Spread Love

Years ago my dear friend Giulia wrote down her basic but super tasty tomato sauce recipe for me and at the bottom she added, "Just remember... everything tastes better when it's made with love." Since then, when I cook, especially for others, I try to keep that in mind. When you are hungry or in a hurry, it's so easy to just slap some food together and to get disgruntled ("ugh, I love vegetables, but they take so long to wash and chop!"). It's way more enjoyable to remember why you are cooking, to think of the people who will enjoy the food, and to express gratitude for those who grew it. As with so many things, it's also entertaining to watch how easily your mind will wander off to other topics. No judgement, just keep bringing it back to the moment.

While I was staying in Arambol, we had a lot of fresh fruit, fresh squeezed juices and homecooked food (Vrindavan has a kitchen and is a talented cook). I loved everything I ate, but I did miss the Indian cuisine (a few times I insisted on going out and finding Indian food). Here are some of the food highlights (with thanks to Vrindavan for letting me post the recipes).

Coconut Bliss: Mix coconut milk, cacao powder, fresh dates, and cashews (plain, not salted- this is important!). Put in the freezer for a few hours. Eat and enjoy! Instant bliss, guaranteed.

Better than any ice cream I've ever had!!! (Really, I'm not kidding... I no longer need to travel the world searching for the best ice cream... I found it... and it's vegan!) We also experimented with using coconut milk powder and pineapple juice (no cacao powder). Tasty, but the texture and consistency weren't as perfect.

Sunny Side Up: Carefully scoop out tender coconut meat and lay flat on plate (you have to get the coconut at the right stage: after the jelly has turned to meat but before it is hard and dry). Scoop out a round ball of avocado (preferably just the yellow part) and place on top of the coconut. Sprinkle with black rock salt (other spices, like garam masala, are optional).

Wait until you see the pictures! This looks and tastes just like sunny side up/fried eggs! It may have cured me from my egg addiction. The texture, the smell... everything. The secret is the black salt. You can also mash up half an avocado with black salt and eat it straight (half an avocado is a perfect bowl) or put it on bread for an excellent "egg" salad sandwich (and I don't even like egg salad!).

Avocado Smoothie: Blend avocado, coconut water and meat, and lemon juice. Delicious!

Prasad is food that has first been offered to a god before it is served. By making it an offering first, prasad becomes blessed. I think I've mentioned some of the prasad I've had in temples here. When I was visiting Aranmula, the hotel proprietor gave me payasam from the temple (payasam is a boiled milk dessert with noodles and raisins and cashews, typically served at weddings and feasts). In Kumbakonam, when I was feeling a bit queasy one morning and thinking I wouldn't be able to eat anything, an old man at a temple stopped me and insisted on serving me a warm, sweet rice prasad that was soothing and nourishing. In Mangalore, I had the most spectular trail mix-esque prasad, and in Udupi I had an entire lunch prasad at the Krishna temple.

I know the recipes I described above are all raw and vegan, but Vrindavan cooks too. People always ask what's in his dishes. He's happy to answer, and what's the first ingredient every time? "A little L&D.... love and devotion." Prasad might usually be served in temples, but anyone can make it. All you have to do is make the food an offering of love and devotion. It makes cooking even more fun and the food tastes better, I promise.