I think it’s safe to say that summer is here, especially in Southern California. Summer brings action, it’s heavy in the Raja energy. Everything is in motion. Pool parties, heading to the beach, surfing, bbq’s, concerts in the park, etc. The list could go on and on. It’s hard to stay inside during the evening when its warm outside at 8pm and 
the sun is just setting. There are a lot of things pulling us away from center. Sometimes, the fire builds so much that we end up having overactive thoughts, emotions, and our to do list grows five feet. Then, sometimes the heat can bring us into a state of Tamas, where we become lazy, internal, sad, and no drive. So how do we balance? How do we come back to ourselves but also be fully present? Being too heavy in Rajas can be just to overwhelming, and being too much in Tamas can be a little too dark. How do we come in Sattwa, the in between? For Raja, if it’s overactive maybe try relaxing in meditation, do some restoritive yoga, or read a book. If Tamas is taking control, then move! Dance, hike, swim, do some yoga, anything to get that blood flowing. Now what is something that everyone can enjoy durin
g the cooling down or heating up? The answer to that is food. The right foods can bring our energy back into center, isn’t that amazing? I wanted to create a recipe that had the elements of staying semi warm, using pistachios, and staying cooled down and refreshed but also grounded, there for lemon and then dates. Together, it creates balance giving you energy but also cooled down and relaxed. Once I created the recipe I took it to a dinner party and this lemon pistachio tart was a crazy big hit! People felt cooled and satisfied but energized. No brain fog, no sluggish feelings, just pure pure pure. Success, now I can share this with all of you! I hope you enjoy the lemon pistachio tart and remember, stay cool, but not to cool.
Raw Lemon Pistachio Tart
Crust:
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw pistachios
1 tbl maple syrup
2 tbl coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
~ Start with the nuts first and enter them into a food processor with the “S” blade. Let them chop until it looks like flour. Then add the maple, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt. Blend until it starts to stick together. Transfer the crust into a tart pane lined with parchment paper. Feel free to use a pie pan 9” if you don’t have a tart. Start to spread the filling out so it covers the bottom of the pan and start pressing it all together. Let the sides come up a little bit but don’t try to make it reach the top of the pan, the filling is going to cover it all. Once that is finished, stick it in your freezer while you make the filling.
Filling:
3 cups soaked cashews (overnight or at least 3 hours)
Lemon zest of 10 small lemons or 5-6 large
¾ cup fresh lemon juice (I used 10 small lemons) *zest before slicing
1 ½ cups full fat coconut cream (I use the trader joes brand)
4 tbl coconut oil
4 tbl maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract *optional
1 tsp Turmeric
~ Using the attachment “S”, put the cashews into the food processor. Once it starts to blend, turn blender off for a moment push down the sides with a spatula. Then add all the liquids. Blend and then you are ready to add the rest of the ingredients. Once it’s all combined go ahead and take the crust out of the freezer and transfer the filling into the crust. Spread out with a spatula, it should cover the crust completely and you may have a little left over. With the remainder, you can freeze it in a safe container or maybe fill up ice cube trays for a little sweet dessert. Mine is in a camping mug so my partner can go in the freezer and eat “ice cream” all he wants. The pie should be stored in the freezer and left out for at least 20-30 mins before serving. Feel free to top the pie with chopped pistachios, chamomile flowers, tea rose pedals, etc. Get funky with it! Any questions feel free to email the address listed in the bio below. Mahalo!
About the Author: Chelsea Shapouri is an entrepreneur and travel monkey, born in Southern California with the aim to help people through Holistic Healing. In her work, she offers Yoga, meditation, and dance classes which she calls Yoga Medicine. Chelsea is a massage therapist with background in Eastern and Western Modalities, as well as Spiritual and Nero Structural Body Work; a Plant Based Chef/ Baker; and an artist both with a camera and pencil. Her journey to health all started in the early 2000’s when she chose to start eating Gluten Free due to difficulties with her digestion, energy, and some fogginess in her mind. After receiving a diploma from Le Cordon Bleu in Pastry and Baking, she wanted to broaden her knowledge in the food world so she began self-teaching from holistic nutrition books, Ayurveda Encyclopedias, detoxing “diets”, and grain free living books. Her crave for the holistic ways of healing the body kept growing. In 2014, Chelsea went to Costa Rica to get her 200 RYT in “Danyasa Yoga Arts,” with Sofiah Thom and Ashleigh Sergeant. While in her training, she started to awaken her true state of being. When she returned to the states, her creative side bloomed. She was creating recipes constantly, hibernation in her kitchen for days, picked up her camera again and went into the trails of the Santa Monica Mountains every week, and studied even more about Yoga and Health. The passion she had for the mind, body, and soul connection and how to achieve that centeredness with health started to spill out of her. She began to take even more workshops and then began to write about all the things she was learning so she could share it with the people around her. With that urge, she created her own company which signified the aspects of living a happy and healthy life; “The Grains of Life” was created. Chelsea continues to share her knowledge through the internet with her writings, in her classes and workshops, and shines her light even if you just simply meet her. Facebook, Instagram, and Thegrainsoflife@yahoo.com are where you can reach her. Make sure to watch her project of growing a more conscious way of living evolve.
