Is there any type of life-form more “grounded” than a root veggie? Both this salad recipe and simple meditation ritual from Cassandra Bodzak, author of the cookbook and lifestyle guide, Eat With Intention, are geared toward helping us feel more grounded on all levels, and play an essential part in this deprivation-free one-day detox. Discover why we’re obsessing…
When we are ungrounded, it feels like chaos: All the thoughts in our heads are swirling, we don’t feel solid or at peace and we don’t make the best decisions because we’re not thinking clearly. By connecting back to nature and eating more root vegetables and warm foods, we bring ourselves back to a steady, more powerful place. Roasting vegetables — especially root vegetables — gives them a grounding energy, which has an incredible power to connect us back to the Earth’s core. This salad is a great balance of both: It not only quenches the desire for the greens of a salad, but it also includes hearty roasted veggies, such as Brussels sprouts, carrots and potatoes, along with lots of great spices to bring you back down into your root chakra.
Grounding Salad
Yields 2 servings
Ingredients:
5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 baby potatoes, sliced (I prefer colored ones but any kind will do)
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
2 tsp garlic powder, divided
2 tsp onion powder, divided
½ cup quartered Brussels sprouts
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
¼ cup sliced carrot
2 tsp slivered almonds
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 cup chopped kale
1 cup spring mix salad
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets with 2 tablespoons olive oil and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the potatoes, oregano, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon each of the salt, garlic powder and onion powder and mix until thoroughly coated. Transfer the potatoes to one of the prepared baking sheets and roast for 10 minutes, or until the edges turn crisp and golden brown.
Meanwhile, combine the Brussels sprouts and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small bowl and toss with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Arrange them on the other prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the edges turn crisp and golden brown.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the sliced carrots, almonds, turmeric, curry powder and ground coriander. Reduce heat and lightly sauté for several minutes, until the shallots and garlic are browned.
Divide the kale and spring mix between 2 individual serving bowls. Add the roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts, and then finish with the carrot mixture.
Down to Earth Meditation
Ideally, you would do this meditation on a nice patch of grass or perhaps sitting on the beach; however, you can still connect yourself to the center of the Earth in just a few minutes right in the comfort of your home.
Find a comfortable place to sit in easy pose, close your eyes and start focusing on your breath — in through your nose and out your mouth. Bring your attention to where you are sitting on the floor and imagine a thick rope extending out of your being, all the way down and around the core of the earth, anchoring you to it. Feel that rope crystallize and strengthen, all the way from the base of your spine into the earth’s core. Take a moment to really embrace this connected, anchored and supported feeling, knowing that you are being held so powerfully by this planet, and then carry that with you throughout your day.
Sit anywhere from 3 to 20 minutes. When you are ready to release and end the meditation, gently move your fingers and toes, rub your palms together and place them over your eye sockets as you slowly open your eyes and expose them to the light.
