All posts by Genevieve

Getting Started with Yoga

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Genevieve and Liam at Wat Phra Mahathat, Ayutthaya, Thailand (De

Getting started with a new habit can seem daunting, and I have noticed from looking at how we both differently started yoga, that there is no one right way to begin. 

Excuses, Excuses
I delayed starting for a long time. I had a lot of excuses – getting to a gym for a class was too much of a barrier, I just didn’t have the time. Looking at yoga books didn’t help me to put it together into a routine. I couldn’t visualize what I needed to do, so I couldn’t imagine myself doing it.

Getting started with the Daily Yoga App
It wasn’t until a friend suggested the “Daily Yoga” App (available in the Android and Apple App stores) that I couldn’t find an excuse anymore. It walked me through routines, and I could do it in the comfort of my own home. No need to go to the gym. 

Daily Yoga app

Daily Yoga app

Daily yoga has a series of sessions that can be downloaded onto the App for free. I started with the “Yoga Sequence for Beginners“, and “Standing Poses for Beginners“. These are sessions of 10 or 15 minutes each. After a few months I moved to the “Standing Yoga Routine” and “Seated Yoga Routine” which are sessions of 20 or 30 minutes each, and the “Sun Salutation” 5-15 minutes. I also use the “Yoga for Runners” before and after I do a walk or run as a warm up and cool down practise.

I have not yet paid to “Go Pro” in the app, but this would unlock more music and sessions for $29.99 USD per year.  That is a lot less than going to a class…

Daily yoga for video in progress

Daily yoga for video in progress

Once I felt confident in my practice, I booked into a retreat in Bali, with the aim to have small group sessions with a Yoga instructor to deepen my knowledge and understanding. My trip to Villa Flow Bali made me connect more deeply with the practice and start to put my own routines together, alongside continuing to use the Daily Yoga App. Having a professional to guide me also ensured that I corrected any of the mistakes that I was making through only using an app.

It is important with yoga that you do the poses correctly and don’t try to extend yourself too far or too fast so that you avoid injuries.

Getting started with classes
Barry on the other hand approached it very differently. Almost 15 years ago, he signed up for a set of 10 classes. He prefers to be shown how to do things, to ask questions, and to have the encouragement and support that only a physical trainer can give to get started. He wanted to make sure that he was doing the poses the right way right from the beginning.

Once he got more confident, then he moved onto self study. He bought himself a couple of books, and also started looking at videos on You Tube to give himself more ideas to build into his own routines. 

Getting some new ideas with Tara Stiles
Tara Stiles for example has an excellent set of videos available through LivestrongWoman. They might look a little intimidating though as she is incredibly flexible! Don’t worry if you can’t bend as far as she can yet, we can’t either – even after years of practice!

Below you’ll find some of her Beginner videos to help you get started.  

Now we are just working out how to get our son practicing Yoga with us, but that is proving a little more challenging so far…
 

 

 

 

 

 

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Under the Dome

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Apartment buildings in Shenzhen, China (January 2014)

A Growing Consciousness of Air Pollution

During the time we lived in Delhi we became conscious of Air Pollution. It wasn’t measured then in the way it is in China or Singapore, and daily statistics on the Air Quality Levels were not available. But we bought an Air Purifier, and we could see the pollution with it.

It has a colour indicator to show how hard it is working. Blue means that the air quality is good, and it slows down or even stops the fan from working. Pink means there is a problem with the Air Quality, and Red is an alert – it is working hard to make the air clean.

We watched it hover between Pink and Red for most of the day, especially in Winter and during the Summer dust storms. Only during monsoon did it stay blue for long periods of time. We cleaned the front barrier filter of black soot every month. We bought a second one, and ran them night and day in the lounge and our bedrooms.

It was only after we left that Delhi’s pollution levels started to be compared with Beijing.

A difference in Air Quality

And then we moved to Singapore. We put our two Air Purifiers into our bedrooms. And after a year the indicator finally came up for us to clean the filter.

But still we were glad to have them in “Clean Singapore“. The colour indicator regularly changes over to pink, and sometimes even red. The black soot that it had sucked up from the Sumatran fires was sticky and hard to remove from the filter. We were glad it had taken that away from our lungs. We thought consciously about shutting the doors next time the smog comes.

Having an Air Purifier in our house made us conscious of the Air Quality and the pollution in it, even in Singapore.

Chai Jing’s Under the Dome

When Chai Jing’s Under the Dome started making news I had to watch it, and the scene where they film an operation on a woman’s lungs has stayed with me ever since. She is a non-smoker, but the doctors think she is a smoker. She has lived in Beijing all her life, and her lungs are filled with black soot. Living in this pollution is not better than being a smoker, as the patient’s lung cancer shows.

This pollution is not just a China Problem

The reality though is that this pollution might be worse in China, but it is not just a China problem. Throughout the film examples are shown of London, Japan, and Los Angeles. You could add Moscow or Dubai to the list so easily.

We are not conscious of what the pollution levels are like in most of our cities because we don’t have an Air Purifier that indicates to us when we need to be concerned, and we don’t see a daily measurement. We consider that if the sky looks clear, then it must be OK. Even in Delhi, on clear blue days, we thought it was OK.

The reality is also that pollution levels are rising world wide, and our leaders are not making substantive agreements to change direction. We at home are not making substantive changes either.

So what can we do?

Start by watching the film – the link is below. It is really eye opening. 

Look at your own house and see what you can change. If you live near a main road, consider getting an Air Purifier – research shows that pollution is worst near major roads in any city. Think about what else you could do – could you stop using your fire for warming the house in winter? Reduce your use of plastics? Use your car less?

I like it that she asks businesses in her neighbourhood to also make an effort – to install a filter on their ovens, and cover the pile of building supplies that is open to the wind.

We can also take a look at our governments and their track records in tackling pollution. Ask them to change direction. Ask them to start measuring pollution levels.

A greater awareness means more questions

Recently I had a call about a job in China, and despite having wanted to shift to there for the last 10 years, I turned it down. I decided to choose my health, over a dream move to China. I decided not to become a smoker.

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Thai Curry Paste

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Thai Curry Paste

Thai curry pastes are used as the basis for Thai curries. They can be made at home fresh (which we also do), but there are also some very good pre-made curry pastes available that can save you the time of preparing them from scratch.

Common ingredients used in many Thai curry pastes are:

  • Shrimp paste
  • Chillies, depending on the curry these can be dried or fresh, red or green.
  • Onions or shallots
  • Garlic
  • Lemongrass
  • Galangal
  • Coriander (cilantro) root

We keep Green, Yellow and Panang curry pastes in our store cupboard, which with the addition of coconut milk, onion, garlic, and vegetables can be turned into an easy dinner when we are running late.

Be careful to read the label, as not all curry pastes are created equal. The ones that we buy were recommended by a foodie friend of ours from Thailand, and contain no artificial ingredients or preservatives. We go to an Asian foodstore (Thai supermarket) to buy them as they are not available in our supermarket.

Galangal

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Galangal

Galangal is a member of the ginger family. There are two types of it – the more common one in the west which originates from Indonesia and tastes like a combination of ginger and pine. This galangal is commonly used in Indonesian cooking. A second species originates from China and tastes like a combination of ginger and pepper. The Chinese galangal is more commonly used in Thai cooking.

While Galangal is a member of the ginger family, they do not taste the same, however they way they are cooked with is similar. To use galangal, you first need to remove the tough outer layer, and then either crush it or chop it into strips.

For most recipes, if you are unable to find galangal, you can substitute it for ginger, or alternatively you can buy dried galangal, which is sometimes sold as “Laos galangal.” 1 tsp of dried galangal is roughly equivalent to 1.5cm of fresh galangal.

 

Apple Cider Vinegar

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Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar is made by crushing apples and squeezing out the liquid. Bacteria and Yeast are added to the liquid to start the alcoholic fermentation process, and the sugars are turned into alcohol. In a second fermentation process, the alcohol is converted into vinegar by acetic acid-forming bacteria.

Organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (like Bragg’s) also contains “mother,” strands of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky, cobweb-like appearance.

Organic Apple Cider is thought to be antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal.

It can be used in salad dressings, marinades, vinaigrettes, preserving foods , and chutneys, amongst other things.

Cucumber cooler

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Cucumber cooler

This is a super simple drink, that needs very little by way of equipment to make it – just a blender and a sieve. Perfect for a hot summers day.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cucumber (skin and all)
  • 1/4 lemon (skin and all)
  • 15 mint leaves
  • 2 glasses pure water

Directions

  1. Place all ingredients into a blender. Do not worry about peeling the lemon or the cucumber, just put them in skin and all.
  2. Blend on a high speed for around 2 minutes until you have a bright green drink.
  3. Strain the juice through a sieve into a serving jug.
  4. Serve over ice.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Sola Rosa – Get it together
 

 

Air Fryer

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Air Fryer

We bought our Air Fryer around 2 years ago, and have spent a lot of time experimenting with it and using it for cooking a range of vegetables.

It basically uses a heating element and a fan to cook food faster than a convection oven, and with less fat than if you were deep frying.

To cook sweet potato fries we add just 1 tsp of coconut oil to around 500g of cut up sweet potatoes and cook it at 200 degrees C for 15 minutes.

It is also great for baked eggplant (aubergine), courgette, and can even be used for baking – I have also cooked chocolate muffins in it.

You can also use an oven to bake any of the recipes that we cook in the Air Fryer, but you should approximately double the cooking time.

The Philips AirFryer is available on Amazon, and many good electronics and cooking stores.

 

Papaya

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PapayaThe papaya (also known as papaw, or pawpaw) is native to the tropics of the Americas, perhaps from southern Mexico and neighbouring Central America. However, it is now grown in most tropical countries and can be found used in many cuisines.

The ripe fruit of the papaya is usually eaten raw, without skin or seeds, but can also be used in curries. The unripe green fruit can be eaten cooked, usually in curries, salads, and stews. Green papaya is used in Southeast Asian cooking, both raw and cooked. 

The fruit is rich in papain, and can be used for tenderizing meat and other proteins. The black seeds of the papaya are edible and have a sharp, spicy taste. They are sometimes ground and used as a substitute for black pepper.

Cardamon Chicken Curry with Papaya

Dinner, , , ,

Cardamon and papaya chicken curry

Cardamon is a deliciously fragrant spice. When combined with the sweetness and pungency of papaya it creates a chicken curry that is fragrant and full of flavour.

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 4 chicken breasts (500g) cut into 2cm chunks
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3cm fresh ginger, finely grated
  • Rind of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 4 Tbsp coconut milk
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp kashmiri chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
  • Salt and pepper

Sauce

Directions

  1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl and put in the fridge for about an hour.
  2. Heat the ghee or coconut oil in a frying pan. 
  3. Add the curry leaves and cardamon pods and fry until fragrant
  4. Add onion and fry until soft. 
  5. Add the chicken with the marinade, and brown all over.
  6. Add coconut milk and water, and cook for 10 minutes
  7. Add papaya and chillies and cook for another 5 minutes
  8. Serve with rice or cauliflower rice

About papaya:
The papaya (also known as papaw, or pawpaw) is native to the tropics of the Americas, perhaps from southern Mexico and neighbouring Central America. However, it is now grown in most tropical countries and can be found used in many cuisines. The ripe fruit of the papaya is usually eaten raw, without skin or seeds, but can also be used in curries. The unripe green fruit can be eaten cooked, usually in curries, salads, and stews. Green papaya is used in Southeast Asian cooking, both raw and cooked. The fruit is rich in papain, and can be used for tenderizing meat and other proteins. The black seeds of the papaya are edible and have a sharp, spicy taste. They are sometimes ground and used as a substitute for black pepper.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Warpaint – Warpaint

 

 

Dried Fig and Cranberry Almond Loaf

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 Fig and cranberry loaf

There is nothing quite like the smell of bread baking in the oven. This loaf uses ground almonds to be gluten free, and fruit and honey to sweeten it and avoid processed sugars.

Ingredients

      • 2 cups ground almonds (or almond flour)
      • 5 free range eggs
      • 1/2 cup dried figs, chopped (could be substituted with dates)
      • 1 cup frozen cranberries
      • 1 ripe banana
      • 2 Tbsp honey
      • 1 Tbsp coconut oil or ghee
      • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
      • 1 tsp baking soda
      • pinch of sea salt

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320 degrees Fahrenheit) and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
  2. Add all of the ingredients except for the raisins in to a food processor. Process until smooth. Fold in the raisins.
  3. Pour the batter in to the prepared loaf tin, and smooth out evenly.
  4. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.
  5. Leave to cool in the tin. Slice in to thick pieces, and enjoy with your favorite topping.
  6. Makes 8-10 slices, keeps for 3-4 days in an airtight container.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Regan Perry – Maui