Beauty Foods: Refreshing Vegan Almond-Laced Floral Lassi

In typical Montreal fashion, we always experience a sudden wave of intense heat in May hinting at the fast approaching Pitta (summer) season most of us have been impatiently waiting for. We observe the increasingly crowded restaurant terrasses, the growing lines at ice cream and juice bars shops as well as the abundance of fresh produce in our beautiful local markets.

We also feel are bodies finally waking from the slumber of our earlier spring weather, typically humid and cold in its Kapha nature, and experience the rise in heat and strength of sun in ourselves and our environment. Although we associate summer with more physical activity, especially in the outdoors, we are being called by nature to begin to do things more moderately (50-75% capacity) as to not aggravate further heat and inflammation in the body and of course always in consideration of your present state of health. 

In terms of the palate, you may notice craving for more cooling and refreshing foods, more leafy greens and sprouts, dryer meals (as opposed to the soups and stews we enjoy in fall and winter) and a slight decrease in appetite, influencing your portion sizes. In Ayurveda, part of the goal is to be perfectly aligned with the natural world (climate, local food, season) we live in, so when you hear these gentle tuggings of the inner Self, by all means, listen and adopt! 

As I am writing this post, we are in the middle of a little heat wave and I caught myself, towards the end of my morning run, (which turned out to be more of an ''interval jog'' as I increasingly felt the weight of the heat and humidity), fantasizing of a refreshing Lassi that would cool and soothe my body. And because I have been daily obsessing about flowers in the last little while, I felt I wanted to include a floral touch to my refreshing beverage. 

Lassi is a healing Ayurvedic drink that is typically made with yogurt (cow, goat or vegan), purified water, and digestive spices. As recommended in a previous post, you would ideally consume it slightly cool or at room temperature as to not tamper with the digestive fire. It is a great drink to pacify Vata by means of the heavy, sweet and warm (as with all fermented foods) qualities of the yogurt. To balance the Pitta dosha, cooling ingredients are added, as is the case of this recipe with the rose water, orange blossom and almond extract. Lassi is also suitable for kapha dosha with the addition of digestive spices. Also, the yogourt is diluted in water, which helps its assimilation into the body.

Refreshing Vegan Almond-Laced Floral Lassi

(Serves 1)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup of unsweetened vegan coconut yogourt
1/4 cup of water (or almond milk for a creamier taste)
1 tbs of orange blossom
1 tbs of rose water
1 tsp of almond extract
1 tbs of maple syrup or coconut sugar (optional)
Green cardamom pods, crushed
Orange rind and zest, for garnish (optional
Dried food-grade rose petals, for garnish (optional)

Method: 

1~ Whisk the coconut yogurt with the water or almond milk.

2~ Stir in the rose water, orange blossom and almond extract. If using, sweeten with the maple syrup according to preference.

3~ Roast the cardamom pods in the pan on ow heat for 2-3 minutes. When ready, crush with pestle and mortar. 

4~ Pour the yogourt mixture into a mason jar and add some crushed cardamom seeds, orange zest and rose petals to garnish.

5~ Enjoy it fresh!