January 26 
Nothing like 19 inches of snow falling in New England to bring out our neighborly instincts and remind us that most people in this country, and in this world, are essentially good.
We live in a two family house with three adults, and three teenagers in total at the moment, but for various reasons I was the only one out there shoveling this morning at 10 am, and I was feeling like the task ahead was more than I could handle. My next door neighbor was playing Little Red Corvette on his outdoor speaker, which was humorous and nice because I find everything feels a bit easier with music. But still….
I took a break and headed inside. My husband took over the shoveling. A half hour later I came out to a blessed scene. Our neighbor Sonny from across the street, who we don’t know very well, and his 7 year old step son, had come over with his snow blower and we were mostly dug out. It felt like a small miracle.
It also gave me a chance to talk with Sonny, who I’ve seen walking his dog or tending to his bees for 5 or so years now. I’ve nodded hello to him countless times, but I never knew that Sonny was a firefighter. And that he works two 24 hours shifts per week, which is why he’s often around. And that he got this amazingly powerful snow blower for free because it was broken and the owner wanted to get rid of it, and Sonny was clever enough to fix the carburetor and get it up and running. He wouldn’t take any money from us, he simply said, “We’re neighbors, this is what we do for each other.”
My other neighbor packed up some chicken stew for Sonny and his family to enjoy. We all kept track of Sonny’s step son as we did the finishing touches on our driveways. This energetic young boy was very busy “helping” to dig a path to the bird feeder” and enjoying himself immensely.
I share this simple story today amidst a back drop of violence and despair in our country right now. Our cousin was in town from Minneapolis this past weekend and we asked him for a report from the front lines. He said, “Well, what do you want to hear first, the stories of despair or the stories of hope, because there are certainly both happening at the same time.”
I have to believe this is always true, amidst the darkness there are sparks of hope, the Sonny’s of this world who surprise us with their generosity. It is in these seemingly small acts, neighbors helping neighbors, that we continue to nurture the seeds for the world that we want to pass on.
I bless us all to show up in the ways that we each feel called, to bring kindness to our precious communities.
If you, or someone you know, feels like you need or want support around a health issue, or just support more generally as we weather these difficult times, please reach out!
I am currently accepting insurance for acupuncture. Check out my website for details.
I also offer nourishment counseling sessions and private and group cooking classes. Check out my website for details.
And, if you’re feeling called, as I do, on snowy days, to get busy in the kitchen, here is a recipe for Very Garlicky, Very Gingery Chicken Soup from one of my favorite cookbooks, “Clean Soups”, by Rebecca Katz. It is a delicious and nourishing soup!
In hope, Ilana
January 26 
This is Very Gingery and Garlicky Chicken Soup is great recipe by one of my favorite cookbook writers, Rebecca Katz. If you have broth on hand, this recipe is easy to make and at the same time exceptionally delicious and nourishing. If you don’t have broth on hand, I encourage you to make a batch to have on hand. I’ve linked the chicken broth, but you can also make this soup with a base of Magic Mineral Broth as well. Making the broth takes time, as many good things in life do. That said, with a small amount of hands on effort, and a few hours of simmering time, you will have a rich brew for your soup and plenty left over to sip throughout the day. And, you can freeze some to have on hand for the next time you make soup. Broths are rich in minerals, which ground us, an especially good thing in these challenging times!
Note: This soup is very adaptable to varying food needs. It is delicious even without the onions and garlic. I invite you to adapt it to your needs.
November 11 My dear friend Amy has perfected this recipe over the years. She made it for me a few weeks ago and it felt like the PERFECT fall soup. Sweet and warming, and a magnificent bright orange color. I hope you enjoy it!
2 onions
4 Tbs coconut oil
2-3 inches of ginger, peeled and chopped
4 wax potatoes, peeled
10 large carrots, peeled
1 quart of Magic Mineral Broth, or other vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sea salt
1. Saute onions in coconut oil for 3 minutes or until translucent.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer for 30 minutes or until the carrots are soft.
3. Blend well using an immersion blender.
Garnish with toasted peptic seeds, or sheep feta.
July 31 This soup is delicious either hot, cold, or room temperature. The almonds give it a mysteriously special, rich flavor. The fresh basil adds a welcome lightness. It is simple to make, and delicious to eat.
Ingredients
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3- 5 cloves garlic, minced
8 carrots, chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
Mineral Broth or water
1 cup of fresh basil leaves, stems removed
1/4 cup roasted, salted almonds
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
• In a soup pot over medium heat, sauté the onions with a pinch of sea salt in olive oil for 3-4 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
• Add garlic for an additional minute and sauté.
• Add the carrots, potato, almonds, and just enough water or broth to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until carrots are soft.
• Add the fresh basil and purée the soup with an immersion blender directly in the pot, or separately in a blender.
June 20 
As my family receives what feels like endless amounts of greens from our CSA I have vastly expanded the definition of pesto beyond basil. So far I’ve made arugula pesto, basil parsley pesto, and last night, cilantro pesto. I love pesto because it’s easy to make, and gives you a fresh splash of greens that can be added to pasta, grains, avocado toast and crackers to name a few. I offer you this recipe, but really it is best to use it only as a guide. This is one of those things that its best to play with until you get the taste and consistency you want.
• 2 garlic cloves, cut in half, green shoots removed
• 2 heaped tablespoons nuts: either walnuts or pine nuts
• 2 cups of fresh herbs or greens- you choose: basil, parsley, cilantro, arugula leaves, stemmed and washed, tightly packed. Choose one herb or a combination of all.
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ to ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• Optional, 1-2 teaspoons sweet white miso -—miso is a vegan alternative to parmesan cheese
1. Using cuisenart, chop garlic. The garlic usually stick to the sides. Stop cuisenart, scrape the garlic down, add nuts and blend until finely ground.
2. Add the 2 cups of herbs and greens mix and salt. Pulse until the it is finely chopped.
3. Keep cuisenart running and drizzle in the olive oil, adding enough oil that the everything blends in well. You might need a bit of extra olive oil to do this. Stop machine and taste.
4. Depending on the freshness of the greens and the nuts you might be satisfied with the taste at this point. If not add 1 teaspoon of miso and taste. You can add more miso if needed.
5. Use immediately, or store or freeze in an air tight jar.
March 10 I love making soup when it’s snowing. I don't follow a recipe, but rather use whatever I have on hand. I get the onions sautéing, add celery and carrots, a bit of sea salt, and then I consider what else I might throw into the pot. If possible, I make a large pot of soup so there's plenty to give away to neighbors and to the surprise person who may be in need of some home cooked yumminess. I learned this from my mother. She always has several kinds of soup in the freezer! Here is a rough estimate of a soup I made on a snowy March night in 2022!
1-2 medium onions
1-2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 sweet potato
A generous handful of kombu
1/2 dried wild mushrooms
1 1/2 cups French green lentils
14 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1.2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon Marrakesh Sitar Moroccan Blend
4 cups vegetable broth
3-4 cups water, depending on how soupy you want it.
• Sauté onions until they are translucent. • Add red wine and let it cook about 5 minutes.
• Add carrots, celery, a pinch of salt, and sauté for 3-5 minutes.
• Add everything else. Bring to a boil, lower heat and allow the soup to simmer 30-40 minutes, until everything is soft.
Garnish options
Sheep feta, parmesan, parsley
January 6 
I love this stew because it is a delicious one pot meal that is relatively easy to make. I often use a combination of wild mushrooms, both fresh and dried, in this recipe, but cremini mushrooms will well too. This stew freezes exceptionally well so double the amount and enjoy it on a night when you don't have time to cook.
Prep time: 20 min Total Time: 50 min Servings 8
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless chicken, cut into bite size pieces 1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
6 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil
3-4 tablespoons curry powder (It can get spicy depending on the curry you use.)
2 cups kale, rinsed and chopped roughly
28oz petite diced tomatoes with juice
1 can full fat coconut milk
8oz tomato paste 2 cups cremini or wild mushrooms, chopped
2-3 medium sweet potatoes (peeled, chopped into 1 inch cubes)
salt and pepper (to taste)
cilantro to garnish
Directions
1. Cut chicken in bite size pieces. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
2. Combine coconut oil and curry powder in large pan over medium heat and stir for one minute. Add onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes, stirring as needed.
3. Add chicken and mushrooms into mixture. Turn heat down to medium low and allow chicken to cook. Stir regularly.
4. While the chicken mixture cooks, combine coconut milk, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and set aside.
5. When chicken is cooked add tomato mixture and sweet potatoes to the pot. Stir gently to combine well. Simmer covered for 30-40 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft. Add kale the last 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Optional, garnish with cilantro.
