Nutrition and Chakra Foods!

Today has been brought to you by the colour:  Orange!

Part and parcel of taking care of your body includes the foods we eat!
Just like a machine, it needs fuel and maintenance to function optimally.

I like cooking with colour!   I do chakra balancing in my work if someone requests it. I also like to
cook with chakra colours!  Today's colour is orange!

The orange chakra (Svadisthana) is:

• located just below your navel
• the colour of vitality and strength
• the colour of gentle and positive nurturing of ourselves
• associated with the endocrine glands
• often referred to the centre of self-expression and joy

Crystals can be used to enhance the orange chakra when it is sluggish; fire opal, carnelian

When Svadisthana is too active; emerald can be used to quiet this chakra.

It is possible to have too much Qi (life energy) flowing into your Svadisthana chakra.  When this happens it's a place where we store emotions.  Emotions such as anger and fear, if held onto can cause illness.

Today's recipe:  Svadisthana Soup (Butternut squash, sweet potato and carrot soup!)

1 onion (diced)

1 clove of garlic (crushed and minced)

2 carrots (diced)

1 Fuji apple (cubed)

2-3 small Dolce sweet peppers (red/orange/yellow)

1 sweet potato (cubed)

1/2 butternut squash (cubed)

2 tbs grated fresh ginger root

1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cardamom (ground) 

pinch of saffron threads

pinch of nutmeg

salt to taste  (typically I use a vegetable stock cube)

Place all ingredients into a medium sized crock-pot/slow cooker.  Top with enough water to just cover, turn to low and get on with your beautiful day! About 6 hours later, you've got the most beautiful and tasty chunky soup in the most amazing orange colour!

If you prefer a smoother soup, get out your immersion blender and blend it all up!  I love to do this as it gives a thicker creamier soup.  Top with some soured cream and enjoy!  You could also chop up some fresh cilantro as a garnish (giving that emerald green colour to help balance the chakra).

Svadisthana Orange Chakra Soup before cooking

Svadisthana Soup after cooking and immersion blender served with Soured Cream and a sprinkle of dried cilanto (it's all I had). 

Source for Chakra information:  The Chakra Bible by Patricia Mercier (2007)
Recipe:  Hope McDonald - Cooking with reckless abandon (2013)