Mind Food Recipe: Omega Seeds and Ancient Oat Bircher from Lauren Lovatt

We eat to fuel our bodies, right? But what about feeding our minds?

The lovely Lauren Lovatt (who you might recognise from our January Brunch Club) knows the importance of food and our mental health, from her own journey. After years of running restaurants, hosting pop-up events and starting the Plant Academy – Lauren has released a new booked titled Mind Food, which is brimming with fantastic recipes to support good mental health, such as this one below for Ancient Oats Bircher, designed specifically to feed your mind.

Serves: 2

Time taken: 5 minutes, plus overnight

200ml (scant 1 cup) hemp milk

60g (1/3 cup) chia seeds

100g (1 cup) gluten-free oats

1 tbsp rose water

2.5cm (1in) vanilla pod, scraped or ½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp Himalayan pink salt

1 tsp ashwagandha (optional)

1 pipette CBD (optional)

Add all of the ingredients to a medium glass jar or bowl and whisk with a fork. Leave to sit for a few minutes and then whisk again – this will prevent the chia seeds from sticking together. If you have time, repeat the process for best results.

Place the oat bircher mixture in the fridge overnight and enjoy the next morning topped with fresh fruit, hemp yoghurt and bee pollen.

TIP – Have you heard of ashwagandha? The name comes from the Sanskrit and is said to impart the ‘strength of a horse’ as it is regarded as one of the most powerful healing substances in Ayurveda. Ashwagandha most commonly comes in powdered form and is a nootropic, which means that it can improve cognitive function and provide a lot of neurological nourishment. Plus, its unique make up is said to help serotonin production for an improved mood and resilience to stress.

Images: © Sara Kiyo Popowa

Mental Health Awareness Week: Yoga in the Workplace

Mental Health awareness in the workplace is so important. So I’m always thrilled to see companies actively taking a role in promoting the wellbeing of their staff. 

Over the past few years, yoga in the workplace has become a much more regular occurrence, I’m pleased to say. And although doing downward dog with your company's CEO can seem a little daunting, especially if you don’t practice often, there is something extremely leveling about practicing yoga at work. There are no longer department divides, juniors and seniors or office politics. Everyone is there for the same reason; to do their best and feel better. 

30 minutes before the working day starts, during lunch or in the late afternoon lull can really help to: 

1. Increase energy 

2. Reduce stress 

3. Increase confidence 

4. Improve posture 

5. Improve morale 

It’s also a great way to meet people and break the ice, which can be hard at work. This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week’s theme is loneliness, which of course isn’t limited to home and personal life. Workplaces are a strange place, as you can spend 8 hours a day there, 5 days a week, but still sometimes never really feel yourself or feel seen. 

Yoga can be a way to create community, to bring people together doing something that is beneficial to your mental, physical and emotional body.

This week, I taught an online class for the wonderful team at Extract Coffee Roasters, who often supply their AMAZING coffee at our events and retreats. Offices in different locations logged on and we practiced together, starting the day the right way. Big thanks to Extract for inviting me to be a part of their Mental Health Awareness Week activities.

Yoga Brunch Club was founded out of building community for everyone. So join me online, from wherever you are on Monday 23rd May at 6pm to flow and breath together as a community. 50% of your tickets price will be donated to The Mental Health Foundation.

Book your ticket here.

Delicious Curried Lentil, Tomato and Coconut Soup

I tried this recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi for the first time this week and just had to share it. It’s so unbelievably simple, I didn’t believe it would taste as good as it does! But trust me, this makes a great midweek supper, or dress it up with flatbreads and a fried egg on top if you’re hosting friends.

Continue reading for ingredients and method…

Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian

This recipe serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 piece ginger (around 2½-inches) peeled, finely grated

1 tablespoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon crushed red chilli flakes

1 tin red lentils

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 handful finely chopped coriander, plus leaves with tender stems for serving

Sea salt, black pepper

1 tin coconut milk

Lime wedges (for serving)

METHOD

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion, then add garlic, ginger, curry powder, and red chilli flakes, stirring for about 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, saving some coconut milk and coriander for garnishing, as well and 2½ cups water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft but not mushy, around 20–25 minutes.

Serve up, with a drizzle of coconut milk, sprig of coriander and wedge of fresh lime.

Festive Mocktails That Are Good for Your Gut

There are so many delicious alternatives to alcohol around now, that having a ‘dry’ Christmas or being the designated driver, is actually quite appealing… and when the cocktail is even good for you, it’s a win win!

On our November retreat (you can check out the gorgeous Clayhill where we spent the weekend here), we served up an alcohol-free alternative to gin and tonic before dinner on Saturday evening. We mixed Cedar’s Pink Rose Distilled Non-alcoholic Spirit with Willy’s Pink Grapefruit ACV (apple cider vinegar) Water. Add lots of ice, thyme or rosemary, fresh fruit and edible flowers for a festive garnish!

This drink is so refreshing and looks really lovely, so you don’t feel left out if you’re passing on the fizz! Plus, Willy’s ACV is good for you, for a number of reasons.

Willy’s ACV Water contains live Apple Cider Vinegar which contains the Mother. The Mother looks like strands in the vinegar and is a natural part of the fermentation process and is full of gut-friendly probiotics (beneficial bacteria) which support overall wellbeing. For example, the Mother has been proven to:

• Support the immune system

• Improve digestion

• Aid weight loss

• Improve hair, skin and nail health

• Lower blood sugar

All of which are very welcome at this time of year!

And if a G&T isn’t your tipple of choice, check out this recipe for alcohol free mulled ‘wine’ from Willy’s, which is great for kids too!

Quick and Easy Christmas Club Sandwich Recipe with SHORE Seaweed Pesto

I’m always looking for new recipe ideas at this time of year, because, let’s face it, Christmas is all about the food! Here is a recipe from SHORE Seaweed that is perfect for a quick lunch to use up leftovers throughout the festive season. These ingredients are a staple in the fridge - layer it up in a sandwich, hot or cold for a simple but delicious meal.

Ingredients

• 250g left over turkey (or cooked quorn chicken)

• 2 smoked bacon rashers (or vegan bacon)

• 3 tbsp soft cheese

• 2 tbsp SHORE’s Italian Basil & Seaweed Pesto

• 4 slices sour dough bread, toasted

• 4 round lettuce or Little Gem leaves

• 2 large vine tomatoes, thinly sliced

• 1 avocado, thinly sliced

• Skinny fries (optional!)

Since 2016 SHORE have been growing, harvesting and processing premium Scottish seaweed, creating products that are 100% sustainable, good for the coastal environment and beneficial for local rural communities. You might have tried their crisps in our goodie bags - salty deliciousness!

Did you know seaweed contains a unique source of key macro and micronutrients, antioxidants, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals, so your diet is easily boosted with protein, fibre, magnesium, calcium, iron and iodine whenever you eat it?

SHORE sustainably harvest selected species from the far north of Scotland. The sites we harvest from are chosen for their remoteness and water quality – where the highest quality of plants thrive. These sites are monitored to carefully manage the local plant diversity.

Seaweed is packed full of umami, which roughly translated from Japanese means deliciousness. Umami gives food a uniquely deep rich savoury flavour.

Image: shoreseaweed.com

You can find out more about SHORE and their products here.

Getting to know Cloudia Hill

Yoga teacher, actress, wife & mother

Get to know the yoga teacher behind the November YBC Retreat

Cloudia has been part of the Yoga Brunch Club family for quite a while now, teaching on the retreats over the past few years. It’s always so great to catch up and explore how Cloudia’s teaching has evolved and what new elements she brings to her sessions - so we can’t wait to welcome her back to the November retreat! In the mean time, we’ve asked her some questions to get to know the woman behind the teaching a little more…

Can you remember the point where you thought ‘I want to teach yoga’ and what led to that moment? 

Yes, a very distinctive point. I had finished a long tour in the US and had been practicing everyday. When I got home I started to look for trainings in the USA and then I heard my teacher Stewart was leading a TT (teacher training) in the UK with the Power Yoga Co, which is my second home. I didn’t think twice and have literally never looked back.

Your background is in acting - how does acting and performance fit with teaching and practicing yoga? 

As an actress, you are placed in many different scenarios and have to be present and listen! Performance teaches you to trust yourself and your instincts. Now I’m not going to lie, I used to get the worst nerves before an audition and sometimes before I would set foot on the stage. I learnt tools to improve my voice and protect it, how to hold an audience. All of these tools and experience definitely helped me in teaching yoga. People can very quickly see if you have a wall up and to be a teacher they want to see your honesty and trust you.

How do you balance the two + being a mum and a partner? 

Being a Mum, Yoga Teacher, Wife and sometimes auditioning… hmmm well I have an incredibly supportive husband but pre Covid he was away working State side every month. I had to go back to work pretty much straight away as being self employed there is very little support. So after 6 weeks I was back teaching and juggling baby. I think I may have had some castings as well. You just do it, some how it works out. Mags as a result mixed with a lot of people. The studios were amazing and would hold her when I taught which I am so grateful for. You get used to this new pace of life quite quickly. When the first lockdown happened I hadn’t realised quite how much I had been doing and that shift in gear was welcomed.

When you don’t want to get on the mat, what do you tell yourself? 

Yoga is hard, it demands a lot from us. It requires us to be present, honest, and physically and emotionally available. There are days when I actually don’t want to be emotionally or physically available – but I know that with the right intention I will come off the mat feeling stronger and not defeated. I go back to the principles and trust the asana and breath will heal me. I have always had a strong work ethic and this translates to my practice. If I’m practicing to shift a few pounds then I’m unmotivated, if I have a strong intention i.e. to love my body, tell myself I am strong, to embrace, then the practice becomes something far more.

You are training to become a Master NLP practitioner and working to gain your ICF Credential - what made you decide to pursue this? 

Yes I am studying in the background – I never appreciated how tough it is to learn over the internet. I get the odd hour here and there between teaching, being a mum, cleaning, cooking, oh and being a wife - to sit, read and absorb. I have always been interested in healing and being a support for others. I have grown up around mental illness, addiction and unfortunately cancer is a strong presence within my family. As a result I grew up very quickly. Don’t get me wrong I had a wonderful childhood however it came with its complications. My awareness and empathy as a result is very high, I’m able to read and tune into a room however I have not been trained in how to use these skills within a structure. This is what the course is doing, creating a structure/framework for me to be able to apply my skills and build upon them. When the training is completed I will be hosting days at Zen Den focusing on areas of Confidence, Depression, Lifestyle, Health. I will also be coaching clients one to one working through key areas they would like to change.

How do you remain authentic in your teaching? 

I keep learning – in Yoga there are so many different opinions and it can be quite a judgmental competitive world. Everything you would not expect, I don’t get involved, I stay true to what I believe and keep learning and developing. As a yoga teacher I am there as an act of service to everyone that comes to class. The minute as a teacher you start to think about yourself then the class is driven by ego.

What is yoga to you? 

Yoga has been so many different things to me over time. Right now it is my constant – I know I can be anywhere in the world, be it locked down in my home or on a beach in Portugal and it is always there. It will raise questions I might not want to answer and demand truths from me however it will also hold and heal me.

What do you look for in a yoga teacher? 

Personality and knowledge is key. When I go to a class I want to feel safe in the room, I am also a big one for intelligent sequencing. There is nothing worse for me then when I go into a class and the teacher has their favourites who are all show boating at the front, teacher included.

I know I can practice anywhere and block out what isn’t working for me but there are some in that room who have plucked up a lot of courage to get onto the mat, or who may be feeling fragile. It is about building relationships more so than ever now.

If your life was a book, what would be the title? 

And Breathe

What’s the name of the chapter you’re in now? 

The Bigger Picture

Social media - ‘YAY! I love it and my business would not be the same without it!’ or ‘NAY it’s not always a positive force in my life, I would prefer not to have social media’?

I love Social Media, but Clem knows I’m not so good at it – I am getting better ( I think) it’s a way to communicate but if you don’t know what you’re communicating it can be a little daunting. I need to get better, I do love It but wish someone could do it for me…

Three things you couldn’t live without? 

3 things apart from cuddles from Magster and the whippets…

1. Hot Sauce – I have been known to carry a small bottle of Tobassco with me

2. Coffee – I’m a real coffee snob I love it

3. Rose scent
   

What’s your best life hack? 

Freeze your fruit all prepped for an easy smoothie or crumble… and getting up early to give myself time before the house hold erupts!

Why do you do what you do? 

I love people – I just came off from a zoom class and shouted out I love people. I really do.

@cloudiahillyoga

Getting to know Rebecca Rhodes-Evans

Dancing in the kitchen, trips to Ibiza & shakshuka

Get to know the queen of granola and woman behind Rock My Bowl

We’re so excited that Rebecca will be joining us for the June Yoga Brunch Club Retreat! So we thought we’d get to know her a little better…

Your business started with granola, can you remember exactly when and where you had the idea to start making and selling your own?

The shorter version of a very organic process is… I had been making granola for a while, after I had my son in 2012 I started to play around more with recipes. I just decided one day that I wanted a healthy breakfast company and approached a local deli and a market manager in Bermondsey. When they both said yes I got down to creating 2 original flavours. Cacao and sea salt and Cardamom and apricot were born!!

Was it a light bulb moment?

Not exactly but I was inspired by all the cafes and breakfast bars popping up . I just thought why can’t I give it a try?

Did you think it would become your business or was it just a hobby/side hustle at first?

Not at all, I was a mobile beauty therapist and that was where I earned my wage, I didn’t think it would become by actual job. Even though I created a brand very quickly. I still have to think about it when people ask me what I do.

What piece of advice would you give to 2016 (the year Rock My Bowl was founded) you?

Be prepared for the graft, don’t try to do what anyone else is doing.

What piece of advice would you give to 26 year old you?

Save your money better but go to Ibiza more ha ha.

You’ve had a busy day, you’re tired and hungry - what is your go to meal?

Peanut butter on toast is pretty much my survival meal. It needs to be ManiLife and has to be very good seeded bread.

Your girlfriends are coming over for a dinner party - what is your go to meal?

It would with either be a big sharing shakshuka that you can find on my Instagram, loads of good bread, eggs, labneh, pesto and dukkah! Yum! Or a help yourself burger bar with meat and veggie patties, loads of toppings, sides, condiments, salads etc. etc.

If your life was a book, what would be the title?

Dancing in the kitchen

What’s the name of the chapter you’re in now?

Suddenly all was good

Social media - ‘YAY! I love it and my business would not be the same without it!’ or ‘NAY : it’s not always a positive force in my life, I would prefer not to have social media’

RMB wouldn’t be where it is without Instagram so I’d have to say YAY, BUT… I log off regularly, I don’t follow anyone or anything that makes me feel rubbish and I don’t scroll or look at other peoples grids that much. Comparison is just no good for anyone.

Three things you couldn’t live without?

Music, family + friends, exercise

What’s your best life hack?

Get up early, drink the coffee then do the things…

Why do you do what you do?

Because I love feeding people

What makes you love your job?

I am learning and evolving so much. I love creating menus based on the seasons and client brief, adding little touches of texture and flavours based on what I have around me in the kitchen.

Why have you chosen this path?

I feel like it chose me, I honestly didn’t expect to be catering like I am, it all just happened and I’m enjoying the ride.

Rebecca is the Founder of boutique catering company Rock My Bowl and will be providing a bespoke menu for the June Yoga Brunch Club retreat. To find out more and book your ticket, click here.

Steamed Pumpkin Dumplings From Tsukemono

8 Ways To Stay Grounded This January

To say the start of year has not been easy is an understatement.  With so many of us having to pivot, muddle through, get creative and be in a constant state of survival mode.  

I am finding it hard to stay positive, to keep my energy up, and feel grounded when things are still so much up in the air. I’m sure we are all in agreement that we had hoped things or were holding out hope that things would have worked themselves out by now.

If we can take one lesson away from 2020 and the ridiculous year that it has been, it has to be how much it has taught us all the value of slowing down.

I have put together a list of tips for staying grounded through the start of 2021:

1. REST- our bodies naturally crave more sleep, hibernation and time to rest so give yourself permission to take an afternoon nap. Switch off the phone, tv, laptop and go and lie down. 

2. It’s okay to NOT feel really productive, 2020 was a hell of a year so don’t feel pressured to get into the new year spirit.

3. YOGA NIDRA - try it out for yourself with my free download here

4. PERSPECTIVE is everything, ask yourself if what your overthinking will matter tomorrow, in a week or in a year

5. READ- when was the last time you sat down and enjoyed a good book. Book highlights for me have been: Where The Crawdads Sing, Ghosts by Dolly Alderton, Educated by Tara Westover, America Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

6. DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATH - Focus on your inhale and exhale and where its starts and ends, can you invite your breath to start from down below your belly button. Place your hands on your belly and take 3 rounds of five deep inhalations and exhalations. 

   When we breathe better, we think more clearly.

7. GET OUTSIDE- I know we are restricted on this, but make time to get outside first thing in the morning with the sunrise or sun setting, these frequencies of light have been shown to be the most healing on the body. If you would like to delve into this more, look into Red Light Therapy.

8. USE YOUR PHONE to call people, try and limit social media and book in phone catch ups and video calls with friends and family. We are all craving connection right now and it is more important than ever to keep in touch and check in with each other.

A look back at the 12 Days of Christmas with Yoga Brunch Club

In December, I teamed up with some of my favourite brands to bring you 12 days of Christmas with Yoga Brunch Club - have you seen it on Instagram? From self care essentials from Magic Organic Apothecary to Cocktail ideas from La Maison Wellness and the most delicious Christmas cookies from Hey Lovely Buns… these brands are creating amazing products and experiences that I was able to give away to lucky winners over 12 days. Here is a round up of the gorgeous brands that are not to be missed for pressie ideas and everyday essentials… 

MOA

Magic Organic Apothecary creates beautiful natural and organic skincare, made here in England, inspired by herbal folklore. They gifted a bottle of their silver mystical toner infused with antibacterial colloidal silver, combined with silver fir essential oil purifies, it revitalizes and hydrates, perfect for the colder weather of winter! It also helps to balance complexion and breakouts (a classic symptom of Christmas with all the eating and drinking - does anyone else find this?) 

Did you know that silver has antibacterial properties? Ancient civilizations applied the metal to help heal open wounds, sailors tossed silver coins into storage barrels to keep the drinking water fresh, whilst royalty and nobles drank from silver goblets.

You may recognise MOA’s dreamy bath salts from my event and retreat goodie bags - I love this brand! Find out more at moa.co.uk.

Kemp Kitchen 

El created Kemp kitchen in 2017, catering for shoots on set as well as providing breakfasts and lunches for brand events across London. She specialises in beautiful and delicious food that follows the seasons, using locally sourced produce, and now caters for events of all shapes and sizes across London and the South West. She gifted an incredible Christmas cracker hamper for the YBC 12 days of Christmas, which was bursting with delicious festive treats - tahini sea salt florentines, harissa spiced nuts and blackberry and bay jam, to name a few - yes please! Find out more at kempkitchen.co.uk.

Sea Arch

Love a tipple but hate not feeling your best? Or maybe you’re pregnant, so alcohol is off the cards for the foreseeable! Sea Arch has created an alcohol free gin that will be my go to this Christmas. As well as alcohol free, it’s low in calories, free from sweeteners and preservatives and derived from 100% natural ingredients. I’m sure I’ll be drinking this well into 2021 as it’s so delicious, without any of the downsides of one too many traditional G&Ts! Sea Arch gifted a bottle of their juniper blend gin, to be enjoyed with a splash of clementine juice, ginger ale and a cinnamon stick. Find out more at seaarchdrinks.com.

Bombay Brunch Club

You might have tried Bombay Brrrunch club at one of my events, if so, you will know how awesome they are! They have been working hard throughout lockdown to bring their delicious authentic Indian street food, snacks and chai to people all over Bristol. They have provided this recipe for Christmas Bombay Toasties, which makes a perfect festive snack… that I’m still making in January!

Willy’s

I’ve heard so much about the healing power of Apple Cider Vinegar this year! Whether you’re drinking it daily to improve gut health (amongst other things!) or just have it as a cupboard staple - Willy’s is my go to ACV. For the 12 Days of Christmas campaign they are giving away their Winter Wellness Box which includes ACV with Honey, Turmeric and Black Pepper (YUM!) as well as kombucha and a wellness shot - perfect for staying well this winter! Find out more at willysacv.com.

La Maison Wellness 

One cocktail just doesn’t seem like enough sometimes! So here is a recipe from La Maison Wellness called the Pamplemousse. This non-alcoholic twist on a classic is super fresh and aromatic - perfect for a lockdown lunchtime.

Cami, the founder of mindful drinking brand and creative consultancy La Maison Wellness, is a leading voice within the low alcohol industry, and is on a mission to guide brands and organizations to drink well and elevate wellbeing and mindfulness in hospitality and wellness. Find out more at lamaisonwellness.com.

Hey Lovely Buns

Have you tried these cookies?! I was introduced to these at my January 2020 retreat and cannot put into words how delicious they are! I know anyone that was on the retreat at Poundon House will agree, as they didn’t last long. They are completely vegan, use organic and fairtrade ingredients and are packaged in recyclable, biodegradable, or compostable packaging. So you can enjoy these completely guilt free! Alice, the incredible one-woman team behind this brand works from her kitchen in Dalston and sends UK wide (yay - cookies in the post!) She has created gorgeous festive flavours of mince pie cookies and dark chocolate and orange peel cookies to try and has given away her Christmas Selection Box for the 12 Days of Christmas. Find more cookies to try at heylovelybuns.co.uk.

Detox Kitchen

It’s not easy to think of healthy and varied meals, everyday, along with feeding family, working and everything else. And I know that I always start January with such high hopes of beautiful healthy meals to start the year right… well if you need a helping hand, then Detox Kitchen is to the rescue! They are based in London and prepare delicious healthy meal plans, fridge fills & veg boxes delivered to your door. Detox Kitchen believes food isn’t just food. It is a pathway to better energy levels, sharper mental clarity, improved mood and better health and well being. It’s incredible the effect that good food can have on us! Detox Kitchen have provided a delicious brussel sprout tower recipe for a veggie centerpiece and are offering 15% off your first order with code YBC15. This is food that will make you feel like the best version of yourself, find out more at detoxkitchen.co.uk.

Roam and Slumber

If you saw my blog from my summer road trip round Cornwall, then you will have seen Quincy, the beautiful campervan that we rented from Roam and Slumber via rental site Quirky Campers. Sam, the man behind Roam and Slumber, grew up around campervans and has turned his passion into a Scandinavian inspired boutique hotel on wheels, all housed beneath the unassuming exterior of a white former FedEx van.

Quincy is available to rent (get in quick as next summer is looking busy with staycations still on the cards!) and Sam is in the process of working on his next project, which will be available to rent early 2021. He has kindly shared a sneak peek here: 

Sam also offers a converting service, so dreams of doing up a van might be a little closer to reality in 2021… 

Sam has kindly gifted 2 nights stay in Quincy (Ts&Cs apply). We loved our stay in the van and can’t recommend a holiday on wheels enough - if you haven’t road tripped before, you have to try it! Check out more of Quincy here.

I want to say a massive thank you to all the wonderful brands that have collaborated for the 12 Days of Christmas with Yoga Brunch Club to provide incredible giveaways for the lucky winners! I look forward to seeing these great companies grow and evolve in 2021 - lots of exciting things to come!

What is Yoga Nidra?

Yoga Nidra is often referred to as yogic sleep. It is a practice that lots of us will have been doing long before realising we were. 

That juicy part that we all look forward to at the end of a yoga class, when you don your socks, jumpers and blankets, lie back in savasana and let the goodness of the class you’ve just done soak over you. You drift into a borderline state between being asleep and awake that is total relaxation - this is yoga nidra.

Yoga Nidra is the most accessible form of meditation and relaxation which takes little effort, it’s benefits are extensive including:

• Takes you into a deep state of rest: without resting we can not recharge

• Soothes and resets the nervous system, taking us away from being in a fight or fight mode and into our parasympathetic nervous system 

• Helps with sleep

• Enhances memory and how we learn and process things

• Improves and creates space for creativity

• Teaches us how to detach from an overthinking mind and move into the sensations of the body

• The body scan part of the practice, encourages you to focus inwards which is rejuvenating and increases self compassion and awareness for our own bodies

• It can reduce stress and decrease the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the body 

I took part in a beautiful three day training in November with Melanie Cooper and Jennie Watsden and developed a deeper fascination and love for the practice. I’ve found it so helpful during my pregnancy to incorporate an afternoon practice in my day.

Yoga nidra can be done lying down or seated, outside or inside you can take a recording with you on a train or if you are travelling somewhere, and you don’t need a yoga mat. 

If this is your first time practicing, I would recommend finding somewhere quiet to sit or lie down comfortably, have a cushion or blanket over you and dim or switch off the lights.

I’ve recorded a short Yoga Nidra for you to try (12 mins long), click the link below to listen.

Squash, Aubergine and Sprout Towers from Detox Kitchen

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Detox Kitchen believes food isn’t just food. It is a pathway to better energy levels, sharper mental clarity, improved mood and better health and well being. It’s incredible the effect that good food can have on us! Detox Kitchen have provided a delicious brussel sprout tower recipe for a festive veggie centerpiece and are offering 15% off your first order with code YBC15.

Hearty, comforting and fun to construct, these make for a great festive dinner. We love the combination of textures with the velvety squash and aubergine, tender pearl barley and crispy sprouts.

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Serves 2

Ingredients

200g pearl barley
1 bay leaf
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Malden Sea salt
½ butternut squash
2 aubergines
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
Malden Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
150g Brussels sprouts
50g pistachios, chopped
For the tahini and cumin dressing
50g cashew nuts
50ml hot water
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
Pinch cumin
Juice 1 lemon
Small handful parsley, finely chopped

Method

Wash the pearl barley in a sieve until the water runs clear. Then place the pearl barley in a large saucepan and cover in fresh, cold water. Add the bay leaf, lemon zest and juice and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and then simmer until the water has evaporated. Then add 50 ml at a time, waiting until it has evaporated, until the pearl barley is cooked, it should be soft with a chewy bite.

Whilst the pearl barley is cooking, prepare the squash. Slice of the bulbous part and set aside to use for another dish. Slice the remaining squash into 1cm thick slices. Slice the aubergine into slightly thicker 1.5cm pieces. Place the squash and aubergine on a large baking tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle over a good amount of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Then remove from the oven and

detoxkitchen.co.uk

Christmas Bombay Toasties From Bombay Brrrrrunch

You might of sampled Bombay Bruuunch’s at some of this years Yoga Brunch Club’s. Mrunal is passionate about sharing her love of Mumbai and it’s incredible street food scene.

I was in Mumbai when I had my first real Bombay sandwich. Buttered slices of white bread, smeared with a thick layer of spicy green chutney + vegetables, cheese and spicy potatoes and extra ketchup. Have you ever had one?

We served them at our wedding as late night snacks for the guests and they got devoured in minutes.

Bombay Brrrrunch has put a Christmas twist on the classic street food dish..perfect for Christmas day leftovers.

Cocktail Inspiration with La Maison Wellness

Where do you stand on non-alcoholic sprits? I love a drink but being pregnant this year I’ve been looking for alternatives so I can still have a cocktail.

Camille Vidal, the founder of mindful drinking brand and creative consultancy La Maison Wellness, is a leading voice within the low alcohol industry, and is on a mission to guide brands and organisations to drink well and elevate wellbeing and mindfulness in hospitality and wellness. 

Cami joined the Yoga Brunch Club’s Virtual Retreat this year where she led a Friday night cocktail mixing class online, for Yoga Brunch Club’s 12 Days of Christmas she’s sent over this recipe for you all to try.

She’s put together a beautiful recipe from La Maison Wellness called the Pamplemousse. This non-alcoholic twist on a classic is super fresh and aromatic - perfect for a lunch time!

See the full video and demonstration of how to make it here

Image and video: La Maison Wellness

Finding Time To Rest Over The Holidays

How have you been feeling these past few weeks? Physically you might be feeling more cold symptoms, congested or bunged up. Emotions this time of year can be linked to a need or want to let go of things, fatigue, exhaustion, and a craving to slow down.

According to TCM (Chinese philosophy), Yin is the passive female principle of the universe, characterised as female and sustaining and associated with earth, dark, and cold.

This definition of yin works so perfectly for the winter. We are naturally syncing with the seasons by slowing down, drawing in, it is dark and cold and we can recognise this in our yoga practice. 

Sometimes yoga can feel like a chore if you’re fighting against what your body really needs. If you don’t feel like jumping on the mat for a dynamic flow class - don’t feel guilty. Listen and observe the practice that you need and your body is craving, we need the quiet and still practices to find a balance in our lives. Try these poses in a sequence as shown in the video above or practice them in yin style and see how you feel. 

Childs Pose

Take the knees hip distance apart or wider and bring your big toes to touch, sit back on your heels your sit bones connect, using a cushion or pillow here to add extra comfort.

Extend the arms out in front of you, separating the fingers

Make sure your head is connected to the floor or bring a blanket or cushion underneath the forehead

Stay in the pose for 3-4mins

Belly Breath to Eagle Arms or Shoulder Squeeze

Sit back on your heels adding a blanket underneath the knees if you need extra support, bring one hand to your belly and one hand to your heart. Give yourself time to focus on your breath, noticing where the breath starts and ends, the temperature of the breath as it moves in through the nose and out of the mouth. Try and get to the end of the exhalation and notice if there is a pause before the inhale.

Take your arms out wide in a T Shape and cross the left elbow over the top of the right, wrap the hands around the backs of the shoulder blades. The elbows will stack and you can choose how much of a squeeze you want to give the body. Relax the back of the neck allowing the head to softly release forwards.
Repeat with the right elbow over the top of the left.

Hold for 1 min on each side

Take the arms wide and cross the left elbow over the top of the right elbow, lift the elbows and shoulders in front of the face and allow the palms to meet in the middle. Feel the backs of the shoulder blades drawing together.

Keeping the elbows lifted, take 3 deep breaths, choose to stay seated with a tall spine or allow the head to gentle bow forwards and cradle the head in the hands.

Hold for 2-3 mins on each sides

Release by gently shaking out the arms and fingers.

Swan

Start on the hands and knees in an all fours position with the fingertips spread out on the floor and the shoulders stacked over the wrists.

Start on the left side, bringing your left knee to your left wrist creating a diagonal line running from the knee to the foot, if your experience any pain or uncomfortable sensations in the knee, move the foot so it is at less of angle. Allow the right leg to be out straight behind you, option to add a cushion here under the left sit bone to equal out the pelvis.

Rise on to the fingertips and open up the chest taking 3 deep inhales and exhales.

Sleeping Swan

Choosing to stay upright in swan or starting to sink forwards to the floor, option of coming on the forearms, bringing a cushion, blanket or bolster under the torso and releasing to the floor.

Notice if there is any tension in the shoulders, fingers or upper body, if you are flat to the floor you could make a diamond shape with the hands to release any gripping in the upper body.

Hold the pose for 3-4 mins and then repeat on the other side

Leave time to take a rebound or finish in a savasana, lying flat on your back at the end of the practice for 3-5mins or longer.

Video by Nic Kane for Now Studio Bristol
Images by Kat Macleod and Katrina Bartlam

Being Pregnant In A Pandemic

I had heard about anxiety in pregnancy but I don’t think I was quite prepared for what being pregnant would be like during a pandemic.

So how have the last 6-7 months been? For so many of us this has been an impossible year, with loss of loved ones, cancelled plans, financial hardships and just the uncertainty of it all. Throw in being pregnant to that mix and you’ve got a whole cocktail of hormones, anxiety and added worry.

However it does feel like a light at the end of a very dark tunnel, and I honestly do still feel very lucky and happy to be pregnant. I think my biggest fears lie in what happens next, with rules changing and a second wave of a lockdown the fear about the birth and Dev my husband not being able to be there for it all is difficult to take in. But if 2020 has taught me anything, it’s that we can’t plan for the future, we are being remind daily that we have to live in the present right now and enjoy the smaller moments of our days and weeks.

Pregnant in Lockdown

I found out I was pregnant in early June, which in certain situations made the first 3 months where you if you have chosen to not tell anyone a whole lot easier. As summer approached and we got to have more of a ‘normal’ day-to-day I felt lucky that the first 12 weeks where you are just physically so exhausted (there’s nothing like that feeling) had been spent mainly at home with lots of time to rest.

As I am self-employed and my business heavily relies on in-person events and being out and about and hosting large events. It came as a welcome relief to be able to take a lot of my work online and run Virtual Yoga Brunch Club’s and online classes. It meant I could still work and conserve a lot of the energy that goes into traveling and being face to face with people.

However that’s not to say it has been easy but I’ve been forced to pivot, loose out on large chunks of income and work, and make quick decisions. All whilst acting on my feet, which hopefully is good preparation for when the baby arrives and I have to navigate the juggle of working and being a mum.

This second lockdown has felt easier, and most of it for me has been spent teaching online yoga, cooking, taking a lot of regular walks and exercise which has been a saving grace. 

Time to Plan & Prepare

With so much time spent at home, this has given us a lot of time to prepare and plan for the baby’s arrival. Dev has been fortunate to keep his job and work full time from home.  With us both at home its meant we have had more time to tick of all long DIY list, and prepare the baby room and take time over what we need to buy rather than going into full last minute panic mode.

As a parent to be you will know how many options/products/really useful and really unnecessary items there are for your new born baby. It’s hard to work out where to start, we have taken a slower and steady approach starting with: 

Preparing the Nursery:

Mural

We have a spare room so have been spending time creating a nurturing and cosy space that we will want to spent time in. We invited a friend Anna Rootes whose an artist to come and paint a lovely jungle mural on the wall to add some colour and warmth. Every time I walk in to the room it makes me smile

Furniture

We are trying to re-use  and up-cycle what we have in the house, and have been repainting old furniture. We have a chest of drawers that we are going to make into a changing table and will be adding in a comfy chair for feeding and soft lighting and a cot soon 

More developments to come on this soon. 

A Different Kind of Pregnancy

I always loved the idea of having a bump and being pregnant, I never imagined that it quite unfold like this during a pandemic. I am sad that I haven’t been able to see more of my friends and family whilst pregnant as I know how much our lives our going to change once the little one arrives.

It feels daunting to know how we are going to get through those early months without the support of baby groups and new mum’s. We have signed up for an Online NCT course and a Hypnobirthing course, due to restrictions these all have to take place online. Which makes it harder to make friends, meet new people and make connections, which I know are so vital as you move into parenthood.  

With rules continuing to change, Dev was allowed to attend the 12 week scan which I feel is so important, as a woman you constantly feel all the changes taking place in your body. For the partner these moments at scans, first kicks, first view of the baby makes its all the more real and wonderful for them. Unfortunately he wasn’t allowed to attend the 20 week scan. We did find out the sex of the baby and the hospital staff wrote it down on a piece of paper for us, which we opened and found out together which was lovely.

My biggest fears lie in the actual birth and the thought of Dev not being able to be there for all of it, the rules are still that birthing partners can only be present when you are in active labour and once the baby is born if you need to stay in the hospital your partner has to leave.

But again if 2020 is teaching me new things it’s that I have to let go of trying to control situations and outcomes and not fixate on things that are completely out of my hands. I appreciate the hospital and NHS are doing all that they can with the current situation and trying to manage the enormity of the pandemic and delivering babies.  

RESOURCES

Coping Strategies and things that have been helping:

1.    Morning meditation, 15 minutes sitting while the house and the start of the day is quiet.

2.    Reading:

Parenting The Shit out of Life  by Mother Pukka

Your pregnancy week by week by Dr Lesley Regan

How To Grow a Baby and Push It Out, by Clemmie Hooper

The Positive Birth Book, by Milli Hill

3.    Yoga Nidra

I use the insight timer app which is free and try to fit in 20-30mins after lunch or in the late afternoon, I recommend the following nidras to get you started:
Yoga Nidra (recorded in Goa) - 19mins

Sleep Well 2- 33 mins

Melanie Cooper- 26 mins

4.    Resistance Training and Staying Active

I stopped running early on in my pregnancy but have kept up walking, swimming and resistance training with Pip Barsanti which has all made a huge different to my mental health and keeping my energy and fitness levels up as my body changes.

5.    Learning, reading and building knowledge about what happens next. I’ve signed up for a Hypno course with Emily Bray and we start out NCT course in December and I joined a weekly pregnany yoga course as a way to meet more women who are pregnant at the moment.

YOGA BUMP CLUB

I know how much we are all craving, community, connection and a support network at the moment. It feels like this a more important thing than ever at the moment.

Which is one of the reasons why I decided to launch the Yoga Bump Club, it’s taken me getting pregnant to realise how much value and comfort this can offer so many mum’s and parents to be. The Yoga Brunch Club for me has always from the start been about building a community, so I am delighted start building that for all expectant parents as we need things to look forward to and to bring us together.

 Find out about the next Yoga Bump Club running on Sunday 29th November here.  

The Ultimate Germany Road Trip Itinerary

Our Germany Road Trip was probably the most last minute trip we have taken. With three holidays and a honeymoon cancelled thanks to coronavirus and the ever changing quarantine rules. We decided to jump in the car and plan our route as we went, we booked the channel tunnel the day before we left, and spent a wonderful 2 and a bit weeks travelling through Bavaria and the Black Forest.

I really underestimated  how beautiful Germany is and how much there is to see and do there. I’ve never thought of travelling round the country, perhaps because in past I’ve just take weekend city breaks there, plus the food which I’ll come to later isn’t hugely vegetarian friendly. 

However it’s the perfect country to drive through, with a really varied landscape you can fit in forest walks, lakeside swims, city life and incredible vineyards all in one trip.

Our Germany Itinerary at a glance:

Day 1-3
Folkestone- Calais- Cologne
Regensburg, stayed in this great hotel: The Green Spirit Hotel

Day 3-4

Bavarian Forest, Miltach

Stayed in this beautiful and quite unusual Airbnb

Day 5-7

Lake Starnberg

Day 7-9

Munich

Stayed in the well located hotel: The Bold Hotel

Day 10-16

Black Forest

Waldkirch, Airbnb (this was a really gem): Annas Scheune

Gengebach, Hotel, the staff here were so wonderful and the breakfast was the best we had in all of Germany: https://www.die-reichsstadt.de/

Top tips for plan a road trip in Germany:

With the current coronavirus situation, there are obviously a lot of Germans travelling through Germany so accommodation can take longer to find, but if you are prepared to do your research you can find some great places on: booking.com and Airbnb

If you are planning to take your car over from the UK make sure to check what you need to:

Driving in France

Driving in Germany

When driving through Germany it is a legal requirement to have a environmental low emission sticker.  You can order one before you leave the UK, or it’s easy enough to pick up one on your route at any TUV centre while you are out there. However if you don’t have a sticker you can be fined by the police.

Our Two Week-Itinerary: Germany road trip

Our travelling style was to book things on the go and as we moved along, our route was quite ambitious and involved a lot of driving at the start, as originally we were hoping to get into Slovenia and then head back through parts of the Black Forest.

However with quarantine rules changing while we were out there we had to change our plans, so I would say plan your route so you can fit in more stops and take things a bit slower.

Cologne & Regensburg

We stopped off in a town just outside of Cologne, this was to break up the journey and give us a break from driving but if were to go back we probably would of spent a night or two in the city.

Regensburg we randomly picked on the map on our route to Slovenia but it turned into being one of our favourite stop offs.  As the city has managed to keep a lot of its original medieval architecture in its old town, and its location right on the Danube reminded of parts of Amsterdam or Budapest.

You could easily spend a weekend break here and fill your day strolling around the town, taking in the cathedral and stopping off at all the bakeries for apfel strudel and pretzels. 

Food & Restaurant Recommendations

The Green Spirit Hotel- This was a great find, with a modern but also steam punk theme to it, with a beautiful garden and they serve breakfast in the hotel, although we ended up going out for food.

Restaurant Gänsbauer

This was one of the best dinner we had of the trip, delicious small plates with loads of vegetarian and vegan options. They have a cosy cocktail bar space too and the staff were so friendly. Highly recommended

Malefiz Café/Bar

Go for the breakfast or the cocktails or both, such a tasty menu but be warned it is all in German so either learn some German or download the google translate app for the menu.

The presentation of the food, the taste and atmosphere of the restaurant all get a 10/10

Bavarian Forest

This was another unplanned visit but it turned out to be a real highlight of the trip, we stayed in a tiny little quiet village called Miltatch (see the link to the Airbnb above) and spent a long weekend soaking up the September sunshine, hiking and eating lots of waffles.

Recommendations: 

Hiking up to Grosser Falkenstein, this is an absolute must especially if the weather is good.

There is lots of parking at the bottom and clearly sign posted routes up the top of varying levels of difficutly.

Take food, snacks and water with you as its quite a climb. There is also a small café and restaurant at the top where you can have a beer or a slice of Bavarian pie and take in the view.

Café Waffel

This place was right next to our Airbnb, a random little find but the waffles were fantastic and you can eat in a stationery train or do a take away. Worth stopping if you are passing by.

Lake Starnberg

We were really fortunate with the weather for a good chunk of the trip so we decided to spend some sunny days by one of Germany’s famous lakes. There are so many to pick from, and the lakes are well maintained, clean and the German’s of a day trip the beach.

Others on our list that didn’t make it to were: Amersee and Koniggssee.

If the weather is good you can spend your days swimming in the lake, cycling around, we rented bikes for the day and get to the other side of the lake. There’s lots of bars, restaurants, and ice cream shops to stop off on route and the trails are clearly sign posted.

We didn’t find many great restaurants here, or they seemed over-priced and tourist so we did end up cooking a lot in our Airbnb.

Munich

I wasn’t expecting to like Munich as much as I did, perhaps because Berlin is always top of my list. However it was lovely to be in a city for a few days, and a nice contrast to the forests and lakes we had been visiting.

It’s an easy to city navigate around on foot, or if you are feeling more adventurous pick up the road side electric scooters that they have all over the city. They are so much fun to use, and with all the bike paths and parks you can cover a lot of ground in a day.

Food & Other Recommendations:

Dachgarten

Great rooftop bar, opening hours vary and the website isn’t too reliable so check their social media and Instagram stories

Hans Im Gluck:

This is a well know chain with restaurants all over the city, its reliable and a good price and the burgers and cocktails are delicious.

Trachtenvogl

Great café with delicious cake, their lunch and dinner menu looked good too and an incredible hot chocolate menu.

Cotidiano Gartnerplatz

Perfect brunch spot, or go for the coffee and cake

Bami House 1976

Get the banh mi and the fresh apple juice, I loved the décor of their restaurants.

Beer garden at the Chinese Tower, English Garden

Great spot in the park to sip beers and eat giant pretzels. 

Black Forest

The Black Forest is every bit as mystical and atmospheric as it sounds, you need a car here just to take in the scenery and the way the mist gathers over the top of the tree tops is mesmerising.

We stayed in a very unique Airbnb that I completely fell in love with, located in Buchholz near Waldkirch, we were surrounded by vineyards, wine shops, bakers and a small local market. On the weekends in August- October you can go and pick fresh apple juice from the orchards for a euro.

There is so much to see and explore in this whole region and you could easily spend a week in just a small area exploring, hiking, visiting vineyards.

After 3 nights we headed further up North to Gengebach, where part of Charlie and the Chocolate factory is filmed. We treated ourselves to a lovely hotel which used as a base to drive from and cycle out to the local vineyards and towns nearby.

I loved the Black Forest, again the food was mixed in this area as you either have to go for a Michelin starred dinner or meat and potatoes or pizza, but if you do your research some of the vineyards have some great places to eat.

Recommendations:

Schloss Staufenberg

A winery based up in a castle with great views, a restaurant, a wine shop and a good place to stop for a drink outside for a few hours

Franz Keller

This winery was my favourite, the location was close to the French border and the architecture was thoughtfully and beautifully designed. Go for generous tastings or book one of their two famous restaurants. You can take a walk through the vineyards which is well worth doing

Black Forest Deluxe

The best accommodation we stayed in the whole trip, and Ines was a fantastic and helpful host.

We had such a great trip and we could have easily extended it to included some stop offs in France, Austria and Slovenia if we could have done. But that’s something for next time.

I do hope this helpful, let me know if you end up taking a trip or using any tips or advice here.

Five Reasons to Attend a Virtual Yoga Brunch Club (and How it Works)

 Join the Next Virtual Yoga Brunch Club in London and Bristol: Sunday 29th November, book tickets here

With 2020 being the year of cancelled plans, I know how important it is to have things in the diary that we can look forward too, virtual events can offer a certainty with the unpredictability of ever changing covid restrictions.

But how does it work? A quick bit of background the Yoga Brunch Club’s started from a desire to bring a community together through movement and delicious food. Although we can’t currently all sit around a table sharing food and conversations. The powers of the internet and food delivery service have made it possible to bring the Yoga Brunch Club experience to you virtually, without even needing to leave the house.

Included with your ticket is 75mins virtual vinyasa class, catered for all levels, followed by a three- course delicious brunch that will be delivered to you in the comfort of your home.

Here’s five reasons to attend a Virtual Yoga Brunch Club, the next one is in Bristol on Sunday 25th October

1.     You don’t have to do anything

Brunch will be delivered to your door by Fed 303’s no contact delivery service the day before, you just need to pop it in your fridge and try and not eat it.
Yoga will run from 10.30-11.45 so you can plug in your laptop or phone and follow the class from the comfort of your bedroom.

2.     No need to cook

A delicious brunch will be prepared for you and come in compostable boxes with clear instructions on how to plate things.  You can get creative and create a beautiful brunch table or you can eat it straight out of the box.

3.     Get back to your yoga practice

With all of us starting out with good intentions at the beginning of lockdown, it’s easy for things to be forgotten or that yoga mat to have stayed rolled up under the bed. As we move into autumn your body will thank you for starting up your yoga practice again and you’ll work up a good appetite for brunch.

4.     Treat Yourself or someone else

We definitely need things to look forward to, and ways to make our weekends feel different and less like Groundhog day. Give yourself some time away from the kids/partner/flatmate and make Sunday morning about you, or gift it as present to someone who you know really needs this right now.

5.     No need to travel

There’s no need to travel anywhere as its all virtual, so you can stay snuggled at home. 

6.     Support local businesses

Though all the Virtual Brunch Club’s I get the pleasure of working with wonderful businesses and individuals who working hard to create delicious, unique and locally sourced ingredients.  You’ll also get the chance to sample and meet (virtually) a new café, restaurant or chef during the Q&A over brunch.

 Join the Next Virtual Yoga Brunch Club in London and Bristol: Sunday 29th November

For more information and to book tickets click here

Road Trip Cornwall: Travelling Around Cornwall in a Quirky Camper

If there’s one good thing that has come out of the lockdown for me it’s a new found love for the UK and what’s on our doorstep.

For some unknown reason I’ve never explored Cornwall that much, Dev and I decided this year (pre pandemic) that we wanted to spend more time travelling round the UK. So fortuitously or in a state of climbing the walls in lockdown we took a gamble in the hope things would be opening up in July and booked a 10 day trip in a van through Quirky Campers.

We’ve been lucky enough to travel through Australia twice in a van, and it’s been my favourite type of holiday as you get to explore so much, and stop off at places that you otherwise would most likely miss via public transport or a car.

This was our first time hiring a van in the UK, I’ve followed Quirky Campers for a long time, they have a great selection of beautiful vans that are all owned by individuals and rented via the easy to use website.

We decided to go with Quincy, an old Fed-Ex van that has been converted with great attention to detail by Sam it’s owner, a very talented carpenter. The van has been designed head to toe in reclaimed timber, with soft furnishings, lighting (solar powered so you can go off grid), an incredible sound system and a kitchen and very comfy bed. It’s fair to say we completely fell in love with her, and it was a difficult parting at the end. 

Cornwall in the summer is glorious, salty air, long coastal walks that go for miles, fresh crab sandwiches and a lot of cream teas.

I read the other day that people who live by the sea are proportionally happier than city dwellers and I can completely understand. After months of being in a Bristol ( a city I love), the sea air and a much needed break away from the reality of this pandemic was very much needed.

We booked four different campsites, all were sparkling clean and following covid-19 restrictions and guidelines exactly. I was slightly nervous about all the shared public spaces but these were impeccably maintained and looked after throughout all our stay.

We started our trip in Port Issac near Padstow, and made our way down to St Ives and Lands End, then on to Lizard Point and finishing up in Portscatho before driving home.

We spent a lot of our days on foot walking along the coast, eating and cooking up meals in the van cause that is the joy and fun of camping. I’ve put down a full list of my favourite places we stayed, visited, ate in and loved. There are so many more we wanted to go to but I know this is the first of many trips to Cornwall and I hope it inspires your staycation travels this year.

Campsites

1. Rosebud Farm Touring Park, Bodmin

The campsite has a beautiful back drop of the countryside with a vast amount of space for each pitch.

This is an 18+ only campsite but allows dogs, they have a limited capacity so gets fully booked quickly.

Very clean site and toilets and shower block

Owners are welcoming but make sure to check the arrival and departure times as they are very strict on these.

2. Trevadra Farm, Sennen

This was one of my favourite locations as the campsite back’s on Gwynver beach.

It’s a very large site and again booking is essential, with clean and a large amount of facilities, on site shop and café and helpful staff

I would highly recommend it.

3. Little Trevothan, Helston

A nice clean campsite, it lacked in atmosphere compared to the others we stayed in but was very clean and a good base to explore from

4. Treloan Coastal Holidays, Portscatho

A family campsite, with a brilliant location as it’s walking distance to the nearby town and you can see the sea from your pitch.

Most of the pitches are on a hill, but you get used to it and the location makes up for it

Very friendly owners and a lovely atmosphere

Places To Visit

We preferred the coastal walk and less busy areas so this is by all means not an extensive list

1. Treemenheere Sculputure Gardens, Penzance

It’s got it all, beautiful art, dreamy gardens, a great café and really good coffee, a wonderful shop and probably the best selection of succulents in the country

2. St Ives

This was very busy so I wasn’t won over but it’s worth a visit.

Walk from the centre out to Carbis Bay and if the tide is low on to Porthkidney

Barabara Hepworth Scultpure Gardens and The Tate (sadly both closed when we were there)

3. St Michael’s Mount, Marzion

A lovely spot and nice beach if the sun is out in Marzion

4. Durgan Beach/Helford River

A great swimming spot just outside of Falmouth with a lovely walk from Durgan beach to the Ferry Boat Inn pub 

Walks/ Beaches- take the coastal path

• Sennen Cove to Cape Cornwall- a beautiful wild stretch of the coast, take a picnic and drop in to St Just for a Moodmaid of Zennor ice cream

•  The Roseland Heritage Coast

• Constantine Bay to Harlyn – take a swimming costume and a picnic and stop off for a swim at Long Cove beach. There’s a good car park right next to Constantine Bay

• Poltesco- Lizard Point- make sure you stop off at Cadgwith Cove for crab sandwiches at The Old Cellars, this was one of my favourite fishing villages.

• Trebarwith Beach- Tintagel

• Gwynver Beach near Sennen was my absolute favourite spot, there’s a car park nearby where you can pull up and watch the sunset.

Places To Eat/Drink

Padstow:

• Paul Ainsworth Number 6- amazing value set lunch, c£30pp

• We went to Rick Stein’s but I would say there are better places, not bad fish and chips but not the best

Newquay:

• Pavillion Bakery

• Jam Jar Café

Penzance:

• Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar- lovely local fish restaurant, worth a visit if your in the area or they do take away

• Jelbert’s Ice cream

St Ives:

• Porthminster Beach Café (good back up but very pricy for what you get)

• Moomaid of Zennor Ice cream

• Yallah Coffee hatch

• Yellow Canary Café, Fore St

• Bier Haus Grant, St Andrews- great Belgian beer

Falmouth:

• Verdant Seafood Bar- get the lobster roll, and basically the whole menu

• Ferry Boat Inn Pub, near Durgan beach

Portscatho:

• Tatams- Great coffee, pastries and take away pizza Thursday- Saturday

• The Hidden Hut- it’s a MUST! We went back twice, make sure to get there at 12pm for when they start serving as it always sells out by 2/3pm

• Melinsey Mill- run from a restored 16th century water mill. They do a good wood fired pizza night

Has Lockdown Changed The Way We Dine Out?

I've never been that bothered by a take away (hear me out) .

I think I always associated them with a greasy take away that never leaves me feeling good, or I have had bad experiences with cold Deliveroo meals.

However ,lockdown has changed this experience entirely for me and so many of us. The Friday night Take Away has taken on a whole different meaning. The quality, variety and sheer excitement of opening up a doorstop delivery has been one of the highlights of the lockdown for me.

The rules were simple: limit ourselves to one a week, try something new each week, and to make the weekend feel different and give us a welcome break from cooking and cleaning three times a day.

In Bristol we are spoilt for choice, I’ve listed some of my favourites below but please do know there’s so many more great ones out there still to try.

For Comfort Food

TSUKEMONO
Iris and Adam run Tsukemono, it mean’s ‘pickled things’ Pickles are a staple of Japanese cuisine that round out the flavour profile of any dish, I have been fortunate to collaborate with Tuskemono for a number of Yoga Brunch Club’s over the years. The food is always consistently delicious and beautifully presented. The Take Away’s have been packed full of flavour, arrive hot, the menu has a good variety for carnivores and vegetarians/vegans, and the presentation is 10/10

Favourite dishes: Kimchi fried rice scotch eggs, Japanese fried chicken, BBQ banana blossom fried https://www.tsukemono.co.uk/wearetsukemono

BOKMAN
This wonderful Korean restaurant popped up last year in Stokes Croft, serving rotisserie chicken, pickles and Korean street food. We ordered this at least three times during the lockdown.

Favourite dishes: Tongdak (roast chicken), Vegan street food set

BOMBAY BRUNCH
Owned by husband and wife Mrunal and Seamus, you may know it from their popular chai and chaat street food trading at the Tabaco factory. The food and menus are a celebration of Bombay street food and curries. Generous portions too and they all come with a side salad.

Favourite dishes: Pav bhaji, pani puri and I’ve heard amazing things about the biriyani

ALP MAC
Go for the goats cheese And The Toblerone brownie is epic I’m not sure if they are still doing deliveries but you can find their beautiful red van popping up around Bristol

For Lunch/Lighter bites

FED 303
Charlotte and Russ own this hugely popular café. We run a brilliant Virtual Yoga Brunch Club at the start of the lockdown with over 55 people. Lunch options include the delicious seasonal Fed salads which change daily, sweet potato samosas, and goats cheese arancini. Make sure you leave some space for a cake or take one home with you – the display at the till is really quite impressive.

Image: The Indie Map, @plantbasedbristol

HUMMUSAPIENS
As Jasper describes, Hummusapiens is completely plant-based, there’s no meat, no dairy, no egg. ‘However my passion is making sure that there are still huge and exciting flavours present and that no one should ever feel short-changed by choosing a vegetarian or vegan option on a menu.

This is not just hummus.

I think the deliveries have now stopped but you can find Jasper at all Bristol markets or join us for the next Virtual Yoga Brunch Club on Sunday 9th August. Tickets booking here

Pastries/Sweet Treats

FED 303 (see description above)

Highlights: Banana Bread with chocolate butter, Lime, pistachio and fig cake

FARRO BAKERY
Farro opened up last year on Brunswick Square in their first permanent head-quarters, located in the former entrance lobby of an office building. It’s worth seeking out for great coffee, fresh loaves, pastries and the It’s open Wednesday to Friday – come for the daily sandwiches, stay for the coffee and the canelle are my favourite.

HART’S BAKERY
If you live in Bristol you have to of been here, I don’t think it needs an introduction. Just go.

For A Date Night

ROOT
Root were doing a great take away menu, the restaurant has now reopened too.

For Something Different

5 FOOT WAY

Incredible authentic Malysian food owned by a husband and wife. Order the Nasi Lemak.

Let me know if you have anything to add to the list or recommendations that I need to try.

You can join the next Virtual Yoga Brunch Club on Sunday 9th August, ill be running this in London and Bristol with food delivered to you at home. For more details and tickets click here.