According to Ayurveda, all disease stars with an imbalance of Agni.
Agni, also known as digestive fire, is responsible for extracting nutrients & converting food into bodily tissues.
When Agni is weak, Ama (undigested food matter) accumulates in the form of a sticky, toxic substance, which spills over to weak sites of the body, weakening the immune system & over time, leading to various disease.
Physical symptoms of weak Agni include dullness, heaviness & cloudiness of emotion & perception.
Alternatively, when Agni is balanced, one is vital, clear, with dharmic goals, purpose & the ability to maintain focus. An individual with adequate Agni is said to live a long & vital life.
While there are many lifestyle factors that impact our Agni one of top influencers is the food & herbs we consume. In fact, the main method to treat Ama is to burn it up with herbs to increase Agni digestive fire.
While I’ve been experimenting with a more simplified diet & fasting in order to strengthen Agni, I’ve also been having fun combining healing herbs, to help not only flavor food, but to help strengthen this digestive fire.
It's said that even when consuming harder to digest foods, herbs have the power to help increase overall digestibility of food.
The following recipe includes a few of my favorite Agni strengthening herbs. And don’t worry if you don’t have or like one of them, you can always omit.
But I also encourage you to keep an open mind, remembering that eating is about more than just evoking pleasure. Food has the power to be one the our best medicines & the more we experiment, the more our palate & mind evolves.
Ingredients
1/4 cup ghee
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp clove
½ tsp cardamom
1 tsp fennel
½ tsp asafoedita
1 small 3-4 inch of fresh ginger, shredded with fine grater OR 1 tbsp powder
2 tbsp coconut aminos – or low sodium soy sauce or tamari
2-3 cups sweet potatoes, thinly sliced
2 cups leafy greens of choice – Kale, Chard, Spinach
1 cup organic rolled oats
Optional Toppings
½ cup medjool dates, chopped
½ cup nuts of choice – cashew, mac nut, pistachio
½ cup coconut cream + 1 small avocado, blended
2-3 eggs, scrambled & cooked
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Directions
1) In large, heavy cast iron pan, heat ghee over medium heat, add fresh herbs to start, followed by dried herbs & stir over medium / low heat for a few minutes.
2) Add sweet potatoes & coconut aminos & stir until potatoes are evenly coated. Cover pan & allow to simmer for 5 or so minutes.
3) Remove lid and stir, adding 1-2 tbsp of water if it appears too dry. Add oats, cover & allow to simmer for another 5 or so minutes.
4) Add chopped leafy green, stir well, cover & allow to cook for another 5 minutes.
5) Remove from heat. Top with desired toppings.
ENJOY!!!
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