food

The days are getting shorter, the garden has been put to rest, and the fruits and vegetables at the farmer’s market are getting sparse. We’re in the thick of fall, and as we all know, fall turns into winter and leaves us for many months without fresh leafy greens, sweet juicy berries, or perfectly ripe tomatoes. For many hoping to eat locally, winter can be challenging - but it doesn’t have to be! Dear readers, you really can eat locally all year round, even if you’ve never canned a day in your life!

Mealtime Meditation Achieved in Three Steps

You have the ability to turn each meal into a gift for yourself. It’s a simple yet powerful practice that can change your relationship with food, improve your digestion, and enhance the balance in your life.

Hummus is everywhere. From restaurants to farmer’s markets to grocery chains, you can find hummus pretty much anywhere you find food. But where did it originate? While most people associate hummus with Mediterranean cuisine, many countries claim they invented the smooth, creamy chickpea dip. This ancient food has caused quite a stir. So what has everyone wanting to stake claim to hummus?

Imagine: sitting in class, about to take a final that will determine your grade for the overall class. You’ve been up all night studying and are now only fueled by four cups of coffee and the anxiety that is keeping you focused. The professor hands you your test packet and tells you to begin when you realize nothing you have studied is on the test. Your stomach begins to churn and before you can finish writing your name on the corner of your paper you bolt out of class to the nearest bathroom.

Need something colorful, warm, healthy, and hearty this fall? Try this scrumptious sweet potato pumpkin soup recipe! Sweet potato is high in vitamins A, C, and E —which is awesome for supporting a healthy immune system. Pumpkin contains a great source of vitamin A for aiding in eye-vision, as well as potassium for helping out the body’s nervous system. This soup is not only good, it’s good for you!

Takes 30-45 minutes

Serves 5-6 bowls

Ingredients:

As a country, we’re becoming increasingly more aware of what we eat, and how what we eat makes us feel. The past few years have seen a rise in the popularity of many diets advocating a return to real, whole foods, and prompting us to listen to our bodies. Dietary choices such as Paleo, vegan, raw, and the hormone diet mark a turn away from processed foods and towards a more natural way of eating.

In yogic and Ayurvedic philosophy there are three basic natures or “gunas” said to rule existence.  They are: Sattva (life/sentience), Rajas (change) and Tamas (decay/death). This article explores the basics of these elements and when as humans, we crave, demand or need Rajas – the Ayurvedic element of change.

This soup/stew has been around for about 400 years. Being Puerto Rican, I was served this soup/stew many times at our table, especially in the colder months. My Obuelita (Grandmother) would always try to make this soup before cold and flu season came about, swearing it could ward off the illness. I have to say there was much truth in her words. Some people make Sancocho as a soup while others make it as a stew -- either way, it is delicious and I’d like to share the recipe with you.

Ingredients

2 pounds beef short ribs or beef tips

Often times the farmers’ market offers a much greater diversity of fruits and vegetables than grocery stores do. Eating a diverse, plant-based diet is a key component to optimal health and nutrition.

We eat for nourishment. We eat for fuel. We occasionally eat for fun. All these things are good, healthy habits. But how often do we think about these reasons? Sometimes, sure. Maybe after a particularly long run or a sweaty yoga practice I might make a smoothie with some extra protein because I know it will help me recover more quickly, but I don’t often think about how sharing that brownie with a friend over a cup of afternoon tea helps us connect. To be sure, I really don’t think about how my eating habits change in the wake of stress, or during times of transition.