Growing up, I loved the taste of nuts in the traditional “halwa” sweets that are popular in Pakistan and India. There were lots of desserts using cashews and almonds and pistachio too. But they were often loaded with milk, cream, butter and sugar.
My heart has been reminiscing about the Eastern flavors, spices and seasonings I grew up with. I find myself craving the feeling of home and am filled with memories of my entire family gathered together with my grandparents enjoying food made by my grandmother. I have wanted to connect to those feelings without compromising my health; so leaving out the junk is a must!
For years, I have been searching for a flavor in raw vegan food that would emulate those memories. But I was unable to do that until it dawned on me: I had never used pistachios to make a nut mylk. Instantly, my mind filled with the possibilities of pista (the word for pistachios in my native language Urdu), hence this pistachio milk was born!
I also knew from Medical Medium that pistachios have a lot of health benefits. The most exciting being that they are one of the HEALTHIEST nuts; full of protein, calcium, iron, and antioxidants. They are one of the least fatty nuts and unlike other nuts are alkaline-forming. This is critical for healing illnesses and disease in the body. They support the immune, cardiovascular, muscular and nervous systems. They are great for constipation, liver, and kidneys!!!
And now, it’s time for me to share one of the most favorite recipes I have ever created – a favorite with my ENTIRE family, kids, friends and extended family too.
PISTA (PISTACHIO) MILK
1 cup raw shelled pistachios
2 ½ cups water
½ cup coconut water
2 tsp raw honey (or to taste; you can sweeten more, if you like)
1 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 tsp saffron
1 tsp rose petals
Blend the pistachios, raw honey, cardamom, water and coconut water together.
Garnish on top with saffron and rose petals.
I am so happy to have shared this pistachio milk recipe with you all. It is truly a comfort-food recipe for me. I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as I do.
