Green times ..
How lovely is this time of the year ... we have all of the green season in front of us , both outside in the nature and in the kitchen .. so many events to looking forward to .
The perfect time for small changes .. to get better health & feel amazing .. take your chance to green times in no time at all ..
If your work is at a desk , just get up and stretch !
Take 10 minutes and get outside and breath !
Drink a full glass of water every hour !
Meditate !
These are some small changes to start with , and if you do them regularly it will be so much easier to add some more like going to bed 30 min. earlier , extra veggies , less junk food ......the only thing you have to do is take the first step !
Sleep
is key to keeping your body in balance , if you wake up in the morning without an alarm and feel ready to take on the day .. you are on the right pat , if not you might need to go to bed 15 - 20 min. earlier & try to set regular sleep and wake times , your body will thank you !
Stress
it is no surprise that stress is bad for you , but when you cant find your inner Zen .. you stress about being stressed , and you get stuck in survival mode again .. that means your body holds on to fat and your mind cant think clearly ... not even start to think about hair , fingernails & skin who will begin to look dry and brittle .. better take care of your stress , maybe yoga or deep breathing !
Socialize
meet and talk to people , be kind and smile , you will instantly feel so much better !
Fight negativity ,
process your emotions in private .. your FB wall is not your therapist ....
so fight the urge to lash out .. take a breath and take a big step away .. !
Ultimately , words only have negative power , if you give them negative power !
And negative people is not attractive - period.
If two things are true , choose the more positive option !
Your body ... regardless of what it looks like , gives you power ..!
Well .. we have finally come to the time of the year when we shed one heavy winter parcel after another and pack it away ... and I am happy listening to " Smooth Jazz " in my old black sleeveless greek cotton dress .. yes it is the first day without sleeves or wool clothes indoors here, up in the northern parts of Europe & I just love it ..
Am on my way to the kitchen , the plan is to make a" slaw " with spinach , cabbage , avocado and a sauce with dijon , cream and yogurt, mix it all and to leave it for the afternoon , maybe with smoked salmon ... all the good fats to be enjoyed with tea , as I was in Stockholm the other day and did find a lovely green tea with the taste of Key Lime Pie & Vanilla .. dear god it is wonderful and I am so happy that I actually did buy it ...it is close to perfection in my life ... though a perfect life does not exist , like in Instagram pictures , they showcase a very aspirational lifestyle ... so do not stress about how you look to other people ... concentrate on your healthy lifestyle !
Greens
Pumpkin seeds
Chia seeds / Linsseeds
Water , water
Bee pollen
These are the 5s for hair and skin , try to get them into your salads or sandwiches !
Pic Nic - season are coming up .. or just make it for your lunch box !
Layered apple , wild rice and chicken salad, with blue cheese , makes 2 mason jars.
You will need ,
1 cup cooked wild rice
1 apple cored & diced
2 stalks of celery thinly sliced
1 chicken breast cooked and shredded
2 cups of greens , such as spinach or arugula
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
1 ounce crumbled blue cheese
Dressing
1/4 cup oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dijon
sea salt
start with the apples in the bottom of the jars , celery , chicken & some dressing , raisins , rice , greens , walnuts and the blue cheese, top it with the dressing ...and it is ready to bring with you and enjoy !
I did live in the house in the background for years , in Visby at the island Gotland .. it had a huge garden and that garden would have been perfect for many mason jars salads , but we did have some pretty decent garden parties .. of course .. xxx
Quick and easy recipes is such a fantastic thing to have in the back of your mind .. ready for us to use when time is short , so it occured to me why not present this .
One Pot Pasta with Basil & Sundried Tomatoes
Half a diced onion
250 g sliced cocktail tomatoes
2 crushed garlic cloves
300 g spaghetti
1/2 a cup sliced sundried tomatoes
Put all this together in a large pot , with 3 and 1/2 cup water , boil for 10 minutes , stir a little so as not to burn ... if the pasta is not ready after 10 min. add some more water and boil a little longer , sprinkle parmesana cheese and basil on top , this little dish is ready and it serves 4 p.
Ok , time to get out in the sun , the sun makes us happy , so get out and catch some rays ... have been sitting on the steps , but it is now so hot here outside my kitchen window ... so I thought for a second that I was back in Greece ...
So thats it for this time , be well , respect yourself , try to be who you really are , make a commitment to feeling good , I nearly always wear black .. but on days I need an energetic boost I wear something a little bit dazzling .. something pink or a red lipstick , care to try .. well do you might feel fantastic in an instant !!
Chris
GrammasKitchen
in lovely Sörmland
XXX