November signals that time when we all start to cozy up. We put on our sweaters. We pull out our favorite family recipes. We settle in for winter and the beginning of a new year. But before we dive right in, we want to celebrate the start of another month in 2016! We want to enter November with the same intention and purpose that launched us into January. And how? Continue reading
One of the nice things about temperatures finally coming down and scarves coming out is that we can finally drink ALL THE COFFEE WE WANT WITHOUT SWEATING IN OUR LIVING ROOM. Not that it ever stopped us before. Trolling Pinterest, we found some amazing recipes you might want to try in your own home this fall:
One of my brothers still lives on Cape Cod, the place where my 5 siblings and I grew up. This is noteworthy for two reasons – first, he is a scenic photographer – he captures amazing shots of nature; second, Cape Cod and New England has had snowstorm after snowstorm this winter. This has created one of his latest works – the amazing flowering cherry tree in his front yard in each of the four seasons. Amazing flowers in spring, great dense green leaves in summer, amazing fiery reds and orange foliage in fall and the bare brown trunk blanketed under epic snow in winter. This bold tree is resilient; it shows up powerfully in each season. It inspires my intention to be more resilient.
The lesson from the cherry tree is that we too are capable of shining no matter what happens. We are resilient to handle the seasons – and by seasons I mean the constant changes in our lives. We meet sunny days where things are going our way – we flower, we shine. We meet stormy days that seem unfair, unrelenting and scary. When we are intentional and determined about connecting to our inner greatness and strength – to the power deep in us – we find we have access to amazing resilience. This helps us show up strong and committed to life, regardless what comes our way.
It still amazes me that this tree can survive in temperatures from minus 10 to nearly 100 degrees. It stands there and faces what comes, doing what it does best – living its truest self. It doesn’t lament the rains or wind. It doesn’t give up when it snows. It doesn’t wish that its leaves would remain all year – it allows them to change color and sends them off to make room for new ones. It partners with life; it allows life.
We however, like to plan and control everything in life. And when things don’t go according to plan, we find fault. We get angry. We blame. We quit. We feel at the affect of our world – at odds with it.
Or, we could learn from this cherry tree. We could see that we have the strength and resilience to see the blessing in every event, and not to fight with life but live it as it is delivered. “Anyone can be cooperative, patient and understanding when things are going well and life is good. But it is the noble man or woman who can behave with grace and compassion, and even kindness, when times are bad,” shares Garr Reynolds, blogger of Presentation Zen. My intention is to be noble and act with grace, compassion and kindness regardless of what happens in life.
Resilience, or grit, is what enables us to show up committed to life when life sends snowstorm after snowstorm. Resilience is what enables us to show up big to life when our idea didn’t work, the relationship failed, or the job was lost. As the great Japanese proverb says, “Fall down seven times, get up eight.” We can choose to bounce back – we can choose to see what was, understand it, learn from it and get back into life’s driver’s seat. We, like the flowering cherry in my brother’s front yard, can just keep on keepin’ on. Resilient. Strong. Committed. Determined. Intentional. Living our greatness and ready for the next moment of life – whatever that might look like.
Find your resilience role model – nature, a pet or even a person. Mine is this amazing cherry tree. Let it share its wisdom with you; learn from it and let it inspire you to be intentional and purposeful about living powerfully, positively and resiliently no matter what comes your way.
Cinnamon and apples are two of my favorite fall flavors. There are a lot of savory things that come with the cooler temperatures – pumpkin and squash, stuffing recipes, etc, which are great for the holidays. But I think fall also lends it self to amazing desserts, and why shouldn’t we give in to our sweet tooth every now and again? Together apple and cinnamon create delicious sweet treats that are still healthy. Using cashew cream also erases some of the guilt you’d get from pairing with regular ice cream. This recipe is a great fall dessert – and it’s vegan. It is definitely enough by itself but you could also pair it with a nice apple pie if you are feeling indulgent.
Cashew Cream
Soak the cashews for at least 4 hours.
Rinse the cashews until the water runs clear.
Put cashews, water and salt in blender.
Blend until smooth. It will have the consistency of heavy cream.
Cinnamon Baked Apples with Cashew Cream
Preheat oven to 375
Wash and core apples
In a bowl combine all ingredients except the cashew cream and the honey.
Mix well.
Stuff the apples with the mixture
Pour @1/2 cup of water into the bottom of the baking dish and add the apples.
Cover with tin foil
Bake for @20 minutes or until the apples are soft
Put oven onto Hi Broil, remove tinfoil and broil the apples for @ 3 minutes or until the oats look brown and toasted.
Take the apple out and place in individual bowls.
Drizzle each one with a little bit of the liquid from the bottom of the pan.
Drizzle each one with one tablespoon of cashew cream.
For an added bit of decadence, drizzle with a little bit of raw honey.
Yum.
Originally posted on my website, Tapp’s Tips.com
With summer securely in our rearview mirrors, it’s time to start preparing for cooler temperatures. Get out your jackets and scarves, but what about when you’re home?
Soup! Whether you are battling one of those transitional season colds or just want an easy to warm you up as you watch the leaves fall outside. Soups are a simple and quick thing to make in the kitchen, and so easy to turn into your own recipes. And if you don’t finish all of it in one sitting you can always freeze the rest in a ziplock bag to be warmed up later.
Here are three of my favorite soup recipes, perfect for the fall season. Better yet, all of them can be made in 30 minutes or less for those that are always on the go.
1. Beet Fennel Soup
Ingredients:
Instructions
Scrub the beets well and then chop into 1 inch cubes. Warning – this is a messy business! While your kids might love the mess, I would avoid wearing your favorite white shirt.
Chop fennel, garlic, ginger, and onion. I am pretty rough about it. No fine dicing for me..
Put the onion, garlic and ginger in a large saucepan with the ghee (or oil) and cook on medium-high, stirring often, until the onion is transluscent.
Turn the heat down to low.
Add caraway seeds, cumin, ginger powder, fennel powder, and tarragon and mix. Simmer for a couple of minutes.
Add beets and fennel and mix to coat. Let that cook for two to three minutes.
Add chicken or vegetable stock and kombu. Turn heat up to medium-high and cover until the soup starts a low boil.
Make sure to check the soup often so you don’t burn it.
When the soup starts to boil then turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for about a 1/2 an hour or until the beets are soft.
Take the kombu out.
With a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth.
Add coconut milk. Mix well.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Butternut Squash Soup
A bowl of butternut squash soup, which is packed with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, most notably C and the powerhouse nutrients known as carotenoids, which protect against heart disease, make this soup incredibly good for you too.
Ingredients
Instructions
Put the broth, khombu and cubed squash in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium/low and let cook for 1/2 hour. Remove khombu. Blend with a hand blender until smooth. Add salt to taste.
I usually serve it with a hearty, whole-grain toast. I like to cut it into strips for dipping. My older son was so excited he couldn’t wait for the toast to come out of the oven.
3. Creamy Dairy-Free Carrot Soup
This soup is a nutrient powerhouse that helps our family get through the colds and flus that often derail the holiday season.
The carrots are rich in Beta-Carotene which the liver converts to Vitamin A. This is important because Vitamin A helps to rid the body of the various toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis. If our livers are not functioning properly, we are more susceptible to the viruses and bacteria that make us sick. A healthy liver is needed for a healthy body, so helping it do its job is like a natural form of health insurance.
Ingredients
Instructions
Chop the carrots, onions, ginger, apple, and garlic.
Put the onion, garlic and ginger in a large saucepan with the ghee (or coconut oil) and cook on medium-high, stirring often, until the onion is transluscent.
Turn the heat down to low.
Add caraway seeds and coriander and mix. Simmer for a couple of minutes.
Add carrots and apple and mix to coat. Let that cook for two to three minutes.
Add chicken or vegetable stock. Turn heat up to medium-high and cover until the soup starts a low boil.
Stir every few minutes to keep it from burning.
When the soup starts to boil then turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for about a 1/2 an hour or until the carrots are soft.
With a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth.
Add coconut milk. Mix well.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Originally published on my website, Tapp’s Tips.
This past weekend was the autumn equinox, which means we are officially moving into fall! This is the perfect time for all things involving pumpkins, squash, cranberries, and…apples! This delicious fall fruit is packed with natural sugars, carbohydrates, and fiber – the perfect snack on its own, but also a delicious ingredient for all kinds of recipes.
Here are 3 of my favorite apple recipes for you to enjoy this autumn!
1. Apple Ginger Fruit Leather
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 250
Steam the apples and the ginger for about 5 minutes. I recommend steaming over boiling because you don’t want to apples to be soggy. Remember, we are taking the moisture out.
Puree the apples, ginger, and honey.
Pour into a pan lined with parchment paper. The pan I use is 9X12. Smooth the surface of the mixture with the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula. Make sure that it is distributed evenly. The leather won’t cook evenly if there are thick parts and thin parts.
Bake at 250 for about 3 hours. Check it every 1/2 hour or so. When the leather is no longer mushy to the touch it is time to take it out.
The leather will be a little hard at this time. It needs to be left out for a few hours in order to soften up. When the leather has some give, cut it into strips and enjoy. It can be left out on the counter in an airtight container for weeks but, believe me, it won’t last that long.
2. Apple Lemonade
I love lemonade. The problem is that it takes a ton of sugar to keep you from puckering up when you drink it. This juice tastes just like sweetened lemonade. The joy is that it is sweetened only with apples. Sounds like a win to me.
Needless to say, this is my kids favorite juice. My younger son says that wants me to “make this all day, and all night, every day.” I don’t think I will be doing that, but it makes me feel much better giving them this juice instead of the hyper-sweetened variety.
The key is to add 1/2 a lemon to every apple you juice.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Put the ingredients through the juicer.
The reason I say to use an organic lemon is that I use the whole thing, peel and all. You don’t want the pesticides and waxy residue in your juice glass, so buy organic. (You should still rinse the lemon thoroughly before use.)
You should core your apple before juicing it. Apple seeds contain cyanide which you most definitely don’t want in your kids drink!
3. Gluten-free Vegan Apple Crumble
I love apple crumb pie. The best part of this pie is that it is so packed with good stuff that you can eat it for breakfast and not feel guilty!
Ingredients:
Crust (and 1/2 the crumble)
Crumble
Pie Filling
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375
To make the pie crust mix all of the crust ingredients in a large mixing bowl. It should have the consistency of dough.
Take out 1/2 of the mixture and press it into a pie tin. You want to make sure it is thin and consistent.
The other 1/2 of the mixture will be used for the crumble mixture so set it aside for right now.
For the pie filling take the sliced apples, lemon juice, ginger, maple syrup, and apple juice and cinnamon and mix together in a bowl (I actually used my juicer and juiced 1/2 a lemon, 1/2 and apple and a piece of ginger and poured that mixture over the apples with the cinnamon and maple syrup)
We ran out of ground cinnamon so my son grated a cinnamon stick into the filling mixture. A little more high maintenance but it worked.
Put the pie filling mixture into the pie crust.
For the crumble, take the other 1/2 of the crust mixture. Add the whole oats, sugar, walnuts, coconut butter, and mix thoroughly.
Put the crumble mixture onto top of the pie. Press it down a couple of times so that the crumble stays in place.
Bake in the oven for ~45 minutes. Enjoy!
Originally published on my website, Tapp’s Tips.
Early this morning, if you were awake during the pre-sunrise hours, you may have noticed a brilliant full moon lighting up the sky. It’s called the Harvest Moon, and it signifies that autumn is just around the corner.
The autumnal equinox is officially this Sunday, September 22. This is when the sun shines straight on the equator, and the lengths of day and night are roughly equal. The days will begin to grow shorter after that, as we are all so familiar with. We are moving into the fall and winter seasons, now, gearing up for shorter, darker days, cooler weather, and many months of holidays and festivities to come.
But for now, we’re still experiencing the glow of the full moon, and it is a great time to honor the season we are moving into and celebrate the harvest!
I know, it might sound strange to celebrate harvest in this modern era when very few of us actually plant, grow and harvest food. Our separation from this agricultural process may be a critical factor in the environmental problems our world faces today – not to mention our growing obesity, eating disorders, and other food-related ailments.
We still, of course, benefit from the energies of the earth to produce sustenance for our bodies, but how often do we offer our gratitude? How often do we approach our food with the reverence it deserves? I promise you, if we were intimately involved in all stages of its production we’d feel much more awed by the miracle that food is.
Here are 5 ways to honor the earth and celebrate the Harvest Moon:
1. Break bread with friends and loved ones. Harvest is all about the bounty of the earth and stocking up for the more barren months ahead. Cover your table with rich, sustaining goodies, and invite your friends to bring dishes to share! Give thanks for your food in any way that seems appropriate, and enjoy watching your loved ones nourish their bodies with the food from your table.
2. Make a promise to yourself to end food shaming. Food is a gift from the earth. Vegetables, fruits, seeds, grains – meats and dairy, too, if you’re not vegan/vegetarian! Food is not poison. Food is not the enemy. We would not survive without sustenance, and there’s nothing wrong or unnatural about that. So enjoy the food you eat, and stop feeling guilty about it.
3. Plant some seeds! I know, harvest is about the reaping, not the sowing. But there are lots of delicious fall and winter foods you can plant now and enjoy in several months. Go for kale, beets, squash, and cauliflower! If you don’t have a garden, then get yourself a small pot for your porch or window sill. The joy of watching a seed sprout and eventually grow into full brilliance will only be beaten by the joy of eating food you grow!
4. Use this full moon as a great starting point to begin following the moon cycles. The Gregorian calendar certainly has it’s place, but it’s fun to also follow the “calendar” laid out by the moon’s cycles. Once attuned to its rhythm, you’ll start noticing the subtle difference between a waxing and waning moon; you’ll enjoy the dark night of a just-new moon; and a month from now, you’ll welcome the full moon once again!
5. Practice active gratitude. The bounty of harvest is a blessing, and abundance in all categories is a gift. Even if you don’t feel particularly blessed at the moment – if you feel poor or lacking in some regard – don’t start with the wishing. Start with the thanking. That is, instead of asking the Universe (or god/dess, or spirit) for what you desire, give thanks for what you already have. Express your gratitude wholeheartedly, and don’t leave anything out! You can write it out, say it in your head, or vocalize it to a friend. The practice is so gratifying and cleansing that by the end you will undoubtedly feel rich beyond measure. That is true abundance. That is the harvest.
And enjoy this song “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young! One of my favorites…
Over the past few weekends, my sister-in-law and her family have made over 20 gallons of cider from some of the pie apple trees that grow on the pasture of our family’s Iowa farmland. Nothing says autumn like apple cider! And so it is here…the end of summer. Luscious berries and delicate flowers are fading as hearty leaves and roots make their entrance into our farmers markets and recipes. Whether you are in Arizona or Maine, I’m sure you’re noticing the changes all around you.
However, because the expression of the seasons is not the same in every state, what’s “seasonal” in terms of produce can vary quite a bit. I recently came across this interactive map that allows you to choose your state and see what’s in season where you live. There are lots of tools like this out there, but this one happens to be especially easy to use.
For this month’s seasonal guide to food as medicine post, I’ve chosen to focus on some of the edible herbs that also act as common botanical medicines and then, of course, I must talk about the amazing properties of apples. If you’d like to start at the beginning of this series, you can find the first article here.
Horseradish – A hardy root that’s been cultivated for over 2000 years with long list of traditional uses for everything from acting as a blood cleanser to treating headaches. From a modern science perspective, compounds in this spicy root have shown benefit as an antibiotic. In a 2006 study, a constituent of horseradish was found to decrease symptoms from acute sinusitis, bronchitis, or urinary tract infections as effectively as standard antibiotic therapy. From my own personal experience, I also believe a nice-sized bite of this raw root does an excellent job of opening up congested sinus passages!
Lemon balm – This herb gets its common name due to its lemon scent although it’s not related to the citrus fruit itself. An edible plant, the leaves show promise as an anti-viral medicine, specifically indicated for the virus, Herpes simplex, as well as showing benefit for symptoms of anxiety. You can crush up the leaves to make a hot tea or find dried versions in capsule form at your local health food store.
Borage – This plant is native originally to Syria, although it has spread throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean and can be grown in many temperate climates. The leaves and beautiful lavender flowers may be eaten, but it’s the seeds that get the most attention in the natural medicine community. According to a retrospective review of more than 2,000 supplement and medication records for elderly Americans (60-99 years), borage oil supplements are one of the most popular herbal products among elderly women, likely due to their relatively high level of gamma-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid linked to improvements in inflammatory conditions and menopausal symptoms.
Elderberry – This plant has an incredibly long and impressive history as a medicinal plant. Native Americans used elder for infections, coughs, and skin conditions. Ancient Egyptians even used elder flowers to improve complexion and heal burns. From a modern science perspective, elderberries show promise as an anti-viral medicine, decreasing viral load in the body as well as improving flu-like symptoms.
Apples – Last but not least, apples! We all know the famous apple saying relating to health, and it’s true that this little miracle from Mother Nature is packed with goodies like fiber and vitamin C. However, what I find especially exciting about apples are some of the amazing compounds, called phenolic phytochemicals, found primarily in the skin of the fruit that are currently undergoing scientific investigation. An emerging theory is that these phenolic compounds may protect against certain neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by acting as an antioxidant in brain tissue.
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If you don’t have kids you can still enjoy these fun recipes. Halloween is one of the biggest holidays in America even though it lasts just one day.
Why not partake this year and have some friends over for some scary treats!
Pumpkin Head Cup Cakes
Blend in blender until smooth then strain solids and let cool.
Originally published in 2009
Renay Matthews is a certified Nutritionist and Holistic Life Coach.
She can be reached at www.organeewellnes.com or practitioner@organeewellness.com
Part of the problem with the end-of-summer blues lies in the following season’s name, fall. The word associations we have are: Fall down, fall apart, the biblical fall of man, and falling leaves – what a mess! Fall suggests failure and points you in the direction of winter. While spring, no matter how brutal the weather like a snowfall in April, serves as an optimistic portal to summer.
A sunrise and sunset are basically the same beautiful rosy sky – it all depends which way you are facing for what it signifies. To reduce end-of-summer stress we need to market fall differently culturally, spiritually and medically. This will help us enjoy the harvest and the fresh, free air-conditioning after a lazy, sweltering summer.
9 positive attributes of fall:
