You know what? sometimes I find Oprah Winfrey a bit too sugary for my taste but she got it spot on with the above quote. We can all achieve, whether it's learning a smattering of a new language for a long awaited holiday or getting fit and healthy. No-one who achieves has been handed it on the proverbial plate. They aren't lucky, they worked for it! But that is fabulous news because it doesn't matter who we are, where we live, how much money we have, we can all achieve of we are willing to work for it!
Have a little, but not too long, think about it! Come on lets all shout together "WE CAN DO IT IF WE REALLY WANT TO"
More Marvelous Miso
On Monday we talked about the magic of miso and I promised you a super awesome recipe. Not one that will taste like restaurant dish water but like fragrant, yummy, "can I have some more" Miso soup. It's a really easy recipe, can be made in bulk and stored in a glass jar in your freezer for several days so its always there for you, will freeze well and best of all it is so kind to your body.
Here goes....................
Ingredients
* 1 x 5 inch piece of Kombu (Kombu is a seaweed)
* 1/4 cup shitake mushrooms
* 2 Spring Onions - diced Finely
* Freshly grated ginger juice (grate a good 2 inches or more on a fine grater. then squeeze the juice out)
* 1 heaped tsp miso paste per bowl
To garnish
* chopped coriander
* finely sliced spring onion
* toasted seaweed
* toasted seaweed
* gomassio (click here for recipe
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| Kombu is bought dried |
Method
* Soak your piece of Wakame and shitake mushroom in 2 cups of water for about twenty minutes.
* After twenty minutes, remove form the water (keep the water) and slice mushroom and seaweed finely
* In a soup pan add the scopped items, soaking water and another 4 to 5 cups of water. bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
* Add spring onions and simmer for a further 5 minutes.If you are planning to put some in the fridge or freezer do it now without adding the miso.
* Remove from heat and using a strainer like a seive or tea strainer place your miso paste in it. Lower into the soup and using a spoon pus the paste through into the soup. Don't boil the soup with miso in or you will kill all the lovely living microorganisms.
put the ginger juice in and stir through.
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| Shitake are dried too! |
You now have a basic miso.
Serve with a sprinkle of uncooked spring onion, a few coriander leaves and gomassio.
You can add lovely small pieces of firm tofu to bulk it up.
Why not add some cooked noodles to the bottom of the bowl before pouring in the soup.
NOTE; when you take soup out of the fridge or freezer, heat it through thoroughly. In your soup bowl place a teaspoon of miso. Pour hot soup over and stir. Serve.
The Great Dorks Weekend
"Food is the problem AND food is the answer" by Marlene Watson-Tara
"Food is the problem AND food is the answer" by Marlene Watson-Tara
Well I promised you a review if the macrobiotic workshop so here we go.................................
Firstly hello to Marlene, Jane D,Jo, Debbie C, Debbie F, Sharon, Glynn, Vanda, Jill, Zoe, Louise, Arline and last but not least NESTA the Wonder Dog!
Firstly hello to Marlene, Jane D,Jo, Debbie C, Debbie F, Sharon, Glynn, Vanda, Jill, Zoe, Louise, Arline and last but not least NESTA the Wonder Dog!
The Event was organised by Debbie Flint who was ably supported by Sharon Harvey.
Our host for the day was Marlene Watson-Tara, the doyenne of Macrobiotic cooking and well-being. She is a macrobiotic practitioner who helps her patients to improve their lives through good nutrition and the the co owner of the Wellness Academy with her husband the world renowned William (Bill) Tara. With a pedigree like that I figured I would be in for a great day and thankfully I wasn't wrong.
Marlene greeted us all as we arrived at the hall and offered us bancha or green tea to settle us down for the off! I have to say it was delicious and I am a firm believer in using teas as tonics. She also offered us handmade organic almond and pecan nuggets. Believe me once you've tried one of these you wouldn't ever need a bar of choccy again! One nugget gave us the satisfaction of a couple of big bars of fruit and nut and of course it was also nutritionally sound. Believe me one was more than enough to satisfy any sweet cravings - brilliant!
During the morning we discussed the role of balancing our hormones and the biome to be super fit and healthy. There was no phoohey, just Marlene's straight forward common sense approach. For more info about hormonal balance and weight loss and to read Marlene's article. click here.
We then took part in a cookery demonstration - the fragrances were divine! Some ingredients may have looked odd to non experienced vegan macrobiotic aficionados but they soon got the hang of them.
The Lunch Menu was divine;
In the afternoon we looked at the role of laboratories creating so called food and how many big corporations pay to have research carried out to mock so called alternative ways to eat other than mass produced Frankenstein foods. Of course we also continued to examine the role of macrobiotic diet for good health and avoiding illness.
Mid-afternoon we made daikon tea. Now that raised some giggles! Daikon tea is a fab fat burning tonic but when making it one does get a smell like you do cooking sprouts on Christmas Day! However, when you drink it, it is the most delightful sweet teas and incredibly palatable.
We finished with a lively and informative Q and A session which was most useful.
Jo from The Kind Food Company brought along a whole range of foods for attendees to look at, feel and purchase. This was a real bonus for the people there who hadn't come across some of the ingredients before.
Marlene has true passion, tells the truth without fear, holds your attention the whole time, is a fantastic ambassador for macrobiotic living and a superb cook! On top of that I met amazing people who I would love to meet up with again. Thank you girls and Glynn for making it such a memorable day.
I've already recreated the recipes we made at the workshop and my husband looooooooved it all. (Btw for people who think real mean don't eat this type of food my hubbie is 6'1" of leanness, a runner and a sailor, my son is 6'5" and built like a brick privy and walks miles every day! ).
Marlene's workshops are well worth attending and truly are life changing - just ask Zoe! She runs them mainly from Glasgow but you can approach her to organise an event in another part of the country. She will of course be able to discuss this possibility with you.
During the morning we discussed the role of balancing our hormones and the biome to be super fit and healthy. There was no phoohey, just Marlene's straight forward common sense approach. For more info about hormonal balance and weight loss and to read Marlene's article. click here.
We then took part in a cookery demonstration - the fragrances were divine! Some ingredients may have looked odd to non experienced vegan macrobiotic aficionados but they soon got the hang of them.
The Lunch Menu was divine;
Miso Soup
Fragrant Crispy Tofu Balls with Lemon/Tahini sauce served on Steamed Greens, Spelt Couscous and topped with Sauerkraut.
Apple Kanten and Date and Nut Chocolate Balls
OMG! Gorgeous or what! Even the meat eaters were bowled over with such great tasting food.. Once you've tried quality macrobiotic food there's no turning back!
Just writing about it is making my mouth water!
In the afternoon we looked at the role of laboratories creating so called food and how many big corporations pay to have research carried out to mock so called alternative ways to eat other than mass produced Frankenstein foods. Of course we also continued to examine the role of macrobiotic diet for good health and avoiding illness.
Mid-afternoon we made daikon tea. Now that raised some giggles! Daikon tea is a fab fat burning tonic but when making it one does get a smell like you do cooking sprouts on Christmas Day! However, when you drink it, it is the most delightful sweet teas and incredibly palatable.
 |
| 1 tsp to 1 cup of water, boil for approx 20 minutes. a fab fat burner |
We finished with a lively and informative Q and A session which was most useful.
Jo from The Kind Food Company brought along a whole range of foods for attendees to look at, feel and purchase. This was a real bonus for the people there who hadn't come across some of the ingredients before.
Marlene has true passion, tells the truth without fear, holds your attention the whole time, is a fantastic ambassador for macrobiotic living and a superb cook! On top of that I met amazing people who I would love to meet up with again. Thank you girls and Glynn for making it such a memorable day.
I've already recreated the recipes we made at the workshop and my husband looooooooved it all. (Btw for people who think real mean don't eat this type of food my hubbie is 6'1" of leanness, a runner and a sailor, my son is 6'5" and built like a brick privy and walks miles every day! ).
Marlene's workshops are well worth attending and truly are life changing - just ask Zoe! She runs them mainly from Glasgow but you can approach her to organise an event in another part of the country. She will of course be able to discuss this possibility with you.
Weekend Wanders
You know me I like a good wander at the weekend! i love discovering new places and walking around and learning new things. Nourishes the soul and the mind.
This weekend's suggestion is Eyam in Derbyshire.
You may well know Eyam as it is often referred to as the plague village. A London cotton merchant inadvertently introduced the plague in to the village in August 1665. Eyam means islands. This is really appropriate because the village isolated itself to prevent the plague spreading further.Supplies were dropped at pre-determined points around the village boundaries.
I know that all sounds a bit miserable! (I'm pretty sure it was, I remember watching The Roses of Eyam by Dan Taylor as a little girls), BUT, it is a very pretty village in the divine Derbyshire countryside and forms a huge part of our social history.
Eyam is a thriving place with plenty of stops for eating, drinking and making merry. After lunch why not stroll around the village and see:
* The Cool Stone
* The Plague Cottages
* Eyam Church
* Eyam Museum
* The mightily impressive Jacobean Eyam Hall (1671)
* The Anglo Saxon Cross.
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| Eyam's Jacobean Hall |
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| One of the plague cottages |
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| The Saxon Cross |
Move more chill a bit less
Okay, so you have had it easy lately with marching etc. Its time to up the ante!
This week your challenge is to walk 10000 steps a day. That is a recommended minimum for good health. I can't make you do exercise, you will when you are ready.......but remember exercise gives you power, vitality and a far reduced incidence of serious illness. Unless you are in a coma you are more than capable of moving more and chilling a bit less!! I was watching "A year to save my life" yesterday and a thirty stone woman who was bed bound climbed 27 flights of stairs in one go! So whats your excuse? If you are worried or have concerns about exercise please always consult your doctor.
If you want to know more about moving more, checkout this newspaper article. Once you have read it you can make your own mind up. x
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| Will You? |
Anyway time to sign off now but before I go...............................
On Monday I am launching a BIG competition with a super special prize!
We will be looking at F for...
Weekly recipe
Moving our bods
Real Men Eat Macro/Vegan (wait til you see some of the piccies I've got lined up!)
Kate tries the £30 challenge.
Cant wait ..............................weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
janie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Monday I am launching a BIG competition with a super special prize!
We will be looking at F for...
Weekly recipe
Moving our bods
Real Men Eat Macro/Vegan (wait til you see some of the piccies I've got lined up!)
Kate tries the £30 challenge.
Cant wait ..............................weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
janie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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