"Use food to fill the emptiness in your stomach, not your heart."

(Chopra, D., Simon, D., Backer, L. The Chopra Centre Cookbook, 2011).

Ayurveda offers a refreshing perspective on how food that tastes delicious is truly the most nutritious. Here are the 6 tastes to bring together in your meals to truly satisfy your tastebuds and your stomach:

Sweet: No, I'm not just talking about sugar here! This category covers carbohydrate foods such as rice, pasta, grains, starchy vegetables and sweet fruits but it also covers high fat and protein foods including red meat, fish, poultry, dairy, oils and nuts. All the foods that contribute to our body bulk.

Sour: foods that taste a bit acidic such as citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, fermented foods e.g. sauerkraut, good quality vinegar in small amounts, good quality yoghurt in small amounts.

Salty: quite self-explanatory but remember to use Himalayan or Celtic sea salt. Also seaweeds, fish, soy sauce, miso, preserved meats. Only needed in small amounts!

Pungent/Warm: Think hot (like chilli) or warming (like chai tea). Include chillies, hot peppers, black pepper, ginger, mustard, horseradish, garlic, onion family, mustard, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, oregano, basil, rosemary.

Bitter: Yellow and green vegetables of all types - spinach, silver beet, chard, kale, zucchini, broccoli, asparagus, green and yellow capsicum. Yes, greens are good for everything, just accept it :)

Astringent/Drying: Think tannins - that drying or puckering sensation in the mouth....red wine anyone? Green tea is also a good option and also lentils, beans and chickpeas, tart green apples, cranberries, pomegranates, persimmons, dried fruits, asparagus, cauliflower, turmeric.

Simple how to:

Breakfast - porridge oats (sweet) made with a sprinkle of himalayan salt or seaweed flakes (salty), berries (sour), cinnamon (pungent), cup of green tea (astringent). I've only missed bitter so I'll have some of my greens powder!

Lunch - minestrone soup contains all the tastes in one bowl - my kind of cooking! See attached recipe.

Dinner - fish baked with lemon juice, fresh parsley, salt and black pepper (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, pungent), steamed green vegetables - broccoli, green beans & spinach (bitter). Apple crumble made with green apples (astringent).

Hmmm...hubby's cooking tonight - do you think he's got it sorted?!