The Shakti School

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Fall

Butternut Squash and Roasted Apple Soup

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This has to be one of my all time favorite soups to make around the fall/winter season. It’s an absolutely perfect combination of flavors: savory, sweet, and a tiny bit of spice. And it’s creamy texture makes me feel like I'm being draped in a warm cozy blanket! If this sounds like too much for a soup to live up to, believe me, it’s not. You must try it!

In Ayurveda, we love talking about food flavor combinations. As many of you reading this may know already, Fall and Winter (in the Northern Hemisphere) tend to have a more drying and cooling effect on the body. This can often affect our sleeping patterns, the quality of our skin, and possibly throw our digestion off. This soup will help to target all of your autumnal needs. With the sweetness of the butternut and apple and the spiciness of the ginger and cayenne, you will feel warm and nourished in no time.

Ingredients: 

  • 1 large butternut squash
  • 1 medium sized carrot
  • 1 medium sized turnip
  • 2-4 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 apples (local if possible)
  • 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic cloves (whole)
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 4 cups vegetable stock or bone broth
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Directions:

Start by cutting your butternut squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chop the apples, carrot, turnip and the onion (no need to cut them too small) and add them to the baking sheet. Cover everything generously with the spices (except the fresh ginger and rosemary) and the whole garlic cloves.

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 420 degrees.

Add all the ingredients and the ginger to a food processor and blend on high until smooth.

For Serving:

Heat a small amount of ghee in a pan with pumpkin seeds, a dash of cinnamon, and rosemary until lightly toasted. Top with your soup and serve with crusty sourdough bread! 🧡🥖

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Curried Quinoa and Chickpeas

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What I love about this meal is that it is not only easy, but it is also so satisfying and nourishing. I usually make it in the morning while I am making breakfast in order for it to be perfectly cooked by lunchtime. It saves really well too.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp fennel
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/2 tsp salt & pepper
  • 1-2 tbsp ghee
  • 1 cup chickpeas (either canned or prepared ahead of time, *see note below)
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 1-2 medium sized carrots (chopped)
  • 3/4 cups broccoli florets

*Note on chickpeas: it's best not to get in the habit of using canned legumes, however there are certain brands that carefully soak and prepare their products and I prefer to seek those out. I love Westbrae Organic Garbanzo Beans

Directions:

Get ready for the easiest meal ever. First, rinse your quinoa with water by using a fine mesh strainer.

In any type of rice cooker (see note below if you do not own a rice cooker), add the quinoa and all of the remaining ingredients. Refer to the cooking instructions on whatever brand of quinoa you have chosen for the appropriate liquid amount. For the liquid, I like to use either spring water or vegetable/bone broth. Let cook on the rice setting until it's finished.

So easy, right?

For Preparing:

My favorite way to eat this dish is by topping it with avocado, fresh herbs, juice of a lemon, and a spoonful of tahini. 

*If you do not own a rice cooker, don't worry, this dish is just as easy done in a cooking pot with a lid. Follow the same instructions, except add all ingredients to a pot. Cover with your liquid and bring to a boil. Once it's boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover with the lid, and allow to cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for an additional 5 minutes.

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Chocolate Truffles

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cup peanut or almond butter
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream (cream only) 
  • 1 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp ashwagandha (optional)

Directions:

In a saute pan, melt the ghee, coconut cream, and nut butter over low heat. Pour into a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Transfer to the refrigerator and let cool for about an hour. After the chocolate has cooled, roll into balls and place on a plate with parchment paper. You can get creative here: roll the balls into coconut flakes, rose powder, or whatever you feel called to! 🍫

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Vanilla Coconut Sweet Potato Crumble

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As we move into the season of celebrations, we are excited to share this delicious, grounding, and sugar-free Vanilla, Coconut, Sweet Potato Crumble Recipe with you!

In Ayurveda, sweet potatoes are seen as a nourishing, sattvic food—one that promotes peace, balance, and clarity. They help to pacify vata and pitta doshas, making this dish ideal for the cooler months when we crave warmth and comfort.

This crumble combines the richness of sweet potatoes, creamy coconut, and ghee (or coconut oil), supporting your body’s digestion and immunity while indulging your senses. Topped with pecans and coconut flakes, it's a decadent, yet wholesome option that aligns perfectly with Ayurvedic principles—balancing sweetness with grounding fats and spices like cinnamon and cardamom to boost digestion without overloading on sugar.

Vanilla Coconut Sweet Potato Crumble

Ingredients for the Sweet Potato Filling:

  • 3-4 medium-sized sweet potatoes, chopped (you can peel them if you’d like, but I prefer to keep the skin on for the extra fiber!)
  • ⅓ cup full fat coconut milk
  • 3 Tbsp ghee or coconut oil
  • 2 Tbsp coconut butter
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean

Ingredients for the Pecan Topping:

  • 2 cups pecans, chopped (or kept whole for extra decadence)
  • ½-¾ Cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 2 Tbsp ghee or coconut oil
  • 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp cardamom
  • pinch salt

Directions:

For the sweet potato:

  • Place sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Allow them to boil until they are completely soft (about 15 minutes). Drain and transfer to a food processor. (You can also mash/mix by hand if you do not have a food processor). Add the remaining ingredients (for the mash) to the food processor and blend until it’s smooth or has reached your desired consistency.
  • Pour mash into an 8×8 baking dish. Use a spoon to smooth out the surface.

For the topping:

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In the meantime, in a medium-sized bowl, combine all of the topping ingredients. Mix well and spread over the sweet potato mash.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
  • Remove foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on the pecans. If they begin to brown, cover again with the foil.

I hope this recipe nourishes both your body and soul this upcoming holiday season! 🧡

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Ep. 188 Your Fall Ayurvedic Kitchari Cleanse Guide

This is a picture of Katie Silcox. The text reads, "Spirit Sessions: Find your true spiritual home with Katie Silcox."

As the seasons change so do our body and spirit! According to Ayurvedic tradition, fall is a sacred time of year when we can experience deep clarity and insight into our life purpose. Through a traditional, seasonal kitchari cleanse we can align with the lightness, mobility and clarity of the fall season in order to become wiser, improve digestion and boost our immunity as we ready for winter.

Tune in to this episode to learn why we cleanse, then join Katie LIVE for our FREE Online Fall Ayurvedic Cleanse Webinar on Thursday, September 26th at 11 am Eastern Time US. You’ll learn how to do a kitchari cleanse and take home a beautiful PDF guide that includes all the recipes and information you need to complete your own Ayurvedic kitchari cleanse. We hope to see you there!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

~ Why fall is considered a “sacred window” in Ayurveda

~ The spiritual gifts of fall

~ How is the Ayurvedic approach to cleansing different?

~ The intention behind an Ayurvedic cleanse

~ What’s so special about kitchari?

~ What happens in your body when on a kitchari cleanse

Other links mentioned in this episode:

~ Learn more about our year-long Ayurveda School here!

~ Sign up for our free mini-course about Women’s Wisdom and Ayurveda!

~ Follow us on Instagram and Facebook

~ Katie’s latest book, Glow-Worthy is available now!

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Learn more:

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Happy cleansing!

From my heart to your screen,

Katie

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Carrot & Winter Squash Chutney Recipe

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Ingredients: 

  • 1 small delicata squash or any other winter squash (acorn or butternut would work well), seeds removed and chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1/2 cup roasted and unsalted almonds
  • 1 small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
  • 1/4 teaspoon ajwain
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon mustard seed
  • Water
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large pan, add the cumin seeds and roast them for a minute or until they become fragrant. Remove and set aside.
  2. In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon of ghee over medium heat and add chopped squash and carrots. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and cook 25 minutes, or until softened all the way through. Stir occasionally and add water as needed to keep from sticking to the pan.
  3. In a food processor, combine the roasted almonds, ginger, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of water. Blend until you have a coarse paste.
  4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil or ghee, ¼ cup of water and all the spices (asafoetida, black pepper, ajwain, coriander, fennel, mustard seed and turmeric) to the mixture. Once the carrots and squash are softened, remove from the pan and add to the food processor.
  5. Blend again until everything is well combined. You can adjust the consistency by adding a little water as needed.
  6. Taste the chutney and adjust the salt and seasonings according to your preference. Keep in mind that Ayurveda recommends reducing salt for Vata balancing, so be moderate.
  7. Heat a small amount of ghee in a small pan. Add the roasted cumin seeds to the ghee and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Pour this over the chutney and mix well.
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Pumpkin Blow-Ya’ Mind Smoothie (it’s hot!)

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I love a hot fall smoothie. It has both deeply nourishing elements, and some reducing spices to counteract the heaviness. 

This is my go-to. So easy. So good for the time of the season!

Ingredients:

- 1 cup canned organic pumpkin puree

- 1 cup almond milk (or any milk of your choice)

- 2-3 fresh organic figs, chopped (dried if you can’t find fresh)

- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (adjust to taste)

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

- A pinch of Himalayan rock salt

- Whipped coconut cream (optional, for garnish)

- Chopped dried figs and a sprinkle of pecans and cinnamon (for garnish)

 

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Figs: If using dried, start by chopping the dried figs into small pieces. You can use kitchen scissors or a sharp knife.
  2. Heat the Almond Milk: Pour the almond milk into a saucepan and heat it over low-medium heat. Heat until almost boiling.
  3. Blend the Ingredients: In a blender, combine the canned pumpkin puree, hot almond milk, figs, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves, and a pinch of salt.
  4. Blend Until Smooth: Blend the mixture until everything is well combined and the smoothie is creamy. Be careful, its hot! I place a towel over the lid for extra safety. 
  5. Serve: Pour the hot pumpkin smoothie into mugs or cups. If desired, top each serving with a dollop of whipped coconut cream, chopped figs, and a sprinkle of cinnamon for added flavor and presentation.
  6. Enjoy: Serve your hot pumpkin smoothie immediately while it's still warm and enjoy the cozy fall flavors!

Feel free to adjust the sweetness by adding more or less maple syrup according to your taste preferences. This hot pumpkin smoothie with fall spices and figs is perfect for warming up on a crisp autumn day or as a comforting treat by the fireplace.

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