Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 12, 1 December 2017 — Season of gratitude, recipes to nourish your kino and mauli [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Season of gratitude, recipes to nourish your kino and mauli

Celebrate Makahiki with kahoeha pumpkin soup, oven imu ehieken and garlic mashed 'uala. ■ Photos: Courtesy Roots Cafe

By Lindsey Kesel Infusing the spirit of the Makahiki season into today's festivities starts and ends with the concept of gratitude. Kānaka have a saying that perfectly embodies the power of healthy food and their abiding focus on appreciation: "Hala no ia lā o ka pōloli," whieh means,

"A hungry day passes " and expresses thankfulness for the gift of eating another day, and ultimately, the gift of life. As we begin to plan this year's eelebrations, we ean carry the values lived during Makahiki into our own holiday rituals by honoring those who've had a hand in harvesting and preparing the sustenance that feeds us (farmers, fishermen

and cooks alike), the Native Hawaiians who worked the land generations ago and the higher powers connecting us all. This Makahiki, create seasonal dishes for your loved ones with the intention of using fresh, healthy, traditional inspired ingredients that nourish body and spirit. Enjoy these 'ai pono recipes from Roots Cafe. »

The Roots Cafe at Kōkua Kalihi Valley is a gathering plaee for the eommunity to talk story and celebrate fresh, healthy, traditionally inspired dishes sourced from loeal businesses and Food Hub farm partners in support of sustainable food systems. The Roots Cafe also

operates the Farmacy, a mini-market stocked with produce and cultural food products. Open Tuesday and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. RootsKalihi.com ■