Food - Sattvic food

Food - Sattvic food

August 2024

Though its difficult to  imagine our cuisine with out staples like onion  and garlic it is possible  to make delectable foods without them if we want  to increase the saatvic  quotient in our lives, says  Naini Setalvad 

Why do we eat what we eat? – Very often  I am asked this question. Mostly we  eat to satiate our hunger, but this  habit is also accompanied with other goals such  as reaching a specific health target, maintaining  one’s fitness, preventing diseases and for some  – satisfying an inner craving. But food not only  plays a role on our outer appearance but on our  inner being as well.  

The Saatvic diet, rooted in ayurvedic principles,  promotes physical, mental, and spiritual well-be ing by focusing on natural, wholesome foods that  enhance vitality, clarity, and tranquillity. This di etary practice categorises foods into three types:  Saatvic (pure), Rajasic (stimulating), and Tamasic  (dulling). This diet prioritises fresh, seasonal,  and organic foods, that are believed to foster pu rity and balance in the body and mind.  

An integral part of the diet in the exclusion of  pungent foods like onion and garlic.  

While these ingredients are staples in many cu linary traditions for their flavour, they are clas sified as Rajasic and Tamasic in ayurveda.  

•Onion: Considered a Rajasic ingredient, onions  are believed to increase heat and stimulate the  senses, leading to restlessness and aggression.  This stimulation can disrupt mental calmness  and clarity. 

•Garlic: Classified as Tamasic, garlic is consid ered to dull the mind and promote lethargy.  

While the exclusion of pungent foods like on ions and garlic may seem restrictive, it aligns  with the broader goal of achieving balance and  clarity in all aspects of life. This diet is more  than just a way of eating; it’s a lifestyle choice  that promotes harmony between body, mind,  and spirit. By emphasising purity, simplicity,  and mindfulness, this offers a path to holistic  wellness and inner peace. 

Buckwheat Pancake  Ingredients  

• 1 cup buckwheat flour • 1 cup coconut milk  • 1/2 lemon  

• 1/4 cup maple syrup • 1 tbsp baking powder • 2 tbsp ground flaxseed • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1/4 tsp sea salt 

RECIPES 

Quesadilla  

Ingredients 

• 8 wheat wraps/ rotis  

• 100 gm red kidney beans, soaked for 6-8 hrs • 150 gm red capsicum, finely chopped 

• 150 gm yellow capsicum, finely chopped • 100 gm green capsicum, finely chopped 

• 100 gm cottage cheese, grated 

• 1 tsp red Tabasco  

• ½ tsp oil 

• 1 tbsp coconut oil (for coating the pan)  

Method: 

1. Mix together coconut milk and lemon juice in  a measuring cup and set aside. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk together buckwheat  flour, baking powder, flaxseed, and sea salt. 3. Pour coconut milk mixture, maple syrup, and  

vanilla extract into flour mixture and whisk  until completely mixed. 

4. Preheat a large skillet with coconut oil and  wait two minutes for the oil to completely  heat. Reduce to medium heat. 

5. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter onto the pan in a  round circle. Cook for 1-2 minutes. 

6. Flip and let cook for 30 seconds-1 minutes. 7. Plate and repeat for the remaining batter. 8. Serve with favourite toppings and enjoy! 

42 LifePositive | AUGUST 2024

• Salt to taste 

Method for the filling: 

1. Cook beans well in a pressure cooker (approx imately for 15 to 20 minutes).  

2. Pour oil in a kadai (wok). Heat it on slow flame. 3. Add finely chopped red, yellow, green capsicum.  Cook for 2 minutes. 

4. Add boiled rajma to the capsicum and cook for 2  minutes. 

5. Add grated paneer, red Tabasco and salt 6. Mix well and keep aside. 

Method for Quesadilla 

1. Spread the filling across one wrap 

2. Place a second wrap over it (like a sandwich) to  make a quesadilla 

3. Roast the quesadilla in ½ tsp oil on in a tava (pan)  on a medium flame till golden brown. 

4. Cut it onto 4 quarters and serve hot. 

Peanut Sauce Rice 

Ingredients  

• 150 gm rice, raw 

• 50 gm green capsicum cut in long strips • 50 gm red capsicum cut in long strips • 50 gm yellow capsicum cut in long strips • 100 gm cucumber cut in long strips • ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil 

• Salt to taste 

Ingredients for Peanut Sauce: 

• 5 tbsp peanut butter 

• 4 tbsp water 

• ¾ tsp red chilli flakes 

• ½ tsp red chilli powder 

• 1 tbsp jaggery  

Method for peanut sauce 

1. Add water, chilli flakes and red chilli pow der to the peanut butter. 

2. Add jaggery to this mixture and mix well. 3. Put this mixture in a kadai (wok) and cook it  on a high flame.  

4. Take it off the flame once it becomes like a  thick paste. 

Method 

1. Cook the rice, put it in a bowl and set aside. 2. Pour oil in a kadai  

3. Sauté the red capsicum, yellow capsicum,  green capsicum and cucumber in this kadai  (wok). 

4. Add the cooked vegetables to a bowl of rice. 5. Also add salt and peanut sauce to the rice,  mix well. 

Stewed Apple-Pear  

Ingredients 

• 1 cup apples diced 

• 1 cup pears diced 

• 1 tbsp honey 

• 1 tbsp lemon juice 

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

• 1/4 cup water 

Method 

1. Peel and core apples and pears. Cut them  into small chunks and add them to a small  saucepan. 

2. Add lemon juice, water, honey, and cinna mon. Combine everything thoroughly. 3. Add a lid to the saucepan and bring  everything to a simmer on medium temper ature on the stove. Reduce to low and let the  apples and pears stew for about 20 minutes or  until the fruit is tender. Stir occasionally to  prevent them from sticking to the bottom. 4. Once the fruit softened, remove the saucepan  from the stove. Let it cool slightly and enjoy! 

Whether you are seeking to improve your  health, enhance your spiritual practice, or sim ply find a greater sense of well-being, exclusion  of pungent foods in a diet provides a timeless  and holistic approach to nourishment.

Naini Setalvad is a nutritionist, specialising in lifestyle and immunity disorders. Her foundation, Health For You, throws light on  healthy food habits. Contact her at healthforyou@nainisetalvad.com