It’s November… and the pumpkin spice is petering out at all the coffee and tea shops. Don’t they know that the spices in pumpkin spice (cinnamon, ginger, allspice, clove, nutmeg & mace) are just what you need to boost immunity for the winter months?

Luckily, I know a magical place where you can find pumpkin spice all year round…

October Cafe was a fast favorite when Mom and I first found it. I was looking for something gluten-free in the area, and I love Fall — the layers, the crunchy leaves, the way our hot spiced beverages make their way into our daily routine.

When we opened the door and heard, “Hello Pumpkin!” we knew we were home. Not only was there an extensive list of food I could choose from (that could be made gluten and dairy free), but I saw treats from Defloured and a little gift shop!

We quickly decided that this would be the place we would head to after our Ahimsa Warrior Workshops — to debrief and have a Cozy VP (Honeybush Pumpkin Chai Tea with milk, cinnamon and vanilla).

Mom and I can’t do a lot of caffeine, but for the coffee enthusiasts, they carry Dark Matter Coffee (a local Chicago Roastery), and you can get a flight of their latest flavors. Right now it’s the “We Fell in Love in October” fall flight.

They host an extensive calendar of events to promote local small businesses, create community and give back to the people who adore their cafe. From sip-n-paints to artist markets… even Thankful Letter Writing (coming up November 14th :).

If you’re on the Northwest side of Chicago, stop in! The atmosphere is cozy and fun, with beautiful artwork, and smiles that welcome all. It’s really the people of October Cafe that make it great.

Much Love,

Laurie and Kathie

October Cafe: Instagram

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Audrey and Michelle, Owners, October Cafe

My Mom gave me this fantastic cookbook called “Lakeside Creative Cooks” made by the residents of her building (including her :).

What surprised me about the recipes in this book are how the directions are a few lines or less! Perfect for a person trying to simplify their cooking to keep up with this fast-paced world.

These seem like tried and true recipes that I bet have delighted many. This month the recipe I made was from Clara McGough -Texas Caviar.

When I first looked at the title, I laughed, because I thought it was a recipe for chili! So I put everything in a pot and cooked it. Which came out really delicious actually.

And then I read the three sentences at the bottom of the recipe. This is a dip served cold. Probably great for watching the game or visiting with friends and family.

Well, either way it turned out nicely :) Thank you Clara! And Mom!

1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can black-eyed peas, drained
8 green onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 (28 oz) can of tomatoes
1 medium green pepper, diced
3 Jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
3/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup zesty Italian dressing

Mix all the ingredients together. Add a few drops of hot sauce. Serve with tortilla chips.

For my chili, I used a spicy jalapeno salsa instead of the green peppers and jalapeno. I also used 2 teaspoons of Green Goddess seasoning and a little chili powder in lieu of the parsley and Italian dressing..

Enjoy!