Sweet Lime Soda

Summer is here and the hot weather is making me thirsty.

I can't get enough Sweet Lime Sodas! 

 

When travelling in India, lime sodas were my very favorite thirst quencher. 

They were also the first culinary souvenir I recreated for family and friends back home. 

They come in sweet and salty varieties, but the sweet one is most likely to appeal to our western lemonade palates.

 

What you need: 

 

• 1 Tbsp. lime juice or the juice of half a small lime.
• 1-2 Tbsp. raw sugar or simple syrup to taste.
• Club soda or sparkling water.

What to do:

 

1) In a glass mix lime juice and sugar or syrup until dissolved. 
2) Top up with club soda or sparkling water. 

 

Trust me - mix the ingredients in this order!  If you add sugar to the club soda you get something more like a science experiment!  Woosh!! 

Well, you don't really have to trust me... lol! 

After all, in yoga shraddha is all about personal experience, so you're welcome to try it for yourself!

 

Optional - You can add ice, a slice of lime or some mint leaves if you like. 

You can also experiment with flavored sparkling waters.

I made the one on the left with mint sparkling water and presto - Easy Virgin Mojito! 

Yum!

 

Brahmarpanam: A Yogi's Meal Prayer

Yogis in the Sivananda lineage and many other schools of yoga bless their meals with Verse 4:24 from the Bhagavad Gita:

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणाहुतम् ।
ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्म कर्म समाधिना ।।

Transliteration:

Brahmarpanam Brahma Havir
Brahmagnau Brahmana Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Ghantavyam
Brahmakarma Samadhina

Word-for-word translation:

brahma: spiritual in nature  
arpanam: contribution  
brahma: the Supreme
havih: butter
brahma: spiritual  
agnau: in the fire of consummation
brahmana: by the spirit soul  
hutam: offered
brahma: spiritual kingdom  
eva: certainly  
tena: by him
gantavyam: to be reached
brahma: spiritual
karma: in activities
samadhina: by complete absorption

Translation:

The act of offering is Brahman, the oblation is Brahman,
By Brahman it is offered into the fire of Brahman.
Brahman is That which is to be attained by s/he
who performs actions pertaining to Brahman.

Gratitude and mindfulness are said to transform food from mere sustenance into prasad!

For additional commentary and the source of much of this post check out sathyasai.org.

And if you like the look of these homemade pickles, find out how to make your own in this post.

Jai to the Cooks!