Tag: happy

Day 29: Jolly Cauli

Being grateful for cauliflower pizza:

Thank golly for cauli.

I would never in a million years have believed that cauliflower would become one of my favourite veggies.

Up until quite recently, my experience of cauliflower was boiled or steamed and, to put it quite frankly, pretty bland.

Well, no more.

Now, I can’t get enough and even have bags of frozen grated cauliflower in the freezer for whenever it takes my fancy.

These flowery florets have recently had a makeover. A healthy, alternative to grain and gluten, it can seriously tantalise those taste buds. And getting creative with this cruciferous is the key to making all the difference.

I now replace rice with rice-size cauliflower pieces for veggie-powered fried rice, risotto or paella on a regular basis.

And I was amazed to hear you could use it as a pizza crust. The first time I made it, I was pretty sceptical and fully prepared to chuck it and settle for some toast.

But oh my, how my taste buds jumped for joy at the result.

And it’s quick and easy to make too.

Simply grate some cauli, a food processor can do the job in seconds, stir in ground almonds – although I’ve also made it to great success without – mix in an egg, salt and pepper. Good to go.

Grease some grease-proof paper with coconut oil, as I find the base can stick. Flatten the ‘dough’ mixture into a pizza shape of your choice. I make it pretty thin, around 5mm, and bake until it starts to go brown.

Now comes the fun and creative part. Spread your choice of sauce – I prefer pesto – over the base, top with cheese and whatever toppings take your fancy.

Pop back in the oven until the cheese has melted and there you have it: a grain and gluten-free pizza that tastes sensational.

half cauli pizza

I know for anyone that hasn’t yet tried this yet, it sounds pretty crazy. But trust me, try it and see.

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being grateful for cauliflower pizza.

Day 28: Melty heart

Being grateful for melty heart moments:

I’m pretty wiped out after the last couple of days and my brain fog is in full swing.

But this moment made my heart almost burst, and I just had to post today’s happy.

As my three-year-old nephew arrived this morning to spend the day with us, he came up to me to say hello and show me his new hair cut.

Then he looked at me, his little face full of earnest, and said:

“Auntie Helen, you’re my best friend.”

A gorgeously sweet moment to treasure.

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being grateful for melty heart moments.

Day 27: Gracious acceptance

Being mindful of accepting gifts with grace:

I am a very lucky girl.

I’ve recently received some really wonderful gifts from big-hearted friends; inspiring bracelets, Tibetan Cymbals and Mindfulness Book, audio healing resources and online e:courses.

And today I received a big surprise in the post.

A dear friend has generously sent me a box full of books by one of my favourite authors.

Just because.

A whole heap of emotions pulsed through me from feeling gobsmacked, disbelief, tearful, excited, and over-the-moon.

And if I’m being completely honest, overwhelm and panic has set in.

Sounds crazy, I know.

I don’t know about you, but it’s all too easy for me to feel awkward when being the recipient of a generous gift. Feelings of “I don’t deserve this”, “This is too much”, or “I feel bad I can’t reciprocate at the moment” surface.

But I’ve come to realise that saying this can completely deflate the giver: it can deny them the pleasure of giving. I realise it’s about being grateful for how someone has taken the time to think about you and given you something you’d enjoy.

I recall an article that had a big impact on me. In it, Ellen Langer, a psychology professor at Harvard, said: “Receiving with grace isn’t about taking. You should see it as offering someone else the joy of giving.”

It’s about accepting gifts with grace.

It’s not easy, but I’m working on it.

So instead of feeling bad about the lovely gifts I’ve received, I choose to think : Look what magic and kindness my Fairy Godmothers have sprinkled on me, I am so blessed.

And I smile and say: Thank you dear friends.

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being mindful of accepting gifts with grace.

Day 26: Kindness bookmarks

Being kind by hiding a message inside library books:

Today’s happy is short and sweet and happy.

I wanted to leave messages inside a couple of library books I was returning for the next reader to find.

On the back of my Kindness Cards, I wrote: You are in incredible person. Have a lovely day.

Kindness CardsKindness Card Library Book

I decided to write my blog address on the back too, just in case the finder is intrigued to visit. Wouldn’t that be the cherry on the cake.

But again, I let go of all attachment to the outcome. My intention is what counts: to make someone smile.

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being kind by hiding a message inside a library book.

Day 25: Sunrise splendour

Being mindful by watching the sun as it rises:

Today I woke up at 5am. Feeling tired but too wired to go back to sleep, I climbed out of bed to open the curtains.

And was treated to the most magnificent sunrise.

sunrise splendour

So this is what I woke up at ridiculous o’clock for, I mused.

I love a good sunrise, and a good sunset too. I can sit and stare at them all day long as each changing moment brings new beauty to admire.

Sadly, I haven’t seen either for a good while. In the midst of British summertime, with a very early sunrise and a very late sunset, I’m usually in bed for both.

And while I am absolutely delighted summer is here, I do miss seeing those awe-inspiring skies.

So this morning was a very special treat for me.

As I observed the wonder of this morning’s fiery sky, I felt reflective.

I thought about how uncertain life can sometimes be. But we can always be certain that the sun will rise and that the sun will set. Even if it is hiding away behind those infamous British grey clouds.

I was reminded of how today is a new day, as Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield wrote:

“Each morning we are born again.
What we do today is what matters most.”

Today is a beautiful new day. And I choose to make a good one.

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being mindful by watching the sun as it rises.

 

Coconut Cashew Ice Cream

Coconut Cashew Ice Cream:

I adore ice cream and it’s been one of the hardest sweet treats for me to give up when I realised that sugar is not my friend. However, as I try to live by the 80-20% rule, I do occasionally indulge in the odd Magnum, or a little tub of deliciousness when I’m at the cinema.

Then I discovered that raw dairy and sugar-free ice cream can taste really amazing as demonstrated by the fabulous Booja Booja range. I set out to make my own (see Day 23).

I found this recipe on Appetite Affliction and have adapted it slightly to suit my own tastes.

As it uses cashews, it is a little expensive, and it’s also pretty labour intensive. But the end result and satisfaction from tucking into handmade ice cream makes it all worth it.

Coconut Cashew Ice Cream
Makes approx. 750ml

coconut cashew ice cream

Ingredients:
400g coconut milk (use a good quality one without preservatives if possible)
350g raw unsalted cashews (soaked overnight in water)
40g desiccated coconut (optional)
4-8 tbsp liquid sugar alternative, according to taste  (I use Rice Syrup)
2 tsp vanilla extract or powder

Method:
1. Blend all ingredients together in a high-speed blender until smooth. I give it about two minutes
2. Pour into shallow, freezer friendly, 1 litre container with a lid, or use cling film and foil, making sure it’s air-tight
3. Stir/mix with a fork every 30 minutes for six hours, making sure you get right into the corners to agitate all the mixture
4. For ease of eating and storage, I transferred the ice cream into individual serving pots with lids
5. Leave in the freezer overnight (8 hours+)
6. Make sure you take out of freezer a good 15-30 minutes before eating
7. Eat and enjoy!

NB I teamed my ice cream up with Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes by Teresa Cutter. Yum! Yum!

Day 23: Booja Booja

Being grateful for making raw vegan ice-cream:

A few weeks ago I lost my heart to Booja Booja.

Booja BoojaA dear friend introduced me to their Hunky Punky Chocolate Ice Cream Alternative. My taste buds jumped for joy as I tucked into this heavenly bowl containing only four ingredients: water, agave syrup, cashews and cacao.

I’m not kidding when I say it tastes like a high quality Belgian chocolate ice-cream. Creamy deliciousness in every spoonful.

In fact, I would go as far to say this is one of the best ice-creams I have ever tasted: healthy or non-healthy. And I don’t usually go for chocolate ice-cream either!

I couldn’t wait to visit my local health food store and was over-the-moon to see they stocked it. But alas it’s a tad too pricey for my present budget.

So I had the great idea to try and make my own.

After lots of trawling online, I finally found a recipe that was right up my street. Most recipes use bananas as the base, my least favourite food in the whole wide world (the only exception I make is for  Banana Bread, toasted with butter please. A staple treat for me when I lived in Sydney). Thankfully I found an alternative that uses cashews and coconut milk.

It’s so simple to make: pop some soaked cashews, coconut milk, vanilla essence and rice malt syrup (my choice of sweetener) into a blender and blend away.

But then comes the tricky part.

Pour into a shallow dish, cover well and freeze. Every 30 minutes, take out of the freezer and whisk with a small whisk or mix with a fork. For six hours. That’s twelve times. Twelve times! Then leave for a further eight hours and it’s ready to eat.

And you know what, it tastes mind-glowingly delicious.

I am so impressed with myself that I’ve actually made ice cream. By hand.

Even my mum is impressed. We sampled it this afternoon – although it hadn’t had its full proper freezing time, I mean who can wait overnight, seriously!

I added a scoop to my previously made Chocolate Cup Cakes (dairy, sugar and wheat-free too) and the ultimate afternoon snack was born.

Although, it’s pretty labour intensive and pretty expensive to make, there is a huge satisfaction of knowing I’ve made this bowl of deliciousness all by myself.

Booja Booja who?!

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being grateful for making raw vegan ice-cream.

Day 22: Child’s play

Being mindful while playing with my nephews:

Today we have my two young nephews here. Ages three and six. All day long.

While I absolutely love playing with the little munchkins, I’m usually wiped out after half an hour or so and have to go and rest. So I try to make every second I spend with them count.

The eldest Callum is really into doing mazes at the moment. I’d printed a few off for him so we could sit together and have some quiet, creative time.

Of course, little Thomas wanted to get in on the action and climbed onto my lap. And while Callum got stuck into helping the dragon find his egg, Thomas scribbled on a dot-to-dot.

It was a precious half hour spent.

I always try to make sure I am fully present when I am with them. That I am Mindful Auntie Helen instead of Distracted Auntie Helen. I listen to what they have to say and I devote my whole attention to them and what they want to do.

I truly think one of the greatest gifts you can give someone is your full attention, adults and children alike. Especially when we live in a society that is very much attached to our smart phones and bombarded with distractions from every direction.

I sense that the boys appreciate it too. So much so, that later in the day Callum excitedly burst into my room to tell me what they’d just got up to in the park, and Thomas declared me his best friend when his mummy came to collect him.

Heart melt moments.

My nephews are also my inspiring teachers. They live and play wholeheartedly in the present moment.

Like when Thomas hears music, he leaps up to dance around with unabashed freedom. Or a minute after crying uncontrollably, he is playing happily, all previous upset forgotten.

And like when Callum wants me to play with him, he means now, not “in a bit”.  Or when he plays his computer games, he completely disappears into that moment.

Unlike adults, children don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future, and this is one of the biggest lessons I am learning on my recovery journey.

It reminds me of one of my favourite quotes about living in the present moment:

“What day is it?”, asked Winnie the Pooh
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet
“My favourite day,” said Pooh.
― A.A. Milne

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being mindful while playing with my nephews.

Day 21: Artist’s Date

Being grateful for a yummy brunch on my Artist’s Date:

Today it was time for a change of scenery.  I needed to get out of the house. And thankfully I felt up for going on an Artist’s Date.

I’ve been taking myself on Artist’s Dates since first reading about them in Julia’s Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way, around ten years ago.

“Artist Dates are assigned play,” says Cameron. And the best thing is that you don’t have to be an artist to go on an Artist’s Date.

The idea is to take yourself on a date once per week to “fill the well” of creativity.  There are the rules:

  • You must do the activity alone.  The idea is to get in touch with your inner creative self, to spark your imagination, and having anyone else with you will change your behaviour.
  • The activity should be fun.  Find something that appeals to you and do it.

Of course, the nature of an Artist’s Date can be something different to everyone.

Amongst my favourites are: a long walk in the country or along the coastline;  a visit to a Farmer’s Market; a nose around a photography exhibition; a visit to the cinema; a day trip to somewhere new; and a delicious brunch in a nice cafe.

Ever since discovering brunch culture when I spent time in the US and Canada, it’s become my absolute favourite meal to enjoy out. I love catching up with friends over brunch, and I also really love my solo dates.

Taking myself out for brunch provides a welcome break from my current mainly sedentary lifestyle. It feels like I’m living a normal life again. I try to go a couple of times a month, depending on health and wealth of course.

This morning, I went to my favourite brunch place Bill’s, and enjoyed Eggs Royale; a toasted English muffin topped with smoked salmon, poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce, and finished with a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds.

Yum. Yum. Yum.

Upon returning, I feel restored, refreshed and rejuvenated.

Hooray for Artist’s Dates. Hooray for yummy brunches.

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being grateful for my yummy brunch on my Artist’s Date.