House update and a recipe for you

Hello, hello, it’s been so long!

Quick update…

we are in the house, the kitchen is gorgeous with its big, chunky, cool granite surfaces, I love working on them and they are perfect for photos too.

The bathroom has a working shower, loo and basin but the bath is being used to hold towels …. and there is, as yet, no door. Maybe today!

We are feeling exhausted after working every day for so long (OK apart from the enforced holiday on the Il de Ré when our first rental guests were here and we hadn’t got a bathroom in, haha, poor old us!) but it is a very satisfied tired. We have moved past the point of working for days on end without much to show for it (though loads has happened in the back ground). At latest things we are doing actually show and make a difference which s satisfying – as a door or two would.

So many people are dealing with being tired, over worked, looking for work, ill or caring for somebody who is ill, stressed, depressed, excited, living on adrenaline …. all this takes energy and nothing can give that more than food – other than a few weeks rest of course, even then you need good, clean, boosting foods. It is so much easier to cut the stodge in summer too. Fresh, local fruits and veggies bursting with flavour and packed with vitamins. Lets make the most of it.

I have been loving the last few days. For the first time in the new house I have been creating meals for clients, soaking, blending, dehydrating and tasting. Balancing flavours and varying textures. Adding colour and packing in the nutrition.

You can do it too – make every ingredient count, try to add in sweet, salty, tangy, sour, warm, cool and as many colours as you can. You know you need green, as dark as possible. Dark purples, bright reds, summer oranges (it is so good to have all the juicy summer peaches, nectarines and apricots), crisp whites etc. Then think of textures, creamy, juicy, crisp, chewy.

For example:

CHIA PUDDING: and easy recipe for 2 small bowls

Mix 2 TBS chia seeds with 8 TBS almond milk 1/2 tsp each ginger and cardamon, pinch salt and leave to soak until plump whilst you prep the following

Soak 1 TBS raisins and 1 TBS sunflower seeds (or more of course) in the juice of an orange

Dice and soak an apple in lemon juice

After about 15 mins your chia should be ready so combine everything except the apple  together, including the soak juices

Add 1 tsp raw, local honey (or agave) or more of less to taste

Stir in a teaspoon of spirulina

Pop the apple in the bottom of your bowl and pile the rest on top.

Tastes good, does you good 🙂

Have fun!

PS We are offering 20% OFF our  raw food retreats in autumn, contact desri.goodwin@gmail.com

Lots of photos and ideas on my Instagram account and websites – Insta: Desrigoodwin

www.desriskitchen.com www.boutiqueretreatfrance.com

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January clean up

Happy, healthy, balanced New Year to you!

After all that indulgent, caution to the wind eating and drinking it is time for a seasonal clean up for us.

There are so many bugs including the dreaded super flu going around , we need to boost our immunity, sleep better as well as lifting ourselves from the dark moods that can engulf people with the reduced sunlight and storms that leave us indoors for days on end.

So, braving the rain, wind and puddles I went shopping and stood wearing my private halo at the check out…

 

There is nothing worse though, when embarking on any kind of regime than the feeling of deprivation. I for one kick back badly at being told I “can’t” anything!

Healthy food must be tasty, filling, look good and do good.

We need multi-tasking dishes of the finest order.

Another thing, how about making your meals pretty?

I collect bowls and plates, it’s a bit of a thing, started at Jurby Junk on the Isle of Man when I lived there , a wonderworld, tables piled on tables and all piled with other people’s junk, somebody else’s treasure! I have never lost that love of bowls and cups, big or tiny with patterns inside as well as outside, huge jewel coloured bowls to pile with leaves and wide rustic plates to place lots of different tasting, textured and coloured morsels onto. Ideal if the food colours are slightly monotinous or dull but, when the food is bright and varied, let it tell it’s own story on plain white, as above.

Here is a recipe for you plus an alternative to show how easy it is to switch the flavours up…

Stir fry 1

I chopped …
1 onion
1 yellow pepper
1 handful runner beans
1/2 inch ginger and turmeric

I steamed the beans whilst I stir fried everything else (onions for a few minutes first) for ten mins.
Added the beans to the stir fry with …

 1 handful spinach ripped
Leaves torn from 6 leaves of purple Kale and ripped

Splashed with some Braggs (you could use soy sauce) and a few grinds pepper and tipped into a bowl.

I threw on top a palm full of Goji berries and lots of spiced pumpkin, chia and sunflower seeds.

SO good!

Stir fry 2 using similar basic ingredients …

I chopped …
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 handful runner beans
1 carrot into small sticks
3 largish mushrooms quartered
1/2 inch ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed

I steamed the beans whilst I stir fried everything else (onions for a few minutes first) for ten mins.
Added the beans to the stir fry with …

1 handful spinach
Leaves torn from 6 leaves of purple Kale

I sprinkled with …

1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons soya sauce

Stirred it all until all the leaves were wilted and served sprinkled liberally with lots of spiced pumpkin, chia and sunflower seeds.

Don’t think diet, don’t think deprivation think delicious, nourishing, light and bright. If you are used to drinking alcohol or hitting the chocolate bikkies slouched in front of the TV most nights think of indulging yourself in the evening instead, try doing something you don’t do when you drink – like make something, go out swimming or for a dark walk (watch those puddles – actually wear wellies and enjoy those puddles!), start a new hobby, read a new book, start learning something, do self massage, have long, early bubble baths and snuggle into bed early.

Find a turn around for yourself, turn what may feel negative (only because of habit and because you are saying no) into something positive and fun or indulgent.

Here is to a year of finding our best, happiest and healthiest selves.

Desri XX

Feeling heavy, slow, tired, down, stuck, unhappy, achy, old, “just not 100%”?
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO!
Come to us for a few days (or more) and lets look at what is going wrong, or just not going right, re-evaluate, find a way, make some changes and while we are doing that let us nourish you with the best and most delicious food and drinks. Be supported, be prepared, be changed.
We are now taking bookings from 16 March 2018!
15% discount on all bookings from March to end May as the indoor spa pool will be closed for maintenance and the outdoor pool may be a bit cooler than 28° – weather depending, late April and May should be fine!
Have a look around our site and contact us with any questions at all, for more info or to book your stay.

 

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