Recipe: Burfi

This is a traditional Indian milk pudding, often served on festive occasions.


Ingredients

• 285ml (8fl oz) honey
• 240g (8oz) butter
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 55ml (2fl oz) milk
• 110g (4oz) ground nuts: eg. almonds, walnuts, or pistachios
• 275g (10oz) milk powder

In a saucepan, heat the honey, butter, ground cardamom, and milk over a low heat, stirring to avoid burning, until well blended.  Add the ground nuts, stir to combine, then remove the pan from the heat.  Add the powdered milk slowly, stirring until completely dissolved.  The mixture will gradually thicken.  When it is very stiff, spread in a shallow pan and place in the refrigerator to set.  Cut into diamond shapes, and serve at room temperature.
Makes 30-36 squares


Source from Yoga Mind & Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Spicy Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredient

• Vegetable oil for coating the pan
• 225g (8oz) digestive biscuit crumbs
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 350g (12oz) tofu, pureed
• 225g (8oz) cream cheese
• 225g (8oz) tinned pumpkin puree
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 225g (8oz) unrefined cane sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tbsp light molasses
• Pinch of salt

For this recipe you will need a 23 or 25 cm (9 or 10in) round springform tin or flan tin.  Serves 8-10.

1. Position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to gas mark 4, 180C (350F).  Coat the tin with some vegetable oil.
2. Mix the digestive biscuit crumbs, vegetable oil, and maple syrup together, then press the mixture into the greased tin.  Puree the remaining ingredients in a food processor and pour the mixture into the tin.
3. Bake for 50 minutes.  Leave to cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 5-6 hours or overnight before serving.

Source from K.I.S.S. Guide to Yoga by Shakta Kaur Khalsa

What To Do With Tofu

Tofu, one of the most versatile protein foods, has been a staple in parts of Asia for over 2,000 years.  And tofu has been puzzling the Westerners for about 30 years now!  It's no wonder.  More of a texture than a taste, tofu is like a chameleon.  It takes on the taste of whatever is added to it.  So the clue is in knowing what to add, and how to cook tofu.

Also called bean curd, tofu is made by curdling the mild white "milk" of the soya bean.


The wonders of tofu

Tofu is high in protein, low in calories, fats, and carbohydrates, and contains no cholesterol - it's almost a perfect food.  And to top it all, recent medical news shows that soya protein can help prevent heart disease, breast cancer, and prostate cancer, as well as ease menopause symptoms and help in diabetes and digestive disorders.

Whether you want to substitute tofu for the taste and effect of meat or dairy, are lactose intolerant, or want to add soya to your diet because of health benefits, here are some pointers for using tofu:

• Always rinse tofu before using, and keep any remaining pieces covered and sealed in pure water in the fridge.
• To minimize any gas-producing qualities, always cook tofu before eating it, and cook it with a dash of lemon juice.
• Generally, firm tofu is used for slicing and dicing.  Soft tofu is for blending, and used to make sauces and puddings.
• Taking on the flavour of whatever it is prepared with, tofu is a versatile, as well as healthy, cooking ingredient. 

Source from K.I.S.S. Guide to Yoga by Shakta Kaur Khalsa

Fruit Cake Recipe

This is a healthy variation on the traditional rich, fruity cake.


Ingredients

• 500g (1lb 2oz) mixed dried fruit: eg. raisins, sultanas, apricots, pears, figs
• 250g (9oz) chopped dates
• 1 medium apple, cored and chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• seeds of 6 cardamon pods, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 500ml (16fl oz) orange or apple juice
• 200g (7oz) plain wholewheat flour
• 110g (4oz) vegetarian suet
• 200g (7oz) roughly ground mixed nuts
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch of salt
• blanched almonds to decorate

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.  Oil a 23cm (9in) round cake tin.  Put the dried fruit, dates, chopped apple, cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, cloves, and orange or apple juice into a pan, and bring to the boil, stirring to prevent the mixture burning.  Cook, covered, over a low heat until the apple softens and blends with the rest of the fruit (15-20 minutes).  Do not allow to dry out. 

Mix together the flour, suet, nuts, baking powder, and salt.  Add to the cooled fruit mixture, and fold in.  Mix well but do not overstir.  Pour the mixture into the cake tin and decorate with blanched almonds.  Bake in the middle of the oven for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.
Makes a 23cm (9in) round cake.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Carrot Cake Recipe

An attractive and appetizing way to encourage your children to eat vegetables.


Ingredients

• 225ml (8fl oz) oil
• 125g (6oz) brown sugar
• 110nk (4fl oz) honey
• 325ml (12fl oz) soya milk
• 700g (1 1/2lb) plain wholewheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mutmeg or allspice
• 225g (8oz) grated carrot
• 110g (4oz) chopped walnuts
• 110g (4oz) raisins

Icing

• 200g (7oz) creamed coconut
• finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon
• 3-4 tablespoons icing sugar, to taste
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 75-100ml (2 1/2 - 3 1/2fl oz) hot water
• 6 dessertspoons lightly toasted dessicated coconut

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.  Oil a 25cm (10in) ring-shaped cake tin.  Blend the oil and sugar; add the honey and soya milk, and beat together.  Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices, and add to the oil mixture.  Add the carrots, walnuts, and raisins; mix well and place in  the pan.

Bake in the oven for 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the thickest part of the cake comes out clean.  Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, and then turn out onto a wire rack.

To make the icing, beat together the creamed coconut, lemon rind, icing sugar, and lemon juice with enough hot water to give the mixture a spreading consistency.  Spread the icing over the cooled cake, and then sprinkle evenly with the lightly toasted coconut.
Makes a 25cm (10in) ring-shaped cake.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Recipe: Sivananda Cookies

A healthy vegetarian diet doesn't have to be uninteresting, even if it is simple.  There are many natural ingredients readily available to create endless variations.  Use these recipes as a starting point for your own creations.


Sivananda Cookies

These extra large energy-packed cookies are a staple after-class treat at Sivananda Yoga Centres.


Ingredients

• 250g (8oz) oats
• 110g (4oz) plain wholewheat flour
• 50g (2oz) raw unsalted peanuts
• 150g (5oz) brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch salt
• 200ml (7fl oz) sunflower oil
• 200ml (7fl oz) milk or water

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.  Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl; add the oil and mix well.  Stir in enough milk or water to make a firm mixture.  Place heaped spoonfuls on an oiled baking tray, and flatten them into 10cm- (4in-) rounds.  Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden at the edges.  Cool on a rack.

These highly nutritious cookies are hard to resist, and really do make a meal in themselves.
Makes 12 cookies.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Cheesecake Recipe

Even the staunchest vegetarian can have a sweet tooth, but this can be satisfied in a natural, healthy way, rather than with empty calories.  Desserts can be as simple or as eleborate as your schedule permits.


Cheesecake

This rich and easily prepared dish is ideal for special occasions.


Ingredients

• 110g (4oz) crushed disgestive biscuits
• 75g (3oz) coarsely chopped walnuts
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 400g (14oz) cream cheese
• 275ml (1/2 pint) yoghurt
• 3-4 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• fresh fruit for garnish

Mix together the crushed digestive biscults, chopped// walnuts, and butter, and press into a 23cm- (9 inch-) springform tin.  Chill in the refrigerator until the mixture sets or, for a crisper texture, bake in the oven at 180C / 350F / Gas Mark 4 for about 10 minutes, until it turns golden brown.  Set aside.

Beat the cream cheese and the yoghurt together until smooth.  If possible, use an electric mixer so that the mixture becomes light and airy.  Add the honey and vanilla essence.  Pour over the biscult crust and chill until firm.  Just before serving the cheesecake, decorate the top with attractively sliced fresh fruit.
Serves 6-8.


Variations: To make a Chocolate Cheesecake, add 25g (1oz) of cocoa powder to the cream cheese filling and, before serving, decorate the top with dark chocolate curls or grated chocolate.  Be careful not to overdo it, or the result will be too rich.

For Orange or Lemon Cheesecake, add 2 tablespoons of orange or lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of finely grated orange or lemon zest to the cream cheese mixture, and decorate the top with small pieces of fresh citrus fruit.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Muffins Recipe

Home-baked bread and muffins are irresistible, and generally much healthier than the shop-bought varieties.  If you can't grind your own flour, buy the freshest stoneground wholewheat flour you can find.  Most baked goods freeze well.

Raisin-Bran Muffins

These are especially good straight from the oven for breakfast - for variety, try replacing half the brown sugar with molasses.

Ingredients

• 600g (1 1/4lb) plain wholewheat flour
• 100g (3 1/2oz) bran
• 150g (5oz) raisins
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 litre (1 pint) water
• 6 tablespoons oil

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5.  Lightly oil the muffin tins.  In a large bowl, mix the wholewheat flour, bran, raisins, salt, baking powder, and brown sugar together.  In another large bowl, combine the water and oil.  Add the dry mixture to the water and oil mixture, and fold them together quickly until the dry ingredients are evenly mixed and just moistened.  Do not overmix, as this will make the muffins heavy.

Spoon the mixture into the oiled muffin tins, and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.  Leave the muffins to cool slightly in the tin before removing, but serve while still warm for that fresh-baked flavour.

Makes 12 muffins.

Savoury Cheese Muffins

These unusual savoury muffins are a treat with any soup at lunchtime.

Ingredients

• 100g (3 1/2oz) grated carrot
• 600g (1 1/4lb) plain wholewheat flour
• 100g (3 1/2oz) sweetcorn
• 100g (3 1/2oz) finely chopped courgette
• 150g (5oz) grated vegetarian Cheddar cheese
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 x 400g (14oz) tin tomatoes or 500g (1lb) fresh tomatoes, liquidized or mashed
• 200ml (7fl oz) water
• 4 tablespoons oil

Topping:

•  100g (4oz) grated vegetarian Cheddar cheese
• 1-2 teaspoons dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5.  Lightly oil sufficient muffin tins.  In a bowl, mix the grated carrot with the flour, sweetcorn, courgette, cheese, basil, oregano, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and sugar.  In another bowl, mix the tomatoes, water, and oil together.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and fold together until they are evenly mixed and just moistened.

Spoon the mixture into the oiled muffin tins.  Combine the remaining grated cheese and the oregano, and sprinkle over the top of the muffins.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
Make 20-24 muffins.

Variations: Try adding fresh rosemary or thyme for another delicious flavour.  Vegans can use soya cheese instead of Cheddar.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Dinner at Botejyu

I have dinner with my boyfriend at Botejyu located at Liang Court on last Saturday 28th Nov.  It is my first time there.  Firstly, I have realised that Liang Court has changed alot from the last time I visit this place which was many years ago already.

I have order the Japanese rice cake with udon soup.  I love the udon.  I like the feel when I chew it.  It is very Q!  The curry udon is not bad too as my boyfriend has order it.

The best part is the dessert!  I'm a dessert person.  Any dessert that look good I will not give chance to miss it...:-)  Their dessert look very nice which make you don't have the heart to eat them!  They not only look nice but taste good as well!  I have order their ice cream.  Their ice cream is very different.  It doesn't look like an ice cream from the appearance.  And it doesn't taste too sweet.  Just nice..:-)

I have taken some pictures to share with all of you...:-) 

You Are What You Eat

Yoga develops our pure inner nature, and diet plays an important part in this process.  The Yogic scriptures divide food into three types: sattvic, or pure; rajasic, or stimulating; and tamasic, or impure and rotten.  The Yogic diet is based on pure, sattvic foods.


Overactivity - Rajas

The Yogic diet avoids substances that are over-stimulating, or rajasic.  Onions, garlic, coffee, tea, and tobacco are rajasic, as are heavily spiced and salted items, and many ready-prepared convenience foods and snacks.  Refined sugar, soft drinks, and chocolate are also rajasic.  Rajasic foods arouse animal passions, bring a restless state of mind, and make the person over-active.  They destroy the mind-body balance that is essential for happiness.

Rajasic Foods

"The foods that are bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot, pungent, dry and burning, are liked by the Rajasic and are productive of pain, grief, and disease."
Bhagavad Gita, 17-9

Rajasic Behaviour

Rajasic foods overstimulate the body and mind, cause physical and mental stress, and encourage circulatory and nervous disorders.


Inertia - Tamas

Tamasic substances are avoided in the Yogic diet because they produce feelings of heaviness and lethargy.  Meat, fish, eggs, drugs, and alcohol are tamasic, as are overcooked and packaged foods.  Other tamasic items include those that have been fermented, burned, fried, barbecued, or reheated many times, as well as stale products or those containing preservatives.  Mushrooms are included in this category, as they grow in darkness.

Tamasic Foods

"That food which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten and impure refuse, is the food liked by the Tamasic."
Bhagavad Gita, 17-10

Tamasic Behaviour

A tamasic diet benefits either body nor mind.  It makes a person dull and lazy, lacking in high ideals, purpose, and motivation.  Such individuals tend to suffer from chronic ailments and from depression.  Over-eating is tamasic.


Purity - Sattva

The Yogic diet consists of sattvic foods that calm the mind and sharpen the intellect.  These are pure, wholesome, and naturally delicious, without preservatives or artifical flavourings.  They include fresh and dried fruits and berries, pure fruit juices, raw or lightly cooked vegetables, salads, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, wholemeal breads, honey, fresh herbs, herbal teas, and dairy products such as milk and butter.  A sattvic diet is easily digested and supplies maximum energy, increasing vitality, strength, and endurance.  It will help to eliminate fatigue, even for those who undertake strenuous and difficult work.  Yogis believe that people's food preferences reflect their level of mental purity, and that these preferences alter as they develop spiritually.

Sattvic Foods

"The foods which increase life, purity, strength, health, joy, and cheerfulness, which are savory and oleaginous, substantial and agreeable, are dear to the sattvic people."
Bhagavad Gita, 17-8

Sattvic Behaviour

A sattvic diet brings purity and calmness to the mind, and is both soothing and nourishing to the body.  It promotes cheerfulness, serenity, and mental clarity, and helps to maintain mental poise and nervous equilibrium throughout the day.


The Rules of Eating
"Purity of mind depends on purity of food." - Swami Sivananda

• Try to keep your meals on a regular schedule, but if you do not feel hungry at meal time, fast until the next meal.

• Eat slowly, and savour your food.  Chew it thoroughly, remembering that digestion begins in the mouth.

• Eat only four or five different foods at one meal.  Complex mixtures are difficult to digest.  Do not snack between meals.

• Do not overload your system.  Fill half the stomach with food, one quarter with liquid, and leave the rest empty.

• Maintain a peaceful attitude during the meal.  Try to eat in silence.

• Change your diet gradually.

• Before you eat, remember God, who dwells in all foods and who bestows all bounties.

• Try to fast for one day a week.

• Eat at least one raw salad every day.

• Eat to live - don't live to eat.

Source from Yoga Mind & Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Tomato Sauce Recipe

If you prefer a smoother tomato sauce to pour over a dish or for use in other recipes, such as Lasagne, puree in a blender.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 450g (1lb) mixed diced vegetables: eg. courgette, green pepper, and carrot
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 480g (1lb) fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped or 2 x 400g (14oz) tins tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons tomato puree
• 1/4 teaspoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat; saute the vegetables for a few minutes, stirring well. Add the herbs and cook for few more minutes, stirring. Add the other ingredients and simmer for a further 45 minutes. Leave the sauce to stand for as long as possible before serving, to bring out the full flavour. Makes about 1kg (2lb).


Source from Yoga Mind & Body - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Lasagne Recipe

A well-known and ever-popular dish; vegans can leave out the cheese.

Ingredients

• 175g (6oz) spinach, steamed and squeezed dry
• 284g (10oz) block firm tofu, crumbled and drained
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium courgettes, cut into julienne strips
• 1 mediium red pepper, cut into julienne strips
• olive oil
• 1kg (2lb) Tomato Sauce
• 6 sheets dried lasagne, cooked and drained
• 120g (4oz) grated vegetarian Cheddar cheese (optional)
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese or yeast (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sunflower or sesame seeds

Chop the spinach, mix with the tofu, and season with salt and pepper. Saute the courgettes and pepper in the oil for 3 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Put a layer of tomato sauce in an oiled 20 x 25cm (10 x 8in) baking dish. Cover this with a layer of lasagne, half the tofu/spinach mixture, then half the courgettes and peppers. Sprinkle with half the grated cheese (if using). Repeat the layers, and top with Parmesan cheese or yeast (if using), and sunflower or sesame seeds. Bake for 50-60 minutes until bubbling and golden. Serves 4.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

My Daily Breakfast

Breakfast is very important. If you want to skip any meal, never skip breakfast. Since breakfast is so important, it's best try to keep it healthy most of the time.

Some people complain that eating breakfast makes them feel hungrier and eat more later on. But studies have shown the opposite is true: breakfast eaters consume fewer calories and less fat throughout the rest of the day. If you are hungry again immediately after breakfast, it's probably a sign that you still haven't eaten enough.

Start the day with plenty of energy-rich food and choose a carbohydrate-rich, low-fat breakfast to get through a busy morning. It's worth getting up a little earlier and giving yourself time to wake up with a good breakfast, instead of waiting for hunger to strike mid-morning when the only handy options seem to be sugary doughnuts or chocolate. Healthy eating can taste good too.

If you do feel hungry between meals, snack on fresh fruit, bagels, pretzels or dried fruit and a few raw nuts. But remember dried fruit and nuts are high energy foods, so don't overdo them if you are trying to lose weight.



Interested to know what I have for breakfast? Above is my daily breakast I use to have almost everyday, especially on weekdays. Honey drink, mixed fruits and nuts. Above is my yesterday breakfast. They are honey drink, mixed fruits of apple, guava, cherries and longan, and raw nuts of walnut, almond, sunflower seeds and some raisins. I also take abit of high calcium and low fat milk too.

On the day where I have morning class to do, I will have some oatmeal too. I always wake up early to take my breakfast in order to give enough time for the foods to digest before I do my class.

On the day where I have no morning class to do, like yesterday and I'm on a good weekend mood, I might have something extra on top of my usual breakfast if there is something I crave for I can find in the kitchen.


I have this "piah" as extra for my breakfast yesterday. I would not consider this "piah" is a healthy food. Once a while is fine to pamper yourself. Doesn't mean you have to eat healthy therefore have to give up all your favourite sinful food! You don't have to give up at all. In fact if you have it just once a while you will enjoy it more at that moment!

But careful don't let your craving over take you. You have to keep your mind strong enough to keep it in control.

One of the way to remove your craving for unhealthy food is to find something to do in order to divert your mind to some where else. Another way is to think of the cause and effect. Example: let said you are concern about your body weight. So think of how much more extra fat and calories you will put on into your body after the unhealthy food which will help to turn you off from it.

May good health be always with all of you!

Guacamole Salad or Dip

If you like avocados, you will enjoy this slightly spicy traditional Mexican dish.

Ingredients

• 1 large avocado
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons yoghurt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• pinch cayenne pepper
• sea salt
• 1/2 green pepper, finely chopped (optional)

Peel, stone, and roughly chop the avocado. Place in a food processor with the lemon juice, and blend until the mixture is smooth. Add the yoghurt, spices, and sea salt, and pulse the processor a few times to mix. Transfer the guacamole to a bowl, and carefully stir in half of the chopped green pepper, if using, reserving the remainder to sprinkle on top of the mixture as decoration. Guacamole can be served as a salad on a bed of tortilla chips, or as a dip for crudites such as celery and carrots. Makes 300ml (1/2 pint).


Source from Yoga Mind & Body - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Salad : Waldorf Salad

As a complement to main courses, or as meals in their own right, salads of raw fruit and vegetables should form a major part of any diet, whether vegetarian or other. They are an important source of vitamins, minerals, bulk, and fibre, and they add variety, texture, and taste to any meal. Garnishing with sprouting seeds (such as alfalfa, mung beans, or lentils), nuts, wheatgerm, seeds (including sesame, sunflower, and caraway), or even nutritional yeast, can produce unlimited variations.


Waldorf Salad

This slight variation on the recipe created at New York's Waldorf Astoria has a wonderfully crisp texture.

Ingredients

• 4 apples, cored and diced
• juice of 1 lemon
• 50g (2oz) walnuts, chopped
• 2 carrots, finely grated
• 75g (3oz) raisins
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 225ml (8fl oz) yoghurt, sour cream, or eggless mayonnaise
• 5 or 6 large lettuce leaves

Combine all the ingredients, except the lettuce, stirring with a fork. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, to allow it to set. Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves laid in a bowl or on individual plates. Serves 4.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Soup : Sweetcorn Chowder & Tomato Soup

Soups are nourishing, satisfying, and very easy to make. They provide an economical way to feed a large family, using simple ingredients, as well as being an easily prepared meal for busy people. A variety of vegetables can be used: in winter, root vegetables such as parsnips, swedes, and turnips make a warming broth, especially with the addition of grains or pulses. For a light summer soup, use watercress, tomatoes, courgettes, and lettuce, and flavour with fresh herbs.


Sweetcorn Chowder

A thick creamy soup that can be a meal in itself when served with wholegrain bread and salad.

Ingredients

• 4 fresh cobs of corn
• 1/4 white cabbage, shredded
• 3 medium potatoes, diced
• 850ml (1 1/2 pints) cold water
• 175ml (6fl oz) soya milk
• salt and pepper

Scrape the kernels off the corn. Place in a pan with the cabbage and potatoes. Cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are soft. Blend, then add soya milk, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reheat gently, but do not boil. Serve immediately. Serves 4.



Tomato Soup
This simple soup is best made using fresh tomatoes, and flavoured with Mediterranean herbs.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 green pepper, finely chopped
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 x 400g (14oz) tins or 1kg (2lb) fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• black pepper
• 570ml (1 pint) hot water or vegetable stock

Heat the oil in a large pan, and saute the chopped vegetables over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and bring to the boil. Pour in the hot water or stock, bring back to the boil, and then simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste, and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Variations : For a thicker consistency add some flour with the vegetables, and stir well as you add the water or stock. For a creamy tomato soup, mix milk or soya milk with a little soup when it is cooked, and then return to the pan, stirring well. Reheat gently, but do not boil. For an even heartier tomato soup, add 150g (6oz) of cooked grain at the same time as the water or stock.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre