And we are in !

Hello, hello, it’s been so long!

Quick update, we are in the house, the kitchen is gorgeous with its big, chunky, cool granite surfaces, I love working on them and they are perfect for photos too.

The bathroom has a working shower, loo and basin but the bath is being used to hold towels …. and there is, as yet, no door. Maybe today!

We are feeling exhausted after working every day for so long (OK apart from the enforced holiday on the Il de Ré when our first guests were here and we hadn’t got a bathroom in, haha, poor old us!) but it is a very satisfied tired. We have moved past the point of working for days on end without much to show for it (though loads has happened in the back ground). At last the things we are doing actually do show and everything makes a difference – as a door or two would.

So many people are dealing with being tired, over worked, looking for work, ill or caring for somebody who is ill, stressed, depressed, excited, living on adrenaline …. all this takes energy and nothing can give that more than food – other than a few weeks rest of course, even then you need good, clean, boosting foods. It is so much easier to cut the stodge in summer too. Fresh, local fruits and veggies bursting with flavour and packed with vitamins. Lets make the most of it.

I have been loving the last few days. For the first time in the new house I have been creating meals for clients, soaking, blending, dehydrating and tasting. Balancing flavours and varying textures. Adding colour and packing in the nutrition.

You can do it too – make every ingredient count, try to add in sweet, salty, tangy, sour, warm, cool and as many colours as you can. You know you need green, as dark as possible. Dark purples, bright reds, summer oranges (it is so good to have all the juicy summer peaches, nectarines and apricots), crisp whites etc. Then think of textures, creamy, juicy, crisp, chewy.

For example:

CHIA PUDDING: recipe for 2 small bowls

Mix 2 TBS chia seeds with 8 TBS almond milk 1/2 tsp each ginger and cardamon, pinch salt and leave to soak until plump whilst you prep the following

Soak 1 TBS raisins and 1 TBS sunflower seeds (or more of course) in the juice of an orange

Dice and soak an apple in lemon juice

After about 15 mins your chia should be ready so combine everything except the apple  together, including the soak juices

Add 1 tsp raw, local honey (or agave) or more of less to taste

Stir in a teaspoon of spirulina

Pop the apple in the bottom of your bowl and pile the rest on top.

Tastes good, does you good 🙂

Have fun!

PS We are offering 20% OFF our  raw food retreats in autumn, contact desri.goodwin@gmail.com

Lots of photos and ideas on my Instagram account and websites – Insta: Desrigoodwin

www.desriskitchen.com www.boutiqueretreatfrance.com

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