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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The great unmentionables!

by Desri GoodwinMay 7, 2016 Uncategorized0 comments

I have had lots of conversations about my last post with people who related to various points. I am so glad we have had the many experiences we have had and can use them to help others!

I did wonder for a moment or two if was a good idea to post about dealing with anxiety.

Firstly on a personal basis, because it is ingrained in us almost from birth not to tell other people if we have problems and the post wasn’t only about me, it was about my husband too. ( To allay any fears, I would never betray a confidence to anybody, we follow a strict confidentiality code and that applies to each other too, so of course we were both in perfect harmony and agreement about my post).

Secondly from a professional perspective: “could it affect our business if people know ….” well, I had to get over that one quickly – we believe that having lived through various situations, problems, conflicts etc etc in our lives makes us very much more aware of how they effect people. Also, having overcome different things, we have the experience – the proof if you like, that it is possible.

Lets not perpetuate the belief that emotional problems are something to be ashamed of!

And lets face it, most good diet councillors have run the gauntlet of losing weight and are still working to keep it off. Drug and drink rehabilitation sponsors are themselves in recovery and so they know exactly what one is going through.

You wouldn’t expect your driving instructor not to be able to drive.
A person who has experienced and achieved what they are teaching is often a much better bet than a person who has just learnt through theory.

We believe that we are more credible because of what we have experienced, what we manage and what we have overcome and therefore have a greater understanding of the things our clients experience, need to deal with, manage and/or overcome.

We have seen people open up and well up with relief because, on hearing an experience of ours, they suddenly realise that someone really does understand. How often do people think they are the only ones who feel the way they do, or that nobody will understand them. You can bet your bottom dollar that if you are in a room full of people there will be someone else who feels just like you do. Who would totally get it if they only knew how you felt and who would be grateful to know you understand them too. People think they are in a little bubble all alone and can’t tell or ask for help – they often think there IS no help – but they can and there is!

We are proud of our life experiences, good and bad, they have helped make us who we are and are an added qualification from the great university of life. Whilst we don’t need to talk about them all the time none of us should need or want to hide them.

We are all human after all and that’s something to celebrate.

I say again PLEASE lets not perpetuate the belief that emotional problems, anxiety, depression, low self esteem, eating disorders and all the long list – often seen as the great unmentionables – are something to be ashamed of!

Head to our Online retreats page. Lets get you sorted!