Chives animate the appetite and promote digestion, something really important during the Spring as our bodies prepare themselves for the heat of the Summer whilst trying to rid ourselves of the last of the Winter.

Amaranth is great as it’s extremely high in protein as well as being gluten-free. It has a nutty, smoky, quinoa-ish taste to it and a natural sweetness. It has that little crunch I’m always looking for, but is also soft and easy for the body to digest.

A nutty, smoky flavour and a grain which is easily digested, what’s not to love? There’s nothing freaky about freekeh!

Had a cold since Christmas? Cloves may show you some love where it’s most needed.

Put simply, when spinach travels through the digestive tract, it picks up things that have been hanging around there for a while causing a nusiance, and carries them with it, bulking up the stool but simultaneously making it easier to pass.

So simple, so beautiful, so GOOD FOR WOMEN!

As with most nuts, chestnuts are warming. They are also (as the name suggests!) sweet and extremely nourishing. This essentially means that they are a kind of tonic- they help to strengthen, build, rebuild and nourish the body. Our bodies are best at responding to tonics during the Winter months, and so once again we have another example of nature providing exactly what we need at exactly the right time of year.

I’d argue that it isn’t just the children who get a little bit weird when the wind whips up. We all do! Lots of talking, lots of fast walking, lots of forgetfulness, lots of hurrying, lots of wishing we were somewhere else. That’s where cooking root vegetables come in.

Personally, I love the whole romance and tradition around figs. The forbidden fruitness of them- the figleaves covering up naughty bits on statues, the fact that they feature in both the Bible and the Qu’ran. There is an air of sacredness around them that I just adore. They are said to be ‘good for men’ and ‘good for women’ in many traditions around the world, not just in Ayurveda…

A detoxifying, cleansing treat, great for the liver and blood as well as reducing gas, bloating and being deeply nourishing, these are FREE and available for a LIMITED PERIOD ONLY! Get blackberrying!

Easily hit ten of your ‘thirty a week’ (the new ‘5 a day) with this veggie and coconut white rice dish. Alternatively, use a wholegrain and tick yet another one off the plant food list!

Detoxifying yet nourishing, a stripper-awayer but a builder-upper. Fennel is great for this weird weather and change in the seasons. It’s also a secret crowd pleaser too!

Cleansing yet nourishing. It reduces the ‘heat’ of the Summer whilst grounding us in readiness for Autumn. What’s not to love?

Anjali mudra, prayer position, Namaste greeting, salutation to friends and the sun. Why is this so soothing, and why have so many of us stopped doing it?

Kitchari is a complete protein food- rice and pulses cooked together, making them easier to digest and more nourishing for all of the body’s tissues (dhatu). As a result, it’s the number one convalescent food in Ayurveda.

Moist but not too soupy, this particular basmati rice and split yellow mung bean kitchari is one of my go-tos, especially when the weather is windy, wet or cold, I’m feeling a bit anxious or flighty, or someone I love is coming down with something. It’s super easy to cook, and what’s more you only need one pot!

Porridge (or oatmeal as it’s known in some parts) is the perfect way to start the day once there’s a chill in the air. Tummy-warming, grounding, nourishing and filling, it can be changed up ever so slightly depending on your dosha, and keep you satisfied until lunch time.

Contrary to popular opinion, in Ayurveda an apple a day does not keep the doctor away. Instead, during this season of change, a bowl of stewed apple might just do the trick. Cooked apple has grounding, nourishing properties which- as previously discussed- are so important for us at this time of year.

Vata is the dominant dosha of changeable Autumn, and we already have enough background free-floating anxiety going on at the moment what with the cost of living crisis, energy bills, the death of the Queen, a new monarch, a new PM- you name it! So, try balancing yourself with more warming, sweet and grounding foods in order to remove excess Pitta and counteract rising Vata

Sattvic, satisfying, crunchy sunflower seeds are good for your blood, lymph system (immunity!) and are rich in good fats. They’re great for pregnant women but also just, well, anyone really! Especially those who have high Pitta or Vata.

During times of change, it’s even more important to eat seasonally, as nature provides what is necessary for us, and if we know our Ayurvedic constitution and imbalances, then it’s even easier for us to pick the right foods for ourselves.