This past full moon I was super inspired to make an offering (of course at the very tail end of the evening). This past full moon was the first official one of Autumn, and a truly auspicious one at that. It represented divine love and bestowed the gifts of abundance. All of the effort put forth in the summer in growing, we finally get to reap the benefits of the fruit of our labor. It's a sweet reminder of the gifts of the Universe...we are never without no matter what comes our way. 
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So in that vain, I thought I'd put together a quick little offering with ingredients that elicit the qualities of a full moon, that are sattvic and wholesome, and simple to digest. These took about 15 minutes total from prep to finishing with ingredients that I had laying around the house anyways! 

I hope you enjoy them as much as we did. 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups almond flour
• 3/4 cup sesame seeds
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup tahini

Recipe: 

1. Starting with the almond flour, mix the flour with the sesame seeds. You want to make sure that everything is incorporated well. Then add in the ginger powder and baking powder. Sometimes it's nice to use a whisk if you're noticing clumps, and of course feel free to use your hands as well! 
2. Slowly add in the maple syrup and vanilla. Your dough should look like wet sand at this point once everything is incorporated well. 
3. Finally, add in the tahini. If you feel like your tahini is clumpy, you may need to use your hands to dissolve it so that it gets incorporated well. 
4. Roll into small balls. I opted for a smaller shape for these to feel like little biscuits, but obviously lead with the heart on this one! 
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take your balls and just give a quick little pat so its slightly flattened. 
6. Bake for 5-7 minutes on 375 degrees. Be super careful because the bottoms can burn easily. 
7. Let it cool and enjoy! My whole batch was gone in a day between all my friends. 

Enjoy! 

Fall well, is falling. The temperatures have definitely started to drop, and although summer isn't quite here yet, ayurveda also recognizes the notion that the oncoming season starts to take hold of our digestion and our bodies. So, as the season transitions it's time to take care of both the ending of summer and the beginning of autumn. 

Simple foods help to support our bodies during these transitions. They're easier to digest, work on keeping our agni strong, and most importantly easy and quick to make. This week, we've been simplifying our diet and focusing on kindling our digestion. 

This light masoor (or red lentil) dahl takes no longer than 15 minutes to make, and is a type of comfort food that you can't resist. I hope you love it just as much as we do in our house. 

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups red lentils, soaked & cooked*
  
• 2 tbsp avocado oil 
  
• 1 tsp cumin seeds 
  
• 1 tsp mustard seeds 
• 1 star of anise 
• 2 cups water (+ more if you like) 
• 2 tsp liquid aminos 
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp coriander/cumin powder (this is usually a mix you can get at any Indian grocery store, or feel free to make your own of equal portions) 
• 1 tsp chili powder (try using Kashmiri Chili that is mild, but a bold color) 
• 1 bay leaf 
• 2 tsp amchur powder 
• Salt to taste 
• For the finishing tempering: 3 tbsp ghee, 1 dried red chili, 1 clove garlic minced, 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp pumpkin seeds 

Recipe: 

1. In a large (4 qt.) pot, warm the avocado oil. Give it a minute and then add in the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and start of anise. You want the mustard seeds to start popping, then you know the temper is ready. 
   
2. When this happens, slowly add in your cooked masoor daal. (*I typically cook mine in an instant pot. I soak the lentils over night, and then cook on pressure cook for 35 minutes). Give everything a good mix. You want to move a little quick as you don't want the dahl to start sticking to the bottom of the pot.
   
3. Add in the water. You can adjust the thickness of the dahl based on how much water you add. I personally like a thicker dahl, so I tend towards the lesser amount of water. 
   
4. Slowly mix in the turmeric powder, coriander/cumin powder, chili powder, amchur powder, liquid aminos, salt as you wish, and the bay leaf. Bring everything to a simmer. Feel free to adjust the thickness throughout. You'll notice that it will get just a touch thicker as it simmers. 
   
5. While the dahl is simmering, in a separate small pan melt the ghee. When its all melted, add in the spices, pumpkin seeds, and the garlic. Again, wait for everything to start popping. 
   
6. When the tempering is ready, you are going to very slowly pour it on top of the dahl. At this point your dahl is ready to eat! When you're ready to serve, gently mix in the ghee and spices. 
   

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I personally like to eat this with just some plain rice and maybe just some roasted veggies. I promise you there is nothing more comforting then this as we slowly welcome in the turn of the season. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. 

​If you've been craving all of the cool and juicy things this summer, you're not alone and you're not wrong! Our bodies are naturally attempting to balance out the heat that is everywhere right now. What's coming into our local markets is mother nature's way to naturally tell us what to get and what to eat. 

It's also the season for quick and simple meals, because honestly, who wants to be in the kitchen for a long time? Definitely not me. Summer is meant to be enjoyed outside, eating yummy food, and basking in all of the radiance of the sun! 

And if you're anything like me, you may be growing basil and have an ungodly amount to use up. This recipe is perfect for quick, easy, and ready to go in 20 minutes max! 



​Ingredients: 

• 3 zucchini (or yellow squash or a mix) shredded 
• 2 tsp avocado oil 
• 1/4 cup pesto (of your choice) 
• 4 tbsp butter 
• 1 cup shredded parmesan + 1/4 cup to top
• Salt & pepper to taste 
• 4 cups spaghetti (or feel free to choose your favorite pasta) 
• 1/2 cup pasta water 

Recipe: 

1. Take a large flat bottom pan or pot and add your oil. 
2. Once the oil is hot, add in your shredded zucchini (Note: there is no need to squeeze out the water. We're going to keep it to help keep the moisture in tact to support the cooling). 
3. Sweat the zucchini down until it looks nice and soft. At this point, you'll add in the pesto and give everything a good coat. 
4. Add in the salt, pepper, and butter. Again, give it a good toss. Then very gently fold in the 1 cup parmesan. (My personal preference is to get a massive block of parmesan from the grocery store and shred it myself. It just adds a different level of amazing-ness. Trust me) 
5. When the pasta is ready, add it in. You're going to have to really pull the zucchini from the bottom back up as it can be easy to have it just settle at the bottom. 
6. Slowly pour in the pasta water and mix everything nicely. Feel free to adjust the salt/pepper to your liking. 
7. When you're ready to serve, sprinkle a little more parmesan on top. 

Time to dig in! I hope you enjoy this pasta dish as much as my family did!