• Sentient food [Sattvika]: Food that produces sentient cells and contributes to physical and mental well-being is sentient. Examples of sentient food are rice, wheat, barley, (almost) all kinds of pulses; most vegetables and fruits, milk, and milk products. 

• Mutative food [Rájasika]: Mutative foods are beneficial to the body but may be not beneficial to the mind. Taken in moderate amounts, mutative foods are not harmful to spiritual progress. These foods are stimulants, and some examples are: coffee, tea, chocolate, ginseng, carbonated drinks, and strong spices.

• Static food [Támasika]: Food that is harmful to the mind and may or may not be good for the body is static. When eaten, these foods make the mind dull and drowsy, moreover they are detrimental to mental concentration and meditation. Examples include onion, garlic, mushrooms, wine, stale and rotten food, the meat of large animals (such as cows and buffaloes), fish, eggs, etc. 

Why the Sattvic diet is good for you and for the world

When choosing foods, seasonality and the principle of Ahimsa (Non-harm) are essential to the diet. Foods should be in their natural, unprocessed state. Seasonal, locally grown produce is preferred, as is the consumption of foods that cause minimal harm to the body, environment, and other living beings. 

This principle guides us to choose foods that not only nourish our bodies but also have a positive impact on the external world, sustaining low-impact, organic, and sustainable farming practices.  

The foods to avoid are all those that carry mutative or static energy, whose properties can be harmful to our state of mind, body, or environment. can be harmful to our state of mind, body, or environment.   

It’s important to avoid foods that lead to stress or energy crashes, like garlic, caffeine, sugary snacks, coffee, tea, and chocolate; and the same for unhealthy foods that often lead to dullness or lack of motivation, such as alcohol, processed and refined foods, deep-fried items, meat, eggs, or alcohol.

Start your day with oats and fresh fruits. Here you can get creative and add different garnishes according to your taste, such as nuts, coconut sprinkles, berries, or honey. This meal provides fiber, vitamins, and slow-releasing energy to fuel your morning.

Pumpkin Carrots Oats with Nuts and Fresh Fruit

INGREDIENTS – For 6 servings:

• 1 small butternut squash
• 6 carrots
• 450g oats
• 1,8l water or soy/ almond milk
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• autumn spices (ginger, cardamom, cloves, star anise, fennel) – optional

• Peel, core and cut the butternut squash into small cubes.
• Boil the squash with one cup of hot water in a big pot for 10 minutes.
• Puree the squash with a hand blender.
• Shred the carrots.
• Add shredded carrots, oats and water to the squash puree.
• Add the spices.
• Let the oats cook on low heat until they are soft and creamy.
• You can add roasted nuts, seeds, fruit, yoghurt or nicecream as toppings.

Get the bulk of your nutrients at lunch by ensuring a balanced meal with protein, a variety of vegetables, and whole-grain carbohydrates. Lightly stir-fry your chickpeas and add spices like cumin and turmeric to bring out the flavors while keeping the meal light. Pair it with spinach or other seasonal greens. Opt for whole-grain rice and add fresh salad to your plate—an excellent way to enjoy the benefits of raw vegetables.

Simple Curry

INGREDIENTS – For 6 servings:

• 600g tofu or tempeh
• 600g whole grain rice
• 1000ml soy/coconut milk
• 250ml coconut cream – optional
• 5 tbsp/75 ml soy sauce
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1.5 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric/kurkuma
• 1 tbsp ground paprika
• 5 tbsp dehydrated coconut flakes – optional
• 1 stalks lemongrass, cut finely – optional
• 3 pieces of star anise – optional
• 4 pods/pieces of cardamon – optional
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon – optional
• veggies – optional (for example diced carrots, boiled or steamed
• cauliflower/broccoli, cabbage, cut in strips, leafy greens like spinach or
• kale, steamed or straight in curry)
• chickpeas – optional

• Boil the rice as instructed on the package.
• Crumble the tofu with your fingers into small pieces.
• In a wok, heat up a good amount of oil at medium heat. Add all the spices
• and fry them till fragrant (around 2-3 minutes). All the spices should
• dissolve in the oil, if it is not enough oil, add more or already a tiny bit of
• the soy milk. Add the tofu (and carrots if using) and fry for 10 minutes.
• Add all the soy/coconut milk, soy sauce and coconut cream and let the
• curry simmer for 20 minutes. If using spinach and kale, add for the last 10
• minutes.
• Add all other boiled/steamed vegetables and serve with rice.

For dinner, choose a simpler dish with vegetable soup (beetroots, green cabbage, and tomatoes are great additions to boost your iron intake), boiled or steamed vegetables like spinach, carrots, and zucchini, paired with couscous. This is a simple meal yet filling, easy to digest, helping the body to prepare for a restful sleep. 

Sesame Ginger Salad Dressing 

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• ½ cup vegetable/olive oil
• 3 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 3 tbsp honey/syrup/sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha or to taste
• 2 tablespoons water

Find these and more recipes in our Ananda Kalyani Cookbook. For more info on how to get a digital coy, get in touch with us!