After what felt like a possibly indefinite hiatus, I felt particularly inspired today after remembering the whole Lion’s Gate portal that falls during the month of August every year. For those that don’t know what this is – each year, during Leo season, August 8^th (8/8) kicks off a little window where you can throw literally anything out into the universe and watch it come back – abundance, prosperity, you name it. Sounds crazy? Hear me out.

If you have ever heard me ramble about numerology, astrology, literally anything woo, you’ve likely heard me throw a couple names of planets out. This one’s spinning backwards and upside down, that’s why you’re crying… the moon is in Asparagus, that’s why you lost your car keys… etc. The Lion’s Gate Portal notes the alignment of the sun in Leo (7/23-8/22), the star Sirius (the brightest star in the sky at night), the constellation Orion’s Belt, and, of course… Earth.

Within astrology, Sirius is described as embodying the fiery energy of Jupiter as well as the masculine, move-forward energy of Mars — which means manifesting makes sense, right? Speak it into reality. Be as delulu as you want.

Having said that, if you’ve felt wired, restless, insane, uncomfortable or anything similar, make yourself a little ritual today or this week. I’m not a big proponent of specifics on what to do – I usually recommend friends and clients do what resonates with them. If you aren’t sure where to start, here are some things that resonate with me – if this is too weird for you, go outside and touch grass. We’re weird over here.

• Write your manifestations on a piece of paper – be as specific as you want. Describe your life explicitly as if you already have it, in present tense. Describe how you feel, where you are, who you’re with, what you’re wearing, what you’re doing now that you have it.
• Put out some water in a glass or otherwise clear container, and leave it out where it can catch some moonlight (covered, of course. We don’t want bugs in our water!). I like to drink mine the day after
• Find a crystal you find particularly attractive, or one that’s shiny, or particularly one that represents what you’re trying to manifest. We’re trying to bedazzle our future here, don’t hold back. During this time, keep it within arm’s reach so you can hold it whenever you think of it. I like pyrite, or fool’s gold, or amethyst.

That aside, I just had the pull to post something, and to make an honest effort in sharing once again. I’ve been cooking a lot recently – I never actually stopped, but documenting things just seemed like such a heavy lift for me, mentally and emotionally. The last two years have been a lot of change, and this hobby took a back seat. People came and went – some were easy to lose, some very much weren’t. I faced a lot of major limiting beliefs and had to do a lot of humbling work on them, and obviously getting myself back to a better state of physical health and wellness was a priority. Cooking and sharing makes me happy, so I need to make a concerted effort to set aside the time to do so. Here we are!

Oh, and if this wasn’t a cool enough reintroduction back into society, I’ve been invited to lead the yoga classes at the We Met At Camp event, August 25th-27th! If that sounds familiar, you may recognize Lindsey Metselaar’s podcast, We Met At Acme, which focuses on Millennial dating, relationships, and lifestyle. You can find more info about the their instagram here, as well as Lindsey’s page. There’s currently a waitlist to attend, but if the idea of reliving the glory days of summer camp with open bars and lots of new people sounds fun… sign up!

This one is not new, but something from the archives from late summer 2021.It’s super easy, and I like to make it ahead as a side dish because it’s delicious while hot, and can sit out without spoiling as you make other dishes for your meal. Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Feta and Craisins (Gluten-Free!)

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 45 min

Ingredients

• 10-12 oz diced butternut squash
• Half of a red onion, finely chopped
• Small handful of parsley, finely chopped
• ½ cup craisins, or dried cranberries
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for cooking
• 1/3 cup feta, crumbled
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• Sprinkle of paprika, just a pinch
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. On a sheet pan, toss your squash and garlic in 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Spread your squash into a single layer, and roast for 40-45 minutes until starting to turn golden brown. Set aside to let cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add your cooled squash, a drizzle of olive oil, parsley, craisins and feta. Gently stir, mixing to combine, so as to not muddy the feta.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Lastly, sprinkle your desired amount of paprika.

Enjoy!

-S