A Retreat Recap and a Giant Pop-Tart Recipe

A mish-mash of thoughts from my recent retreat to the Giant Sequoia Trees this past October and a recipe for you.

First this first, a big thanks to our presenting sponsor, KODIAK CAKES, who has unlocked this post for all our free subscribers. They sponsored Natalie Wilt, our incredible private chef at my recent Retreat to the Trees gathering and made a lot of magic happen. Thanks Kodiak!

Remembering the Retreat

I have been trying to find words to put together a recap from the Retreat to the Trees in October at the Buckeye Tree Lodge and it has been more challenging than I expected. And I am a really word-y person so that feels interesting.

The truth is, the experience was so sacred and special for so many reasons. And it felt so beautifully connected and easeful which I always find easy things to be jarring when you are expecting the hustle and hard, you know? How is the juice worth the squeeze if the squeeze was so … easy?

I know this: I am grateful for a new muscle memory to know this style of connection exists and that ease is an option. So grateful.

(wild)Fire

When the wildfire burns
And you fear the destruction,
Our seeds release.

This was the first retreat my Mother has ever joined, so that was wonderful for me. She showed up all in and really shared layers of herself which I know is challenging for her and I will be forever honored she chose to do that with all of us there. I love you, Mom. And my little sister (the youngest one!) came, too and I loved having her there taking care of herself with us. She is always my little baby sister (I am 14 years older than her) and yet in her mid-20s now, she is becoming such a cool, passionate and beautiful human I get to know and be related to. I love you, Kat (Bailey).

And then my friend and private chef, Natalie Wilt of Path & Provisions enters the scene and she graces us with her divine and nourishing presence with her thoughtful meals, her peaceful energy in the kitchen and her deep desire to support people with love and generosity in food. If you scroll down, she made us a giant homemade pop tart our final morning together and it was everything and she is sharing the recipe with us!

Forms of Nourishment (for Natalie)

I will cook for you.
Sit together for a while,
Feed the body full.

I also loved how so much of my community showed up as part of the retreat. My friend Jenna Zabrosky led sound bowl healing every evening after I led the yin classes and it was vibrational on a soul level. Leslie Alterman is a friend and artist and she led us in an afternoon experience in polaroids and nature that moved us to express through portals of light captured on film and written words. Leah Farrell crafted and gifted really special organic skincare (made with love) to the gift bags from her small business, Oregonically Beyoutiful. And Sharona McKee shows up all in and always generously sharing her many tarot card decks, books lists and infectious laughter.

And I think if I were to pinpoint how the magic unfolded with ease at the retreat, one part was because there was so much community and infusion of magic at the very first thought of the retreat, at the very beginnings - beginning plural as a retreat starts again and again and again in your mind until you arrive. Many, many years ago, Shannon planted a seed and invited me to host a retreat at her beautiful and thoughtful eco-lodge of a cozy space in Three Rivers, California nuzzled right at the edge of Sequoia National Park. And then years later when I said yes having never been there and having not been to Sequoia National Park since I was a teenager with my grandparents and family on a Summer trip. And then again when I asked my friend Jenna to pack up her crystal bowls and serenade us amongst the redwoods and she said yes. And again when Leslie said yes to creating an art immersion experience for us. And then Leah said I will bring gifts. And Sharona said I will be there. And two sisters name Juanita and Tina signed up together in a cabin. And I kept beginning.

And I think if I were to pinpoint another way the magic unfolded with ease at the retreat, it was every single woman that showed up at that retreat open, curious and ready to receive. Every person was all there at the start and that was something to witness, behold, and land in.

And I think if I were to pinpoint one more way the magic unfolded with ease at the retreat, I was ready. I was so ready to be of service, to host a space for connection, to feel alive in leading and holding spaces again with and within the majesty of nature. And remember that this matters and that I matter and it is okay if I cry because I did every day.

And I think if I were to pinpoint one last (for real) way the magic unfolded with ease at the retreat, it was nature. I did not promise many things at this retreat but I did promise the incredible healing connection of nature (because it is always there, we just too often forget). We acknowledged Earth and she held us so profoundly as she always does and I will say this: yes, thank you, more please.

It was an incredible four days that I will share beautiful photos from in another post as the experience of having a daily structure matters … like a full day guided tour deep into the Giant Sequoias and morning cold plunges in the healing snowmelt of a River out our back cabin door and a morning group hike and then laughing and connecting and releasing around tables of intentional food every evening with new friends. The pictures will provide a portal but everyone who came knows, something wonderful happened there that could only be captured in new neural pathways in the brain, in the bone marrow integrated into who we are now, and perhaps, in a haiku.

When Women Gather

She remembered that
She was already magic
Reflected in her.

Giant Homemade Pop-Tart
by Chef Natalie Wilt x KODIAK CAKES

Makes 1 (one) large 7in by 4in Pop-Tart or 4 (four) smaller pop-tarts

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups Kodiak gluten free flapjack & waffle mix
2 sticks unsalted butter
3⁄4 cup ice water
1⁄2 cups strawberry preserve
1 cup confectioners sugar
Approx 4 Tbl water
Pink food coloring
Your favorite sprinkles!

STEPS:
For the first step, either manually combine the butter with the Kodiak mix by pinching together or use a food processor.

1. Put the Kodiak flour in the food processor. Cube the chilled butter sticks and add them to the processor. Pulse until the butter starts to incorporate with the flour. Gradually add the ice water while pulsing. Once fully incorporated, transfer the dough onto parchment paper, wrap it, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the chilled dough between layers of plastic wrap to approximately a quarter-inch thickness. Slice it into three pieces and layer them on top of each other. Cover with plastic wrap and roll it out again. Repeat once more.

3. Cut the dough in half. Roll one half into a rectangle (about 7in by 4in) between plastic wrap and refrigerate. Repeat this process with the second half, and trim the sides as desired. Spoon strawberry preserve onto the pastry, leaving a 1⁄2 inch border.

4. Retrieve the remaining pastry from the fridge and trim it to fit the bottom pastry. Place the top pastry by either flipping it onto the bottom or using spatulas. Crimp the sides with a fork.

5. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Allow the pop tart to cool for an hour.

6. While cooling, prepare the icing. Whisk confectioner sugar with water (1 tablespoon at a time) until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Add pink or red food dye sparingly for the desired color. Pour over the cooled pop tart, add sprinkles, and let it cool for an additional 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

ENJOY! (like retreat goer Amy did, pictured below)