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Traditional Chinese medicine believes that each food has a unique energy that affects your body a certain way. This goes beyond the calories, macronutrients and micronutrients of food. It is instead the energetic influence of food on the quality of your life — your mood, your awareness, your energy levels, your health, and beyond.

 

As the seasons shift, therefore, it’s important to shift your diet as well. With the end of summer, it’s time to get into a new head space and restore balance by incorporating grounding fall foods into your diet. Root vegetables (such as sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, beets, radishes, garlic, and ginger) are a particularly great addition, as all of these items have roots that reach down into the ground, anchoring the plant. Adding these foods into your diet is energetically believed to help you become more rooted and grounded in your life as well.

 

Here is a great baked sweet potato recipe that can either be served as a main on its own, or as a great addition to any main course:


Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Beans and Greens

4 sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons coconut oil56866689314b3d4f3484ef1a91afd3dcc9e59d04

1 shallot, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 (4-inch) sprig fresh rosemary

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cups cooked and drained white beans

6 cups kale, trimmed and sliced into ribbons

Juice of 1/4 lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  •  Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick them in a few places with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet and bake until soft all the way through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Start the beans and greens about 15 to 20 minutes before the sweet potatoes are done.
  • In a wide, deep saucepan with a cover, heat the coconut oil over low-moderate heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary sprig, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the beans and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the kale, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the kale is soft. Remove the rosemary sprig, stir in the lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • To serve, slice each sweet potato lengthwise and push on the ends to open up the middle. Spoon the beans and greens into the center.
  • If you’re looking for that ‘cheesy’ taste, sprinkle on some nutritional yeast at the end (1-2tsp). Enjoy!

 

 

Photo credit: The Kitchn (www.thekitchn.com)

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