One of my favorite desserts is kheer (rice pudding). Traditionally this is basmati rice cooked in cows milk with nuts and raisins. Yet cooking cows milk renders it more difficult to digest for many challenging Agni (digestive fire in the belly). It is becoming increasingly more difficult to find a harm free, sattvic (pure) source of milk. Milk as we know it to be a source of ojas ( nurturing for the immune system) if it used to come from humanely treated cows in India is not available in the west and for that reason many choose to go vegan.

The recipe below is my version of kheer. It is much lighter to digest and a must in the diet of a pregnant woman, for a mother during the first 40 days after birth giving, weak people, those recovering and seeking nurturing and for those with vata aggravation ( wind element) and/or pitta aggravation (fire element). Those with kapha constitution should take only a small portion of this sumptuous dessert. 
You may adapt the recipe to make it most suitable for vata pacifying by using creamy dates in the recipe and use jaggery or raw honey ( is heating)  as a sweetener and stick with cashews or pistachio nuts as they are softer and more easy to digest. When using dried fruits always soak them
For pitta pacifying use pomegranate or soak dried cranberries, apricots, figs, raisins for 24 hours and sweeten with maple sirop or coconut sugar, bot excellent options to pacify pitta. Use small amounts of soaked almonds or brazil nuts ( very good for the adrenals). Remove the skin, as this aggravates pitta.

Recipe is for 4 persons | all ingredients are organic

Wash and soak 1 cup of Dehradun Basmati rice for 30 minutes
3 cups of filtered water to cook the rice in
9 cardamom pods, grounded, keep the pods
Soak 1/4 cup almonds, brazil nuts. Pistachio and cashew don't require soaking.
Soak 5 threads of saffron in 2 tbs rose water for 30 minutes
Soak 1/2 cup of any of dried raisins, apricots, figs, cranberries overnight. Chop in small pieces.
2 cups of almond coconut milk
2 tbs coconut cream
Sweetener options : 1-2 tbs coconut sugar, raw honey, maple sirop, jaggery

Cook the rice till soft and moist with the cardamom pods. Keep the grounded seeds aside to add on after the cooking process. Once the rice has absorbed all liquid and is soft, creamy and moist,  add the coconut/almond milk, coconut cream, saffron/rosewater, grounded cardamom and sweetener to taste. Stir well and let the flavors sit and settle for about 30 minutes. Serve warm ( for vata) or at room temperate ( for pitta )

I just returned from Maui and am so inspired to share healthy summer foods that are easy to make and support a vegetarian & vegan life style. This nut milk is so easy to make. It only takes about 10 minutes and you can keep the milk for 3-4 days when kept in the refrigerator. Sip slowly to create saliva in the mouth which helps digesting the milk more easily. 
Aloha Chinnamasta

Soak 1 cup of pumpkin seeds for a minimum of 8 hours
Rinse and put in the blender
Add 3 cups of filtered water
1 pinch of salt
​1 tbs raw coconut oil
1 tbs raw hazelnut Jem organics nut butter
2 tbs raw chocolate nibs
1 thumb of fresh ginger root
1/2 thumb of fresh turmeric root
A pinch vanilla bean either scraped directly from the bean or submit with 1/4 tsp vanille essence
1 tbs agave 
 Blend well, and squeeze the nut milk through a mesh.

Copyright Shivashaktiloka

This is so good and so easy to make. Warm right out of the oven, or cold accompanied with a salad during a summer picnic. All ingredients are organic and local.

Ingredients:
1 tbs super turmeric ghee from Pure Indian Foods
1 tsp fenegreek seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp red pepper corns
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt/pepper to taste
1 medium size zuchinni, diced
1 small delicata squash
3 stalks of cellery
1 spring onion
1 red potato, diced
​4 eggs - I get mine organic from the local farmer of Petaluma
2 tbs shredded Pecorino Romano
1 pastry sheet 9" - I get mine from Leadbetter's all natural organic French picnic pastry sheets

Peel the wax off the pastry circle while it's still frozen. Thaw for apprx. 10 minutes. Pastry should be cool but pliable. If too soft, put in the refrigerator 3-5 minutes. 
Place the crust in a pan or tart tin. Press the dough firmly into the sides and bottom of the French tar tin. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Put 1 tbs of the super turmeric ghee in a pan ( ideal for baking is a creuset) let it melt on high fire, add the fennel, fenegreek and red pepper corns, toss around till flavors of the spices are being released and the fenegreek starts coloring light brown. Than add the garlic, toss. Once brown add the vegetables, heat & toss well, add 2-3 tbs water, simmer, put the lid on the pan and let it cook for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile break the eggs in a bowl, whisk them, set aside. 
Test with a fork if the vegetables are soft, they should still have a crunch to them. Spoon all vegetables in the tar tin, make sure that any liquid at the bottom is not going into the tar tin as it will become soft and not result in a crispy pastry. Pour the egg batter over the vegetables, sprinkle the shredded cheese and place in the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees
Than bake for another 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees
If you wish you can add on salt/pepper to the egg batter to intensify the flavor, but for those who have  a sensitive pallet there is no need for extra seasoning.

The ghee in this recipe will help to ignite your digestive fire ( agni) and digest this dish easily. Main rule in the Ayurveda is that you only eat freshly cooked local foods. Foods older than 3 hours are considered stale, they loose prana and  contain micro bacteria that  compromise the gut function and are the precursor to disease. If you must reheat or eat the dish later than use fresh herbs to increase the prana of the dish.
Bon appetit!
Copyright: Chinnamasta Stiles, ShivaShaktiLoka

Once you slow down and pause you are able to perceive what is needed. 
It is a crucial self nurturing daily ritual that needs to be practiced when the deep longing to elevate your consciousness is awakened.
Longing to be awake reveals the deep longing to be free. To fly, free like a bird, free from suffering. 

Slowing down is the first step in aligning yourself with the truth. In the classical text of Sri Patanjali, the sage and Godfather of Yoga, this is called self-study or svadhyaya.
It serves you in observing the vibration of the truth nadi. The truth nadi is a subtle channel revealing wisdom teachings from the Source. 

Living the truth diminishes your life stress and increases your prana (energy). Gently and slowly.  

Life is daily giving us the choice to avoid truth or to sit with the truth.

Even if the truth is uncomfortable.

There will be a moment in your life were you can no longer avoid the truth. The more intense the symptoms of suffering, the deeper the longing to be free from the suffering. Suffering is the fuel to be burnt in the light of wisdom. 

The Sanskrit word sattva means truth. It is the highest life path according to the philosophy of Yoga and Ayurveda. Darshan (vision) of truth reveals those things in your life that cause dis-ease. 

To be free from suffering, open up the gate to truth.
​Slowly, gently. 

"The practical means for attaining higher consciousness consists of three components: self-discipline and purification, self-study, and devotion to the Lord."
Yoga Sutra's of Patanjali II,1 as rendered by Mukunda Stiles.


© Chinnamasta Stiles
www.yogatherapycenter.org

Artwork: Meganne Forbes http://meganneforbes.com
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