Want to eat to beat anxiety, but tired of the same old salads?

I’ve got a salad for you today that will supply you with full energy and physical and mental health.

But first, I want to take just a moment to touch on the yogic philosophy behind healthy eating.

According to Ayurveda, anything with form takes on one of three energetic Gunas or qualities: Sattva (purity), Rajas (movement), and Tamas (inertia). There are both positive and negative forms of Rajas and Tamas. And we need Rajas and Tamas, but too much of one or the other can push us out of balance and affect our mental health.

What we want is to increase Sattva, which is harmonizing and balancing. One of the most fundamental ways we can do this is through the food we ingest. How we nourish the body is how we nourish the mind and bring balance to our mood.

Sattvic food is rich is Prana or life force energy, which means it is organic, fresh, and unadulterated. These are foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains (sprouted), many herbs, and oils.

When people ask me about why I eat the way that I do, the answer is simple: Food that feels alive makes me feel alive too.

So, here I share a simple sattvic salad.

Super Seed and Carrot Salad with Tahini Dressing

Note: I almost never measure; this is a guide. Please improvise and trust yourself and your own intuition as you create.

Prana-Packed Salad Ingredients

1-2 Avocados (for serving)
3 c. Carrots (diced)
1 c. Pepitas or sunflower seeds (raw)
1/2 c. Red cabbage (chopped)
1/2 c. Cilantro
2 T. Ginger
1 Lime
2 T. Millet (raw)
1-2 T. Black sesame Seeds
1/2 tsp. Cumin

Flash-Pickled Cabbage

1 c. Red cabbage (chopped)
1/4 c. Rice vinegar
1/4 c. tamari or soy
1 T. chili paste
1/2 T. raw sugar
1 T. yellow mustard seed (optional)

Tahini Dressing (Whisk together in a small bowl):

2 T. Tahini
1 T. Tamari or Soy Sauce (reduced sodium)
1 T. lemon or lime juice
1 T. water

What To Do:

1) In a food processor, mix carrots, cabbage, half the cup of pepitas/sunflower seeds, lime juice, cilantro, ginger, and cumin. You may need to break this up into several steps since the ingredients will not likely fit in the food processor. It does not matter which ingredients are blended together first.

2) Transfer mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the rest of the pepitas, millet, and black sesame seeds.

3) Flash-pickled cabbage: Combine vinegar, soy sauce, chili paste, and sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce by one third. Pour over chopped cabbage and mustard seed in a shallow bowl.

4) Slice the avocado, arrange, dress, and garnish into a delightful sattvic treat.