Ayurvedic Cookies – Heavenly Muesli-Crunch Cookies (Sugar-free!)

Organic Home-made Sugar-free Muesli Crunch Cookies!

This recipe has been blowing my mind and deeply exciting my tastebuds and senses since I first made and intuitively put together a batch of these delicious cookies a week ago!

They are super simple, require no processed sweetener (not even beloved maple!). They are a great wholesome treat to have on hand for afternoon tea, a snack at work, the kid’s lunchbox’s and or any other excuse you can make in your day to open the cookie jar and sit down with one of these amazing treats in your mouth!

…Okay, enough cookie-talk, let’s get to the cookie-cooking!

wholesome ayurvedic sugar free cookie recipe!

Wholesome Ayurvedic

Heavenly Muesli-Crunch Cookies!

(sugar-free, nut-free, gluten-free*, vegan friendly)

Ingredients:

  • 2.5 cups of organic oats*
  • 1 cup of organic sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup of organic pumpkin seeds
  • 4 tablespoons of organic cinnamon powder
  • 2 tablespoons of organic cardamon powder (or seeds)
  • 1 tsp of fennel seeds 
  • 1/2 tsp of fine organic sea salt
  • 200ml of home-made organic melted ghee or coconut oil
  • 20 organic dried ‘desert’ dates soaked, de-pitted and mashed into a puree or blended. 
  • 1 tsp of organic pure vanilla essence
  • your love! 

* Note: If you are celiac, use ‘gluten-free un-contaminated oats‘.

Creation process:

**Pre-heat your oven to 175 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes while you prepare your cookie mix.

  1. Place all dry ingredients; oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon powder, cardamon powder & sea salt into a large mixing bowl.
  2. Prepare your dates: take the pits out of the dates and place dates in a medium bowl. Cover dates in hot water and let soften for 3-4 minutes. Once dates are soft, remove the water and mash with a fork or blend in a food processor to make a date puree. (It’s ok to leave some chunks!) Add the date puree to the dry mix of oats and seeds.
  3. Now melt your ghee or coconut oil and stir into the dry mix with the dates.
  4. Add vanilla essence and stir with a wooden spoon or clean hands until the wet and dry ingredients have mixed well together and your happy with the consistency.
  5. Take some melted ghee or coconut oil and oil your baking tray or use a sheet of baking paper.
  6. Take a small piece of cookie mix and roll into a ball in your hands then flatten with the palms of your hand to create a circular cookie shape.
  7. Place your tray of cookies in the oven and bake for approx 30 minutes or until golden brown.
  8. Take them out once they’re done and let them cool before stacking them in your favourite cookie jar or container!

Voila! Your cookies are now ready for your nourishing pleasure! Yum!! :) 

If you loved this recipe – share the love by sharing the recipe link below with your friends via facebook! 

Happy wholesome cookie munching friends!

x Lorien

Organic Ayurvedic Sugar free Muesli Crunch Cookies!

Autumn Equinox

Since the first of March, according to the western calendar year, Summer was ‘officially’ over and Autumn had begun.

What!? Autumn! …It still feels like Summer!

On the first day of Autumn however, I found myself at the beach, taking respite in the cool waters of the ocean and enjoying the warm air ~ delicious fresh Papaya by the spoonful and long summer-love-story short, …it certainly STILL felt like Summer!

That is because the seasons don’t stop and start like a machine. Just like we don’t stop and start (when living in balance) like a machine. We are alive, breathing beings, organic in our true nature. Mother nature and her seasons are the same, really we are mini living manifestations of her divine creation. That is a whole other exciting ‘macrocosm’, ‘microcosm’ conversation though… Back to the seasons. Mother nature and her seasons are gradual and as such we must allow ourselves to gradually adapt during a seasonal juncture in order to rebalance to our new and changing environment as well as allow for our bodies and minds to cleanse from the previous season to create a clear fresh space that is appropriate for the current season that is beginning.

Autumn brings an increase in the air + ether elements, (Vata). 

As the cooler air and wind causes the leaves to dry and then fall to the ground. There is a ‘dryer’ and less humid quality to the air as we shift from the heat and moisture of summer to the slightly cooler movement, via wind of Autumn. The earth beginning to prepare for winter!

Seasons are so beautiful, they show us that everything grows, transforms, cycles and evolves… And for harmony to be maintained, this cycle and process must continue ~ year, after year, after year!

Change is what is always constant! It is a blessing and time of ritual and ceremony in many traditional cultures, where the people honour the sacred earth elements.

At all seasonal junctions through out the year, it is important to take extra care of yourself and to listen to your bodies needs as the environment around you shifts.

To balance your Vata, you must respond and adapt your lifestyle habits and routine to suit and harmonise with the changing environment around you.

You may find yourself eating less, eating lighter foods, warmer foods, more nourishing foods and even wearing different clothes as the climate changes, even just subtly.

The official Autumn Equinox 

Yesterday, the 21st of march marked the autumn equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. Equinox meaning ‘equal’ light and dark. From yesterday onwards we will move from having more light and warmth in each day to slightly less as we glide into winter. The opposite is occurring in the northern hemisphere as they move towards the warmth and longer days.

Ayurvedic medicine places great significance on seasonal change as it is important that way have the tools and knowledge to align and re-balance during the various transitions and changes in life for the health of our body, mind and spirit, our optimum wellness.

Spices in the garden

3 Simple Lifestyle Tips for Seasonal Change you can do at home: 

My top #3 Ayurvedic Lifestyle tips for you to smoothly navigate and re-balanced during this seasonal juncture that we are in right now are…

#1 Make sure you give your body adequate rest, I’m talking 7-8 hours sleep each night so your body can rejuvenate and balance out during the night. (I went to bed at 9pm last night and it felt amazing!!!)

#2 Eat warm, light meals to give your digestion a little rest, think soups, kitchari, stewed fruit, steamed vegies… Warm and simple. This is also a great time to do a mini cleanse or soup/kitchari fast for 2-5 days. The best time of year for it! (I made a pot of Kitchari yesterday and have fasted on Kitchari and fresh Papaya during the day today, feels amazing and so great to have a little digestion re-set!)

#3 Drink warm water and warm herbal teas in place of cold drinks during the day, night and first thing in the morning to gently cleanse your digestive system, support your agni, (digestive fire) and ground your mind and body due to the relaxing and healing qualities of warm h20! (I carry a 1 litre thermal drink bottle with me everywhere, filled with warm water so it is easy for me to stay hydrated and drink warm water wherever I am. The best invention ever. Warm water really makes a difference!)

That’s it. Simple awareness of your body, mind, spirit and breath at all times in life ensures balance and harmony to reside within you and allows your bodies natural innate intelligence to shine, re-balance, heal and guide you on your journey inside and out.

Love your body and listen to it’s callings… 

Happy Autumn Equinox beautifuls!

With love and all things yummy and wholesome,

x Lorien

Vatta Balancing for the Festive Season

“It is better to travel well than to arrive”.

 -Buddha

W-o-w-e-e-e ! :)

This is my official way of saying, ‘wholly molly, we are almost at the end of this calendar year- 2014’!

The spring air is warm and strong northerly winds are blowing out all the cobwebs from Winter. There is movement.

Jacarandas blossoming, animals coming out of hibernation to bask in the sun, frangipani shoots sprouting! Spring is certainly in full swing here in Australia.

Similarly,  the air is crisp and fresh, evenings are cool and the flowers are tucking themselves into bed for the winter in the northern hemisphere. (I have family in Canada who give me this inside info!) :-)

There is seasonal change happening everywhere! :) And it’s a glorious thing! Without these changes and cycles, we would not experience the richness and beauty that Mother Nature has to offer in all of her forms and expressions.

Vatta, the element of Air + Ether is present during seasonal change as well as times of the year where there is more activity happening – such as the holiday season.

In my personal experience and observation, seasonal change combined with the busyness leading up to Christmas/New Years can have us feeling:

‘Crazy, frantic, hurried, rushed, and scattered!’

We move fast to get things done, resulting in being short tempered and feisty when things get out of control.

Self-care, proper nourishment, meditation practice, time for rest and proper sleep are all things that can very easily slip by the wayside when there is so much to do and so much happening.

It’s tough to keep the balance!

Ironically, these are the very things we need to be doing – more than ever!

This time of year it is important to ~ ‘slow down’…

These might seem like ghastly words to hear – when your social calendar is filled every weekend until Christmas and your diary is bursting with ‘to do’ lists that scream at you every day.

Trust me on this one though…

Taking a moment to apply some ‘slow down’ to your day, will have you feeling more like this:

Energised, calm, centered, empowered and on-top of it all! You’ll stand out at the Christmas parties, as people will notice that you did something different this year. You don’t look frazzled. You are poised and calm, centered and glowing. You are radiantly grinning and proud of yourself for being peacefully productive this ‘silly’ season. :)

In Ayurvedic medicine, health is all about balance. Any type of change we experience – such as the change of season or a busy period in life can aggravate the ‘Air’ element of the body, known as Vatta Dosha. Vata loves regularity, stillness and warmth. When the weather is windy, irregular, too hot or too cold and dry – Vatta can get upset and start to run a muck! The busyness of this time of year can throw this element out of whack. The good news is that it’s easily balanced and corrected;

~5 Simple Vatta Balancing Lifestyle Tips~

1. Drink Warm Water & Nourish Yourself:

Wake up and drink 2-4 cups of freshly boiled warm water with a slice of fresh ginger. This will warm your digestion and activate your parasympathetic nervous system, allowing you to start your day in a relaxed way. It’s the best!

Make sure you take some time to nourish your body. Start the day with a yummy grounding porridge, buckwheat pancakes or veggie soup! Look after your precious body on the inside and out.

2. Stretch/Move Your Body Daily:

In your room or lounge-room, move your body. Raise your arms up above your head and reach to the heavens.  Stretch your body, breathing with your movement, becoming one with your body :).  Move, unwind, and tune in. Do this for a minimum of 10 minutes. Stretching opens the body and allows us to be in tune and feel good in our skin. Movement releases endorphins (happy chemicals) in the brain, making you feel good. After moving the body it is much easier to sit in stillness and focus within to de-stress through meditation.

3. Meditate/Sit and Be with Your-self:

Find a comfy cushion, bolster, blanket or towel to sit on. Sit on the edge so that your knees are lower than your hips. If you are new to the concept of meditation, don’t worry. Everyone starts somewhere and now is the perfect time to begin. Sit with your spine straight to allow for proper flow of energy, then close down your eyes and simply focus on your breath. Allow thoughts to come and go. They are not important here. All that is important is your breath, and your focus inward. If you can do this for at least 10 min at the start of your day, it will set the scene for a peacefully productive day ahead. Meditation is transformational.

4. Massage Your Feet/Body 3 times per week:

Cold pressed Black sesame oil is traditionally the Ayurvedic oil of choice. If you don’t have it though, you can use organic cold pressed olive oil, almond oil or coconut oil. To prepare the oil for your self-massage, simply warm your oil by placing the bottle in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes. Before you have your shower, massage the oil into your body. Oil is beautifully grounding and balancing. Your skin will eat it up and your nerves will too. Do this for 5 minutes then rinse off in a warm shower.

5. Take Some Deep Breathes:

Before you go out for the day and get into your work or your tasks… take 6 deep breathes. Write a note to yourself in your diary to remind you to move slowly. Remember that you don’t need to be superman or superwoman. You simply need to do your best and do everything with love. If there are things on your to do list that are not high priorities, then cross them off. Free up your time so you can focus on a realistic list of things to achieve. This is a hard one for the high achievers. You can do it though. :) There are 12 months next year to complete those tasks. Remember, there is no rush, everything in life happens in divine timing.

This season is all about looking after YOU – so that you can show up being present, clear and loving with your friends and family.

After all this is what is most important. Not how much we did, but how present we were.

“You give but little when you give of your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”

– Kahil Gibran

 Be generous this holiday season, fill your own cup so that you can share abundantly with those around you!

…Remember, nothing great is every built overnight. It is regula and consistent acts of love, that contribute to creating long-term health, wellness and joy inside! 

 Shine on!

x Love, Lorien

Change of Season: Welcoming Autumn

 

The first sunrise of Autumn.

 

Summer has delighted us with it’s warmth and now it’s time for a change…

Autumn has arrived, a season in Ayurveda that is governed by the air and ether elements, (Vata).

When we have a change of season there is naturally extra movement in the environment. Leaves start to fall, the wind might become stronger and the temperature becomes a little hotter or cooler.

These changes happen thanks to our friend, ‘Vata’ who looks after movement both in our bodies and outside in nature.

Wherever there is change, there is Vata.

Autumn season is naturally a ‘Vata’ predominant season. The qualities of Vata are cold, dry, rough, fast, mobile and changeable.

Autumn shares these same characteristics. It is easier for our skin to become drier, to be busy, to have irregular digestion and feel colder inside during this time. Since it is a change of season (Vata), that is moving into a ‘Vata’ season, we have a double up!

This means it could be a very creative time of year where it is easy to get a lot done, however it is extra important at this time to balance all the extra activity and change in the air with some balancing and grounding food and lifestye practices.

A good way to think about looking after the air and ether elements in your body is to treat this part of you with the same care, nurturing, kindness and love that you would give to a beautiful old lady! This sounds strange, however can be a very helpful way to approach your sensitive and magical ‘Vata’ intelligence.

Vata is fragile and loves softness, warmth, nourishment, love and kindness. Having cups of tea (herbal is preferable), warm home-made food, foot massages, listening to sweet music and having a routine throughout the day will all nourishing and support your body to be balanced and happy.

When there is a change in our physical environment, living situation, work, stage of life or season, we not only experience a transformation on the outside, but also on the inside.

Taking extra special care of your body during these periods of transition and looking after your inner sensitive nature can help to keep you grounded, stable and keep your channels flowing.

Some Simple Vata Balancing Lifestyle tips:

  •  Drink warm water throughout the day. This will ground the air element in your body and keep your body feeling soft, supple and your channels flowing.
  •  Find some routine, with regular meal times, a regular Yoga class or Chi Gong practice can be great for guiding your body through the change.
  •  Give yourself a massage at home (Abyhanga) 3-5 days a week with warm Cold Pressed Black Sesame Oil to ground your mind, strengthen and nourish your tissues and support  your body during this time of change.
  • Aim to wake up by 6am, during the time of the morning when the air element (Vata) is dominant. The qualities in the environmenet at this time of day make it easy to have proper elimination of the wastes in your body, allowing you to feel calm and have clear channels.
  • Favour eating warm, light Vegie soups, Dhal’s, Kitchari and warmed Vegies. Vegetable’s like Pumpkin are great during this time of year and have a nice grounding effect on the body.
  • Spend time connecting to yourself. Journaling in a book, letting go of stagnant thoughts so that there is a clear space for new ideas and inspirations for the coming season.

Autumn is a beautiful time of year, the seasons have so much to teach us about ourselves. Nature is a reflection on the macrocosmic level of what is inside of us on the microcosmic level.

Happy Autumn and sweet transitioning!

x Lorien