EYES, HEALTH AND BEAUTY

This is real comfort food - just right if you have been out ‘trick or treating’ or watching a firework display perhaps with the children or grand-children.  It can be prepared ahead and popped in the oven for around twenty minutes when you get in.  Alternatively, it's just nice to eat in your PJs cosied up by the fire.  It has already become a favourite in our house! Serves 2-3 You will need 1 tbsp olive oil 1 med onion, peeled and chopped  2 cloves garlic  120g chestnut mushrooms, sliced  1 rib celery, diced 1 level tsp smoked paprika  100g tomato puree  1 tsp salt  Pinch stevia 200ml water  1 can cannellini beans, drained  8 vegan sausage  For the crumble  75g dairy free spread 75g khorasan flour  50g oats  2 tbsp nutritional yeast  Heat the oil and cook the onion for 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.  Add the sliced mushrooms, celery and a little water if n...

Autumn can bring with it feelings of being unsettled.  The intention behind this week's yoga practice and #meditation is to transform those feelings of being unsettled into contentment. Please see my 'sister' blog- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/autumn-transformation-from-unsettled-to.html It’s autumn and with it come the storms. If you tend to hunch your shoulders against the wind and cold, this posture correcting sequence on my 'sister' blog can help-  http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/posture-correcting-sequence-for-autumn.html If you are enjoying my videos and blog posts please would you consider a small donation? Please note however this is not a condition of enjoying my blogs. Please see- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/p/support-this-blog_44.html

It’s autumn, ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ (John Keats)and windy weather that dries out your skin.   Although I love the transitional seasons of spring and autumn, my skin can feel really dry in autumn.    As well as ensuring your skin is well moisturised in autumn it is important to exfoliate.   This removes dead skin cells and helps your skin absorb moisturiser more easily.   No need to buy commercial ones either which may have harmful chemicals, you can make yourself an exfoliator with store-cupboard ingredients.    Simply mix 2 tablespoons of sugar with a tablespoon of olive oil, coconut oil or sweet almond oil.  If you wish you can add a drop of essential oil such as lavender which is anti-inflammatory or geranium which helps boost circulation.or rose which has emollient properties so that it helps moisturise dry skin.  F or sensitive skin, grind some oats into a fine powder and mix two tablespoons of the powder with a tables...

It’s pumpkin time - up on the allotment we have been harvesting pumpkin, the supermarkets are well stocked with them and you can even go and ‘pick your own’.  Make the most of them - they won’t be here long.  This recipe includes roasted pumpkin which also makes a great side dish.   Roasted pumpkin with spiced quinoa and chickpeas Serves 2 You will need ½ small pumpkin Olive oil spray 150g quinoa Pinch cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground ginger ¼ -½ tsp chilli flakes 1 tsp chopped coriander leaf 1 tsp cumin 1 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced ¼ -½ red pepper, sliced 4 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 can chickpeas Pumpkin seeds and fresh coriander leaves to top (optional) Cut the top off the pumpkin and cut into slices.  Remove the rind and place on a baking sheet. Spray with olive oil spray. Mix the spices and sprinkle a little on the pumpkin, reserving the remainder for the quinoa.  Place in an oven at 200 degrees for 15-20 mi...

In the last of our series on strength and flexibility, we practice a sequence for arm strength and flexibility. Please see my 'sister' blog- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/strength-and-flexibility-arms.html Now that the weather is turning colder you may want to practice this yoga sequence to 'fire up' your #core and create inner heat. Please see my 'sister' blog- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/heating-yoga-sequence-for-autumn.html If you are enjoying my videos and blog posts please would you consider a small donation? Please note however this is not a condition of enjoying my blogs. Please see- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/p/support-this-blog_44.html Thank you

This year, for the first time we have grown Crown Prince pumpkin – it’s so amazing that such huge pumpkins grow from a tiny seed in just a matter of months.   I have never actually seen pumpkins grow before and it’s fascinating.   First the spreading vine grows then come the yellow flowers.   Soon the base of the flower begins to swell and this is what will become your pumpkin.   Pumpkins are fairly easy to grow but they need a lot of room.   If you remember we sowed the pumpkin seeds in pots in April – 1 seed per pot.   Counter intuitively the seeds are planted on their sides.   The pots were kept in the greenhouse until late May/early June when we put them out in a cold frame during the day.   In June we transferred them to the allotment.   They need plenty of room so plant around 3 feet apart.   They need a lot of water to help the pumpkin to swell and we also fed them with organic fertiliser which is seaweed based every 10 days. ...

This Japanese curry is usually made with chicken but my breaded tofu pieces make a good substitute that even your meat eating friends will love.  If you are trying to cut carbs in this run up to Christmas you can substitute cauliflower rice for brown rice.  You can use fresh cauliflower or, as I discovered when I had no fresh cauliflower, frozen works just as well. Let it defrost for a few minutes before whizzing it up in a blender.  Spread the ‘rice’ out on a baking tray which you have sprayed with olive oil spray and spray once more.  Bake with the tofu pieces Vegan katsu curr y Serves 2  You will need 450g pack tofu 3 tbsp tamari 75g polenta Olive oil spray for greasing For the sauce 1 tbsp olive oil 1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 small carrot, julienned 1/2 med courgette, diced ½-1 tbsp curry powder  ½ tsp garam masala Pinch chilli flakes Pinch stevia ½ tsp salt in 400 ml hot water 1 tsp cornflour To serve  Brown rice or cauliflower...

In this week's strength and flexibility video we focus on the spine. Please see my 'sister' blog- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/strength-and-flexibility-spine.html This blog post was included in the online paper 'Yoga Vitality Magazine'- https://paper.li/Yoga_Vitality/1336524135#/ Autumn is dominated by vata dosha, meaning unsettled, windy weather. Salads begin to pale and nature provides us with delicious foods we can eat cooked, such as apples. Why not try my hot apple and fig cake recipe on my 'sister' blog- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/an-autumn-ayurveda-recipe.html If you are enjoying my videos and blog posts please would you consider a small donation? Please note however this is not a condition of enjoying my blogs. Please see- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/p/support-this-blog_44.html Thank you

October is breast cancer awareness month. We have already looked at some of the ways we can lower our risk of breast cancer.   Please see ' Love your breasts '. In this blog post I want to look at some more ways we can lower our risk.   Basically anything that boosts your immunity will also lower your risk.   The reason for this is that if a cell in your body ‘goes rogue’ that is develops a fault when it divides, a healthy immune system will seek it out and destroy it before it can further divide and cause trouble.   One simple way you can do this is ensure you have a good night’s sleep. Please see ' Love your sleep '. Also ensure your room is completely dark.   This can be achieved with black out curtains and this is especially important if you work night shifts.   Exposure to light during sleep time lowers melatonin which suppresses the growth of breast cancer cells.  Also make sure there is no light from technology - mobile phones, TVs etc in the be...

Now that Autumn is here salads have started to lose their appeal.  If you read the yoga blog regularly you will know that according to Ayurveda, yoga’s ‘sister’ science, the recommendation for Autumn is foods that are warm, moist and spicy.  To read more please see Ayurveda and autumn  This split pea dhal fits the bill perfectly.   Yellow split pea dhal with nigella seed naan bread Serves 2-3  You will need For the dhal  100g dried yellow split peas (the no need to soak kind) 1 tbsp oil 1 onion, peeled and chopped 120g chestnut mushrooms, sliced. 2 cloves garlic ½ tsp ground ginger 1 tsp turmeric 1 level tsp cumin 1 level tsp garam masala ¼-½ tsp chilli flakes  ½ tsp mustard seeds 2 curry leaves 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp salt in 150 ml hot water 2 tbsp tomato puree 1//2 can coconut milk Handful spinach leaves Rinse the yellow split peas and put them in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to simmer for at least 45 minutes.  Stir occas...

In our video this week we work on combining leg strength with flexibility. The meditation focuses on looking to our ‘roots’ to be strong and free from things that are not serving us. Blogpost and yoga video on my 'sister' blog- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/strength-and-flexibility-legs.html Rest and relaxation are important to help keep us young in oh so many ways and yoga is just the thing to help us rest and relax. Today's blog post is a restorative sequence to promote rest and relaxation. Please see my 'sister' blog- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/youth-boost-yoga-rest-and-relaxation.html If you are enjoying my videos and blog posts please would you consider a small donation? Please note however this is not a condition of enjoying my blogs. Please see- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/p/support-this-blog_44.html Thank you

The end of this series has been a long time coming but here it is at last.   Figs are in season!   Enjoy them while you can – they won’t be here long. They satisfy a sweet tooth if like me you avoid sugar but sometimes want something sweet   - I know they have fruit sugar, fructose but they are also packed with fibre so they do not cause the blood sugar ‘spikes’ that sugar does – just don’t eat too many.   As well as fibre they are a source of calcium and magnesium, both good for bone health.   They are also rich in antioxidants which are good at this time of year for boosting immunity.   A tip top immune system will also reduce the risk of cancer because your immune cells will destroy any cells that 'go rogue', that is mutate when they divide.   For extra sweetness try baking figs.  Spray a baking tray with coconut oil spray.  Cut the figs in two and place on the tray cut side up.  Spray the figs with coconut oil and sprinkle with st...

Pad Thai is a stir fry dish that is made using rice noodles.  It is a popular street food in Thailand.  Vegan versions of Pad Thai are often made with tofu but in the recipe below I am using soy beans.  Packed with protein, fibre and hormone balancing phytoestrogens they make a tasty change from tofu. To make the recipe quick to make I am using some frozen mixed veg with red pepper, sweetcorn kernels, peas (for added protein), carrot sticks and broccoli florets.  Frozen veg has all the vitamins of fresh, if not more and because it is frozen immediately after picking (and so does not need to ‘keep’).  Also it often has less pesticides than fresh.  It is a boon if you don’t want to spend long preparing vegetables.  You can also use frozen edamame beans.  The rice noodles take just minutes to prepare too making this a quick but tasty meal. Vegan Pad Thai  Serves 2 You will need 1 tbsp oil 1 small red onion, peeled and chopped 2 garlic cloves, pe...

In today’s yoga video the intention is to combine shoulder strength with flexibility. Blog post, yoga video and meditation on my 'sister' blog- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/strength-and-flexibility-shoulders.html In this week's blog post the intention is to work our joints to keep them young and trouble free as we age. Please see my 'sister' blog- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/youth-boost-yoga-joint-mobility.html If you are enjoying my videos and blog posts please would you consider a small donation? Please note however this is not a condition of enjoying my blogs. Please see- http://flexiladies.blogspot.co.uk/p/support-this-blog_44.html Thank you

   A joint is simply where two bones meet.  In this blog post I will be looking at synovial joints.  A synovial joint is one that is enclosed in a ‘capsule’ and lubricated by synovial fluid. The ends of the bones in a synovial joint are covered in cartilage. There are six types of synovial joint - ball and socket (for example hip and shoulder), hinge (for example elbow and knee), condyloid (in the wrist), plane (in the hands and feet), pivot (in the neck), and saddle (for example the thumb).. There may be several problems as we age - the cartilage can wear,and the synovial fluid becomes depleted.  You can see where this is going - there is nothing then to protect the ends of the bones forming the joint and the bones rub together leading to osteoarthritis.  Ouch!  Stay with me though because this is by no means inevitable.  Another problem as we age is that there the ligaments tend to shorten and lose flexibility so that joints become stiffer....