Eat Well or Exercise?
There is an Ayurvedic proverb which reminds us of the power of food:
When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use.
When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.
Food truly is medicine.
And while exercise and eating well should not be mutually exclusive, if scientists have to pick one as the biggest determinant of your health, it's what you eat.
Isn't that amazing? More than exercise, eating nutritious food determines your health.
The science of Ayurveda agrees -- digestion is the seat of health. It's the first place to look when something is out of balance.
Rather than adding supplements -- or worse, taking medication -- making better choices about the food on our plates is something that is accessible every single day.
And then, if that doesn't address the issues, supplemental support may be necessary. But Ayurveda always looks at food first (healthy relationships, including with oneself, are second).
Portobello Pot Roast
In celebration of fall here in California, I thought I'd share a recipe.
The mark of a good fall meal is that you have to eat it with a spoon. Our bodies do well with moist, heavy, warm foods to balance the dry cold of the seasonal shift.
I've made this Portobello Pot Roast twice and it's a winner. You know I love mushrooms and this is the perfect blend of comfort and nutrition.
Ingredients
1/2 cup red or white wine
4 large portobello mushrooms sliced into 3/4-inch pieces
1 large onion sliced
2 cloves garlic pressed
3 tablespoons flour if sensitive to gluten use gluten-free flour
1 teaspoon rubbed or fresh sage
1 teaspoon dried or fresh basil
3 cups vegetable broth
4 large potatoes quartered
4 large carrots cut into 3-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper or lemon pepper to taste
2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (for slow cooker instructions see recipe notes)
In a large saucepan, heat 1/4 cup of the wine and add the portobello mushroom slices. Allow them to cook through and brown a bit—you’ll need to keep moving them around and turning them—and then remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining 1/4 cup wine to the pan and add the onion and garlic. Caramelize the onions by stirring them until they wilt and begin to brown. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
Mix the flour, sage, and basil together in a small bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of the broth to create a paste, and pour the mixture into the same pan you used for the mushrooms and onions. While stirring constantly over medium heat, very slowly add the rest of the broth so that you create a gravy or sauce.
When the mixture just starts to boil, turn the heat off and add any additional seasonings.
Add the potatoes, carrots, salt and pepper, and Worcestershire sauce to the gravy mixture. If more liquid is needed to keep the vegetables from drying out, add more broth.
Add the mushrooms and onions to the mixture and ladle into a large ceramic or glass pot or casserole dish with a lid, layering in the sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Place the lid on and put into the oven and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and serve hot.
A side (or bottom layer) of brown rice or quinoa would make this just about as nutritious as possible.
Recipe and photo from A Virtual Vegan.
Let me know if you make it or have any creative additions!
