2015 is well underway with the last week of January already upon us! My schedule has picked up and the quiet few weeks around the Holidays have evaporated. They gave me plenty of time to contemplate about the year past and my goals and core desires for the new year. These thoughts brought me into January as I sorted my feelings and sifted through these goals my aim was to define what would shape and characterize the new year for me.
Many of you know I do not make resolutions but set goals that will guide me through the year. I sometimes have waivered in the past but only to learn new lessons that help me form and influence the following year.
In my Retrospective 2014 I shared my word for 2015:
resolute
steadfast, firm, purposeful, determined, unwavering.
I started on this path sometime towards the end of last year as I realized that being resolute on many levels was good for me. It kept me on my feet and kept the most important aspects in focus. It helped me cut the bad static out of my life and I want to keep this with me for a little while longer. I’d like to be steadfast in keeping faith, keeping my thoughts firm and focused, following my goals purposefully and with responsive determination and I wish for myself unwavering courage to step out of the box and … to say “No” more often, instead of saying “yes” to avoid conflict.
Something new this year is defining my core desires – my inner feelings that are going to be like my lighthouses guiding me to the shores of my goals. Very recently I read a small review about The Desire Map – in a nutshell – defining how you want to feel in life, your core desires and then setting your goals to make you follow those feelings. It piqued my interest as it makes so much sense. We seem to be working it all backwards by hunting towards our goals hoping that they will fulfill and complete us. But if we focused on our inner desires, on what we want to feel it makes setting and getting those goals a lot easier.
So after a few iterations I set my 3 core desires that will help me form my goals and complement my word 2015.
- Shakti
- Courageous
- Freedom
As I look at these words they lift me up and give me motivation and inspiration. I will be asking myself as I progress through 2015 how my decisions, ideas and choices make me feel and if they correspond to my 3 core desires.
Shakti
Derived from Sanskrit, Shakti means power, energy, movement. Shakti is also the female principle of divine energy. Shakti will give me strength yet it is gentle, nurturing and caring. And I look forward to Shakti coaxing my divine feminine creative power. When I feel Shakti in my life it keeps me moving towards my goals, it makes me feel more positive and I feel full of possibility. I am creative when Shakti surrounds me.
Courageous
Courageous to step out of my comfort zone, to help me grow and unfold into the woman I know I want to be. Courage will help me to be my own person, to go against the grain and to swim against the flow. I want to be courageous to face challenges and fears with a determination and resolve to not allow those fears and challenges shape my life. Courage also to carry out honest and critical self-reflection. Be courageous to say “NO” when necessary, even if it means making myself unpopular. Courage makes me feel secure and strong. It makes me feel like I can climb mountains to achieve my goals and I hope courage will help me fight my fears to make me more positive and balanced.
Freedom
Freedom is a precious and fundamental feeling. I want to be free of the “must dos” I tend to list throughout the day. I feel better when I tackle my tasks with a free aim to complete them to my best ability and feel good about the conscious choices I made at the end of the day. I look for freedom to follow the beat of my heart and I want to feel free to be a rock star or a rebel. Freedom in my creativity, to love freely and to free myself more often from the shackles of routine. When I am free I feel loved, I feel happy and I feel sexy. Freedom inspires the freespirit in me to take new paths in my life. Nurturing and caring for my family and myself free from restrictions and constrictions. Free to raise my son to be open-minded, tolerant and accepting of all cultures and traditions. When I am free I love more openly and passionately. I want to be free to break rules and to eliminate the negative around me. I want to free my mind and I want the freedom of not giving a fuck!
So this is it. One guiding word for the year and three feelings that will help me make a good version of myself and hopefully make me feel good while the change takes place.
Here’s to a year of Shakti, empowering yourself to follow the path towards your goals with courage and have the freedom to thrive creatively with all the possibilities. And doing it resolutely!
A soothing hot bowl of soup on cold, dark and dreary days is the perfect caretaker. This herby soup combines pumpkin and ripe, persimmon to create an intriguing flavor palette. Fruity yet piquant and aromatic, it is the kind of soup that will make you curl up on the sofa and have you contemplating your feelings and desires.
Recipe: Wild Herbed Pumpkin and Persimmon Soup
By Meeta K. WolffPrep Time:
Total Time:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 1kg Musquee de Provence, chopped (substitute with any other pumpkin)
- 2 to 3 persimmons
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- small piece of ginger, finely chopped
- 750ml vegetable stock
- Pinch of salt
- Small bunch of mixed wild herbs (I used borage, sorrel, chervil, thyme, lovage, coriander, parsley)
- 150ml cream
- Handful mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame seeds) toasted
- Sunflower seed oil, to serve
- wild herbs, to serve
Method
- Heat half the olive oil in a large saucepan, then gently cook the onions and ginger for 5 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Add the pumpkin or squash to the pan, and then carry on cooking for with the lid on, stirring occasionally, until it starts to soften and turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add the persimmon, replace the lid and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour the stock into the pan, turn up the heat and bring to the boil, and then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the pumpkin is very soft. Pour the cream into the pan, add the herbs, then purée with a hand blender. For an extra-velvety and smooth consistency push the soup through a fine sieve into another pan.
- Bring the soup to a slow simmer. Serve piping hot topped with sunflower seeds, a few drops of sunflower oil and a sprinkle of the wild herbs.
Serve these with chunky garlic croutons made with sourdough bread.
Verdict
I love this ingredient pairing – there is room for so many complementary flavors. The wild herbs play a vital role to cut the sweetness of the persimmon by adding a peppery note to the soup. It’s the kind of soup you can cook up again and again (as long as persimmons are in season) this winter and it will bring out the vibrancy not only in the day but also on the dinner table.
Don’t forget registrations are still running for the Vienna Food Photography and Styling Workshop. After announcing it last week we have already reached half mark with a great mix of participants from all over Europe. We still have 5 slots open so grab a seat ...
Dates: 17th - 18th April 2015
Vienna, Austria
Details and preliminary programme.
You might like these warming soups from What’s for lunch, Honey?:
Carrot and Red Lentil Soup with a Hint of Cumin | Roasted Fennel Soup with Pernod and Smoked Salmon | Spicy Roasted Tomato And Red Bell Pepper Soup |
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2015 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
A delightful and flavorful soup! Great winter food.
ReplyDeleteI wish I was more courageous and determined, but alas, I doubt a lot and have absolutely no self-confidence.... Nonetheless, I try hard to be a stronger person and I persevere!
Cheers,
Rosa
But in my eyes you are a strong person. Even with so many of your doubts and fears ... you are strong and intelligent. Keep persevering dear Rosa. YOu are hard on yourself.
DeleteHere's to a courageous new year Meeta! My goals include traveling as much as possible so maybe one of your workshops will be part of my future!
ReplyDeleteTravelling feet are a good thing to have. Here's to hoping they will bring you to one of the workshops. Would be lovely to see you again! Fingers crossed.
DeleteI like that shakti word. Need to be more resolute myself in finding time to feel shakti. I have no doubt that you will achieve everything you set out to do in 2015.
ReplyDeleteI have my fingers crossed. Shakti is hard to keep up but I am trying. ;)
DeleteWonderfull pictures! If we have time we try this recipe!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
KochBock from munich
Thank you!
DeleteWonderfull pictures! If we have time we try this recipe!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
KochBock from munich
wonderful recipe, wonderful pictures - and also pumpkin is so healthy - thank you Meeta!
ReplyDeleteThank you Betinna! GLad you liked the post!
DeleteNice soup, this is the first time I come across with a recipe that cooking soup with persimmon, probably have a nice and interesting taste. I am sure I want to have this for supper during rainy and cool night. :)
ReplyDeleteThe persimmons add a wonderful flavor to the soup. And yes rainy cold days are the best for this soup.
DeleteThis looks fantastic! I am definitely going to try this. Although, to be honest, I'd probably try anything with "pumpkin" and "soup" in the title :)
ReplyDeleteAhh! So now I know the weakness .. add the persimmons and I am sure you will have a new favourite! ;)
DeleteVery nice recipe, Your photos are awesome.You always write so nice post, I really felt good after reading it.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Deletelook great and tasty. I have never eaten such a dish but if I have the opportunity to prepare this recipe I will.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy it! Thanks magda!
DeletePumpkin and persimmon... now there's a combo I would never have thought of! And oddly enough, I learnt the word shakti right about the time you were writing this. Spooky!! ;o)
ReplyDelete