The Shakti School

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Food

Heart-Opening Winter Elixir

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The holidays can be a season of both feelings of connection and grief. We’ve created this special Shakti School heart opening elixir featuring skullcap, damiana and rose to get you through the waves of beauty, bliss, and pain.⁣
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🌹 Skullcap: Think soothing, stress relief, and relaxation - this nervine is an emotional balance supporter and restores the functioning of the nervous system.⁣
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🌹 Damiana: This aphrodisiac helper pairs well with skullcap for relaxation while also giving a little boost to mood and digestion.⁣
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🌹 Rose: Associated with the heart chakra, rose is said to help heal a broken heart and enhance feelings of self-love and emotional balance.⁣
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Here’s how to make it:⁣

~ 1/4 cup dried skullcap⁣
~ ¼ cup dried damiana⁣
~ 1/4 cup dried rose petal⁣
~ A few cinnamon sticks⁣
~ 1 T gently crushed cardamom pods⁣
~ 1 T gently crushed star anise⁣
~ 1 T gently crushed cloves⁣
~ an orange peel⁣
~ 1/2 c honey⁣
~ Brandy to cover ⁣
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Add all ingredients to a mason jar. Cover completely with brandy (push down everything in the jar so that it’s below the liquid). Place a piece of parchment paper between the lid and the jar to prevent any transfer from the lid or vice versa. Shake daily, storing in a cool place for about a month.⁣
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Enjoy in small servings as a healing tonic for your heart ❤️

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Ojas-Building “Hot Shake”

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We have to clue you in on one of our ultimate Ojas-building aphrodisiac tonics!
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Ojas is our core immunity- our bodies’ ability to renew itself. In the body, it’s related to our reproductive, hormones, and cerebrospinal fluid. ⁣
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It’s also your psychophysical shield, helping us ward off stress and disease (both physically and emotionally). ⁣
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Having strong ojas isn’t just about building it up, it’s also about not losing it. What (and WHO) we pour our creative energy into (if you know what I mean 😉😉) can deplete our ojas especially if we’re not being intentional. ⁣
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But, when we make love with an attitude of complete surrender, and without fear or reservation, Ayurveda says that it can actually BOOST our sense of trust which in turn builds health. ⁣
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Aphrodisiacs can help turn up our passion-pleasure-zest. What we consume also helps build our emotional-physical-resiliency, aka our ojas. That’s where this ojas-boosting love tonic comes in. ⁣
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This warm, spicy-sweet milk is amazing for building ojas, and when combined with these virility-boosting super herbs, it gives our inner lover just the boost we need. Make it for you and your lover before or after your holy lovemaking sesh (or for yourself!)

 

Ojas-Building Hot Shake Ingredients:

Ojas-Building Hot Shake Directions:

  • If you wish, soak the almonds and dates overnight, then drain. (This makes them more digestible, but is not required.)
  • In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a low boil. Add the herbs and spice and whisk.
  • Pour the milk mixture into a blender, add the almonds and dates, and blend on high for 30-60 seconds, until completely smooth.
  • Enjoy with your lover (or inner lover 😉)
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Carrot & Winter Squash Chutney Recipe

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Ingredients: 

  • 1 small delicata squash or any other winter squash (acorn or butternut would work well), seeds removed and chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1/2 cup roasted and unsalted almonds
  • 1 small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
  • 1/4 teaspoon ajwain
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon mustard seed
  • Water
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large pan, add the cumin seeds and roast them for a minute or until they become fragrant. Remove and set aside.
  2. In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon of ghee over medium heat and add chopped squash and carrots. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and cook 25 minutes, or until softened all the way through. Stir occasionally and add water as needed to keep from sticking to the pan.
  3. In a food processor, combine the roasted almonds, ginger, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of water. Blend until you have a coarse paste.
  4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil or ghee, ¼ cup of water and all the spices (asafoetida, black pepper, ajwain, coriander, fennel, mustard seed and turmeric) to the mixture. Once the carrots and squash are softened, remove from the pan and add to the food processor.
  5. Blend again until everything is well combined. You can adjust the consistency by adding a little water as needed.
  6. Taste the chutney and adjust the salt and seasonings according to your preference. Keep in mind that Ayurveda recommends reducing salt for Vata balancing, so be moderate.
  7. Heat a small amount of ghee in a small pan. Add the roasted cumin seeds to the ghee and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Pour this over the chutney and mix well.
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Pumpkin Blow-Ya’ Mind Smoothie (it’s hot!)

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I love a hot fall smoothie. It has both deeply nourishing elements, and some reducing spices to counteract the heaviness. 

This is my go-to. So easy. So good for the time of the season!

Ingredients:

- 1 cup canned organic pumpkin puree

- 1 cup almond milk (or any milk of your choice)

- 2-3 fresh organic figs, chopped (dried if you can’t find fresh)

- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (adjust to taste)

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

- A pinch of Himalayan rock salt

- Whipped coconut cream (optional, for garnish)

- Chopped dried figs and a sprinkle of pecans and cinnamon (for garnish)

 

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Figs: If using dried, start by chopping the dried figs into small pieces. You can use kitchen scissors or a sharp knife.
  2. Heat the Almond Milk: Pour the almond milk into a saucepan and heat it over low-medium heat. Heat until almost boiling.
  3. Blend the Ingredients: In a blender, combine the canned pumpkin puree, hot almond milk, figs, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves, and a pinch of salt.
  4. Blend Until Smooth: Blend the mixture until everything is well combined and the smoothie is creamy. Be careful, its hot! I place a towel over the lid for extra safety. 
  5. Serve: Pour the hot pumpkin smoothie into mugs or cups. If desired, top each serving with a dollop of whipped coconut cream, chopped figs, and a sprinkle of cinnamon for added flavor and presentation.
  6. Enjoy: Serve your hot pumpkin smoothie immediately while it's still warm and enjoy the cozy fall flavors!

Feel free to adjust the sweetness by adding more or less maple syrup according to your taste preferences. This hot pumpkin smoothie with fall spices and figs is perfect for warming up on a crisp autumn day or as a comforting treat by the fireplace.

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Ayurveda-Inspired Pumpkin Spice Latte

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In deep reverence for our Crone Mama Fall, I am bowing before the altar of all things spicy, warm, orange, yellow and brown. (South hemisphere ladies, we see you in your bikinis!)

I am also owning the heck out of my basic self =  1. Yoga pants, 2. Furry Boots and 3. Pumpkin Spice

And so, our new team member, Eva, over here at Team Shakti has come up with this RIDICULOUSLY yummy, Ayurveda-inspired Pumpkin Spice Latte. We are currently *running* to go make this! With warming ginger, black pepper and nutmeg to help kindle your agni plus some grounding pumpkin and Ashwagandha - WHAT more could the vata in each of us need!? 😉☕🍁

Ayurveda-Inspired Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ingredients:

Optional: 1/2 tsp ashwagandha powder, 1 date (pitted or soaked) or 1/2 tsp of maple syrup to sweeten

Instructions: 

  1. Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.
  2. In a small pot, simmer over low heat until warm.
  3. Serve and enjoy!

Modification for Each Dosha:

  • Vata - This recipe is perfect "as-is" for keeping Vata in balance.
  • Pitta - Reduce the heat by removing or reducing the amount of ginger, black pepper, or turmeric.
  • Kapha - Substitute 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 cup water, use just 1 tablespoon pumpkin purée, and/or don't add the sweetener.

We hope you enjoy this delish recipe!

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Katie’s Ayurveda-Inspired Gatorade

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Ingredients:

  • 5 limes
  • 1 tbsp Manuka honey (this one is bangin’)
  • ½ tsp black or Himalayan pink salt
  • ¼ tsp fennel powder
  • 1/4 tsp licorice powder
  • 3 cups water
  • Ice Cubes (this is an Ayurveda NO-NO, so if you wanna’ be a purist, leave this one out, but I'm gonna’ be honest - in the dead of muggy Virginia summer, this girl breaks the no-ice rules)
  • Mint leaves
  • 2 Tbs. hibiscus flowers (dried)

Instructions:

  1. Steep the hibiscus flowers in boiling water for 20 minutes in 2 cups of water. Strain and let cool.
  2. Squeeze the lime juice into a bowl.
  3. In a Mason jar or carafe, add the lime juice, hibiscus tea, honey, salt, licorice, fennel, ice cubes (if you’re naughty) and additional water.
  4. Mix or shake.
  5. Add more honey or spices as per your taste.
  6. Garnish with the mint.
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Subtly Sweet Harvest Muffins

~sweeter foods are a reminder of the sweetness of life~
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Craving more sweets this fall? A vata-pacifying diet actually calls for more sweet (madhura) taste. Beyond being comforting, soul-hugging and grounding, the sweet taste pacifies vata, invigorates the mind, strengthens the immune system, nourishes body tissues and enhances the ojas. Satisfy your sweet taste with these yummy fall muffins crafted from whole grains, a good dose of vata-pacifying spices and some orchard-fresh apples! 

Gluten-free Buckwheat Muffins with Apples & Walnuts

Dry ingredients: ½ cup crushed walnuts; 1 cup almond flour; ½ cup buckwheat flour; ⅓ cup ground flax seed; 1 tsp each powdered ginger, cinnamon & salt;  ¼ tsp each nutmeg, cardamom & allspice; ½ tsp each of baking powder & baking soda

Wet ingredients: ½ cup coconut oil, ½ cup maple syrup, 3 eggs, ⅓ cup non-dairy yogurt, ¼ cup nut milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 finely diced apples (medium-sized)

Instructions: Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients, including apples. Add wet to dry and mix well. Spoon mixture into greased muffin tin and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Pair a freshly baked muffin with a nourishing cup of Golden Yogini Milk or another Shakti-infused recipe.

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