Halloween and pumpkin recipes |
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All Hallows Eve and pumpkin recipes.Halloween celebrates the last day of the year in the ancient Celtic Calendar, the end of a year in the times of the old gods, followed by Samhain - new years day. Pumpkin is a versatile food with many traditional, warming recipes ideal for this time of year. The sun is in Scorpio and the colours of Mars (one of Scorpio’s rulers) are in all the trees (in the Northern hemisphere). Within Scorpio is the star Antares - or anti-Mars, showing the dualistic nature of this planet. It is the place of Mars to look into the mirror and become a reversal of itself, finding profound depths in the process. Mars is the pioneer, the warrior, the gladiator. The spirit of Mars in Scorpio is to sting itself to death, opening the deepest wounds in itself to find new possibilities - even though they may spell death, but still to move relentlessly on. This is transformation, ending life in violence to bring new life. So there are two manifestations of Scorpio, firstly the desert scorpion, depicted to resemble the severed tail of the dragon, an erect serpent vigorous and dangerous, a symbol of earthly energies. Secondly the eagle, symbol of the sun, a spiritual messenger who can gaze into, and fly into the light and remain unharmed, fearless against corruption as death has no sting for this mythical beast. The other sign of Scorpio is Pluto, the planet of transformation itself. So make your New Years Resolutions now.
The making of a ‘Lucifer Lantern’, originally a turnip rather than the ‘Americanised’ pumpkin still continues. The vegetable body represents the earthly human body, which should be buried on Samhain to return to clay - a reminder of our own mortality. The candle inside is the eternal undying and activating spirit. The triangles of eyes and mouth are symbols of our heavenly aspirations, a charm against seeing, speaking or smelling (if your lantern has a nose) evil in the next year. ( my son drew this one out of Saturday morning cartoons). Halloween also gives us the opportunity to make a selection of delicious foods from our pumpkins, squashes or turnips. The name Pumpkin derives from a Greek word 'Pepon' meaning 'mellow' or 'ripened by the sun'. Pumpkins and winter squashes are rich in valuable nutrients, most of all the seeds. Never throw these away ! They have essential male nutrients contained within the female sphere, for this reason their derivatives are used in ailments of the prostrate gland. They contain iron for healthy blood, magnesium for maintaining cellular integrity, phosphorus, potassium and zinc for cellular growth. The flesh has vitamin E and beta carotene which the body converts to vitamin A. If you are vegetarian this is 'good meat'. Beta carotene is an important antioxidant, preventing free radical damage. It is a gentle laxative, the roughage helping to cleanse the colon. Sometimes the flesh is pulped and applied to burns, and the oil is used as a gentle emollient. It makes a good home-made babyfood, but leave out the spices. Grow one indoors - I dare you ! Go win a competition ! Pumpkin pie is probably the best known recipe but pumpkin / squash soup is a warming meal ideal for long cold nights. Pumpkin is also delicious with a cheese sauce and can be roasted ( but not whole because it explodes in the oven !) 1. Pumpkin Pie: Shortcrust pastry, about 1lb pumpkin, ground cinammon, ground mixed spice, ground ginger, brown sugar, single cream, 3 eggs. 2. Pumpkin Soup: Pumpkin or squash, ground coriander, oil, salt, pepper, ground cumin, garlic cloves, tinned tomatoes, chilli, onion, vegetable stock, lentils or chick peas ( pre -cooked ).
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Here is the WHY and the HOW of reaching for a holistic lifestyle from the heart of your home. Discover for yourself the power of Mother Nature’s Gifts – a real integrated medicine working for you from your very own kitchen. Hiding in your meals, is a whole FOOD MEDICINE for health, for healing – and for fun! |
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Halloween is a time for merrymaking and feasting, sitting up late and jumping over fires to make wishes. There are many ancient games associated with this time, making ‘Halloween cake’, divination by nut popping on the fire and other seed based lovespells, wood faggot divination, apple bobbing and so on. In ancient times people would make ‘The Halloween Man’ (or woman (except for guilty secrets about witch burning)) to be burnt in the fire, hence casting off the old self of the old year. They would put pretty things onto the figures, bags of sweet smelling herbs, a tiny crown and burn it with the passing of the year, then letting the fire go out to be relit for the next year. This ritual was assimilated into ‘Guy Fawkes night’. 