Beyond Chocolate and Hot-Stone Massages: A Guide to Self-Care
The time for being a workaholic, pulling all-nighters, or starving on a highly restrictive diet to earn bragging rights is over. Self-care may be a meme of the moment (there are currently over twelve million #selfcare posts on Instagram), but taking care of ourselves is not a trend. It’s an act of social responsibility. The goal is to build a life that we don’t feel the need to escape from and to live in a way that supports the strongest, most aware version of ourselves. Only then can we connect with others to collectively change the systems that hold us all back.
An effective program of self-care begins with the basics:
- Eat nutrient-dense, energizing food.
- Exercise regularly.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Don’t cheat on sleep.
Once you’ve established a foundation for self-care, you can build on the tools you need to manage stress, connect with yourself, and form stronger relationships with your community.
Manage Stress
- Know your limits and set boundaries so you never feel overwhelmed.
- Be choosy about who and what you give your time and attention to. Remove any no-value-added agents from your life.
- Find what calms you.
- Adopt some stress coping strategies.
Connect
- Sorry, but adulting means that you can’t spend every moment of the day doing only what you want. Sometimes self-care requires putting others first.
- Identify the things that bring you joy and make time for them.
- Surround yourself with the kind of people you wish to be.
- Recognize the power of community.
Self-Care Strategies
There are days when our grasp on self-care gets a little slippery, and when, despite it all, we lose sight of ourselves and get lost in the fray. That’s when having a few tricks to draw on can bring you back to yourself again.
- Change your view. That’s meant literally. Take a break, even if it’s just a few minutes to walk outside. Look around, take a deep breath, and then get back to work.
- Say thanks. Remember the things and the people you’re grateful for and let them know. Gratitude goes a long way toward making you feel grounded.
- Accept how you feel. It doesn’t matter how uncomfortable those feelings may be. Remember that feelings change.
- Help someone. Open a door for a stranger, give up your place in line to someone in a hurry, run an errand for a neighbor.
- Treat yourself. When all else fails, go ahead and enjoy some chocolate and a hot-stone massage.
Artwork by ekströmdesign
Chocolate Buckwheat Brownies Recipe
We like to think of these not-too-sweet treats as grown-up brownies (not that you’ll ever find us hating on the kid kind). Virtually flourless, these are bound with just a tablespoon of gluten-free buckwheat flour, which gives them a moist and delicate, yet fudge-like texture. Neither grain nor grass, buckwheat is a pseudocereal with a robust, slightly nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with chocolate. It also happens to have more protein, fiber, and B vitamins than oats or whole wheat flour, and it’s a good source of potassium. You have our permission to call these healthy.
Chocolate Buckwheat Brownies
Shopping List
2¾ ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 72% cacao solids)
7 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
½ cup coconut sugar, preferably organic
Kosher salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon buckwheat flour
Salted roasted peanuts, for garnish
Shaved toasted coconut, for garnish
Powdered sugar, optional, for garnish
Tools
Whisk, medium heatproof bowl, preferably metal, medium sauce pot, muffin tin (or 2 ramekins or one 4-by-4-inch baking dish), sheet pan, optional
1 Prep the ingredients; make the brownie batter
Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Lightly grease 4 wells of a muffin tin (or 4 ramekins or one 4-by-4-inch baking dish)
- Coarsely chop the chocolate.
- Cut the butter into ½-inch pieces.
Fill a medium sauce pot one-third full with water and bring to a simmer.
In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Set the bowl over the simmering water and heat, without stirring, until the chocolate and butter are melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Carefully remove the bowl from the heat and let cool slightly.
Add the sugar and a pinch of salt to the chocolate mixture and whisk until well combined. Working with 1 at a time, add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the buckwheat flour.
2 Bake the brownies
Pour the brownie batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling the wells about three-quarters full. Set on a sheet pan, if desired, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
While the brownies bake, prepare the peanuts.
3 Prep the peanuts
- Using the bottom of a bowl or cup, lightly crush the peanuts.
4 Serve
Transfer the brownies to individual plates. Sprinkle with the peanuts, shaved coconut, and the powdered sugar, if using, and serve.
Chef’s Tip: The recipe makes four brownies, two for your Valentine’s Day dinner, and two to take to lunch the next day, but the recipe can easily be doubled. For the most tender results, be sure both the butter and eggs are at room temperature before you begin.
Nutrition per serving: Calories: 400, Protein: 6g (12% DV), Fiber: 3g (12% DV), Total Fat: 32g (49% DV), Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 19g (95% DV), Cholesterol: 130mg (43% DV), Sodium: 45mg (2% DV), Carbohydrates: 28g (9% DV), Total Sugars: 22g, Added Sugars (Coconut Sugar): 16g (32% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat.
Bonus recipe—ingredients not included in box.
Our Premium Proteins Turn Casual Tuesday Supper into a Black-Tie-Worthy Dinner
Maybe you’ve got a special occasion coming up, or you’re doubling up on a recipe for a dinner party. Even if it’s just a regular old Tuesday night that you want to make a bit more luxe, our new premium protein options give you the opportunity to make your Sun Basket meals a little more exciting.
Just head to your menu page and look for the blue text under select recipes to choose your protein option.
Here’s what to look for:
Steak
Sun Basket’s beef is always antibiotic- and hormone-free. Our Top Sirloin has just the right amount of marbling to deliver great flavor. If you want to make it a really special night, our organic, 100% grass-fed Filet Mignon is lean yet rich, or try our organic, grass-fed New York Strip Steak, a hearty cut for two.
Seafood
Sun Basket only sources seafood recommended by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch®. Our Gulf Shrimp are harvested from shallow American waters free from harsh chemicals, or try our Jumbo Shrimp and Wild Scallops, both quick-cooking with a sweet flavor.
Also, on select recipes that use our flavorful Alaskan Salmon, Sole, or Cod Fillets you can swap in delicate, flaky Alaskan Halibut Fillets.
Pork and Chicken
Sun Basket pork and chicken are always antibiotic- and, as required by federal regulation, hormone-free. For select recipes, you can choose organic Pork Chops, and Chicken Breasts and Thighs. Our organic chicken comes from Shenandoah Valley Organic in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Garlic’s Dark Side
Sticky like tar with a molasses-like sweetness and a gentle funk, black garlic bears only passing resemblance to white garlic, despite the fact that it’s the same plant. Black garlic is simply white garlic that’s been cured for several weeks in moist, gentle heat. The process breaks down the enzymes that give raw garlic its sting, turning the cloves the color of wet asphalt along the way.
In the Sun Basket test kitchen, our chefs nerd-out on black garlic, adding it to mayonnaise to serve with our Pork Katsu, toasting it in oil to balance the bright green flavors in our Emerald Cod Chowder with Wilted Greens, and boosting the umami in our Kale-Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage Soup.
Our dietitians like it, too, as black garlic has double the antioxidants of regular garlic, and is a good source of magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.
Guide to the Vegan Pantry
The Sun Basket test kitchen works hard to make sure all of our vegan meals are big in flavor and provide all the nutrients needed to stay healthy. While there are many benefits to a plant-based diet, it’s important for vegans to find sources of protein, fat, and iron—three nutrients that can be difficult to get enough of if you don’t eat animal products. We’ve taken on the challenge of working with a new range of ingredients and even coming up with some exciting vegan sauces and seasonings of our own.
Here’s a look inside Sun Basket’s vegan larder:
Fats
One of the big upsides of a plant-based diet is that it’s naturally low in saturated fats. But fat is an important part of a healthy diet, and it goes a long way in making other ingredients taste their best. Everyone, whether vegan or not, should include plenty of good-for-you fats in their meals.
Avocados—A delicious way to load up on cholesterol-fighting monounsaturated fats, avocado’s buttery texture is a boon to vegan desserts, like our Chocolate Avocado Pudding.
Cashew butter—Cashews are a protein-rich good fat, they deliver creamy richness to many of our vegan recipes. We use cashew butter to make cashew “cream,” a luxe-tasting cheese sauce for our pastas.
Coconut oil —Yes, it’s a source of saturated fat and not without controversy, but most dietitians agree that small amounts of coconut oil—particularly virgin coconut oil, which has not been chemically treated—can be part of a healthy diet.
Olive oil—A good source of monounsaturated fat and antioxidants, olive oil can reduce the risk of heart disease and other chronic health issues.
Nut and plant milk
Dairy is the kryptonite that has felled many a would-be vegan. Happily, there are now plenty of vegan “milks” made from things like almonds, coconuts, cashews, and even oats that offer the richness of dairy without the cow.
Proteins
Unlike traditional meals where animal proteins often stand alone in the center of the plate, a plant-based meal is all about the sum of its parts. While on their own, individual ingredients may be low in protein, a plate filled with vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds often adds up to enough protein for you to thrive. Fortunately, there are lots of plant-based proteins that fit easily into a vegan diet.
Chickpea flour—A great source of protein, iron, and fiber, ground chickpeas make a sweet, creamy flour that we use to replace the eggs in our vegan Spanish tortilla.
Tempeh—It’s not going to win any beauty contests, but this vegan protein made from cooked and slightly fermented soybeans is a good source of calcium, too. Unlike tofu, it has a distinct flavor and firm, dense texture.
Tofu—The best-known vegan protein is made from soy milk. It has a very mild flavor, which makes it incredibly versatile.
Umami
That hard-to-describe fifth taste is found in a lot of foods, like cheese and meat, that are off-limits to vegans. But there are still plenty of vegan ingredients the deliver a umami-rich sense of satisfaction and savoriness to a meal.
Eggplant—Often called out for its meaty texture, eggplant offers more heft than most vegetables. Its subtle flavor makes it a versatile actor that can take on a broad range of flavors.
Miso—This fermented bean paste is a rich source of umami and good-for-your-gut probiotics.
Mushrooms—With their earthy flavor and chewy texture, mushrooms are another vegan ingredient that plays well with others. They are also one of the rare food sources of vitamin D. Porcini powder is our vegan superpower.
Nutritional yeast—This beloved staple of the 1970s hippie kitchen is making a comeback. Its tangy, cheesy flavor makes it a great addition to risottos and pastas. Our test kitchen combines it with almond meal to make our vegan “Parmesan.”
Sun Basket Seasonings and Sauces
Our test kitchen has been on fire developing a new range of vegan seasonings and sauces. Here are just a few.
Vegan “Parmesan”—Don’t skip the cheese. Our blend of almond meal and nutritional yeast is a delicious stand-in for your favorite pasta topping.
Vegan “oyster sauce”—It’s difficult to make authentic-tasting Asian food without the traditional sauces, but our chefs relish the challenge. This shellfish-free “oyster sauce,” made with tamari, coconut aminos, canola oil, fresh ginger, and porcini powder, is one of their triumphs.
Vegan “cheese” sauce—Almond milk, cashew butter, granulated garlic, nutritional yeast, and onion powder make a dairy-free sauce for our spaghetti “alfredo.”
Vegan Sloppy Joe seasoning—Lentils make a credible stand-in for meat when mixed with our blend of tomato paste, vegan Worcestershire sauce, granulated garlic, chili powder, cumin, and coriander.
Tahini goddess dressing—Our dairy-free riff on green goddess gets its creaminess from tahini rather than yogurt.
March Market Watch: Pepper Picking
At Sun Basket, our commitment to seasonal cooking requires us to adapt to the unpredictability of the marketplace. Here, we explore potential pepper substitutions you might find in your box .
From spicy to sweet, fresh to dried, peppers are incredibly versatile. We add them to stir-fries, cabbage slaws, and tacos for crunch and a kick of heat. In Thailand, you’ll break a sweat with the spicy bird’s eye chiles in your curry. In Mexico, poblano, chipotle, jalapeño, and serrano peppers deliver varying levels of heat and smokiness, and in the Catalan region of Spain, smoked pimentón give a sweet, deep flavor to romesco, a favorite Sun Basket sauce.
Peppers need warm soil to sprout, which is why, during the winter months, most commercial ones are grown in temperature-controlled hothouses where soil, light, and moisture are regulated, and the heat-loving seedlings can ignore the cold. Still, finding sources of large quantities of a single variety of organic pepper can be challenging, so we often send different types depending on availability and flavor. You might find a serrano instead of a jalapeño, or a green bell pepper instead of a poblano in your box at this time of year.
Red peppers, in particular, are full of nutrients. Because they’re the ripest of the bunch, having been on the vine the longest, they have more time to bloom and develop a concentrated amount of nutrients. But all varieties of peppers are excellent sources of vitamins A and C, potassium, folic acid, fiber, and antioxidants. Green bell peppers join carrots as another vegetable that strengthens your eyesight—they contain high levels of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, essentials for keeping your peepers in prime condition.
Peppers are also great for fighting a winter cold. Any sort of hot pepper—from cayenne to jalapeños to pepper flakes—can get your blood flowing, which helps flush out toxins. Spicy varieties can break down mucus and reduce congestion, but there’s also evidence that capsicum can help relieve headaches as well as body aches.
Fun Fact: There are literally thousands of varieties of peppers—over 140 in Mexico alone—but only five species have been domesticated and are available in the market.
Illustration by @boccaccinimeadows
Sweet Potato Tartines Recipe
These simple snacks are our ode to the currently trending sweet potato toast. (See #sweetpotatotoast on Instagram). It turns out that toasting sweet potato slices is not as easy as the internet makes it seem, at least not in our toaster. We “toast” ours in a frying pan instead and then transform these humble sweet potato slices into tartines with just about anything you’d put on everyday toast. Try them topped with sliced avocados, hummus, and radishes; cream cheese with a sprinkling of everything-bagel spice; or these favorites from our test kitchen. You can also treat them like crostini and serve them as an elegant, gluten-free addition to a party spread.
Sweet Potato Tartines
Serves 4
Shopping List
1 sweet potato such as garnet
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
Tools
Peeler, optional, large frying pan
1. Make the sweet potato toasts
- Scrub or peel the sweet potato. Trim the ends, then cut the sweet potato lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick planks.
In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil until hot but not smoking. Working in batches if needed, add the sweet potato slices and cook, turning once, until golden brown and just tender, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Serve
Transfer the sweet potato toasts to individual plates. Top as desired (see recipes below) and serve.
Tartine toppings:
Egg & Prosciutto Sweet Potato Tartines
Shopping List
2 pasture-raised organic eggs
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
½ ounce sprouts such as onion, alfalfa, or sunflower
½ teaspoon Aleppo chile flakes, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
Ice
4 Sweet Potato Toasts (see recipe above)
Tools
Small bowl, small sauce pot, large frying pan
1. Cook the eggs
Bring a small sauce pot of water to a boil and fill a small bowl with ice water. Carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water and cook for exactly 5 minutes for soft yolks (for firmer yolks, cook 1 to 4 minutes longer). Transfer the eggs to the ice water to cool.
Carefully peel the eggs, then cut them in half lengthwise; coarsely chop the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
While the water heats and the eggs cook, crisp the prosciutto.
2. Cook the prosciutto
In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm 1 teaspoon oil until hot but not smoking. Add the prosciutto in a single layer and cook, turning once, until lightly browned and beginning to crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the prosciutto to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool slightly. Crumble the prosciutto into small pieces.
Serve
Spread the chopped eggs in an even layer on the sweet potato toasts. Garnish with the prosciutto, sprouts, and as much Aleppo chile as you like and serve.
Nutrition per serving: Calories: 130, Protein: 9g (18% DV), Fiber: 1g (4% DV), Total Fat: 7g (11% DV), Monounsaturated Fat: 2.5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Saturated Fat: 2g (10% DV), Cholesterol: 95mg (32% DV), Sodium: 520mg (22% DV), Carbohydrates: 7g (2% DV), Total Sugars: 1g, Added Sugars: 0g (0% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat.
Goat Cheese, Thyme, & Lemon Zest Sweet Potato Tartines
Shopping List
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 lemon
½ cup softened goat cheese
¼ teaspoon red chile flakes, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
4 Sweet Potato Toasts (see recipe above)
Tools
Fine-toothed grater, small bowl
1. Make the goat cheese spread
- Strip the thyme leaves from the stems; finely chop the leaves.
- Zest and juice the lemon.
In a small bowl, stir together the goat cheese, thyme, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon olive oil until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mix well.
Serve
Spread each sweet potato toast with about 2 tablespoons of the goat cheese mixture. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with as much lemon zest and chile flakes as you like, and serve.
Nutrition per serving: Calories 130, Protein: 3g (6% DV), Fiber: 2g (8% DV),
Total Fat: 9g (14% DV), Monounsaturated Fat: 4.5g, Polyunsaturated Fat:
0g, Saturated Fat: 3g (15% DV), Cholesterol: 20mg (7% DV), Sodium:
170mg (7% DV), Carbohydrates: 9g (3% DV), Total Sugars: 2g, Added
Sugars: 0g (0% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat.
Almond Butter & Honey Sweet Potato Tartines
Shopping List
2 tablespoons Marcona almonds
⅓ cup almond butter
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon Aleppo chile flakes, optional
Kosher salt
Olive oil
4 Sweet Potato Toasts (see recipe above)
1. Prep the almonds
- Coarsely chop the almonds.
Serve
Spread the almond butter evenly among the sweet potato toasts. Garnish with the almonds, drizzle with the honey, sprinkle with as much Aleppo chile and salt as you like, and serve.
Nutrition per serving: Calories: 250, Protein: 6g (12% DV), Fiber: 4g (16% DV), Total Fat: 16g (25% DV), Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 1.5g (8% DV), Cholesterol: 0mg (0% DV), Sodium: 110mg (5% DV), Carbohydrates: 20g (7% DV), Total Sugars: 12g, Added Sugars: 9g (18% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat.
Bonus recipe—ingredients not included in box.
Our March Madness Survival Playbook
Towers of Buffalo wings, never-ending nachos, and enough pizza to fill the court, it’s easy to think that the traditional sports bar menu was devised to be a full court press on your stomach. Sun Basket’s Director of Nutrition, Lindsey Kane is here with a strategy that can help you feel like a winner, regardless of your bracket status.
1. Start with a Slam Dunk Plan of Your Own. Instead of starving yourself to save calories, make an effort to eat nutrient-dense, satisfying meals leading up to the game. This will keep you from showing up ravenous and scarfing down everything in sight.
2. Break a Sweat. You’re about to watch some of the fittest, most agile athletes leave it all on the court. Let them be the inspiration for you to break a sweat. Schedule a pregame workout either at the gym, or a hit the neighborhood court for a game of H-O-R-S-E before you turn on the television.
3. Protect the rim. Know what you’re up against. The spread on the dining room table may present a formidable challenge. You need a strategy that plays to your strengths. For every wing, eat three celery sticks. If your healthy choices outnumber your not-so-healthy choices, you can walk away feeling good.
4. Drink up. Water is important for everyone, not just athletes. Match every beverage-with-a-calorie, alcoholic or not, with at least 1 glass of water. This will help you manage the number of empty liquid calories you consume, while reducing the incidence of mindless munching.
4. Be a Team Player. Take matters into your own hands by contributing something healthy to the table. Consult our game-day collection of good-for-you dips, chilis, and wings for a healthy mix of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats—as well as nutrient-dense vegetables.
5. Use your Time-Outs. Use commercials, timeouts, and breaks between quarters to regroup. What have you eaten? Are you comfortably satisfied or uncomfortably full? It sounds like a silly question, but eating while watching a game can make it extremely easy to mindlessly munch. Use the natural structure and pauses of what’s happening on the field to set your pace and take a moment to reflect.
7. Slo-mo that Replay. It’s game time with friends. Of course you’re going to eat something that you don’t eat on a regular basis, and that’s okay. Be proactive, identify what you want to splurge on, and indulge with a gameplan. Eyeing up those wings? Go for it, but before you eat a dozen, slow down, be present, and focus on eating with all your senses. Eating mindfully will not only heighten the experience and increase your overall satisfaction, but will also allow you to enjoy more of less.
Artwork by ekströmdesign
Sun Signs—February 2018
A solar eclipse (a new moon on steroids) on the 15th turns another page in the big eclipse story that began last February. In the sign of revolutionary Aquarius, this doozy’s likely to incite radical shifts in the months to come. This new moon/solar eclipse also kicks off the Lunar New Year (which starts on the 16th). The Year of the Dog heralds honesty, fairness, and integrity, with a focus on nutrition, where the underdog leads the pack. Insider’s tip: Get projects done now, before this year’s wall of retrograde planets rolls in next month.
By Lisa Lisa and the Star Jam*
AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18) You’re headed for the limelight, and we don’t mean the 80s nightclub synonymous with cool. Whether it’s a new ‘do, look, or scheme to sculpt your body, you’re primed to make a radical image change, one that could pull you into the spotlight. With the solar eclipse in your sign, you’re set to unveil a whole new you. All the while, you’re loving yourself and reveling in your talents and value. So taken with the one in the mirror, you may be tempted to splurge on a luxury item or draw that dream thing to you. It’s all about you this month. Go crazy.
PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20) The action is beneath the surface this month. As you take time out to retreat into nature, you tune into your uncanny intuition. From the outside, it looks like the equivalent of when a skilled actor disappears into character, with the contents of its internal life flickering across his/her face. At the same time, you’re letting go of something (or someone), which opens to a spaciousness that allows whatever it is you want to draw to you to come in. Pull the universe inside of you—make it your own.
ARIES (Mar 21-April 19) At the end of his commencement speech to the Harvard University class of 1975, someone shouted to Muhammed Ali, “give us a poem!” The heavyweight world champion obliged with perhaps the briefest verse in the English language: “Me. We.” The champ’s minimalist rhyme reminds us of the revolution brewing in your transpersonal house that’s about to crack open your independent streak. Rams everywhere are discovering a sense of community and passions of a universal stripe. By the end of the month, you step back, retreat to recharge, and dip into your sweetest dreams. Dare to write them down.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You’re scratching at the ground, ready to charge into a radical new career direction. Around the solar eclipse you’re in the spotlight, and your slow climb to the top could suddenly accelerate. Socially, you’re magnetic this month, attracting new soul sisters that are in sync with your ideals. With all this buzz of activity, it’s easy for bulls to get distracted. Do what you do best: stay grounded, be present. Organize your taxes and finances. Don’t let overspending lead you around by the ring. Come Valentine’s day, go ahead, plan a romantic getaway. Just don’t bet the farm.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) A total solar eclipse in your house of beliefs blows your mind wide open. Radical new ways of thinking stoke your penchant for travel, and sharing your ideas or could draw a love fantastic from a foreign land. All this widening of horizons, spills into your career, inspiring Twins to envision (and conjure) their dream job(s!); after all, like the famous Gemini poet once wrote, you contain multitudes. On Valentines Day, make the first move.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) The stars line up for crabs to swell their coffers. Capitalize on the eclipse energy to run a promising idea past an investor. The price may be right this month to buy a home or make other long-term investments. At the same time, take a risk emotionally; revealing your underbelly to your significant other not only deepens your relationship but revs up your sex life. Remember to set some boundaries and make sure your partner is pulling their weight. By the second half of the month, you’re ready to leave your shell behind, venture out, learn something new, or check that dream trip off your bucket list.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Now that you’ve sharpened your image and amped up your wattage, lightning could strike in your partnership realm. It’s not exactly a game of blind man’s bluff, but as you spin yourself around, a slightly skewed perspective loosens your ideas around what constitutes a suitable mate. Make a list of who you want, where (whether it’s a lover, client, assistant, or partner), then toss it. Someone of a different stripe may be just what you need in order to shine. Meanwhile, don’t forget, you’re a creative beast. Take in an opera, make the gallery rounds, or pack up your Plein air box and paint on location; entertainment, beauty, art, feed a lion’s heart.
VIRGO (Aug 23-Sept 22) Are you working too much and not taking care of yourself? A reset around your diet and activities helps you establish a sustainable rhythm for your busy life. Hard as it may be, stay mindful to not overcommit, particularly at work. As you find a sensible groove, a surprising breakthrough at work moves you forward. Later in the month, Venus sashays into your relationship house, bringing a possible love at first sight. When others simply don’t make sense to you this month, resist your tendency to straighten out the confusion. Think of it as a spiritual practice, like Wabi-sabi, the Japanese art of finding beauty in the imperfect and incomplete. By months end, the pieces fall into place.
LIBRA (Sept 23-Oct 22) Last month’s lunar eclipse in your social house thinned the herd, making room for this month’s total solar eclipse in your house of fun and romance, and a new lease on love. Whether you’re single or attached, this month is about reigniting your passions. As your creative fires surge, don’t be surprised if some of you could be procreating, having a baby, or becoming grandparents. However it manifests, and even if you have to schedule it, Libra, it’s playtime.
SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21) Call in the Feng Shui consultant, it’s time for a deep cleanse on the homefront. Combining an early spring cleaning with getting the chi flowing will make not just your personal space sparkle, it will invigorate you and all who live within your walls. Later in the month a dreamy romance or a creative bug waxes poetic—either way, you’re inspired to make magic. Manifest your raise at the end of the month even before you ask your boss, say “thank you for the raise,” like it’s a done deal.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21) You’ve synthesized your ideas and now you have something to say. Whatever or however you want to package the information, get it out there. Whether you buy a new bike, boat, or RV, you’ve got your message together and you’re ready to take it for a test drive before you take it on the road. On a more personal front, if Valentine’s Day is a bust, wait a week, you could meet a lasting love. At the end of the month, sign on the dotted line.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19) All the support is there for you to reboot your finances and be a money-making machine. You have the opportunity to bring an innovative dream forward. Pragmatic steps will take you far, creating a new budget as you make room to purchase a big-ticket item necessary to amp up your livelihood. Meanwhile, a dormant talent may awaken that’s just weird enough to be the next big thing. It’s your time to communicate your most beautiful vision.
If you know your rising sign, read that, too; it’s often more relevant.
*Lisa Awrey and Lisa Carroll
illustration by @boccaccinimeadows
Tahini in Black and White
Long a supporting player, tahini is having a moment, and getting star billing in salad dressings and even desserts. An essential component of many Middle Eastern classics like hummus and baba ganoush, tahini is one of those ingredients that you may not have realized you were eating, but you’d notice right away if it were missing.
Most tahinis are made with seeds grown in Mexico and India, but the best use Ethiopian sesame, known for having the richest flavor. Unadulterated tahini can be an acquired taste, it’s typically quite bitter, but when stirred into honey or added to yogurt for a simple salad dressing, it adds a deep, nutty flavor and a rich umami undercurrent that makes almost anything—even chocolate—taste better.
Black tahini is relatively new to the market. Dark and thick as tar, it has the same buttery quality, but a more tannic and toasty flavor than traditional tahini. It’s quickly becoming a favorite in the Sun Basket test kitchen. You can try it in our Chicken Breasts with Shirazi Salad and Black Tahini Dressing.
Tahini is shelf-stable and will last up to two years in or out of the refrigerator. If you’re eager to taste some tahini magic, try our Pickle-Brine Hummus or our Chocolate Tahini Truffles.
In terms of nutrition, tahini is a good source of protein, calcium, and unsaturated fats. It’s approved for Paleo diets and is naturally gluten-free.
Recent Comments