Sky Meadow Apple Butter

The secret to a great texture is to blend it after you cooked the apples for hours with an handheld blender!

Menu from the Autumn Yoga Retreat with Checka

Our last booked retreat of the season... this yoga retreat with Checka did feel just like autumn. Here, at the retreat center, we had a feeling of sadness because it's the end of a cooking season but at the same time, joy, readiness and gratefulness for the pause that will follow inevitably (after we bring all the harvest in our cellar). The retreat itself was like autumn; colorful, joyful, nurturing, warm, full, grateful, busy, playful, abundant and that, in all the senses - people, food, energy wise -  and a real joy to cook for and host.  Here’s the menu I planned for that retreat:

Friday Dinner

Parsnip/parsley soup
Spaghetti Squash and pasta,  tofu spaghetti sauce
Fresh Parmesan, Alemesan, pesto and Tabasco
Focaccia, Tapenade, Sharp Cheddar
Large spinach salad (with pine nuts), balsamic vinaigrette
Crackers, fresh bread (butter, margarine)
Apple pandowdy and Rice Dream ice cream
Mint calendula flower tea

Breakfast (Normal breakfast, Carrot Spice muffins
and cranberry muffins)

Saturday Lunch

Sorrel Soup
Summer Vermont Muffins
Fresh warm bread, butter, pesto
Broccoli Olive Tart
Couscous (one with no cheese)
Roasted parsnips, Squash purée, choux de Bruxelles
Big green salad with white miso salad dressing, cole slaw, olives
Goat cheese, nuts, cheddar, sauerkraut, pickle green beans
Rose cookies with rose hips jam
Wild peppermint tea

Saturday Dinner

Miso Soup
Brown basmati rice
Kale stir-fry with seaweeds
Nori Rolls, dipping sauce, wasabi, pickle ginger
Greens (mustard), japanese salad dressing
Asian carrot salad, Corn and Edame- Sesame salad
Seaweed salad, rice crackers
Fresh bread, pesto, carrots, sprouts
Chai Tea with rice milk and honey (caffeine free)

Sunday Lunch

Pumpkin Soup
Leftovers, fresh bread, butter, margarine
Corn bread, apple sauce,
Greens, salad dressings, Devilled eggs, leftover salads
Hummus, pita bread, sesame crackers, sprouts, crudités
Carrés aux framboises and Spearmint/Rose Tea

Photos by Phil (Thanks Phil!)

Parsnip Soup with Leeks and Parsley

2 Tbsp butter
3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced lengthwise, cleaned, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 pounds parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 strips lemon zest, 1 x 2 inches each
1-2 teaspoons salt
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
2 cups finely chopped fresh parsley (reserve a little for garnish)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pepper to taste

Heat butter in a 4 to 6 quart pot on medium heat. Add the chopped leeks, toss to coat with the butter. When the leeks are heated enough so they begin to sizzle in the pan, lower the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook until soft, but don't let the leeks brown.

Add the parsnips and olive oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle on the salt. Add the stock and water. Add the strips of lemon zest. Bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook until the parsnips are completely tender, at least 30 minutes.

Remove and discard the lemon zest. Add the parsley. Purée the soup until smooth, either by using an immersion blender or by working in batches with a stand-up blender. If using a standing blender, fill the
bowl no more than halfway, hold the cover on the blender bowl, and start blending at the lowest speed. Return the puréed soup to the pot.

Stir in lemon juice and add more salt to taste, if needed.

Garnish with freshly ground black pepper, a little olive oil, and chopped parsley or chives.

Serves 6

From: http://simplyrecipes.com/

Massaged Kale

A simply delicious way to eat kale raw. The massaging breaks down the enzyme inhibitors of the cell wall of the plant (just like cooking would do so you can better digest it) AND you get all the benefits of eating raw! Did I mention it is deeeelicious?!

1 bunch of kale

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp salt

2 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs lemon juice

1 Tbs lime juice

1. Finely chop the garlic and blend with olive oil, lemon, lime and salt.
2. Massage...yes, massage, this dressing into the kale...with love!
3. After 5-10 minutes you will feel the kale soften beneath your fingers, this is when it is ready to be enjoyed!

Conscious Eldering Retreat

The Choosing Conscious Eldering Retreat was a wonderful, deeply moving retreat that left me, the cook, as transformed as the participants. There was so much love, appreciation and beauty coming from the people and so much bounty, nourishment and beauty in our gardens - it was a pure joy to harvest, cook and serve. After a week of mostly sunshine and warmth, the closure of this retreat was a brief intense thunderstorm with the lightning hitting the ground right in front of the retreat center and again, a few minutes after, just behind. And then, gently, the sun came back... It felt sacred, joyful and exiting as if nature itself was giving her final blessing to this gathering. It was so powerful. Here’s the menu I planned for this retreat. Just reading the titles does not translate the beauty all the edible flowers, fresh greens, herbs and vegetables were contributing to those meals, but it can give an idea (if some of the participants would like to share their pictures, that would be even better! :)

Tuesday  Dinner

Summer Squash soup
Broccoli & Olive Tart (Quiche)
Couscous, corn on the cob
Corn Bread (with warm apple sauce), Chick Pea Crêpes
Large green salad, crudités, classic vinaigrette
Garlic-Olive-Caper Spread – Tapenade
Cheddar, Chèvre aux Herbes, toasted hazelnuts
Fine crackers and baguette

Carrot cake
Chai Tea (caffeine free)

Wednesday Lunch

Cream of Broccoli
Summer Vermont Muffins
Tempeh, brown and wild rice, zucchini casserole
Swiss Chard with Feta
Bread with pesto, butter and margarine, Corn on the cob
Big bowl of greens with white miso dressing (parsley or basil)
Quinoa Sorrel Salad, roasted nuts and seeds, sharp cheddar

Soy Milk Chocolate Pudding (individual bowls with mint leaf)

Wednesday Dinner

Mother Wolff Soup
Pumpernickel bread and sourdough bread from bakery
Carrot, Kasha, and Caraway Pilaf
Autumn latkes, Sour Cream, Apple Sauce (warm)
Vegetable Pâté (mustard and lettuce), crudités, cheese, dill pickles
Cole slaw, fresh greens with White Miso dressing

Thursday Lunch

Leftover soups
Spaghetti Pasta with Tofu Sauce
Zucchini gratins, corn on the cob
Steam kale, fresh Parmesan, pesto and Tabasco
Focaccia  (rosemary, sage, black olives and tomatoes, onions)
Large Spinach Salad (with pine nuts) (balsamic vinaigrette)
Sharp Cheddar and crackers

Amaretti

Thursday Dinner

Miso Soup
Rice, Swiss chard stir-fry (garlic and ginger)
Fresh bread, rice crackers, basil pesto
Butter and margarine, homemade seaweed Gomasio
Asian style carrot salad, seaweed salad, Corn-Edamame salad
Sharp cheddar, big bowl of greens, White Miso Salad dressing
Tamari almonds, roasted sunflowers, pumpkin seeds

Spicy tempeh Nori Rolls, dipping sauce , wasabi, pickle ginger

Chaussons aux pommes
Chai Tea (caffeine free)

Friday Lunch

Sorrel soup, garlic bread
Couscous, Corn on the cob
Hummus, Curried Carrot Dip
Vegetable-pâté, pickles
Salads leftover, crudités, cheddar, Chèvre aux Herbes
Fruits and desserts leftover

Friday  Dinner

French Lentil Soup
Corn on the cob
Bread for sandwiches
Vegetables pâté, lettuce, tomatoes, mustard, mayonnaise, butter, margarine, cheddar
Green salad with dressings, nuts and seeds

Fresh peaches and vanilla yogurt

Saturday lunch

Kale and lentil soup
Mezza: Falafels
Tahini-Lemon Sauce
Pita bread, hummus, Feta-Walnut Dip,
Tabouli, massaged kale
Goat cheese or sharp cheddar, feta cheese and Kamalata olives
Sesame crackers, sprouts, Deviled eggs...

Baklava

Spearmint Tea

Saturday dinner

Rice and coconut soup
Thai Noodle Salad and leftover salads
Spring Rolls, dipping sauces, big green salad + leftover dressings and nuts

Watermelon

Sunday Lunch

Mother Wolff Soup
Egg and tempeh sandwiches
Corn on the cob
Rice and Chick Peas Salad
Other salads and leftovers

Rose/butter cookies

Here are some of the fresh teas our friend, Eliana, brewed for this retreat:

Vitamin C Immuni-tea: Rosehips, pine needles, lemon
Lymph Cleanse: Red clover, calendula, self-heal
Building & nourishing (morning): Red raspberry leaf, nettles, comfrey
Rest & Digest (evening) Bee balm, lemon balm, peppermint, chamomile
Chai: cinnamon, clove, cardamom, ginger, rooiboos, coconut milk, honey
Ice Tea – Summer Cooler: Peach, lemon, lemon balm, mint

Fiddleheads!

Harvested from Sky Meadow.

"Jon's Dal" ॐ Curried Red Lentils

"I claim no ownership over this dal." - JP

This is a pretty traditional way of making this dish. Enjoy!

ingredients:

1.5 cups red lentils (masoor dal)
1 teaspoon turmeric
3 bay leaves
4 cups water

Rinse lentils well. Add water turmeric and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer in a partly covered pot (to prevent bubbling). Simmer until lentils are cooked. Most of the liquid should be evaporated.

While lentils are cooking, add to a medium pan:

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1-2 tablespoons oil, or ghee

Heat slowly. When mustard seeds start to pop, add:

1 finely chopped onion
3 cloves of minced garlic

When onions are translucent add:

1 cup chopped tomato (or 1 12oz can of chopped tomato)
1 tablespoon of grated ginger

Cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally.


Here, to make it spicy, you may optionally add:

chopped fresh chili or crushed red pepper

Add everything in pan to the cooked lentils pot.

You can even add it to the lentils while they are still cooking.

To everything add:

2 tablespoons of curry powder
salt to taste

Garnish with:

fresh cilantro


Tips:

I have also added other vegetable to this dish like potatoes, carrots, greens.

I have also excluded the tomatoes for people who are sensitive to acidic foods.

If you don't eat garlic or onions try substituting them with asafoetida.

You can easily make this into a soup by adding more water.

Experiment with consistency by adjusting the water content.

Try other types of lentils or even mung beans. YUM!

Namaste ॐ