Blue Moon - Go with the flow.

How amazing that there is a Blue Moon this New Year's Eve. A blue moon is a full moon that is considered an "extra" in the yearly cycle of full moons- which as we know from the saying "once in a blue moon" is pretty rare :) but guess what? This moon is also eclipsed moon!

On the day of the full moon we may begin to see flaws in our grand plans. Money/Relationship problems will be highlighted.

Astrogrrl has this advice...

http://www.astrogrrl.com/

"Take a few ... slow .... deep .... breaths, and repeat. Then, take it all in stride. With both Mercury and Mars in retrograde, the next few weeks bring more information that previously may not have been available to you and/or the path best taken may still be revealed. All that's required of you is patience and awareness. Take this time to become more attune. But before all that, take a sip of some bubbly with people who make you smile and celebrate the coming New Year.

This eclipse is linked to this summer's Cancer-Solar Eclipse that on July 22, 2009. Think back to that period. Events/issues brought up now and in the coming weeks may be reminiscent of those from this summer. Perhaps, this full moon brings resolution, finality, endings or culmination to something that may have first come to light on or around the month of July."

AND This from Crystalwind

http://www.crystalwind.ca/latest/blue-moon-lunar-eclipse-december-31-2009.html

"The good news is that creative and artistic qualities will be discovered as you let go of beliefs that don’t correspond with your current reality!! :-) with the Sun and Moon. This Eclipse in the Moon’s own sign of all Lunar Eclipses emphasize emotional reaction!! During this Eclipse, powerful Pluto opposes the MoonSaturn squares it, creating tightness and pressure that can be frightening. It may be tempting to duck confrontation or avoid any serious change, yet refusing to act only reduces your power. You may have hard choices to make on the cusp of the New Year, yet they demand focus and attention. Be bold and face your outer reality. You will experience the prizes of fulfillment as you reshape relationships and find ways to fulfill your creative potential. Psychic sensitivity, spiritual instincts and emotional connectedness are aroused by this Lunar Eclipse as the environment becomes a little unstable. Outdated ideals or dreams may need to be discarded, which can be painful but necessary. You experience an awakening (emotional and spiritual) to today’s truths as the clutter is cleared away and the present is seen in a new light. Over the next six months you will redefine your personality and your image!! A new hairdo AND wardrobe may result!!"

Remember to say please and thank you and to treat others with respect and civility even if they aren't showing you the same courtesy - it can't hurt and hopefully this will ripple out to others who are in a more confrontational state.

Happy New Year everyone!

Holiday Spiced Nut Mix

Nice for a holiday nibble bowl... I adapted this from Matthew Kenney's Mixed Candied Nuts recipe in Everyday Raw. I omitted the maple powder he suggests and threw in some dried cranberries & added the hemp hearts. I tweeked the ratios a little here and there as well to suit my own tastes.

Holiday Spiced Nut Mix

• 4C Walnut Halves (soaked at least 6hrs)
• 4C Pecans (soaked at least 6hrs)
• 4C Almonds (soaked at least 6hrs)
• 1C Hemp Hearts
• 1tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2C Maple Syrup
• 1T Cinnamon
• 1/2C Dried Cranberries

Dehydrate nuts for 24hrs after soaking (not hemp hearts), Add maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon mix well, add hemp hearts mix again until well coated. Dehydrate on screens for another 48hrs mix in dried cranberries.

BTW: Incase you didn't know why soaking nuts and seeds is a good idea.

The main reason soaking nuts and seeds is so important is because they contain enzyme inhibitors. By soaking the nuts/seeds you remove these inhibitors so your body is better able to digest the nut.Soaking times vary. Generally the more dense the nut, the longer you should soak it.

Cranberry Banana Smoothie

Simple, tasty a great breakfast in a pinch. I've been pretty tired the last few weeks since hurting my back so have been making a lot of smoothies. A nice fast meal.

Cranberry Banana Smoothie

• 1C Frozen Cranberries
• 1 Medium Banana
• 1C Fresh Orange Juice (for small amounts like this I use an old glass orange/lemon squeeze style juicer - saves cleaning up my electric juicer)
• 1/3C Hemp Hearts
• 1T Blue Green Algae
• 1T Raw Cacao Powder or nibs (if you need a pick me up in the am)

Put all into high speed blender and blend until smooth.

Herbed Eggplant Stack

An interesting fact... did you know Thomas Jefferson introduced eggplants to the United States in 1806? Jefferson was an avid horticulturist, among other things :) and grew several varieties in his Virginia garden. Eggplants are an excellent source of dietary fiber and a very good source of vitamins B1, B6 and potassium. They are also a good source of copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, and folic acid.

Herbed Eggplant Stack

Marinated Eggplant

• 1 Medium Eggplant
• 2T Sea Salt
• 1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
• 2T Olive Oil
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• 4T Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2T Italian Herb Mix
• 1 Medium Red Onion
• 1 Medium Red Pepper

To prepare the eggplant: Slice of the top and bottom. Cut eggplant into 1/4" slices. Toss with sea salt. Marinate for 2 to 3 hours. Drain off juices. Gently squeeze egg plant slices. Slice Red Onion and Red Pepper then marinate all (eggplant too) with lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, ACV and italian herbs - let marinate for at least 1hr

Macadamia Cheese

• 1C macadamia nuts
• 1/3C Lemon Juice
• 1T Olive Oil
• 1 Clove Minced Garlic
• 3T Nutritional Yeast
• 4T Water

Soak nuts for 1hr then drain. Blend cheese ingredients together until smooth.

Marinara

• 1/2C Sun Dried Tomatoes
• 4 Roma Tomatoes
• 2T Italian Herb Mix
• 1 Clove Garlic
• 1T Olive Oil 1T Maple Syrup
• 1T Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1t Sea Salt

Soak sun dried tomatoes in fresh water until soft. Drain and rinse. In a food processor pulse until a smooth texture is achieved.

To Assemble Stacks

Place one slice of eggplant on a plate top with one tablespoon of cheese, one slice of onion, one slice of red pepper, a slice of eggplant one tablespoon of marinara a slice of onion, a slice of red pepper, then repeat first layer end with a dollop of marinara. 


                        Eggplant
                       
                   

December 2 Full Moon in Gemini - Change

“Newly opened lands offer the pioneer new opportunities for experience. Keynote: The power and joy of new beginnings – RISING TO THE OCCASION.”

Lots of energy is promised with this full moon.

"This Full Moon is in Gemini, the sign of communication, changeability, short trips, and anything of a mercurial nature, and Mercury, the planet of communication and the mind that is the ruler of Gemini, is very active in the chart of this Full Moon. Mercury is in a challenging square to Uranus, the planet of radical thinking and change, so there is a tendency towards impulsive thinking and hasty speech as well as a heightened sensitivity of the nervous system. Don't be surprised by emotional outbursts of all kinds, and those of us with anxious natures may find ourselves with a case of the jitters.

Uranus has just changed direction, so it's influence is stronger than usual. Uranus inspires innovation and change, and can bring about sudden and surprising events that turn our world around. There is also the danger of accidents and equipment failures under this influence.

At the Gemini Full Moon, the Sun is in the opposite sign of Sagittarius and there is a necessity to balance the search for the one Truth (Sagittarius) with an embrace of many ideas (Gemini). During this period we have a unique opportunity to create change and become more adaptable to new ideas and new ways of living our life; to learn the inner strength that an increase in flexibility can offer us.

Because Gemini is so oriented towards communication and the sharing of experiences, this is a wonderful time to bring people together to share new ideas and to learn more about each other. "

reposted from Astrological musings...

Gemini Full Moon, December 1-2 2009

http://blog.beliefnet.com/astrologicalmusings

Sorry I haven't been posting regularly in a while. I had a yoga/headstand accident and threw my back out. Starting to feel better and hoping to start posting more recipes in the next few days - keep checking back!