When last week, during the fierce winter storms in Texas,  all I wanted to do was to warm my children and give them comfort there was an ocean between us. And as often my go-to, when I am distressed, I look for relief in the kitchen. In search of  something warming but not grain-heavy like oatmeal I played a bit with Vegan Richa’s Chia Banana Pudding. The results were exactly what I desired, warming and comforting but light and digestible. I hope you will give it a try this final stretch of winter and enjoy it as much as I did.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup (366 ml) non-dairy milk – a combination of almond and coconut milk is very nice
• 2 medium-sized ripe bananas
• 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon + nutmeg
• A splash or two of maple syrup or honey to taste
• A bit of freshly grated ginger
• 4 tbsp each of chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds
• ½ raisins or other chopped dried fruit, plus more for topping

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients listed up to the seeds and blend until smooth using a blender (immersion or high speed). Alternatively, the banana can be mashed with a fork and mixed with milk and spices.  
2. Pour mixture into a saucepan and heat to a simmer.  Stir well as it thickens.  Add seeds and continue cooking for another few minutes. 
3. Turn off heat, add dried fruit and allow to sit for the seeds and liquid to gel for 15 minutes or more if desired.
4. Warm gently to serve, divide into dishes, and top with remaining dried fruit or fresh if you prefer. 

Enjoy!

In addition to your two states of survival, your nervous autonomic nervous system has one state for connection. That state is the ventral vagal state.  It is where you not only feel a connection with yourself but also desire connection with others.  In today’s third recap session you will hear more about this state and how Cameron, Maegan, and I use people, places, and activities to anchor ourselves in ventral vagal.

In this organic series, Gemmotherapy expert and educator Lauren Hubele, Japanese Acupuncturist Maegan Lemp, and the Passionate Polyvagalist Cameron Scott explore the blended use of the Polyvagal Theory, Asian Medicine and Gemmotherapy extracts to restore a sense of safety and connection.

These patties.  They are just the best. Plate them up with some roasted veg and a salad or pack them along as I did on your next hike.  Consider precooking the lentils and rice to cut down on the last minute prep or prepare the full mixture and allow to sit overnight in the fridge. You can top these any way you like but I am partial to the avocado mayo that follows. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped red onions
• 1/3 cup walnuts, ground
• 1 bunch of  fresh cilantro finely chopped
• 3/4 tsp each of ground cumin and coriander
• A pinch or two of cayenne 
• 1 tea of sweet or smoky paprika 
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 3/4 cup cooked brown or white rice
• 1 1/2 cups cooked brown lentils 
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 flax egg 1 tbsp flaxseed meal mixed in 2.5 tbsp warm water, let sit for 2 minutes
• 4 or more tbsp gf ground breadcrumbs or chickpea flour to firm up the mixture
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil for cooking patties

Instructions

1. Saute onion until soft. Add ginger, walnuts, and cilantro.  
2. Mix well and add to the food processor with spices, salt, basil, rice, half of the cooked lentils, and pulse a few times until well combined. Transfer to a bowl with the rest of the lentils. 
3. Add tomato paste, oil, flax egg, and mix everything with your hands or heavy wooden spoon until evenly mixed in. Mashing a bit if needed. 
4. Adjust seasonings as needed. Add in the breadcrumbs or flour.
5. Let the mixture chill for 10 minutes.
6. Add in more flour or breadcrumbs if too moist to form into patties.
7.  Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add just a splash of oil and spread it around. Once oil is hot place patties on the skillet and cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side.
8. Serve with your favorite sauce, sriracha mayo, or try this avocado-ranch. 

Inspired by Vegan Richa

Your nervous system comes well equipped with two states of survival. One of those is the sympathetic state that provides you with the energy to fight or flee and the other state allows you to disconnect and is called the dorsal vagal state.  Knowing the terms is one thing but learning what they feel like is another.  Step into our second recap session and learn how Cameron, Maegan, and I experience each of these states.

In this organic series, Gemmotherapy expert and educator Lauren Hubele, Japanese Acupuncturist Maegan Lemp, and the Passionate Polyvagalist Cameron Scott explore the blended use of the Polyvagal Theory, Asian Medicine and Gemmotherapy extracts to restore a sense of safety and connection.

Watch this episode on my YouTube channel here!

The secret to easy cabbage rolls is, to begin with, a large loosely packed head of cabbage, the kind found at your local markets or organic coop. I so love the concept of cabbage rolls as they allow me to literally let my imagination run wild.  They are a fantastic end of the week dish to use up whatever bits have been forgotten in your fridge and can easily become a comfort staple. In this version, I was inspired by leftover short grain brown rice, a single fennel bulb, two lonely leeks, and a handful of mushrooms.  The end result was remarkable.

Cabbage

6-8 large outer cabbage leaves 

Remove leaves careful not to create any tears. Stack in a deep large bowl of layout in a deep dish baking pan and cover with boiling water.  Allow them to sit in the water until tender.  Drain and lay them out on toweling to dry.  Cut into the thick stem at the base of the leaf just enough to ease folding.  This may be just a cut inwards or perhaps a small triangle is required.   

If you are working with a cabbage head with tight leaves there is another method of submerging the entire head in a boiling pot of water until the leaves drop away. 

Be sure to save the center of your cabbage to chop up for this soup or salad recipe. 

Filling  

• One prepared cup will fill 3-4 rolls depending on the size of cabbage leaves.
• 2 leeks
• 2 medium or one large fennel bulb and fronds. Thinly sliced and chopped
• 12 finely chopped mushrooms
• A few handfuls of thinly sliced fresh spinach leaves
• ¾ cup of pan-roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (sub with walnuts, pecans, or almonds).
• 1-2 cups of cooked rice or other grain (amount depends on the number of rolls you are preparing) 
• ½ cup of fresh chopped herbs such as parsley, thyme, basil, and mint or 1-2 TBL of a dried herb blend. 
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Olive Oil

Slice leeks in half down the length, wash away any grit and pat dry.  Chop all the way up to the green stems which hold just as much flavor as the base.  

Heat oil in a heavy skillet, add leeks and sauté over medium heat, once they begin to soften and brown remove to a plate. 

Add more oil if needed and chopped mushrooms, cooking over medium heat until golden in color.

Add fennel to mushrooms and continue cooking until fennel is aromatic and just slightly softened.  

Remove mixture from heat, and pour into a large mixing bowl along with all remaining ingredients including the leeks. Combine well and season to taste.

Sauce

• 6-8 shallots peeled and sliced
• 4 TBL Coconut oil or Vegan Butter
• 2-3 TBL Rice Flour or starch (arrowroot, cornstarch) for thickening
• Juice from 2 lemons
• 1 cup plant-based milk or cream ( the thicker the milk the creamier the sauce)
• 1 cup vegetable broth prepared 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3-5 saffron threads- allow them to bloom in a bit of boiling water for 15 mins before adding (optional)

Using the same pan over medium heat add coconut oil or vegan butter and when warm add shallots. Sauté until soft and beginning to caramelize. They can burn quickly so keep a close watch on the temperature.  

Use the flour or starch to make a roux for thickening. 

When well integrated with the shallots slowly add the prepared vegetable broth and saffron with water.  Whisk until smooth and bring this all to a simmer and allow to thicken.  

To finish off this sauce add lemon juice and plant-based milk or cream, heat thoroughly and season to taste. 

Catch this first of four review episodes in our months of polyvagal explorations.  Today we go back to basics and look at the terms hierarchy, neuroception, and co-regulation and what they have come to mean for us.

In this organic series, Gemmotherapy expert and educator Lauren Hubele, Japanese Acupuncturist Maegan Lemp, and the Passionate Polyvagalist Cameron Scott explore the blended use of the Polyvagal Theory, Asian Medicine and Gemmotherapy extracts to restore a sense of safety and connection.

Watch this episode on my YouTube channel here!

While I’m trying to fit in before lunch hikes and face meetings until 10 pm I’m on the prowl for quick to the table meals. This recipe will surely find a place in my new menu rotation. We just had it for lunch and I could eat it again tomorrow it was so delish!

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 6 large shallots, very thinly sliced
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
•  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon of smoky paprika
• 8-12 ounces of finely chopped Baby Bella mushrooms
• 1 (4.5-ounce) tube or (6-ounce) can of tomato paste (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup)
• 10 ounces gluten-free spaghetti 
• 1 cup parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
•  Flaky sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and red onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the shallots have become totally softened and begin to caramelize showing golden fried edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Add red-pepper flakes and chopped mushrooms. You may need to add more oil at this point. Keep heat at medium-high so that mushrooms begin to brown.  Add tomato paste and season with salt and pepper and paprika, stirring constantly to prevent any scorching, until the tomato paste has started to cook in the oil a bit, caramelizing at the edges and going from bright red to a deeper brick red color, about 2 minutes. This is an extra step but really brings out the flavors.  Set aside while pasta cooks.
3. Before draining pasta add a ladle full or two of the pasta water to the shallot mixture, turning up the heat.  Add drained pasta and swirl to coat each piece of pasta with sauce. 
4. Toss in chopped parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Adapted from Alison Roman’s recipe in NYT.