I like to call this Creamy Dreamy Drink! The finely ground pumpkin and chia seeds make this surprisingly rich and creamy. Both pumpkin seeds and chia seeds are rich in amino acid tryptophan, which promises you a trip to your dreamland! Did I mention it’s super-delicious to taste? If you’re looking for a calming chia seeds drink to unwind with, this might just be it.
Milk in Sanskrit is called ksheera. Making your own raw seed milk at home is super easy and honestly tastes a million times better than the store-bought. No additives, thickeners, just pure goodness of whole organic foods! And when it’s part of a plant-based chia seeds drink, you’ll feel the difference.
Just to side-track a little, I cannot believe that I am writing a post on how to make your own non-dairy milk! Growing up as a kid I was made to believe by my mother that I should have at least 2 cups of milk (cow’s milk) every day to keep my Pitta in balance. As per Ayurveda, milk is very helpful in balancing the heat of Pitta. I must tell you, in my teen years, I was a high Pitta dominant person with breakouts all over my face, and yes extremely short-tempered! The milk was my savior and if I missed having even one day, my body would react badly. Now if I look back I think I was heavily addicted to milk.
It was only a couple of years back, thanks to Kimberly Snyder’s book on Beauty Detox, that helped me move away from my addiction to dairy milk. Religiously having green smoothies every day brought a miraculous transformation in my body – my dairy cravings gradually and naturally started disappearing and I cannot believe myself when I say this today – “I don’t crave dairy milk”. My Pitta is much more balanced now with all the super-nutrients from the greens!
So, if anyone out there is not doing good with dairy, I would strongly recommend giving green smoothies a try. It really worked for me!
Now, coming back to chia seeds drink and my creamy dreamy ksheera. This recipe is so simple, it requires only a few of my favorite ingredients. The best part of making your own raw plant-based milk is you know exactly what goes into the recipe and most importantly, you get to control the sweetness! With store-bought non-dairy milk, the only thing you taste is SWEET, nothing else!! This homemade healthy seed drink lets you taste the richness of each ingredient.
Pumpkin chia seeds Ksheera Recipe
- 1 big handful of soaked Pumpkin Seeds (pepitas)
- 1 tbsp soaked Chia Seeds
- 2 Medjool Dates
- 1 pod of Cardamom
- 1 small pinch of Cinnamon (optional)
- 1/4 cup Water (adjust accordingly)
This is a basic recipe that tastes AMAZING! You could jazz it up by adding cacao powder, your favorite berries…you get the idea. Blend away in a high-powered blender like Vitamix. I don’t like to strain my seed milk as all the good fiber and nutrients are wasted in that process. Blending in Vitamix, you won’t feel a trace of fiber—only pure bliss to enjoy! This version of a chia seed drink is thicker than chia water and much more satisfying than store-bought vegan seed milk.
Per Ayurveda, nuts and seeds are an important part of the diet as they provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Pumpkin seeds are excellent to pacify Vata and Pitta doshas. It’s always recommended in Ayurveda to pre-soak your seeds as it’s easier to digest and can assimilate well in the body. Chia seeds are called sattvic and tridoshic in Ayurveda. They are rich in good fats and make 60% of omega-3s and are super-hydrating.
These properties make this chia seeds drink a great addition to your daily self-care ritual—perfect for anyone looking for a hydrating Ayurvedic beverage. The hint of cardamom goes very well with this drink and the creamy rich taste will make your taste buds happy and keep you satisfied for a long time.
BTW, no cows were harmed in the making of this plant-based chia seeds drink!
Photos: JeevaLifestyle.com
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