The Juicy Fruits of August

Yoga Food Tip!!
 
According to Ayurveda, our bodies heat up at the end of the summer.  The effects of this heat can show up as skin irritations, rashes, hay fever, and disrupted digestion.  If you suffer from any of these, it is likely that your body has accumulated excess heat.  If you can cool and release the hot, sharp qualities of summer from your body, you will transition more smoothly to the dry season of fall and you will strengthen your immune system and prevent full colds and flus.  

Thankfully, if you look to what is fresh in your area, you can cool the heat by eating what nature provides best this season: juicy fruits!

Enjoy the juicy fruits of August:

Enjoy melon, watermelons, grapes, apples, peaches, pears, plums.  Eat lots of these.  They are sweet and juicy and will cool and hydrate your body. They are gentle on digestion. 

Foods that aren’t great to consume in excess in late summer because these will increase heat are:

• Spicy salsas and sauces
• Coffee
• Red meat
• Cheeses
• Alcohol

My favorite ways to juicy fruits these are fresh off the tree or vine, but I’ve included a few seasonal recipes at the end of this blog.  Start your morning with fresh fruit or fresh fruit smoothie.   For a special treat, make a fruit crisp.

Seasonal recipes:

Apple-Pear ginger - kale smoothie
I’m not a strict recipe person when it comes to smoothies, but here are some guidelines:

• 1 small apple and 1 small pear
• 1 small slice of ginger
• Handful of kale or spinach
• Squeeze of lemon
• 1 cup water

Blend until smooth.
 
Seasonal fruit crisp
You can make a fruit crisp with almost any kind of fruit.  Plums, pears and apples are all great. 
Filling:

• 4 cups fruit chopped (plums, peaches, berries, apples, pears, etc.)
• ¼ cup tapioca flour or cornstarch
• ½ cup natural sweetener (coconut sugar, evaporated cane juice or agave are good choices)
• 1 T lemon juice

Topping:

• ½ cup butter or coconut oil (melted)
• 1 tsp ginger or cinnamon
• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup flour (any flour will work: brown rice, whole wheat, sorghum, tapioca)
• ½ cup sweetener of choice
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or almonds (if desired)

 
Mix filling ingredients and place in 9 X 13 pyrex pan.  Mix together topping ingredients and spread over the top of the filling.  Bake at 400 degrees of about 40 minutes, until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown.  Serve and enjoy!

What's your favorite way to enjoy the fruits of August?  Leave me a comment!