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Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Calm, Clear Mind: 100 Simple Sattvic Recipes
Eat your way to increased energy, balanced emotions, and an overall state of calm and relaxation.
In Ayurvedic medicine there are said to be three main energies that affect our
• sattva , the state of contentment and calm;
• rajas , the state of reactivity and excitability; and
• tamas , the dull, slow, and stagnant state of mind.
The good news is that there are direct ways of bringing these states into balance through what we eat. The recipes in this book are simple, seasonal, and delicious, while bringing the traditional foods of Ayurveda into the modern kitchen. Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Calm, Clear Mind uncovers the true potential of food to heal not only our bodies, but our minds too.
In Ayurvedic medicine there are said to be three main energies that affect our
• sattva , the state of contentment and calm;
• rajas , the state of reactivity and excitability; and
• tamas , the dull, slow, and stagnant state of mind.
The good news is that there are direct ways of bringing these states into balance through what we eat. The recipes in this book are simple, seasonal, and delicious, while bringing the traditional foods of Ayurveda into the modern kitchen. Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Calm, Clear Mind uncovers the true potential of food to heal not only our bodies, but our minds too.
344 pages, Paperback
Published March 27, 2018
65 people are currently reading
775 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 23, 2018
This is a great book for those who want a detailed explanation of Ayurveda cooking; I'm very familiar with it and had hoped the book to be a bit more recipe-focused, however this is a great resource for those interested in beginning an Ayurvedic lifestyle.
November 7, 2024
I’m so grateful to be reading this book especially after the election. I find so much comfort in feeding myself meals and treats that I know will make me feel good and also satisfy all my cravings. This book is filled with easy ways to beautify and brighten your body, mind and environment through lifestyle, diet, self-care, movement and meditation.
March 5, 2018
Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Calm, Clear Mind is a nice read for anyone looking for an introduction to Ayurveda, or a new, all natural tool in the search for a stress-less life. It will undoubtedly cause you to want to learn more. In which case, the book has done its job. O’Donnell has written an easy to understand guide to Ayurveda… complete with recipes you’ll seriously consider trying.
For a book that I didn’t think I’d love, it’s been quite influential. Once you read it, you can’t unlearn the fact that your food has more power over your mind and body than you could have imagined.
For a book that I didn’t think I’d love, it’s been quite influential. Once you read it, you can’t unlearn the fact that your food has more power over your mind and body than you could have imagined.
September 19, 2021
This book is my go-to for the last half a year. The recipes are very simple but simplicity is what our body so often needs. Especially in the current covid / lockdown times, when we are less active and burn fewer calories. Also, practical advice on Dinacharya and Cleansings were very useful. I'd recommend it for any beginner and someone who wants to try the Ayurvedic lifestyle - this book is a great reference.
June 16, 2022
I know this book will not be for everyone, but I loved it. I've tried a few of the recipes and they are delicious, and most are versatile enough to tweak to your own liking while remaining true to the spirit of the dish. If you're looking for something different, and especially working on finding foods that feel good in your system, I highly recommend this book.
May 14, 2018
This is a great cookbook!
April 27, 2021
It's been a while since I've been excited about cooking. Finally, I'm ready to get back in the kitchen and try out inspiring and delicious looking recipes.
March 2, 2023
There's some debate about this book because it does not tailor recipes for the doshas, instead choosing a seasonal model to follow for the recipes. Some people view this as a weakness.
What it does, though is seriously discuss the seasonal impact of the elements that form the doshas, and creates a journey through the seasons with recipes designed to counter those. It also is developed for Western cooking and makes ayurvedic cooking seem (as it should be) an easy transition.
I was reading another ayurvedic book the other day that insisted that you had to buy all copper or brass cookware and that it was going to be expensive and also you needed these spices and ingredients. This book is much less rigid--all the ingredients are easily available in Western grocery stores. Occasionally a recipe will have hing as a spice but it's generally listed as optional. This means the barrier to entry for ayurvedic cooking is very low--it is welcoming and acceptable.
Before she gets to the seasons she has an 'everyday' section that is incredibly versatile--for example, there's an 'Everyday creamed grain cereal' recipe, which has a simple recipe a breakfast option, and a table below it that shows options to take it through the seasons--so for one 'recipe' the reader has, really, FIVE recipes--the base one and one for each season. That's super handy!
She doesn't have an all-or-nothing approach to ayurveda, but presents it as principles to try to adapt.
I suspect readers might want to eventually 'outgrow' this book and explore more traditional ayurvedic cooking ingredients and techniques, and one might want a recipe book that discusses the doshic qualities of each recipe (like Joyful Belly website does) but if you want a Western kitchen friendly start to ayurvedic cooking to take you through the year, this is absolutely great. Some of these will become staples in your cooking--the recipes are quick, well-written and follow her gentle seasonal approach to ayurveda.
What it does, though is seriously discuss the seasonal impact of the elements that form the doshas, and creates a journey through the seasons with recipes designed to counter those. It also is developed for Western cooking and makes ayurvedic cooking seem (as it should be) an easy transition.
I was reading another ayurvedic book the other day that insisted that you had to buy all copper or brass cookware and that it was going to be expensive and also you needed these spices and ingredients. This book is much less rigid--all the ingredients are easily available in Western grocery stores. Occasionally a recipe will have hing as a spice but it's generally listed as optional. This means the barrier to entry for ayurvedic cooking is very low--it is welcoming and acceptable.
Before she gets to the seasons she has an 'everyday' section that is incredibly versatile--for example, there's an 'Everyday creamed grain cereal' recipe, which has a simple recipe a breakfast option, and a table below it that shows options to take it through the seasons--so for one 'recipe' the reader has, really, FIVE recipes--the base one and one for each season. That's super handy!
She doesn't have an all-or-nothing approach to ayurveda, but presents it as principles to try to adapt.
I suspect readers might want to eventually 'outgrow' this book and explore more traditional ayurvedic cooking ingredients and techniques, and one might want a recipe book that discusses the doshic qualities of each recipe (like Joyful Belly website does) but if you want a Western kitchen friendly start to ayurvedic cooking to take you through the year, this is absolutely great. Some of these will become staples in your cooking--the recipes are quick, well-written and follow her gentle seasonal approach to ayurveda.
August 19, 2018
I purchased a copy of this cookbook - after having checked it out from my local library branch. So far all the recipes I've made from it are filling and satisfying. I've been eating the "chia pudding" for at least one meal every day. If I have chia pudding for breakfast I am not hungry again until around 2pm which is amazing to me. Typically oatmeal or grains for breakfast have never worked well for me.
I think it is the coconut milk in the "chia pudding" that helps it be such a good choice for me. Though I confess I still eat a hamburger from time to time and the recipes in this cookbook are all vegan - though the emphasis is not on what foods to exclude but how to eat more living, balancing foods.
I think it is the coconut milk in the "chia pudding" that helps it be such a good choice for me. Though I confess I still eat a hamburger from time to time and the recipes in this cookbook are all vegan - though the emphasis is not on what foods to exclude but how to eat more living, balancing foods.
October 7, 2018
Good recipes and information on doshas. I made and used both the sattvic and sweet spice mixes and they are great for so many things. The sweet spice mix alone was worth it. It goes in my oatmeal, apple pies, etc. The other is a nice, warm all around mix for dahl, roasted veg, popcorn, etc. Now that we are dropping in to fall and winter, there are a lot of yummy recipes in here to keep warmed up.
May 20, 2024
The comprehensive and thought-provoking information provided was truly engaging, and the inclusion of captivating photographs further enriched the reading experience, making it even more compelling and enjoyable.
May 17, 2019
Nice recipes, beautiful ayurvedic cookbook.
October 31, 2019
Good coffee table book, no good recipes
July 3, 2021
Want to try the Hearty French Lentil Kichari, Mung Bean Fritters, and the Coconut and Cashew Rice Pulao recipes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2022
Complicated but enlightening exploration with a number of imaginative recipes.
February 16, 2023
Beautiful informative healing guide and cookbook, like O'Donnell's Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook but with focus on a clear, calm mind.
November 4, 2021
A lot of info so much so that this would be a great reference book for a beginner. All of the recipes are no longer than one page and often with only a handful of ingredients which proves to be useful for quick meals.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews