Winter days, Yoga & Comforting Tomato Soup.......

After discovering the benefits of yoga , I promised myself that I would work hard to move the positivity of my practice off my mat and into the typical, everyday moments of life. Most specifically, I wanted to use mantras to help combat moments of stress, lack of motivation, anxiety, and frustration, which tend to rear their ugly heads all at once when I’m feeling like my plate is overflowing with tasks.

Since upping my practise recently, I’ve been using mantras (positive things I say to myself)  more regularly to push myself through moments when I feel stuck. Do you use mantras? If so, what are your favourites and when do you use them? Below are some of the mantras I find most helpful…

 1| Let. It. Go.

 

2| Yes, I can.

 

3| The time is now.

 

4| Inhale love, exhale hate.

 

5| I am enough. I have enough. There is enough.

 

6| Quiet. Focus. Trust.

 

7| Breathe in peace, breathe out love.

 

8| Be true. Be kind. Be present. Breathe.

 

So what does this have to do with tomato soup? Nothing other than the fact that it’s the perfect meal to warm up and nourish your body after some quality time on your mat. Considering most of the UK has experienced a freeze over the last few days, a soup recipe was warranted. This vegan tomato soup gets its rich and creamy texture from puréed cauliflower and nutritional yeast. The addition of red bell pepper, garlic, and plenty of spices creates layers of flavour that will keep you coming back for more. It’s the perfect meal to warm your heart during lunch or dinner, and it’s pretty much a requirement that it be paired with grilled (vegan )cheese. This soup will warm your soul on a chilly winter's day.

Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup – Serves 4

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnishing

 4 cloves garlic, minced

 1 medium yellow onion, diced

 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped

 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes in juice

 1 small head cauliflower, roughly chopped

 1 teaspoon dried oregano

 1 teaspoon dried basil

 dash of red pepper flakes (optional)

 ½ teaspoon sea salt, more or less to taste

 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

 ½ to 1 cup water (if needed to thin soup)

 fresh basil, chopped (optional)

 

How To -

 1.Add olive oil to a large stock pot and heat over medium heat.

 2.Add in garlic and onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes until tender.

 3.Add in the red bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.

 4.Add in the tomatoes, cauliflower, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes (be sure to submerge the cauliflower chunks in the tomato liquid as much as possible -- it will seem like there is too much cauliflower, but there is just enough)

 5.Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and allow the mixture to simmer vigorously for 25 minutes.

 6.Turn off heat and purée mixture with a blender for 5-10 minutes or until the mixture is very smooth

 7.Add in salt (to taste) and nutritional yeast. Simmer on low for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If soup is thicker than desired, add in ½ to 1 cup water and whisk into soup.

 8.Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and top with chopped fresh basil, if desired. Enjoy!

Girl Flu, Mindful Snot Bubbles & a Healing Curry (vegan & gluten free)......

This week has seen me hit with full on girl flu and I look beautiful! Snotty nose, red eyes, sore throat, chapped lips, aches and pains all over and of course the obligatory loss of taste / smell. With nothing to do except practise some mindfulness (focusing on a snot bubble is NOT mindful haha!) and the company of our foster kitty Basil I was asking the universe for a speedy recovery when I remembered I have a stash of herbs and spices in the cupboard. Now according to the wisdom of the Ayurvedic sage, Vagbhata, who wrote: “There is nothing (in the world) which is not a medicine.”  all remedies can be found in nature. Where possible I try to follow the Ayurvedic teaching for eating to help ensure I am in balance so I know you can make effective remedies using common kitchen ingredients. Try some of the following instead of the Lemsip and see how they work for you:

 

• Mix 1 tsp each of ginger powder, turmeric and black pepper and take ½ tsp of this mixture with warm water twice a day.
• Mix ½ tbsp ginger, black pepper, cardamom, clove, cinnamon and turmeric. Ad 3tsps of raw sugar. Mix ½ or 1 tsp of this mixture with warm water and take twice a day.
• Mix ½ tsp fresh ginger juice with ½ tsp agave syrup and take three times a day.
• Soak 2 parts fresh ginger root, 3 parts cinnamon and a pinch of cardamom in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes. Add ½ tsp of agave syrup once its cool down a little. Drink a glass of this tea several times a day.
• Crush ¼ tsp fresh ginger root with 8 fresh basil leaves, 2 peppercorns, 2 cardamom seeds, 1 cup of water, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 2 cloves, & 5 mint leaves. Boil, filter, add 1 tsp agave syrup. Drink 3 times a day.
   
  Ayurvedic Healing Curry – Serves 4
   
  1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
  2 teaspoons ginger (minced)
  4 teaspoons curry powder
  14.5oz diced tomatoes ((410 grams))
  1 cup light coconut milk ((235 ml))
  1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  6 cups fresh spinach
  15.5oz canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained ((440 grams))
  1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
  4.5oz brown rice (120 grams)
  How To –

• Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.
• Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant (about one minute).
• Add the tomatoes, curry powder, coconut milk, brown sugar and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
• Add the spinach and cook until wilted (about 4 minutes).
• Add chickpeas and cook until heated through, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the fresh cilantro just before removing the skillet from heat.
• Serve with brown rice. Enjoy in your PJ's!