The Best Yogic Recipes for April 2019

They say April showers bring May flowers, but they also bring out feelings of sluggishness and heaviness thanks to increased humidity in the air. So if you’ve been feeling a little puffy this month, never fear—ayurveda is here to save the day.

Bitter foods like fennel, chard, lettuce, and endive are great diuretics, helping your body let go of the excess water that’s slowing you down. A few other easy-to-find diuretic foods are corn, celery, kale, and collards. Astringent foods like chickpeas and other legumes are also helpful. Another way to help your body deal with the humidity is by eating foods that increase blood flow. Arugula, raw onions, garlic, chives, and spices will serve you well here.

We’ve rounded up a diverse variety of detoxifying vegan recipes that incorporate these ayurvedic principles to help you eat your way through spring feeling vibrant and healthy. Enjoy!

Mango, Wheat Berry, and Arugula Salad with Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing—This hearty, healthy salad recipe packs a powerful flavor punch thanks to the fun addition of mango chunks and its tasty cilantro lime dressing. Wheat berries, a yummy grain with lots of protein, fiber, and iron, are easy to cook and make this salad feel more like a main course than a side.

Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder—You might think of corn chowder as a cream-based and kind of boring soup, but this vegan recipe will change your mind. With a subtle kick from smoky roasted poblanos and lots of fresh corn, this might be your new favorite weeknight meal.

Instant Chana Masala with Basic Tomato Onion Sauce—Loaded with tomato, onion, spices, and astringent chickpeas, this chana masala is sure to keep you warm on cool, rainy spring days. Best of all, the author promises you can whip it up in less than 10 minutes!

Actually Delicious Green Detox Soup—Despite what its name might suggest, this soup is nothing like those boring cabbage diet soups of yore. Instead, it includes a flavorful combo of onion, garlic, fennel, and kale and comes together quickly with a hand mixer.

Crunchy Asian Slaw—In search of side dish ideas that won’t weigh you down? Try this slaw recipe! It includes purple cabbage, carrot, cucumber, and a wide variety of tasty seasonings, and would be easy to make in a large batch for the week ahead.

Red Lentil Soup with Cauliflower Rice—You can never go wrong with lentils. They’re nutrient dense, cheap, and cook up super quickly! Lentils are the basis of this hearty soup, but it’s thickened up by the addition of cauliflower rice. The author says the soup makes a solid meal on its own, but that some naan or pita on the side would be a nice addition.

Golden Milk Paste—Golden milk, a plant milk based drink with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper, has really become popular lately, and it’s no surprise why; it’s loaded with anti-inflammatory ingredients and tastes wonderful! This golden milk paste makes it super simple for you to whip up a mug of it whenever the mood strikes.