Tuesday, 4 November 2014

SIMPLE SOUPS: Hotel Soup



In the early weeks of pregnancy I took a craving for what I call `Hotel soup`- the blended vegetable soup you get at weddings or in hotels on a Sunday, so I had to come up with my own version. Its very simple and tasty, and without the MSG that Im sure hotels add to their version! 

Ingredients:
One clove of garlic.
Equal amounts of the following veg chopped:
Leek
Broccoli
Celery
Carrot
Half the amount of potato chopped
Vegetable stock- enough to cook the veg. Add more liquid if you prefer thin soup. The best I have found for flavour is Swiss Marigold Bouillon

Method:
Lightly fry the garlic and leek in oil or butter, then add all ingredients and simmer until cooked....then blend. 

Tuesday, 28 October 2014

RECIPE: Vegetarian Chilli

Another easy healthy recipe :)


Ingredients:
*Clove of garlic chopped
*Small onion chopped
*One Pepper (any colour or mixed- red, green, yellow etc)
*Carton of Chopped tomatoes or fresh chopped tomatoes
*Chilli con carne spice powder mix or 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp chilli powder.  
*200mls water (approx)
*2 tins of beans: Choose a variety of your favourite beans- Kidney, Black-eyed, Barlotti, Green Lentils, Chick Peas etc... 


Method: 
*Fry garlic, onion and pepper in oil.
*Add all other ingredients: chopped tomatoes, spices, beans and water
*Simmer until cooked (approx 20-30 mins)

Serve with rice or crusty bread or baked potato :) 



Green Lentil & Kidney Bean Chilli




Black-eyed Bean & Kidney Bean Chilli

RECIPE: Pasta Bean Bake

Yet another easy bean recipe :) 


Ingredients:
*Clove of garlic chopped
*Small onion chopped
*Small carrot grated (I use the potato peeler to get thin strips)
*Pepper- any colour
*Mixed herbs- i add a little extra basil
*Fresh parsley
*Tin of mixed beans (or just your favourite beans eg kidney)
*Chopped tomatoes
*Pasta
*Grated cheese


Method:
*Fry onion, garlic, pepper and carrot.
*Add the tomatoes, beans and herbs and simmer until cooked. 
*Cook the pasta for a few minutes until just half cooked
*Add the bean mix and pasta and fresh parsley to an oven dish, sprinkle with cheese and cook in oven for approx 10 minutes until golden.





SIMPLE SOUPS: Carrot & Lentil


Ingredients:
Garlic chopped
Small Onion chopped
2 Carrots chopped
Few sticks of Celery chopped
Handful of Red Lentils -rinsed (increase/reduce amount of lentils to water ratio depending on how thick you like soup as lentils will naturally thicken)
Chopped tomatoes
Veg stock- plenty to cover and top up if necessary


Method:
Fry the onion and garlic until softened.
Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until veggies cooked.
Leave chunky or blend. 
Season to taste.






SIMPLE SOUPS: Tomato & Basil


Ingredients:
*Carton of chopped tomatoes
*Fresh cherry or small vine tomatoes
*Garlic
*Small onion chopped
*Basil (dried or fresh or mix)
*Vegetable stock

Method:
*Put fresh tomatoes and 2 whole garlic cloves in oven dish and cover with oil. Medium roast until cooked.
*Fry clove of garlic and onion in oil then add carton tomatoes, veggie stock and basil.
*Remove roasted garlic and tomatoes from skins and add to pot.
*Simmer for 20-30 mins.
*Leave chunky or blend.








SIMPLE SOUPS: Leek & Spaghetti



This is a really easy handy soup for using up any leftover Leek!

*Add chopped leek and a clove of chopped garlic to pot and gently cook in butter or oil to soften. 
*Cover with vegetable stock (I use Swiss Marigold Bouillon).
*Add some mixed herbs. Break up some spaghetti and simmer until cooked.

Yummy with some crusty bread! Enjoy :)   

Friday, 28 February 2014

Chakra Meditation- Sahasrara (Crown) Chakra

Colour-Breathing Meditation for 
Sahasrara/Crown Chakra

Get comfortable.. if you`re lying down let your whole body relax and become comfy. If you`re sitting, then relax your hands on your lap or at your side, whatever way feels comfy.
And close your eyes. This is your time now, so leave all your worries at the door. Allow yourself to relax into the flow of the moment. Whatever comes easily for you is just right. There is only right here, right now, the future and the past do not exist right now.
Notice any sounds outside of the room, acknowledge them and let them go. Notice any sounds inside of the room, acknowledge them and let them go.
Tell your body to relax. Let your feet & legs soften into position. Drop your shoulders. Relax your hands. Allow your full body to soften down and relax into a natural position. Now tell your head and face to relax. Your scalp and hair. Your ears, your jaw and chin, your cheeks, your nose, your eyes, and your eyebrows..your forehead, all soft and relaxed. 
 Take a cleansing breath in…and breathe out the tension in your body.
Allow your breathing to fall into its own natural rhythm, not trying to control it in any way. Just observing as you breathe in relaxation, and breathe out tension. Breathing in, breathing out. Just watching the natural rhythm of your breathing.
If thoughts intrude, allow them to flow on past, and return your attention to your breathing. Breathing in, breathing out (repeat).
Bring your attention to the top of your head. Imagine a lovely little violet blue light there…swirling out from the top of your head like a little whirlpool. Try to notice how it feels, how it looks. Try to get a sense of how it is functioning, can you feel any tingling? What thoughts are popping into your head? Is it swirling and moving, what speed is it, does it feel fast or slow, a little small light or a big enlarged light. Can you see any colour in your minds eye?  Visualise again the little violet light at the top of your head, watch as this violet glow starts to gently spread out and get bigger as it spins.
Now bring your attention to your breathing- breathing in relaxation breathing out tension (repeat).  As you  breathe in, visualise yourself breathing in violet light. With every in-breath you pull in more fresh violet light, allowing it to fill your whole head and spread down into your chest, out into your arms and hands. Down into your tummy, your legs and your feet, filling you up with violet light. Allow it to fill your entire body, while connecting with all other chakras. Breathing in violet light (repeat). 
As you breathe in this violet light it brings you connection, wisdom, enlightenment.
  As you breathe out, the violet light removes all blockages. Feel the lovely violet glow as it gently spins and envelops you. Breathing in violet light. Tell yourself you are connected, you are all knowing. Breathing in violet light (repeat). 
(Closing down the Chakra): Bring your attention back to the top of your head, to the violet light of the Crown Chakra. Visualise the swirling violet light getting smaller, bringing it down to around the size of a fairy light, bringing it back down to normal function. Repeat to yourself “My Crown Chakra is working at normal function”. 

Bring your awareness back to the flow of your breathing, in and out, in and out. Notice the cool breath as it comes in through your nose and down the back of your throat and into your lungs. Notice the natural movement of your tummy as you breathe, in and out. Be aware of your full body again as it rests against the floor. Bring your attention to your toes, and give them a little wiggle. Then to your fingers and give them a little wiggle. Give your shoulders a little shrug. Let yourself be aware of the room again, of all the sounds close by. And when you feel ready to, you can open your eyes and bring yourself back to this present moment in time.