Ayurveda explains that if Spring were a person she would be a Kapha type; predominantly cool and wet.
Let’s quickly review the main characteristics of Kapha:
- cold , wet, heavy, dull, sticky, soft firm and solid
- elements: earth and water
- sites in the body: chest, throat, head, pancreas, sides, stomach, lymph, fat, nose and head.
In Spring it’s advisable to take more foods that are the opposite of Kapha. Those foods are characterised as being: light, dry and warm with bitter, astringent and pungent tastes. Mother Nature in all her wisdom provides us with Kapha-pacifying foods during this time of the year. One of the foods that are in season in spring are…
Green Leafy Vegetables
Kale, Swiss Chard, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, and Dandelion Greens. Adding these to your diet in abundance will give you the detox one needs in spring. A much better alternative to taking those health food store detox pills and having to stay near a toilet for the next three days.
So, how do you eat them?
One simple and tasty way that I make them is to sautée them. I use a base of olive or coconut oil with ginger, cumin seeds and dash of cayenne pepper or a pinch of red pepper flakes in medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot I add the finely chopped green leafy vegetables of my choice. I sautée them for five minutes and then add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of either stock or water, depending on what I want to combine them with. I let them cook for another 5 minutes and then enjoy. The cayenne or red pepper also contribute to pacifying Kapha.
What else is in season?
Strawberries, Sugar Snap Peas, Asparagus, Carrots, Cherries, Onions, Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Blueberries.
For a quick introduction to Ayurveda please see my previous post on the subject here.
