The leaves are falling at Copper House, blanketing the woods, leaving bare, black branches against the November sky. A few days ago, I took a retreat group out for a brief walk. After a productive meeting, it was time for a break. We walked along one of the many trails here at Copper House and …
Blog
The Beauty Deficit
We need beauty like we need food and shelter. Being in the presence of beauty fills a deep need we all have to experience the transcendent in the ordinary, to know that the world is shaped, ordered and sustained by a power beyond ourselves. When we’re in the presence of great beauty—a landscape, a lover, …
Laurel Anastasio
Laurel Attanasio Join Laurel Attanasio at Copper House for an all-levels yoga flow that will help you disconnect from the world and reconnect with yourself. With Laurel’s guidance, take a moment to pause, find stillness, and immerse yourself in the nature surrounding Copper House. Laurel’s unique approach allows you to progress to the next level …
An All Senses Meditation
The other day my husband David shared an amusing quote from comedian Emo Phillips. “I used to think the brain was the most wonderful organ in my body. Then I realized who was telling me this.” We all give our brains way too much of our attention. The following ten-minute All Senses Meditation from Richard …
Grab-and-Go Overnight Oatmeal
A Breakfast That’s Quick, Healthy, and Stays With You Until Lunch I never know from day to day whether I’ll have time for a sit-down breakfast or whether I’ll need to grab something for the road. For this reason, I try to keep a couple of jars of Grab-and-Go Overnight Oatmeal in the fridge for …
No-Bake Chocolate-Almond-Coconut Tart
It was New Year’s Eve, and I had been tasked with making dessert for the party we were invited to. What to make? I wanted to bring something impressive and celebratory. It was New Year’s Eve after all. But after ten days of holiday cooking and hosting, I was in no mood for a project. …
A Pesto For the Winter Months
Now that our wood-fired pizza is up and running, we make pizza a lot. We fire up the oven often and make no fewer than a dozen pies at a time. When we first started making pizzas, I’d put out lots of toppings, but to simplify the process and keep us more creative, we’ve started …
Scrambled Tofu That Rivals Eggs
A couple of weeks ago my husband and I took my daughter Maggy’s challenge: to eat a plant-based diet for two weeks. During that time we would explore new ingredients and ways of cooking. We would also start to understand the ingredients we couldn’t live without. Now that the experiment is over, what did …
How to Cook Holiday Brussels Sprouts
Short of opening and heating a can of vegetables, Grainy Mustard Glazed Brussels Sprouts are about as simple and fresh as a holiday vegetable gets. To double this recipe, use a large roasting pan set over 2 burners instead of a large skillet and use a piece of foil as a lid. Or, you can …
A Flexible Stuffing Recipe
Whether your guests are omnivores, vegetarians, or vegan, this recipe works by making the following shifts. For omnivores, substitute 1 pound of bulk Italian sausage, cooked until brown, for the vegetarian sausages called for in this recipe. For vegetarians, follow the recipe as it is written. For vegans, whisk 2 tablespoons of vegan egg replacer …
A Sumptuous Rustic Apple Tart
You’d never suspect this rustic apple tart is vegan. The Nutiva brand of palm- and coconut oil-based shortening is a wonderful plant-based substitute (and non-hydrogenated stand-in) for the usual butter/shortening combo in pie and tart dough. When you cut the frozen Nutiva shortening for the dough, some of it cubes and some it shards. The shards …
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes For Everyone
Trying to please everyone at the holiday table is a real challenge for many hosts. As long as I’m not compromising flavor, I find it easier to serve a big holiday roast and then, depending on my guests, make as many of the side dishes as possible vegan or vegetarian. These Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes …