Throwback Thursday & Mabon Blessings

I've decided to do a little throwback posts on Thursdays, a chance to step back in time for a moment and revisit some moments from the past here in Blogland. This is from my first year of blogging, on this day in 2007. I've copied and pasted from the original, but updated a tiny bit where appropriate. 

Ahh..Autumn, my favorite time of year! Witches are everywhere, Samhain is right around the corner! Even here in the tropics the weather changes ever-so-slightly, the sun shines differently, there's a little breeze. I turn inward, my Kitchen Witch comes out and I start spending more time over the hearth. 

To celebrate Mabon, made a batch of Three Sisters from the cookbook, A Witch in the Kitchen by Cait Johnson. 

Three Sisters Harvest Stew 

This is a dish rich with textures, colors, and history. The "three sisters" refer to what the early Native Americans called corn, squash and beans. 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 large onion, chopped 

3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped 

1 large carrot cut into 1-inch pieces 

3/4 cup butternut squash, cubed (for a quicker-cooking variation, use 1 cup yellow or crookneck squash, cubed) 

1 can beans, drained (garbanzos, with their harvest gold color, are my favorite, but you could try butter beans, small red beans, or pintos - whatever pleases you) 

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 

sea salt 

1 dried chipotle pepper (optional) 

Water or vegetable broth, as needed 

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 

 In a large stew pot, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and stir to coat with the oil. Sauté until golden, the add the garlic, carrot pieces, squash, beans, corn, sage, sea salt to taste, and the chipotle pepper, if you desire. Though the pepper is optional, the smoky taste is reminiscent of the first hearth fires of the season, perfect for autumn. Simmer the stew, adding the water or vegetable broth as needed, until the squash is tender, the add the parsley and stir thoroughly. Serve piping hot.

Notes: I used garbanzo beans as called for, frozen diced butternut squash for convenience, and Trader Joe's fire-roasted corn. I didn't have a chipotle pepper so I used a little Chipotle in Adobo for spice. So yummy! I would say this makes more like 4 servings, not 6, but perhaps that's because I eat it as a main course, and I have a big appetite. ;) 

Brightest Mabon Blessings,

Rapunzel~

On My Hearth: Creole Black-eyed Peas

photo by Kali

Because 2020 was such a freaking mess (to put it mildly), I am not taking any chances with this year! Not only did I make my own batch of lucky black-eyed peas, I also gifted a bag of Rancho Gordo to each of my daughters. Everyone prepared her own recipe, wish I could have tasted them all but, alas, distance prevented that from happening. I had to settle for just my own, which is so delicious and, like every recipe from Susan Voisin, is always a hit! 

My photo doesn't do it justice, head over to FatFree Vegan Kitchen and grab the recipe for Creole Black-eyed Peas.  I usually serve it with a hunk of cornbread alongside, but after a few indulgent holiday meals, I need to get back on track with my eating plan before my jeans are any tighter! I'm starting with Square One, listening to Chef AJ each morning as I walk, cleaning up my kitchen and preparing compliant meals. I'll have those few pounds gone in no time. 

The walking is so important, I really feel it when I miss a couple days in a row. So, back to regular movement, structure and focus and routine! 

Have a beauty-full day,

Rapunzel~

A Rather Blustery Day

 

Yesterday was another dreary one, raining on & off for most of the day. While I could have braved the weather and tried to walk, I didn't want to take the chance of getting stuck out there. So, I stayed home and planned to do all sorts of things with that "found" time, but instead I pouted and peered out the window and complained about the bikers who, despite the pandemic and pouring rain, still showed up for Biketoberfest and insisted on racing up and down the street near my house, ruining my quiet Sunday. Yes, I've become that woman, the crotchety old lady who just wants peace & quiet, dammit! If I have to be locked in my house, I want it to be as pleasant as possible, please. Grrr..

Anyway, I managed to salvage the day (and my mood, sort've) by crafting & cooking, watching TV & reading, as per usual. Thanks to my friend Benzaiten who told me about this new Hulu series, Love in the Time of Corona. It's sweet, thoughtful, and, of course, relevant. Chip and I watched a couple of episodes, and I look forward to more later today. 

On my hearth was this easy slowcooker recipe, Butternut Squash Red Lentil Stew.

I mostly followed the recipe, didn't bother sautéeing the veggies and spices beforehand, just dumped them into the Crockpot and cooked on High for a few hours until the squash was fork tender, then stirred in spinach and coconut milk until heated through. Since I don't typically cook with oil, I left that out as well, making this dish perfectly meet my whole food, plant-based no oil criteria. (WFPBNO). I topped with a sprig of cilantro & served over steamed jasmine rice. 

The Verdict: Absolutely delicious! It was just the right amount of spice for me, but a less heat-tolerant diner may want to cut down or leave out the cayenne. I regret that I can't make a prettier presentation; you'll have to trust me that it tastes much better than it looks!

So far, today is no less blustery but the rain has cleared out (along with the bikers!) and the skies are mostly clear. I understand that more wet weather is headed our way so I took my window of opportunity and hit the sand at sunrise. Ah..with my feet in the sand, wind in my hair & the latest Brené Brown podcast episode in my ears (thank you, Lily!), it was the perfect way to kick off my Monday. 

Have a Beautiful Day,

Rapunzel~

On My Hearth: Rainy Day Chili

 

This dish is so easy, hardly a recipe, yet when I've tried to be fancy and make other more complicated versions, I'm not happy. This one tastes the most like the chili my mom used to make, the one she'd put together on a chilly Saturday.morning and we'd "eat off of" all weekend long. Of course, Mom's version contained a pound of ground beef and was "sopped up" with white bread, but still..this invokes the same feeling of warmth and comfort. I have been making this chili for so many years, it's a family favorite and a go-to on rainy, dreary days or when we're craving a bit of hearty comfort food. 

Rainy Day Chili

3 cups (2 cans) cooked beans (kidney, black bean, etc)

1 1/2 cups frozen veggie crumbles (we like Gardein)

1 can diced tomatoes, fire-roasted for best flavor (to 2 cans)

1 envelope chili seasoning mix 

Diced onion and/or bell pepper, optional

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and walk away for the day! 

At dinnertime, scoop and serve topped with vegan sour cream & cheese shreds, oyster crackers, chopped scallions..whatever you like. 

We like a nice big hunk of cornbread with our chili, haven't found a better one than the Trader Joe's mix. I veganize it by using Follow Your Heart egg replacer. 

Enjoy! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yesterday was such a day. So windy & grey, I trudged through my morning walk, struggling against the wind for most of the 3+ miles. Though the colors of the sky weren't as vibrant as usual, even a muted sunrise is a joy to witness! 

It seems we have had quite a few of those grey days lately, doesn't it? And I don't mean just due to weather. The weight of the world, the worries over the pandemic, politics, etc. are bearing down so heavily right now. It's no wonder that so many of us are cooking and baking more than usual, and not just because we have newfound time to do so. I think there's a bigger reason for tidying up our homes, donning our aprons and heading into the kitchen. We're all so afraid, feeling so helpless, and we want to provide a safe place for ourselves and our loved ones. So we, especially women, do what we have always done. We make a home. We prepare a meal. We gather family & friends around our hearth and feed them comfort in one of the few ways we can. Cooking for someone is my love language, and I know I'm not alone in that. It's also a way I cope with my anxiety. When things get crazy in my life, or simply in my head, I cook. Chopping and measuring, mixing and pouring, these motions calm my spirit and quiet my mind while also producing something delicious to share. It's a healthy coping mechanism, and one I turned to many times this year, and, if the headlines are any indication, I'll likely be doing again and again. 

Rapunzel~ 

On My Hearth: Fairy Soup

When my kids were small, I used to keep an empty plastic ice cream container in our freezer.  To this I would add bits of leftover vegetables, meat, rice, etc., from a couple weeks' worth of dinners.  On the outside of the container I drew a fairy and wrote "Fairy Soup" and told the girls that the fairies were going to make their leftovers into soup! When the container got full enough, I would dump in into the crockpot, add fresh ingredients, some broth, and let it cook all day.  When it was done, we all enjoyed it with great relish and thanked the fairies for a job well done. Silly, perhaps, but it encouraged my family to eat leftovers and taught them not to waste food!

When we returned home from Ormond Monday night, I found the refrigerator packed full.  There were little containers stacking the shelves, all halfway full of vegetables, meat, etc., whatever Kali and Jesus had cooked over the past week.  So, this morning I got to work.  I cleaned out the fridge and made a speedy version of Fairy Soup.

Simmering in my slowcooker right now is a combination of collard greens, diced tomatoes, black eyed peas, black beans, fresh spinach, turkey sausage, carrots, onions, celery, chicken broth and spices.  It looks & smells wonderful! This will be a perfect healthy, hearty dish for a chilly winter night! I'll also be baking a loaf of bread for the family members who aren't avoiding the "white stuff."

Enjoy!

Rapunzel~

The Great Pantry Challenge: Day Three

Tuesday is Pizza Night here at the Castle, so no cooking for me that night.  Last night I dug around in the freezer, came up with a bag of tortellini and a package of spinach, knew I had to make an old favorite: Tortellini Soup. I used diced tomatoes because that's what I had on hand, and served homemade meatballs & garlic bread on the side.  I doubled the recipe, making a really big pot of soup, thought I'd freeze some for later, but just in the nick of time Kali and a few (hungry) friends showed up to help me out with that! Wish I'd taken a picture of this group, sitting on my patio sipping red wine and gobbling up their dinners.  They were so appreciative, and enjoyed this simple meal so much, it warmed my heart!    

Photo courtesy of Hackroym

                
                      Tortellini Tomato Spinach Soup

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1         tablespoon  olive oil
     1/2           cup  minced onion (about 1/2 small onion)
  1              clove  garlic -- minced
  4               cups  broth -- chicken or vegetable (4 to 6)
  1                can  whole tomatoes -- (14-ounce) crushed through your fingers or coarsely chopped
  1            package  fresh tortellini or 4 servings dried tortellini -- (9-ounce)
                        Coarse grained salt and cracked black pepper
  10            ounces  fresh or frozen spinach -- defrosted and chopped
     1/4           cup  freshly grated Parmesan -- very loosely packed

In a 3-quart soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute the onion and garlic, stirring often until onions are translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Add broth and tomatoes, turn heat up to high, and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package instructions. When tortellini is almost done, add spinach and taste, adjusting seasonings with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of Parmesan.

Makes 4 Servings




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 Enjoy!

Rapunzel~