Skip to main content

Ayurvedic Tips for Aging in our sunset years🌛

Gray hair and wrinkles can be a testimony of wisdom. But in a stressful world we often get caught up in equating our worth with productivity that could weigh on us post-retirement. Everyone, at every stage of life is a gift to the world.  That said, aging does bring preventable and costly health challenges that we need to face squarely, from heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity, arthritis, dry skin, falling hair, cognitive decline, stroke and cancer. There is also the possibility of depletion, loneliness and ageism. So, how can we look after ourselves better to ensure we are physically and mentally stronger as we age? Ayurveda is a holistic mind-body science which supports people through a comprehensive approach to live a healthier life right into their sunset years. It emphasizes that  aging  ( Jara ) is a natural process just like the seasons. It does acknowledge natural degenerative changes but recommends prevention, building resilience and an anti-aging regimen through its br

Homemade Tomato sauce

Tomato sauce

Having good quality tomato sauce at hand is a great way to top off a homecooked dinner. Many pasta dishes, casseroles, and other recipes require tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes. Using homemade tomato sauce for such dishes reduces the prep and cooking time without sacrificing the flavor. Whether you can or freeze the sauce, it's an easy way to preserve the season's tomato harvest for use throughout the year.

Choose any tomato to make this recipe. Paste tomatoes are preferred because they contain less water and fewer seeds. Roma, San Marzano, Amish, Opalka, and Polish Linguisa tomatoes are amazing for tomato sauce. Larger tomatoes like Jersey tomatoes (Jersey Giant and Jersey Devil) are good as well. No matter the tomato variety you choose, be sure they're ripe, firm, unblemished, and vibrant in color.

The recipe yields 1 quart, but you can double or triple it to make bigger batches.

Ingredients

  • 5 to 6 pounds tomatoes (ripe; washed)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 medium onion (chopped)
  • 1 to 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/2 teaspoon basil (dry)
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano (dry)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid; for canning)
  • Optional: 1/4 cup carrots (washed, peeled, grated)
  • Optional: 1/4 cup bell peppers (red; washed, finely chopped)
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon sugar (or 1 teaspoon baking soda)
  • Optional: Additional spices (dry rosemary, tarragon)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of cold water with ice.

  3. Using a paring knife, make an X-shaped superficial cut at the bottom of each tomato.

  4. Plunge the tomatoes into the boiling water for 2 minutes to loosen the skin. Place the tomatoes into the cold water bath to stop the cooking process.

  5. Place the blanched tomatoes in a colander to drain. Let them cool off at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.

  6. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skins by pulling the skin from the X mark you made at the bottom. Use a knife to help the process.

  7. Core the tomatoes and remove any undesired pieces. Slice each tomato in half. Scoop out the seeds to the best of your abilities. A few pieces of skin or seeds won't affect the result.

  8. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. If using the optional vegetables, add them when the onions are translucent and cook everything for an extra 5 minutes.

  9. Once the vegetable mixture is soft, add the tomatoes, sugar (or baking soda), and herbs to the pot. Bring everything to a boil.

  10. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently and scraping the sides until the sauce reaches the desired consistency, about 2 to 3 hours. If your raw tomatoes were juicy, the process can take longer.

  11. Freeze or can the sauce, or place some in the refrigerator to use within 5 days.

  12. Serve in your favorite recipes and enjoy!

  13. Get Korea Glass Container Kimchi Jar from Aliexpress

Freeze the Sauce

Let the sauce cool completely, then pour into freezer containers, bags, or jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace to allow for expansion. To make using it easier, divide the sauce into the average serving size you'll need for recipes, such as 1 or 2 cups per container. Date and label the containers and place them in the freezer.

Get Reusable Freezer Organizer Bag from Aliexpress

Can the Sauce

If you're canning the sauce, mix in the lemon juice (or citric acid) before transferring it to the jars. By changing the pH of the sauce, you are preventing the growth of harmful bacteria.

  1. Turn on the canning kettle and sterilize the jars.

  2. While it's still hot, pour the sauce into the jars using a clean spatula or a plastic funnel, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace space at the top of the jar.

  3. Screw on the lids and place the jars in a canning rack. Add enough water to cover the jars by one inch. Process the jars in boiling water for 35 to 40 minutes, keeping an eye on the water level and adding more if needed.

  4. Remove the jars from the canning kettle and let cool at room temperature. Label them with the date and store in a dark and cool place.

  5. Enjoy!

Tips

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

11 Calming Herbs to keep your Mind Balanced 💆

          Life is hard. Every day it seems like a new challenge appears to test your patience. You may not realize that chronic stress can also lead to long-term health complications. Living in a constant state of fight-or-flight tells your body to produce too much cortisol which can lead to weight gain, diabetes, mood swings, fatigue, and many other conditions. ( 1 ) While it’s important to take steps to manage stress, certain calming herbs can help strengthen your body’s stress response. Adaptogens are some of the best calming herbs because studies show they might make your body and mind more resilient to external stress. Keep in mind that adaptogens don’t work like prescription drugs for anxiety in that they kick in instantly. Instead, they need a few weeks to build up in your system before you notice the effects. When you need something in a pinch, however, other herbs and  essential oils  – like lavender oil – can ease symptoms almost instantly. 1.  LEMON BALM Lemon balm , also kn

Natural Home Remedies For Minor Burns 🔥

Natural Home remedies for Burns The use of natural remedies given below can be highly effective in managing such minor burns. These remedies are aimed at promoting healing of the damaged skin tissues and minimizing pain. Raw Potato Raw potato can be used to treat minor skin burns. It possesses soothing properties, which help in providing relief from the burning sensation caused by burns. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and reduces redness and inflammation of the skin. It can also reduce the chances of having blisters. Research has proved the beneficial effect of raw potato in the management of minor burns. The histological examination of the burnt area and clinical studies made on the comparable burn wounds treated with either peel of boiled potato affixed to gauze bandages or just gauze dressings showed that the patients treated with raw potato had a faster rate of recovery from the symptoms. It was found that the usage of the potato peel dressing eliminated or reduced desi

Spring Detox Smoothie

When spring arrives, I can't help but think about cleaning up my eating habits. After all, spring detox is a thing (along with spring cleaning, which technically is a detox for your home). That's why I’m sharing with you a smoothie packed with nutrients your body will love. Drink it in the morning and you'll give your body a much-needed boost of energy to get you through the day. Ingredient Breakdown: Why Each One Matters  Before I get to the actual recipe, I'd like to shine the spotlight on each individual ingredient used in this smoothie. You'll quickly see why this is a great spring detox smoothie worth drinking. Green Tea Not only is  green tea tasty to drink on its own, but it's also full of health benefits. It's high in antioxidants and contains a large amount of catechins, polyphenolic compounds that are thought to exert numerous protective effects, especially for your heart. Green tea is great for your cardiovascular system and