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It’s almost the end of another month… It’s time for a ‘Collection’ post, my little monthly summary of images, meals and books that have inspired me :)
I’ve been dreaming of a cosy weekend spent in a wooden cabin by the woods, far away from it all, with the fire lingering in the fireplace, the morning sun shining through the large windows, the smell of wooden furniture, slow cooked meals, reading and napping in between long walks in the forest…
that describes the mood of this month for me + the meals and the books I’d take with me:
Seasonal Meals
I’m in the middle of finalising the menu for our Rest and Reflect Retreat coming up in 2 weeks, so let’s see some of my crowd winning seasonal meals.
At basically any retreat I would definitely prepare my witchy bean stew that is cooked for almost an entire day:
Witchy Bean Stew
Measure about 50 grams per serving, or just use my good old method of two hands full per serving. Soak your preferred type of beans overnight, I love to use different types and shapes of white beans. Rinse them in the morning. Bring them to a boil at first then add in salt, bayleaves and start shimmering at low heat for quite a few hours. Around 3 hours in as the beans start to soften I would add in some more herbs like sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley (feel free to add quite a bit, they truly make the flavour come alive) + you can add some onions and garlic at this point. After another hour or two when the beans are almost soft enough to eat I’d add in some more veggies like different coloured carrots, sweet potato, regular potato - to make it into a real rich stew - and cook for the final 40 min. Add some more salt/pepper/chili and some fresh herbs to your taste. I usually serve it with some oven baked orange sweet potatoes with crispy skins and soft buttery insides.
*inspired by Sasha Emoniee
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These cold months are all about mushy warm foods for me with all the warming spices for the body and the soul… my go to breakfast has been:
Rice Congee
Roughly use 40g of rice per serving. Start by rinsing it until the water becomes clear. Add in around twice as much water as the level of the rice in your pot. Put 3 servings 2 star anises, 1 stick of cinnamon, 4 cloves and 4 whole green cardamoms, 3 dates chopped up and a pinch of salt. Bring it all to a boil then leave it on low heat to shimmer for around an hour. At last add 250ml of coconutmilk, and add any sweetener to fit your tastebuds desires. Sprinkle some extra cinnamon, warming spice mix, cacao nibs, bee pollen, rose petals or put some ghee on top (especially for my fellow Vatas). Enjoy!
*inspired by Rocio Graves
Current Reads + a favourite page
I have been reading The Radiance Sutras by Lorin Roche PhD, slowly savouring every page. Reading these lines makes my body come alive. I’d definitely recommend it if you also would like to connect deeper to your senses and your body.
Another wonderful book I have been revisiting and getting inspiration from is The Women Who Run with The Wolves. I have read it years ago but I’ve been rereading certain passages again (for example the one I have mentioned in my previous ‘Collection’ post).
Offerings
~ Rest and Reflect Retreat Dec. 2-4th
We have 2 final spots available for our last retreat of the year - a chance to be taken care of with acupuncture, Ayurvedic meals, a group psychotherapy session besides daily restorative classes and an Ayurvedic self massage session.
~ Cabin Retreat
Now, let’s get back to that cosy image of a retreat by the woods. I do from time to time take myself to a little cabin by the woods right outside of Budapest. Retreating away from the world, discovering my inner landscapes in silence.
I have been feeling the call to share this for a very long time now… The time has finally come: I am opening up a possibility for personal retreats!
I know how sometimes it feels overwhelming to come together with another 12 or so new people at a retreat where you go to to rest and go within. I also know how challenging it can be to truly stay in silence, away from your phone, your computer, your to do list when you ‘retreat’ yourself alone.
This is why I wanted to create this intimate, unique experience. It could include tea ceremonies, slow cooked personalised Ayurvedic meals, gentle movement, guided meditations, a massage and other restful rituals.
The doors are open for booking for January, at a special price to begin with. You can reach out for further details.
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I hope you could soak in some of these inspirations that have been fulfilling me during this past month.
Sending you so much love,
Zsófi