Sattvic and Yogic Food Recipes for a Balanced Yoga Lifestyle

Nourishing Yogic Food Recipes for Body, Mind & Soul

Yogic food is essential for yoga students. It fosters a connection and calm between body, mind, and spirit. Prana, the vital force in yoga, is present in air, water, and food.

Fresh, natural yogic food increases prana in your meals. A balanced yogic and sattvic diet nourishes body, mind, and soul. Sattvic food has energetic qualities that enhance mental clarity, emotional stability, and physical activity.

The Yogic food has the concepts of the three gunas

• Sattvic
• Rajasic
• Tamasic

Sattvic food

Sattvic food is pure, light, and full of positive energy. It includes fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Sattvic food calms the mind, improves concentration, and brings inner peace, ideal for yoga practice.

Rajasic food

Rajasic food causes restlessness and includes spicy dishes, onions, garlic, and caffeine. These provide energy but often disturb the balance needed for meditation and calmness.

Tamasic food

Tamasic food refers to heavy, stale, or processed items such as deep-fried and packaged foods, excessive meat, and alcohol. These foods are said to decrease prana, dulling both mind and body.

Why Yogic Food is More Than Just a Diet?

A yogic food routine encourages mindful eating practices. What you eat and how you eat both matter. Yogis are advised to eat at regular times, chew food thoroughly, and avoid distractions like TV or mobile phones while eating. Eating in a peaceful state of mind allows the body to digest food and absorb nutrients more effectively.

The benefits of having yogic food are profound. It helps digestion, boosts immunity, and gives sustained energy throughout the day.

The yogic food improves concentration and enhances focus, and reduces stress.

The Yogic food is deeply nourishing to the human body, calming the mind.

Choosing the sattvic meal is best for increasing focus, calmness, and concentration for a deeper spiritual journey.

Mindful Eating Habits for Yogis

• Eat meals at regular times to aid digestion and balance.
• Chew food properly. This helps to break down the food and also improves absorption. It allows you to savor each bite.
• While eating, stay away from the Television, mobile phones, and be fully present when eating.
• Eat in a clean, calm place. Sit comfortably and start with gratitude.
• Choose mainly sattvic food, favoring fresh, light, and wholesome meals that help promote mental clarity.
• Try listening to your body. Eat only when you feel hungry. Stop eating before you feel full to protect the digestive fire, also known as Agni.
• Eat slowly and chew your food properly. Turn each meal into a meditative act by aligning with yogic awareness.

Healthy Yogic Food Recipes

There are many recipes for yogis, some of the examples are: –

Healing Khichdi

Healing khichdi is one of India’s most comforting, healing meals. It is part of a sattvic meal as it uses only vegetarian ingredients. This warm, one-pot dish with rice, lentils, and vegetables is easy to digest and perfect for yogis.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup moong dal (split lentils)
• ¼ cup basmati rice (You can also replace with brown rice for more fiber)
• 1 chopped zucchini
• 2 chopped carrots
• 2 chopped celery sticks
• 1–2 tsp grated ginger
• A pinch of asafoetida (hing for digestion)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp ghee (you can replace with coconut oil for the vegan option)
• 3-4 cups of water (according to the consistency which you prefer)
• Salt according to your taste (you can replace salt with rock salt for a yogic food sattvic meal)
• A pinch of black pepper
• ½ lemon squeezed at serving time
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish.

Preparing Instructions for Healing Khichdi

1. Wash the rice and moong dal thoroughly and soak for 15–20 minutes if you have time.
2. Take a pot or a pressure cooker, then add ghee and heat it.
3. Add cumin seeds into the utensil and a pinch of asafoetida (hing) until they crackle a little bit.
4. Add grated ginger into it and saute lightly.
5. Then add all the chopped vegetables and saute them for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add 1 tbsp of turmeric powder, rice, and moong dal. Then mix everything well.
7. Pour 3–4 cups of water into the pot, add salt, and bring to a boil.
8. Cover the utensil and cook until the rice and moong dal are soft (about 20–25 mins in a pot or 3–4 whistles in a pressure cooker).
9. Adjust the consistency according to you by adding more water if you prefer it soupy.
10. Your healing khichdi is ready. While you serve it, add a pinch of black pepper, squeeze lemon, and garnish it with fresh coriander.

Steamed Vegetable Bowl

A steamed vegetable bowl is considered sattvic yogic food. Prepared with fresh, lightly cooked vegetables, it nourishes both body and mind. This dish supports digestion, weight management, and is low in calories while high in vital nutrients. A warm vegetable bowl, rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, promotes clarity and is ideal before or after yoga and meditation.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of broccoli florets
• 1 chopped zucchini into cubes
• 1sliced carrot
• 1 cup of chopped green beans
• ½ cup of cauliflower florets
• 1 tsp of grated ginger
• 1 tsp of lemon juice
• A pinch of table salt or rock salt (sendha namak)
• Fresh coriander or parsley for garnish

Preparing instructions for the steamed vegetable bowl

1. Cut all the vegetables into small pieces, they should be bite-sized, and wash them properly.
2. Take a utensil like a steamer or a pot with a steam basket, and add water at the bottom of the utensil, and bring it to a boil.
3. After the water boils, place all the chopped vegetables in the steamer and cover them, and steam them for 5-7 minutes, but still crisp.
4. After the vegetables boil, remove them from the steamer and transfer them to a bowl.
5. Add the rock salt, and squeeze the lemon on the boiled vegetables, and garnish with coriander.
6. Your steamed vegetables bowl is ready. Eat this bowl warm and fresh, avoid reheating to maintain prana.

Aromatic Forbidden Black Rice

The aromatic forbidden black rice is a yogic food recipe; in this, you have black rice, which is high in antioxidants that fight free radicals. It contains so many nutrients like iron, protein, and fiber, which keep you full and provide strength. The black rice is a gluten-free grain that balances mind and body when cooked mildly. This recipe is sattvic-friendly, also known as yogic food.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of black rice (forbidden rice)
• 2 cups of water (or you can use coconut milk for a creamier version)
• 1 small stick of cinnamon
• 2-3 pieces of cardamom
• 1 tsp of grated ginger
• 1 tsp of ghee, or you can also use coconut oil in place of ghee
• 1 tbsp of raisins (optional, for natural sweetness)
• 1 tbsp of chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, or walnuts)
• A pinch of rock salt for a sattvic meal
• Freshly grated coconut for garnish

Preparing instructions for aromatic forbidden Black rice

1. Wash black rice properly and soak the rice for at least 30 minutes to soften it.
2. Take a pot, put a little bit of ghee or you can also use coconut oil.
3. Then add cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger into the pot and saute all these things for a nice fragrance.
4. Add the soaked black rice and then stir it for 2-3 minutes.
5. Pour into the pot 2 cups of water (or coconut milk), then add a pinch of rock salt, and bring to a boil.
6. Then lower the heat, cover it, and cook the rice for 30–35 minutes, until the rice is tender and aromatic.
7. In the last few minutes, add some raisins for the sweetness.
8. Now your recipe is ready. Last, add some nuts and fresh coconut. Enjoy your sattvic dessert; you can also add a little amount of jaggery to it.

Ayurvedic Stir-Fry

The ayurvedic stir-fry is wholesome yogic food made with seasonal vegetables, gentle spices, and a little ghee. This stir-fry reflects Ayurveda’s focus on balance, digestion, and prana. It is light, flavorful, and aligned with yogic food principles.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of broccoli florets
• 1 chopped zucchini
• 1 thinly sliced carrot
• 1 cup of sliced bell peppers (any color)
• 1 cup of shredded cabbage
• 1–2 tsp of fresh grated ginger
• 1 tbsp of ghee (or you can use coconut oil for a vegan option)
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• ½ tsp of turmeric powder
• ½ tsp of coriander powder
• Rock salt (according to your taste)
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish.
• A squeeze of lemon juice to enhance the dish
• You can also add some other seasonal vegetables.

Preparing instructions for Ayurvedic Stir-Fry

1. First, chop all the vegetables into bite-sized pieces and then wash them properly.
2. Then, take a pan, add some ghee to it or you can replace ghee with coconut oil, add cumin seeds, and let them crackle.
3. Add a ginger, then saute. After this, add some spices like turmeric and coriander powder, and mix gently.
4. Add all chopped vegetables, and cook them for 4-5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle rock salt on the vegetables and stir them until the veggies are tender but still crisp.
6. Do not overcook the veggies, as Ayurveda values fresh energy in food. This is why this is the best yogic food.
7. Your recipe is ready now.
8. Garnish your dish with fresh coriander and squeeze lemon juice before serving.

Baked stuffed apple

The baked stuffed apple is a sattvic dish and a yogic food; it is also a nourishing dessert. In the yogic food, sweets are not forbidden, but they should come from natural sources like fruits, nuts, and honey or jaggery. This yogic food recipe balances the warmth, sweetness, and nutrition.

It is stuffed with nuts, raisins, and some spices, and a baked stuffed apple not only satisfies the cravings but it also provides strength and mental clarity without any kind of heaviness.

Ingredients

• 3 medium-sized apples (red or green, firm ones work best)
• 2 tbsp of -8-/-852-8956chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews)
• 2 tbsp of raisins or dates (chopped)
• 1 tsp of cinnamon powder
• ½ tsp of cardamom powder
• 1–2 tsp honey or jaggery (optional, for sweetness)
• 1 tsp ghee or coconut oil
• A pinch of rock salt

Preparing Instructions for Baked Stuffed Apple

1. Firstly, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Wash the apples properly and leave the bottom intact to hold the stuffing.
3. Take a bowl and add the chopped nuts, raisins, dates, cinnamon, cardamom, and add a pinch of rock salt.
4. Drizzle the honey or jaggery if you prefer the extra sweetness.
5. Add the stuffing of nuts and all into the hollow centres of the apples.
6. Then place the apples in the baking dish, brush the apples with a little bit of ghee, or you can also replace the ghee with coconut oil.
7. Bake the apples for 20 -25 minutes until the apples are soft and turn into golden colour.
8. Now your yogic recipe of a yogic dessert is ready. Serve it with the garnish of cinnamon powder.

Sattvic Moong Dal Soup

The sattvic moong dal soup (split of the yellow lentils) is considered as a yogic food. It is one of the lightest and a sattvic food in Ayurveda. Sattvic food is easy to digest and rich in protein, which also helps to calm the mind. This dish is perfect for the yogis who want sustained energy without heaviness. This sattvic yogic food dal soup balances all three doshas in our body and can be enjoyed at any time in the day.  

Ingredients

• ½ cup of yellow moong dal (split lentils)
• 4 cups of water, or you can according to your consistency
• 1 tsp of ghee (or coconut oil for vegan option)
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• 1 small piece of ginger
• 1 pinch of turmeric powder
• 1 pinch of rock salt (as per your taste, or you can also use table salt)
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish.
• 1 tsp of lime juice (for garnishing time)

Preparing Instructions for Sattvic Moong Dal Soup

1. Wash the dal properly and soak the moong dal for 30 minutes.
2. In a pot, add the soaked dal, water, and turmeric. Cook until dal turns soft (20–25 mins) or pressure cook for 3–4 whistles.
3. Heat ghee in a small pan or in a pot, add cumin seeds and grated ginger. Let them release fragrance (pleasant smell).
4. Cook the dal and stir well.
5. Add a rock salt to a dal and simmer for 2–3 minutes.
6. Now your dal soup is ready.
7. Garnish your dal with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime before serving.

Conclusion

Now, at this time, adopting yogic food or choosing a sattvic meal is not just about eating healthy. Its all about creating harmony between body, mind, and soul. Simple yogic food like Ayurvedic Stir-Fry, Baked Stuffed Apples, and Moong Dal Soup offer nourishment, lightness, and energy for yoga practice or a person who learn yoga or anyone can eat the sattvic food. By choosing pure natural sattvic yogic food and mindful meals, yogis can enhance their vitality, deepen meditation, and live a more balanced, spiritual life.

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FAQs

What is yogic food?

• The yogic person follows the principles of yoga with the help of a yogic diet and purity (sattva) in daily life. The sattvic food is fresh and natural, which helps in calming the mind and maintaining the balance between body and soul.

Does Yogi eat non-veg?

• The yogic person does not eat non-veg food because the diet of a yogic person is based on ahimsa (non-violence), which means avoiding harming living organisms.

What are the healthy yogic foods?

• The food items that come in a sattvic diet are known as the healthy yogic foods. They are light, natural, and full of prana.