Customer Reviews

Eat-Taste-Heal: An Ayurvedic Cookbook for Modern Living

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

What a beautiful gem! For more than a decade, I've been following and living by Ayurvedic principles and when this book fell into my hands, I felt as if I'd received a gift from the heavens. As an Ayurvedic educator, this is absolutely my favorite guidebook to date. I now recommend it enthusiastically to all my students, clients and friends.

In Part I, The Guidebook, the authors have done a commendable job of condensing the vast expanse of Vedic wisdom into manageable pieces while still offering a decent yet thorough overview. This book is an excellent introduction for Westerners; important concepts such as doshas, daily and seasonal routine, health and disease, and food basics are all given adequate due. With an emphasis on the elements of food & taste, the reader gains a clearer understanding of why the recipes are relevant to each particular dosha.

In Part II, The Cookbook, the authors specifically address the issue of cooking for different doshas in one family, a puzzlement for many who discover Ayurveda. Many people will find the information on organics, sustainibility, and modern food concerns (such as GMO's, food irradiation, and pure water) very useful and informative, though it does not pertain solely to Ayurveda.

As a professionally trained chef, it's inspiring to find Ayurvedic recipes that ignite and inspire, ones that rise above meager health food or standard Indian fare. All previous Ayurvedic cookbooks have left me hungry for something better, more appealing and refined. Mostly, I've had to create my own recipes. The offerings in Eat, Taste, Heal are complex enough to be interesting without being overwhelming or difficult, and the cross cultural flair is welcomed. For those who feel more confident in the kitchen (or simply have more time) check out the Expanded Recipes.

Eat, Taste, Heal is gorgeously photographed and filled with colorful, easy to read charts, sidebars and overviews. The layout is user-friendly and the stunning food photography inspires a reader to actually attempt the recipes.

My one slice of criticism is really just a design issue. The organization of the recipes seems a bit odd to me, and there is only a pale gray footnote on the bottom of some pages to indicate the different sections (Vata breakfast, Pitta lunch, Snacks, etc.). Also, I wish the Expanded Recipes were not in a separate area; many do not seem complex enough to warrant being sequestered in a different section. Still, this is just a personal preference and in no way diminishes the outstanding quality of the book. The recipes are clearly labeled for Vata, Pitta or Kapha and substitutions are offered to amend the dishes for other doshas.

At the heart of Ayurveda rests the importance of developing a relationship with oneself. Eat, Taste, Heal serves as a clear and inspiring (not to mention tasty!) guide along the path of self discovery. The entire text hums softly with heartfelt gratitude and love. Could your entire life change with the purchase of just one book? With this one, it quite possibly could.

Namaste!

I'm glad so many people like this book. But I am not one of them.
I have followed Ayurvedic cooking for a few years and have reaped many healthy results from it (besides enjoying some of the most wonderful meals that I have ever experienced). Obviously, I came to this book with very positive expectations. I guess that I found two areas of the book that I did not like - the first part and the second part.
The first part sounded like a Western MD giving a very judgmental and negative-slanted presentation. It was all about what TO DO and what NOT TO DO. He crossed the line on allowing his readers to own their own thoughts. He also put much emphasis into the 'magic bullet' view of 'when this is wrong - do this' or 'to fix this symptom - do this'. To me, Ayurveda is more about cherishing one's Dosha (constitution) through food, thought, activity, etc in a whole life setting. When one looks to the symptoms, one looks (and gives power to) the negative expression of the body. The presentation of Ayurveda that I have been exposed to honors my intelligence and informs me that my life and health are my responsibilities. Gentle guidance then follows.
The second part of the book, the Recipes, is yet another presentation of Macrobiotic cooking. They ARE clean, healthy recipes. They just are not the rich, complex, exotic recipes that I have come to associate with Ayurvedic cooking. These recipes would actually make a good Macrobiotic Cookbook. People following these recipes would do very well for themselves and their health. That's just not what I intended to purchase.
I guess this book fills an important niche in presenting Ayurveda to a new audience. I was just looking for an Ayurvedic cookbook with wonderful recipes. If anyone out there is looking for this, then I would highly recommend Heaven's Banquet/Hospodar and Healing Cuisine/Johari. The latter is authentic and the former is a combination of authentic and adapted Western dishes. And when Ms Hospodar gives Ayurvedic instruction, it is like she is sprinking rose petals around you - enjoyable bits of information that invites you to select what you want to 'own'.
Eat right - digest well - live long - and enjoy.

Eat * Taste * Heal: An Ayurvedic Cookbook For Modern Living is a compendium of recipes and information that combines groundbreaking and seminal work within the field of holistic nutrition and healthy living. The collaborative effort of a medical doctor, a patient, and a professional chef, Eat * Taste * Heal is enhanced throughout with color photography, features an extensive background information (Ayurvedic Concepts in a Nutshell), a great deal of solidly practical instruction (Buying, Preparing & Storing Vibrant Food), then goes on to present the reader with "The ABC's Ambiance, Blessing & Consumption"; "The Rhythms of Nature"; and "Food as Medicine". From Stewed Apples with Dates and Cinnamon; Avocado Soup with Cucumber; Warm Almond Milk with Coconut & Mango; Braised Chicken with Cilantro Reduction Sauce; and Steamed Kale with Lemon and Dill Butter; to Cream of Beet Soup with Puy Lentils; Samosas with mango Chutney; Braised Bok Choy, Fennel & Tofu with Lemon & Coriander; Green Beans & Carrots with Fried Almonds, Chapati (Indian flat bread); and Chocolate Saveur with Coconut Creme, Eat * Taste * Heal will quickly prove a popular and appreciated addition to any household cookbook collection.

I felt compelled to write a review of this book because it has been such a great addition to my life.

A few months ago I had a severe health scare and needed to change my diet drastically. The problem I found with many of the alternative health cookbooks was either the recipes were too complex and required too much time investment or they were just depressingly tasteless and boring. An example being the recipes in 'Healing with Whole Foods', although I absolutely love the information in that book, none of the recipes appealed to me.

In Eat, Taste, Heal, I found a straight forward and easy guide to finding out which Dosha you are and how to adjust each recipe to meet that type. Then the recipes... the recipes are just fantastic. There are two sections; one for the on the go lifestyle which is great for my busy schedule and another with more detailed and complex dishes. These I have tried on special occasions. The breakfast recipes are great, I never liked oatmeal until I tried the recipe in this book and now I have it almost every day.

The first special occasion meal I made was with the vegetable korma dish and the Chickpeas and Chana Masala sauce. On a whim I added the recipe for chapati which I had never made before. Everyone was blown away at how good it all was, a couple of my guests who were exposed to some of the best traditional indian food in England actually said that it was just as good.

On top of all this, I have found a noticeable improvement in my digestion and overall health.

Needless to say, I highly recommend it.

Eat Taste Heal is an excellent and compelling introduction to Ayurvedic principles, and yet it is far more than that. A beautiful book, accessible and well-written, brilliantly organized, and full of delicious recipes and relevant insights for modern concerns. It has transformed our approach to and our interest in the food we eat. We have moved with relish from recipe to recipe, often returning to those dog-eared favorites. Each recipe can also be adapted to fit any dietary restriction. A satisfying accompaniment to any kitchen and a helpful resource to many lifestyle questions!
David Anderson and Ashley Mayne

I get the feeling that this book gives you a good start in regards to Ayurveda. This book has a lot of information and great recipes that are broken down into Vata, Pitta & Kapha. If you're looking at a recipe for Pitta and you're a Kapha, it tells you at the end of the recipe what you can substitute OR if you should avoid it. This book also gives you Dual-Dosha recommendations.

It's easy to read and the beginning gives you a good overview of what you should know. I tend to be easily overwhelmed by too much information when starting something new. This book doesn't have that effect on me. I also like pictures in my cookbooks. I like to know how it should look if I've not made it before. I'm starting off with this book knowing there's a lot more to get into if I want.

"Eat Taste Heal" is so much more then an ayurvedic cookbook.

1) It has the great recipes that it eludes, that are easy to follow and clearly marked for your costitution type.
2) Is also an actual book, helping you find and work with your unique constitution and specific ailments while unveiling the deep history and wisdom of the ayurvedic science.
3) Is a visual masterpiece... incredibly enticing to the eye.

Daniel Rhoda and company have created something very beautiful and delicious.

As an ayurvedic practitioner, I use this book constantly. I recommend it to my clients. The expertise and tone of this book make it especially valuable in teaching basic concepts. Even without the healing message, the recipes alone are worth the investment. This book does what other ayurvedic cookbooks don't quite do. The photographs are enticing, the message clear and the resources plenty.

This is the best ayurvedic cookbook we own, and we own a lot of them. The authors' knowledge of ayurvedic principles and diet is deep and deeply felt. It's a pleasure to see ayurveda communicated so well. Moreover, this is a beautiful book--gorgeous photos and a very high production value. A lot of time and care went into the writing and presentation of this book. Highly recommended.

If you want to learn about Ayurveda, this is an amazing book. The authors have found a way to explain complicated concepts in an easy way and there are many good examples. I highly recommend it if you are looking to learn more about Ayurveda in general. However, I've tried about 5 of the recipes and each one needed major modifications before it worked. I've never had a cookbook that had recipes that were so out of whack. I would move with caution with the recipes. Otherwise, I love the book.