Warming Red Lentil Soup

Amidst the fall leaning towards eating colors over on the the orange/gold and red offer some preventative care to any soon to be wintering body. This warming red lentil soup is the epitome of nutritious and delicious. The humble red lentil is packed with protein and b vitamins, magnesium and has lots of fiber. Paired up with some orange veggies and tasty spices, this soup only takes about 45 minutes from start to finish.

Use any winter squash in place of the sweet potato. This recipe is really versatile in what you put in the base, before the lentils--It is great topped with fresh parsley or cilantro or any leafy green for an extra green boost, a dollop of sour cream or yogurt. You could add bacon to it! Use what you have and Soups On!

RED LENTIL SOUP

Makes about ~2 quarts

2 T oil/butter- I used bacon grease from breakfast

1 medium onion diced

3 cloves of garlic diced

2” piece of fresh ginger, grated

2 t cinnamon

1 T ground coriander

S & P to taste

3 celery stalks, sliced

2 carrots, diced

1 cup red lentils

6 cups water or broth

In a soup pot saute onions on medium for about 5 minutes, add salt, pepper and garlic, add cinnamon and coriander (and any other spices you’d like). Stir to coat and saute for another 5 minutes, chop up carrots and celery and add along with grated ginger. Turn down to low, cover and let simmer for 5 or some minutes, stirring once or twice. Chop up sweet potato and measure out lentils. Add sweet potato, stir to combine, add lentils, stir to combine, then add the  water/broth, bring to a boil, skim any foam that comes to the top. After 30 secs or so boil, turn down to low and cover, cook for 20 minutes until everything is nice and tender. Could be blended. I went with chunky, topped with quick pickles and parsley.  Yum town!

Comfort food

Listening to Unlocking Us on the concept of strong backs and soft fronts.

Sipping on some green tea spiked with Fireside Honey Tonic

Read The stunning The Shape of Collapse

Cooking is therapy for me. I woke up way to early this morning with just about everything on my mind. Reading, writing, a dash of worrying lead me to the garden, to plant 100 cloves of garlic. Then to the kitchen where I cooked up all sorts of goodies to enjoy over the next couple days. Cook once eat many times is what I opt for. Below is a recipe for roasted chicken, healing green soup, chicken & cabbage enchiladas and a basic broth recipe.

FIRST I roasted a chicken. THIS RECIPE is the only one I’ll use from now on.

Next up was the Healing Green Soup, adapted from Autoimmune Wellness’s recipe. This is a client favorite, I make it all year round. Today I made it with a can of coconut milk, fresh turmeric and doubled the amount of ginger and black pepper.

Finely sliced cabbage to braise for enchi filling

Next up were the enchis. Once the chicken was roasted and cooled I scored some delicious juicy meat from it and sauted it up in the cast iron I roasted it in, along with half of a small cabbage. Once the cabbage was cooked, about 10 minutes. I rolled the filling up in gently warmed almond flour tortillas, smothered them with enchi sauce, and cheddar Daiya and baked on 375 for 25 minutes. My suggestion is to get on a first name based with enchis. They really are the best.

Enchis

Once everything was blended and baked. The rest of the roasted chicken parts went into a big pot with water, tons of garlic , turmeric, a chili and a big pinch of pepper corns and a glug of vinegar. I brought that to a slow boil and it will simmer for hours. The longer you simmer it the more minerals and amino acid builders will infuse into the broth. The addition of vinegar softens the bones up a bit so more goodies come out.

Late summer ragout

My uncle Dan and Aunt Susan have one of the most spectacular gardens of all time. It is by far one of my favorite places on Earth. Last weekend I made it up there for a 2020 hello and a stroll through their garden and pastures. We left brimming with garden bounty, including whole giant fennel and kale plant and having a sweet encounter with some baby sheep! eep!

While garnering ideas for all the fennel. I found this gem in the Moosewood Restaurant Favorites beast of a cook book. A gift to our dearest Aunt Pat, in her last summer in Owego, from some of the lovely founder gals of the Moosewood Restaurant, a famous vegetarian spot in Ithaca, NY.

The fennel flavor is so well combined with fresh herbs and orangey broth that even for the most wary of fennel would likely enjoy.

GREEN BEAN, POTATO, and FENNEL RAGOUT

2 leeks ( onions are fine too)

1 medium to large fennel (and fennel frond tops for extra flavor in the broth)

4 cups cubed potatoes

1 pound green beans

several fresh thyme sprigs

2 T olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 orange

2 cups fresh tomatoes or one 15 oz can diced tomatoes

generous pinch of saffron

2 T chopped fresh tarragon or 3 T chopped fresh basil

First, prep the veggies. Chop the white and tender greens parts of the leeks (about 1 1/2 cups) cut the fennel bulb into 1/4 in slices and then cut the slices to about an inch long. (2 cups) cut the potatoes into stew sized chunks. Trim the green beans and cut into 2 in pieces (about 3 1/2 cups).

in stew pot, saute the leeks in the oil for 4-5 minutes. stir in the fennel and potatoes and cook for about 2 more minutes, stirring often. Add the water, sprigs of thyme, salt and peppers and green beans, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the stew simmers, zest and juice the orange. add the tomatoes, orange zest and saffron, bring back to a simmer and cook until the veggies are tender about 10 minutes. Stir in orange juice, fresh tarragon or basil, and black pepper. Before service discard thyme stems.

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SEASONAL FALL MENU mix and match these dishes and add on personalized dishes

Left overs Waldorf salad + enduring the holidays

WALDORF SALAD adapted from the Lost Kitchen

1 apple or 1 pear, cut into 1" cubes

1/4 cup of rasins, currents or gogi berries

1 small fennel bulb, cored and sliced 

2 celery stalks, sliced into half moons

Grated zest & juice from 1/2-1 lemon or orange (depending on how much tang & tart you like)

1/2 cup nuts (walnuts are traditional, use what you have. candied, raw, or roasted)

Up to a cup of left over meat

1/3 cup mayo if making without meat 1/2 cup mayo if using meat

1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley

salt & pepper to taste

1-2 large handfuls of choice greens. Anything from romaine to kale. Adding some spicy or bitter greens such as arugula or radicchio can make this salad even more complex & delicious.

In a medium bowl, combine the fruit, fennel, celery and lemon juice/zest. Mix up to coat the produce with the lemon. Add in nuts and set aside.

In a larger/serving bowl combine meat, mayo, parsley, salt and pepper, then transfer lemony produce into to the large bowl and stir to combine flavors. Serve on a bed of greens or mix the greens right in.

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WATER IS THE SOLUTION TO THE DILUTION OF THE POLLUTION-Andrea Nakayma

HYDRATION TIPS

TAKE you body weight in POUNDS, divide that in half and the product is the base amount of OUNCES of water you should drink a day

DRINK an extra 8 OUNCES of water to every 4 OUNCES of alcohol or caffeine

SQUEEZE half a lemon into water in the morning for a nice shot of immune boosting Vitamin C

do your best, you'll feel and see the difference

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Portland community,

We invite you to our Evening Retreat on December 7th from 6-8. In the heart of the holiday season, envision a nourishing yoga class complimented with healthy nibbles & an elixir. Our hope is you leave refreshed, relaxed, inspired and with warm muscles & belly.

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A lovely passage from Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Today we have gathered and when we look upon the faces around us we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now let us ring our minds together as one as we give greeting and thanks to each other a People. Now our minds are one. 

-An excerpt from the Thanksgiving Address known well by the Onondaga Nation