Autumnal Stirrings

It's Autumn equinox....one of the two times in the planetary calendar when the length of the day and night are approximately equal at every place on earth, and Fall is in full swing here in Virginia.   Already the leaves are starting to change the acorns have been falling and the early evening air is crisp and chill.  The fruits of summer are starting to fade while the farmer's markets are filling up with all kinds of winter squashes, gourds, pumpkins and all the different variety of apples.   It is the beginning of soup season and so I made soup today as I was craving it all week... I'm posting the recipe below,  it is very easy and cooks in no time flat. Autumn is a time of major transition and change on so many levels and it is definitely stirring me up.  I am overflowing with a multitude of new ideas and I can barely contain myself.

My study station

Part of this is because I am learning so much through my studies at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.....I can hardly wait to get up to my woman cave to study each night after a full day's work.  You can see my portable workstation where I spend most evenings listening to lectures and watching videos and doing exercises to increase my own self awareness, release old patterns from my past and learn new and invigorating ways to build my future and my health coaching practice.  I'm working hard to build my new website which will be completed soon.  I am making new friends and connecting with health coaches all over the country and the world.  Can you tell how excited I am?   In coming posts I will definitely share with you some of the new teachers, books and resources that I'm finding amazingly helpful and inspiring. 

I'm also excited because I have been making many new connections here in my town and at the same time I am deepening existing friendships. I am indeed being nourished on many levels and that is really what it takes to feel grounded and whole and happy.   Food of course nourishes us and healthy food choices really help but the food we eat is just not enough....we need deep nutrition on all levels to live our best lives.

Taking time to cook our food is a nourishing activity and of course takes time. First we have to decide what to eat, then go buy the ingredients and on and on.  It does help to have the pantry stocked with good food so when you the urge to cook something nourishing comes you have everything you need at your fingertips. Some of the best recipes can be whipped up in very little time ...the soup I made for lunch today was a recipe that took  5 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes to cook and it was made up of all very basic staples that every natural food kitchen should have (a future blog post no doubt).  So here is the recipe for Soothing Soup which was adapted from a recipe that I obtained many years ago from a Waldorf School Parent Cookbook.

Soothing Soup (serves 4)

This is truly a favorite and it really is soothing. This will be a recipe you turn to again and again.  It is extremely easy to make and takes about 30 mins to cook.  

Make sure you have red lentils on hand all the other ingredients are staples. You can add  a TBS of chopped fresh ginger and garnish with cilantro. 

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 T olive oil 

          1 clove garlic, minced                            

1 1/4 cup split red lentils                                  

4 cups water

2 Tbs lemon juice

sea salt and black pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic in oil til soft.  Add lentils and water.  Boil until the lentils are soft usually 20-30 minutes. Can blend in blender or use hand blender or leave as is.  Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.  You will probably want to double this the next time.  Reheats well.

                                         for a printable version of this recipe click here

I'm off now to work and explore more of what the Autumn and my life is calling me to do....learn, connect, create, cook, enjoy the weather, relax and so much more. Please feel free to comment and share in the dialogue with what is stirring with you this season.....I'd love to know.

                                                          Be well and at peace,

                                                                        Lisa

                               

May Greetings

Gosh It's May already! Yikes just where is the Springtime going? It's been downright busy! Time flies when you're having fun! So much to do and lots of activities calling out for attendance and attention. The garden needs energy and thank goodness too because it is so comforting to work in the soil and then admire the work and the beauty of the flowers and veggies you've planted. Besides being such a busy and vibrant time....the Spring offers so much to nourish the senses.....that lush bright green when all the trees are newly leafed out, the sun setting through them and casting the serene shadows you only see at this time of year....the birdsong all around not to mention the farmer's markets are open again. It's so fun to visit with the farmers and the vendors and to buy all the fresh yummy produce again. The abundance of flowers and plants and local produce is almost overwhelming.

Going to my son's lacrosse game last week I was pleasantly surprised to be surrounded by the intoxicating fragrance of the locust trees in full bloom. Another highpoint this Spring was having breakfast with two dear friends at one of their homes. My friend's home was set back through hill and dale on the most lovely piece of land it felt like paradise to be there. We had a delicious breakfast with farmfresh eggs, and her homegrown sauteed garden spinach, simple yet sublime. I noticed my friend had a beautiful bouquet of lilacs on her table....before I left I asked her if I could cut some to take home. Of course she cut me a bunch and the fragrance and beauty of those lilacs fed me on so many levels. It is the simple things that take you the distance through all the busyness of life.

Speaking of farm fresh eggs....We get delicious eggs delivered to us every Wednesday by a local farmer who has lived in these rolling hills of Virginia all her life. Her hens are very happy free- ranging chickens. The yolks are as golden as they get. I've never eaten more delicious eggs in my life. She brings us 8-10 dozen eggs a week and we sell them dirt cheap at $2.50/ doz. It is a service we provide for our patients and we help her out also, it's a nice arrangement. The other nightafter a long workday I had no real idea in my mind for supper so I decided we'd just have egg pancakes. These pancakes were inspired by recipe in a Taoist cookbook but I winged it that night and oh boy were they ever good. My daughter Veronica liked them so much she said "I'm going to be making these alot Mom!"

Egg Pancakes/Eggrolls

These pancakes have no flour in them, just a random mixture of whatever veggies you have on hand and beaten eggs. I used probably 2 0r 3 scallions sliced fine, red cabbage, chopped fine, 1 cup of frozen peas, some minced chives and cilantro and a red pepper, chopped fine and 6 beaten eggs. I seasoned the mixture with salt and pepper. I heated 2 skillets (we were hungry and wanted to cook them faster)and swirled some extra virgin olive oil in the pans, then dropped spoonfuls of the egg/veggie mixture in the pans. I cooked them on medium to low heat and flipped them when the egg looked set. I removed them to a plate to keep warm till all of the egg mixture was used up. We served these by rolling them up in sheets of toasted nori that's when we call them eggrolls....so delicious and nutritous. These can also be served with toast or rice. This recipe fed 3 hearty appetites, just figure about 2 eggs per person and you can put as many veggies as you want in them.

Click here for the printable version of this recipe!

Well I hope all is well with you on your side of the world and I trust that you are enjoying the simple pleasures that bring you joy and peace and a light heart,

May Blessings,

Lisa