Meditation, migraine & munchies

 

Musings...
Seven days in to the daily meditations& lets just say the week started well. I was powering along feeling well & happy. But... As the week drew to a close fatigue ensued & the tiredness prevented the early morning meditation so I was fitting the meditations in ad hoc & my mind was less steady... Then the headaches hit.. 3 days.. Low pressure, stormy... Issues with the family, worries .. But on the bright side, I've still meditated every day; I've still done 3 sessions of yoga including my teaching lesson & ive found some time to be still & mindful.
Munchies...Welcome the salted caramel popcorn slice: I made this vegan version this morning adding a few changes & it looks & tastes delicious there is a vegan version & a honey version:

Ingredients:

3 cups of salted popcorn ( I popped my own on the stove top using coconut oil) I sprinkled masal sea salt on top

2 cups of chopped nuts of choice( I used peanuts, almonds & macadamias) you can used salted nuts

A handful of coconut slivers shaved 

2 tablespoons Nutelex(or dairy free spread)

2 -3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup or 1/2 & 1/2

2 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter

Method:

1. Prepare the popcorn & place in a large mixing bowl

2. Chop nuts & add

3. Add shaved coconut ( or use to sprinkle on top)

4. In a saucepan add Nutelex ; honey/maple syrup & peanut butter. Bring to slow boil

5. Once it is boiling & before it caramelises too much pour it over the dry ingredients

6. Thoroughly combine

7. Place in a flat tray or slice tin spread evenly

8. Cover with baking paper & use rolling pin or flat object to press the mix down firmly so it is flat

9. Set it in the fridge & then cut in to squares

Enjoy! DW

Forty morning meditations a gift to myself

Back from Melbourne and into life's usual whirlwind work, marking, catch ups ups and downs with kids and my own health. Poor blog very neglected 😔...

This weekend a delightful return to some laziness and sleep ins a movie and dinner out. Thinking time...

So here's the thing. A couple of Sunday's ago I had a great vegan breakfast at Chinta Designs on Scarborough beach Road Doubleview. In the living gift section I purchased two gifts. One the Dalai Lama's Cat by David Michie for my friend Lou' the other a gift for myself.. Still in its beautiful wrapping.

So why does it remain wrapped you might ask? Well funny you should... But here's the rub. It's a goal setting book for the next five years!

Despite the fact I have some goals wishes and dreams, I barely speak of them, let alone writing them down. As the scripting of them adds the air of commitment to them, of possibility of actually and the necessity to be accountable and live in to the accomplishment of them! So not to be taken lightly I say.

Returning to the point of this post... 40 days of meditation... The preface before the commitment commitment. The object of the exercise is to set the alarm 20 mins early for 40 mornings to meditate. That's it clear mind, notice thoughts, letting them go focus on the breath. I will diarise how these meditations shape my days and my weeks and at the end I will embark on my little gift my forward thinking project.

This comes also on the back of a Mindlefulness MOOC I've just finished through Monash university, which I would recommend.

See # FutureLearn@FutureLearn

Happy Week!  

Getting the groove on

The Brunswick street in Fitzroy I remember from the 90s is all but gone & the edgy inner Melbourne suburb is  now cool & classy. I met my friend after work for a drink at the Black Cat been there for years but so Melbourne & buzzing with the young & trendy. After a wine we sauntered back to the Vegan restaurant of choice for the evening. Smith & Daughters

 Smith & Daughters is vegan yum. We went for three shares:con queso dip; champignons that tasted like a rich  beef burgundy & a chickpea & rocket salad. It was tasty & so filling I couldn't fit in dessert. I washed it down with a coconut water with lime, mint & fresh pineapple. We need a place like this on the West coast. If you're visiting I suggest you book it was very busy that we only just jagged a window seat!