FULL MOON: ECLIPSED

Ponderings for the occasion:

Where is your light being shadowed?

Does your energy wax and wane?

How do you think others perceive your light?

Are you a light reflector, a mirror or a light generator?

Do you relish the darkness, the stillness of night?

When I am in the spiraling cycle of creativity, I'm aware of the duality, the inward and the outward pull of energy. I need to respond to both to feel in balance. I relate it to growth cycles, creativity cycles, life cycles. Whether I'm teaching or studying, cooking or eating, active or at rest, creating or recharging I see that both are necessary and that getting stuck or too attached to one or the other stroke can lead to an imbalance that restricts the flow of energy into new growth and fruition. In my work with people and their healing processes around food and health building I see this again and again. The body, the digestive system, the senses, the appetites of mind, body and soul each provide metaphor and meaning for how we are always in creation.

Recently, I've been designing a course to teach folks how to increase their energy and sense of wellbeing and aliveness by upgrading their relationship to food, eating and nourishment in the physical as well as the spiritual sense. I intend to take students on a spiraling journey, first inward to their core and essence and then return outward again into the world with ease and a new vision of what food is, how the body processes it, how we stay well, where we break down so that there is an increasing sense of freedom, clarity and confidence in self care and wellness that is custom to each individual. I'm really excited about it because it is a chance for me to put all I have learned and practiced and discovered in one place and make it come alive for people step-be-step. It feels like the perfect blend of what I know about creativity and health and human nature. I'll be sharing the particulars in the weeks to come!

                                                                                                  

Roughly, we'll be following a kind of hero's journey as it  relates to the development of the whole person, a culinary adventure if you will, as the palate matures and the consequences of choices throughout our lives require attention and perhaps redirecting to avoid/prevent disease and early aging.

As my centinarian grandmother used to bemoan, "everyone wants to live a long time, but no-one wants to get old!" I've discovered ways to slow down the aging process and alleviate many of the symptoms that seem to be par for the course these days in our busy, soul denying lives. We'll be looking at  the environment we live in, the family myths and patterns, our unique physiology, tastes, quirks and needs. Where the breakdowns are and how to address them through food medicine. We will "grow up" our taste buds and go-to foods, triggers, addictive tendencies and generally find ways of taking more responsibility for our own journey. 

I'm calling it a path of evolutionary eating, which can sound like a mouthful , but perhaps it will reflect our innate tendency to always be seeking improvements, to wake up the forces of nature at play within us and between us. There is an inner kernel, spark, core, heart or something deep inside us. The magic of creativity is when we can access that space and apply it in a very everyday way. It may be in the ways we learn to take care of ourselves, reach out to others who need our support or simply share what we learned on our journey. I can't wait to share it with you. Stay tuned for more details.......

And now for a really great recipe!!

                              SPRING FULL MOON ECLIPSE VEGETABLE PANCAKES

                              gluten/dairy free                                           makes 12  4" pancakes

6 eggs, beaten

1 T. gluten free flour mix

½ red onion, cut in half and sliced thin

4 green onions, sliced very thin

3 small carrots, grated

¼ head nappa cabbage, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thin

1 small zucchini, grated

1 large clove garlic, micro grated

1" ginger root, peeled by scraping with a spoon and micro grated

¼ cup arame seaweed, soaked in water for 10 minutes until soft

1 tsp. wheat free tamari

1 tsp. hot chili oil

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

salt

pepper

grapeseed oil for griddle (can tolerate high heat)

rooster sauce, tamari sauce, toasted sesame oil, hot chili oil - for garnish

In a large bowl, place sliced onions and cover with cold water. Add green onions and toss. Add carrots, cabbage, zucchini and toss again with onions and water. Drain seaweed and toss with other veggies. Drain out water from veggies. Add ginger and garlic, tamari, and oils, salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk eggs, add flour and whisk until fully blended. Add to vegetable mixture and mix to combine thoroughly.

Heat griddle until drops of water sizzle. Pour a 1-2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil on griddle and spread around. Place a handful of egg and veggie mixture (about ½ cup for each pancake) on griddle and repeat leaving 1" between each pancake for egg to spread out a little. Cook until edges are dry and pancake can be lifted with a wide spatula without coming apart. Flip and cook until dry through without letting the eggs get brown.

Transfer from griddle to serving platter and keep warm in oven until ready to serve. Serve with a drizzle of hot sauce, tamari, sesame and/or chili oils. Any pancakes that are not devoured can be stored in the fridge and reheated or eaten cold for breakfast or a snack.

recipe by Jennifer Una CulinaryArts                                                    

all rights reserved ©2014