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When you consume a meal that contains the six tastes,

you are nourished from a cellular level.

W

hen crafting a six-taste bowl, it’s important to keep in
mind the six tastes. The six tastes in Ayurveda are: Sweet,
Salty, Sour, Pungent, Astringent, and Bitter.
The reason fad diets don’t work is because they often
skip out on or reduce the most essential taste, sweet. This can lead you
to crave unhealthy sources of sweet after finishing a meal—such as that
tempting brownie you see in the case at the coffee shop. By including
a healthy source of sweet in a dish, such as quinoa, root vegetables, or
healthy fats, you won’t crave desserts after licking your bowl clean.
According to Ayurveda, lunch is the time where your digestive fire,
known in Sanskrit as agni, is the highest level of the day. Lunch is the
best time to indulge in a Six Taste Bowl.
Customize your Six Taste bowl by increasing or decreasing portions
of the individual tastes. You may want to choose larger portions of the
tastes that pacify your primary dosha and smaller portions of the tastes
that increase it. All six tastes should still be present, however. If you
feel balanced in the moment, just consume the bowls as is according to
the recipe.
To balance Vata: Include more sweet, sour, and salty tastes.
Decrease bitter, pungent and astringent tastes.

To balance Pitta: Include more sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes.
Decrease sour, salty, and pungent tastes.

To balance Kapha: Include more bitter, pungent, and astringent
tastes. Decrease sweet, sour, and salty tastes.

The Basic Components of a Six Taste Bowl
1 Hearty Base: Cooked grains and/or roasted starchy vegetables

2 Colorful Veggies: Variety of colors steamed, roasted, or raw
Plant Protein: Legumes, nuts, seeds

4 Healthy Fats: Avocado, coconut, nuts/nut cheeses, dressings made
with nut butters and plant-based oils

5 Pungent spices: Turmeric, cumin, and classical Ayurvedic spices;
optional onion/garlic

6 Tasteful Garnishes: Fresh herbs + microgreens, sprinkle of
sea salt, squeeze of lime

Hearty Base: Sweet

• Quinoa


• Starchy vegetables: sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash,
  carrot, corn


• Brown rice, barley or other grain

Colorful Veggies: Bitter

• Leafy greens: spinach, arugula, collard greens


• Cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage,
  Brussels sprouts, kale)


• Other vegetables: zucchini, snow peas, bell pepper, cucumber

Plant Protein: Astringent

• Legumes: lentils, black beans, chickpeas, adzuki beans, edamame


• Nuts and seeds: sesame seeds, tahini, sunflower, chia, flax seeds, walnuts

Healthy Fats: Sweet

• Avocado, coconut


• Nut cheeses, almonds, cashews


• Plant-based oils: sesame, coconut, olive, avocado, grapeseed

Spices: Pungent

• Allium vegetables: garlic, onion, leek, scallion, shallot


• Spices: Cumin, turmeric, ginger, asafetida, black pepper

Garnishes: Salty and Sour

• Salty: Sea salt, coconut aminos, sea vegetables, celery
  Sour: Lemon, lime, apple cider or coconut vinegar

Quinoa Gado-Gado Bowl

(Serves 2)

Ingredients For the Gado-Gado

½ cup red quinoa, well rinsed and drained

1 cup water

1 cup green beans, washed and trimmed

½ zucchini, thinly sliced

⅛ cup non-gmo corn kernels

⅛ carrot, thinly sliced

¾ cup mung bean sprouts

2/3 cup thinly shredded red cabbage

For the Spicy Sunbutter Sauce

¹/3 cup sunflower seed butter

1 tbsp tamari

2 tbsp maple syrup

3 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp chili garlic sauce (remove to calm pitta)

3 tbsp water, to thin

For Serving

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

1 lemon, cut in wedges

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add quinoa. Toast qui-

noa for three minutes while stirring frequently. Then add water, stir, and

bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes

until all the liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Fluff with a fork,

remove lid, and remove from heat.

Make the sunbutter sauce by adding the sunflower seed butter, tamari,

maple syrup, lime juice, and optional chili garlic sauce to a small mixing

bowl and whisk until smooth. Add water 1 tbsp at a time until a semi-

thick but pourable sauce is formed.

To serve, divide the quinoa in two bowls, top zucchini, corn, carrot,

mung bean sprouts, and red cabbage. Top with sunbutter sauce, cilantro,

and lemon. Craft one of these bowls at lunch--or any other meal of the

day--when you are looking to serve up some satisfaction.

Sahara Rose Ketabi is the author of Idiots Guide to Ayurveda and the upcoming

Eat Feel Fresh which is available October 2. Learn more at: iamsahararose.com

and eatfeelfresh.com.