To revisit February's theme of chakras, I chose vegetable recipes to represent each energy center.
Chakras, or "wheels" in Sanskrit, describe various energy centers in your body that run along your spine. Some believe there are up to 114, but we are focusing on the major seven.
Each chakra has its own color, symbol, health focus, element, and so much more.
For more information on the Ayurvedic Chakra System, check out my post here. And, if you haven't tried my weekly yoga video, chakra balancing, and the breath, be sure to find some time; it'll help calm the nervous system.
Starting down at the root, we begin with the peppers. A mix of red, orange, and yellow varieties represents the sacral and solar plexus. They are excellent for vitamins A and C, folic acid, and potassium. I have a fantastic stuffed pepper recipe for you that can serve as a complete meal.
Peppers are rich in antioxidants, so I always try to include them when possible. According to the USDA, the red variety contains more vitamin C than oranges. With about 90% water, peppers are great hydration and immune boosters during winter. The varieties included are also sweeter than the green type and tend to be more easily accepted by kids. Fun fact, green peppers are just picked early, before the color turns. Red peppers have been on the vine the longest and contain 11 times more beta carotene and 1.5 times more vitamin C than when they were green. While the recipe is easy, peppers can be enjoyed in many different ways. Sliced with dip, in a salad, or sautéed or roasted. Try to include peppers in your weekly meals. If chopping peppers is new to you or you'd like an easier method, check out this quick video.
The recipe below uses quinoa, a gluten-free, whole, ancient grain packed full of protein, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. It's just amazing nutritionally. There are over 120 different types, but the most common ones found in the grocery store are red, white, and black, and they come in a blend as I used. So give it a try, and let me know what you think!
Next up, we have my daughter's favorite vegetable, green beans. Another heavy hitter, they are a rich source of vitamins A, C, K, and folic acid. A great addition to a high antioxidant diet. Packed full of fiber, this is a great choice for those Spoonies who also suffer from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).
Also, for those struggling with cholesterol, green beans are an excellent choice for lowering your LDL levels (or bad cholesterol)—Low FODMAP food. In addition, pairing green beans with grilled meat can lower the risk of carcinogenic effects from heterocyclic amines. Lastly, green beans are an excellent source of chlorophyll, which may help with inflammation. Chlorophyll is a fat-soluble compound, meaning the body absorbs it best with fat.
Therefore, the following recipe includes some heart-healthy oil. I like to add chopped onions to my garlic green beans. Fresh green beans are available in most grocery stores year-round and can be found in farmers' markets starting in May until about October, depending on where you live.
Here is a quick video on prepping your green beans. This is a great activity to get the kids to pitch in and help with. Of course, if you are pressed for time, you can always stack the green beans in a bunch and use a knife to trim the branch end, but the string may remain.
I like to cook these in a cast-iron skillet. It is heavier, which is tough for us Spoonies, but it is easier to clean, and you get the added benefit of iron in your diet. I love this cast iron skillet from Cuisinel. It's very affordable and easy to clean, and cooks evenly. Once you start using cast iron cookware, you won't want to go back!
Cast Iron does need special care as it will rust. However, cast iron soap and oil keep the cooking surface nice and smooth. A cast iron skillet that is well-cared for lasts forever! I highly recommend using the Caron & Doucet - Cast Iron Cleaning & Conditioning Set. It is 100% plant-based, so you don't have to worry about ingesting anything unsafe. Caron & Ducet family-owned business that guarantees its product.
So buy your skillet, Grab your green beans, and save the recipe below!
Moving on to the throat and third eye chakra, I'll need you to grant me a bit of creative freedom here. In case you haven't noticed, the eggplants are more purple than blue, but there aren't any true blue veggies, so I thought eggplant was close enough. It's another antioxidant megastar full of B vitamins, potassium, and dietary fiber. I can't stress enough how vital dietary fiber is to your digestive system. It's also high in polyphenols which can help those with diabetes process sugar.
WARNING- eggplant contains small amounts of solanine which some people claim increases their inflammation and pain. If you notice any adverse symptoms after eating, note them and remove them from your diet. This goes for any food or recipe. Remember, I am a guide; your body knows best. Eggplant can be bitter and takes a bit of preparation, but nothing too intense. Baked, steamed, and sautéed are all excellent options, but today I've included one of my favorite roasted eggplant recipes.
Eggplant is great sautéed and grilled, but I particularly love this baked panko-crusted eggplant parmesan recipe. Baking uses a lot less oil, which eggplants can soak up. The gluten-free panko bread crumbs give the eggplant a nice crunch. Fresh basil and thyme amp up the flavor of the store-bought marina to save on time. I know you need things easier! I recommend having the kids help dip and bread the eggplant rounds; they can even help layer the ingredients in the pan. This is a very easy dish! It looks like a lot of time, but it includes an optional step of salting the eggplant. Eggplant can be bitter, but covering it in salt for an hour removes any bitterness while enriching the flavors. Just slice it, sprinkle a tbsp of salt, and place it in a colander to drain for an hour. SO simple!
This recipe uses mozzarella cheese, but don't dismiss it yet if you are dairy-free. If you haven't tried Miyokos Creamery Organic Cashew Milk Mozzarella, you must! I was never a big vegan cheese person until I tried it! The flavor is delicious; it's firm and melts nicely.
The eggs can also be replaced for those with sensitivities or allergies. JUST Egg is a delicious plant-based scrambled egg substitute that is great for recipes or by itself. It even contains slightly more protein than eggs! Even if you can eat eggs, this cholesterol-free product might be a nutritious option to include in your diet, especially in recipes like these.
The eggplant parm is split between two 8x8 dishes, with the intention of having enough for four servings one night and another leftover for a complete meal some other time. In fact, you can cover one dish in plastic wrap and foil after layering and place it directly in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just make sure the pan is freezer safe! If you already baked it, no problem. You can still cover it properly and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, either defrost in the refrigerator overnight or double the baking time if still frozen.
Finally, we arrive at the crown chakra for another of my daughter's favorites, cauliflower. I chose cauliflower because it comes in white and purple varieties, both colors assigned to the crown. Developed by plant breeders, the purple variety contains the antioxidant anthocyanin, the same one found in red wine. The orange variety contains beta carotene and green chlorophyll. So really, you can't go wrong. Also high in dietary fiber, folate, and vitamin C, cauliflower is excellent cooked or raw. For this featured recipe, we will turn it into fun dinosaur eggs! Kiddos love when they can pretend their food is something else and may eat these even if they haven't liked cauliflower in the past. They can even help combine the ingredients and make the eggs.
If you want to eat it the easy peasy way, steamed cauliflower is one of my family's favorite ways to eat it. This recipe calls for the cauliflower to be steamed, so you can always stop at this point. To steam the cauliflower, place the florets in a steamer basket over boiling water for 5-7 minutes, 5 for crispier, 7 for tender. Anything beyond that, and you run the risk of soggy cauliflower. Drizzle with a bit of butter or olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper on top, and enjoy! If you have never made cauliflower before, here's a short video on cutting out the florets.
After steaming the florets, you will need to chop them in a food processor to turn them into rice. Next, you need to drain as much water as possible out of the cauliflower rice. There are several different methods to go about this. I find placing it in a dish towel, winding it into a ball, and squeezing it works quite well. If you try this, make sure to really squeeze it, don't worry. If you have a potato ricer like this one, it can help to put the processed rice through it and squeeze out more water before the towel. Steamed cauliflower has A LOT of water in it, and it will make the nuggets soggy if you don't get enough of it out. If you have time, you can also place the rice in a colander, sprinkle it generously with salt, let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour, then gently rinse. The salt will help draw out any water without muscle strength, which many of us must conserve.
If all of this sounds like too much effort, don't worry! Luckily, you can now find riced cauliflower in most produce or freezer sections of grocery stores. You can cook it in a pan for 5 minutes to remove most of the water, cool, and then strain. After that, there will be much less water to contend with. This also makes an excellent side dish with a bit of oil, salt, and pepper.
Now that we have our strained rice, it's time to combine it with a few other ingredients to make our eggs. I shared the way to bake these, but you can always pop them in the air fryer if you don't want to heat up the house. Preheat the air fryer at 350℉ for 2-3 minutes for smaller machines and 5 minutes for larger machines. Next, cook only enough nuggets to line the bottom of the bin without overlap. Cook each batch for 7-9 minutes (will be done when crispy and browned, shaking the bin every 2 minutes to prevent burning. Serve with any dipping sauce, or try my spicy lava pool for a bit of heat!
Enjoy these from root to crown or in whatever order tickles your fancy! Return to these chakra veggie recipes for effortless, antioxidant-loaded, nutrition-healing power. Let me know when you try it in the comment section below, and include what you think and any modifications you tried!
References
Quinoa – March Grain of the Month
Everything you need to know about green beans https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/285753#risks
Why You Should Be Eating More Purple Cauliflower
