Is this really a depiction and expression of Mother?

Without question the coupling of the words and image stopped me, grabbed my attention. But with more of a sick feeling than an excited I want to have me that look.

What is Mother for you? How do you define and live Mother in your days?

Oxy-Moron Perhaps?!

The moments of walking around NYC are not dull! There are moments of surprising slogans like the one above, where I read it and kept walking, and then a few seconds later said “Wait, did I read that correctly?” Back I went to reread the poster and snap this pic.

Where and how do you define you, flaws and all?

How do you process these messages? Fuel? Fire? Something else?

Peaceful Passages

Sydney/ Santoshi xx

The post first appeared on .

I love the clove flavor in particular, but all of the spices add to the character of the cookie. If you like moist cookies these are for you!

2 teaspoons flax egg
1 cup cooked squash or pumpkin
1/2 cup oil (safflower or coconut)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coconut sugar (or a mix of coconut and scant)
1 cup white flour
1 cup soft whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
dash of salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves-ground
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
3/4 cup chocolate chips (60% dark chocolate and higher)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Make the flax egg by combining a half tablespoon of flax meal with 1 tablespoon water. Combine with a small whisk and leave to sit for 10-15 minutes.

In a large bowl add the cooked squash, oil and vanilla. Combine with a large whisk. Add in the sugar and mix in completely.

In a separate bowl sieve the white and soft whole wheat flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and allspice.

Add the required amount of flax egg to the squash mixture and combine well. Now add all of the dry ingredients to the squash mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula. When most of the dry ingredients are combined add in the chocolate chips and pecans.

Let the dough sit for 5-10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cover a baking tray with parchment paper. Using a large spoon or an ice cream scoop to form cookies on the baking tray.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

The post Squash Cookies first appeared on .

Choose any fruits, fresh or frozen. I have used a ripe banana along with frozen fruit, and a mix of frozen and fresh.

The black chia seeds add a speckled effect to the puddings.

Enjoy the pudding for a meal, or between meals.

1 can full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup frozen fruit
1 cup fresh fruit
1/2 cup chia seeds

Put the coconut milk, water, maple syrup, vanilla and berries into a blender. Blend until fruit is broken down. Stir in the chia seeds with a spatula.

Pour into serving dishes, stirring all the while, and refrigerate for several hours before digging in, if you can wait that long!

Makes 6 servings.

The post Coconut Chia Fruit Pudding first appeared on .

Suggestions for recipe adaptations:

No roasted pumpkin seeds? It is best to dry roast yourself to assure care is taken in the roasting process. Roast at 300ºF for 15 minutes. Let cool before using. No jar of roasted peppers? Cook peppers on a gas stove top or in a high oven. Remove the skin when cool. No tomato paste on hand? Use thick tomato sauce. No green onions? Use white or red onion, diced finely. No time to refrigerate the mixture? Use an ice cream scoop and spoon to form the balls right after mixing to keep the heat of your hands from the mixture.

I made these Pumpkin Seed Poppers for a womens dinner. At the dinner we created zucchini pasta with a spiralizer, added homemade tomato sauce and the poppers.

Delicious. It was high vitality Mother Earth food!

Leftovers are wonderful with pretty much anything!

Thank you Dreena and your Plant Powered Kitchen.

Photo Credit: Nicole Axworthy

1 cup precooked/cooled brown rice (or 1 cup packed, precooked/cooled quinoa)
1 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup (packed) roasted red peppers (can use jarred, just drain)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/4-1/3 cup green onions
1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 medium glove garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (to pulse in, optional)

In a food processor, add all ingredients except oats and 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds. Puree until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed, add oats and pulse through several times to incorporate. Add the pumpkin seeds, and pulse in again, just to slightly incorporate but keep some texture.

If possible, refrigerate for about an hour.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375ºF. Take scoops of mixture (about 1 tbsp), and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until golden or just warm to the touch (do not overbake, they will dry out).

Remove, and serve with pasta and tomato sauce, or with baked potatoes.

Makes 18-20 balls, serving 4-5.

The post Pumpkin Seed Poppers first appeared on .

Credit for this recipe goes to the Moosewood Restaurants Cooks at Home cookbook. Using simple ingredients that are often in your kitchen makes this an easy choice, and you can make adaptions to suit your tastes as you come to know the recipe.

Photo from Spoon With Me

1 1/2 cups red lentils
7 cups water
3 bay leaves
1 clove garlic, chopped finely (optional)
2 slices of fresh ginger
2 carrots grated, measure 1 cup
1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or tinned
1/2 cup diced pepper

1 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 Tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)

3 cups leafy greens, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt, pepper to taste
Freshly chopped cilantro (optional)

Rinse the lentils in a sieve under running water. Add the lentils, bay leaves, garlic, and ginger to the pot or slow cooker. Turn on the heat. Bring to the boil.

While the lentils begin to cook, prepare the carrots, tomatoes and pepper. Add all at once to the pot or slow cooker.

If using a stove pot, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to simmer.

Cook the onions over a medium with the ghee or oil. When the onions are translucent, add the spices. Stir for a moment.

If you are cooking on the stove top, then add the onion mixture after the lentils and vegetables cook 40 minutes. Simmer for a further 10 minutes then turn off the heat and let the soup sit.

If using a slow cooker, cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours. Add the cooked onion combination to the slow cooker 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Before adding any greens remove the ginger pieces and bay leaves. The leafy greens can then be added with the lemon juice, salt and pepper, just before serving.

This soup is an excellent leftover. The flavors of the spices mellow into the lentils and vegetables.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Yummy!

The post Red Lentil Soup first appeared on .

A few adjustments have been made to the original recipe from the blog Love and Lemons. A mild level of sweetness and an unusual mix of gluten-free grains (teff and oats) with the cooked quinoa creates a unique flavor.

The carrots in this recipe were grated roughly. Hence the pieces are larger and are visible in the photo.

2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds + 5 tablespoons warm water
1 cup ivory teff flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup finely shredded or coarsely grated carrots
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup nuts and/or seeds,  your choice (walnuts and pumpkin seeds recommended)
1/2 cup dried fruit (cranberries or raisins or dried cherries or a mix recommended)

Preheat the oven to 350º F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseeds with the warm water. Set aside to thicken for about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, stir together the teff flour, the rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt. Fold in the the quinoa and then the shredded carrots, stirring until the carrots are completely coated with flour.

In a medium bowl, combine the almond butter, coconut oil and maple syrup and stir well to incorporate. Add the flaxseed mixture.

Add the combined wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and fold until combined. Stir in the walnuts, pumpkin seeds and dried fruit.

Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of batter for each cookie. Form the cookies by either rolling each cookie in the palms of your hands to make a ball, or by using 2 spoons to shape them smoothly. Place onto the baking sheet and bake for 16 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

When cookies are completely cool, they can be stored in an airtight container or frozen. Best eaten within 2 days.

Makes 20 cookies.

The post Teff Oatmeal & Quinoa Breakfast Cookies first appeared on .

Want to keep the shopping simple – all of these ingredients are available at Trader Joes!

A couple of extra notes for additional health –

• Try roasting the coconut in your oven, 300°F for 10 minutes, or use raw coconut.
• If roasting the coconut at home, then roast the oatmeal at the same time.
• Check the list of ingredients of your nut butter of choice to avoid added sugar, salt and oil.
• Flax seeds in the shell have a long shelf life. Ground flax seeds are volatile and start to loose nutrients and become rancid rapidly once exposed to light and oxygen. For this reason I am a fan of grinding flax seeds right when you need them, using a clean coffee grinder.
• For the chocolate chips – the darker the better. I love the size and flavor of these 69% chocolate chips (see image below).

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cup unsweetened roasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut, almond or cashew butter
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp chia seed
1 tsp vanilla extract

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. (Feel free to dive in with your clean hands!)

Cover and chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.

Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. Store bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Makes about 20-25, 1″ diameter balls.

The post No Bake Energy Bites first appeared on .

Thank you Moosewood.

Thank you Simply Recipes for the image!

5 sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced or chopped finely
1 jalapeño chile, minced, or 1/8 tsp cayenne
2 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup water or vegetable stock
3 cups undrained canned diced tomatoes (28 oz can) or fresh tomatoes, chopped
4 cups undrained cooked black beans (2-16 oz cans)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (only if you have it on hand, soup is delish without it as well)

Additional
1/2 fresh corn off the cob or frozen
Vegetable Stock

In a small bowl pour the boiling water over the sun-dried tomatoes. Let sit for 30-60 minutes.

In a large saucepan over a medium heat melt the coconut oil or ghee, then add the onions. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the garlic, jalapeño or cayenne pepper and cumin. Stir for a minute. Add the water or vegetable stock, the tomatoes and juice, and the beans and bean liquid. Stir well to loosen any spices that have stuck to the bottom of the pan and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Drain the sun-dried tomatoes, adding the liquid to the soup pot. Chop the tomatoes finely and add to the pot. Cook a further 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender roughly puree the soup. It is nice to have a mix of puree and chunks. If using a blender let the soup sit for 20 minutes before pureeing half of it in the blender.

Add the cilantro. If you have and would like corn add that now. Use the vegetable stock as needed to thin the soup.

Reheat.

Makes 4 generous servings.

The post Black Bean Soup first appeared on .

To bring additional color to this dip add finely chopped red pepper, chopped cilantro, or both. The pumpkin seeds give some color and texture as well. Some like it hot, and that is how this dip turned out. Just dial down the chipotle powder if it is too much for you.

On this website you will find a video teaching you How To Prepare, Cook and Store Beans.

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 cups black beans (1-16 oz can), drained and rinsed
1 large garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped
1 green onion, lightly chopped
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp ground cumin
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt

To the bowl of a food processor add the pumpkin seeds and mulch lightly. Add the black beans, garlic, green onion, red onion, chipotle powder, cumin, lime juice and salt. Process on and off, stopping to scrape the sides down. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

This dip is delicious with fresh vegetables, rice crackers, or as an accompaniment to salad or  cooked veggies. Diced avocados are a wonderful complementary flavor and texture.

Makes about 2 cups.

The post Black Bean Dip first appeared on .

Equally delicious with butter or coconut oil, these lightly sweetened cookies are also satisfying. Look at all the almonds in the recipe.

Whatever classic cookie ingredients you would like to avoid, you can have it all with this recipe. The recipe is egg-free, you can make it gluten-free with oat flour, and vegan with coconut oil – tailor it to your dietary preference.

A note on the jam – I like to use a fruit-juice sweetened jam. I find that it can tolerate the oven temperature without bubbling up like some sugary jams. Experiment, and share your experience with us.

1 cup raw almonds
1 cup rolled oats
1 1/4 cups oat flour or 1 cup soft whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup maple syrup or rice syrup
1/2 cup chilled butter or coconut oil, chopped roughly
1/2 cup jam or apple butter

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a food processor grind almonds to a meal. Add oats and grind to a meal. Be careful not to over process. Add flour, cinnamon, maple syrup and butter at once. Pulse to combine. Wet hands and form dough into walnut-sized balls.

Place balls on a cookie sheet. Press an indentation with thumb, add jam into the space.

Bake 12-14 min at 350ºF, until golden and slightly crispy at the edges when touched. Cool on a rack.

Makes 18-24 cookies, depending on size.

The post Thumbprint Cookies first appeared on .