PUMPKIN FULL MOON + MY BIRTHDAY

Did anyone notice or feel a certain satin-y glow about the moon just now?  There's a creamy dreamy quality that is inviting me to soften and surrender to its seasonal spell. I've been meditating on the theme of change and starting over, in part because I am shifting gears in my work and also because I do this psychic housecleaning every year as my birthday approaches.  The dichotomy of being born at the dying of the year feel extra strong this year for some reason. As everything (at least in the Northern half of the Northern hemisphere) begins to pull inward, darken and contract I can't help feeling that my personality was honed by coming out into life at just this time. It's made me adept at greeting the darkness, welcoming the cloak of mystery and silence. Making me an old hand at summoning uncertainty when the old needs to fall away. That part of the design process where the canvas lies empty, the warp is unstrung, the page is left white. It's the quieting, imagining time. Less outward activity, energy building underground for new things to grow and become. It's familiar and I welcome it.

There will be some changes in the near future. Probably the most tangible is that I am re-posititioning myself from doing demos outside at the farmer's markets and farm stands around the county to an indoor venue where I can go deeper and teach more of what I have to share with  people.  I won't be catering as much. If I do take those jobs, it will be for smaller and shorter events closer to home. I will be gathering together all the recipes and materials I've developed over the past several years as a chef and nutrition educator and forming a culinary program of my own to pass on to my students. And I have mixed emotions about that because although I will still be in the community, there is some sadness at letting go of a role that I can no longer sustain. I'm trying to look at the transition as a "re-alignment" rather than giving up or quitting. I know there will be some people who will be affected by my decision to move on. The friends and colleagues at the markets and the folks who gathered around to taste and learn - I'd like to think I can still serve them in this new capacity. The people who have been working for me or training with me - I hope they will continue to learn and follow me into the classroom - in person as well as online.

Last year about this time, I had barely moved into my new home, when it turned out I had to move my father into assisted living. Most of the Fall and the holidays got eclipsed by that process. I was fortunate to begin the new year with my market gigs so I was able to trace the whole year season by season by what was being brought to market, creating recipes that highlighted the produce, setting up an outdoor kitchen to prepare the dishes on the spot, give out samples, recipes and nutritional information to inspire the market attendees to gather their ingredients from the vendors and go home and make it for themsleves. So rain, wind or shine the demo booth was there and it is satisfying to know that as this year's end is approaching, people have learned about many once mysterious vegetables, gained kitchen skills and confidence, adopted new cooking methods, been inspired to upgrade their eating habits and even lost weight and addressed health issues from what I demonstrated for them at my booth.

As 2013 winds down, I'm getting ready to take all I've learned from the vegetables, the farmer's, the customers and begin to develop a program that in essence will teach people EVERYTHING I KNOW. It will include everything I learned from my culinary programs, my internships, my catering, my private chef clients, my teaching opportunies, community classes, etc. It will include everything I've learned from my friends and their mothers and grandmothers and a few fathers and grandfathers too. Everything I've learned from traveling and eating around the country and in other lands. Everything I've learned from the cookbooks and magazines and articles and conferences and trade shows. I look forward to breaking it down into teachable units and watching the magic as people get turned on by the sacred space that is THE KITCHEN.

So, more details to come. Be looking out for the schedule and early bird sign up opportunities. You can be part of the drama as it unfolds! For those of you that are local to me, you will be able to come and learn in the live, hands-on classroom. And for those who are farther afield, I will be working on a home study program that you can explore in your own space. In each case, I look forward to being your guide and mentor. Cool, huh? Tell your friends that are looking for ways to discover their Inner Chef and cooking their way to health!

In the meantime, a few recipes..................

CHICKPEA APPLE CURRY            cooked, vegan, gluten free

makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons of coconut oil

1 T. curry powder

      or

1 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. coriander

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. chili

pinch clove

pinch black pepper

2 onions, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

1" ginger, grated

6 large apples, cored and diced to size of chickpeas

2 large tomatoes, cut in quarters, seeds removed, chopped

handful cilantro, chopped

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed, drained

1 cup of water or stock

handful spinach

juice of 1 lime

juice of ½ lemon

Heat coconut oil in skillet over medium-low heat. Add curry spices. Cook until fragrant; about 1 minute.

Add onions, ginger and garlic. Cook until onion starts to soften and is well coated with curry spices; 2 - 3 minutes.

Add apples, tomatoes, chickpeas and cilantro. Simmer using water or stock to keep from sticking and make a sauce. 5 - 10 minutes.

Continue to simmer until sauce is reduced and chickpeas get a little drier. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach, lemon and lime juice.

Butternut Squash with Asian Pear, Apple and Ginger      cooked, vegan, gluten free

makes 8 servings

A comforting pureed soup that is both savory and sweet. Perfect for late summer/early fall, when Asian pears and apples are still in season.

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1" chunks

1 T. grapeseed oil

1 large yellow onion, peeled, coarsely chopped

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced or grated

¼ tsp. ground allspice

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp. nutmeg, freshly ground

2 Asian pears, peeled, cored and chopped

2 apples (Rome, Fuji or Macintosh) peeled, cored and chopped

enough water or stock to cover vegetables

salt

lemon juice

olive oil

agave or maple syrup

½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Heat oil in heavy bottomed stock pot. Add squash and sauté until getting tender. Add onion and shallot and continue to sauté until onion is getting carmelized. Add ginger and other spices. Stir a few minutes.

Add pears and apples. Sauté until squash is quite soft. Add stock. Cook over medium heat until flavors have blended.

Transfer a couple of cups of soup to blender and blend until velvety smooth. Pour into another container. Continue blending the soup in batches until all is blended. Return all the pureéd soup back to stock pot. You can also leave soup in pot and use an immersion hand blender if you have one. When blended, balance flavors with pinch of salt, a few drops of lemon juice, drizzle of olive oil and drop or two of sweetener if needed.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with pumpkin seeds.

BAKED APPLES                                                 cooked, vegan, gluten free

makes 6 servings

Preheat oven to 350º F.

6 large firm apples, washed thoroughly.

Use an apple corer to remove stems and cores.

Place in a baking pan.

Drizzle over apples:

juice of one lemon

1/4 C. maple syrup

1 T. brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

pinch clove

pinch cardamom

pinch anise powder

Optional~

Stuff inside cored apples:

a handful of raisins or other bits of dried fruits

a few chopped nuts, seeds

a few chocolate chips (!), shredded coconut

Put about 1/4" of water in bottom of baking pan and place

in oven uncovered for about 30 minutes or until apples are

soft through (use a fork to test)

When done, remove from oven. Place apples on platter or individual plates

and spoon up all the "sauce" in the pan and drizzle over.

Can be served immediately or left to room temperature.

If making a larger pan of apples, you can store in a covered

dish in the fridge for several days. Nice to chop up over cereal,

add to cookies, breads, soups, grains, etc. Adds juice, sweetening and spice.