Photo courtesy of Angela Marklew/The Licensing Project
We all need a place to start a new journey. And we all need a guide to keep us learning, inspired, and moving forward. Each of these six books offers resourceful counsel on Ayurveda. The approaches are generous, the recipes simple, and the wisdom deeply inspiring and inclusive. And while they vary in style, they all share a collective message: Ayurveda is attainable for everyone.
1
AYURVEDIC COOKING FOR WESTERNERS By Amadea Morningstar
Enter the kitchen of any student, practitioner, or mere curious follower of Ayurveda and chances are you’ll find this book. Amadea Morningstar’s inclusive text has long been a touchstone for anyone looking to weave the ancient practice into their life. Morningstar, who is the founder of the Ayurveda Polarity Therapy and Yoga Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico, offers readers simple, workable recipes that focus on fresh foods. She punctuates each recipe with symbols that mark its effect on your dosha and the seasonality of the ingredients. Morningstar complements the book’s ayurvedic recipes with helpful guidance on the five elements, the doshas and constitutional types, and information on the connection between food and mind, and food and digestion.
2
WHAT TO EAT FOR HOW YOU FEEL By Divya Alter
Divya Alter has long captivated us for her poetic approach to food and her deep Ayurvedic wisdom. At Divya’s Kitchen, her beloved Ayurvedic restaurant in New York City, Alter cooks seasonal, local dishes from scratch, brimming with nourishing ayurvedic herbs and healing spices. And she shares many of these recipes in her book, What to Eat for How You Feel. Comforting seasonal khichari stew with yellow mung and cilantro-mint-chutney. Warming vegetable curry with cashew sauce and cilantro-mint-chutney. Every one of Alter’s heathy recipes vibrates with life and nourishment. She also offers tips on how to add Ayurvedic principles to your day-to-day. This is a book to forever keep on your kitchen shelf.
3
THE AYURVEDIC COOKBOOK By Amadea Morningstar And Urmila Desai
Another informative gem from the mind of Amadea Morningstar, The Ayurvedic Cookbook is a collaborative effort between Morningstar and respected Ayurvedic chef Urmila Desai. (Desai was the partner of Yogi Amrit Desai, the founder of Kripalu yoga and Amrit yoga.) The book is a robust guide that offers simple recipes and accessible advice for incorporating Ayurveda into your daily life.
4
EAT, FEEL, FREAH: A CONTEMPORARY PLANT BASED AYURVEDIC COOKBOOK By Sahara Rose
Sahara Rose is one of the most uplifting and encouraging practitioners of Ayurveda today. She has authored two books—Idiot’s Guide to Ayurveda and (her most recent) Eat Feel Fresh: A Contemporary Plant-Based Ayurvedic—that each exude a fresh, modern approach to the ancient science. Sahara has a way of opening up minds to Ayurveda, proving that it is as relevant and attainable as ever. Every word is clear and non-prescriptive. In Eat Feel Fresh her goal is to make Ayurvedic nutrition approachable, relatable, and upgraded to modern times—which she succeeds in doing. This is a fun, helpful, and informative cookbook and guide.
5
MODERN AYURVEDA By Ali Cramer
Ali Cramer has been practicing and teaching yoga for more than two decades. She has also devoted herself to the practice of Ayurveda during this time. Cramer has an honest, approachable way of teaching and delivering information on the ancient science. She offers one-on-one consultations in New York City to help people determine their Constitution, as well as Ayurvedic workshops and global retreats. Her book, Modern Ayurveda, is an extension of her practice, offering recipes, meditation guidance, and lifestyle tips. It’s like having a paperback coach for discovering ways to prevent illness and live a life of health and intention.
6
AYURVEDA: THE SCIENCE OF SELF-HEALING By Dr. Vasant Lad
Dr. Vasant Lad is one of the most revered Ayurvedic physicians and authors today. A native of India, Lad has traveled extensively throughout the United States, educating students and clients about Ayurveda. In the mid-1980s he founded the The Ayurvedic Institute in New Mexico, a leading school and spa. Lad’s devote passion for the ancient science has been a pillar for modern Ayurvedic wisdom in the west. In his best-selling book, Ayurveda, The Science of Healing, he thoughtfully illustrates the elements of Ayurveda, making the concepts totally accessible. It’s more than three decades old but still stands as one of the best books on Ayurveda available. Consider this your paper guide.
Ayurveda Essentials, ayurvedic books, Ayurvedic education, Words of Wellness
