Halloween

En français au bas de la page!

Did you know you could eat squashes raw?

I did not myself until I tried out a few months ago. It works, it’s delicious and a change from carrots!

To keep the Halloween spirit of the coming days I have created a very easy little salad recipe using raw pumpkin.

But before I give it away, I wanted to tell you a bit more about pumpkin.

“The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon (πέπων), which is Greek for “large melon". The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, "pumpkin". The origin of pumpkins is not definitively known, although they are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 B.C., were found in Mexico. Pumpkins are a squash-like fruit that range in size from less than 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) to over 1,000 pounds (453.59 kilograms)”. From http://www.blogger.com/goog_1000030433

There are many sorts of pumpkins and you can substitute any of them in the recipe. The taste will differ slightly but it’s great to try them all!

It is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, and potassium. It is also an excellent source of vitamin A (the beta-carotene is converted in Vitamin A).

On a more culinary level, although it is most commonly used cooked, it is also delicious raw! It has lovely nutty taste. Try to get a very fresh one, its texture should be nice and firm, which will make it perfect to use raw.

Here is the recipe:

Pumpkin salad with pomegranate, walnuts and lemon dressing

Serves 2

 

200g Pumpkin
1 pomegranate

10 walnut halves

5 radishes

dressing:

Juice of ½ lemon

1 TBSP Honey or agave syrup

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Peel the pumpkin and grate it (by hand or in a food processor). Put it in a salad bowl.

Cut the pomegranate in half and pick the seeds. Add them to the grated pumpkin.

Roughly crush the walnuts and add to the salad.

Slice the radishes thinly and add to the salad.

To make the dressing:

Mix together lemon, honey or agave and olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper.

Mix the dressing with the salad and eat straight away!

You can prepare the salad in advance but dress it last minute!

Bon appetit and happy halloween!

En français:

Saviez-vous que l’on peut manger les citrouilles crûes ?

Et bien je ne le savais pas moi non plus jusqu’à ce que j’essaye pour la première fois il y a quelques mois. Résultat : ça marche, c’est bon et ça change des carottes !

Pour garder l’esprit d’Halloween qui plane depuis quelques jours (bah oui, il faut bien jouer le jeu, une bonne excuse pour créer une nouvelle recette en plus !), j’ai inventé une petite recette très simple, rapide et facile avec de la citrouille (ou potiron, c’est interchangeable !).

Mais avant de vous la dévoiler, je voulais vous en dire un petit peu plus sur la citrouille:

En Anglais citrouille se dit “pumpkin”. Le mot “pumpkin” vient du mot Grec “pepon” qui signifie “large melon ». Il semblerai que la citrouille soit originaire d’Amérique du Nord. La plus ancienne preuve de son existence remonte à entre 7000 et 5500 avant JC et c’est à Mexico que l’on aurai trouvé des graines proches de la graine de citrouille. Les citrouilles sont des fruits de la famille des cucurbitacées. Leur taille varie de 500g à 453,59 kg!!!

La citrouille possède de nombreux atouts nutritionnels. C’est une bonne source de fibres, vitamine C, manganèse, magnésium et potassium. C’est aussi une excellente source de vitamine A (le bêta- carotène est transformé en vitamine A).

Sur le plant culinaire, bien qu’elle soit le plus souvent utilisée cuite, elle est aussi délicieuse crûe ! Le petit gout de noisette est excellent. Essayez de trouver un potiron le plus frais possible avec une texture bien ferme. Parfait pour utiliser crû.

Voilà enfin ma petite recette pour vous!

Salade de potiron, grenade, noix et vinaigrette au citron

Pour 2 personnes

200g de potiron

1 grenade

5 radis

10 cerneaux de noix

 Vinaigrette:

Le jus d’1/2 citron

1 Cuillères à soupe de miel liquide/ ou sirop d’agave

2 Cuillères a soupe d’huile d’olive extra vierge

Sel et poivre

Peler le potiron, le râper (au robot ou à la main). Mettre dans un saladier.

Couper la grenage en deux dans le sens de la largeur et récoltez les graines. Ajouter ces belles graines roses à la salade.

Lavez puis émincez finement les radis pour obtenir de belles petites rondelles. Ajoutez les à la salade.

Concassez grossièrement les cerneaux de noix et ajoutez les au saladier.

Préparez la vinaigrette : Mélanger le jus de citron au miel et à l’huile d’olive, salez et poivrez bien.

Mélanger ensuite la vinaigrette à la salade et dégustez sans tarder !

Vous pouvez préparer la salade la veille. Pour cela gardez la vinaigrette séparément et ajoutez là au dernier moment !

Bon Appétit et happy Halloween !

Why and what is raw and living food? La cuisine crûe, quoi et pourquoi?

L'article en Français au bas de la page!

I feel like I owe you some explanation there.
Now if some of you may be very familiar with the idea, some of you haven’t got a clue about what that means and some of you might even think “Has Sybille gone mad again?? There is no way I am going to eat raw carrot sticks and salad leaves all day…”.

Well, of course the word “raw” can be a bit scary. When I heard about that way of eating for the first time I found it difficult to understand (my French roots kept me away from this for a while…). However, I became very curious about it and decided to experiment.
Why not try new recipes that would make me feel great?

As a chef, I am always looking for inspiration and as a yoga teacher always looking for ways to feel good. I found my gold mine there…


All right, enough about me, what is this all about then?

The idea is that if you cook your food, you kill a lot of the nutrients and enzymes and make the food less likely to be digested properly by your body. When I say digested, I mean the way your body absorbs nutrients and vitamins and is then able to redistribute it to all the cells.


Food that is kept raw is still “living” and all the nutrients are intact. The enzymes are still alive too and that makes digestion much easier.

The result is that every cell of your body gets nourished properly thus can heal and renew itself.


A raw and living food diet consists mainly of fruit, vegetables, greens, nuts, seeds and sprouts and even chocolate! We try to use organic produce as much as possible. The food we prepare is never cooked above 40°c (104°F). There is infinity of recipes that we can create to keep it balanced, delicious and exciting!


Some people try to eat 100% raw, however, everyone is different and it seems like the ration 70% raw 30% cooked works well.


The idea is to incorporate more living food daily, not to create frustration or fanaticism. Try to listen to what your body needs and incorporate as much as you like.



For my own experience, I probably eat about 70% raw, mainly vegan (sometimes a bit of cheese… my French roots again!). I find that it works really well for me. When I eat this way, I have a lot of energy, my digestion is great (no bloating), I don’t get any colds, I feel strong and lean, and don’t get cravings. Of course everyone’s experience is different so I invite you to try and let me know how you feel!

To get started, try to incorporate a green smoothie in the morning, and/or have a salad with each main meal. Snack on fruit and nuts. Then keep an eye on this blog for more recipes and ideas!


Here is a recipe of a very simple green smoothie you can have in the morning:

Banana and blueberry green smoothie

Serves 1

- 1 banana
- 125g blueberries
- 1 handful baby spinach leaves
- 1 tsp Honey (optional)
- Water to thin if you prefer a thinner smoothie

Blend the banana with the blueberries in a blender or with a hand blender. Add the spinach leaves and honey (if using) and water (if using).

Pour the smoothie in a large glass and enjoy the start of the day!

A bientôt!

Sybille.

En Français:

Je crois que je vous dois quelques explications.
Peut-être que certains d’entre vous sont déjà bien familiers avec cette idée. D’autres n’ont sans doute aucune idée sur le sujet et pensent peut-être même « Mais qu’est ce que Sybille est encore allé nous inventer ?? Il n’y a pas moyen que je mange des bâtons de carotte et de la salade verte toute la journée… ».

Autumn Cauliflower colours

La recettes en français au bas de la page!

It was early on saturday and London fields was quiet, crisp and hazy. The autumn had arrived for good.

I had in mind not to look too much at the stalls on Broadway market as they are often very attractive, but also very expensive! After all i was there to find a present, not to do my shopping...

Something round and purple, some other thing round and yellow did attract my eye though and i let myself stop at this beautifull organic fruit and veg. stall. I had never seen those beautifull cauliflower, and to be honest have never been a very big fan of the white version.
But those ones, i just had to buy them. As soon as i saw them i was already thinking of a way to make a beautifull uncooked salad with them.

I wanted to keep them as pure as possible, and enhance their amazing colour.

Here is a very easy and quick idea!

Yellow and purple cauliflower salad

1 small organic yellow cauliflower
1 small organic purple cauliflower
2 handful of baby spinach leaves
Juice of 1 1/2 lemon
4 TBSP Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Cut the cauliflower in very small florettes and rinse them.
Mix the lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Add the cauliflower florettes and toss well.
Then add the spinach leaves and toss again.
The spinach leaves will wilt and the cauliflower will soften after about 1/2h.

You can prepare this salad in 1 day in advance without the spinach. In that case add the spinach 1/2h before serving.
You can also prepare this salad with white cauliflower.

Bon appétit!





La recette en français:

The Sacred Sound of life - Ann Malone

Ann Malone is a singer- song writer - hang player - guitarist and sound healer.
Yoga, meditation, and a proper diet play an important role in her life and her music, she tells us more in this article...
L'article EN FRANCAIS au bas de la page!

Very soon after entering Ann's car I felt like I was meeting up with a friend. Strangely she looked like one of my dearest friend, not only by the way she looked but also by the way she sounded. It immediately made me feel comfortable and willing to get to know her.



As we drove from Acton tube station she was the one to ask questions. Arriving to her friend's house, Ann already knew about my love life, my passions and probably much more than I even know. She was sincerely listening and it was to begin a genuine conversation between us coming right from the heart.

S: Ann, tell me what brought you to London? (Ann is from Ireland)


A: Well, I loved Ireland, especially the music. As much as I loved meeting friends in pubs, listening to bands and the atmosphere, the drinking culture just was not for me. I was very interested in meditation at this time. I was reading books on Yoga and meditation and wanted to go further. My sister lived in London and she told me about that meditation course. So I came to stay with her and learnt meditation with Maharaji. It is based on 4 techniques called "light"- "music"- "breath"- "nectar" (learn more about it on http://www.prem-rawat-maharaji.info/index.php?id=31). I now practice every morning between 10min and 2hours.


S: Why do you practice meditation?

A: It helps me focus inside. It's very important for me, this is how I work. I need it for my music. It helps me connect with myself deep down so my music and everything I do comes from within, and is in harmony with myself. It also makes my mind clear and makes me feel peaceful.


S: You practice yoga and have a very healthy diet, is being healthy helping your work?


A: Everyone is different and some people work better if they have a drink! For me it is essential that I try to make my body as pure and clean as possible. It makes my mind clear, I feel connected with myself, inspired, confident with my choices and happy really! The more you learn how to be in touch with what you really need the more you find your own way. I have found mine and I need to practice yoga, meditation and eat well. That's my way, it can be completely different for others, and we need to accept that there is no best rule, only your own.


S: What about your diet?

A: My diet is another crucial part to how I am going to play. I try to be very careful to what and when I eat. Like yoga and meditation, I have found what works for me to keep my energy level up and to keep my mind sane! I eat vegetarian, and probably about 70% raw. I love my green juices in the morning and my salads. However I would not give up my toasts and tea...


S: You were recently diagnosed with breast cancer, it came a bit as a shock, you are so healthy...


A: Oh yes, it came a bit as a shock, some of my friends smoke and drink and they don't have any cancer, why did I get it?
It is a lottery, it can happen to anyone. But for me I think it appeared from an emotional trauma.
My mom died a few years ago and seeing her go was a very very tough time. It was really hard to feel so useless and not being able to help. I was out of control. I am a problem solver and with my mom I just couldn't do anything. It was very distressing and frustrating. I don't have a feeling of failure but a feeling of frustration and heart ache. It is the big trauma of my life. I wrote some very sad songs about it, I can never sing them.


S: How did you deal with your Cancer?


A: It was a shock but it was not as hard to accept as it was to accept my mom's illness. It's sometimes much easier to face your own death than others. However I had to accept it and I also had to forgive myself for being ill.
I wanted to try to heal naturally, without medication and treatments, but in the end I had radiotherapy and an operation. I am fine now. I just feel exhausted sometimes. I now refuse to take medications. They make me depressed and feeling sick.

S: Lets now talk about your music.


A: When I play music I try to get out of the way, to let it flow, let go of the ego. It's a bit like yoga; I try to be detached and relaxed but still be present. It's a balance to find. Music stems from my own self, sometimes my ego gets in the way and that's when I start judging and music doesn't come from within enough then. That's why my lifestyle, yoga, meditation and diet are so important to find this "perfect" state of letting go of the ego and being present, let it all flow from the heart. I want to try to always remain true to myself.


S: Tell me more about what is music for you.

A: Music is my way of communication I think. Music speaks to me. The resonance speaks to me. It is also a way to connect with my inner soul. For me music comes before words. For example when I compose, I will hear the music, the melody and the harmony before I put any words on it (if I do). For me it is all about harmony, beauty and above all Love… Love is THE common thing for everyone, what I play is love, or at least that’s what I try to do! Music is breathing, it is breath, it comes from the breath, it comes from life. Music is the breath of Love.

See an extract:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHzRbpKx0Jw


S: You give “heart song” workshops and Sound healing therapy, what is the role of music in therapy?

 A: Music creates vibrations, those vibrations can be felt in the body and all the cells can feel it. It can unlock some blockages. It is a simple yet profound way to connect to the core of our being and tune our body at a cellular level through the gentleness of its resonance.

S: I came to your workshop and the sound of my own voice really vibrated in my whole body, it was incredible to become aware of it. Then the sound of the Tibetan bowl completely took me away. I felt very in tune with myself at the end of it and could really feel the vibrations of all my cells. It was fantastic.

A: Thank you. I also like playing at yoga workshops. I like trying to connect to the energy of the class and play according to what is going on. I like how it flows and how I connect to myself and let it flow; it is all improvised and comes right from within. A wonderful experience.
S: Thank you so much Ann for your time, such a wonderful conversation. I look forward to come to your next workshop!


For more information on Ann’s workshops and work have a look at her website:
http://www.bluemuse.co.uk/

and myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/annmalonebluemuse



Ann Malone est chanteuse- auteur- joue de 'linstrument appelé hang et de la guitare- elle est aussi therapiste du Son. Le Yoga, la méditation et un régime équilibré jouent aussi un rôle très important dans sa vie et dans sa musique, elle nous en dit plus dans l'article qui suit...

Lorsque j’entrai dans la voiture d’Ann, j’eu immédiatement l’impression de retrouver une amie. Elle ressemblai étrangement à une de mes meilleures amies, non seulement par son physique mais aussi par sa voix. J’eu tout de suite envie d’en savoir plus sur elle...

Coming soon...

You will soon be able to read my conversation with Ann Malone.
Ann Malone is a singer- song writer - hang player - guitarist and sound healer.
Yoga, meditation, and a proper diet play an important role in her life and her music. Find out more very soon...

Alessandra yoga

Pour lire l'article en Français, voir au bas de la page.

When i moved East London about a year ago i was determined to find a yoga teacher that would suit me. Even though i love practicing yoga on my own in my room under the roof, i also love following a teacher and feeling the energy of a group class.

After trying several places and teachers, i went to Alessandra's class at Yogahome . I can't say i instantly loved it as i came from a different style of Yoga and found it quite hard. Something got me hooked though. Something in Alessandra made me want to jump on her "yoga train" as she said later to me. There was a sort of presence in her that i felt i should try to follow...

As i entered Alessandra's house i felt like going into her world. And her world at the moment is rather busy! Taking care of her son is her Sadhana (yoga practice) these days. I got the impression that Yoga is present in Alessandra's entire life.

S: Tell me about your Yoga journey.

A: My Mom was a Yogini. In Italy at this time she was considered as a bit marginal, but she did not mind, she worked hard and yoga was something that she discovered and it accompanied her all along her life. She was very interested in the devotional and philosophical aspects of it. So i guess i have always been surrounded by that, even unconsciously.

I started doing tantra and Kriya yoga. I was initiated by a swami when i was 20.

Then i discovered Ashtanga Yoga which i took as yoga therapy. It helped me recover from a serious injury. I studied with Patthabi Jois in Mysore, Matthew Sweeney and others.

Then slowly i moved to Vinyasa flow yoga. I first met Shiva Rea in London in 2004 and her approach instantly talked to me. This is the style of Yoga i now teach.

S: I am intrigued by Kriya yoga, can you tell me a bit about this experience?

A: I studied Kriya Yoga for several years under the direct guidance of Swami Kriyananda (direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda) both in California and in Italy. Kriya is Yoga for the householder of the 21st century and consists of Karma , Bhakty, Meditation, Pranayama and mudra asana that have been passed down from generations by the great Siddhis (Saints) of the Himalayas. It is a technique of very powerful pranayama (breathing exercises) that works on the chakras. It moves Prana (life force) and can be very uplifting. The asanas are simple and gentle.

S: How did that practice make you feel?

A: To be honest, i really liked it and found it fascinating. At 20 years old i was initiated by a Swami. This is quite a big thing, believe me and i am not sure i was old enough to go through all this. As well as being wonderful, it made me feel very UN-grounded. The funny thing is that most people these days start Yoga from a physical aspect with the Asanas, and then the spiritual side can come (or not). But for me it was the opposite. And i have to say i was not always so happy. I felt like i could not relate to other people of my age. I could relate very well to 50 years old people though, but it made me feel appart. I would meditate every day, mornings and evenings.
It was a fantastic and also difficult time.

S: What made it so difficult?

A: Don't get me wrong, i felt very blessed to experience such a thing, however, i felt like it had made me ready to leave this life, i felt like i was on another plane. I think i felt like i was too young to be like that, i had a whole life in front of me and i was very ungrounded and isolated.

S: Did the more physical Ashtanga practice helped you then?

A: Not only did Ashtanga help me recover from an injury, i think it also helped me to ground myself.
 My husband also played a very important role and i realised that Yoga had to be applied to my life, be part of my life but not necessary taking over everything and making me feel isolated and ungrounded. That, i feel is the real challenge: to incorporate yoga in your everyday life.

S: You studied in Mysore and with loads of great Ashtanga teachers, then you discovered Vinyasa Flow yoga with Shiva Rea. It seems like it was a revelation, a practice you could relate to a lot.

A: Yes, Ashtanga has been wonderful for me. However, in my personal experience i am not sure i could practice it right now, at the moment i need to preserve my energy to take good care of my family! Well, i am sure some women find it works well for them . But you know, i am talking for myself, and i practiced it a lot and loved it. It’s just that my Yoga journey has continued and brought me to teach about discovering the flow of prana (life force) .

S: It feels like you have a strong connection with Shiva. Can you tell me what you like in her practice?

A: Yes there is a strong connection. It just came at the right time on my yoga journey.

Shiva is like a wild animal, she really is in touch with nature, wilderness. She brings you back to real life and teaches how to apply Yoga to your own life. There is no rigid rule. It is all about being connected to yourself and finding your own path and your own way. Something i can really relate to.

S: Can you tell me about your teaching?

A: Teaching makes me happy. I need space and time though to get inspiration. That is why i try not to teach too much.

In my classes i include movement that gives freedom. I really like people to find their own "dance", their own rythm. I like using music to uplift, or calm when needed. Some parts of the practice are very cleansing (kriyas) and liberating. Each class is different. I try to have a different focus each week. There is no rigid rule about a series of postures, it's more about flow. I like to include some partner work as well sometimes.

I also like to incorporate some philosophy, usually at the end of the class when people are more relaxed and their ear more open.

S: Thank you Alessandra for our conversation. See you soon at your class!

Before i left Alessandra's house, she showed me her beautiful Ganesha Statue.

I felt very inspired by our conversation.

The Kriya Yoga subject definitely aroused my curiosity and i want to learn more about it and the energy body. For those of you who are interested, Alessandra recommends to read Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda.

You can find more information about Alessandra's classes and workshops on http://alessandrayoga.com/about

My next encounter will be with Ann Malone, Hang player singer songwriter and sound healer...

A Bientot!

Sybille.

L'article en français:

Lorsque je déménageais à l'Est de Londres il y a environ un an, j'étais déterminée à trouver un(e) professeur de yoga qui m'inspire. Bien que j'adore pratiquer seule dans ma chambre sous les toits, j'aime aussi suivre les indications d'un professeur et sentir l'energie d'un cours collectif.

Après avoir essayé plusieurs cours à plusieurs endroits, j'assistais au cours d'Alessandra à Yogahome. Pour être honnête, je ne peux pas dire que j'ai tout de suite accroché. J'avais l'habitude d'un autre style de yoga et je trouvais ce cours plutôt difficile et très different. Pourtant quelques chose m'attirai vraiment...

Coming soon...

... you'll be soon reading about my "conversation" with Alessandra Pecorella, my inspiring yoga teacher in Stocke Newington...

you can already learn about her by visiting her website http://alessandrayoga.com/.

Namaste.

Sybille.