Here are some quick and easy ways to add Amalaki and pomegranate into your daily life. Experiment and have fun!
Amalaki
Amalaki adds a nice tart/sour taste that can often replace lemon, lime or vinegar. As it can have a slight grainy texture when the powder is added dry foods, use it in liquidy foods or dissolve it in a bit of liquid first. Start with a small amount to find your preferred dose because adding too much can taste a little bitter to some people. Add 1/4-1/2 tsp of Amalaki powder (or 1-2 capsules – they dissolve quickly) to the following foods:
- Amalaki Mintade for 2 people: juice of 1 lemon, ¼-1/2 tsp of amalaki powder, sprig of chopped mint. Sweeten to taste with honey, agave or stevia.
- In warm water with a dash of honey, stevia or agave.
- Fruit smoothies
- Green smoothies
- Vegetables juices
- Salad Dressings (Try amalaki with olive oil, lemon, garlic, and salt)
- Soups (add after cooking).
Pomegranate Juice
Drink 2-8 oz every day of pomegranate juice to benefit from it’s ability to heal and repair the cardio-vascular system, lower cholesterol, and help the body fight free radicals with it’s high level of antioxidants.
- Tip: when you find pomegranate juice on sale, freeze it into an ice cube tray then store in a zip lock bag. You can dissolve the cubes later in juice, soups or smoothies.
- Pomegranate juice tastes delicious mixed with orange juice
- Fruit smoothies (add it to a berry smoothie of blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, dates and apple juice and a pinch or two of Amalaki)
- Vegetable juice (carrot, ginger, apple, celery, pomegranate is a yummy combo)
- Tea: add a splash of pomegranate juice to mint or hibiscus tea to stay cool this summer.
- Soups: Particularly delicious when added to acorn squash soup.
Pomegranate Seeds (arils)
Pomegranate pieces (also called arils) – add an exotic tart crunch to many of your favorite meals. Try some of our suggestions below.
- How to open a pomegranate: score a pomegranate into four pieces. Emmerse it in a bowl of water. Peel away the seed sacs (arils), which will sink to the bottom. Strain to retrieve
- the arils. Opening it this way prevents red juice from splashing everywhere.
- Fruit salads: add the pomegranate pieces as a garnish
- Vegetable salad (try a romaine salad with the Amalaki salad dressing above, almonds, feta, cucumbers and pomegranate pieces)
- Desserts: replace part of the liquid for cake or muffins with pomegranate juice. Garnish with pomegranate pieces (pairs well with chocolate or citrus desserts)
- Rice or quinoa pilaf (garnish after cooking)
- Topping for hot or cold cereals
SPRING POWER SMOOTHIE
~ From the desk of Tauna Houghton, LifeSpa’s Panchakarma Manager
At this time of year a green smoothie is your best friend because it is a quick, easy and delicious way to dose up on spring’s bounty. Simply add some lettuce, parsley, spinach and/or sprouts to your fruit smoothie for an added boost of cleansing greens. Enjoy for breakfast or a light and early dinner. Here is one of my favorite smoothie potions (adjust to taste):
Spring Power Smoothie Recipe
1 C of berries (frozen or fresh)
½ C of pomegranate juice
1 C of apple juice
4 dates (pit removed)
Handful of spinach or lettuce
1-6 sprigs of parsley (to taste)
½ handful of sprouts or other micro-greens
1-2 tbsp of sunflower seeds
Juice from one small lime
Pinch of ginger powder or slice of fresh ginger
1/4 -1/2 tspn each of powdered Amalaki, Brahmi and Tulsi powder
1/2 – 1 tspn each of dried nettle leaf and dandelion leaf
- Blend everything until creamy smooth in a Vita-Mix (or blender or food processor) and enjoy …mmmm….!
- Adjust the ingredients to your taste. If you are new to green smoothies, you can initially add less spinach, sprouts, parsley and herbs.
- You can also add an apple, pear or papaya.
- As Ayurveda recommends, drink juice at room temperature and refrain from adding ice.
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