Breakfast:

Super Easy Tridoshic Rice Cereal: This simple meal can be made to suit all doshas and seasons. Plus it’s gluten-free (and dairy-free if you use a milk-sub).

Directions: In a clean coffee grinder, grind 3 tablespoons of white basmati or sushi rice until fine. Place in a small saucepan, cover with cold water (at least an inch). You many need to add more if it seems too thick. Heat and stir frequently (to avoid lumping). Add in dried fruits like raisins, currants, goji berries, etc. Add in digestive spices like cardamom, fresh ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric. Add 1-2 teaspoons of ground flax seed and a teaspoon of maca powder. Once smooth and completely cooked (~10 minutes +/-), spoon into bowl. Add a tablespoon or two of toppings like hemp, sunflower, or pumpkin seeds and a teaspoon of ghee or coconut oil. Finish with the milk of your choice -organic, low-heat pasteurized cow/goat milk, or a vegetarian substitute like almond, sunflower, coconut etc. Enjoy!

Pitta: Use ghee or coconut oil, more turmeric (or even some fennel). Use almond, coconut or sunflower milk.

Kapha: Use a nut/seed milk instead of dairy. Reduce or delete the ghee/coconut oil. Reduce the amounts of dried fruit and seeds. Increase digestive spices, especially ginger. Add a teaspoon of raw honey (after adding the milk sub).

Homemade Nut/Seed Milk (aka “mylk”):

Nut/seed milks are a great way to get the milk function satisfied without using dairy. While organic, non-homogenized, full-fat, low-heat/vat pasteurized milk is perfectly acceptable in Ayurveda and is actually considered a “Sattvic” food, there may be situations where nut milks will be preferable -such as for those who are dairy intolerant, those with high Kapha or when high quality dairy milk is unavailable. Here is a link to YumUniverse’s exhaustive nut/seed milk How-To. Common sense caution: Do not use nut/seed milks as infant formula. (photo credit: The Local Rose).

Ojas Building Bedtime Drink (one serving)

• 1 cup of full fat, non-homogenized organic milk or almond milk (w/out carrageenan)
• 10 almonds, soaked overnight, peeled and chopped (you can also do a quick soak for 10 minutes in hot water)
• 2 whole dates, chopped (if you are avoiding sweets, you can delete the dates)
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered cardamom
• Optional: Pinch of saffron threads
• Optional: ½ – 1 teaspoon of ashwagandha root powder

Place all ingredients (except saffron) in a saucepan. Bring to a low boil. If you like, use a standing blender or immersion blender to blend the mixture to a creamy consistency. Pour in a mug and add a pinch of saffron. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: these recipes are not intended to diagnose or treat any health condition. Consult your healthcare practitioner and use at your own risk. They are intended for use by Vivian Linden’s clients who have been assessed in her practice.