Time to plan a picnic around the arrival of the rhubarb.
Jump to RecipeQuite a few of you have been asking for some new recipe nspiration for lunches! No-cook dinners! Picnic ideas! In a nutshell, more “Ayurvedic” recipes to fuel your regular meals.
And this got me thinking about what MAKES a recipe or food “Ayurvedic.” The answer? First and foremost, a recipe or food is intrinsically Ayurvedic when it’s tuned to the seasons, utilizing ingredients available at their peak of freshness (ie: in season,) Secondarily, an Ayurvedic “edible something” is tuned to the bioenergy of the consumer. (ie: the qualities of the food compliment and balance the qualities of the person who eats it!) Which is to say that ANYTHING and EVERYTHING can be, Ayurvedic….depending on how you use it.
Long story boring, I started flipping through one of my tattered, hand-written recipe books for some summer lunch inspo and this recipe for Herby Chicken Salad w/Quick Pickled Rhubarb jumped out at me. Loaded with chunks of farm fresh, tart rhubarb, NO FRUIT, amped with herbs, and balanced with all Six Flavors this easy recipe fits the bill when it comes to being a little bit different than the norm AND Ayurvedically inspired on both accounts. Let’s do this!
If you’re about to raise your hand and ask about Ayurveda and vegetarianism, you can just lower it now.
There is nothing anywhere in Ayurvedic philosophy that suggests that a vegan or a vegetarian diet is the golden path paved to enlightenment. Or health. Or anywhere for that matter.
Instead, what these texts remind us of is that ALL substances have medicinal benefits for the body….depending on how and when they use them. And, for bodies in motion (like many of you out there,) we need substantive foods that will ground the energy not only eminating from our bodies, swirling around our modern lives and being kicked up by our vigorous exercise training and travel routines. And, as it turns out meat is one of the most grounding, nutrient dense substances we can consume.
If you’re an athlete, chances are there is going to be some time in your life when you’re going to find that meat is a healing substance for you. It might be everyday, or every week. It might be every year. But it’s likely going to happen at some point. And, when it does Ayurveda wisdom tracks that this should be locally and regeneratively sourced and humanely-raised. Because we are what we digest, but we are also whatever we eat, ate.
Of note, when those substantive protein requirements DO hit, assuming that it’s in the summer, the Ayurvedic texts recommend that we choose protein sources that are lighter and easier to digest. These include legumes and pulses, and also poultry and fish. Red meats and pork are better utilized in the winter, when our metabolism is higher and our bodies are better able to handle fattier, more compound animal products.
Yes! This is actually one of my favorite ways to use this most anticipated early-summer vegetable. (Rhubarb jam, pie and ice cream as runners up.) The quick pickled rhubarb in this recipe is absolutely the star of the show for it’s unique flavor, but also for the sour component that it imparts on this recipe. One of the things that makes this chicken salad so special and unique from the other million chicken salad recipes out there is that it contains all Six Flavors we can taste. And this is actually a pretty big deal because, in this case, this makes the dish more innately “Ayurvedic.” The flavor that’s typically missing from chicken salad? Sour. Pickles and capers make their appearance in tuna salad, but chicken salad – not so much. The quick picked rhubarb recipe (below,) is so simple and fast, and the leftover rhubarb is wonderful in salads, with salmon, tossed into grain bowls – used anywhere a pickle belongs.
…is a real treat in our house. Because, honestly, most of the time, our lunches and no cook dinners are pretty basic. I – like you – don’t have that much time to cook. I often rely on the basic ingredients sitting right in front of me because maybe I’m lacking inspiration, or short on time, or just hungry right now. Our meals are simple, and often survival based. And quick reminder: THAT IS OK. The thing that makes meals in our hose so special is the sourcing – our foods are coming straight from the farm. They’re bursting with flavor, meaning, LIFE. And that’s where a good amount of my “cooking energy” goes – to sourcing as best I can.
And, when our farmers start dropping little bunches of rhubarb into my CSA boxes, this is one of the first things I make. We plan picnics + events around the arrival of the rhubarb. As it should be.
That's ok, just sign up or log in to see this recipe.