Kitch in the kitchen, no kitchari yum great for these cool mornings

Yes you are right, I am missing my yoga retreat breakfast of Kitchari, so I have just made some, It is easy. Kitchari is a delicious and nutritive whole food from India that is known for its properties to detox the body and balance the three doshas (constitutions): Vata, Pitta and Kapha. This ayurvedic dish is used by yogis who want to cleanse the body and soul in a gentle manner, kitchari supply enough nutrients while removes toxins stored in bodily tissues and restores systemic balance.
Ayurveda believes that all healing begins with the digestive tract, and kitchari can give it a much-needed rest from constantly processing different foods while providing essential nutrients. Its mixture of spices is believed to kindle the digestive fire, the Ayurvedic description for your innate digestive power, which can be weakened by poor food combinations.
Kitchari is made with mung beans or lentils, basmati rice or barley, seasonal vegetables, ghee, and spices.
Add whatever seasonal vegetables you have on hand to complete the dish. Consider zuchini, burdock root, carrots, kale, spinach, sweet potato. The key is to use what’s available locally because Ayurveda is linked to the natural transition of the seasons. Go light on the salt in this recipe, allowing the natural flavours of vegetable stock.
Kitchari tastes like a cross between a creamy rice cereal and a light dal, or lentil soup. If it is a cold, blustery day or you are feeling under the weather, a steaming bowl of this classic Indian comfort food can both warm up your bones and restore sagging energy.
Ingredients:
1-cup basmati rice (I used black rice today as that is what I had!)
½ cup mung dal or lentils
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 teaspoons grated/minced ginger
1 chopped medium onion
3 teaspoons kitchari spice mix (cumin seeds, tumeric, mustard seeds, ginger, garam masala, natural mineral salt)
2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
6 cups water
1-2 cups chopped vegetables
Cooking instructions:
Wash rice and mung dal and soak overnight
Drains soak water.
In a medium saucepan warm the ghee, saute the onion, garlic and ginger, add the kitchari spice mixture and sauté for one-two minutes. Add rice and mung beans and sauté for another couple of minutes.  Add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. When kitchari has come to a boil reduce the heat to medium-low, cover an cook until it is tender, approximate 30-45 minutes. Add vegetables to your kitchari: the longer cooking such as carrots halfway through the coking and vegetables that cook faster such as leafy greens near the end. Add more water if needed.
Garnish with coriander and fresh grated ginger if you like and ENJOY

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Lust after Lavender

Lavender is the star of the herbal world. Regarded as one of the most beneficial and versatile herbs for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes, the ancient secrets of lavender are out. Here are ten reasons to surround yourself in all things lavender.

1. It rejuvenates the skin

Lavender’s antiseptic and antifungal properties have assisted in the treatment of pesky skin problems for centuries. Its balancing action helps clear acne, prevent tissue degeneration, calm psoriasis, and aid the formation of scar tissue. As it contains a high percentage of linalool, naturopaths also use it to promote the healing of wounds, cuts, burns, and sunburn.

2. It strengthens hair

Keep tresses glossy and follicles strong through regular massages with lavender oil. Lavender is found in numerous hair care products, and for good reason – it’s known to balance scalp oils and rejuvenate the hair from root to tip.

3. It smoothes cellulite

Beautiful legs are achievable with a little flower power. Lavender improves circulation, tones the skin, prevents stretch marks and dispels fluid retention, thus helping with the appearance of cellulite.

4. It eases anxiety and insomnia

Scientific evidence suggests aromatherapy with lavender may be as effective in soothing the nervous system as some pharmaceutical relaxants. It’s renowned for promoting relaxation and improving sleep quality, and is even used by herbalists to ease mood swings and depression.

5. It relieves headache and pain

Lavender is famous among aromatherapists as the oil of choice for pain relief. Gentle massage with lavender oil not only melts away body-tension, it is an effective way to relieve pain from headache, sore muscles, aching joints, rheumatism and sprains.

6. It helps clear respiratory disorders

Don’t spend another sleepless night coughing. Lavender eases muscle spasms, fights infection, dulls pain, and most importantly helps you sleep. It is extensively used for a number of respiratory problems including coughing, throat infections, asthma, sinus congestion, bronchitis, whooping cough, and laryngitis.

7. It aids digestion

Your tummy has as many nerves as your brain so it’s no surprise lavender can calm the d

igestive system as it can calm the mind. Both an antispasmodic and a sedative, lavender can work wonders on ‘nervous stomach’ and cramps, as well as aid indigestion by stimulating the production of gastric juices and bile.

8. It helps clear respiratory disorders

Don’t spend another sleepless night coughing. Lavender eases

muscle spasms, fights infection, dulls pain, and most importantly helps you sleep. It is extensively used for a number of respiratory problems including coughing, throat infections, asthma, sinus congestion, bronchitis, whooping cough, and laryngitis.

9. It boosts immunity

Regular use of lavender oil has been shown to boost resistance to disease by lowering the flow of the stress hormone Cortisol. Cortisol lowers your immunity, which makes you more susceptible to colds and influenza during stressful times.

10. It’s soothing and calming

The scent of lavender brings about a sense of calm. Research has shown that lavender has soothing and even slight sedative effects when inhaled.

 

Looking for the dead?

Not as strange as it sounds. Many of have been overseas, interstate. Simply not around when a friend or beloved family member has departed this Earth. If you are in Australia there is a fabulous service offered by Oz Burials. I gave a small donation via Paypal as they actually offer this service for free. However they do ask that if you can, give just a little to help them keep up this amazing service. I have subsequently discovered that quite a few people I know have accessed their services in the past and have like me found them to be amazing. No longer lost! They give you a surprising amount of information

Home made body butter

Body Butter

Makes 2 1/2 to 3 cups whipped butter.

• 1 cup organic raw shea butter
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (solid)
• 1/2 cup almond oil (liquid)
• 20 drops of essential oils of your choosing

1. Melt shea butter and coconut oil in the top of a double boiler. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.

2. Stir in almond oil and essential oils of your choosing.*

3, Place oil mixture in freezer to chill.

4. Wait until oils start to partially solidify then whip until a butter-like consistency is achieved.

4. Place in clean, glass jar and enjoy! A little goes a long way.

*Not all essential oils are skin friendly or child friendly. Please do your research before adding.

TIPS:

1. You can use what ever oils you wish, just make sure you keep the ratio 75% solid to 25% liquid.Clearly avoid oils and butters you may be allergic too.  Just make sure you replace a solid for a solid and a liquid for a liquid.

2. The chilling step is crucial. If you don’t chill it properly, it won’t whip or stay whipped. About 20 minutes in the freezer usually does the trick for this batch. Make sure you scrape down the sides before mixing.

3. It does not have to be refrigerated.

4. I do not know the exact shelf life but I know it will keep at least a few months, mind you mine never last that long..

5. The body butter melts as it goes on and gets a little oily but absorbs beautifully, quickly and leaves your skin very soft.

6. Coconut oil and almond oil are quite easy to locate at your local health food store or supermarket

7. This recipe has been tested many times. If you don’t follow the recipe, you will not get the same results.

8. Many people ask for exact amounts of essential oils. I start with at least 20 drops of what ever oil I want to use and just increase slowly until I am happy with how it smells.

Be work wise a spend a few minutes stretching to improve your day.

It is a fabulous idea to just make a little time for yourself to have a few minutes several times a day to do some easy stretches whilst at work. This will make a big difference to how your body manages working at a desk. It has the added benefit of you arriving home in better shape as you will not be as stressed because you have actively worked to reduce some of the strain within you.

Eyes

• Keep your head still and look up, down and to both sides.
• Look up and away from the screen, at something more than 3 metres away, regularly.

Neck

• Gently lower your ear to your shoulder and hold for 10 seconds.
• Slowly roll your chin to your chest and up to the other shoulder. Hold 10 seconds.
• Turn your head and look over your shoulder for 10 seconds on each side.
• Tuck your chin in and upwards and hold for 10 seconds.

Shoulders

• Rotate your shoulders several times forward and backwards. Repeat a few times.
• Stretch your arms behind your head. Bend one arm and use the other to gently pull your elbow downwards for 10 seconds. Repeat several times on both sides.
• Shrug your shoulders up on and in vreath and let them drop on the exhale.

Wrists

• Interlace your fingers and extend your arms with your palms turned outwards. Hold for 10 seconds then repeat.
• shake your wrists to literally flick out the stress.

Back

• Interlace your fingers, turn your palms outward and stretch your arms in the air. Lean slightly from side to side. Repeat several times.
• Sit up and inhale arch outwards, exhale inwards (seated cat cow!)
• Stand and support your lower back with your hands. Gently arch back for 5 to 10 seconds.

Legs

• Lift each foot and rotate your ankle in both directions.
• Point your toes and then curl them up.
• hop up and jump an down for a few moments, this really moves the energy about and free concentrated stress from your being.

 

Are you polluting our oceans?

Did you know that many facial scrubs and shower gels, toothpastes and other personal care products contain tiny plastic beads. these beads are too small to be removed by water treatment plants and are ending up as plastic in the ocean. The beads are unfortunately consumed by fish and other marine animals, not only causing harm to these animals but also ending up in us as part of the food we consume. Some exfoliants contain as many as 350,000 beads in one tube. In the USA the states of New York and Illanois have moved to ban these beads from skin and other personal care items.

What can you do?

Check out the labels of the products you purchase. It they contain the words ‘ployethylene’ or ‘polypropylene’ in the ingredients list, as this indicates that the product contains plastic. Opt instead for products that use beads made from clays, bamboo. The Australian Jojoba Company is one of many ethical Companies producing products that are safe for you and safe for the planet.

 

Before you reach for the sugar or caffeine hit!

The food we eat has a direct result on our health and                                                                                                               our emotional life. Sometimes even when we maintain a generally healthy diet, we can hurt ourselves in other ways. For instance, hands up who does this – when we feel a little tired we look for a quick boost by reaching for caffeine or sugar to “pick up” our mood. But these substances often create “crashes” that leave us feeling worse than we did to begin with. These substances create a roller coaster of high and lows. No balance here!

Take some time and think about whether you really should have that third cup of coffee or biscuit. How about a cup of green tea and an apple.

What about some exercise. Once again, your new found yoga/pilates/good health routine practice practice can help. The next time you need a pick-me-up, don’t automatically reach for that not so helpful dietary crutch. Instead, try a natural stimulant, for example a quick walk in the sunshine, some deep breaths of fresh air, or your favourite yoga/pilates/good health poses like a few sun salutes of spinal twists. Your favourite breathing technique can also assist (in yoga we use can pranayama) can also help oxygenate—and wake up—your body and mind. Go the natural way, your body and mind will thank you.

Nutricious and Delicious Nasturtiums

Did you know that this beautiful bright flower comes in a variety of colours and is high in B group vitamins, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, Phosphorous, potassium and manganese. Nasturtium tea has been traditionally used to relieve coughs and aid digestion.

Add the beautiful peppery petals or whole flowers to salads and pasta dishes to give them a bit of an extra punch. The leaves of this garden gem are also edible. The buds can be picked and used like capers. The seeds can be dried and used as a pepper substitute or in a savoury salt blend.

You will not look at this garden favourite in the same way after you add it is to your diet.

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