Hello Spring! As I lead a global group through our third annual spring cleanse, I have food on the brain…quite literally! This post explores the subtle layers of cooking and how the tastes of each food creates not only a physical experience, but a mental/emotional experience as well.

Ayurveda explains that there are six rasas or tastes: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter and Astringent. Each of …

One of the greatest parts of food blogging is being able to connect with incredible artisans, makers and culinary creators from around the world.  And if there’s one thing I’ve seen in this community – there are some seriously talented women out there shaping the way we eat, think, and feel about food!  This year, I decided to launch a new series on the Vidya blog to highlight some of the kitchen goddesses out …

In Ayurveda, it is said that it is more important how you eat, rather than exactly what you eat. A meal prepared in a loving, peaceful way contains more prana than one that has been prepared in anger or discord. Equally, a meal shared in gratitude has a sattvic effect on the body and mind.  Taking from the old adage “you are what you eat”, wouldn’t you want to eat a meal that …

This colder weather outside (read: sleeting rain+ice storms!) has signaled a shift for me to head inside and start finding little creative projects to fill my weekends. Lately, it’s been a mixture of watercolor painting, podcast listening, making my way through that giant stack of books by my bed, and well, of course, fall inspired-baking. This weekend, my house has been filled with the smell of fresh roasted pumpkin, maple …

For the past three years, I’ve cooked a giant feast for friends days before Thanksgiving just so I could test recipes and create a menu guide for the blog. It’s always been a great excuse to gather friends together and share a good meal before the actual big event.  I always love this time of year because of its collective energy around connection and slowing down. And …

It’s been quiet on the blog front lately! Between launching a new website, hosting two retreats, guiding the fall group cleanses, completing my prenatal/postpartum yoga teacher training and studying for my upcoming birth doula training, I’ve been one busy (and blessed!) lady over here. It hasn’t left me much time for recipe testing and exploration in the kitchen. In fact, these days I’ve been coming back to the meals that are tried-and-true …

Ritual is a way of imbuing meaning into each moment of your life. It’s a way of elevating those everyday, mundane moments into the sacred and meaningful. The Ayurvedic ritual of daily self-care, known as Dinacharya, is a way to infuse intention into seemingly ordinary acts. A staple act in a daily dinacharya practice is Abhyanga, self oil massage. It’s interesting that the Sanskrit word Sneha …

One of the greatest parts of food blogging is being able to connect with incredible artisans, makers and culinary creators from around the world.  And if there’s one thing I’ve seen in this community – there are some seriously talented women out there shaping the way we eat, think, and feel about food!  This year, I decided to launch a new series on the Vidya blog to highlight some of the kitchen goddesses out there …

“There are many roads to the table.”

As you know, my food philosophy tends to blend Ayurveda, macrobiotics and living foods in a seasonal approach. The fundamental principles of these three practices are:

Eat the freshest, naturally-grown, seasonal produce in their peak nutrition
Choose food from local and regional sources
Prepare food in a loving way that promotes balance, harmony and health

Each system emphasizes using whole foods to gain more energy. The …