Hot, sharp, and intense. These are the most dominant qualities of the summer season according to Ayurveda, one of the oldest healing systems in the world. This summer is no different, and depending on where you live, you may have already seen record breaking temperatures this year. Depending on your constitution (dosha in Sanskrit) you may be loving the heat or trying to escape it.
Ayurveda encourages us to live in harmony with the cycles of nature and seek balance with it. Just as eating warming and heavier foods in winter can be beneficial, eating lighter and more cooling foods in summer helps us create a greater personal harmony, which radiates through our lives and beyond.
Some of the best cooling foods grow in abundance during the summer months. Fruits, melons, cucumbers, leafy greens, and fresh herbs to name a few. According to both Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, meats are more heating while legumes and grains, such as rice, are more cooling. Fresh dairy, coconut, and avocado are also recommended as well as plenty of water and hydrating liquids. Food and drinks that are heating and dehydrating should be avoided such as alcohol, caffeine, and spicy, heavy foods. Summer is the time to savor the sweet, bitter, and astringent flavors which are found in the fresh vegetables and fruits of the season.
Heat is one of the most intense experiences humans have, and it hits everyone a little differently. If you are seeking some ways to stay cooler and calm your mind and heart this summer, give these recipes a try.
Plum Galette with Basil Whipped Cream
Galettes are a fun and easy way to showcase seasonal fruits any time of year. This recipe uses plums but most fruits work well. It can be served hot with ice cream or room temperature with a light whipped cream. Making fun and creative whipped creams is kind of my thing, it is an easy and fun way to level up any desert. And who doesn’t love whipped cream?!? By the way, there are coconut based whipped creams available in most big health food stores for a dairy free option.
Ingredients for dough
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup of ice water, very cold
Ingredients for filling
- ¼ cup raw sugar or brown sugar
- 2 ½ pounds of plums, halved, pitted and sliced thin
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
Ingredients for whipped cream
- 1 pint whipping cream, cold
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
- ¼ cup raw sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
- Using a food processor, mix the salt and flour together. Then add the butter pieces, processing until the mixture forms small crumbles. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix the dough, the butter pieces should still be visible.
- Remove the dough from the processor and form a ball. On a floured surface, roll the ball into a 16-18’’ circle about an ⅛ of an inch in thickness. Transfer the dough to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- While the dough is chilling, mix the plum slices, sugar, and spices in a large bowl. Set aside while you make the whipped cream.
- Place the whipping cream in a medium sized mixing bowl with tall sides to contain the cream. Either whisk by hand, or use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed. Depending on the temperature of the cream, it can take anywhere from 5-10 minutes of whisking for the cream to begin to thicken.
- At this point, add the sugar, vanilla, and basil. Continue whisking until the cream becomes thicker but not firm. If you are using an electric mixer, whisk at a medium speed. The difference between whipped cream and sweet butter is really only seconds. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Arrange the sugared, spiced plum slices in circles or whatever shape you like over the round dough surface, leaving at least 2 inches of dough around the edges. Fold the edges of the dough over the outer edge of plums, and sprinkle the edges with a little extra sugar.
- Bake the galette in the center of the oven for about an hour until the edges are golden and the fruit is soft. Let the galette cool before serving with whipped cream.
