Chayote Sautéed with Curry Leaves

A Vata Fall Recipe by Nandini Natasha Austin My Grandmother's Recipe

Fall is my favorite season, Trees and plants are silently shedding their leaves in preparation for winter and the earth is beginning to subtly turn inward. The intense heat and raging temperatures from a few weeks ago are but a distant memory. Now we are rising to cooler mornings, and witnessing the everchanging landscape of nature (Prana) all around us. Slowly we are beginning to experience a hint of crisp autumn weather.

Fall is also a transitional time so you may find yourself ramping up full speed ahead towards the end of the year, or adversely you may feel a like a leaf blowing around in the wind with no direction. That's because the Fall season is Vata. It has the predominance of the ‘air’ element and Vata's energy denotes movement.

Indeed all of Prana (nature) is forever moving and changing all around us, there is no constant here.

Staying Grounded

If you are feeling a bit spacey or unstable, one way to counter the light, dry and unpredictable nature of the fall is to maintain your inner equilibrium. We can do this in a number of ways.

Firstly feeding our bodies with warm foods that are cooked with good fats like coconut oil or organic ghee will help replenish the body. These oils are nourishing and soften the liver, creating relaxation, vigor, and stabilizing emotions, which are all highly important for Vata.

Secondly strengthening our minds with a daily routine will help us feel balanced and lastly, by investing in deep loving relationships we can feel stable and secure. Adopting one or more of these intentions are ways to help us feel more grounded.

So today, I’m sharing one of my Grandmother's (Nani's) recipes below, 'Chayote sautéed with curry leaves, This wholesome dish combats the cold and dryness that Vata brings in fall.