Reasons to Love Autumn: a homemade curry is an excellent start...

I'll admit it, I am a love-all-the-seasons-kind-of-a-girl.

I love it all. The changes in weather, the freedom and endless heat of the summer days, the cosiness of the darker evenings, the silence and hopeful seed packets of early January.

To me, it's all exciting and full of possibilities, but Autumn will always have a special place in my heart. I became a mum in Autumn, and I remember clearly the warm, sunny few weeks we had before she arrived. Late pregnancy gave me time to notice how beautiful the light is at that time of year. And I've made sure I notice it ever since.

September always gives me a fresh-start-feeling, and my inbox tells me that lots of us feel this way, with a list of people looking for yoga & nutrition classes to boost them up before it gets really wintry and the colds start flying about.

Red & Green Lentil Curry with butternut squash, sweet potato, ginger, garlic, turmeric, coriander and cumin

And with the chilly mornings and darker evenings, it's warm, nourishing food time again here in my kitchen The magical giant pan is out, and has already been filled with tasty soups, curries and stews in anticipation of the colder and busier weeks when cooking has to take a back seat (all hail my freezer full of batch cooked food)

My latest "curry" has all the colours of Autumn, and all the protein, fibre, taste and cosiness that we need at this time of year. It's packed full of nutrients and flavour, and it's so unbelievably filling and satisfying - probably due to the high protein and fibre content. It's hard not to feel really happy in your belly after a bowl of this.

I deliberately left onions out of this recipe, firstly because I was cooking for someone who couldn't easily tolerate them, and secondly because it's a bit kinder to everyone's digestion in this season (it's vata season and ayurveda calls for easy to digest foods at this time of year to support our wellbeing).

NB If you find you experience bloating, indigestion, fatigue and excess wind or constipation on a regular basis, observing what you're eating and drinking when this happens can be a really good idea to help you feel more comfortable and balanced in your digestion, and therefore in your overall wellbeing. In my experience of working with people to improve their diet & lifestyle choices, and as a result an improved gut health, these ingredients often become much more easy to tolerate over time. Of course if you are worried about any persistent symptoms,. always seek the appropriate medical advice.

RECIPE: Red & Green Lentil Curry with butternut squash, sweet potato, ginger, garlic, turmeric, coriander and cumin - makes 6 decent portions

So far I've eaten this with roasted baby potatoes, tomato and red onion salad, smothered in a coconut, coriander and lime dressing. It also goes great with rice and I'm planning on making some flatbreads to go with it pretty soon (my daughter is coeliac, so the gluten free versions of these may take a little longer to perfect). It's also a brilliant bowl of soup if you're short on time or it's late and you just need something light and filling.

INGREDIENTS:

Root Ginger Grate in as much as you like - I use at least 2 thumb size pieces for this because I love ginger! (soothes the digestion, anti-inflammatory properties)

Garlic Cloves, at least 3 cloves for this amount, peeled and chopped finely (boosts immunity, anti viral)

2 x Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed (good for eye health, immunity, support heart health, steady source of energy)

1 x Large Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed (supports immunity, eye, skin and heart health, high in fibre)

1 x Cup Dried Red Lentils, washed and drained (prebiotics - i.e. feeds beneficial gut bacteria, high in fibre and healthy plant based protein)

1 x 400g Cooked, Green Lentils, (helps lower cholestorol, high in fibre, prebiotics, folate, magnesium)

1 x tbsp Ground Turmeric, (helps to manage inflammation, rich in antioxidants, supports heart health, joint health, supports digestive health)

1 x tbsp Ground Cumin (supports digestion, rich in antioxidants, improves blood sugar control, anti-inflammatory, heart health benefits)

1 x tbsp Ground Coriander, (supports digestion, rich in antioxidants, improves blood sugar control, anti-inflammatory, bone and nervous system support)

1 x Handful Fresh Herbs Per Person, washed, chopped, sprinkled at the end, (a variation in benefits such as: rich in vitamins & antioxidants, some soothe common digestive and respiratory system aldigestion, soothing for common ailments)

1.5 Vegetable Stock Cubes (I use Kallo organic as they're gluten free and not too salty)

1 x tbsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (a good source of healthy fats)

1 x tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (a good source of healthy fats)

METHOD:

• Bring the red lentils to the boil in a small pan and add 1.5 vegetable stock cubes and stir to dissolve.

• Turn down the heat and simmer

• In the meantime, coat the sweet potatoes and squash in extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and roast until slightly charred around the edges (about 20 mins at 180 in a fan oven, or air fry for about 12 mins the same effect).

• Heat up the coconut oil in a large soup pan and add the garlic, ginger and spices until it all smells amazing.

• Turn the heat right down to avoid burning the spices

• Add the sweet potatoes and butternut squash and stir to coat them in the spice, ginger and garlic mix

• Skim off any foam which may have appeared on the red lentils and once the lentils are tender, add them and the stock into the large pan (they take about 15 mins on a medium heat)

• Add the cooked green lentils (I use tinned lentils in water for ease)

• Taste and add any seasoning you think it might need - salt, pepper, extra spices, chilli flakes, lemon juice.

• Optional:

  • Add finely chopped or chopped tinned tomatoes towards the end to make it a really fresh tasting recipe

  • Add a splash of coconut milk at the end for extra creaminess

  • Add a dollop of natural/greek yoghurt into your bowl as a lovely condiment

  • Sprinkle fresh herbs and/or chilli flakes

  • Cook spinach or any other leafy greens you have into any leftover portions to add more nutrients

My husband (The Hairy One) finds it hilarious how much I love the food I cook and how easy I find it to say how great I think it tastes. I suppose it could be seen as sounding cocky. But mostly I see it as a symptom of my excitement and happiness that I get to cook with all of these amazing ingredients that are so simple, inexpensive and unbelievably nutritious.

The fact that they give me more and more energy every year and I'm now able to come up with more and more recipes, is an added, circumstantial bonus.

If you are feeling like this is overwhelming and too much for you to manage right now, please know that in the depths of #MSfatigue, my cooking looks nothing like this. But when I have time, energy and a kitchen full of ingredients that are calling out for a spicy new recipe, I make enough to fill my freezer for those days when a cup of tea feels like a big task.

Start small and build upon that. And if you're not sure where to start, follow me here or on instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lynnejarrettyogaandnutrition/

Or get in touch for more ideas on how to support your wellbeing.

I'd love to hear from you

Lynne x

I am a yoga teacher, nutrition & wellbeing coach and reiki practitioner, offering classes, one to one wellbeing coaching and group mini retreats in Shoreham By Sea, and via zoom for those who prefer to stay cosy at home, or aren't local to me.

I currently have 2 x spaces for one to one coaching in Shoreham or via zoom. Get in touch directly if you are up for making a real and long lasting difference to your wellbeing

Details of my classes, coaching and retreats are all on my website or you can contact me directly on lynnejarrettyoga@gmail.com