Getting Grounded to Get Excited

It’s official.

Halloween has long-since passed, we’ve adjusted to the extra hour afforded us by Daylight Savings Time, and now – surprise! – it’s November. You may begin to notice changes in your body and in the space around you. Though the days pass as they would at any other time of year, the impending holiday season and the threat of cold, isolating weather makes the hours seem simultaneously more precious and more fleeting. Our bodies become tired more easily, and it can be hard in this transitional time of year to stay motivated and feel confident. Often we get bogged down, feeling overwhelmed by nothing more than the thought of bundling up to go out into the cold.

LSW would like to provide you with a little inspiration. We understand that bodies do not operate uniformly throughout the year and have come up with a few themes to focus on each month that address our changing needs.

For November, let’s start with “Curiosity and Passion.” What makes you light up? Are there any projects you wanted to pursue, but let slip away as work and life piled on the demands? What activities inspire passion in you?

And of course, in Satiated Sage fashion, what foods can enliven the spirit and keep you excited?

But here’s the thing: we cannot possibly hope to pursue these passions without first organizing and ordering our lives. Fall is a time of sorting through abundance. It is the season of harvest, which can be thrilling, but also overwhelming. As we organize and filter through our lives, it is important to find sources of groundedness, and fall foods, like root vegetables, provide the perfect nourishment for our bodies and souls.

So how do we spice up our lives (and palates) and at the same time ground them?

First of all, lets get rooted. Literally. Those root veggies I mentioned earlier are not only jam-packed with important vitamins and minerals but also energetically designed to help us ground ourselves. Picture a carrot. It grows deep in the ground, pushing from its wide top downward into the earth and culminating in a point. When searching for a way to reconnect with our foundations and find points of focus, what more could we want than a food that naturally grounds and narrows?

Now that we’ve established a base of focus and organization, let’s layer it with some fun and spice. Aromatics are great ways to not only excite the flavor of your food but also energize your body. What are they? Aromatics are ingredients that add flavor, depth, and, of course, aroma (hence the name) to a dish. Here are a few examples:

·      Onion

·      Celery

·      Carrots

·      Garlic

·      Ginger

·      Lemongrass

·      Sweet and hot peppers

Generally, aromatics can withstand long cooking times and release their flavor as a process of “sweating,” or heating up to release the oils and juices inside. However, there are a few herbs that can qualify as aromatics even though you would add them later in the cooking process, such as parsley, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. Using aromatics can enrich many dishes, making you feel warm, satisfied, and energized.

Incorporate plenty of root vegetables to stabilize and focus your abundant life. Then, try playing around with aromatics in your usual recipes to give your food and life a little spirit! And for a meal that both grounds and enlivens, give this recipe for Carrot-Ginger Soup a shot and see how it makes you feel. Enjoy!

Carrot-Ginger Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, roughly chopped

4 inches ginger root, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

20 carrots, chopped ½” thick

1 quart vegetable stock

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and ginger root. Sauté until onion begins to soften. Add garlic, being careful not to let it burn.

After onions have turned translucent, and you can smell the ginger and the garlic (but before they have turned brown), add carrots. Sautee for one minute. Add vegetable stock, and extra water if desired. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for a half hour or until carrots become soft.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Puree with a hand blender, or in batches in a regular blender.

*If using a regular blender, be sure not to completely seal the lid. The steam needs to escape, or it will become too hot!

**And for an extra “get-yourself-organized” tip, try making a big batch of this soup over the weekend and freezing individual portions for quick meals or snacks on the go! You’ll be nourished and satisfied without spending extra time or energy. Talk about being prepared!