For your Sacral Chakra...

I love Autumn.... It's such a nostalgic time of the year. All the memories jumping in piles of leaves, wearing hats and gloves for the first time in months, apple picking, the holidays coming up quickly...
When I was younger, Autumn, for food, basically meant apple pie and having ice cream that was a little harder to scoop in the cold weather.
Now it means so much more... I'm so thankful I have become such a locavore; how could I live without butternut squash soup, roasted pumpkin, apples upon apples, and all the other foods that mean Autumn?

This is a tasty soup I made when we were shocked with a rather cold day after a string of humid, hot ones. Simple and easy, it makes a delicious, bright-orange soup that will open up your Sacral Chakra along with your nasal cavity!

It is a little spicy, so if you want it to be more toned down, start with small amounts of the spices and work your way up.

Ingredients:
Swirl olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 C pumpkin, cubed
2 C vegetable broth
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash cayenne
pinch ginger
salt and pepper to taste
Water, to thin, to preference

On medium heat, add the olive oil to a pot and let heat. Add the garlic. Add the onions and peppers and allow to cook for a minute or two before adding the carrots and pumpkin. Pour in the broth and spices and turn up heat to bring it to a boil.
Once rolling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are nice and tender.

Remove from heat and let cool for a minute or so, so it's not too hot. Pour into blender or food processor and puree. Add in salt and pepper to taste, and blend again until it's a smooth consistency.

Double the recipe if you're making it for a family, as it doesn't make bowl fulls. Serve it with salad or over rice, or anyway you like!

Rice and Beans...

No meat, no dairy, no eggs, no honey, no artificial colorings preservatives, additives, little, if any, refined foods... yet I feel no dearth in variety of what I eat. Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, the occasional whole grain or legume... all making endless combinations of delicious ethical and healthy cooked or raw dishes. But I guess I shouldn't be too surprised when I get asked, "So... what do you eat?" from another.
If that person is serious and interested in learning more about veganism and raw foods, I will answer intelligently. But more often than not, it isn't meant that way, so I answer with a comical, "Rice and beans".

Rice and beans has been something that never really appealed to me... until recently. I've been craving a rice and bean dish all day... So I made one. The weather is getting cooler, so why not make a warming dish to welcome autumn?
Of course, I added a nice amount of veggies to mine. The idea of eating nothing but grain and legume seems boring to me...



Rice and Beans [And Veggies]
1 C brown basmati rice
1 can kidney beans
swirl olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 head broccoli, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 zucchini, chopped
1/2 yellow squash, chopped
2 1/2 Tbsp tamari
2 Tbsp vegetable broth
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 Tbsp white miso
Cumin, Pepper, and salt to taste

Cook the rice according to directions on the package.

While the rice is cooking, prepare veggies. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the minced garlic and allow to cook for a minute. Add the onion followed by the remaining vegetables.

Sautee for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Reduce heat to low, and add the tamari, broth, vinegar, and miso. Mix well, and add in the rice and beans, stirring to combine.
Add the spices to your preference and enjoy!