The Ayurvedic  Cookbook  by Amadea Morningstar

This is one of the best Ayurvedic cookbooks on the market. First published almost 20 years ago it has been one of my favourite books on Ayurveda due to the wholesome recipes and the basic explanations on Ayurvedic nutrition.  The Ayurvedic Cookbook provides information that allows you to diagnose your constitution. Each dietary plan is then designed to get people to eat according to their constitution, thus allowing for balance and maintenance of physical and mental health.

Ayurveda has many interesting concepts and it is the oldest system of nutrition in the world.  One of the major concepts of Ayurveda is the doshas namely Pitta, Kapha and Vata. Pitta refers to fire and oil in the body. Vata refers to air and ether and Kapha refers to earth and water and phlegm. It also explains the importance of the six tastes, or rasas,  and how each of them posses its own quality and will in turn have varying  affects on a person.  Concepts such as agni, the digestive fire, are also discussed in detail as well as the importance of eating seasonal foods.

Most of the recipes are delicious and the Kichadi ones, which are central to Ayurvedic nutrition, are especially healing.  If you’re looking for a new and wholesome dessert to cook up, my all-time favourite is sweet potato halvah.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in healthy eating in an Ayurvedic manner.