulina tablets and take them with your smoothie)
1 x teaspoon wheatgrass or barleygrass juice powder
1 x teaspoon fresh or dried coriander
optional: for additional sweetness you can add a teaspoon of raw honey.

Instructions

Add a little bit of water to a heavy bottom sauce pan
Add the banana, apple (if using) & mango (if using) and the minced fresh ginger to the pan, cover and simmer on low heat for about 5-10 minutes, so that the fruits are stewing nicely and slowly and don't get overcooked or burned.
When the fruits are stewed enough, take them off the heat.
Pout the cooked fruit and ginger mix into a high-speed blender.
Add the peeled orange, the dulse flakes, spirulina, wheatgrass and coriander.
Blend all until smooth.
If you need extra sweetness you can add the raw honey to your smoothie.

Notes

If not on a cleanse or detox programme, you can give your smoothie bowl some nice toppings such as your favourite gluten free granola, chopped roasted coconut flakes, roasted pumpkin, etc. Let your creative mind run wild. Just ensure your toppings are roasted or slightly steamed and not cold from the fridge, especially if you're a Vata or Kapha type.