Go Green Soup for Winter!

 

Local and homegrown garden fare can be a rich source of flavor and nutrition all year long if stored properly. But coming up with fresh ideas and getting past the same old standard preparations we are in the habit of making can become a drag.

Last year we had a beautiful bumper crop of asparagus, so we blanched and froze generous portions for 2 to use over the winter.  Because the spears or cuts are a little mushy when thawed, I generally do a simple heating in salt water or milk on the stovetop, or braise with olive oil, fresh mushrooms, garlic and seasoning.

But it has been a long winter. Tonight when I got home from the office I found a simple, tasty way to freshen up a winter meal.

I used the rest of last night's asparagus heated in milk and added it to a can of cream of chicken soup,  heated through, then pureed with my soup wand.  Added a little salt and pepper and a splash of cream.  YUM, EASY and pretty in the bowl.  Great with an omelette and salad. And won't break the bank.

ONE BREATH, a little Earth Mama music to cook by from Pay Attention CD

                                                                 (click to play)

Hmmmmm, just right for St Paddy Day dinner next month.

Falling into Fall Rhythms

This year, the Fall Equinox falls on Saturday, September 22 at 10:49a.m. in my part of the world. It's a time of harvest, seeing the fruits of our labors, both in the garden and in our kitchen. It's been a good growing season for us, yet in other parts of the US as well as across the globe, drought has brought devastation. As I was placing the colorful display of our luscious tomatoes around the fountain this morning, I became even more grateful for the wealth of food we have grown this year. The drought in other regions have made this kind of harvest impossible.

Which has me thinking more about our Earth Mama than usual... asking questions with no easy answers. When will more people begin to take responsibility for their individual and collective roles in caring for our planet, simply pay attention? What could be an inspiration that will move people from apathy to action? How can I be more visible with the work I do to show and teach how simple steps lead to big results?

My traditional rhythm during the fall is to clean up outdoors and create space for winter's chill. The lush gardens of summer and fall are fading, transforming the beauty of flowers and succulent tastes of fruits and vegetables into the stripped and mulched beds of soil, ready for the quiet rest of winter. The songs of sunshine and dances of the wind through the string bean poles are silent now. I may continue to dance through the rows, as the garden has always been a place of refuge for me, a place to touch the soil and become truly connected to the living and breathing Earth Mama on which we live.

I'm grateful to have full shelves of colorful bounty, ready to share with family and friends at our dining table. I'm also grateful to have time to be still in the knowing that another season has past, providing an abundance of earthly goodies, demonstrating the cycle of life continues. Which got me wondering, what goodies have grown in your gardens this summer? Did you have a bountiful harvest? Was there any new varieties of vegetables or fruits that were above the rest in volume or flavor? We usually try a few new selections each growing season, but must admit this year none of the new ones really stood out...

So, now I have spent massive hours in the kitchen, and I still have work to do, but the jars are filling the shelves and the freezer is getting packed. We're better prepared to face the cold winds of winter, knowing our harvest will carry us through.

Enough is good as a feast...

Simplicity, Santa and Small Towns

Last Thursday morning was busy. I dashed into the post office for mail then on the way back to my office I was pulled unexpectedly to our little public library. I was looking for a book on Claude Monet, but it could have waited. Something kept directing me to the library. So I went, found my Monet book and a video. As I was checking out I saw Santa Claus, just about to make his appearance at the pre-school story hour in the children’s section.

He looked rather like one of the town cops in a Santa suit. He was fabulous. Right on cue, he BECAME Santa and strutted jolly style to center stage (or chair). He chatted with a crowd of about 40 kids and parents, There was music and fun, crafts and treats,
decorations and a sizzle of holiday joy. Then the children took turns sitting on his lap and he TALKED with each of them about Christmas, life, family, food. He may have even asked them what they hoped for under the tree on Christmas morning, but that was not the focus.

There were no professional photographers selling photos of the Santa visit. No long lines of harried impatient shoppers, children with candy cane induced fits, just a big circle where kids waited politely until the Santa lap was empty and the spirit moved them to join the relaxed fun. It made my week and re-oriented me to the Community Christmas Spirit.

I couldn’t help contrast it with the typical Santa mall experience. You see, the closest mall or big shopping center is about an hour and a half away from us here in the mountains. Getting there is a big deal, not a three-time-a-week experience as was common for most kids from the suburb in which I used to live.
Some of these kids have never been to the Mall Santa event. They don’t even know that this is an opportunity for commerce. And promoting plastic toys. Yet. Don’t get me wrong— I know there are some wonderful, dedicated, caring professional Santas out there. But this is one more reminder of the value of community and how we nurture our children. For me, that is easier to find in a small town.

Simple Living is a good solid step toward a sustainable lifestyle. My mantra is carved in a rock given to me as a Christmas gift a while back: Simplify
It's easier to simplify going forward. It's tough to go back and simplify major choices you have already committed to—home or car purchase, how we raise our children, investments. But we have small choices every day, so just “keep on simplifying.”

So thank you small town libraries, for the amazing events you plan. Thank you librarians for the way-more-hours-than-you-get-paid-for. Thank you volunteer town, church and association Santas who keep the fun and spirit in Christmas by sharing the experience minus the stuff, simply.

Merry Christmas. Ho, ho, ho.

PS. Wythe-Grayson Regional Library in Independence, VA is staffed by angels. Please ask your representatives to keep libraries open and fully staffed!