Sweet Red Pepper Puree

This wonderful puree of roasted red peppers, olive oil and a dab of lemon juice adds a delicious surprise to any dish. We have tried it on soups, sandwiches and pasta. A spoonful will not only add pizazz but introduce a vata balancing element to your dish as well.

Baked Stuffed Pears

For dessert we had Baked stuffed pears page 469. Delightful and good for Pitta and Kapha. The stuffing is pine nuts, orange juice and diced dried apricots. Such a yummy mix of flavors. Today I wanted to try some of the non-Indian recipes in the book. Sometimes people think Ayurvedic meals are Indian food only but Heaven's Banquet has lots of international recipes.

Pumpkin or Winter Squash Curry

Winter squashes are a delightful way to introduce vata calming proprieties into your diet. This curry is delicious and very easy to make.

Sag (Spiced Greens)

In Heaven's Banquet there is a section called "Individual Bitter Greens". Here Miriam discusses the particulars of individual greens such as cooking time, availability and balancing properties for the doshas. After reading this section, I cooked the Sag recipe on page 105 with red chard. It was very light and flavorful tasting. Both my husband and I noticed a good affect from the meal. For us this means no heaviness after eating, no dullness of the mind and a sense of satisfaction and comfort. This is definitely a simple, good recipe for cooking greens and sometimes simple is the best.

Broccoli with Peppers and Cashews

I cooked the Broccoli with Peppers and Cashews on page 70. Yummy, easy and Pitta and Kapha balancing. Makes a great side dish.

Winter Pasta for Vata and Ginger Gremolata

Another delightful thing about Miriam's cookbook is that the recipes she gives you are cooking methods that you can apply to any in-season vegetables. Winter Pasta for Vata on page 260 is an excellent and filling meal by itself. I used pine nuts instead of pecans this time but both are good.

The Ginger Gremolata on page 261 is a very flavorful addition to the Winter Pasta for Vata recipe.

Peas and Lettuce

The Peas and Lettuce (page 114) recipe in Heaven's Banquet is a spin on a French recipe and has become one of my favorite ways to eat greens. The dish calls for shredded lettuce and peas. It also has fresh herbs like parsley and mint. It was delicious and very fast and easy to cook.