Lentil and Rutabaga Soup - an Earthy, Tasty, Velvet Delight
Saute in a Pot with 2 TB Sunflower Oil:
- 1 Onion chopped - 2 Stalks Celery chopped - 1 Carrot peeled & chopped - 1 Rutabaga peeled/chopped
Add: 1 Cup red lentils rinsed, 2 Bay leaves, 2 TB Oregano, 4 Cups Water
Bring to boil then reduce to simmer with lid ajar for 30+ minutes untils lentils/veges are soft.
Remove from heat, let cool for 15 minutes, discard Bay leaves.
Blend in food processor the entire recipe. You can add salt to taste or Bragg Liquid Amino Acids.
You'll be surprised !!!! Enjoy the grounding, warming, sweet flavor of this root vegetable soup.
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Walnut Balls - nutritious, delicious, and meat-lovers will think this savory treat is a meatball.
into the Food Processor grind in order:
1 Cup Walnuts, 3/4 Cup Onion minced, 1 clove Garlic, 1 Stalk Celery chopped with no leaves.
Mix in Bowl:
2 Eggs, 2 TB fresh Parsley minced, 1 Cup Bread Crumbs (make your own, much less salty)
Add the walnut mixture to the bowl, add more nuts or bread crumbs if necessary to create a firmer texture. Roll into one inch balls and place on oiled baking sheet. I prefer using parchment paper over aluminum cooking sheets instead of glass pans. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Turning the balls every 10 or so minutes to cook evenly is the hardest part of this recipe, because balls like to roll and have no proper side, but you will be satisfied with the result.
Serve these delectable could fool a meatlover Walnut Balls with a pasta or pizza tomato sauce, stand back and prepared to be admired and asked lots of questions for the recipe.
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As we head into fall and winter, start to incorporate more yoga asanas and exercise that boost your circulation and heat a little. Do some grounding, earthy poses like Chair or Eagle. Conversely, don't forget the importance of doing nothing, the ability just to be, not doing anything. Practice being still and rooted like a tree. Let the world swirl around you for a few moments everyday, and be a rock. And, if you become ill with a cold or the flu during the fall season, make the time to rest. Stop yourself from rushing around taking care of all the external stuff, and start the process of unwinding, going within, and allowing the body to let down. Let it rest and restore. This is harder than you'd think. Our lives and temperaments can be so busy it can take days for the whirl to slow down, and fall is good time to practice this internal descent.
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The rains have come at last and green has returned to grace the earth and soften our vision. This fall I discovered the perfect symbol of autumn - the persimmon. Walking at Lema Ranch I pass through the persimmon orchard and witness trees throughout all seasons. Watching them fill with orange globes of persimmons was an anticipated treat because I knew sooner or later they would be harvested and given away. This is the first year I was there at the right time and able to partake of the bounty. Fifty orange persimmons in a paper bag. That may sound like a lot but they harvested 25 tons this fall. People complained they were small this year but I was eager to try them because only once had I eaten the round ripe variety and found it a delicacy. Just let it ripen and scoop it out with a spoon - the very essence of autumn. Rich, sweet, earthy, unique. Some people complain about the consistency or texture but I say develop your palate, they are jewels not to be missed. They are ripening on my kitchen table, and as soon as 10 or so get soft I scoop out the insides and put them in a baggie for the freezer. Persimmon cookies, bread, and pudding for the winter months. The dark cold days of December will brighten with their dark orange hearts.
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Winter is breathing in on us. Stay in tune by eating more earthy, warming foods. Pay more attention to your sinuses and throat. Use the neti pot or a nasal wash or spray to help keep nasal membranes from getting too dry or cracked. Drink herbal teas that help lubricate your throat. "Throat Coat" from Traditional Medicines is very good, with both licorice root & slippery elm. Get out your sweaters and use layering to keep your body comfortably warm. Wrap a soothing scarf around your neck.The solstice is coming, every day a little more darkness covers the day. Go within to renew, count your blessings for the gifts you've received no matter how small or difficult. Recognize what life has brought to fruition for you and absorb it. Let it pass through you to transform into it's next creation. Reflect. Be still. Create space inside like a cathedral for your being. Fill your heart by giving to others little things that come from joy.
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