Posted on by samanthajordan5222

Reflection

As always I’m intrigued by the meaning behind the language that we use. Language is, of course, a way of communicating, but what we communicate can often not be interpreted or received in the way it was intended. Misunderstandings can occur and sometimes even fractured relationships as a consequence, and that’s an outcome worthy of some reflection. Do we take time to reflect on what happened and seek to truly understand or do we just give the misunderstanding it’s meaning? How do we know that the meaning that we’ve given the misunderstanding is accurate? Is it because of the way it made us feel? How do we know if the way we felt is really a result of the misunderstanding and not coloured by our past experiences? That is why reflection is such an important skill to master. It gives us that moment to pause and relook at what transpired.

“taking the time to think about, meditate on, evaluate, and give serious thought to your behaviours, thoughts, attitudes, motivations, and desires“

Honest reflection is a good place to start and it requires the courage to be honest with yourself, and I don’t mean in terms of just asserting your position, I’m talking about being transparent to you and your thoughts & feelings when you have an interaction with someone else who “triggered” you. Was it what they said or what is what it meant to you? I think using the word “triggered” these days, in many scenarios, can potentially remove the responsibility from an individual to respond in a mature manner in certain circumstances. As a Therapeutic Life Coach I support those who have experienced deep and significant trauma and being “triggered” is a very real and doubly traumatic experience for them as they relive the past experience.

We need to take the time to reflect on our behaviour and reactions to ensure that we are growing and maturing into people that can be trusted with the hearts and lives of those who, on this journey, are assigned to us. So, as we complete this 6 weeks of lent, let’s take some honest time to reflect on who we are and how we show up in the world. With kindness and understanding of self. We can often think that no-one truly see’s us, but they do!! Let’s ensure that what they see is truly who we believe we are.

Love & blessings,

Samantha xx

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Truth

We’re 5 weeks into lent and whether we chose to follow this Liturgical Season or not, the principle of having an annual time to pause and reflect and discover where we are at in life is still an important principle & practice. A meaningful time of contemplation. A time to be honest with ourselves and have the courage to explore the solitude & silence within, and hold a space of kindness and acceptance of self, when we are faced with the deep truths of who we are. But how do we know that what we are discovering within during that solitude & silence is the truth? It seems that Truths can be viewed as subjective and saying the words …

This is my truth

might not be truth at all! It could be that this is your experience and your perception of your life. It could be that your beliefs which impact the lens that you see yourself and the world through is not truth at all. Our beliefs have been developed by our life experiences, our cultures, our parenting, our education and many other things. If you feel like you’re not worth anything and you’re not good enough does that make it truth? Just because you feel it is? So are we looking at the language we’re using and the meaning behind that language?

Who dictates what it truth? What is truth is something that is true, right? True is defined as …

consistent with fact or reality … something accurate and not illusory

So the truth must be something that is accurate and factual. If you’re believing something that is disempowering, unkind, intolerant or not based in actual facts or reality then it’s NOT truth. It’s definitely not YOUR truth! It’s your perception of a situation. So let’s take some time to reflect on who we are and have the courage to be real and honest. If we notice that we consistently have thoughts that produce negative feelings towards ourselves and others then I’d question the truth of those thoughts. You may have had negative experiences, especially in relationships, in the past that have been the source of why those thoughts have developed, but doesn’t mean it’s true of everyone you meet or every situation. Sadly if we don’t face what’s within we often do repeat similar situations that leads to similar outcomes. This then can become a self-fulfilling prophecy and further supports the negative beliefs that we hold, but it still doesn’t make it TRUTH!

So take some time to pause and reflect and have the courage to be honest with yourself with a view to developing a growth mindset that leads to a happier and more fulfilled life. If you find that too difficult or painful then get in touch with me, or someone else, and get some support with this. The truth that you face may be painful but it can lead to healing and freedom, and this is what I want for YOU!

Love & blessings, Samantha

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Trust

We’re four weeks into lent and we’re looking at the T for Trust! Like most words with themes they often have the scope for a wider reach than the often initial first look. That’s why contemplation is integral to taking the time to listen, enter & notice before reaching the doorway of trust.

Trust is a doorway that leads to a greater sense of safety and inner peace. If we trust then we don’t feel the need to control situations or other people. We have a healthy sense of self and we are not threatened by other people’s gifting or roles. We’re not looking for constant approval and validation. If we trust then we worry less and are less anxious. We can often find ourselves better able to process and face difficult situations when we’ve cultivated trust. Again, as mentioned last week, it is like a muscle that we learn to strengthen. So if over the last few weeks we have taken time to listen, enter & notice what have you noticed about who you are and the lens that you look through when you see yourself and the world around you? If you spend time contemplating the issue of trust for you where do you find yourself? Maybe you have some of these signs of having trust issues:

  • Are you always preparing for the next let down or disappointment?
  • Do you find it hard to forgive and hold grudges easily?
  • Do you find yourself isolating and being a loner as you reduce the risk of being hurt this way?
  • Do you feel like you have to do everything yourself and are quite controlling?
  • Do you find yourself often focussing on the negative?
  • Do you have a fear of intimacy and avoid feeling vulnerable?
  • Do you have commitment issues or a fear of abandonment?
  • Are you suspicious and possessive and always checking your partners phone etc?

If you have said YES to any of these then at some stage in your past something has happened to cause your trust to become damaged and these are some of the symptoms of this. It can take time to trust again but it’s so important for your wellbeing to exercise your trust as it leads to healthier and happier relationships and a greater experience of peace and joy in your life.

How can you trust again when you have been badly let down, betrayed or hurt? It’s not easy is it? We do have to have the courage to take the risk to learn to trust. It’s important to acknowledge when we do have trust issues rather than deflect them and blame others. It’s also important to keep lines of communication open with people and let them know how you’re feeling and then take the process slowly, especially when we meet someone new and haven’t yet got to know them. Sometimes individuals can trust too quickly before getting to know someone and then feel let down or disappointed by them because they moved too quickly. It’s ok taking your time to get to know someone and build a trusting relationship through communication and mutual respect & understanding.

Some people have developed deep trust issues through past trauma and they may need to seek professional support with processing what has happened in the past before they can trust again. The alternative to learning to trust again is having to live within a restrictive life full of coping mechanisms and defence mechanisms that never lead to a life of freedom, peace and fulfilment. Decide today to learn to trust again! If you don’t know where to start then consider praying and asking God for help. He created you after all and knows everything about you. Consider learning to trust this God that so many Christians have faith in. Faith is often described as:

“believing without seeing”

How can we trust what we can’t see? It might be worth talking to a Christian friend and asking them the question.

Love & blessings, Samantha

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Notice

Three weeks into L.E.N.T and this week we’re looking at the letter N for NOTICE. Time can often pass us by and we haven’t noticed all the beauty and creativity that each day can hold. The sounds, the colours, the tastes and the people. Our senses are our way to connect with the world around us but sometimes our senses can be dulled as we’re often stuck inside our heads, being tormented by a stream of negative internal narratives. It’s time to get out of our heads and into the expansiveness of the world around us and notice.

Although it could be said, with all the suffering in the world how can we notice the good? As a therapeutic life coach I have often been astounded at the level of resilience people have had considering the challenges that they have faced, not to mention the global stories. How are we supposed to be happy when we live in a world where children and innocent people are being oppressed, tortured, abused and killed? It’s a bit of an ask isn’t it? Live your life and be happy etc. yet carry the knowledge of all the worlds suffering in your head and don’t be negatively effected by it!! We can’t help but notice these things also, and how can we not be impacted mentally and emotionally by them? We have a lot to process don’t we?

But that can’t be the end of our story can it? We have to have a response. We have to do something to support our wellbeing so that we can be better present for ourselves and others. As we practice mindfulness daily by deciding to intentionally notice the beauty of creation throughout the day we will be working a very important wellbeing muscle that will strengthen our inner ability to discover the expansiveness within. Not noticing the outside world and all its beauty, creativity & artistry shrinks our inner world. When we notice the expansiveness of the external this then reflects within and our inner life will feel enriched and we will become less stuck & trapped within our often limited life experiences. Otherwise, without intending to be, we can become quite self absorbed and not notice the beauty and the pain of those around us. It’s a paradox! We often have to sit with the contradictions of two opposites in one space and be at a place of acceptance.

If we’re to have a healthy response to the suffering in the world then we also need to take time for contemplation. To distance ourselves from the world slightly so that we can be rooted, centred and grounded, yet still remain quite close to the world with love, and allow ourselves to feel it’s pain and joy. So take some time this week to notice! Notice what you think and what you feel and get out of your head intentionally and look for what is interesting and beautiful around you. Remember ~ you get out of life what you put into it, so if you don’t put anything in then you’re unlikely to get much out! Notice everything around you throughout the day. Determine to notice at least FIVE things that you can be grateful for. Gratitude helps you to notice what you have rather than what you haven’t and is a key to enhancing your wellbeing.

Have a good week my friends and I’ll see you soon,

Love & blessings, Samantha

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Enter

We’re just completing our 2nd week of lent and I’m wondering if you decided to give anything up? As I mentioned before I’ve often let lent pass me by without giving it much thought, and on many occasions didn’t give anything up. This time I decided to give up alcohol for lent and I prepared myself to enter into that space. Due to the stress & challenges of life recently I had developed a habit of enjoying a glass or two of wine or whisky, or a few cans of IPA. This doesn’t have to be a problem of course, but I knew that I was happier and healthier without alcohol. I had more energy and more clarity and I used my time so much better. I knew that’s what I wanted to do and I also sensed God’s invitation to lay it down in preparation for the next season of my life. So I entered into this agreement with myself and God.

Often we can find habits difficult to break. Sometimes if we can’t break a habit it’s because we haven’t really made the actual decision to do so, and we’ve left a window open. We haven’t considered it fully and then prepared ourselves to do it. Of course some habits are more deeply embedded and need more time and support to break. To ensure that we can bring our best selves to the table it’s important that from time to time we pause, listen and then decide what we would like to enter into. If we look at a couple of definitions of enter we find:

“to make away into something”

“begin to be involved in”

Is there something that you need to make a way into? Have you been considering something for a while but just not made the decision yet? Maybe NOW is your time to enter. We’re only passing by on this life’s journey once, so don’t get stuck! Take time to reflect today on what YOU need to enter into!

We know that part of our wellbeing is making a meaningful contribution in the world. Is there something that you can begin to be involved in? Have you been feeling like your life lacks purpose & meaning? We can’t wait for opportunities to be brought to us. We need to look for them and have the courage to take them. We need to refuse to believe the lie that say’s “I’m not good enough”. YOU ARE!! Begin to get involved!

See you next week,

love & blessings, Samantha

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Listen

We’re one week into lent and I’m wondering if you’ve taken any time in silence & solitude to listen, enter, notice & trust? It needs an intentional decision otherwise our daily lives can sweep us away with all manner of distractions, and lets be honest sometimes the distractions are welcome, aren’t they? We really don’t want to stop and face how we might be feeling or thinking under the surface. But if we know deep down that something about our lives is not aligned with our core values then we need to pause and reflect. The silence can give us time to breathe ~ time to reflect ~ time to be honest with ourselves! Do we know who we are and are we happy with who we are?

This week we’re going to look at the L of Listen. The importance of listening to love. Straight away that sentence is open to interpretation. Do I mean listening so that you can hear love or do I mean listening so you can be loving to others? I think there’s room for both! Especially in light of our wellbeing. Listening is not the same as hearing! Kay Lindahl describes listening as a sacred art.

Listening encompasses much more than words. Listening is a way of being in the world.

We will experience deeper richness within our relationships with others and ourselves if we learn how to really listen. Have you ever had that experience when you’re talking to someone and you can tell they’re not really listening? Maybe they’re just waiting for their opportunity to talk, or maybe they’re not really interested. Maybe they’re struggling with something and can’t focus. I guess we can all relate to that, and we may have even been guilty of doing that ourselves. It’s a skill to really listen! We have to decide to care more about the other person. Take our thoughts off ourselves and our lives to give someone else the gift of listening. It can feel insincere at first, possibly even forced but when we decide that we’re going to give this person the gift of true attention the results can be extraordinary in our own lives and the life of the individual. By giving them this time you can create a thinking environment whereby the individual can often encounter their true selves and become clear about what their next move in life needs to be. Just by truly listening, with kindness and patience. They experience the feeling of being heard ~ being loved! We’ve listened to be loving, because we know that true love isn’t just about feelings! It’s often about a decision we make to be loving, regardless to how we feel.

Maybe you are someone who listens ALOT and you’ve reached a place where you feel as though you can’t listen any more. Maybe you’re overstretched, over-worked and exhausted. If we live or work within an environment where we are supporting others who have significant life challenges then we can develop compassion fatigue. Could that be you? Are you familiar with these symptoms:

~ increased irritability, anxiety & sadness

~ feeling helpless, powerless & overwhelmed

~ feeling detached & emotionally disconnected

~ reduced feelings of empathy & difficulty concentrating

~ neglecting yourself & having difficulty sleeping

~ withdrawal, self isolation & loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy

~ physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea, chest pain, breathlessness, pain

How can you continue to listen under these circumstances? This is where listening to yourself is so important. Don’t ignore the signs!! When we listen to our hearts and what our hearts have to say how do we interpret what we’ve heard? If our hearts are telling us that we feel helpless, hurt, misunderstood, lonely, exhausted, sad ~ what do we do with this? It’s important to acknowledge that’s how we feel. We need to be able to sit with that feeling and listen to not only our hearts but our bodies, our minds, our emotions and give ourselves permission to recover, if recovery is needed. Of course, part of our well-being is to have meaningful contributions to the community and world around us. How can we have this if we’re exhausted and burnt out?

Self care is not self centeredness, IF it’s not! Of course it can be, if YOU are all you care about!

Sounds a bit harsh but sometimes we’re really out of balance and we need to wake up and truly listen. If you do have any of the signs and symptoms above then chances are your self care needs some reprioritising and that’s ok. Give yourself permission. Only by truly listening to ourselves and others can we know who we are, what our motivations are, what our beliefs and values are and then make the necessary decisions to step into a life with meaning and fulfilment. Do you know who you are? Have you been listening?

See you next week friends x

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Journey Into Meaning

It’s been a while since I’ve written my blog and I’ve missed it! I hope you have too and I’m sending you a warm welcome back. As we know the word wellbeing embraces many aspects of our human experience, and can be subjective, as it can also depend on what is important to you. One aspect of my life that is really important to me is my spiritual life and my faith in God. It’s at the centre of who I am and it’s there that I find my true identity in this often confusing world that we now live in. I decided that the beginning of Lent was a good time to revisit my wellbeing blog, and for us to share our journey on the weeks leading up to Easter.

Of course I know that some folk who may read this may not have a faith in God and spirituality is expressed through other ways. Regardless of your personal beliefs, I respect you as a precious one and still feel that 6 weeks to reflect and possibly reset can bring us all some deeper meaning.

I made a decision to become a Christian when I was 23yrs of age ( 35yrs ago) and believe me my life has not been a bed of roses but despite my challenges my faith in God and my love for Him has only deepened. I can’t say in that time that I have personally adhered to an annual observance of lent in such a way that it has caused me too much discomfort. It is an incredibly meaningful time however for Christians and it can often depend on which expression of God’s church that you attend to how Lent is practised. Orthodox Christians such as Anglican’s and Catholics view this as a solemn time and often fast or abstain from something. They may replace meals with more prayer and Bible reading as they seek to prepare themselves for remembering the death and then resurrected life of Jesus during Easter. Often individuals will choose to give something up for lent (chocolate, alcohol, an addictive TV programme etc). They are aware that they may have a somewhat unhealthy relationship with it and it’s not particularly good for them. They can often feel quite disappointed with themselves that they have such a seeming lack of discipline. Can we agree to leave shame, guilt & disappointment in ourselves at the door?

Lent is a meaningful period of time and like most things in life, things often only have the meaning that we as individuals choose to give them. So, I would like to ask you to choose to be open to the possibility that this next 6 weeks can have some deeper meaning for you. Regardless of your personal beliefs or faith. I’m not asking you to become a Christian. I’m simply asking you to have open ears, open eyes and an open heart to what might rise up for you when you intentionally pause!! Remain curious! Try to resist the

“I already know this” or “I’ve heard this before”

type of internal narrative. As soon as you let that in you close the possibility of growth and the discovery of what your heart could be saying and needing in this moment. So, how are we going to do this? We’re going to look at the word L.E.N.T and I’ve developed this acronym:

  • L isten
  • E nter
  • N otice
  • T rust

We’ll talk more about this as the weeks go by. But to start you off consider taking some time each day for solitude & silence. Look at each day and decide on a time when you can choose to pause and listen. Listen to what your heart is telling you. Listen to your thoughts and try not to attach any intense emotions to the thoughts, just notice what you’re thinking. Your thoughts are NOT you!!

Consider investing in a new journal or art pad and have that by your side ready, so when you listen & notice you can reflectively journal what is rising up for you or express it through art. Honour it! Be interested in what you are thinking and feeling and honour that. Do not judge yourself. Be kind to yourself!

Decide to enter into that space of self reflection with a view to grow and find deeper meaning. Imagine your inner life as a garden. This next 6 weeks is your opportunity to tend to that garden and help it to flourish. To dig out the weeds that strangle your inner beauty and entangle your deeper purpose & dreams with irrelevant, superficial and toxic garbage. Your inner garden is suffocating and the flowers that want to flourish simply can’t unless you choose to have the courage to enter silence & solitude, listen to what your heart has to say, notice how you think and feel and then trust. Trust in yourself ~ trust in those who love and care for you ~ trust that maybe there is a God and He knows and loves YOU! I’d love to hear from you and what you’re discovering. See you next Wednesday,

love & blessings, Samantha

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Setting Your Intentions

I remember when I first started my yoga practice and really struggled with this concept. How do I set my intention? Setting your intention isn’t just something you do at the beginning of your yoga practice it can be done at any time. It’s especially good to do first thing in the morning and after a few moments of meditation and reflection. You can set one intention or numerous intentions and you can change your intentions as you move through the day depending on what’s happening within that day and how you feel you’re responding to it. Remember

You have the freedom and the power to become whoever you want to be

Intentions can help you to become clear about what you want to think, feel and achieve. They can bring awareness to what is important to you and can bring clarity on how you can achieve the responses you value as being authentic to who you are. Of course life can often be challenging and we don’t always respond well initially to life’s daily challenges but becoming more grounded and centred on your intentions can prepare you to respond rather than react. Your intentions can also help you to attract the outcomes you would like to experience for yourself as you have prepared yourself mentally and emotionally in advance which sets in motion opportunities to fulfill your intention.

Intentions need to be supported by belief and although are better to be clear and direct they also need to be set in a restful, relaxed and open state. Always supporting your growth and development. Always supporting your desire to offer more of your inner beauty and creative expression into the world. Intentions are like seeds ~ if you hold on to seeds then they won’t grow. You need to throw them out and plant them and as they hit fertile ground then they’ll grow. And they’ll grow whatever the intention of the seed is. If you throw out flower seeds then you’ll get flowers! If you throw out weed seeds then the wind will carry them and they too will grow.

Photo by Djordje Petrovic on Pexels.com

Reflect for a moment on how you enter each day. What seeds (thoughts) are you having? What seeds (thoughts) are you sending out today? Will they produce flowers or weeds in your life and the lives of those around you? Don’t waste ANY time feeling bad about it as every time we gain some more awareness of ourselves, our thoughts and our actions then we have a wonderful opportunity for further growth which leads to more meaning and fulfilment in our lives. Release your good intentions into the fertile soil of your consciousness so they can grow and you can flourish. Intentions are further empowered in our lives when they are set from a place of having learnt to be content in all situations, rather than from a place of lack. It embraces hope and faith as we refuse to allow doubts or negative experiences to rob us of our good intentions.

Lastly, as antithetical as it sounds, keep a loose grip on them, as those things we tightly and intensely hold onto tend can cause us more stress and anxiety rather than less. So, set your good intentions and then let them go and be at peace believing that everything will work out for your good. If something unpleasant or unhelpful does happen then you’ll be better able to respond to it and you would have had a happier day leading up to that point.

So, let’s complete this by a few examples of intentions;

  • I set an intention to see the good all around me today
  • I set an intention to accept myself as being enough
  • I set an intention to express gratitude at least 7 times today
  • I set an intention to be kind to everyone I meet
  • I set an intention to be generous with my time
  • I set an intention to forgive others and myself
  • I set an intention to choose to be at peace with everyone
  • I set an intention to not take offense and be more understanding
  • I set an intention today to approach everything calmly, even when it’s stressful

Be at peace my friends, and smile as you reflect on your good intentions from a place of inner peace and belief that you loved. I’ll see you next week. I’ve set that intention!! Love & blessings, Sam

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Everyone has a gift!

As we venture out into the world as the pandemic restrictions lift it’s important for us to realise that we all have a gift to bring and who we are within ourselves can be a gift to others. I say “can be” because how we show up in the world is really up to us isn’t it? I understand that many people seem to experience an extraordinary amount of difficulties, and if I’m honest I genuinely count myself in that group, but you would have to truly have walked in my shoes to understand that. Of course when I travelled to Africa & Cambodia and spent time with those in abject poverty my difficulties suddenly seemed somewhat pathetic in comparison but everything is relative isn’t it?

I reflect back to around 30yrs ago when I had been admitted into a mental health facility because I had attempted suicide for the 2nd time. I had an eating disorder and a drug addiction due to sexual and emotional abuse and to be honest I found the world a cold and confusing place. As a child I remember being excited about meeting other children and then discovered that other children really could be quite cruel and that confused me. I mean, I really wasn’t expecting it! Experiences we have as children really do begin to shape who we are and how we see the world.

Whatever your experience as a child and even as an adult, I want YOU to know that you not only have a gift, you ARE a gift to the world. You are a gift to your community and to your family and your friends. Maybe you don’t feel like you’re much of a gift because your journey so far feels like it has beaten the life out of you; but I want you to know that YOU’RE STILL IN THERE!!! Underneath all that confusion and pain YOU are still there. That inner child you that trusted and loved and needed to be loved is still there and needs you to let them know that “it’s ok, you’re safe now”. Maybe you didn’t feel protected as a child (and I’m really not making light of that), and you’ve grown up feeling vulnerable and fearful. Reassure your inner child that you’re safe now and you are now able to protect them and then let the gift that is YOU be seen! Refuse to keep yourself hidden for even a moment longer.

I know, this can be daunting, and you may feel concerned about what other people will think if you do this, but can I let you into a secret? Come a little closer as I need to whisper this …

It doesn’t matter what THEY think

It really doesn’t!! As long as we’re not out there intentionally hurting people then peoples opinions of you really don’t matter. Be free my friends to be who you are and know that you not only have gifts and talents that will bless you and others but YOU also ARE a gift. So why not decide today to be a gift! Maybe you think you’re spreading doom & gloom in the world (and you may have good reason to), then consider spreading love & joy as what goes around comes around. Difficult and challenging times will always come but how we respond to them will always make the difference, right?

I think you are an incredible human being and you are loved and your life has value, so regardless to what has happened so far, and even if you feel the evidence shows otherwise, please KNOW that YOU are loved and your life matters!! YOU are a gift!

Love & blessings until next week friends,

Sam xx

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Learning How To Cook

I LOVE to cook!! I’m probably not that good at it, if I’m honest, but I nevertheless love the creative process ~ the colours ~ the textures ~ the aromas ~ and, of course, the taste!!! A large aspect of our health and well-being is related to what we eat and how we eat. I especially love cooking ayurvedic recipes and the principle of cooking love into your food. As you take your time to cook, rather than be distracted, and enjoy the process then your cooking will reflect that. Eating in a calm and mindful way will also aid digestion, hence why how you eat is just as important as what you eat.

Nadya Andreeva published a great book called “Happy Belly” and how you can feel

vibrant, light & balanced

by recognising how important the gut is and that the first step to healing yourself is healing your gut. Keeping your meals as natural as possible is ideal. Of course we all grab some fast food from time to time but if you learn how to cook GREAT food then you’ll be more inclined to eat healthier.

So, I decided to book into a cookery class and learn how to cook with spices properly and it was a wonderful experience and I can’t wait for the next one. I guess, it was the combination of going out and joining an activity with others and the well-being that can bring and then following chefs instructions. I looked like kung foo panda after around 5 minutes into it when chopping the onions as my eyes absolutely streamed and I couldn’t seen anything for around 20 minutes!!! C’est Leve!

So what did I learn? Here are some of the top tips!!!

  • Always use a sharp chopping knife!! It really made me realise what rubbish knives I have at home. Invest in some good knives! Oh, and as Derek (the chef) said, when you’re not using the knife to chop then always hold it down by the side of your leg so that you’re not swinging it around dangerously when you’re talking.
  • Make sure you have all your ingredients out and ready on your surface. You don’t want to be half way through cooking and still trying to locate ingredients. It’s more enjoyable being organised!
  • The obvious ~ WASH YOUR HANDS!!! And ensure you have a clean work station!
  • Keep your work area clean and tidy as you go along.
  • Chop and prepare all your fresh ingredients ready ie. onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, broccoli florets etc.
  • Don’t burn the spices! Whichever spices you are cooking with measure them out and mix them together into a pot and then add some water to hydrate the spices and make them into a silky paste. We used turmeric, cumin, garam masala, coriander, mild chilli and curry powder.
  • Cook the initial ingredients of bay leaves and cardamom pods in a hot pan and then add oil and the chopped fresh garlic and ginger.
  • Add the chopped onions and chopped tomatoes and keep stirring, listening to it sizzle. Keep it on a medium heat. I kept turning mine down because I was scared it would burn and chef had to keep coming round and turning it back up “I want to hear it sizzle Sam!!”
  • Then you add that beautiful curry paste of spices you previously mixed into a silky paste and the aroma!!! Sweet smelling, fragrant, aromatic! You cook these for at least 10 minutes to bring out the full flavour of the spices, adding small amounts of water as needed if it becomes too sticky and keep stirring.
  • Keep your eye on your curry as it cooks and add oil or water as necessary. Don’t let it dry out!
  • Now because this was a vegan recipe we added coconut milk, broccoli florets and finally butterbeans, and simmered until cooked. Leave the butterbeans until last though or they can go squishy.
  • Last top tip from chef was if you’re not keen on the taste of fresh coriander leaves as a garnish thrown in at the end of the process, then throw it in after the onions at the beginning and you’ll still have the great aroma and flavour but will be easier for you to palate.

Voila! Serve with Dhal Tadka

Delicious folks!! So why not consider booking into a cookery class local to you; or follow one on-line. Take your time ~ follow the recipe ~ and create something with love!

Until next week! Happy cooking!

Love & Blessings, Sam