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BITCHWORTHY: IN THE VITAMIX, “PULSE” ABOUT ½ CUP (118 ML) OF CORN OR STEAMED CAULIFLOWER TO ADD BODY TO THE SOUP. ONCE THE SOUP IS PIPING HOT, ADD YOUR CORN OR ANY STEAMED VEGGIES.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

This is the perfect fall soup. It reminds me of multicolored leaves, a slight chill forming in the air, and adorable trick-or-treaters. High in vitamin C, pumpkin is also a great immune system builder for flu season.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

3 tablespoons Earth Balance

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and

roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 cups (500 g) pumpkin purée (not pie filling)

1 tablespoon curry powder

¼ cup (50 g) evaporated cane sugar

1 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3 cups (720 ml) vegetable stock

½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine

1 ½ cups (360 ml) almond milk

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped toasted pumpkin seeds

In a large pot, add the Earth Balance and melt over medium heat. Add the apples and onion. Cook until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add the pumpkin purée, curry, and both sugars, and cook 2 minutes. Add the stock and wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and cook about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer half of the soup to a food processor or blender. Let it sit 10 minutes to cool. Keep the remaining soup in the pot and set aside to cool. Purée the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Transfer the remaining soup to the blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Return all the soup to the pan and cook gently over medium-low heat until heated through. Pour in the milk and stir until hot. Add the salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with the pumpkin seeds.

Srv: 358 g | Cal: 190 | Fat: 7 g | Sat Fat: 2.5 g | Col: 0 mg | Carb: 28 g | Fib: 4 g | Pro: 2 g

Practice Good Kitchen Etiquette: Feng Shui

Just like food gives you energy, feng shui is the idea that a given space gives a room its energy. The coolest part is that you are in control of this positive balance of ch’i, aka energy, to ensure nature can follow a proper ebb and flow. In feng shui terms, the kitchen is thought to be the most important area of your home. It is the part that nourishes and sustains life, and is a symbol of prosperity. The more you cook, the more opportunities you will have for wealth, good health, and romance.

While it may be new to us, feng shui is by no means a new design fad. It is an ancient system developed more than three thousand years ago by the Chinese. If you haven’t noticed, the Chinese know what’s up. They built the Great Wall, for heaven’s sake.101

Feng Shui: The Color Diet

• White/Light Green/Orange/Yellow: These colors speed up metabolism and promote good digestion.104

• Red: A passionate color, red stimulates appetite.

• Blue: Blue helps keep your weight in check, helping to suppress your appetite. Use blue sparingly as a tablecloth, placemat or cloth napkins.105

KEEP YOUR KITCHEN CLUTTER-FREE

K.I.S.S. Keep it simple, stupid. Manage one junk drawer, keep it organized, and make sure it opens and closes easily. Too many gadgets or appliances manifests as excess weight. Ask yourself if you really need three types of blenders. Your home is not a Jamba Juice.

DON’T PLACE THE STOVE UNDER A WINDOW

A stove under a window allows the ch’i to escape and fly out the window, dragging with it your family’s wealth and happiness. Wow. That’s harsh. If you can’t move the stove, just create a reflection around the window. A wind chime will work, too.

Disaster averted.

DON’T POSITION STOVES AGAINST A WALL OR IN THE CORNER

Your stove should not be jammed up against the wall, nor should it be stuck in a corner. This restricts the free flow of positive ch’i. The cook should have full view of the doorway, and anyone entering the room to avoid surprise. If you face this problem, hang a mirror over the stove to get rid of blind spots.102