The Modern Witchcraft Spell Book: Your Complete Guide to Crafting and Casting Spells - Skye Alexander 2015

Seasonal Spells and Magickal Recipes
Spells for All Reasons and Seasons

For centuries, earth-honoring cultures have followed the sun’s apparent passage through the sky. Our ancestors divided the Wheel of the Year, as the sun’s annual cycle is known, into eight periods of approximately six weeks each. As discussed in Chapter 8, each “spoke” corresponds to a particular degree in the zodiac. Wiccans and other pagans call these eight holidays (or holy days) “sabbats.” It’s no coincidence that many of our modern-day holidays fall close to these ancient, solar dates. Each of these special days affords unique opportunities for performing spells and rituals—the cosmic forces operating on these dates can increase the power of your magick.

Any day that holds special meaning for you can also be a good time for spellwork. Your birthday, for instance, is one of the most auspicious dates in the year for doing spells.

FOOD AND THE SEASONAL CYCLE

In our global village society, we can eat strawberries in January and tomatoes in November. We’ve forgotten that once upon a time people had to seize the opportunity to enjoy seasonal foods because they were only available for a short period of time. As different fruits and vegetables ripened, our ancestors were reminded of the changing seasons and their own place in nature’s cycle.

You can explore the seasonal and spiritual aspects of food today by shopping regularly at a farmers’ market. Week by week, the produce available will vary in supply and quality. By familiarizing yourself with what is in season at different times of the year in your region, you can gain a better understanding of how earth and cosmic energies influence the food you eat. In this way, preparing and ingesting food becomes a magickal experience, a way to align yourself with the Wheel of the Year and interact with the energies around you. Honor the spiritual force in the food you eat by acknowledging the consciousness that exists within all living substances and your connection with other life forms.

Blessing Hearth and Home

Food preparation takes on special meaning when you see each step of the process as magickal. As you cook and clean, use affirmations to bless your home and loved ones.

1. When you open the kitchen door say: “May only health, love, and joy come through this door into this home.”

2. While stirring a pot say: “Thanks be to all beings who contributed to this meal.”

3. While serving food say: “May the food I prepare nourish my loved ones in both body and soul.”

4. While sweeping say: “May all harmful, disruptive, or unbalanced energy be removed from this place.”

5. When you turn off the kitchen light at night say: “Bless this kitchen, and keep those of us who use it safe and healthy through the night.”

HOLIDAY FOODS AND BEVERAGES

Our holiday celebrations usually include food and libation of some sort. We even associate certain foods with certain holidays—it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without a turkey, for example. Most people don’t realize, however, that fruits, vegetables, and other edibles contain magickal properties. You can combine them for specific purposes—in the same way you combine various ingredients to make amulets and talismans. Modern-day witches generally prefer soups, stews, and other “brews” made with ordinary food items instead of eye of newt and toe of frog, and in this chapter, you’ll find a number of delicious magickal recipes you can enjoy at your holiday gatherings, in addition to other spells.

Steps for Successful Spellcasting

Whenever you cast a spell, remember to use a few tried-and-true measures, as described in Chapter 1. These precautions can help you avoid complications, mix-ups, delays, or disappointments:

1. Remove all distractions.

2. Collect the ingredients and tools you’ll use in your spell and cleanse them.

3. Purify and sanctify your space.

4. Quiet your mind.

5. Cast a circle around the area where you’ll do your spellworking.

6. Perform the spell.

7. If you’ve called upon deities or spirits to assist you, thank and release them.

8. Open the circle.

9. Store your tools in a safe place until you need them again.

SAMHAIN CHILI

In many places, this sabbat coincides with deer-hunting season, so you may choose to make this delicious chili with venison rather than beef. Cooking this chili outdoors in an iron cauldron over a fire gives an added sense of magick and connection to the earth. Serve with cornbread or your favorite hearty whole-grain bread.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ 4—6 large portobello mushrooms

✵ Bowl

✵ Red wine (approximately 1 cup, or more to taste)

✵ Large pot or iron cauldron

✵ Olive oil

✵ 2 onions, sliced

✵ 2 pounds ground beef or venison

✵ 2 (14¹⁄₂-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

✵ 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

✵ 2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans (or two cans mixed beans)

✵ Chili powder or dried chilies, to taste

✵ 2 bay leaves

✵ Salt and pepper, to taste

✵ Cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

BEST TIME TO MAKE THIS MAGICKAL MEAL:

✵ The evening of October 31

1. Chop the portobello mushrooms into small pieces, approximately ¹⁄₂" square, and place them in a mixing bowl.

2. Pour the red wine over the mushrooms. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Stir occasionally to make sure all the mushrooms have been marinated in the wine.

3. In a large pot or cauldron, heat the olive oil. Add the sliced onions, and cook until fragrant and soft. Add ground beef or venison, and cook until browned. Spoon off the fat. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste, then add the beans. Pour in the mushrooms and red wine and combine. Add the chilies and bay leaves. Adjust seasoning to taste, and add more red wine (or water) if desired.

4. Simmer for at least 3 hours. If desired, sprinkle grated sharp Cheddar on top of each bowl of chili before serving.

SPELL TO SEE THE FUTURE

Because the veils between the seen and unseen worlds are thinnest on Samhain, many witches and wizards practice divination at this time. This spell lets you glimpse the future and perhaps receive guidance from the other side.

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ 1 black candle in a candleholder

✵ Matches or a lighter

✵ 1 tarot deck

BEST TIME TO PERFORM THE SPELL:

✵ The evening of October 31

Quiet your mind, then light the candle and put it on your altar or another place where it can burn safely. Shuffle the tarot deck as you set an intention to receive guidance about the future. Select a card. Place the card face up in front of the candle. Take a few moments—or as long as you wish—to look at the card, allowing any impressions or insights to arise into your awareness. Try not to think of any preconceptions you may hold about this card’s meaning—allow your intuition to speak to you.

Gaze at the candle’s flame and let the flickering light calm your mind even further. Stare at the flame for as long as you wish, as visions, signals, sensations, emotions, etc. rise to the surface of your consciousness. You may notice a guardian spirit communicating with you. Ideas might pop into your mind that aren’t like anything you’ve considered before. Let yourself glimpse impressions of the future, without apprehension. Continue for as long as you wish. When you feel ready, extinguish the candle and write down your experiences in your Book of Shadows.

YULE GOOD LUCK CHARM

Would you like to give your friends and loved ones the gift of good luck in the coming year? This Yuletide custom lets you make a unique magickal gift for everyone on your list.

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ 1 Yule log (traditionally oak)

✵ Matches or a lighter

✵ Cloth drawstring pouches (1 for each person on your gift list)

✵ Dried pink rose petals (for love)

✵ Dried lavender flowers (for peace of mind)

✵ Dried basil (for protection)

✵ Dried mint leaves (for prosperity)

✵ Dried echinacea (for health)

✵ 1 sheet of paper

✵ Scissors

✵ 1 pen

BEST TIME TO PERFORM THE SPELL:

✵ Yule (usually December 21)

On the night of the winter solstice, build a Yule fire in a safe place and burn an oak log in it. Allow the fire to burn down completely. The next morning after the ashes have cooled, scoop some into each pouch. Add the dried botanicals. Cut the sheet of paper into slips, so you have one for each person on your list. Write a personalized wish on each slip of paper. Fold the papers three times and add them to the pouches. Tie the pouches closed, bless them, and give them to your loved ones.

HOLIDAY PROTECTION WREATH

Holidays can be stressful times, even under the best of circumstances. This special table wreath does double duty—it serves as a pretty decoration while emitting good vibes to protect your sanity during the hectic holiday season.

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ 1 piece of cardboard or poster board

✵ Scissors

✵ Lots of dried bay leaves

✵ Tacky glue, double-sided tape, or other fixative

✵ 1 white pillar candle in a glass holder

✵ Matches or a lighter

BEST TIME TO PERFORM THE SPELL:

✵ As needed

Cut a circle from the cardboard or poster board, then cut a hole in the center to make a “donut” large enough to slip over the candle in its holder. Like all circles, this one is a symbol of protection. Attach the bay leaves to the cardboard circle to make a wreath. Think peaceful thoughts as you work. Position the candle on your table, altar, or mantel. Slide the bay leaf wreath over it, so it circles the base of the candle. Light the candle and gaze into its flame to relax your mind and calm your nerves.

BRIGID’S CROSS

The Celtic goddess Brigid is associated with creativity, fertility, smithcraft, and the hearth. Often, she’s depicted stirring a cauldron over dancing flames—both symbols of creativity. You can celebrate Brigid’s Day (also known as Imbolc and Candlemas) by fashioning what’s known as Crios Bridghe or Brigid’s Cross, even though it’s really a circle. Jumping through the magick circle brings good fortune.

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ Scissors or pruning shears

✵ 3 vines or lengths of raffia (available in crafts stores), each 5 feet long

✵ 2 pieces of white cord or ribbon

BEST TIME TO PERFORM THE SPELL:

✵ Between January 31 and February 2

Cut the vines or raffia. Think of 3 wishes you want to come true, and assign 1 wish to each vine or length of raffia. Tie the vines or raffia together with 1 piece of cord or ribbon. Braid the vines/raffia, focusing on your wishes as you work. When you reach the end, tie the braid with the other piece of cord/ribbon. Then bend the braid around to form a circle and tie the 2 pieces of cord/ribbon together, making 3 knots. Lay the circle on the ground or floor, and step into it. Then lift the circle up along your body and over your head as you imagine yourself receiving the 3 wishes you desire. Hang the wreath in your home to bring blessings your way.

OSTARA SPELL TO BIRTH A NEW PROJECT

Are you having a hard time getting a project off the ground? Do delays, deterrents, and disappointments keep interfering with your progress? This spell “fertilizes” your idea and helps you bring your venture to fruition. The custom of painting eggs at Easter originated with the early festival of Ostara, which is held on the spring equinox. Eggs are symbols of birth, life, and fertility, and Ostara celebrates the Earth’s renewal after the long, cold winter.

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ 1 raw egg

✵ 1 straight pin or needle

✵ 1 bowl

✵ Acrylic or watercolor paints

✵ 1 small paintbrush

✵ Water

BEST TIME TO PERFORM THE SPELL:

✵ On the Spring Equinox

Gently wash the egg first to remove bacteria as well as unwanted energies. Carefully poke a hole in each end of the egg with a pin. Holding the egg above the bowl, place your mouth over one hole, and gently blow the contents of the egg out through the other hole. When you’ve finished, rinse out the eggshell and let it dry.

Paint symbols and images on the eggshell that represent your project, as well as your objectives. Consider including colors, numbers, runes, astrological glyphs, and other symbols that relate to your intentions. Make sure everything you include has positive connotations for you. While you work, visualize your project moving forward and receiving the support and recognition you seek. See your goals coming to fruition, your success assured. You don’t have to understand all the steps between the inception of your idea and its fulfillment; just imagine the end result you desire coming true.

After you’ve finished decorating your egg, display it on your altar or in a place where you’ll see it often. Each time you look at it, you’ll be reminded of your goal and your intention to succeed. Alternate suggestion: Hard-boil the egg. After the egg has cooled, decorate it. As you paint the egg and as you eat it, focus on your goal; see yourself achieving it happily. Save the eggshell pieces to use in another spell.

SEASONAL POTPOURRI

Dry potpourri blends the energies and fragrances of herbs, flowers, and spices for sensory and magickal purposes. You can place an open dish of potpourri in a room to scent the air and to draw, enhance, or disperse energies according to your will. Don’t chop up your plant material—if you intend to dry fresh botanicals yourself for your potpourri, try to keep them as unbruised as possible, as the natural oils give flowers and spices their scent. When dry, crumble the plant matter into chunks.

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ Glass bowl

✵ Dried herbs, flowers, and spices—your choice, depending on your intentions and the season

✵ Powdered orris root (2 tablespoons orris root powder per cup of dry potpourri mix)

✵ Essential oil(s)—your choice, depending on your intentions and the season (6 drops of essential oil per cup of dry mix)

BEST TIME TO PERFORM THE SPELL:

✵ Anytime

Place all the dried plant matter (including the powdered orris root) in a bowl and stir with your hands to combine. Sprinkle with the essential oil and stir again. Keep the blend in a closed container for at least 2 weeks so it can mellow; this allows the scents to blend. Open the container and stir it once a day to keep it from going moldy. Even if you think your plant material is perfectly dry, sometimes a drop or two of moisture may be left in it. When it’s ready, put your potpourri in an open container and place it in the area you wish to be affected by the energy. It’s also a nice idea to set a small amount of potpourri in a dish on your altar as an offering to deities.

Don’t forget about your dry potpourri once you’ve set it out. Dust collects in it, and exposure to air and the energy of the room will eventually weaken the herbal components. Make a new batch when you feel that the vitality of the old one has expired. You can bury used potpourri, add it to ritual fires, or compost it. Dry potpourri also makes a good stuffing for herbal pillows, sachets, and poppets.

BELTANE TALISMAN TO ATTRACT LOVE

This ancient spring festival is held on May 1, and celebrates love, sexuality, pleasure, and fertility. At this time in the Wheel of the Year, the earth is ripe with nature’s beauty—flowers blossom, leaves appear on the trees, baby animals and birds are born. Not surprisingly, this is the ideal time to perform love spells.

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ 2 pieces of red felt, about 4 inches square

✵ Scissors

✵ 1 piece of paper

✵ 1 pen

✵ 1 penny

✵ 1 seashell

✵ 1 small elongated stone

✵ Needle and red thread

BEST TIME TO PERFORM THE SPELL:

✵ The morning of May 1

Imagine that one piece of felt represents you and the other represents your partner. Fold one piece of felt in half and, using the scissors, cut out one lobe of a heart shape starting from the folded edge. Then cut the other piece of felt in the same manner. On the piece of paper, write words and draw pictures or symbols that symbolize love—as many as you can, until you’ve filled the entire piece of paper. Wrap the paper tightly around the penny (copper is linked with Venus, the planet and goddess of love). Lay the penny, shell, and stone between the two felt hearts. Sew them together, envisioning the two hearts becoming one. Sleep with the charm under your pillow until your love manifests.

SPRINGTIME SMOOTHIE

You’ve heard the expression “You are what you eat,” right? For this spell, you choose the fruits and/or veggies (from the table at the beginning of this chapter) that represent things you want to incorporate into yourself—all living things embody energy and they influence your own energy when you ingest them.

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ Fruits/veggies that contain the magickal qualities you desire (organic if possible)

✵ 1 paring knife

✵ Blender

✵ Fruit/vegetable juice that contains the magickal qualities you desire

✵ Plain yogurt

BEST TIME TO PERFORM THIS SPELL:

✵ On the morning of May 1

Before you begin, wash all the fruits you’ve chosen and pat them dry. Then close your eyes and hold your hands palms-down above the fruit. Feel the energy radiating from the fruit; sense your connection with the fruits you’ve chosen. State aloud that both the nutrients and the magickal components contained in the fruit you’ve selected will benefit you in every way. Cut the fruit into small pieces and put them into the blender. Add the fruit juice, as much as you need to create the consistency you like. Then add as much yogurt as you like and blend everything until smooth. As you drink the magickal smoothie you’ve concocted, envision it bringing you good fortune and fulfilling your desires.

Alternate suggestion: If you prefer, combine the fruits/veggies you’ve chosen for a refreshing salad. Then add a dollop of yogurt and sprinkle with the petals from edible flowers, such as violets or nasturtiums, that represent your intentions.

MIDSUMMER CANDLE SPELL FOR GOOD FORTUNE

On Midsummer (the summer solstice), daylight in the Northern Hemisphere is longer than at any other time of the year. Therefore, candles—which symbolize the fire element and the sun—often play a role in spells and rituals performed on this sabbat. Fire also represents the masculine force in the universe, whereas water represents the feminine force. This easy spell combines both elements to bring good fortune and balance into your life.

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ 1 floating candle in a color that represents a particular wish or desire (see the color correspondence charts at the beginnings of earlier chapters), or choose a golden-yellow candle to signify the sun

✵ Matches or a lighter

BEST TIME TO PERFORM THE SPELL:

✵ Midsummer’s Eve

Take your candle and matches or lighter to a body of water—a gently flowing stream, a pond or lake, a quiet ocean cove. With your intention, empower the candle to bring you whatever you seek—love, money, success, etc. Say aloud:

“I shine this light

Into the night,

The power of fire

Attracts my desire.”

Set the candle in the water, keeping your intention clearly in your mind, and watch the flame until it burns down or the water extinguishes it.

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be

The candle or the mirror that reflects it.”

—EDITH WHARTON, “VESALIUS IN ZANTE. (1564)”

SUMMER SOLSTICE GAZPACHO

This chilled vegetable soup is a refreshing, healthy summer solstice treat. Green peppers signify prosperity; cucumber is associated with peace, harmony, and health; tomatoes and avocados attract love; celery encourages peace; onions and garlic provide protection and health.

SERVES 8—10

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ Blender

✵ 2 large green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and diced

✵ 1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped

✵ 2 pounds tomatoes, cored and diced

✵ 1 celery stalk, chopped

✵ 1 onion, chopped

✵ 2 garlic cloves, peeled

✵ 1 avocado, chopped (optional)

✵ 1 large glass bowl

✵ 1 teaspoon salt

^· 1⁄₄ teaspoon cayenne pepper

✵ Pinch of basil

✵ Pinch of parsley

^· 1⁄₃ cup olive oil

✵ 1 tablespoon lemon juice

^· 1⁄₄ cup red wine vinegar

✵ 2 cans (12- or 15-ounce) tomato juice

✵ Sour cream, plain yogurt, fresh cilantro as a garnish, and/or corn or tortilla chips (optional)

1. In a blender, combine the first seven ingredients in small batches and blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Add seasonings, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and tomato juice and stir well to combine. Cover and chill for at least 5 hours or overnight.

2. Stir well and taste before serving. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve in bowls or large mugs. Garnish the soup as desired with sour cream or yogurt, fresh cilantro, and/or corn or tortilla chips.

SEASONAL COLLAGES

The whole family can engage in this magick spell. Young children love participating. You can make one collage for each season, or choose holidays throughout the year that you’d like to recognize. You can make your collage any size, but if you use a 22" × 28" poster board you’ll have plenty of room for images and found objects.

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ Scissors

✵ Pictures from magazines, flyers, catalogs, old greeting cards, photographs; images downloaded from the Internet

✵ Crayons, markers, colored pencils

✵ Blank drawing paper or construction paper

✵ Glue

✵ Poster board (whatever color you like, or connect it to the season: green for spring, orange for fall)

✵ Found objects related to the season (seashells, pinecones, leaves, flower petals, etc.)

BEST TIME TO PERFORM THE SPELL:

✵ At the change of the season

Cut out images associated with the season (summer-themed images might include beach umbrellas, ice cream, swimming pools, sandals, the sun, and so forth). Draw pictures or write words on the blank paper and cut them out as well. Glue the images and words to the poster board. You may lay the images out first to find a pattern that pleases you, or you can begin gluing the images wherever you feel inspired and allow the collage to form on its own. Then attach “found” objects to the collage. Take the collage down at the end of a holiday or season and begin the next collage. If you wish, date and store your collages, or burn them in a ritual fire to symbolize releasing the past from your life in preparation for what’s upcoming.

Alternate suggestion: You can explore themes or ideas that are meaningful to you through this collaging project. For example, create an ancestor collage that looks at your family’s heritage and its ways of celebrating holidays, bringing in traditions from the countries and cultures of your past.

LUGHNASADH PEASANT BREAD

Corn, wheat, and other grains are typically harvested around Lughnasadh, the holiday of the Celtic god Lugh. In agrarian cultures, this was the time to begin preparing for the barren winter months that lay ahead. Our ancestors cut, ground, and stored grain, canned fruit and vegetables, and brewed wine and beer in late summer. In addition to making this ritual bread, you might want to consider brewing your own beer, too.

MAKES 1 LOAF

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ Small bowl

✵ 3 tablespoons sugar, divided

✵ 1 cup warm water (around 110°F), divided

✵ 2 heaping teaspoons yeast (or one package)

✵ Large bowl

✵ 2 cups flour (with more for kneading)

✵ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

✵ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme

✵ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill

✵ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

✵ Olive oil

✵ 1 clean cloth

✵ Baking sheet

BEST TIME TO PERFORM THE SPELL:

✵ August 1

1. In a small bowl, stir 1 teaspoon of sugar into ¹⁄₄ cup of warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and allow it to proof until foamy (about 5 minutes).

2. In a large bowl, stir the remaining sugar into the flour. Make a well in the flour and pour the yeast in. Add the herbs and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the flour mixture. Stir to combine all the ingredients.

3. Slowly add the warm water as you stir to create a firm dough ball. If you add too much water, simply add a bit of flour to compensate. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the scrapings to the dough ball.

4. Sprinkle the ball and bowl with a bit of flour. Cover with a clean cloth and set to rise in a warm place with no drafts until the dough has doubled in size (approximately an hour and a half).

5. Remove the dough from bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead for approximately 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Sprinkle flour onto the kneading surface as necessary so that the dough does not stick.

6. Form the dough into a loaf-shaped log. Place on the baking sheet or in a bread pan. Brush the entire top with olive oil and leave to rise to the height you desire. (Placing the dough in a barely warm oven is a good place for it to rise.) Heat the oven to 400°F. (If your bread is rising in the oven, remove it carefully and then heat the oven.) Bake the bread for 30—40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Alternate suggestion: Choose herbs for specific purposes: onion for protection, poppy seeds for happiness and insight, etc. See the table at the beginning of this chapter for a list of vegetables and their associations.

SPELL TO BLESS THE EARTH

In keeping with the traditional harvest theme of Lughnasadh, this spell uses corn, wheat, or straw in a ritual blessing for Mother Earth and to give thanks for her bounty. It also marks the decline of the sun’s power as the Wheel of the Year turns toward winter.

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ Dried corn leaves, straw, wheat, or another grain

✵ Scissors

✵ Twine (made from a natural fabric, not plastic or nylon)

✵ 1 large iron cauldron (optional)

✵ Matches or a lighter

BEST TIME TO PERFORM THE SPELL:

✵ August 1

Fashion the dried corn leaves (or other grain) into a humanlike shape to represent the Sun King, whose powers are now waning. Cut pieces of twine and tie it around the “corn doll” to form its head, arms, and legs. Trim as needed. Build a fire in your cauldron, fireplace, or other safe spot. Burn the doll in the fire as an offering to Mother Earth.

MABON SOUP

Serve this lovely soup on the autumn equinox, also called Mabon. Apples are associated with love, health, protection, and immortality—cut one in half, and you’ll see that the seeds are configured as a star/pentagram. Almonds carry the energy of prosperity; curry offers strength and protection.

SERVES 4—6

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS:

✵ 1¹⁄₂ pounds apples

✵ Paring knife

^· 1⁄₄ cup butter

✵ Large saucepan

✵ 1 onion, finely chopped

✵ 6 tablespoons ground almonds

✵ 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

^· 1⁄₂ teaspoon curry powder

✵ Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

✵ Blender or food processor

✵ Strainer

^· 1⁄₂ cup light cream, plain yogurt, or almond milk

✵ Toasted sliced almonds for garnish

1. Core, peel, and dice the apples. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook gently until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the apples and stir gently for 2—3 minutes. Sprinkle the ground almonds over the apple and onion mixture, and stir for another 1—2 minutes.

2. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Add the curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. The apples should be tender.

4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Pour the soup into the blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

5. Pour the soup through a strainer into a clean pan. Add the cream, yogurt, or almond milk and stir until blended. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. If the soup is too thick, add a bit more stock. Reheat gently (don’t boil). Serve hot, garnished with a few toasted sliced almonds and an additional pinch of curry powder on top, if you desire.