Chakra Foods: Today is brought to you by the colour GREEN!

Today's recipe is quick and easy and can be made the night before for breakfast.  Or you could chill it down, cut it into serving size bites and take with you.

I call it Anahata Rice!

It's actually a version of Arroz Verde (Mexican green rice), but cooking with reckless abandon as I do.  This is my tweaked out version of it.  Feel free to experiment!

• 2 cups of cooked rice

(Make the rice to package directions.

I used brown rice and sometimes I'll use short grain rice.

Any rice will work.)

I usually add dried oregano and a vegetable stock cube to the rice while it is cooking.

For the Green!!!
Peppers:

• Green bell pepper
• Poblanos, roasted and seeded

Leafy greens:

• Kale
• Cilantro
• Baby spinach
• Fresh Parsley

Mix it up, play with the flavours.  I chop the peppers and leafy greens and add to a blender with:

• 1/4 onion
• pinch of salt
• splash of water
• splash of almond milk

Blend/pulse until well incorporated.  Once the rice has finished cooking, let it cool a bit.  Then add your green!  I mix it all up thoroughly, then add a cheese of choice. 

Add Cheese:  I usually add 1/2 cup to the mixture and save 1/2 cup for topping.

• Queso Fresco
• Mozzarella
• Monterey Jack

If I use the traditional Mexican flavour profile  I will add Queso Fresco to the blender before adding it to the rice.

Or I will just add shredded Mozzarella to the rice/green mixture, and stir it through. 

You might find that there is more liquid (green) than rice, if it seems a little 'runny' - just add about 1/2 cup elbow macaroni and stir that through.  Once in the oven, the macaroni will soak up the liquid and you'll end up with a nice stodgy rice cake of sorts.  I like to do this.

I then place this cheesy green mixture into a prepared casserole dish and top with more cheese.  Bake covered at 375 F for about 25 minutes, remove cover and bake an additional 15 minutes until the top browns a little.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Or you could serve it straight away.  I like to let it cool, cut into squares and have this as a snack if I'm on the go. Great hot or cold!

Anahata Green - it's made of poblanos!

Anahata Green Rice Casserole

Anahata Chakra:

• The heart chakra
• located at the center of the chest on the sternum
• associated with circulatory, lymphatic and immune systems
• unconditional love and compassion

Crystals to activate Anahata:

• Peridot

Crystals to calm Anahata:

• Pink topaz
• Rhodonite
• Pink or Lavender Kunzite

If you suffer frequent panic attacks, the Qi for Anahata is too strong and must be calmed.  Using the calming crystals can help with this.

Aromatherapy for Anahata:

• Rose
• Melissa
• Neroli

This is a fun recipe!  There are no rules!  Play with it and make it yours!  Enjoy cooking with reckless abandon and cook with HEART!  You can't go wrong.

Peace, Light and Love~  

Hope

Chakra information:  The Chakra Bible by Patricia Mercier (2007)
Anahata Rice:  Cooking with reckless abandon by Hope McDonald (2013)