So, last week Aaron and I laid out a backward plan in which for me to complete the chapter drafts of my next book on Gemmotherapy for Babies and Young Children. By all estimations, it’s a pretty rigorous schedule. But, then again, that’s how I seem to function at my best. When we wrapped up the plan, Aaron asked if it wasn’t a bit much to fit my blog writing in as well and, even I had to admit, there just wasn’t much space left for any further creative endeavors even if it was a short blog post each week. I said I’d think about it this weekend and get back with her.

This leads me to the most beautiful spring writing day that could exist for an Austin author. Overnight, the temps dropped by 20 degrees and I woke to a soft steady rain. Perfect! My absolute favorite writing weather. No distractions in sight beckoning me outdoors for an extra long swim or some re-potting in my herb garden. Here I had a whole gorgeous gray day ahead and three chapters open in Google Docs.

Off I push through one page turning chapter after another, topics ranging from acid reflux to blow out stools. It’s the stuff I dreamed of writing about as editor of my high school newspaper, destined to partner in the next Woodward and Bernstein reporting team… OK, maybe not so much.

Regardless, it certainly seems to be what the Universe has called me to do and there is no doubt I am passionate to share what I’ve come to know with parents, grandparents, and caregivers of the next generation. So, with a beautiful rain falling outside and Ruby the office cat nearby, I find myself two chapters in and take a well deserved tea break. What happens to catch my eye? Meera Sodha’s, Fresh India on my waiting room table. Hmmm, I’ll just take a peek while my tea brews. I mean isn’t this the ideal weather for Indian food bubbling away on the stove top?

Before I know it, I’ve assembled across my counter all of the ingredients for Cauliflower Korma with blackened raisins, Moong Dal Tarka, and Grain free nan. What could taste better on a day like this? Seriously?

Well, now is where the bargaining comes in because that is every artist/ writer’s curse. It’s a well honed skill I must say and this is the deal I make with myself: Finalize the two chapters I blocked out in the morning and lay out the content for the next one, then I can at least get that Cauliflower in the oven. The. rest. can. wait. But somehow it doesn’t.

One pan of sizzling coconut oil with turmeric and shallots leads to another of blistering raisins. The kitchen smells divine by the way. And then it comes to me! “Brilliant” I say out loud to no one but the inattentive cauliflower. But of course, I will write my blog, these upcoming weeks, on all that I choose to do instead of writing, because trust me: This is good stuff! If you are or live with a writer, artist, creative soul, etc. then you know exactly what I mean. Set a deadline and everything you haven’t done all year starts to get done. For me, this is the time when I organize and sort my closet by color, stage my pantry as if I’m preparing it for a photo shoot, plant 8 types of basil, and cook really amazing meals. Steven Pressfield may call what I am doing resistance. I call it enriching my creative spirit, or something more or less like that.

So aren’t you curious now about that Cauliflower Korma? I knew you would be! Here you go, my adapted version:

Ingredients
2 large cauliflower heads, cut into florets
Coconut oil
Salt
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 inch of ginger, grated
¾ tsp of ground cardamom or ground seeds from 8 pods
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp garam masala
½ tsp chili powder
2 Tbl honey
1.5 cups of raw cashews, soaked in 1 can of coconut milk
Handful of golden raisins, toasted in frying pan on medium heat until puffed and begin to blackened
Handful of chopped almonds, toasted in frying pan until light in color over medium heat

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss cauliflower florets with coconut oil and salt, spreading out in one layer on parchment paper lined baking sheets.
3. Bake for 30 minutes until edges begin to color and single pieces can be pierced with a fork.

While cauliflower bakes,
4. Saute onion in 3 Tbl of coconut oil with a sprinkle of salt, cooking until soft for 15 minutes on medium heat.
5. Add grated ginger and spices stirring further for 3-5 minutes.
6. Blend coconut milk and cashews in high speed blender until smooth, add to spices, salting to taste.
6. Cook sauce another 5-10 minutes until golden in color. Thin with more coconut milk if desired.
7. Add cooked cauliflower as it finishes roasting, stirring well to blend flavors.
8. Transfer to serving dish and top with raisins and almonds.

Stay tuned for next week’s update. It will be cause for celebration if I am on schedule AND I’ve opened up my own test kitchen!

If you could prepare only one more soup before spring weather turns to summer this would be my suggestion. I turned to Heidi Swanson for help when an abundance of gorgeous spring leeks filled my weekly CSA and I was unable to keep up by merely adding them to sauces and curries. Heidi’s recipes have never disappointed and this one has been elevated to even new heights on our family scale. Be prepared for something special and make enough to share with a friend.

Ingredients
2 Tbl coconut oil
3 medium(4-5 baby) leeks, washed and chopped
Zest of 2 lemons
9 cups water
2.5 tsp sea salt
2 cups cooked rice
2 cups of white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups cauliflower, broken into small florets
5 oz. prepared dried wide egg noodles or fresh  (I used Cappello’s brand located in the freezer section.)
½ cup hazelnuts, roasted and chopped
Chives, dill, lemon, and olive oil to serve

Directions
1. Saute leeks in oil until soft and begin to color (approx 7mins).
2. Stir in lemon zest, salt, and water and bring to simmer.
3. Add in the cooked rice, drained beans, and coconut milk.
4. Return all soup contents to a simmer with a final addition of the cauliflower and noodles.
5. Bring everything to a simmer again and cook until cauliflower is tender.
6. Top bowls with chopped nuts, fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil.
7. Enjoy every last bite!

You’ll find this recipe and much more in Heidi’s latest cookbook, Near & Far!

Whether you are still trying to meet that 2017 intention to begin a committed meditation practice or are an on-and-off-again practitioner needing some support, you may find your answer with Headspace.

Claiming to make meditation simple, Headspace founder Andy Puddicombe has brought to life an amazing app that does exactly what he professes. Watch Andy in this 9 minute TED Talk as he discussed the need he intends to fill with Headspace.

I recently had the pleasure of hearing about my colleague Gail Hurt’s experience with Headspace and thought you would enjoy what she had to say.

What is Headspace?
An application to teach/ support mindfulness through meditation.

 

What attracted you to Headspace in the first place?
The structure. The fact that I got it as a gift from my daughter as she had used it during the stressful time of studying for a certification exam. The fact that I know that meditation works for stress, chronic pain, etc. and I wanted to do a regular practice that wasn’t too woo-woo. ?  Also, it let me begin in 10 minute increments.

 

What meditation tools/ instruction have you tried previously?
I did Transcendental meditation during the 70’s (still remember my mantra), have tried various times over the years and numerous techniques in an attempt to be consistent with a practice.

 

Why did Headspace work for you?
I made a commitment to do it for at least three months in preparation for a women’s mindfulness retreat and I noticed the benefits.

 

Who would you recommend it for?
I would recommend it for someone who wants to develop a mindfulness meditation practice and who needs structure and information from a neutral (non religious) source. I like the structure, the sense of making progress, the brief “talks” that explain and help me to understand what’s going on (or not). I like that after the first few weeks, you can choose the length of the meditation. (10 – 20 minutes).

 

What did it help you overcome?
The reluctance to “sit” daily. I decided to begin each day with the practice. Also, I now am OK with doing a weekly meditation group.

 

What have you noticed in yourself since using Headspace?
I’m noticing when I’m NOT present. The meditation time is going by quickly now (most days). I’m enjoying the increasing understanding of words like “acceptance.” I’m less critical of my thoughts and I’m using the prompts as an opportunity to be more in the present moment.

So what do you think? Might Headspace be for you? Here’s their free offer for ten, 10 minute sessions. Sounds like a deal with nothing to lose and a considerable potential of gain!

I’ve just returned from Atlanta and a full week immersed in the topic of Homeopathy! The first days were spent in meetings with the Board of Directors, on which I serve for the National Center of Homeopathy, the largest and most diverse Homeopathic organization in the United States. NCH is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting health through Homeopathy by offering support to consumers, student Homeopaths, and practitioners. Through the advocacy work of NCH, Homeopathy remains available through practitioners and for consumers. If you have ever wondered how Homeopathy really works or what research is available to back the actions of Homeopathy, then the NCH website is an excellent resource.

One of the major contributions NCH makes each year as a service to its community is to sponsor an annual Joint American Homeopathic Conference. The conference unites Homeopaths from a wide variety of backgrounds to include MDs, Nurses, Chiropractors, Naturopathic Doctors, and lay-Homeopaths like myself.

As part of my responsibilities on the board of directors, I currently serve as the chair person of this annual JAHC conference. This provides me with a wonderful opportunity to work with my colleagues to search out and secure the best speakers in the field of Homeopathy health care. This past weekend I was proud to share a strong slate of speakers from as far away as India. We were most fortunate to host Divya Chhabra from Mumbai who is an expert on the sensation style of case taking in addition to a personal favorite of mine, Dr. Resie Moonen.

Divya is known for her dramatic case taking and Dr. Moonen has met incredible success in the treatment of autoimmune disease with Homeopathy. I had been fortunate to hear both Divya and Resie speak in Germany and was delighted that they both accepted my invitation to come to Georgia.

Proposals for talks were also accepted from our membership and of particular interest to all attendees was a closing plenary panel of well respected female colleagues who shared the outlook of Homeopathy given the challenges of today’s healthcare system.

It was no doubt a whirlwind week, full of inspiring connections and conversations, all wonderful fuel for creativity that I look forward to integrating into my work back home in Austin!