Spiced Leek Soup

Fall is definitely here - the earth is littered with leaves of all colors, the trees are beginning to show their bare branches, and cooler weather is finally here to stay. I am head over heels in love with how strong the shifting of the seasons is in the Northeast - something that was so subtle in Florida. I have been doing my best to nourish and prepare for the upcoming winter by drinking warming and aromatic infusions, making sure to move my body on a regular basis, taking daily immune tonics (lookin' at you, astragalus), and eating soups - lots of soups.

A typical herb school potluck plate - ft pomegranate and walnut roasted brussel sprouts + the best baked sweet potatoes ever

One if my favorite parts about herb school is our potluck dinner - David invites us to say a prayer, and then we all line up, eagerly awaiting the myriad of 20-30 dishes in front of us (which, I do admit, leads to some not-so-ideal food combining). Anyway, I have been bringing soups as my potluck dish lately, often making a triple batch of whatever soup it as my meal prep for the week. So far I've made a carrot ginger soup with apples that I picked myself, a creamy coconut cauliflower soup that was quite the hit, and the soup I am going to share with you all today - Spiced Leek Soup. 

This soup is rich in vitamin K, B-vitamin folate, and flavonoid kaempferol due to the abundance of leeks, warming due to the aromatic spices, and satisfying due to the nuts and unblended vegetables. Throw on some toasted walnuts, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprig of fennel and you've got a perfect potluck dish that is delicious and impressive!

// SPICED LEEK SOUP \\ 

Inspired by this leek soup + saved by my step-mom Mary's intuitive knowledge of spice mixing, which really brought the soup from mediocrity into greatness!

Ingredients:                            

• The Aromatics
  - 2 tbsp avocado or olive oil 
  - 3 leeks, chopped 
  - 1/2 onion, chopped 
  - 5 sprigs of thyme, leaves minced (and use the stems for a respiratory-supporting tea while you cook!)
  - 2 tsp turmeric 
  - 1 tsp cumin 
  - 1/2 tsp coriander 
  - generous shakes cinnamon + mildly generous shake cayenne 
• The Bulk 
  - 1 fennel bulb, chopped 
  - 1-2 medium apples, chopped (I leave the skins on- that's where the bulk of the nutrients are!) 
  - 1/2 roasted walnut halves (roast the nuts before you get chopping) 
• The Broth 
  - 1/2-1 tsp salt + freshly ground pepper 
  - 4 cups vegetable stock (I used full sodium)  

Instructions 

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Once warm, add the aromatics and sauté until the leeks and onions are soft (about 5 minutes.) 
2. Add the chopped fennel and apples, stirring often, and sauté until the fennel begins to soften. 
3. Once the fennel is soft, add your toasty walnuts and let sauté another 5-6 minutes.  
4. Now add your S&P and vegetable broth, bringing the soup to a boil and then allowing it to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until your apples and fennel are your desired softness. 
5. Let the soup cool a bit and then blend about half of it in a blender, carefully. Taste the blended part of the soup and adjust your spices and salt/pepper accordingly (you can never use too much cayenne or turmeric in my opinion) 
6. Combine the blended portion with the unblended portion until mixed well. If eating right away, bring the combined soup to a boil and then let cool a bit - this will allow your newly added spices to mix together better! Top with optional fennel and/or thyme sprigs, and toasted walnuts

This really is a perfect fall soup, especially if you have access to an apple orchard and you can pick your own apples for it. The cumin and coriander aren't traditional fall flavors, but this soup really hits the spot on a cold NYC day in the office (and, although microwaves creep me out, I just learned you can safely microwave mason jars - hellooo warm homemade soups for lunch!) 

With that said, enjoy this soup - and enjoy fall. Take time to be still, go on long walks underneath the amber trees, and take care of yourself. We spend so much time go-go-going, and, despite the fact that the holiday season (which begins with Halloween in my opinion) tells us rush-rush-rush, fall and winter really are about rest, quiet, and some solitude. Allow yourself to let go and sleep in a little bit when you can, or curl up with some Spiced Leek Soup and catch up on all the Parks and Recreation you missed in the past 2 years without TV (aka the only way I kept myself in bed and not go-go-going post wisdom tooth surgery.)

Anyway, until next time, and with love,

Blaire 

#FlowerEssenceFriday - Hibiscus Syriacus Red Heart essence

Creativity. Security. Safety and expansion. Feeling safe enough to expand and create. These are all virtues and properties of the beautiful, bountiful cultivar known as Hibiscus Syriacus Red Heart.

This is the first flower essence I have made since moving to New Jersey. It has been of utmost help to me the past few weeks and I am so excited to share its medicine with you.

#FlowerEssenceFriday - Hibiscus Syriacus Red Heart

This essence helps move fear-based blockages that impede our creative expansion and our creative energy. This is a very special and important essence for those of us with anxiety, as anxiety can impede our ability to make decisions, which often leads to never creating anything in the first place. This essence has been very healing for me in this aspect. It has allowed me to move through the fear of making "the wrong choice" and has allowed me to be creative with my food again (like making carrot-ginger soup, maple roasted lentils, and raw brownie protein bars), as well as develop a playful, less serious approach to my herbal practice (which has manifested in making decoctions that I've never made before and mixing a new, tangy bitters formula).

The first couple days I started this essence, I was buzzing with warm, energetic, and happy joy. I was falling in love with everything I saw. I felt creative, open, and like I could trust life and my ability to make decisions in it. I found myself journaling things like "I am valid & I am talented & I have things to offer to the world." Of course, this intense happy-go-lucky high did not last forever. I'm into week 3 of taking this essence now, and I realize that it isn't going to make me or anyone feel "in love with life" all the time - but it can help us look at life in a playful way, and from that playful place, we can feel free to experiment with our creations. At its core, this essence helps us feel secure and grounded in ourselves and our abilities so that we can expand, create, and share our gifts with the world and with ourselves.

Hibiscus Syriacus Red Heart broken down:

• Name: Hibiscus Syriacus Red Heart
• Actions: warming, opening, grounding and expansive
• Indications: creative blocks, easily overwhelmed by decision making, insecure in one's creative abilities
• Dosage: 3 drops, 3x a day for at least 3 weeks (preferably start on the new moon)

Like I said, this is a great essence for those with anxiety or depression, as both illnesses can make creative expression difficult due to not believing in one's abilities + struggles with decision making in general. This is a gentle, warming, and expansive essence that gets stagnant energy moving so that it can flow in and through us, and back out into the world. If there was one visualization for this essence that has stuck with me, it is warm, melty red energy starting in my forearms and flowing through my hands into a stream of white, radiant light.

This flower serves as a gentle reminder that the process of creation is healing in it's own right, and that our creations don't have to be "perfect" (or insta-worthy) to be valid and important.

In love and radiant Hibiscus energy,

Blaire

Flemington Outdoors & Wellness Festival

Calling all New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York folks! I will be vending and teaching at the Flemington Outdoor Living & Wellness Festival this Sunday from 10am until 4pm at 165 Rte 31, Flemington, NJ 08822.

I'll be teaching a free workshop on Kitchen Herbalism at 1pm, which will include samples for smelling, touching, and, of course, tasting. We will go over common medicinal herbs that you already have in your kitchen cabinets - making this an ideal class for the beginner herbalist or people interested in sustainable, preventative healthcare for themselves or their family.

Due to preparing for this festival, there is no #floweressencefriday post this week - stay tuned for next week and hope to see you at the Flemington Outdoor Living & Wellness Festival!

Love,
Blaire

#FlowerEssenceFriday - Autumn Equinox

// this post is dedicated to whipper and keebler, for all the love they gave, and for the memories I will never forget //

Sheep at Native Earth Teaching Farm's 2013 Lammas celebration, in Martha's Vineyard.

When I lived in Martha's Vineyard, I was lucky enough to be invited to Earth based gatherings that met every Equinox, Solstice, and halfway point in between. There I learned about seasonal foods, the harvest cycle, and getting in touch with the spirit world during these celestial changes. I taught a class on the Herbs during the Summer Solstice, enjoyed dancing and story telling during Lammas (the mid-point between the solstice and Autumn Equinox), and then came back to Florida to host my own Autumn Equinox celebration that fall. There I gathered with close friends as we spent time with the season's plant life, were visited by a Barn Owl, and shared food with each other. I also shared an Autumn Equinox elixir with everyone that night, and I'm going to share it with you all now!

This is a special essence blend, one that I only have a few drops left of, but whose powers are as strong as ever. When I am feeling especially vulnerable, I take a drop or two underneath my tongue, pray for extra strength, and thank the plants for all they have given me. If you aren't into magic, folklore, and the idea of there being a spiritual, unseen world - then this post isn't for you. Perhaps I may I re-direct you to this post on seasonal foraging the Autumn Olive?

#FlowerEssenceFriday - Autumn Equinox addition

Black Tourmaline elixir // What can I say about this elixir? It is the most protecting stone I know. The afternoon following a haunting nightmare that involved a thin, cloaked figure attempting to inhabit my body, this stone basically fell into my lap. It helps us deflect the negative energy emitted from others, while helping us maintain a reservoir of energy at the same time (it can be draining protecting ourselves from negative energy). I personally believe this essence helps protect us from the negative energy we emit towards ourselves, especially that negative self-talk that comes from internalizing criticism from others. Black Tourmaline is associated with Capricorn, and I think it is the perfect stone for us fish-goats who need a little protection from ourselves and our negative self-talk! Black Tourmaline is in this essence blend because Autumn is when the nights grow longer and we begin to turn inwards. It protects us from the stress winter inevitably brings and it helps us feel protected from the stress others are emitting during this time.

Aspen flower essence // Aspen essence is a tried and true Bach flower remedy. This is my go-to flower essence when uncertainty or general fear is in the picture. When I lived in the Vineyard, I lived in a shack in the woods and as someone with anxiety, it was very difficult to be surrounded by darkness and be unaware of what every single sound was. I used this essence to feel secure in my surroundings and to feel comforted by the whirling winds, not intimidated by them. I include it in my Autumn Equinox blend because this is a time, magically speaking, we descend into the "underworld" and the veil between the mortal world and the spirit world thins. We are hyper sensitive to other-worldly energies and that can be intimidating. At the same time, it can be exciting! Aspen is in this elixir so we can move past our fears of the unknown, move past dreading what is yet to come, and instead find the magic and extra potential during this time of the year!

Forget-me-not flower essence // A small flower, but a powerful one indeed! Forget-me-not flower essence is truly magical. It allows us to get in touch with those we have lost who are on the other side of the veil. It is used so that we may remember that our connections to our deceased loved ones do not dissipate when they leave the Earthly plane. This essence also stimulates dreams and stimulates visionary dreams at that, making is a powerful ally for this time of the year when we are especially close to our ancestors. Furthermore, and equally as important, Forget-me-Not helps us close off ourselves from the "lower planes," providing protection from unwanted energies so that we may feel free to experiment with our consciousness and dream work.

This years Autumn Equinox falls on September 23rd, which just so happens to be my sister's 20th birthday! I invite you to spend time with yourself on this day, to think about all you have grown and harvested in the past year, all you have accomplished. I invite you to set intentions for slowing down this winter - it is what every other species in nature is doing right now. This is a time that energy begins to move downwards, into the roots. Perhaps nourish yourself with an herbal foot bath, cook some hearty seasonal food, and spend some time with a journal. Maybe take a walk with no other purpose but to be outside and observe how the plants are changing as the seasons change. Above all, this is a time of gratitude. Gratitude towards the earth for all she has given us, gratitude for our fellow human beings, and gratitude towards ourselves, because we made it through another summer.

I hope you enjoy your Autumn Equinox, I know I will! (I have herb class that night, haha!)

Love,

Blaire

Intentions of protection and safety for their passing into the spirit world // sage + black tourmaline

I dedicate this post to my recently-passed-into-the-spirit-world dogs, Whipper and Keebler. You are my animal soul mates, and I am so happy to be seeing you in the dream world now. Thank you for all the love you gave, I hope one day I can be as full of love and life as you both were. I hope your journey was safe, and I'll see you soon.

#FlowerEssenceFriday - Elder

I almost didn't write this post. I had about 10 excuses not to, including some pretty terrible wisdom tooth pain, but then a certain plant voice said, "stick with it, you have time" That voice was Elder, the grandmother of plant medicine, if you will.

One of the first Flower Essences I made, back in April 2013.

Elder is a truly magical plant. Her lore involves the belief that falling asleep underneath her branches will result in being whisked away to the Fairy realm, never to return, and that the Eldamore, or Elder spirit, will haunt and plague you if you harvest her medicine without asking. Medicinally and scientifically, too, Elder is pure magic. There are a number of studies on her berries ability to fight over 10 strains of the flu, her flowers are a traditional remedy for breaking a fever, and the leaves are an effective remedy for wounds.

With that said, let's talk about her energetic and flower essence uses.

Elder blossoms soaking up the Vineyard sun last summer.

#FlowerEssenceFriday - Elder

As I meditated with Elder essence, I asked the Elder spirit to give me a saying, or affirmation, to go along with her medicine. I saw the inside of my body fill up with umbels of her airy, milky-white flowers, and then watched them turn into dark, nourishing berries that reached into my every capillary and crevice. The plant then said, "Come before yourself as humbly as you come before me. You, too, are sacred."

When I think of Elder flowers, I think of those buttery, snow-white blossoms, and how they turn into the most beautiful, dark, and medicinally potent berries. I think of how all parts of this plant are medicinal and sacred - and, for me, that is this plant's primary message. All parts are medicinal and sacred. We can learn from all parts of ourselves, and we should treat all parts of ourselves as sacred. From the flowers to the berries, from our anger to our elbows - all aspects of ourselves are to be respected and treated with care.

I take Elder when I am ready to do some serious internal work, and when I need help doing so. Elder allows us to look into the shadow side of ourselves, that side of ourselves we don't like looking into for whatever reason, often denial and fear of facing that denial. She invites us to look at the deep current underneath our shallow waters, and reminds us that there is potent medicine within this hidden part of ourselves, if only we will dive deep enough to sit with it.

This plant also serves as a reminder that this inner work is sacred work. That we should approach our healing, our exploration of the hidden and dark parts of ourselves, in a humble and sacred way. That we should come before ourselves in the same way that we come before the Elder plant - humbly, respectfully, and with gratitude.

An attempt at breaking Elder down:

• Name: Elder (Sambucus spp)
• Actions: protecting, enlightening, nurturing
• Indications: shallow attempts at healing, wanting to find the root of behavioral problems or maladaptive thoughts, fear of looking inwards, fear of self, strictly materialistic view of self
• Dosage: 7 drops, 1-3x a day. Be sure to invoke the spirit of this plant before taking the essence, I recommend sitting with it, and asking for her help

A photo of me with Elder (on the right) and a "Who plant" (on the left), taken by fellow herbalist and my incredible best friend, Miranda Murray.

I hope I didn't lose you with this rather magical and fluffy #floweressencefriday! While there is scientific medicine behind the plants, it's important for me to remember that these plants are so much more than their active constituents. They are living beings - and, to me, they have a spirit and a message to share with us. Elder is one of the first plants I felt really connected to (in addition to Rosemary and Mugwort). As soon as I was able to identify her, I saw her everywhere: in my partner's backyard, with heavy limbs hanging over his fence, at my favorite park in Boca, where I had walked a hundred times before. She is a reminder that life is and can be sacred and beautiful.

To the sacredness that is you, wherever you are in your journey!

xoxo Blaire