Our first Mindful Supper Club was everything & more envisioned.
We opened with a meditation - a moment to arrive, clear our busy minds. We created a little fire with a playful Vinyasa flow then allowed our bodies & our minds to settle with restorative Yin.
Our evening was themed around the crazy festive season and the chilli winter season. We offered Pranayama (breath work), movement, food & provoked thought, all to compliment the current environment.
We enjoyed a yummy 4 course vegan supper taking it all in, one mouthful at a time. We sipped on low alcohol & non alcoholic, low sugar cocktails throughout the evening, which Cami so causally just whips up!
Did you know that when you actually allow your senses to soak up your meal; when you absorb the colours of your meal, feel the warmth of the meal, smell the aromas & notice the texture in your mouth - you actually trigger your brain to send a message to your digestive system to fire up! This is the very first phase of your digestion, the cephalic phase. You know when you smell fresh bread baking? Your senses awaken immediately & you want ALL the bread in your mouth A-SAP right?! Thats the beginning of a healthy fired up digestion!
A healthy & strong digestion is the key to an energetic body, radiant skin, living disease free & enjoying clarity of your mind. I wanted to share with you the recipes we enjoyed which will help YOU bring out all these wonderful qualities during a time where we are just like "gimme all the booze, all the mince pies and all the Quality Streets".
Let's roll into 2019 feeling like we are actually really to nail it!
VEGAN BROTH
INGREDIENTS
12 cups of water
1 Tbsp of coconut oil
1 red onion (with skins // cut into quarters)
1 garlic bulb (with skins, smashed)
3-4 cups of mixed vege (I used carrots, celery, parsnip, mushrooms & leeks)
1-2 tsp each sea salt and black peppercorns (plus more to taste // divided)
2 cups of kale or spinach
a handful of fresh herbs
a thumb sized piece of fresh ginger (skin on)
2 Tbsp of turmeric
1 chilli (de-seeded)
30g seaweed
METHOD
Simply add everything to a large pot. Bring to a boil then simmer, with the lid on, for about an hour. Season and adjust to taste.
Once everything has been cooked down, strain the liquid into a large bowl.
Serve immediately with some fresh herbs for garnish. It also freezes well. This can be sipped as is for a healing "don't let me get sick" fix OR used as the stock base for any soup or stew.
KITCHARI
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
1 cup of yellow mung dal
1 cup of quinoa (or more traditionally basmati rice)
½ cup of split mung beans
2 Tbsp of ghee or coconut oil
4 cardamom pods
2 sweet potatoes (optional)
5 cups of water (or more)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp turmeric
(option to add in fresh greens like spinach or kale with each serving)
METHOD
Rinse and soak mung dal & quinoa overnight
Measure out all spices into a cup
Add ghee / oil into large pot. Add all the spices and sauté on a medium heat until fragrant (careful not to burn!)
Stir in mung dal, quinoa and mung beans
Add water and chopped vege. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and put lid on.
Cook for around 30-40mins, adding more water if needed. Ensure dal and beans are completely soft. You should be able to squish between your fingers easily.
Serve with coconut yoghurt and green chutney. Kitchari is the Ayurvedic no.1 detox & cleansing meal. It has the perfect balance of all the flavours to fire up your digestion aiding in weight loss, ultimately though Kitchari is the meal to bring you into balanced health.
GREEN CHUTNEY
INGREDIENTS
Juice from a lime
1 green chill de-seeded
¼ cup of olive oil
a thumb sized piece of fresh ginger
a handful of coriander, parsley & mint
1 tsp cumin
salt & pepper
METHOD
Put all ingredients into a nutria bullet or kitchen whiz until a smooth paste, put into an airtight container. Will keep in the fridge for a around week. Will also freeze.
SAFFRON & ROSE KHEER
INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup of basmati rice (rinsed and soaked for an hour)
• 2 litres of milk (I used oat)
• 1⁄2 tsp saffron strands
• 3 cardamom pods (shell discarded, seeds used)
• honey or agave to drizzle when serving
• chopped nuts (I used blanched almonds, but pistachios would also be
yum!)
• rose petals
METHOD
1. Put cardamom seeds and saffron strands into a cup with 2 Tbsp milk and put aside
2. Heat the 2L of milk into a heavy bottomed pot and bring to the boil
3. Add rinsed and soaked rice, bring to the boil on a medium heat, let boil for 10mins
4. Turn down the heat to low and let Kheer simmer without lid, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn’t stick
5. Add saffron / cardamom milk
6. Serve warm, top with a drizzle of honey or agave to sweeten, nuts & rose petals. Enjoy Kheer for breakfast or dessert, this naturally sweetened rice pudding is completely guilt free but also nutritious.
VEGAN CHOCOLATE
with ORANGE ESSENTIAL OIL
INGREDIENTS
70 gram of cacao butter
50 gram cacao powder
2-3 drops of orange essential oil
METHOD
Grate the cacao butter to help it melt quickly
In a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water, slowly melt the cacao butter, add the cacao powder and essential oil. Taste test to see if your chocolate is sweet enough – add more oil to sweeten!
Pour chocolate into silicone moulds and let cool
Put into the fridge to set for 3-4hrs. GUILT FREE and so easy the mind blows!
So there you have it, your very own Mindful Supper Club.
Thank you to my irresistible co-host Cami founder of La Maison Wellness. Our gorgeous home for the evening Kemble House and The Odd Flower for your beautiful festive blooms! And of course to our wonderful Supper Clubbers for bring your energy, smiles & openness to welcoming a new mindful way of being.
Shani