The Minimalist Yogi

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” John Steinbeck With winter just around the corner it is time for butternut squash, any soup is perfect for the winter season especially on a cold or snowy day. While winter hasn’t arrived here yet I can’t help but feel the need to make squash soup. So here is my favorite roasted butternut squash soup. I know how challenging it can be sometimes to cut raw squash so here is a link on how-to Peel and Cut a Butternut Squash Ingredients   2 tablespoon of olive oil 1 large butternut squash (about 3 1/2 lbs) 1 red onion, diced ¼ tsp. ground turmeric ¼ Curry powder 1 ¼ Grounded cumin 4-5 cups low sodium vegetable broth, or water Salt and pepper, to taste Serving options:  A drizzle of olive oil  Roasted squash seeds, or pepitas seeds  Direction : Preheat oven to 375°F. and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut the squash in half a...

There is something about reading a GOOD book and having to think and analyze certain points or even a simple quote in the book. I am currently on my way to finishing John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, and this morning I was once again awed by the beauty of his writing. The First book I read of Steinbeck was Of Mice and Men, while it was five or six years ago I can still remember certain quotes in the book and still find myself awed at his writing. While I was writing this morning I was embraced by this beautiful quote which I think a lot of us forget sometimes, the fact that we always have a choice; the notion of free choice over evil, a symbolic of optimism that is central to the human condition that we overlook by rendering ourselves as being powerless or lacking a choice. “But the Hebrew word, the word timshel ‘thou mayest – that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open …….I have no bent tow...

  What are the fundamental or essential things in your life that reminds you of home? For many travelers or nomads the essential of their live are comfort home food.   The further they travel the more these comfort food absences become apparent. While I am not much of traveler or consider myself a nomad among the many essential in my life or comfort food that remains me of where I was born and raised for the early years of my childhood is lentil. Strange as it maybe, these essential food or comfort food have stories and deeper meaning; they are a part of who we are. Lentil brings me back to third grade in North Sudan; my holder cousin who is a year older than me waiting in line during lunchtime for both of us. While in class I can smell the lentil soup, its always-green lentil. Now, every time I have lentil or cook lentil it brings me back to that early childhood of being 8 years old, in all catholic middle school with my dark blue and white uniform; with my cousin alwa...