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What to Eat for How You Feel: The New Ayurvedic Kitchen - 100 Seasonal Recipes
This indispensable kitchen companion brings the ancient art of delicious healthy cooking to the twenty-first century with flavors adapted for the contemporary Western palate.
Drawing on her many years of vegetarian cooking, catering, and teaching, in this book Divya Alter explains how to create flavorful meals with seasonal ingredients by applying Ayurvedic principles. With food combinations, methods of preparation, and healing spices customized for individual needs, this is an inspirational guide to achieving optimal health through a personalized way of living and eating.
This volume features 100 recipes for breakfasts, soups, salads, main dishes, one-pot meals, treats, and beverages in three seasonal-based chapters. It includes an ingredient guide along with recipes for staples such as cultured ghee, fresh cheese, yogurt, nondairy milk alternatives, dressings, chutneys, and spice blends.
Alter offers practical ways to bridge the ancient wisdom of food with modern living beyond the bound- aries of India. Dishes such as Asian-style Stir-Fried Red and Black Rice, Italian-style Spinach Risotto, and French-style Braised Root Vegetables are accessible to all and carry the healing benefits of Ayurvedic cooking.
Drawing on her many years of vegetarian cooking, catering, and teaching, in this book Divya Alter explains how to create flavorful meals with seasonal ingredients by applying Ayurvedic principles. With food combinations, methods of preparation, and healing spices customized for individual needs, this is an inspirational guide to achieving optimal health through a personalized way of living and eating.
This volume features 100 recipes for breakfasts, soups, salads, main dishes, one-pot meals, treats, and beverages in three seasonal-based chapters. It includes an ingredient guide along with recipes for staples such as cultured ghee, fresh cheese, yogurt, nondairy milk alternatives, dressings, chutneys, and spice blends.
Alter offers practical ways to bridge the ancient wisdom of food with modern living beyond the bound- aries of India. Dishes such as Asian-style Stir-Fried Red and Black Rice, Italian-style Spinach Risotto, and French-style Braised Root Vegetables are accessible to all and carry the healing benefits of Ayurvedic cooking.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published April 4, 2017
12 people are currently reading
492 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 9, 2019
Wow now this is an amazing cookbook.. Cooking for your body preference. Cooking for different seasons...Perfect...
August 13, 2018
I tried several recipes from the summer section so far, and all of them came out fantastic! Although the meals utilize some ingredients which are unfamiliar, I was able to find everything I needed - and the recipes themselves are easy and nourishing. This book gets me excited about cooking again, with plenty of inspiration for eating clean and healthy. I also appreciate each section's tweaks for an individual's particular constitution - this feature allows for customization tailored to each body type within the cycle of the seasons. This book will definitely be a staple in my kitchen.
May 15, 2017
If you're new to Ayurveda, but interested, you'd best check this book out if in need of doab;e recipes which are broken down according to season- incorporating the philosophy behind Ayurveda to eat in opposite balance of the season. This book did not disappoint! A good cookbook for your collection if you want to detox your body and eat clean.
November 16, 2025
It's a good premise and I know a little about ayurveda, so I thought this book would be very practical. It sadly is not.
First of all, the ingredients in many of the menus are not readily available in my small town.
Second, as a person who cooks for myself alone, I was dismayed to read that leftovers should not be consumed. How to prepare a single serving of time consuming black beans or lentils from scratch? Who wants to be chained to a stove day in and day out?
Third, far too many of my favorite vegetarian foods are no-no's, according to this author. Foods that I can grow at home are good for me, imo. Tomatoes especially!
Fourth, the print is very small and faint.
I did find one recipe I thought I would like, which requires whole cloves. I went to the store and saw that the price was $189 per pound!
All that said, there are some well explained principles in the book that are food for thought.
First of all, the ingredients in many of the menus are not readily available in my small town.
Second, as a person who cooks for myself alone, I was dismayed to read that leftovers should not be consumed. How to prepare a single serving of time consuming black beans or lentils from scratch? Who wants to be chained to a stove day in and day out?
Third, far too many of my favorite vegetarian foods are no-no's, according to this author. Foods that I can grow at home are good for me, imo. Tomatoes especially!
Fourth, the print is very small and faint.
I did find one recipe I thought I would like, which requires whole cloves. I went to the store and saw that the price was $189 per pound!
All that said, there are some well explained principles in the book that are food for thought.
January 8, 2018
Fantastic and easy to apply resource for Ayurveda. Everything I've made has been delicious and has been or will be repeated. So happy to have this book! There are a few editing issues I've found, but nothing major. I look forward to more from Divya.
The Grounding kitchari is the best I've ever made. The cilantro chutney has been added to most meals gladly. I look forward to a change in seasons to get to try more.
While some of the meals may seem time intensive, I have not found that to be the case. You might have to soak something ahead of time or do a little prep work but then the cooking is straightforward.
The Grounding kitchari is the best I've ever made. The cilantro chutney has been added to most meals gladly. I look forward to a change in seasons to get to try more.
While some of the meals may seem time intensive, I have not found that to be the case. You might have to soak something ahead of time or do a little prep work but then the cooking is straightforward.
September 3, 2022
Read this puppy cover to cover. Safe to say I haven’t fully indulged in any other cookbook the way I have in this one, pages covered in notes and highlighted lines I hope to always carry w me in the kitchen and on the farm. Completely and wholly transformed the way I grow, cook and consume all ingredients….I never feel so fulfilled as when I’m sharing a delicious recipe w my sissy. Can’t wait to dine at Divya’s restaurant soon.
January 8, 2019
Being in the first floor of the Bhakti Center, this place always wants me to eat there, plus, I've eaten in Divya's Actual Kitchen. This book gives primer on ayurveda (but it's not boring if you know a bunch abt it) plus lots of yummy recipes. My plans are to go there this Thursday for dinner...I heart Divya's Kitchen!
January 13, 2019
I've been on an SVAyurveda for almost a year now and just found this cookbook. Beautiful photos and the meals are delicious and nourishing for the mind and body. It is organized into seasons and gives a great explanation on doshas, teaching you how to eat to balance your specific constitution.
August 15, 2017
Several of the recipes look awesome. Really healthy, light and delicious. However many of them are quite time involved.
March 3, 2020
This book is amazing. It has so many great recipes. I can't wait to get a copy of my very own. Will definitely be rereading this one.
February 6, 2024
A bit programmatic for my purposes, but this would likely be helpful for those looking to follow a strict ayurvedic diet.
February 12, 2024
This is the second book I refer to any of my friends or seeker of Food/Cooking Ayurveda in USA as a reference point. Fantastic compilations of terms like Airy for Vata, Firey for Pitta & Earthy for Kapha & initial kick start on Āyurveda to a "layman". I have even completed one year ANACT program in NYC conducted by author and loved it so much.
This is an excellent presentation in simple English and can be introduced to beginners as well as a reference guide for chef - nice routines of foods matched to seasons (Ritucharya). I love this book and gifted many copies to my friends so that they can improve their health through food/diet.
One critic to this and all most all of the American Authors on Vedic literature, is their PLAGIARISM i.e. not giving credits and references to ancient scriptures from where all most all the contents are borrowed. They write as if these authors are Dhanvantari themself!
I hope to see "references to ancient scriptures" in their future editions.
This is an excellent presentation in simple English and can be introduced to beginners as well as a reference guide for chef - nice routines of foods matched to seasons (Ritucharya). I love this book and gifted many copies to my friends so that they can improve their health through food/diet.
One critic to this and all most all of the American Authors on Vedic literature, is their PLAGIARISM i.e. not giving credits and references to ancient scriptures from where all most all the contents are borrowed. They write as if these authors are Dhanvantari themself!
I hope to see "references to ancient scriptures" in their future editions.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews