Honour your red!

Enjoying excellent overall health means taking advantage of whatever is around you to create the best, both within yourself and around you.

In my own journey, I used nature, nutrition, and everything Mother Nature so generously offers us, in an attempt to concoct creative recipes to nourish both body and spirit.

As a meditation practitioner for many years, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use the incredible power of colours and chakras to offer you a recipe in my own special hue!

Let’s begin with red – the root chakra, and a very important one. It allows us to remain anchored, strong, and steady when the storm strikes or when we feel overwhelmed and unsettled, whether by a specific experience or simply by life itself.

Red also speaks to passion, fire, seduction, and love, as well as a powerful, whole, affirming, and willing presence.

When you are sublimated by red, do you feel your energy bursting out of you?

Red is a powerful, stimulating colour. The same is true for food. On your plate, this colour grabs your attention and opens you up to temptation. Just consider red peppers, tomatoes, hot peppers, grapes, watermelon, pomegranates, goji berries, red onions, red beans, radishes, and more…

Intriguingly, red fruits and vegetables speak to roundness, femininity, and curves – an eloquent connection to pleasure, desire, and love.

In light of this, I offer you a simple, healthy, and tasty recipe – my mouth waters just thinking about it! I’m happy and honoured to share this exquisite and flavourful *potion* with you.

First off, I admit that I have a huge soft spot for tomatoes. This fruit/vegetable’s texture, colour, varying shapes, and flavour never fail to delight and amaze me.

As we’re still experiencing wintry weather, eating warm and hot food remains an excellent choice to heat up our bodies – not to mention our hearts!

Warm Tomato and Basil Nectar Soup (serves two)

Ingredients:

• 4 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped (smell them before buying, and move on if they are odourless)
• 1 handful of fresh basil, with stems
• 1 cup of water, previously heated and cooled until warm
• Himalayan salt and pepper, to taste
• A pinch of dried hot pepper flakes

In a blender, begin by adding the warm water, then the rest of the ingredients. Mix for about 90 seconds or until a liquid consistency is achieved.

Don’t worry if there are a few remaining chunks – just make sure you enjoy the texture of the food you are eating.

If it is too thick, add a bit of water or other liquid of your choice.

That’s it! Try some of your red nectar today – it’s a wonderful way to honour your red chakra and feel connected to the Earth!

Ideas for add-ins:

• Sunflower sprouts as garnish when the nectar is ready to serve
• Nori flakes (reduce salt in the recipe)
• Nutritional yeast flakes, to add cheesy zip
• Chunks of well-ripened avocado (simply divine!)

Before enjoying your soup, visualize the power of this red, this strong anchor which is present within you in your root chakra that connects you to the earth and allows you to nourish your core and remain stable to better elevate yourself. Just like a tree that grows and stretches out toward the sun.

Your recipe will only be more nutritious, and your body will accept it like a gift. Be mindful of being fortunate, of receiving and honouring this gift, and of nourishing yourself to reinvent yourself – on every level!

Enjoy!