Want to feel great?

When I want to feel great? REALLY GREAT!!! I eat this!

I'm calling this recipe Angel Hair, firstly because I've been very inspired by the wonderful book, Angels in my Hair, which I highly recommend, and secondly, the dish resembles the type of pasta often called Angel hair. This recipe is a lovely way to ENJOY courgettes, which are now in season. They're ninety percent water! Interestingly these slender mini marrows belong to the same family as cucumbers and watermelons, so it makes sense that they're a perfect summer ingredient. Seriously refreshing prepared in this manner, I promise any  pasta lover that this light linguine lullaby love joy will make your taste buds sing! Such is the beauty of this dish. Bake them, fry them, griddle them, roast them, though I'm sure courgettes taste best eaten raw.

When I want to feel great? REALLY GREAT!!! I meditate!

Cooking is a kind of meditation for me, it brings me into alignment with love. It is my daily dose of stillness, sure there is a lot of cling clang, steam and stirring, though this is the time where my mind empties and I clear my thoughts of clutter. Meditation is food for the soul, it is the breath that gives us the keys to open our personal paradise. True bliss begins in the most sacred of places, it is intimate and delicate, when given airtime it is difficult to repress. Meditation frees us quietly with the strength of silk and helps us be who we really are! We find flow through meditation, or perhaps more succinctly, flow finds us. Flow is a natural state, it is simple and agenda free. Combine healthy eating with meditation and all obstacles begin to melt. Feelings of joy and lightness guide us to where true peace exists. Alternatively a good old fashioned telephone box is equally serene!!! 

  

So while you're washing your vegetables in the cold running water, empty your thoughts and let any worries swirl away, let go of them. Cooking is calming and without over egging the pudding, hang on this recipe I'm sharing is a savoury dish, carbonara perhaps! Keep your thoughts simple, food choices simple, company simple and watch the radiance and inner light glow. 

BREAK THROUGH BARRIERS AND REACH FOR YOUR DREAMS!

Toxic friends who “make you feel bad,” are as cumbersome as processed foods, bad habits are nigh impossible to change without the occasional detox. Energy vibrates at different rates and has different qualities. Simply put, there is good energy and bad energy. Energy is magnetic. So it makes sense that when life is in flow, we attract more positive experiences. Our positive feelings attract abundance into our life.

The happier we feel, the more anything is possible!


Live the impossible, make your dreams come true! I dare you!

FFX

Angel Hair

SERVES 4

Courgette, 4

Lemon, 1 juiced

Maldon salt, a generous sprinkle

FRESH HOME MADE PESTO

SLICE courgette into strips with a potato peeler.

CUT into spaghetti like laces/ Angel hair.
SPRINKLE over lemon juice.

STIR in pesto and mix well.

SEASON to taste and enjoy.

THE SIMPLE TASTES REALLY ARE THE GREATEST.

I Lavender you

Lavender you?

Lavender blue?

Lavender Purple?

Lavender!

YES I do!

Those of you who’ve been reading my blog for some time, may know that I love lavender. I love it’s gentle fragrance that calms and relaxes, it’s floral flavour that is a treat in biscuits. Today I’m sharing with you a summer snack, that is so full of lavender loveliness. It is seriously delicious, one cannot help but feel this is a recipe of love.

I use balsamic pearls to bring an extra touch of magic to the overall taste bud experience. 

Each little droplet of dark-brown syrup gorgeousness, explodes with a sweet-sour readiness that balances the goat’s cheese beautifully, whilst not taking any of lavender’s fragrance away. This recipe is a celebration of summer and  my bonkers branches lavender bush that grows in a horizontal direction!

I have to bee : )  thankful though, as it made making this recipe fairly easy.

I love the idea of gardening and while I can't say I do it often, when I do, I get an enormous sense of satisfaction. I’m sure working with nature’s shrubs and wonders is good for the soul.

You will need a few flowers for this gem.

Enjoy and relax, these can be made well in advance and simply toasted, as and when you want to eat them. They would also make lovely canapés if prepared in smaller bite sized pieces.

Go gently into each summer day. And I hope your relationship with food is blossoming, indeed, it is a bond like no other. In many ways it is our most direct link to knowing ourselves. By eating seasonally and paying attention to our changing appetites, we in turn grow in health on every level. Unlike other relationships, many of which are transient, food remains a part of our daily lives ALWAYS.

Love yourself,

Nourish yourself,

And most of all,

Be your self!

I lavender you!

Lots of love,

FFX

Goats cheese with lavender and Balsamic Pearls

SERVES 4

Goats Cheese, 3 small logs, semi-soft kind

Brioche, 12 slices cut into rounds

Lavender flowers, 12 spikes

Balsamic Pearls, (If you can find theses bubbles of brilliance)

Alternatively, 3 tbps of Balsamic vinegar

Seasoning

FOR THE MARINADE

Lavender flowers, 7

Extra virgin olive oil, 5 tbsp (RESERVE FOR DRESSING)

Black pepper, 12 turns

FOR THE DRESSING

Balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp

Lavender flowers, 4 bruised in a pestle and mortar

TRIM top and tails of goat’s cheese, to reveal the soft speckled cheese. Oooh!

CUT each log into four generous slices.

DE-FLOWER purple joys for the marinade and mix with remaining marinade ingredients.

COVER and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours, I prefer overnight.

CUT brioche rounds and lightly toast.

ARRANGE marinade slices on brioche.

These may be prepared up to this point and then left covered until you’re ready to eat.

PRE-HEAT grill and press one spike into each goat’s cheese disc.

GRILL until lightly sizzling, this will take a few minutes, take care not too burn the brioche.

TOSS salad leaves in dressing.

ARRANGE between four plates and pop of the toasted delights as soon as they’re golden and gorgeously ready.

SPOON ½ tsp of balsamic pearls onto each goat’s cheese disc.

SUMMER and flowers with goat’s cheese…

Chia up?

My current favourite seed of wonder may grace your sweet hankerings with a never-ending tale of goodness and nutrition... sounds like a fairy tale? It sure tastes like one! Enjoyed with an Iced Chai tea, one cannot help but surrender to the moment!

This potent blend of aromas and spices, bring a magical moment with meaning. It is a tapioca like dessert and on a warm summer's day will cool you and sweeten you joyfully. Not to everyone’s taste, though the body will smile, without question.

I love the feeling of being invigorated and enlightened, by introducing this kind of treat to your table, you really will feel better.

Take note, food isn’t a place to hide feelings, it’s a place to celebrate them. At it’s most basic level, it is our fuel, taken to another level, it is something else altogether, it is a medium to bring minds and hearts together, to celebrate the freshness of life.

Choose balance,

Choose bliss,

Choose whole foods,

Choose harmony,

Choose courage,

Choose intuition over advice,
Choose truth,

Choose trust,
Be love!

In the gentle summer breeze all the above ring crystal clear, we only need to take a step out of our daily routines and tune into that most quiet and meditative of places, to listen to our hearts and connect to our reason for being.

You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships everyday. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. - Epicurus

We are shaped by our experiences, in the same way we are shaped by our diets, literally. This does not mean to say we should sit back and satiate, no compadres, stand tall, shoulders back and engage. 

Each moment matters.

Treat yourself in the simplest of ways by making this luscious ambrosia, and enjoying freshness and freedom. The sweetness comes from the medjool dates and with the combination of spices, enigmas spring into each mouthful! I make my own almond milk; it’s joyfully easy to do, though equally you may find it in the shop.

The low-down on Chia seeds…

My recent raw adventures helped these land in my nest! They’re raw, gluten-free and vegan seeds. Bursting with minerals, omega 3, antioxidants, they are a complete source of protein and a week after first trying them, my skin, my body, my mind all FEEL better! Bold statement, though true.

It may also be used as a natural thickener for soups and stews, as an egg substitute, or simply add to yogurt, porridge or smoothies.

5 reasons why Chia is good for you too!

Five times the amount of calcium in milk, with a boost of boron  that  helps one absorb it.
Three times the amount of antioxidants in blueberries.
Three times the amount of iron in spinach.
Two times the amount of protein, than any other bean, seed or grain.
Two times the amount off potassium in a banana.

By adding chia seeds to your diet, you will be increasing both your energy levels and endurance (great for yogis and pilate's bunnies!). They also help your body rejuvenate and rebuild muscle after exercise and during and post pregnancy.

Summer is here and it is raining! 

We breathe and love!

Lots of it!

Always!

FFX

Cheery Chia Delight

SERVES 6

Chia seeds, 70g

Almond milk, 200ml

Medjool dates, 5 pitted

Vanilla extract, 1 tsp

Cinnamon, ½ tsp

Ground Cloves, the tiniest of pinches

Freshly ground Nutmeg, the tiniest of pinches

Ground ginger, the tiniest of pinches
Blueberries, a generous handful

BLEND all ingredients, except seeds, in a blender.

WHIZZ until smooth.

STIR liquid into chia seeds in a suitably sized bowl.

COVER and leave to chill and churn into glorious pudding delight for roughly 2 hours, overnight is best.
SERVE with a scattering of blueberries.

DELIGHTFUL!

Fresh as a Cucumber with Mint!

Over the weekend I took part in an inspiring workshop on Raw Food with Saskia Fraser, where she shared the health benefits for those who follow the ways of Raw. We were given the most delicious selection of raw treats, I enjoyed the hazelnut chocolate mousse in particular, YUM! 

Raw to me means eating FRESH ingredients that have not been heated above 115 degrees, to conserve nutritional value, thus enjoying  the optimum goodness in a very healthy way. 


However, as a cook, who loves to cook, I enjoy the smells and textures heat gives to food, the simmering warmth and gentleness of slow cooking in the warming hub of the home. The wafting fragrance of herbs and the happy hum of the general clickety clack of a working kitchen brings joy. 


I’m not sure where my interest with this very inspiring way of eating will take me? You will no doubt, if you choose to, read about it here. Balance is my mantra and I believe strongly that including raw meals in our diet is definitely worth while and beneficial for good general health. Why raw you may wonder?

"Because from thirty to eighty-five percent of the nutrition in foods is destroyed in cooking. That is an average fifty percent loss! Fresh, raw foods contain the highest level of enzymes. Enzymes are the catalyst for the hundreds of thousands of chemical reactions that occur throughout the body. Cooked foods and dry convenient diets have been denatured and are devoid of enzymes - life-promoting elements. While they may maintain life they do not promote optimum health or longevity!" (Alicia McWatters, Ph.D., C.N.C.)

I've shared a few raw recipes, one of my favourite tipples, Almond Milk, my Summer no bake cake and a delicious dip Hummus. So raw has definitely got a place at my table. I hope it finds a place at yours too.


I first fell in love with cooking as a young child, I used to make magical potions, or so I thought, to my Mums great annoyance, mixing Channel No.5 with flour and vanilla, then an egg cracked in for good measure, didn’t  get the response I’d expected. Ooops!

I love sharing my recipes with you, beautiful YOU!!! It is summer and maybe not a scorcher, YET! In fact it's clouds mixed in with rain today. Despite the weather not playing ball, summer is one of the best times to celebrate love. Love for the self, love for health, love for family and friends, love for the world and perhaps most of all, for the gift of life.

The other day I sipped an aromatic drink of cucumber with a spice laced sparkling fandango...

I thought, “Eureka.” With a drop of self acceptance and the realisation that life is the purest of gifts, this resonated...

My heart danced a lighter beat. Now I’m not sure if this is down to the tonic, for indeed that’s what it felt like, or simply that a very positive change is bringing immediate relief, or that light, in the daylight sense, worked some magic in the corners of my mind?


Perhaps it's really quite simple. Water feels good!

WATER?
IT GIVES ENERGY
IT REFRESHES
IT CLEANSES
IT IS OUR LIFE FUEL
IT IS GOOD FOR YOUR ♥ 

Either way, I wanted to share this with you. OK, so there is no cooking involved, and it’s not a raw recipe either. However, if your thirst needs quenching, and you have guests whose idea of Pimms is Pete Tong, then pour a splash of this into chilled glasses and drink to life, to love and to welcoming all things good.

Lots of love and freshness,

FFXOX

Zing in a Glass

Sparkling water, 1 large botttle, chilled
Lemon, 1
Cucumber, 1/2 cut in thin strips length ways
Vanilla extract, 2 tsp
Almond extract, 2 tsp,
Sweet Freedom, 1 tbsp
Ice cubes, a handful
Mint leaves, 1 handful

PEEL the zest of a lemon and add it to a jug.
CUT in half and squeeze juice into jug, mind the pips.
ADD cucumber strips, vanilla extract, almond extract, sweet freedom, mint leaves and ice cubes.
POUR in sparkling water.
GIVE it a good stir.
LUSH LUSH LUSH!
SIP slowly and refresh.

Buttercup Moments

Have you ever held a buttercup flower under your chin, to see if you like butter? 

It’s something I loved doing as a child. The recipe I’m sharing today is one of my families favourites too. Who says one needs buttercups to persuade children that they like butternut squash and butter too!?! 

Butternut squash has a naturally sweet and nutty taste that works well in both sweet and savoury dishes. This hourglass like shaped fruit is full of folate and potassium, making it a pregnant ladies food of dreams. As the weathers cooler, why not try making this warming joy that sumptuously satisfies, while also giving a simple and healthy hug   to your taste buds and appetite.

I go heavy on the garlic in this recipe as it gives a deep and robust flavour to the mix, though temper the amount to suit you. Simply cut off the woody base, which then makes it easier to squeeze the gorgeous roasted pulp out.  This soup is a slow simmering wonder, the flavours work magic all by themselves and as with the best cooking, the ingredients make the biggest impact.

The weather and feelings have much in common, similar in some ways to our appetites and time. There are loose connections with all relationships and certainly our most powerful and fundamental one, is that with our dear selves.

I'm at a cross roads and I know which direction to take.

Before lines have appeared blurred, instincts ignored! Now thanks to time, thanks to love and most of all acceptance, I'm taking a buttercup leap of faith into purple pastures. 

It's no secret that a peaceful perspective preludes a positive path, tread gently and hold on to your dreams and then let them go! Give them a chance to change and grow!

I wonder sometimes, am I doing the right thing in terms of career path? When I feel like this, I let the thought sail on, my sons smiling faces tell me all and more, the rest will fall into place.

Time is a gentle reminder that life is precious. This soup is for eating with the special people in your life. It is a joy to make and will scent your home with an inviting smell that brings love and joy into your happy space.

Love to you and yours.

FFX

Butternut Squash and Rosemary Soup

Butternut squash, 1 weighing about 1 kg

Olive oil, 2 tbsp

Garlic, 1 bulb I said this soup was heavy on the garlic!

Rosemary, 2 sprigs

Maldon salt, a generous pinch

Freshly ground black pepper, 12 turns

Hot chicken stock/ or vegetable, 2 litres

Crème fraiche, 3 tbsp

PRE-HEAT oven to gas 6, 200’C.

CUT butternut squash into large chunks.

REMOVE seeds with a spoon.

PLACE on a baking tray and scatter over garlic gloves and rosemary.

DRIZZLE with oil and season.

COVER with foil and bake for 1 hour and fifteen minutes.
DISCARD foil.

ALLOW squash to cool for around ten minutes.

REMOVE flesh using a large spoon and place in blender.

SQUEEZE out garlic pulp into blender, I love this bit!

POUR stock in blender and then add rosemary leaves and crème fraiche.

BLEND until smooth.

TASTE and check for seasoning, adjust if necessary.

LADLE soup into warmed bowls, spoon on a teaspoon of crème fraiche and swirl, for a sunshine saunter that doesn’t rely on the weather!

Thirst

In the sweet nothingness of time -

Before hunger came thirst.

Travelling with an open heart –

On a journey, I felt cursed.

A change in direction and some golden light,

I gained some strength to find the dawn after night,

And welcome a life led by love.
It feels like the warmest glove.

Oh, Love eternal!

Discover a fresh drink and find quenchable thirst with this recipe. Pour generously on a divine summers day and celebrate life with this twist on classic Iced tea. Now is a great time to celebrate, the Queen's Jubilee falls this weekend and what better tipple to refresh with than Early Grey, Strawberry and Vanilla Iced Tea.

Beautiful Leaves

The British are a nation of tea drinkers and have poured more cups of tea per capita than anywhere in the world. As a child I remember sipping freshly brewed milky tea, after a day of climbing trees and seeking out adventure. Tea is a drink of sweet pleasure and togetherness, it begs a pot and orders quietude. Iced tea is gradually becoming more fashionable here and if you’ve yet to try it, now is a good time to dive in. This recipe will weave you into a glorious strawberry laced sipping splash, and draw you away to a cooling calm. It is surprisingly simple to make, I first featured this recipe in my collumn for Families First.

I love the idea of cleansing the body from the inside out, freshening and nourishing all the while. Tipple a trickle of this and your thirst may be rewarded with a most delicious drink that is strawberrily good and is as refreshing as diving into the sea. Sit in the shade whilst sipping and listen closely to your heart, trust in the stillness and calm. Meditate on some lovely time and with each breath feel good and true. What I love most about cooking for my family is the unconditional love that travels through my touch, cooking is many things and with love it is a gift in the most nourishing sense. As the bumblebee is to flowers, so are we to fresh ingredients. I’ve coined a new saying!!!

MAKE HONEY NOT WAR!!! 

Keep a journal of HAPPY moments, keep it SAFE and write in it often, this act will create a vibration that invites beauty and joy in abundance.

On this summers day I wish you well.

Lots of love,

FFX

Early Grey, Strawberry and Vanilla Iced tea

Earl Grey teabags, 4

Cinnamon stick, 1

Vanilla pod, 1 split and seeds scraped

Sweet freedom/ Maple syrup, 100g

Fresh Strawberries, 400g hulled

Orange juice, 250 ml

Lime, juiced

Ice cube, 7

BOIL 750ml water in a kettle.

POUR into a tall 4 litre jug.

ADD teabags, sweet freedom/ maple syrup, cinnamon stick, vanilla pod and seeds.

STIR well and leave for fifteen minutes to brew.

BLITZ strawberries and orange juice together in a blender until smooth.

REMOVE teabags.

POUR strawberry mixture and lime juice into the tea and stir well.

ADD the ice cubes and taste for sweetness, adjust to suit your taste buds.

ADD more water if necessary to fill the jug to the top.

STIR again and serve in chilled glasses.