Spring is here. This morning, I woke to a full sun blaring outside my window, rising an hour earlier to melt last night’s chilly frost and to remind me that this too shall pass. The season changing once again to usher in something new. And a breath of hope and possibility as the light grows stronger and the days longer. Sunday brings the Spring Equinox.

What a tremendous time we are …

LEMONY WHITE BEAN & FENNEL SOUP

1 ½ cups dried white beans, soaked for 12-14 hours (3 cups soaked)
2 tablespoons olive oil + 1 tbsp
1 large fennel bulb, ends trimmed, quartered & sliced thinly
¼ cup leek, ends trimmed, quartered & sliced thinly
¼ cup lemon rind slivers, (1 lemon, peeled and cut into thin strips)
2-4 large cloves garlic, minced or grated
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ tsp fresh cracked black pepper
5 cups …

There’s a tangible sense of freshness in the air and life’s pace seems to be quickening as we move from the hibernation of winter and into spring. With longer days and a welcomed warmth ahead, slow afternoon lunches and sunset dinners outside beckon us to reconnect around the table and with the natural world. I’ve found myself setting the table and savoring this time outdoors again. I’ve teamed up with …

It’s officially spring, which on Kauai actually feels more like summer. It’s more like 2-ish seasons here on the island – hot and rainy, or cool and rainy! In between big downpours of jungle rain, the sun comes out in full blast and it feels like a Louisiana swamp when the trade winds are gone. This didn’t leave much time for my body to transition out of winter practices, and …

These days, I’ve been finding myself spending more time focusing my creative energy behind the computer than in the kitchen. Creating a book has me thinking, talking, writing, studying, testing and photographing food in its many forms and purposes daily. Yet, I must confess, when it comes to actually feeding myself I’ve become admittedly lazy. A quick daal. A pot of kitchari. A steamed sweet potato and broccoli. …

Have you noticed? Ayurveda is starting to gain more momentum in the mainstream–from Goop to Hillary Clinton to Oprah–people are curious what this science is and how it applies to their health. There has been a great run of new books coming out this year exploring food and self-care, and there are two that have really caught my eye: Laura Plumb’s Ayurveda Cooking for Beginners and …

A teacher of mine once said it’s a good thing when you’re being chiseled and polished by the challenges of life. If so, then the past month has carved new edges and facets into my being. Like a crystal with its many faces, when held to the light you can see the complexities that lie within, shaped by time and pressure. And when angled into the sun, sometimes all those …

In summer, we move quickly. We say yes to more, pull a few more late nights than normal and push ourselves harder through our full schedules. Okay, we probably do that all year round, given the nature of our society’s pace. However, come Fall, we might notice feeling more anxious than we do in Spring and struggle to sleep well, think clearly, keep a consistent routine, and feel grounded in our day-to-day.

In Ayurvedic teachings, Fall is actually …

In colder weather, there’s nothing more comforting than a good hearty bowl of chili and a thick slice of cornbread. Though not a traditional Ayurvedic dish or combo, it’s pure comfort food and soul nourishment for me this time of year! Taking a healthier approach to this standard combo, this four bean vegan chili uses sprouted legumes to increase digestibility and a warming mix of savory and sweet spices. It’s the …