THE GRACIOUS ART OF MEDITATION

How relaxed are you..?

My year has started off with a couple of explosions. 


The kind of explosions which create major stress and inner anguish.


I won't bore you with the details...suffice to say that I have turned to my iPad for support.


I love my iPad. Not usually a gadget oriented gal, this wee beauty and I have become inseparable. 


The iPhone has NOTHING on it..to start, now that I am 40-something I need to get out my glasses everytime I use my iPhone or stretch my arms as long as possible and squint to read those all-important texts from girlfriends..meet you at wine bar at 6pm...anyone for a gin and tonic...Spanks on sale at underwear lady down Cour Clemenceau...
Even though the iPhone has all the "apps," the "style-plus" ingredient etc etc it just doesn't measure up.


I love the way the iPad gets called " a tablet"...so ROMAN! Imagine myself in floaty toga with elaborate hair, down at the local forum..although I would probably be playing Blokus or Scrabble on my tablet rather than adding anything useful!


Anyway back to my stress..I have downloaded some amazing relaxation and meditation "apps". They are really helpful. I joke not. I have taken to going to bed with my iPad, much to French Husband's (FH) fury, and doing a meditation session before sleeping...to really wind down. I even managed to coerce FH into doing the relaxation meditation with me last night.


This morning FH told me that last night I was indeed very relaxed. He pontificated about how he had in fact underestimated the power of the droning voice of the iPad Meditation coach. 
He then went on to tell me how at the end when the coach said,

  1,2,3 you are now going to come back 4,5,6 becoming more awake 7,8 open your eyes 9,10 you are now fully awake

that my state of relaxation was nothing short of " porcine." 
Snoring like a pig.
Out.


Poor FH had to go and sleep in the guest room such was the extent of my " relaxed state!"


Thank you iPad!


I love Nigella Lawson. She is larger than life and her recipe books line my bookshelves. They are recipe books I actually use. Her last book Kitchen,has a plethora of brilliantly easy recipes. 


Last night I tested her Cherry Tomato Curry and Coconut Rice. Great for vegetarians and wonderful, colourful, vitamin-packed fodder for children. I did my fennel seed chicken breast on the side...my French son needs to eat somethng which has/had a pulse!


Cherry Tomato Curry

1kg cherry tomatoes, halved
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons rapeseed oil (I used olive oil)
2 teaspoons tumeric
1 teaspoon mustard powder(I use mustard seeds)
1 teaspoon hot chilli powder
1 teaspoon garam masala

Heat oil in large wide-based pan. Add chopped onion and sweat for about 7 minutes. Add garlic, then tomatoes then *spices.
Cook for 20 minutes. Turn off.
Re heat to serve.


Nigella serves this with Coconut Rice.See below for recipe.
*a wee hint..mix spices together before adding.The colours alone make this worthwhile.








Nigella's Coconut Rice

2 tablespoons garlic oil
2 teaspoons Nigella seeds
400ml coconut milk
600ml water 
juice of a lime


Heat oil, add seeds, rice. 
Toss all in oil.
Add coconut milk and water. Cook.
To serve add salt and lime juice.
DIVINE!!






Susie's Fennel Seed and Lime Chicken

Chicken Breasts, sliced through to cook faster.
1 teaspoons fennel seed per chicken breast
Lime juice
Malden salt


Slice through chicken breasts on angles. Squeeze fresh lime juice over each breast. Add Malden salt and roll eachbreast in fennel seeds.
Cook sliced side down. When cooked half way through thickness, turn over.
Serve.