My husband brought home several butternut squash he grew from from his community garden. He set them on the counter thinking I would know exactly what to do with them all!
After some research and experimenting, I have three delicious recipes I would like to share with you.
1. Butternut Squash Quinoa Boats with Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds:
Ingredients and instructions for 2 servings:
1 Medium butternut squash cut lengthwise
Scoop out the seeds
Coat the sides of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Put 1 tsp Maple syrup where the seeds use to be.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes
Use a rice cooker for the quinoa:
1 rice cooker cup of quinoa and 2 1/2 rice cooker cups water (water measurement may vary depending on rice cooker).
Add a handful of pumpkin seeds and cranberries.
When quinoa is done, add it to the squash and serve!
Are you listening to it or burying it with busyness, food, alcohol or non-stop social activity?
Mindfulness practices like yoga, meditation, prayer, journaling and spending time alone in nature are effective ways to help you listen to the still small voice within.
Are you happy where you are living?
Would you like a different job?
Does your heart yearn for a life partner?
If you answer “yes!” to any of these soul questions I encourage you to take quality solo time to get real with yourself and take inventory of your life.
Are you where you want to be?
If not, what ACTION steps do you need to take to change your life?
One of my favorite quotes says:
“Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith.”
-Margaret Shepard
This “leap of faith” transportation has served me many times in my life, especially when moving cross country three times without a job or a plan.I knew my soul needed a change and I followed my intuition, my soul’s voice.
I like to live by the motto, “What’s behind door #3 God?!”
I’m amazed to the point of grateful tears at how God/ the Universe provide when you ask, trust and show up.
As Joseph Cambell says, “When you follow your bliss, doors open where there use to be walls.”
During my 16 years as a yoga studio owner, I had the pleasure of meeting thousands of truth seeking souls.
I repeatedly would talk to people who felt a lack of passion towards their careers. They were afraid to leave their jobs due to the security, the 401K and the health insurance.
These perceived security blankets can paralyze you from fulfilling your destiny. You always have the choice to buy your own health insurance and start an IRA.
I believe God/Universe wants you to be passionate about your life’s purpose, where you are living and your life partner.
If you need help designing an action plan to change your life, I am here to support you. Contact me for a FREE CONSULTATION.
You deserve to be happy in every area of your life!
Featured Recipe: No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars!
This is THE best vegan dessert I have ever made, at least my husband says so. It comes from the blog Iowa Girl Eats:
This week I’m featuring Rip’s Sweet Potato Bowl from The Engine 2 Diet, which is easy and fast. Click here for recipe
Bake your sweet potatoes beforehand in foil on 350 for 60 minutes. You can bake them on a Sunday and put them in your fridge and have them ready to go for your week.
Warm up sweet potatoes, remove skin and cube.
Place in a bowl and add chopped mango, avocado, red bell pepper, cilantro and a can of (non-heated) black beans. Top with lime juice and balsamic vinegar. It’s that simple and it’s delicious!
TAKE THE 7 DAY Veg Pledge!
Next week April 18th-24th is US Veg Week in honor of Earth Day.
“I cannot say enough positive things about Kathleen and my experience with this retreat!
Although I was already healthy and active, I had drifted from my Ashtanga practice and vegan eating. This retreat brought me back to my Ashtanga yoga practice and gave me more vegan outlets to help me continue on that path. But more than that, it brought me inner peace and helped me reconnect spiritually.
Every morning I awoke early to walk Swami’s beach alone and meditate -I found it very healing. Just breathing in the air there is magical -it smells amazing.
Kathleen is a wonderful host with tons of yummy vegan recipes and cooking tips. Even my thirteen-year-old son is enjoying the recipes! This retreat was exactly what I needed. I came home feeling calm, centered, inspired and best of all- happy.”
-Jen Yeager Kansas City, KS
Thank you for saving animals with your food choices!
Taking time to cook for yourself is a wonderful act of self-care and saves money. I know it takes energy and planning, but you are worth it!
Cooking on the weekends and freezing soups and casserole dishes makes it easier to bring your lunch to work or when you get home after a busy day. Packing your own food helps you stay on your vegan path as well.
When I met my husband, Wade, at a yoga conference, he had packed his own lunch which I thought was cute. Now we do it all the time and feel like little kids with our tupperware.
I have experimented through the years with several mac n cheese recipes and have found this one from the Engine 2 Diet to be EASY and delicious! It also doesn’t use vegan cheeses, which are processed and are high in fat and oil, so it’s healthier too.
Yoga’s Path to Weight loss available on amazon: Click here
“This is a beautiful life-affirming reminder that it all begins and ends with love- self, the Divine and to all the creatures on the planet! You feel her love and passion for yoga throughout the pages and it motivated me to get on the mat and let go of the struggle. Also practical tips to a smooth transition to a plant-based diet, for the betterment of all.“- Frangelica Fellini Amazon review
This fantastic Kale & Quinoa Salad with Dates, Almonds & Citrus Dressing is a wonderful combination of raw and cooked food from www.thekitchn.com: click here for recipe
Kale-super food packed with Vitamins A, K, C, protein and iron.
Quinoa- 1 cup has 8 grams of protein, fiber and magnesium
Dates-high in potassium and Vit K
Almonds-great source for protein, fiber and potassium
I had the pleasure of meeting Raw Food Expert Mimi Kirk this weekend. She’s 77 and was voted PETA’s sexiest vegetarian!She’s an amazing activist for health, animals and the environment. We both have articles in this month’s issue of Vegan Lifestyle Magazine out of Australia. I love this magazine filled with recipes, fashion and social issues. Available: iTunes: click here or Google Play; click here.
New York Times Article about new plant-based lobby group, lead by Elizabeth Kucinich. Her husband, former Ohio Congressman, Dennis Kucinich is the reason I went vegan in 2002. He was having health problems and reversed them after going vegan. I sat in the audience soaking up every word he said like a sponge. click here for article
FREE CONSULTATION: If you’re interested in adopting a plant-based diet and need help with meal planning or anything else, contact me for a free consultation: kathleen@kathleenkastner.com
Are you in need of a sunny get away filled with self-care?
Swami’s Beach, Encinitas, CA
I’m excited to announce my Healthy Lifestyle VIP RETREAT!
I love sharing the beauty and spirituality of Encinitas, CA with you. I’ve designed a special retreat filled with private yoga, meditation and vegan cooking classes designed specially for YOU.
You will begin each day with a meditation and yoga class at my home. I will give you personalized instruction so you feel confident in establishing a daily practice.
Throughout the day we will meet up to make three delicious vegan meals, plus one dessert. I will also take you shopping and teach you how to stock your cupboards and refrigerator when you go home, so you can maintain a whole foods plant-based diet with ease.
The remainder of the day you are free to walk the beach, go to Yogananda’s temple, gardens, spiritual bookstore or Lemongrass Aveda Spa to pamper yourself with a massage or facial:Spa web site
Watch my video to experience where your retreat will take place:
Your retreat can be customized for 2-4 days and includes:
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching! How do you feel about it?
Whether you’re single or in a relationship know how much you are loved and appreciated by me, God, your friends, family and community.
Your presence on the planet at this particular point in time is intentional. You have a purpose to fulfill, something you can do that no one else can do in your own special way. Let your light shine and keep sharing your gifts with the world. We need you!
Treat yourself to some healthy chocolate this weekend:
This recipe is vegan and oil free. It uses unsweetened apple sauce instead of oil, so it cuts back on fat and calories.
It also uses Ener G egg replacer, which can be found in the Asian food section of the health food store. It is made from potato starch and tapioca flour. It’s a great for baking and won’t increase your cholesterol. A plant-based diet has ZERO cholesterol!
Dr Neal Barnard founder of the Physician’s Committee for Responsible medicine says there’s 215 mg of cholesterol in one egg. To lower cholesterol consider omitting eggs and other animal products out of your diet.
You can find non-dairy chocolate chips at Costco (Kirkland Brand) or the health food store.
I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free All Purpose Baking Flour and topped them with powdered sugar. The recipe calls for regular flour.
Keep giving yourself the gift of self-love and be your own Valentine today and every day!
I love sharing plant-based recipes to help support you in sustaining a healthy lifestyle, while enjoying delicious food.
This Raise the Roof Sweet Potato Lasagna from The Engine 2 Diet, by Rip Esselstyn is one of my favorites! It is packed with nutrition and flavor for the whole family. It’s full of vibrant colors from sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, tofu and topped with blended cashews instead of parmesan cheese.
It makes A LOT OF food!
One 9 x 13 pan and a 8 x 8 pan, so you can freeze the leftovers.
“If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we would all be vegetarian.” -Paul McCartney
I loved and cherished animals as a young child, even though I was raised in a meat eating family in the middle of Kansas, which is known as a “beef state.” I remember getting violently ill after eating a bite of roast when I was 6 years old, which lead me to stop eating beef and pork forever. Unfortunately, I continued to eat chicken until my 20′s.
However, my 22- year old cat, Samantha, helped me see the light. She was dying from kidney failure and I made the choice to end her suffering, by having my vet put her out of her toxic misery. As I held her precious body in my arms, I watched as the vet pricked her frail frame with the needle and in an instant I felt her soul release. In that defining moment, I felt in my heart the deepest connection to all animal souls and that I had no right to be eating any of them. I made the conscious decision to stop eating all forms of meat, including fish.
In 2002, I shifted from being vegetarian to vegan and my body began to heal itself of acne, allergies and asthma. Why my doctors never asked me about my diet, is beyond me? Instead they gave me lots of prescriptions for these conditions, when all I really needed to do was change my diet! Once I learned about the cruelty of the dairy, veal and egg industry, I was done eating animal products for life.
I am a vegan first and foremost for the animals, for their protection and safety, to help them live their lives free of pain and suffering. I do not feel God put them on the planet to live a life of confinement, fear and being slaughtered, so that people can get their “protein” fix for the day. There are numerous forms of plant based proteins, including green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, tofu and even brown rice. Plus the human body doesn’t need as much protein as the media would like to convince us. Excess animal protein in your diet can contribute to cancer, kidney stones, gall stones, high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, constipation and obesity.
Going vegan is great for your health, the animals and the environment. If going 100% vegan sounds too over whelming, begin by having one or two vegan meals a day and start retraining your taste buds, to the joys of a plant based diet. In time, you will begin to crave foods with more prana/ life force, instead of meat which is devoid of prana. Adding daily yoga and meditation into your life will also help shift your consciousness to be more compassionate to all beings.
Fill up on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, peas, lentils and beans. Www.ohsheglows.com is my favorite vegan blog and cookbook. It is full of delicious recipes that will leave you feeling satisfied and happy, no deprivation.
A vegan diet is simple and satisfying and no was has to be harmed for food. Watch the movies “Forks Over Knives,” “Earthlings” and “Cowspiracy” to learn more about the benefits of going vegan for your health, animal compassion and environmental sustainability.
I lead 21-Day Vegan Cleanses to help you jump-start your vegan diet:click here
The next time you sit down for a meal, pause and ask your soul, not your mind, what it would like to eat and really listen to the answers.
What is more important, to satisfy your appetite or to save a life?
Namaste’ – the divine in me, honors the divine within you and in all beings.
