Almond Pista Milk

Last year on my return from the Kailash Manasarovar yatra, I had a severe case of acid reflux which was affecting my throat and vocal chords. Apparently, eating foods cooked in an unknown quality of oils and lying in sleeping bags (without pillow) can cause this. Of course, my intense running also brings up stomach acid and aggravates it. In addition to medications and other dietary changes, my doctor recommended that I stop drinking coffee! I could not imagine starting my day without a double shot of espresso. But I loved running more. So for several months I drank green tea in the mornings (and yawned at my desk). I came upon Masala Milk Mix in the grocery store and loved its refreshing taste. My mother noted that it was easy to make the powder at home and that got me started on grinding my own Badam Pista Milk Mix.

Now, I start my day with a warm cup of Badam Pista Dudh. I still drink about half a cup of coffee after lunch. My acidity problems have been essentially resolved and I feel great.

Easy to make.

Here is the recipe:

• 1 cup almonds (roasted, unsalted)
• 1 cup shelled pistachios (roasted, unsalted)
• seeds of 30 cardamom cloves (about 2 teaspoons of seeds)
• 1 teaspoon kesar (saffron)

To prepare:

• Grind almonds, pista and cardamom seeds, separately in a dry grinder
• Add kesar at the very end by simply crumpling it with fingers
• Mix well and store in a dry cool place.


To make Badam Pista Milk:

• 1/2 teaspoon of powder
• 1 cup of milk; 1% low fat!
• microwave for 2 minutes.
• For sweetening, I use a teaspoon of kolhapuri jaggery, instead of sugar. Jaggery thickens the milk, and has a lower glycemic index. Thus you avoid the sugar high and is particularly good for diabetics.

Early mornings as I sip the badam milk, I do my floor stretches and munch on a Nutella sandwich. Rejuvenated, I am ready for the day!

Health benefits of Almonds and Pistachios:
Everyone touts the health benefits of almonds, but I was pleasantly surprised to find good scientific data indicating these nuts do indeed improve cardiovascular health. A daily snack of almonds is effective in lowering Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) the bad cholesterol, by upto 16%. Pistachios increase High Density Cholesterol (HDL) the good cholesterol; and both these nuts lower total cholesterol. I have provided links to a few references below.

References:

• Effect of Pistachio Nuts on Serum Lipid Levels in Patients with Moderate Hypercholesterolemia (Abstract)
• Pistachio Nut Consumption and Serum Lipid Levels (Abstract)
• Nuts and Plasma Lipids: An Almond-Based Diet Lowers LDL-C while Preserving HDL-C (Abstract)
• Effects of Plant-Based Diets High in Raw or Roasted Almonds, or Roasted Almond Butter on Serum Lipoproteins in Humans (Abstract)
• Critical Review: A Systematic Review of the Effects of Nuts on Blood Lipid Profiles in Humans (Abstract)

My Other Breakfast Drinks:

• Kaapi: Way coffee should be enjoyed
• Chai Time 2 & Chai time 1
• Turmeric Milk: Soothing Elixir

Life is Beautiful! Live it the Fullest!