Just as how exercising without a healthy diet is incomplete, so is practicing yoga without a sattvic diet. Sattvic arises from the word ‘Sattva’ which is one of the three Gunas (can be translated as qualities). Sattva holds qualities such as goodness and harmony while the other two: Rajas – attributes to activity and passion, Tamas – attributes to inactivity and ignorance. So, if you are on a search for calmness and balance to augment the practice of yoga, bringing out the sattva qualities is vital.
What is a Sattvic diet?
Sattvic diet is a plant-based diet which does not include meat from any origin. Here is what you can have
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Beans and lentils
- Cereals and pulses
- Whole grains/ sprouted grains
- Nuts and seeds/ sprouted seeds
- Dairy products like milk, ghee, cheese
- Sweet foods like honey and molasses
- Herbal teas
- Spices such as ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, basil
All the above-mentioned foods are nourishing and are easily digested by the body. They do not agitate the body in any way, leaving you feeling light and peaceful. Hence a sattvic diet along with yoga will help you cultivate sattva in your life and bring forth qualities such as goodness, harmony, balance, peace, and happiness.
Now that we have shed some light on sattva and sattvic diets, here is a recipe to help you get started off.
Whey Protein Crepes
Sweet Crepes
- 1/2 cup milk
- ¾ cup of water
- 1 ounce of ghee
- 1 cup of whey protein, unadulterated
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Savory Crepes
- 1/2 cup milk
- ¾ cup of water
- 1 ounce of ghee
- 1 cup whey protein, unadulterated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch black pepper
How to prepare?
- Drop in the whey protein, milk, ghee, water, brown sugar, and cinnamon (for sweet crepes) to a blender.
- Blend till it forms a runny mixture with bubbles on the top. (if it is not runny enough, add water to get the desired consistency)
- Heat up a nonstick pan over medium flame and lightly brush the pan with ghee. Add ¼ cup of the batter, and move the pan in a circular motion to cover the surface of the pan.
- Cook for two minutes till the underside of the crepe is golden, using a spatula gently flip the crepe and cook for another minute.
Fill it up
- For a sweet crepe: Place sliced bananas or strawberries in the middle of the crepe and roll them up. Drizzle some honey over the crepes and enjoy.
- For a savory crepe: Add a layer of mozzarella or parmesan cheese on the crepe. Place freshly sliced tomatoes and chopped basil in the middle and roll them up. Warm the filled crepes to slightly melt the cheese and enjoy.
Nutrition breakdown
Whey protein is easily digested by the body producing amino acids that help in building body mass. If you have a predominant Vata dosha, make sure you drink lots of fluids as whey protein can be drying. Ghee is clarified butter with traces of vitamin A, D, E, and K, that supports healthy digestion.
