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!

Vegan Tag Featuring Lisa from Raspberry Ketchup.....

When the beautiful Lisa from www.raspberryketchup.com contacted me and asked if I fancied collaborating with her again I immediately jumped at the chance, after all it is nothing but a privilege to work with such a lovely person who is creative and like minded!  After bouncing some ideas around we decided to challenge each other to a vegan tag, mine can be found on Lisa’s blog and I am excited to have hers here on mine. So grab yourself a cuppa (cake optional but advised!) and enjoy……

So, the other day I was introduced to a friend of a friend who was extremely curious about my veganism, one of her questions was, but what if you do all this and you still get ill or get cancer?

My response:

1. I am not JUST vegan for me. I am vegan for the animals, the planet and those around me because I practice what I preach. I am vegan for my health, but I also love that my money will not be going into industries and companies that exploit, torture, and murder animals. I love that when I cook a meal the majority of the waste biodegrades back into the ground and provides it with nutrients. I love that my carbon footprint is so much lower than someone who buys into the meat or animal products industry.

2. I want to feel as good as I can while I am here. A plant based diet will give you more nutrients and that is a fact and the more vitamins and minerals in your body - the better you will feel. Animal products just aren't good for you anyway so I don't know why people have become so protective of them? Tell me how you feel after cow's milk or a product with it in? Got mucus in your throat? That'll be your bodies defence system because it is made for a baby cow, not you. Are you feeling bloated all the time? Probably because you're putting these alien substances in your system constantly. Feel anxious, depressed and stressed all of the time? Do you think it helps that you eat animals that have cortisol (the stress hormone), epinephrine (adrenaline), and norepinephrine (another stress hormone) in as they die and you then eat it? I don't think so. The fact of the matter is you probably can't lecture me on a diet I have read so much into. Especially if you have never even given it a go!

3. The Ripple effect. 'Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into the water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects' - Dalai Lama (he is a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to veganism to be fair which is ironic I should use his quote here, but he makes a valid point). Since being vegan, I want to learn all I can about nutrition for when/if I have a child so they can pass it down my family tree. Remember, a seed never gets to see the tree it creates, but it is the start of something amazing. I don't need to feed my ego, I want to be a part of a movement for an ethical world and I want future generations to live healthy and free lives, from all species. If I've been living this diet and know all I need to know about it then I could lead a new human being with absolute confidence.

4. I'm not a pessimist. LOL. If you have ever read a book called 'Mind over medicine' or a similar book then you will know the true benefits of being an optimist. It isn't impossible to change from pessimist to optimist either so I would recommend doing so! I am not going to sit around and live my life thinking there is no point in anything so I won't even bother trying. I won't live my life thinking I will just be ill. I am alive right now and I will make the most of that. I am not easily defeated and know that I am my own authority. I refuse to put my money into industries that truly do not give a fuck if you live, become sick or die. I also know that you create the majority of, it not the entirety of your own reality with your thoughts and I quite frankly love myself too much to giving myself those kinds of thoughts, your thoughts produce your actions, your actions produce your next thoughts and over time they both produce the reality you will live in.

Peace out potatoes xo

 


 


If you want to read more about Lisa and her blog check out her amazing website http://www.raspberryketchup.com/

Storms, Leaking Tents & Smelly Sleeping Bags - The Girls Guide to Glamping..........

The idea of roughing it during a camping trip might sound appealing if it weren't for the sudden storms, leaking tents, smelly sleeping bags, and questionable food. For a number of people, their first camping experience often becomes their last, but there is now a camping option growing in popularity: glamorous camping, otherwise known as glamping. Organized glamping trips feature all of the exposure to the great outdoors as traditional camping trips, but the amenities found at the campsite far exceed anything most campers have ever experienced.

During a typical glamping trip, for example, the tents are often designed with bright designer colours and materials, not the olive drab canvas tents of yesteryear. These tents can be rigged for electrical power, which means occupants can operate appliances, reading lamps, and climate controls. People may sleep on full-size air mattresses, or even regular spring mattresses provided by the outfitters.

Many of these trips do involve the same types of excursions provided by traditional adventure groups, such as safaris, hiking, and river rafting, but the focus is often on the comfort of the guests. Comfortable transportation is usually provided from the campsite to the excursion and back, and guides are responsible for providing such amenities as full-course meals and laundered clothing upon a guest's return to camp. Some trips are more primitive than others, however, so guests may actually have to experience a little discomfort while glamping.

The idea appears to have been inspired by the experiences of young, rich entertainers and models at outdoor events such as open air rock concerts. Many wealthy concertgoers wondered if it might be possible to avoid the trappings of a hot tent on a muddy field just to enjoy a show or the wonders of nature. Several adventure groups saw an opportunity to cater to the needs of disillusioned campers who wanted to experience the positive aspects of camping without so many negatives.

Many companies that specialize in camping equipment and supplies have created high-end or designer gear over the years, but few campers wanted to be seen carrying brightly coloured tents or packets of gourmet foods. With the growing popularity of glamping, however, many would-be campers are now buying up designer camping gear and other amenities before going on their own trips. Even those on more modest budgets are discovering it is now acceptable to bring along a few more comfort items while camping outdoors. While this may still be a niche market, it does offer people the chance to experience all of nature, not just its insects and bad weather.

For me our annual girly glamping trip (we have been going for 3 years) is the perfect chance to kick back and relax without having to drag all the equipment you need around. A time to spend time with your girls, drink wine and cook everything on a BBQ (no idea why things taste better cooked on there!) It is an opportunity to watch the sun rise, recharge your batteries and escape work for just a few days. All I can say is bring on the next one!

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!