Restore Your Balance
October
Autumn is the season of harvest, time to pull inward and gather together on all levels. It is the time to store up energy, food and warm clothing, a time to study. Everything in nature contracts and moves inward and downward. Leaves and fruit fall, seeds dry, sap of trees goes into roots. It is also the season of grief and sorrow.
Considered a dry season by Traditional Chinese medicine, autumn can lead to a variety of complaints -- like sore throats, breathing problems, coughs, headaches, insomnia, frequent colds, chapped lips and constipation. While drinking plenty of fluids is important, it's not enough. Moisturizing from the inside out with specific foods is required.
Recommendations include cabbage, pumpkin, turnips, pear, pomegranate and honey. Soups and stews are the optimal way to prepare foods during autumn season. This simple recipe will give the body necessary nutrients and warmness during chilly autumn days.
Creamy Chili Butternut Squash Soup
6 servings
Ingredients:
1tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. organic butter (optional)
1 onion, chopped
1 butternut squash, peeled without seeds (kabocha or hokkaido squash)
2 cm long piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
a small amount of red fresh chili
1,5 l water
1 tsp. sea salt
chopped fresh parsley or coriander/cilantro
dry toasted pumpkin seeds
Directions:
-
- Sauté onion in olive oil and butter for 2-3 min.
- Add squash, ginger, chili and sea salt. Stir until well coated.
- Add water, bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to medium for 15 min. or until soft
- Blend it in the blender.
- Serve and garnish with parsley and toasted seeds.