healthy food Archives | Arogya Holistic Healing

Spring Wellness Wisdom

Spring in traditional Chinese medicine is seen as a time of creativity, growth, and renewal. This energy is palpable as the days get brighter and the flora and fauna around us awaken from the quietude of winter. Our health and well-being are profoundly entwined with the cycles of nature. We are our healthiest when we are in deep harmony with these cycles, so as the season changes it is important to connect with nature and attune to what it is teaching us. In this time the seeds of change we have planted over the year will begin blossoming so prepare the garden of your mind and body with our spring wellness tips.

The Four Pillars of Optimum Health

Many clients come to Arogya perplexed by a health issue. “I exercise, I eat healthy food, I just don’t understand why is this happening…” When looking at health, food and exercise are essential, however, they are not the whole picture. In fact, there are four main areas of our lives that contribute to our health and well-being, and we must take them all into account.

Staying Healthy and Vibrant During Late Summer

As the summer sun continues to shine and the summer squash in our gardens becomes overly abundant, we find ourselves in a special time of the year. In the Chinese system, late summer, sometimes called Indian summer, is a brief but important time. Each one of the seasons is associated with an element and the late summer season is associated with the Earth Element. Late summer is a time to celebrate the beginning of the harvest and the richness of the earth’s bounties as we prepare for autumn. As this is a transition period, it is very important to stay centered in one’s self and grounded in the earth.

The Best Homemade Almond Butter

Lately we’ve been wild about our version of the Oh She Glows Superseed Almond Butter. We’ve given this amazing recipe an Arogya twist, adjusting a few of the ingredients to our liking. It’s the best almond butter we’ve ever tasted, hands down, and definitely worth the effort. This incredibly nutritious nut butter is perfect to spread on toast, and with jam takes the humble nut-butter-and-jelly sandwich to a whole new level. Have fun with this homemade almond butter recipe, and experiment with adding different varieties of nuts, or your favorite superfoods. We think you’ll love this recipe!

The Most Delicious Healthy Snack: Norwegian Seed Cracker Recipe

After the indulgence of the holiday season, I’ve shifted back to focusing on simple and nourishing foods. I’ve noticed that one of the best ways to ensure that I make good food choices is to have healthful options readily available. Inspired by my time in Europe this fall, I set out to my favorite healthy snack from Norway.

The Transition of Autumn

As the days darken and our shadows grow, this time of year calls on us to reconnect with the intuitive, receptive, and yielding (yin) aspects of ourselves to balance out the more vigorous and vibrant energies (yang) that permeate in the summer. With its enchanting leaves and crisp winds, autumn serves as a guide for us to shift our attention inward and restore balance within ourselves to sustain our vitality as we prepare for the rooting, resting, and quietude that the world of winter brings.

Green Goodness Part 3: Salad Greens

As I mentioned in our first Green Goodness blog post about Steamed Kale, my meal never feels complete without a generous serving of greens. Whether I’m making a simple salad for dinner, or I’m packing my lunch for work, I love to get creative with my salad and use a variety of fresh greens. It’s easy to get in a rut with arugula and romaine, so today I’m going to guide you through a selection of gourmet, nutritious and fun salad greens to make your salads more exciting. And if you need some salad dressing inspiration, our three favorite dressings will compliment any of these greens.

Effortless & Wholesome Grains, Part 3: Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has become famous in the last decade as a superfood, because of its high levels of protein and dense nutrition. One cup of cooked quinoa contains 8 grams of protein, more than any other grain. Technically its actually not a grain, but a tiny seed from South America, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. To the Incas, quinoa was a sacred food they called it the “mother of all grains.”

Effortless & Wholesome Grains, Part 2: Bulgur

Bulgur is one of those whole grains that you’ve probably tried in Middle Eastern dishes like tabbouleh, and you’ve also most likely scanned right over it in the bulk bins of your health food store. It’s a nutty, rustic and delicious grain that somehow hasn’t gotten as much press as quinoa and brown rice, so for many it is still a novelty. Though it may be somewhat more mysterious than other whole grains, don’t let that scare you off. It’s actually one of the easiest hearty grains to prepare – you don’t even need to really cook it! Though you can boil and simmer bulgur like most grains, the easiest way to make it is to simply pour boiling water or broth right over the grains and let them steep for about 20-30 minutes (see recipe below).

Effortless & Wholesome Grains Part 1: Brown Rice

Brown rice is one of my favorite grains. It’s chewy, nutty, wholesome and delicious. It makes a healthful base for any meal, and preparing it at home is easy. I usually put a pot of brown rice on the stove before I do anything else in the kitchen, and by the time I’m done preparing the rest of the meal, the rice is ready! When I cook grains, I like to make enough for the meal I’m cooking with extra for lunch the next day.