Ayurvedic Recipes: Broccoli with Peppers and Herbs

What’s in your garden?

Spring is here, and what better way to celebrate than by reaping the benefits of an herb garden!

If you tend towards a vata tummy (gas/bloating) when it comes to broccoli, you’ll be happy to know that the warming herbs and ginger in this recipe will aid in digestion.

The herbs in this recipe have an affinity for helping to balance kapha (earth & water), which is abundant during spring. They are warming and stimulating, diaphoretic, nervine, and they improve memory and relieve depression, congestion, asthma, and insomnia.

You can enjoy plucking this mélange of herbs for the recipe if you do have an herb garden. It’s a great way to connect more deeply to your food and the earth. If you don’t have access to fresh herbs at this time, you may substitute about half the amount of dried herbs for this recipe.

Broccoli with Peppers & Herbs

Serves 4 to 6. 

• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh minced rosemary
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 5 cups broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• mineral salt to taste
• black pepper
• 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of lemon or lime juice
• Optional—toss in toasted nuts or seeds at the end for added protein.

Directions

1. Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the rosemary and ginger and sauté over low heat until the ginger is soft and slightly browned. If you are using dried herbs, sauté them at this time as well.
2. Add the broccoli and bell pepper, sprinkle lightly with salt.
3. Stir, cover, and sauté on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. You can add a little bit of water to the vegetables if they start to stick to the pan.
4. Turn off the heat, stir in all of the other herbs. Add the lemon or lime juice.
5. Sprinkle with toasted nuts or seeds of your choice.