Quick Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Here's a tasty recipe for y'all, and ya don't even need to be "gluten-free" to enjoy. Trust me, what came outta my oven was delish. Top her off with a glass of almond milk, coconut milk ice cream &/or some fresh raspberries or blueberries. I ate this alongside some fresh ginger root tea, (which I started brewing before I made this yummy dessert)....and dang! So good! Plus my digestion was on par too!
(see Ginger Root Tea recipe below)

Measurements are rough since I let the Powers-that-Be take over and I forget to document exactly.
I feel it's one of those recipes that forgives and then gives some more, in terms of flavor and texture.
It's easy, simple and you can make this in a pinch with an array of ingredients. I've been running low in the cupboards and fridge so this was drawn from my imagination, limited ingredients and resourcefulness. There's plenty of room to expand, vary and experiment. Try fresh peaches, plums or pears instead of apples. See what comes about!
Check it out...

Quick & Easy Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

2 medium-sized Apples  (granny smith, fuji, honey crisp, pink lady)
3-6 dashes of Cinnamon Powder
2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil (stick with coconut here...it offers the perfect sweetness like other oils cannot; plus coconut oil is anti-viral & full of perfect fat )
1-3 Tbsp. Raw Honey, Agave Nectar, or Organic Raw Cane Sugar
1/2 - 1 1/2 c. Rolled Oats (more the thicker & crunchier; less more of the apple-ness goin' on)
1/3c. chopped walnuts, pecans, toasted almonds, GF cereal or hemp hearts *optional but really good
dash sea salt
dash nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Swirl 1 Tbsp. of the Coconut Oil over the bottom of a medium-sized baking dish. Wash, core & slice Apples 1/4" thick. (you may want to peel; I like them so I keep 'em on). Combine Apples, Cinnamon Powder, Nutmeg, Sweetener & Sea Salt with remaining Coconut Oil in a mixing bowl & toss until coated. Transfer to Oiled baking dish & evenly spread Rolled Oats & Nuts over the top. Cover with foil & bake 15 min. Remove foil & bake another 20 min. Serve warm with desired toppings or accouterment, ideally Fresh Ginger Root Tea. 

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Fresh Ginger Root Tea

The key to an effective herbal tea is 1) the amount & quality of raw materials & 2) how you prepare it.
This particular herbal preparation is called a "decoction". That basically means you are simmering a course, fibrous, thick or dense herbal material for quite some time. This process is what draws out the medicinal constituents we seek from herbs. Light fluffy herbs such as Peppermint or Lavender, only need to infuse or steep in water. Tough fibrous plant parts such as Ginger or Dandelion Root require simmering. A-Ha!.....you have become an educated herbalist!

2 thumb-sized pieces of Fresh Ginger Root (preferably Organic)
6 c. Filtered or Distilled Water (distilled water holds minerals & nutrients better because it's "empty")
a few Tbsps. Raw Honey

If not Organic, peel....if Organic, skip. Thinly slice the ginger root. Combine ginger & water in a cooking pot on the stove with matching lid. Cover & bring to a boil, then turn down to a low simmer. You are now making an herbal decoction! This is way different than steeping a tea bag in a cup of water for 3 min. You're actually making medicine! 

Set the timer for 1 hour. (15-20 min is minimum if you're short on time, or up to 2 hrs if you're home & free). Then turn off heat & strain the ginger tea away from the spent herbal material. Yes, you'l have reduced the amount of liquid. That's the point! We've concentrated Ginger's healing qualities....

Compost the ginger if you can. Return ginger tea to the pot & add a couple Tbsps of Raw Honey. Stir until melted, turning heat on low if needed. You've got yourself a fairly spicy tea, perhaps. If it's too much just dilute with some filtered hot water. Enjoy with the Apple Crisp!

Store leftovers in a jar in the fridge for no more than 3 days. After that time the herb has most likely lost it's medicinal quality. In the meantime, you can reheat the tea on the stovetop, always avoiding the microwave. 

Ginger Root is fantastic & does so much more than I can say here. But please know Ginger helps with efficient digestion (especially processing dairy), relieves cramps & bloating, supports metabolism & detoxification, engages the immune system, fights bacterias & unwanted foreign invaders, plus works on the whole body! Ginger is a staple in the kitchen.

XOXOXOX

PERSONAL RELFECTIONS IN REGARDS TO ART

"Talent is just an opinion. But creativity is a necessity."
- Chippewa Injin Byrd: my main squeeze, artist, creative genius

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I love this so much. Personally, I could care less how well you can reproduce an image or recreate someone else's muse.
What strikes my fancy is the realness of someone's style, their unique voice & the pure love & desire to create!
This definitely applies to, but travels well beyond the generalized assumption of ART as in reference to painting, drawing, shaping & forming. It trickles throughout our entire lives. SO WHAT if others do the same kinda thing that you do or also have some great ideas to share? Can we really put a patent or copyright or ownership law on the appreciation & expression of inspiration?
Are you the only one ever to have admired the beauty of a flower or pattern, the surge of emotion witnessing a tragedy or triumph, or felt the potency of the light cast upon a magnificent mountain? NO...but you are the only one who saw it, felt it & experienced it from your unique perspective. SO it's just a question of, "How do you share your expression? What does it mean TO YOU?"
This authentic expression of ART is what brings us together as human beings. We relate, we appreciate, we share in the beauty & wonder of the Universe.

HOW DO YOU SHARE YOUR CREATIVITY? HOW ARE YOU EXPRESSING THE ARTISTIC ELEMENTS OF YOUR LIFE? WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEDIUM?
Original ideas are frankly quite few & far between, as we are always recycling, remembering, rediscovering, rethinking, reshaping, & revealing. Plus, ideas are inherently the property of NO ONE. Ideas are the creative light drawn from an All-Seeing/All-Knowing/All-Encompassing Force which ANYONE can access. It's simply tapping into it, feeling it, creating it & sharing that force. So, we find less attachment to ideas themselves & more inspired action toward sharing an authentic interpretation of how that force resonates within the interconnected matrix of life.
Be the authentic creator of your life & shine in the light of genuine expression. WORD!

I'm presenting at the Sedona Yoga Fest!! ...this weekend!

I am honored & excited to share two unique offerings at the Sedona Yoga Fest this year!

 Check out the amazing presenter schedule & purchase your weekend or day pass here!
http://sedonayogafestival.com/

Friday @ 7pm - YogaSTARology & ChakraSTARology
Jordan MacBeth & I come together to share a basic understanding of the Zodiac wheel & yoga postures to support the health of each Sun sign. We will focus on a connection of Zodiac & Chakras, utilizing sound healing from the gong to awaken those energetic spaces. We'll bring balance to all of the Zodiac signs through an all-levels asana practice followed by a gong meditation. 

Saturday @ 8pm - Restorative Gong Yoga - Vibrational Healing for the Chakras

Together we'll experience a journey through the Chakras, the wheels of life force energy which run along our spine. A discussion will cover the general concepts of the 7 major Chakras & how the gong's healing vibrational potency alters our cellular makeup, helps remove blockages & awaken the healing capacity within. We'll connect 7 restorative &/or yin postures with each of the 7 Chakras with gong immersion, & chant for happy health! 

a recipe for a righteous recovery

::: a recipe for a righteous recovery from :::

...being in the car for long periods of time, especially if you were the driver,

...hangin' around the sleeze, sneeze & weeze,

...over-indulging in carbohydrates, ya know, the white kind,

...balancing a very patchwork schedule,

...exposure to dramatic weather, altitude & sleeping shifts,

...& probably a hangover.

Minus the hangover - sort of, the above situations are some of the recent events in my life. The in-laws are in town, for 2 whole weeks! I know what you're thinking, but I do deeply care for them & we get along quite well ;)

Quality family time is the realness we sometimes need for a recalibration regarding the structure & content of our lives. Family, this mystical connection to often times people we dearly love yet seemingly never understand, offers us an intimate space for much reflection & awareness, growth & development.

We've had some interesting moments, fun times dining out, canyon & painted desert exploring, fire talks, Wheel of Fortune episodes, & my heart is indeed grateful! 

But my guts are churning & I gotta keep things a'moving: life events, lessons learned, emotional changes, physical challenges, donuts & beer.

So naturally I'm feeling the urge to create a remedy for this lethargy.

"A-HA, AGNI!"HEAT // Digestive Fire // Purposeful Wisdom // LIGHT 

Metabolism // TAPAS // Disciple & Will // TRANSFORMATION

 A dose of witchy wisdom trickled into my 3rd eye so I got to formulating, taking notes, & brewing up a quick "whatever I have in my fridge" kinda concoction, resulting in this recipe for a tasty, tangy, slightly spicy, sweet & sour feel good "herbal-vinegar-zazz-a-ma-tazz" 

& yup... I just made that up.  

* For the most part I folk everything up in my kitchen (ha!), using my intuition to guide my foundations of methodology. So keep in mind these measurements are rough. Plus, only YOU have the power to craft up your own best batch of detoxifying & intuitive juices! *

::: INGREDIENTS :::

2 thumb-sized pieces of Organic, Fresh Ginger Root

(peel & chop into smaller pieces)

1 tsp. Organic Dried Ginger Root Powder

2 1/2 c. Distilled or Filtered Water

Juice of 1/2 lemon (preferably local)

1/4 c. Local, Raw Organic Desert Honey

3 - 4 Tbsp. Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

a few shakes of cinnamon powder

a few drops of your favorite hot sauce (mine's Cholula)
[or a pinch of cayenne]

add a flower essence if you like, such as Dandelion 

::: DIRECTIONS :::

Combine Fresh & Dry Ginger together with the Water in a pot with a matching lid. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, let decoct 20 min. Remove from heat & strain the herb away from the liquid. Return the Ginger tea to the clean pot. While still hot, add & stir in the rest of the ingredients. Voila!

Sip on an 8 oz. cup like a cider while still very warm, or you can dilute with water & drink throughout the day. Or, perhaps, pour out a shot & take it back with an olive chaser from Queen Creek Olive Mill. If you're really gettin' the sicky icky & feeling bold, add a couple drops of Therapeutic/Food-Grade Oregano or Thyme Oil & repeat every hour or so! 

(always do your own research with essential oils first though)

Enjoy this recovery drink a few times a day, for a few days, before & after meals, when you need a pick-me-up, or when digestion is sluggish. Store leftovers in fridge & later reheat to drinking temperature on the stove. You may want to double or triple the batch so you're more likely to drink this brew regularly. 

Notice how you feel, what flavors arise? What sensations arise from your tastebuds? In herbalism we call this an Organoleptic Assessment, becoming aware of the subtleties. Vinegars & sours are uncommon elements in most diets of this day & age. Be open to try something new, something inexpensive too, & ride the waves of the healing warmth all the way down to the belly. 

Know that this is more than an interesting flavor rollercoaster, but also  stimulating digestion, balancing pH levels, supporting healthy metabolism, aiding the breakdown of dairy, fats, & carbohydrates, & boosting your Immune System. This anti-inflammatory, circulating & stimulating zazz-a-ma-tazz brew may become part of your regular routine before &/or after meals, as a morning metabolic boost, to prevent sickness, after a long day of stress, or potentially serve as a seasonal cleanse of sorts.

Additionally, I took some Righteous Recovery leftovers & used it as a base for a vinaigrette-style wasbabi dressing to compliment my Wild Woman Coleslaw. YUM. I'll try post on that soon.

Experiment, add your own flavor, follow, comment & share!
Hope you enjoy...
the wise owl
XO