Creating with Love

Love really is the secret ingredient to whatever it is we do in this world.

Whether you are baking a cake, making the bed, talking with another, with the people closest to you in life, with an animal or at work interacting ~ whatever and with whoever the interaction or creation is happening with ~ if you add love to the equation, magic happens!

I am overwhelmed with gratitude and appreciation for the love and beauty experienced during my recent travels to India and the amazing new and exciting directions that are opening up for spreading the message and vision of Wholesome Loving Goodness with the world.

While cooking on a recent Yoga Retreat in the beautiful Byron Bay region of Australia, I found some opportunities to ‘create love’ visually with the food I was preparing for the participants. The experience of cooking for a group of Yogi’s 7 days in a row was heart-opening and inspiring! It was a challenge and so rewarding through the feedback and love that was exchanged within the sharing of the meals as a community.

One bowl of porridge at a time, one wholesome vegetable soup at a time, one lovingly made hot drink at a time… we can start to spread warmth, and wholesome loving home-made goodness that each and everyone of us has the abilitiy to generate in our own kitchens, with who we are and what we love, transformation of our own body, mind’s and spirit’s can begin to take place and have ripple effects that spread into our relationships, family, work and communities. I’m inspired and excited for this journey to continue.

There is so much to share, there are 1,000’s of images from India ranging from food to friendly warm faces. There are stories and experiences that words cannot do justice to. India was a very Wholesome Love Filled adventure! So much gratitude for the journey and so much inspiration for the vision of Wholesome Loving Goodness and service in the world continuing to blossom and flourish in new and exciting ways as we enter into Spring of 2013!

It’s great to be back. I am grateful for all the support, enouragment, love and beauty that I have received since beginning this journey just over one year ago.

With wholesome, loving, goodness and joy!

x Namaste

Lorien

Ginger Water for Digestion

Ginger water opens the channels known as ‘Srotas’ in Ayurveda, burns up excess toxins known as ‘Ama’ and improves the power of your digestive fire, known as ‘Agni’ in Ayurveda! Yay!

Particularly great during the cooler months of the year when the channels of the body naturally start to contract with the cold environment. Ginger water will balance this and keep things flowing freely.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp of Certified Organic (for best results for you & the planet) Dry Ginger powder.
  • 2 cups of purified water

Method:

  1. Boil the Ginger powder and water in your pot.
  2. Allow to cool until a good warm drinking temperature
  3. Serve straight or with 1/2 a tsp of raw, unprocessed sugar known as Jaggery or Rapadura for a dash of wholesome sweetness with your Ginger!

*Freshly grated or sliced Ginger can also be used to warm the body and improve digestion. For the purpose of this remedy, using the powdered Ginger has a stronger effect on warming the tissues of the body and improving digestion.

To healthy, happy free flowing channels and balanced digestion! 

Yum!

x Lorien

Quinoa & Moong Bean Vegetarian Stew Recipe

Ingredients (2 Serves):

  • 1 cup of Moong Beang’s soaked in water for approx 24 hours, then rinsed & strained.
  • 1 cup of Quinoa (mixed red & white variety).
  • 1 cup of Pumpkin cut into cubes.
  • A few freshly chopped green leaves of Kale or Spinach
  • 1.5 tsp’s of Freshly chopped or grated Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp of Turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp of Cumin seeds
  • A pinch of Fennel seeds
  • 1/2 tsp of Coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon of Ghee or Coconut oil
  • 1 tsp of Himalayan salt
  • Black pepper
  • 6 cups of Hot water (4 cups for Moong & 2 cups for Quinoa).
  • Freshly chopped Parsley or Coriander to garnish.

Method: ~ Moong Bean Vegie Stew

  1. In a pot place your Ghee or Coconut oil and warm until the oil is melted.
  2. Add your Cumin, Coriander and Fennel seeds and allow them to toast and start to ‘pop’.
  3. Add your Ginger and Turmeric Powder and stir until they are mixed together. (Approx 20 seconds will be a good amount of time).
  4. Add your Moong beans and stir. Allowing the spices and the beans to toast and mix together.
  5. Add your Pumpkin and stir it into the mix.
  6. Add your hot water and continue to stir regularly for approx 15 mins.
  7. Add your fresh Kale & Spinach and stir.
  8. Add your Himalayan Salt & a few pinches of black pepper.
  9. Allow to cook like this until the Pumpkin and Beans are soft, then turn off the heat and place a lid on the pot to let the flavours develop and the beans and pumpkin to become nice and soft. Now let it sit, whilst you prepare your Quinoa!

Method: ~ Quinoa

  1. Take your Quinoa and place in your pot.
  2. Dry toast your Quinoa in the pot for a few minutes until the Quinoa becomes warm and starts to make ‘toasty’ sounds.
  3. Add approx 2 cups of hot water. Enough water so that it sits above the Quinoa. You may need to add more as it cooks. If so, add it little by little.
  4. Add a pinch of Himalayan salt for minerals.
  5. Allow to boil. No need to stir Quinoa. Just let it boil and bubble away.
  6. Cook for 10-15 minutes like this until the Quinoa grains have expanded and the water is almost fully evaporated.
  7. Turn off the heat and place a lid on top and allow to sit for another 7-10 minutes. (If you have too much water still, then continue to cook for a bit longer, before turning it off and putting the lid on.)

Voila, by now you will have fluffy yummy Quinoa & a juicy wholesome Moong Bean Stew!

To serve, add Quinoa to your bowl, then next to it, your Moong Bean stew & garnish with some freshly chopped Coriander or Parsley. It is ready to eat!

Enjoy! :)

x Lorien