This creation came about today in Zen Den's kitchen:  Baked Pear & Sweet Potato with Pomegranate and local organic Goat Cheese Feta drizzled with Honey. This meal is Vata pacifying, which is great as we transition into Winter time because it's ingredients are warming in nature according to Ayurveda, the sister science of Yoga.

Ingredients: 
2-3 Bosc pears
1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes
1 pomegranate fruit
2-3 Tbsp honey
2-3 Tbsp goat cheese feta

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400F and grease two oven sheets (I used coconut oil, but you can use butter, ghee or any other oil you desire). Wash sweet potatoes and pears. Slice sweet potatoes in round sections approx 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Put in oven for 30-45 minutes checking about halfway to flip pieces over. While sweet potatoes are baking, slice and de-seed pears and set aside. Cut both ends off of Pomegranate and score (splice) on four sides around the Pomegranate fruit.  Start to pull apart the pomegranate fruit (similar to peeling an orange kind of). Do this over a large bowl of water so the pomegranate seeds go into the bowl of water. Slowly peel away the outside of the Pomegranate and separate any skin from seeds. Typically a pomegranate will yield more seeds than you need for this recipe - so you can enjoy the left over seeds as a snack or with another meal. Once you have separated the skin and peel from the pomegranate, drain the water and set bowl of seeds aside.   When you flip the sweet potatoes over about halfway through cook time you can toss as many pomegranate seeds in the oven to cook in the same oven sheet or pan as the sweet potatoes. Put the pears on greased oven sheet and bake for 15-25 minutes. You can also add the pomegranate seeds in with the pears at this time. Bake until soft when sticking with a fork. When cooked to desired softness, remove from oven and plate the meal. Crumble your desired amount of goat cheese feta over the sweet potatoes and pears and last but not lease, drizzle with honey. Enjoy!

By Rose Bryant

Coconut Cream Ingredients:
1 can organic coconut milk 

Muffin Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas (brown spots)
2 cups finely grated carrots (or carrot pulp from juicer)
2 cups pumpkin puree (canned or cooked fresh)
2 cups gluten free flour of your choice
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt
1tsp finely ground cinnamon 
2 large organic eggs (egg substitute *vegan)
1/2 cup coconut oil (or oil of your choice)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup raw organic honey (local preferred)

Coconut Cream Instructions:
Refrigerate 1 can of full fat (*not lite) coconut milk - for at least 5 hours - so the cream separates from the coconut water. Open can and scoop out with a spoon the cream on the top - keep the coconut water to drink or cook with. Put in medium mixing bowl and whip vigorously for 2-5 mins until it is fluffy. Set in fridge to thicken while cooking muffins. 

Muffin Instructions:
Preheat oven to 365F. Put flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together in a bowl, stir together and set aside. In another bowl combine eggs or egg substitute, coconut oil (melted), vanilla, honey, bananas (mashed), pumpkin puree and grated carrot. (Fresh pumpkin puree can be made by either steaming or boiling the cut up pumpkin pieces until soft when sticking with fork - then mash up like mashed potatoes until you have a puree.) Then mix the wet and dry ingredients together and pour into muffin tin - first either using muffin paper liners or using coconut oil - so the muffins don't stick. Put in oven for 35-45 mins (ovens vary). Checking with a toothpick in the middle of muffin - if it comes out clean then they are done! Allow to cool for 10-15 mins. Top with chilled coconut cream and enjoy!