We've been enjoying a true spring here in Southern California. Lots of cool, rainy days with a lot of sunshine mixed in. It's felt like a bit of a roller coaster at times, with very hot dry weather followed by foggy, wet days. Things are beginning to warm up now but we're still in the spring season for another month. Even in a warmer, drier climate, we are in kapha season during spring, which means that for many of us, things may still feel a bit stagnant and moist. Some common symptoms of high kapha include general feelings of sluggishness, weight gain, stiffness in the body, oversleeping, high amounts of mucous, nausea, and depression. There are several Ayurvedic practices that we can incorporate to reduce kapha (which is what helps those sluggish symptoms reduce), such as increasing movement (all exercise is great), waking up earlier, using the neti pot with sea salt, and dry brushing - just to name a few!
Ayurveda teaches us that addressing our diets first is the most effective course of action to quell the doshas (and remember, if we are experiencing symptoms of imbalance, this means that one or more of the doshas are elevated). By bringing in opposite qualities, we can feel relief when a certain dosha is in excess. Since springtime is ruled by kapha, we experience higher amounts of the qualities of coolness, cloudiness, heaviness, and wetness. By bringing in warm, clear, light, and dry qualities, we begin to see kapha reduce over time.
So, let's talk about a delicious recipe that's perfect for this season or any time kapha might be in excess: minted pea soup!
One of the best ways to live in harmony with nature is to eat with the seasons. Those legumes, fruits, and vegetables which are at their peak right now are not only at their most delicious, but their cost is usually at their lowest too. Green peas are just "SO SPRING".
Green peas are a wonderful source of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals, as well. Not to mention especially delicious when you can find them fresh. Mint, also a spring favorite, is a cooling herb which is stimulating to kapha and reducing to pitta too, due to its cooling effects. And as everything we take in through our five senses can bring us closer to or farther from balance as per Ayurveda, the beautiful, vibrant green color is balancing to all three doshas (and it's such a lovely homage to the spring theme, don't you agree?). So, let's make it!
Springtime Minted Pea Soup
Ingredients
4 servings
1 yellow onion, medium diced
1 leek, whites only, sliced into half moons
2 Tbsp ghee or extra virgin olive oil
5 cups green peas (fresh or frozen)
3 cups vegetable stock, click here for my recipe from scratch
1/2 to 1 small package fresh mint, plus some for garnish
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Creme fraiche or coconut cream (optional)
Grated fresh ginger (optional)
Directions
Rinse and prepare all of the vegetables. Medium dice the onion, cut off the white part of the leak, cut it in half the long way and slice it into half-moons. Chop the fresh mint; start with half a small package and if you prefer more, you can always add it later. If using frozen peas, rinse them with room temperature water and drain.
Heat a medium to large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil or ghee and let it warm (about 30 seconds). Add the onion and while stirring occasionally, allow the onion to soften, about 5 minutes. Then add the leek and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the peas to the pot and sauté for: about 2-3 minutes if you are using fresh peas and 6-8 minutes if you are using frozen. The color of the peas should remain bright green (see photo above).
Add the fresh mint to the pot, as well as the vegetable stock. Allow everything to heat up to a gentle simmer and then turn off the heat.
Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the soup so that no chunks remain. If you want an extremely smooth soup, blend on high and then strain the soup. Taste the soup and add salt and white pepper to taste. Adding salt at the end of the cooking process ensures that the sodium content isn't too high (some of the sodium gets lost when you add it in the beginning). Also, white pepper works better here in my opinion because it's a lighter flavor which better complements the peas and mint. You also avoid having black flecks in your pretty puree.
For garnish, add some fresh mint, grated ginger (kapha reducing), or creme fraiche or coconut cream. Cream in general is increasing to kapha but it's extremely delicious!
If you try this recipe, please comment below! Let me know your thoughts as well as any tweaks you might've made. Enjoy!
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