Curried Acorn Squash Soup with Toasted Chickpeas

The best recipes are usually the most simple. You can take a little extra time making some special garnishes that will make a basic soup seem pretty fancy. This recipe has room for many optional embellishments. I think my favorite herb is cilantro and I find myself creating dishes around it just so that I have really good excuse to eat it. I know that it offends some people because of it's particular flavor, so feel free to substitute fresh parsley instead.

 However, the primary function of cilantro is to rid the body of heavy metals, which can be absorbed by consuming foods that are packaged in cans, from products we use and from the basic exposure to it. It mobilizes mercury from it's storage containers in the body, which is adipose or fat tissues. It can move it quickly from the brain and central nervous system. Combined with algae, which binds to the excreted toxin, this combination is extremely efficient at working together. Just some quick facts about this delectable herb and it's powers.

Now that we are heading toward warmer weather, I will be growing my own squashes and looking forward to mixing up my recipes with them. Try making this delicious soup - it's very easy and takes about an hour, start to finish. Most of that time is the slow cooking and doesn't require a lot of fuss.
This can easily be made vegan by omitting the yogurt drizzle on top, but it's totally worth it!

INGREDIENTS
1 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks of celery, minced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon curry powder
olive oil
salt + pepper
cayenne

OPTIONAL GARNISHES
fresh chopped cilantro or parsley
1 cup of cooked chickpeas or toasted cashews
greek yogurt
sauteed mushrooms
green onions
smoked paprika

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Take each half of squash and rub it down with a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt + pepper. Put them face down on a baking sheet and cook them for about 35 minutes or until the tip of a knife can pierce the outside easily. While the squash bake, start a saute in a medium to large sized soup pot. Warm about a tablespoon of olive oil and add the onion and the celery. Season with a pinch of salt + pepper. Let them go about 10 minutes until they begin to brown slightly. Add the garlic, curry powder and cayenne and cook just until it becomes fragrant. De-glaze your pot with your stock liquid by pouring in about a half cup at first, then add the rest. Add the coconut milk and adjust the salt. When the squash is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool about five minutes. Using a spoon, scrape each half down to the skin and add this to the soup. You can blend the soup right in the pot by removing it from the burner and using an immersion blender. This is a tool that is totally worth the investment. If you don't have one, you can use a blender but you will need to allow it to cool down a bit first.

In the meantime, you can toast your nuts or make crunchy, spiced chickpeas in the oven that's probably still warm. Bring it down to 375 degrees. Toss the chickpeas in a bowl with olive oil, salt + pepper and smoked paprika. Spread them out single layer on your same baking sheet and pop them in for about 20 minutes, giving them a shake halfway through. After they cool, they will be crunchy and crispy like nuts. So delicious.

If you have a squeeze bottle fitted with a small tip for dressings or sauces, use this to make your fancy zig zag. Fill it with a couple tablespoons of plain, greek yogurt and a splash of water. Shake it up and you've got a great little tool for finishing touches. Dress your bowl with sauteed mushrooms if you're using them, and top it with fresh herbs and nuts. Add your design last. You will love this versatile soup that can be made just as easily with a butternut squash or even sweet potato.

ENJOY!!

Red Dirt Woman | Spring, 2015

I'm so thrilled to be able to offer Red Dirt Woman's spring retreat again at Blue Doors! How fortunate we are that they love Red Dirt Woman as much as we do. This season, the theme of our retreat will be linear with spring rituals and activities as we focus on body-positive activities, rituals and content that are designed to reinforce healthy self image while staying mindful of our health + wellness.

It is so easy to sink into a loop of thought about the way we look or, more oftentimes, the way we think we look, and project those negative feelings onto our relationships and into our environment at home and at work. Everyone experiences physiological changes after childbirth, after the end of a relationship, moving, losing a loved one, surviving a trauma, or simply completing a cycle that has in place for a long time. It is natural to absorb self doubt and criticism as we move forward into unfamiliar territory, but the lasting effects of those emotions, unchecked, can lead to physical and emotional imbalance.

By restructuring our habitual behaviors and consciously changing or re-writing them, we step back into that imprint of powerful positivity, and the effects can be immense! Women are naturally a bit critical about how they look and what they accomplish in a day. We tend to be hard on ourselves when we compare our measure of success to other women. The healing we can experience with counteracting those things in the company of other women, gives us the support, encouragement and safety to explore that shift.

To learn everything you need to know about the retreat including our schedule, our brand new tribe of lady staff, a virtual tour of the resort and sign up, head to the official retreat website here! We are excited and looking forward to seeing YOU!

Red Dirt Woman Tribe

A few years ago, I started having this dream. THIS one. Powerful women gathered together in ceremony, ritual, creativity, love and enduring community. A spectrum of ages, colors, skills, hearts and heads - retreating into the woods and gathered around fire. This vision was something that I was spiritually cultivating as an expansion on many sister circles I have attended and co-created over the last two decades of my life, which truly makes up an enormous part of my female foundation. I feel the most strong and focused when I am in the company and conversation of other mothers, sisters, wives and daughters. Our gifts are amplified when we bring them together in circle, collecting the energy, and give it back to the universe. It creates a boomerang effect that works a lot like karma, returning to you in some form that reflects your high self. I firmly believe in the strength of these gatherings and with my passion, my bleeding heart and my greatest honor, I set out to womanifest this tribe as a living collection of women, a global sisterhood of stars, sharing their journeys together. When we raise the vibration in togetherness, we levitate a little.

Here are some collected images taken by the women who attended our first retreat, last November. I'm so grateful to this awesome tribe of healers who made everything possible, especially to the incredible Jane and Pat of Blue Doors at Tenkiller who generously opened their space up to us and welcomed Red Dirt Woman in a really big way. We really put some roots down there and look forward to our spring retreat which is already underway! Registration is now open until May 2nd. You can learn everything you need to know about it here.

Welcome to Blue Doors at Tenkiller, Highway 100 in Gore, Oklahoma just off of the lower Illinios River and Lake Tenkiller.

We put together  little gift bags filled with treats and goodies to welcome our sisters as they arrived to the retreat. They were on their beds as they checked into their cabins. A little nicer than a mint!

The roaring pizza oven at night, fired up and ready to turn out an abundance of pies that we feasted on the first night for dinner.

An impressive craft table set up in the tipi the first night. The ladies found journals in their gift bags. They collaged the covers and infused them with love and intention for the weekend.

After hours, these sisters turned the kitchen table into a playground and they blessed our space with their inversions, stretches and breath of light!

Our beautiful, dusky rainbow kitchen at looked so magical. This is completely open air on all sides but we hung a tarp over the top to keep the potential for rain out, which we got!

A simple morning breakfast of fresh fruit, nuts, granola from my blog and homemade almond and hazelnut milks to give us some healthy fuel for the day.

We hiked back into the woods, away from camp, for a group meditation. The leaves were thick and golden and the moss was cool, green and wet. It was a perfect place for some quiet reflection.

I made mini, crustless quiches in my doughnut pans for another breakfast using fresh eggs from the hens at Blue Doors. Thank you Sister!

How many women can you find meditating in this picture?

The tipi served us well for many of our classes and activities throughout the weekend. Holy, holy.

That's beauiful Jane in the background who owns Blue Doors and that's Sister. This hen is like a dog - she follows Jane everywhere, hangs out in the kitchen, gives us eggs and even rides in the golf cart!

Yoga twining.

I built this altar in our heated yoga studio. These crystals and stones were generously donated by our sisters at Be The Light Rocks. Everything was ruled by the sign of Sagittarius and the planet Jupiter. I made a special oil blend in the glass bottle that you could annoint your chakras with as you entered and left the space.

Our essential oils workshop with Tori Rose and Young Living.

A regular sight at meal times - gathered around the rock fire pit with good vibes and conversation always.

This is the view from the tipi. It sits back in the woods behind the cabins. So quiet and peaceful back here. A perfect place to collect your thoughts, meditate and simply BE.

The last night of retreat, I surprised the girls with this performance from Carrie and Kelsey. The astrological theme of the weekend was fire and I thought this was perfect. They were amazing!

The altar contained fluorite, selenite, red jasper, amethyst, cedar and lotus, among other little treasures.

On the last day, everyone was eager to look at all of the photos that had been captured throughout the weekend so that we could go home with some amazing memories to share with our friends and families!

Good byes are always a little bittersweet, but everyone left with full hearts, renewed spirits and a whole lot of love to take home.

Until next time, ladies! See you this May for our spring awakening retreat! Love, blessings and light!

March Polarity: Sun in Pisces | Full Moon in Virgo

This month's full moon in Virgo is one of those special transits where it happens to occupy the polar opposite of the sign that the sun occupies, which is Pisces. It doesn't happen like this every month, but when it does, the energy surrounding the full moon is amplified by its complimentary and polarizing effect. This means that the sun and moon are exactly 180 degrees apart which is exactly where Pisces and Virgo are in relation to each other, regarding their solar positions.

Pisces at a glance: The last few years have been productive in shoring up a spiritual practice that is now maturing and will serve you long-term. It will also help you discern the position of your moral compass. Artistic endeavors will soothe frayed ends. Approach medications and any mind-altering substances with modesty because Pisces is super sensitive to the effects of them. Job opportunities are increasing and positions of leadership will open up. Deepen your dialogue with commitments you've made. New terms are being written and old ones are being revised. Watch for big changes in June and July. Be resourceful in the face of financial challenges. This is a good time to redefine your brand. Symbolism that centers on sensitivity will serve as a light that shines on the future of your unique self, newly improved. Love is changing. You will make intense connections over the next year through foreign affairs, travel, co-workers and professional alliances. Stay grounded in reality instead of getting swept up in fantasy. Juice up existing relationships with passion and strengthen ones that need a little extra attention. Fertility is all around you.

Virgo and the polar moon: In this position, the mind and attitude are sharpened. Work is calling. Themes centered around service and health are also in focus. This is a good time to organize your office or work space. Detail-oriented tasks are especially good to tackle. Edit, weed or clean out a closet. Improving something will give you some speed in the fast track to accomplishing that to-do list.  Use this energy to critique, analyze or solve an important problem. Giving advice comes naturally under this influence, but learning when to accept it becomes a greater challenge. Doing it with grace, femininity and class will yield the best results.

Polarities are especially powerful alignments because the magnetic field they share at this angle is stronger in this position, especially when it involves a sun | moon alliance, and even more so when it happens on the full moon. This total aspect is fully effaced at 12:05 pm and moonrise is visible at 8:23 pm. Go outside tonight and take a minute to consciously participate in what is happening upstairs. The more aware we are, the more we stand to benefit these incredible acts of nature, that otherwise can be easily missed.

NAMASTE!

Vegetable Quinoa Chili

Who doesn't love chili? The classic can be pretty heavy in saturated fat and calories, not to mention overly seasoned with salt. This is as close as you can get to chili perfection without sacrificing your body for your love of food. Don't get me wrong - I'm all about indulging but doing it the right way with some modifications allows you to still get all of the satisfaction from your very favorite foods without putting your levels on the chopping block. And this recipe can be modified even further to make it just right for you no matter what your restrictions or requirements are. 

Basically, I used red quinoa instead of ground beef or turkey, and the addition of crumbled tofu or TVP will take the texture up a notch. I used pinto beans but of course kidney or black will work. The secret is getting lots of textures in there so that it's thick and chunky and full of a variety of vegetables. This is gluten free, and could easily be vegan without the yogurt on top. Coconut yogurt works pretty good for that. I'll let you in on a little secret though. This can be made on the fly by using a can of Amy's Vegetable Chili as a base and adding your own embellishments! Using a can of low sodium chili as a base provides a solution when you're in a time crunch, but the one made from scratch looks and tastes identical. You will be making it with all of the same ingredients anyway!

INGREDIENTS

1|2 of a yellow onion, diced

2 large carrots cut into 1|4 inch chop (or sweet potato or butternut squash)

5 large cremini mushrooms, thick sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 ribs of celery, minced

10 -15 grape tomatoes, halved (or a can of tomatoes with their juices)

1 T tomato paste

1|2 - 3|4 cup vegetable stock or filtered water

1|2 c red quinoa, cooked

1|2 crumbled tofu or TVP (textured vegetable protein) - optional

1 can pinto, kidney or black beans

chili powder 

smoked paprika

cumin

sea salt + pepper

olive oil

nutritional yeast always!

fresh chopped cilantro

greek yogurt or sour cream

DIRECTIONS

Warm some olive oil in the bottom of a medium to large sauce pan. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook 7 - 9 minutes until they start to brown. Add the mushrooms and the garlic. Cook 5 - 6 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. De-glaze the bottom of the pan with a splash of water or stock until all of the fond is pulled from the surface. That's the delicious brown stuff! Add the rest of the liquid, the quinoa and the beans and the tomatoes. Cook until thickened about 5 minutes, then add all of the seasonings except the cilantro and the yogurt. Cover and simmer another 10 - 15 minutes or so. Adjust the salt and pepper before serving. If you don't like cilantro, parsley is also very good. Top with a spoonful of yogurt and the fresh herbs. Serve with crunchy corn chips or warm corn bread!

ENJOY!

Sprouted Green Lentil Hummus

A word on sprouting and soaking your legumes. This practice will make them more user-friendly by leaching out the complex, indigestible sugars and the phytic acid that are found in most of them. These are the most difficult forms of vegetables for the human digestive system to break down. When you don't soak them, these sugars remain intact in the large intestine where bacteria ferment them and create carbon dioxide and hydrogen - the two main components of gastrointestinal gas. 

There a few kinds of legumes that do not need to be soaked, however. This includes lentils, aduki beans and split peas. These varieties are perfect for sprouting though, which enriches their nutritional profiles by increasing their protein content while decreasing starch and shortens their cooking time. 

To properly soak hard beans, rinse well and soak overnight in enough filtered water to cover the top by at least 1|4 inch. Drain the soaking liquid off and cook them in fresh water. This will also make the minerals more bioavailable. For this recipe, I sprouted the lentils for 24 hours, then cooked them in a little salted water until most of the liquid was absorbed, and drained the rest. 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup green lentils

1 large tablespoon of raw tahini (sesame butter)

1|2 lemon, juiced

1 large clove of garlic, minced

1 - 2 T good quality olive oil

1 T filtered water

cumin

smoked paprika

freshly chopped cilantro (parsley is a fine substitute if you prefer it)

SERVE WITH

toasted pita wedges or your favorite chips

assorted crudite

crumbled feta cheese

fresh greens

DIRECTIONS

Cook the sprouted lentils at a 2:1 ratio for about 20 - 25 minutes, until tender. Drain off any excess liquid that remains. Let them cool for 15 minutes. Add them to your blender with the remaining ingredients and season with sea salt at the end. Blend until thick and creamy. Garnish with extra smoked paprika and some whole leaves of cilantro. This makes a perfect appetizer dip or on a sandwich with your favorite embellishments. 

ENJOY!

Butternut Bisque with Kale Cream, Pepitas + Smoky Mushrooms

This might be the most gorgeous soup I've ever made. The intense color - blocking turned out so good and only works this well when the consistency of the two layers are thick enough not to mix when you pour the cream on top just before serving. The addition of toasted pepitas, cremini mushrooms and smoked paprika put the entire thing over the top. This can be made vegan by using coconut milk instead of dairy milk. It is delicious both ways! The kale cream is also delicious over pasta, rice or quinoa with roasted butternut squash for a variation. I've also used it in lasagna, as a flatbread pizza sauce and as a creamy dressing on a winter salad. Experiment!

INGREDIENTS
For the soup:
1 butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and cubed
1 cup coconut milk or vegetable stock
1|2 medium yellow onion, sliced
olive oil
sea salt + black pepper
nutritional yeast
pinch of cayenne
a little grated nutmeg
toasted pepitas are pumpkin seeds
sliced cremini mushrooms
1 clove of minced garlic

For the kale cream:
8 large leaves of kale, washed, deveined and chopped
1|4 shallot, diced
1|2 - 3|4 cup coconut milk
pinch of sea salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Toss the cubed squash and sliced onion in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, seasoned with salt + pepper. Roast on a sheet pan for about 30 minutes, shaking the pan half way through to ensure even cooking, until they are golden and fragrant. Remove the pan from the oven and scrape everything into a blender. Add the nutritional yeast, cayenne and the nutmeg. You could also add it directly to a soup pot with the coconut milk or stock and use an immersion blender. Blend until thick and creamy. Adjust the liquid so that it is not too thin or the cream will not sit on top and you'll get a murky blended effect instead. Return the soup to the pot.

Start making the kale cream by adding all of the ingredients to a second small pot and cook until just tender and the kale is bright green. If you overcook this step, the kale can become bitter. While this is cooking, gently saute the mushrooms and garlic, season with salt + pepper. Blend the kale cream in the blender (rinse it out first) or with the immersion blender. It should be thick as well. Build your bowl by ladling in the soup first. Gently and slowly pour or spoon some of the kale cream on top. Gently set the mushrooms in the middle and top with the pepitas  and smoked paprika. These layers should sit one right on top of the other for maximum wow factor and to get the color - blocked effect.

ENJOY!!