Fall soup & tea

Found a recipe for Wise Women's tea on another blog, & went out to the garden to gather some of the herbs (*), then to my cupboards -
1 part each:
Motherwort
Nettle
Alfalfa
Lemon balm *
Mugwort *
Damiana
Rose hips
(she added sage, chaste berries (vitex) & horsetail)
cover with boiling water & steep 10 minutes, strain & add honey if desired. I love to use this handy little French Press, easy to just press & pour, & then top up with more hot water.

This week the littlest granddaughter's been home sick, so I've watched her till my first massage. Today she returned to playschool, & I'll be in the classroom with her on Fri. It's fun spending time with them, & I'm not looking forward to their (proposed) move across town. My daughter found another house today that reminds her of her *favorite* home - one she wished she could move lot & all from the smaller neighboring town! It's a bit less than the one they've been looking at, with a HUGE yard, & right across the street from the grade school the little one will prob attend!

She's been sewing Halloween costumes for the girls, & finished them - delightful 'flower fairie' garb. I'm invited to a Halloween party at my friend Nancy's, as she lives on a popular Holiday block, & always has lots of kids at her door. So she invites friends for a pot-luck & game time. I will prob make pumpkin soup - found a recipe in 'what to eat when You're Expecting' while looking up info on gestational diabetes for a friends daughter. I'll leave out the hazelnuts for the party, as my friend can't have tree nuts, & add Garam Masala spice mix.
(*Note, this book was written in the mid 80s, has some good tips & recipes, but isn't the 'latest word' in what to eat. They, like my daughter's European trained doctor, really promote eating many servings of veggies, few fruits, & little or no sugar - it's not 'gluten free' - but does have some good ideas & recipes!)

Hazelnut Pumpkin Soup (addapted from What to Eat When You're Expecting - a serving counts as 2 yellow veggies)
1 T coconut oil
1-2 leeks, well rinsed & slice the white base
1/2 onion
2-4 cloves chopped Garlic
1/2 C chopped hazelnuts
1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp (or more) Garam Masala or Pumpkin Pie spice
fresh ground pepper (a few grinds)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 chopped carrots
1-2 chopped sweet potatoes
1 # Pumpkin (I oven bake 1/2 big squash, or whole small squash for ~ 40 min)
4 C veggie stock
1/2 C coconut milk
Saute the onions & leek ends in Coconut oil till onion is transparent.
Add Garlic, & vinegar
Add chopped carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin puree (smash with a spoon, if you bake it yourself, or use tinned pumpkin) & cover with veggie stock & coconut milk, simmer ~ 10 min to blend flavors, adding soft part of leek tops toward end. Thin with a bit more stock if desired, garnish with parsley.
Can swirl a bit of coconut over the top for contrast.

I made some for my daughter's little family yesterday for lunch, & had to add som more pumpkin for dinner. I also sauted more onion & 4 or 5 button mushrooms (seasonal would be grand - say, chantrelles!). We have sweet potatoes & carrots from our market 'share,' & had a salad with the lovely fresh lettuce & arugula.
If you roast a fresh squash, do save & rinse the seeds, sprinkle with sea salt, & roast them as well (~ 20 min, check & stir occ)
I'm also making some Hummus using the recipe from Bob's Red Mill garbanzo (fava) bean flour! It's such an easy way to make hummus, which makes a great protien rich spread!

Hummus using Garbanzo Bean Flour
1 1/2 C water - boiling
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 C garbanzo flour - whisk into the water, & cook for 1 minute while stiring - then reduce to med low & cook 5 min., turn off

1/2 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp salt
grind the cumin, seeds & salt in a seed grinder (electric 'coffee' mill reserved for seeds & herbs)
Stir into flour mix

2-4 Tbsp Stock (I make my own)
1/4 C sesame paste (tahini)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or vinegar
2 cloves Garlic
- puree with garbanzo paste in food processor till smoothe.
- add salt & pepper to taste, place in jars or bowls & cover; let set at room temp for an hour for flavor to 'set' before refrigerating.
I'm going to add some of my squash puree to half the mix, as I have a LOT from the first 1/2 squash my gal friend dropped by!

Ooo - I just noticed my Myer lemons are ripening - so I can use 'fresh lemon juice' in the hummus!