Sequence Of Dishes—The Ideal Lunch Recipe..........................................
- Before you eat, be certain that your stomach is empty and that you actually feel hungry. If you feel
you need to kindle your digestive fire, AGNI, take ¼ to ½ teaspoon of grated ginger with a pinch of salt
before eating. Spraying or sprinkling your face, neck and hands with a little cold water before your meal
also increases AGNI. - Liquid foods, such as soup, should be eaten toward the beginning of the meal, unless your meal
includes a fresh, raw salad. In this case, eat the salad first, followed by the soup. Raw foods can only be
digested at the beginning of a meal, not once you have eaten cooked food. - Normally, the stomach processes and removes liquids before it can attempt the digestion of the more
solid and concentrated food items. Therefore, drinking a lot of liquid with your meals will greatly hinder
digestion and also dilute the concentrated digestive juices, rendering them less effective. - It is helpful to realize that the stomach does not operate like a washing machine, but stores the
ingested foods in layers, one on top of the other. To avoid digestive problems and flatulence, I
recommend the following sequence of dishes. The foods listed are examples only. Ideally, you would
choose those foods that are listed in your body type food chart:
Stage A
A salad made with raw food items that may include such ingredients as lettuce, endive, avocado,
cucumber, carrot, tomato, celery, bell pepper, jicama, sprouts, cilantro, basil, mint, parsley, young white
radish, roasted or raw pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Ideally, there should be no more than 4-5
main ingredients in a salad. Recommended dressings include lemon juice or Balsamic vinegar with
sunflower, sesame or olive oil for Vata types, almond or rice milk with sunflower or olive oil and a very
small amount of lemon juice for Pitta types, or a little sunflower oil with herbs and spices and a very
small amount of lemon juice for Kapha types. Vatas and Kaphas are better off eating small portions of
salad, whereas Pittas may eat a larger amount.
Note: Avoid adding any cooked items, such as beans or chicken, to the salad, even if they are cold.
Nuts are better added to stages B or C, if desired.
Stage B
Cooked vegetables such as asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, okra, summer or winter
squash, Swiss chard, green beans, peas, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, or other wholesome fresh
vegetables. To make the vegetables more digestible and delicious-tasting, add spices and herbs such as
turmeric, coriander, cumin, cardamom, fennel, basil, oregano and thyme. (See your food chart for those
best for you.) Add about 1-2 teaspoons of fat per serving such as coconut oil, olive oil, butter, or another
oil that is compatible with your body type. Adding some unrefined salt and perhaps a small piece of
vegetable bouillon, coconut milk, or other natural condiment will further enhance the flavor of the
vegetables. Perhaps the easiest, most efficient and healthy method of cooking involves the use of
Waterless Stainless Steel Cookware. (See details in section 9 of Chapter 7).
Note: Vegetables should be cooked until exactly tender, not too little, and not too much. Both
overcooked and semi-cooked vegetables may generate toxins, bloating and dullness.
Stage C
Grain foods, such as basmati rice, bulgur wheat, oats, barley, buckwheat, Kasha, millet, whole wheat
couscous, quinoa, amaranth, Chia, whole wheat pasta, or other grains. Proper digestion of grain foods