NURTURING THROUGH WINTER INTO SPRING

“The one who would nourish life surely follows the changes of the four seasons.” – Nei Jing

Winter, the season of the Water Element, is an invitation to deeply nourish and restore oneself.

Even though it may feel like Spring already some days, we must still honor the season we are in. This morning there was frost on the grass and I was wondering what would happen to all the flowers just awaiting to spring into color and scent.

Here to remind you to rest and replenish so that when Spring comes around, a season more dominated by Yang, we can emerge again with renewed inner life force and strength.

Black Sesame Yin energy swirls

Yin is one of the Three Treasures recognised by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It describes our life essence, our genetic, ancestral memory, a blueprint of our wholeness. Yinis stored in our kidneys. Building our kidney Yin means that we enhance the seat of our power and wellness. Black sesame seeds tonify Yin and help build blood, which can be useful for those of us who rarely eat or avoid red meat. They are also a rich source of calcium. Ingredients • 1.5 cups black sesame seeds • ½ cup goji berries • 1 small piece of fresh ginger • ½ cup local honey, creamed • 1 tsp+ grated orange peel • 1 tsp ground cardamom • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon • 1 pinch of salt • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 tbsp cacao powder • 1 cup dried rose petals (or 1/3 cup rose petal powder) Optional ingredients • A pinch of Shilajit • 1 tbsp He Shou Wu (Fo-Ti) extract powder For dusting • ½ cup almond flour, matcha, or rose petal powder Directions

1. Toast the black sesame seeds until they become fragrant and begin to pop. Set aside to cool in a bowl.

2. Once cooled, place in a food processor with salt, cardamom powder, dried rose petals or powder, cinnamon, vanilla and cacao. Pulse together into a uniform powder.

3. Add orange zest, goji and ginger. Process everything together until clumps form.

4. Pour honey into the food processor with the blended sesame seed paste. If your food processor is not powerful enough, mix by hand.

5. Process until the mixture forms one solid mass, as if you were making dough.

6. Taste and add more spices as needed.

7. Form the dough into 3/4" balls.

8. Roll the balls in almond flour, rose powder or matcha.

9. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.

10. Store in a covered container. Will keep for a couple weeks, if they last!