tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35773121731441722572012-01-19T20:23:28.231-08:00Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.comBlogger1141100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-55865671054163210602012-01-01T01:39:00.001-08:002012-01-01T01:52:58.560-08:00

New paths. Happy 2012!Image by Oleg Gordienko via Brydie Brown.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-83339260764769826032011-11-28T13:45:00.001-08:002011-11-28T14:04:20.160-08:00

It seems that Christmas is upon us (or rather, the media is pressing upon us to buy yet more things). I always try to choose the small company, the organic company and the ethical company whilst recognising that ‘green’ shopping is in so many ways just consumerism (often, even pricier consumerism) by a different name (and colour). That said, I’m no Christmas nay-sayer and I adore the whole

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-11899815647010646012011-11-20T08:28:00.001-08:002011-11-20T08:37:04.134-08:00

Cold 'n' foggy. Time for some more snuggly views of the lovely winter collection from Lisette...Photographs © Lisette

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-13874351058108524062011-10-31T09:56:00.000-07:002011-10-31T11:04:44.588-07:00

The last third of the year is when I tend to kick into action, generally scurrying around trying to fulfil the year’s determinations. One of these was to read a book of fiction weekly. That particular determination receives a giant self-satisfied tick as it was achieved before the month of October is out. I’ve read novels that I’d recommend to all-and-sundry and others that I’d just as happily

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-61025469801969725282011-10-09T12:33:00.000-07:002011-10-09T12:38:46.066-07:00

The UK statistics for the decline of both domestic and commercial orchards are shocking. According to this website in 1970 MAFF (the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) recorded 62,200 hectares of commercial orchards in the UK yet by 1997 this figure had shrunk to 22,400 hectares. That’s a 64% decline... and I’m confident the figures up to the current day don’t provide happier

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-69950345613795178862011-10-04T05:01:00.000-07:002011-10-04T05:43:55.751-07:00

I had to giggle when I read about Raw Rob on the Funky Raw website via Steve Charter’s advert for his forthcoming permaculture course because it chimed so accurately with how I feel about the numerous raw blogs that are less about experience than sales figures ...‘Funky Raw Rob did his 2 week raw permaculture course Ecoforest in September 2002 – it was where he first experienced the raw life, and

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-63215337633357638252011-09-26T03:12:00.000-07:002011-09-26T05:33:25.182-07:00

The new autumn/winter collection is up on Lisette (available to buy via Envelope).All images © Lisette

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-27684561042453553822011-09-23T06:15:00.000-07:002011-09-23T06:36:10.884-07:00

Holidays in September mean ... Wandering around acres and acres of charming gardens (preferably with tumbling-down outhouses, walled gardens and greenhouses). Stourton House (Flower Garden) was the clear winner for me this year. I am now a confirmed hydrangea fanatic (the garden houses over 270 varieties). Finding the beaches and nostalgic steam trains deserted (because the kiddiwinks have gone

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-60042338160616232362011-08-09T01:56:00.000-07:002011-08-09T02:01:34.789-07:00

This is one of my favourite passages on yoga (from Poser, p. 152): ‘People think yoga is boring. This is one of the big raps against it. And it is, if you’re not concentrating. If you fling yourself into the pose, and let your mind wander, and merely tolerate the experience, yoga is, in fact, extremely boring. But if you concentrate hard, boredom opens up and the pose becomes the most

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-32856584256481941302011-08-08T07:05:00.001-07:002011-08-09T01:56:30.889-07:00

Image © Journal Standard Luxe (catalogue aptly named Flow).

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-82310781029613781162011-06-09T12:19:00.001-07:002011-06-09T12:21:52.239-07:00

The recycling bin looks almost pretty at this time of year.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-27000800626429025722011-06-08T01:31:00.001-07:002011-06-08T01:35:31.495-07:00

px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-laE-2aqzIIY/Te80GjfL4bI/AAAAAAAAAZc/r8fxET5K-aA/s800/Greys%2BCourt%2Btennis%2Bcourt.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615764547564200370" />I played tennis at Greys Court in May. The house contains my dream kitchen (alas, no pictures allowed inside the house).

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-44744542505496330692011-06-07T02:24:00.001-07:002011-06-07T02:32:17.697-07:00

Broad beans, freshly picked from the garden. If the idea for cotton wool didn't come from broad bean pods then where did it come from?

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-19344291074707005372011-06-06T01:55:00.000-07:002011-06-07T02:26:51.614-07:00

It’s raining and everything looks green again. Collage via pictures from Life in the Slow Line (not a typo!) one of my favourite Japanese blogs .

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-10115667065793861202011-06-05T04:33:00.000-07:002011-06-07T02:27:16.198-07:00

px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0zZ1ntEAPxk/TetqMoSSZMI/AAAAAAAAAZE/ixAwge9eX4Q/s800/calendar%2B6.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614698125652550850" />I suspect my calendar antics might have something to do with the disappearance of May. I loved April’s image and the current month of June rocks my boat too, but May just didn’t do it for me, so I stuck with April and the month of

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-52542540006207612232011-04-30T02:44:00.000-07:002011-04-30T02:48:04.072-07:00

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-56271520996763872422011-04-14T08:29:00.001-07:002011-04-17T02:32:45.745-07:00

Following on from my previous post (ahem, lecture) ...As the temperature rises so does my raw percentage (in the most light-hearted of ways), so I thought some pictures from my most recent raw purchase might just fit the bill. As is no doubt patently clear, I remain far more interested in eating locally than rawfully and Kenney’s recipes always seem to fit the bill for ‘local’ adaptations. For

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-32592290539595620632011-04-13T07:34:00.000-07:002011-04-13T11:43:20.962-07:00

I read a depressing Facebook exchange on local food recently – some ‘raw foodies’ seemingly worried about how local food could provide fat and sweetness to those in the UK (funny how those two elements caused the most concern!). To address those two points swiftly: - I am still able to purchase almonds from my local farmers’ market so that’s the nut that predominates in this house at the moment

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-28461893580891042212011-04-11T14:10:00.000-07:002011-04-13T07:57:48.676-07:00

Like everyone I know I have been overwhelmed by the recent natural disaster(s) in Japan. My Japanese friends and their families are all, thankfully, alive and well. Sadly, that is not the case for so many others. Japan and its people have played a very special and inspirational part in my life. I have donated money and bought Japanese goods (I am a sucker for their sewing books) to support the

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-73171682224448909402011-04-09T08:21:00.000-07:002011-04-13T07:54:40.411-07:00

px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z8IVYHR5WQA/TaB9FxX69MI/AAAAAAAAAXg/Bt1EMp56H2w/s800/parham%2B6.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593608275300644034" />At Parham last w/end for mother's day.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-70936444900085218822011-02-27T10:00:00.000-08:002011-04-13T07:55:10.299-07:00

I have an extra spring in my step from well, Spring, but this picture nevertheless had me chortling with identification. Via wolfeyebrows (what a great blog name!). © Lucas Foglia

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-63003036754838689752011-02-24T05:58:00.000-08:002011-02-24T06:05:43.740-08:00

Space to think and breathe. #3 in my (very) occasional ‘I want…’ series. See #1 and #2 here and here. Photo © Nightwood. First spied on the very lovely Renee’s blog.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-91437836664437705652011-02-21T03:16:00.000-08:002011-02-21T03:25:47.934-08:00

I spent yesterday admiring the snowdrops (and hellebores) at Cerney House Gardens.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-61571405453267166662011-02-14T03:59:00.000-08:002011-02-14T04:08:24.749-08:00

I first experienced Margot Henderson’s cooking at the French House in Soho (which she ran with her husband Fergus Henderson of St John/Nose to Tail fame). The space was small and intimate with the food seasonal and simple but exquisitely cooked (nothing shouty-shouty about either the space or food). In short, everything I like on the rare occasions we dine out. The trend has continued at the

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-47508162589551898572011-02-13T05:15:00.001-08:002011-02-14T04:10:10.362-08:00

As an addendum to my recent post, perhaps this is the most beautiful lunar calendar ever? I particularly love that the producers have a blog where purchasers display the product in situ. Picture (c) rendijstudio.com

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-90811331022685344892011-02-03T09:05:00.000-08:002011-02-03T09:08:17.977-08:00

Blackberry maca balls - yum. Deeply grateful that I took the time to freeze some excess fruit back in the autumn ...

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-66483972527389593422011-01-21T07:48:00.001-08:002011-02-21T03:23:25.437-08:00

This post was going to be as English as they come and talk about our grey and gloomy weather. I have been shamed out of that by Momo’s recent post on the Australian weather. There is no comparison. Please donate in whatever way you can, especially now that the UK news seems to be bypassing the horrific conditions faced by so many Australians in favour of mere trivialities. Momo has set up a

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-3246288155475714102011-01-10T02:21:00.000-08:002011-06-10T02:43:59.077-07:00

I seek out the green spaces in cities. In Cambridge, before Christmas, I almost ran to Jesus Green to escape the shopping mayhem. In London last week, visiting a friend in Dalston, I walked with her across London Fields to a bakery she's fond of. I was told 'There's organic stuff, vegan stuff, sugar-free stuff ...' (and there was) but my own particular delight came from the quiet display of

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-86747913707300386072011-01-06T12:09:00.000-08:002011-06-10T02:40:37.183-07:00

The title is self-explanatory but no words can convey my obsession with these plants and pictures. Befriend here. Photos © String-Gardens.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-73437021382214954402011-01-02T06:37:00.000-08:002011-06-10T02:41:49.796-07:00

I thought I'd start the year by sharing some of my favourite pictures of one of my favourite things - yoga! I have a complete aversion to rigid, instructional yoga pictures but these photographs are something else ... light, serene, joyful, ageless and in the moment ... everything yoga is to me. The model in the picture, Daphne Selfe, was eighty last year and full of good advice - forgo hair dye

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-18727590218889725972010-12-27T03:00:00.000-08:002011-06-07T02:07:33.400-07:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas. We have had snow on the ground for the last ten days, so I turned to one of my favourite magazines for entertainment - Bare. It was sadly short-lived - it published from 2000 to 2001 only - but even after a decade, I still miss it. Started by the inspirational Ilse Crawford (I will try and publish a post on her in 2011) it was essentially about health

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-56080820300739604492010-12-19T07:33:00.000-08:002011-06-10T02:42:36.383-07:00

Occasionally, just occasionally, a little sugar passes my lips. I was given The Seasoned Vegetarian as a present last year and the author is spot-on about his recipe for carrot jam: "Hold on there before you turn the page; this is one of my favourite recipes in the book". That said, I am going to give it a try with some honey to replace the sugar ...

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-73294622765406630092010-11-15T08:40:00.000-08:002011-06-10T02:42:57.501-07:00

15/11/10, 3.30pm. Foraging for the last of the season's chestnuts ...

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-77134732895567539592010-08-18T03:53:00.000-07:002011-06-10T02:43:15.395-07:00

Friends, friends of friends and friends of friends of friends have cancer. I always recommend this book by Lynn Kohlman, whose career change from model to photographer inspired the book's title, Lynn: Front to Back. For me, it's up there with only a handful of books that are guaranteed to put me back-on-track fast whenever I feel directionless. I regularly turn to it for inspiration. In quick

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-37166682704858032732010-06-30T02:43:00.000-07:002011-06-10T02:43:33.093-07:00

I’m not big on words this week, pictures are hitting the spot instead: very much enjoying these two visual blogs... I’ve also been slurping elderflower cordial by the gallon. Elderflowers are everywhere at the mo’...It’s common to use sugar/honey/citric acid when making elderflower drinks. I’m a fan of the honey version but felt like something lighter this year. This worked well: 8 elderflower

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-80622199746277675312010-06-12T06:37:00.000-07:002010-06-30T03:01:09.673-07:00

So, you know from past posts that my consciousness with food extends to clothes (with the odd lapse), see here and here, for example. I adored the article on the girl-crush-worthy Alys Fowler’s attitude to money last w/end. I identified no end, particularly with her confusion and lack of fun in a ‘new’ clothes shop. Speaking for myself, it’s most certainly not a denial of beauty. I love beautiful

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-24023709985166080382010-06-11T11:40:00.000-07:002010-08-22T13:15:06.888-07:00

A friend sweetly presented me with a copy of this book which she’d picked up in a second-hand bookshop ... and it kick-started my recent musing on clothes. The book isn’t new to me: it was my virtual bible through my teenage years. Re-reading it has bought back many happy memories of clothes-hunting ... and I still live by the book’s rules today: quality rather than quantity, hunt everywhere for

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-54943626831387300012010-06-08T02:01:00.000-07:002010-06-08T02:19:23.147-07:00

Yesterday’s post couldn’t have been more prescient. Several topics have been on my mind recently: the pace of modern technology and the emotional past amongst them. Thankfully, instead of me banging on about them, I’ve chanced almost magically upon writers who mirror my own thoughts, but in a far more eloquent way ... I read this on Friday: ‘In an abundant society where people have laptops, cell

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-36620648810518364732010-06-07T01:24:00.000-07:002010-06-07T01:39:20.280-07:00

A rediscovery from my bookshelf, although more of a booklet than a book at only eighty pages, Self Healing, Yoga & Destiny. From page 22: ‘When viewed by an outside observer, Hatha Yoga exercises appear to be purely physical; actually, however, their mental side is the more important ... Persons who practice yoga exercises without concentration will not succeed in controlling the forces they

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-78044215469320861092010-05-20T08:35:00.000-07:002010-05-20T08:48:35.927-07:00

Unless you’re a ‘comments’ reader extraordinaire (I’m not), you might have missed that the lovely Marcia Acciardo, author of one of my favourite raw books, Light Eating for Survival, remarked on one of my early blog posts recently. I took the chance to cheekily ask for any words of wisdom she cared to share for those newer than her on the raw(ish) path. Herewith her fabulous response: Let’s see..

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-51451117976078983352010-05-10T05:10:00.000-07:002011-02-24T03:44:56.919-08:00

So, it’s all over. I completed the 30 days as planned ... The last few days, where I shamefully failed to update, were a mixture of water fasting (due to boredom with washing up the juicer 3x a day) and lazing around reading early issues of Get Fresh! (previously known as the Fresh Network News - they had an offer on, 2 for the price of 1, sadly now over). It was the easiest stretch of fasting I’

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-48229504692032091342010-04-28T11:47:00.001-07:002010-05-11T02:30:00.390-07:00

Out and about in Cambridge - joyful feasting days!

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-72132746419504362112010-04-27T07:20:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:30:55.319-07:00

I decant my organic unguents into older containers (this is just one of many reasons why I am not the most frequent blogger in the world). I have been going through a Tweed phase the last couple of years. I hasten to add, not for the 70s smell, but for the wooden topped containers, so I gasped when earlier this month I saw the hair range Daynà featured on Ensuite, one of my favourite interiors

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-21285662130037530942010-04-26T14:17:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:32:46.774-07:00

I know that this is back to front! As I said yesterday, I had a nibble on wild garlic (Day 19) and I also nibbled on Friday (Day 17). I think the other days were pretty much straightforward, although Day 13 was noteworthy according to my journal... Day 13 proved anything but unlucky. If anything, it felt like my real ‘breakthrough‘ day. I was in Cambridge (again), so I was flasked up for only the

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-63207478700561536222010-04-25T12:15:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:33:27.316-07:00

Today I nibbled on wild garlic - out of this world!!!

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-25284204222735574712010-04-18T05:40:00.000-07:002010-05-26T01:44:29.052-07:00

I’ve been hopeless at writing this feast up. I write snippets of posts and then fail to bring them to a logical conclusion. Here are some ...Written on Friday (Day 10) I have been working every day so far of the feast (including the w/end). I would far rather work a little a day and create a balanced week, than work all the hours under the sun and then ... collapse every w/end! I’m sure these

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-54724903930246141252010-04-14T09:05:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:35:40.888-07:00

Apart from the orange deviation on day 2, I have been green juicing for over a week now. I wrote about colour healing back in the autumn and everything that is said about the colour green I am feeling: ‘Green is a vibration of harmony and balance, hence it is of fundamental importance to the nervous system. Soothing and sympathetic, it does not excite, inflame or irritate. Restorer of tired

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-89303062489331606762010-04-12T13:22:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:36:43.216-07:00

I can’t believe it’s day 6 already! There is so little to share (believe me, there really isn’t). I am still drinking just 3 pints a day of hemp, nettle, apple and celery juice. That’s it. I feel totally satisfied with both the drink and the intake. No cravings, no disturbances, no need for change. Tomorrow evening (as predicted for every 6 days or so) I will be having a classic raw combo (

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-83595509677100383972010-04-10T12:42:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:37:27.415-07:00

I said to Neeta that the hardest part of the liquid feast would be writing it up. It’s proving to be true. It’s day 4, but here I am writing up day 2. Day Two went something like this: Slept terribly on Wednesday night. Disrupted sleep is the major side effect I experience with my periods. Crawled out of bed at an unearthly hour. I knew that I’d be far away from the juicer today in Cambridge. I

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-79828012146272576502010-04-07T13:27:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:38:41.313-07:00

It’s time for a liquid feast. I have been chiefly inspired by the wild greens – particularly nettles and dandelions – that are everywhere at the moment. Nature's lights are very much 'on'. I am following no programme, apart from my own intuition. However, I have been re-reading old issues of Funky Raw and feeling particularly inspired by articles which I probably only glossed over on initial

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-87943501869835988522010-03-14T12:10:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:39:14.667-07:00

Just a peek at first: ‘Wines’ and ‘Beers’. Well, I’m not in need of that. ‘Orders’ ‘Promptly’ [‘Delivered’?]. Yes please! Raw food is the ultimate prompt delivery. Wouldn’t this ungentrified corner make an amazing raw hot spot? With the upping of the temperature so my zest for all things healthy has zinged (zung?) back to life.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-63663346286797517922010-03-13T09:36:00.000-08:002010-05-11T02:39:53.764-07:00

How Coconut-Oil Is Made from Clean Program on Vimeo.Lovin’ the synchronicity. Thank you WLIR. In my ‘seasonal’ adventure I am missing coconuts. Badly. If you are allowed a ‘foreign’ treat or two amidst seasonal fare, then I think that coconuts will have to make an appearance in my world. That said, I was pondering about raw, virgin, organic coconut oil/butter recently. I’m not sure about prices

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-87488232242840753942010-02-17T04:27:00.000-08:002010-05-11T02:40:34.683-07:00

A day of unceasing rain in London yesterday. The only bright spot was my first visit to Unpackaged, an organic grocery where goods are (you guessed it) unpackaged. I hardly want to admit to it (with all my ramblings about buying local and chortling over this) but I bought a few handfuls of organic goji berries. What can I say? It’s been tough surviving on fruit rations of pears and apples in the

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-46382507179717721952010-01-21T09:39:00.001-08:002010-05-11T02:41:15.276-07:00

Spied the first daffodils of 2010. Blue sky today too!

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-5976464066644212972010-01-01T12:38:00.001-08:002010-05-11T02:41:42.613-07:00

Wishing you peace. For 2010, the new decade, always. Image via a card from the exquisite publisher Mav.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-57394689770098366302009-12-28T07:47:00.000-08:002010-05-11T02:43:04.317-07:00

1) I mourn the fact that good-quality vintage clothes are becoming harder and harder to find. Ebay has less and less, for more and more. Comparing the quality between, for example, 70s M&S and 00s M&S makes me want to weep. 2) I don’t like shopping but I love beautiful things, especially old buildings. I groan when I read about supposedly ‘improved’ old houses (which generally means that their

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-68054963679871512912009-12-11T07:28:00.000-08:002010-05-11T02:43:45.396-07:00

My dedication to local eating continues apace. I have one particular exception this month: imported quinces. Once the English quinces have been devoured, I scour the market stalls for imported ones. If, as has been suggested, you need one or two 'foreign' treats in the battery of home-grown products, then quinces are up there (on a pedestal) for me.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-20383334964201250512009-10-11T12:29:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:45:15.016-07:00

Thanks to Jenny for the blog title. I am, undoubtedly, a lazy girl blogger, i.e. someone who talks about their latest ‘favourites’ rather than weaving the words about their own life. Sometimes, it’s just all about the influences ... these are some of my current favourites.The team behind My Little Earth and the Little Earth Cafe have a new guise, Brown Sugar. The drinks on their blog are proving

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-75980686879554079122009-10-02T09:01:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:46:33.993-07:00

I’ve finally had some ice-cream – my first of the summer, a little late but better than never I guess. I’m happy to report it’s a local affair too after being stupendously impressed by reading this. The recipe? Nut milk from cobnuts (essentially cultivated hazelnuts), the juice from damsons (stone, pulverize in the Vita-mix and then strain through a sieve) and some local honey. Churn the mixture

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-5640518497160729292009-09-27T10:16:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:47:08.660-07:00

I didn’t make it to the Festival of Life yesterday. I think the above picture shows the solar oven vantage point from my garden instead... There’s nothing like an Indian Summer. Whilst you’re soaking up the rays (using good sense and moderation of course!) consider the power of the one and only Solar Oven: ‘Sunshine speeds up the circulation, helps the lymphatic system and actually stimulates the

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-73577646185630935792009-09-10T06:59:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:16:34.003-07:00

I spent yesterday afternoon de-stalking elderberries (catch ‘em before the birds do ...) and gazing, meditating really, on their fantastic glossy colour. Ann Wigmore in Be Your Own Doctor writes so well about colour(s). ‘... I have seen colour have a marked effect upon the mentality not only of the wearer, but also upon those with whom the wearer comes in contact ... This is the age of colour in

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-30418595432568833752009-09-05T14:16:00.000-07:002009-09-05T14:25:39.030-07:00

Forgive me. I profess to be about organics, crafting, home-spun and the ilk and then something comes along and hits me between the eyes. It happened with the Stella McCartney a/w collection for Adidas last year and it’s happened again for a/w 2009. Please allow for my temporary annual lapse...All photographs © Stella McCartney for Adidas 2009.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-40010862080214902912009-08-31T11:10:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:15:49.442-07:00

Damsons: the most painterly of fruit. Snippets of joy from all over the place: Beautiful hippie wedding. New(ish) blog that promotes growing your own raw food. Farmers’ markets are fantastic but growing (and picking!) your own is the way to truly understand nature’s cycle(s). Recipe inspiration. I’ve made no raw ice-cream this summer. I just haven’t felt the inclination. Not much cacao love

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-82027465198948536942009-08-20T14:00:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:06:30.935-07:00

As promised a fortnight or so ago: a seasonal recipe for blackberry pie. I hadn’t forgotten my promise, it’s just that as soon as I make this pie it vanishes, hence taking a photograph proved problematic (as you can see a chunk has already been carved out)... This is essentially a ‘root-around’ the cupboard recipe. You can use almonds, pistachios or macadamia nuts in the base depending on

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-51665820245567985822009-08-11T04:57:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:05:42.984-07:00

Sometimes you want to mix it up and sometimes you want to keep it simple. The same goes for clothes as well as (raw) food. In summer, vest tops and t-shirts or a blouse? I’ve always gone for the (vintage) latter. Skirt or shorts? Again, the latter. Recently, that’s changed (or at least the former choice has), perhaps because it’s so much easier to now buy organic cotton t-shirts. I’ve come to a

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-4654211818945041932009-08-07T13:12:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:48:56.548-07:00

... a Woodstock handmade home. Via this site ... in turn via this book.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-32708461986220346642009-08-05T03:41:00.001-07:002010-05-11T02:18:47.574-07:00

The cherry stoner: it’s an innocuous little thing. It doesn’t look like much at all. However, if you’re faced with pounds (and I do mean pounds) of cherries, it will transform your life. No more slips of the knife, no more rooting around for the cherry stone with your finger and thumb losing valuable flesh in the process. Just pop the cherry in, press the lever and out pops the cherry stone sans

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-19687612054475112632009-08-01T02:28:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:50:12.808-07:00

Everything that I touch at the moment doesn’t turn to gold, but it does seem to have a ‘raw’ message. This is from a 1977 issue of the fashion magazine 19 that I picked up in a junk shop ...'A year ago, Sissy never even got a second glance from anyone, but now Sissy has definitely hit the big time ... So what does she do? Does she buy a purple Rolls Royce? A San Simeon mansion in Beverly Hills?

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-18430439016321242122009-07-31T12:33:00.001-07:002009-08-02T10:01:57.848-07:00

Recipes soon ...

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-29890044467970903912009-07-19T09:24:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:21:32.981-07:00

... a rooftop garden. Photos (c) of the architect(s): Hiroshi Nakamura and Nap.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-86236506949069211172009-06-10T13:28:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:22:13.438-07:00

This frozen batch of last year’s redcurrants was consumed by moi today to celebrate my first blogging anniversary (admittedly a little late, but my first post was on these very redcurrants). There are also fresh gooseberries, strawberries and rhubarb galore at the moment, and the other various berries and currants (raspberries, blueberries, blackcurrants and whitecurrants) are starting to form

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-81787824758738081402009-04-13T05:22:00.001-07:002009-04-13T05:36:49.781-07:00

Easter Present is literally that, a present to you. The weekend papers on Saturday featured an article on the New York vegan bakery Babycakes, who will be publishing a cookbook come early May. The recipes strike me as easy to adapt to a raw food world, and you all know by now how seduced I can be by pretty vegan cookbooks ...

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-82293044486634938032009-04-13T05:09:00.000-07:002009-04-13T05:38:26.595-07:00

I haven’t written much recently, and suddenly Easter is upon us. As you all know, I’m a Buddhist. What you might not know is that I always give something up for Lent (and yes, I celebrate Christmas too). In the past I used to abstain from sugar and chocolate, but as I do that as a matter of course now, it was raw cacao on my hit list this year. It was fine, I had very few cravings, but it was

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-51651168948023083642009-03-16T01:27:00.000-07:002010-05-11T02:23:24.636-07:00

It’s not quite the first day of spring, but it feels like it. From the winter weekends of doing ‘not much’ I am now officially out and about. Last weekend was spent in Lewes (they have a very sweet farmers’ market on the first Saturday of each month), and the weekend just gone was spent in London. Blossom and flowers are everywhere – a welcome hit of olfactory as well as visual delight. My focus

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-19596670550009446912009-03-10T03:21:00.000-07:002009-03-10T13:58:59.079-07:00

I am feeling wholly inspired by several web posts - both old and new. Kerri Smith’s fabulous Venn Diagram of the 06/03/09 on the comfort zone vs things that make life worthwhile and interesting, Jenne’s brilliant post on Wendell Berry and the handmade, and finally, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on the importance of supporting fairtrade ...On the raw front, I have shifted from morning juice to

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-2518355604855150812009-03-05T02:37:00.000-08:002009-03-12T06:57:32.372-07:00

So, here’s my question. I bought some kelp shreds (pictured) and also some kelp noodles in London’s Chinatown recently. I love the texture of sea spaghetti so wanted to try out the kelp noodle craze that seems to be going on in the raw community. However, whilst the kelp shreds (like sea spaghetti) do seem to resemble sea material as it appears in nature (albeit shredded and dried), retaining

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-21521958883090225872009-02-21T03:04:00.000-08:002010-05-11T02:24:19.836-07:00

I don’t really use this blog as an emotional sounding board, but I was sorely tempted to mid-week. Too much travelling, too much work, too much stress. I decided to b-r-e-a-t-h-e through it. Lo and behold the benefits started pouring in. I made a statement a while back that I’m not a fan of blogs that ‘push’ products. However, my first benefit of the b-r-e-a-t-h-e policy was to stumble upon Saree

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-27257358424762949272009-02-12T12:20:00.000-08:002009-02-12T12:25:54.584-08:00

I was out errand running today in London. I also took a peek at some (new to me) raw spots. First up was a disaster. I’d heard that Dragonfly Wholefoods (in Highgate) had a raw stall at the organic market under the Westway on Portobello Road. No organic market, no raw food! Undeterred, I ambled a few streets along to Daylesford, where I have previously drooled over their kitchen kit in the

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-77320672290106715202009-02-08T05:25:00.000-08:002009-03-10T14:03:15.642-07:00

I have run in the snow, worn my new hat and finally satisfied my Turkish Delight craving. It’s a raw-ish recipe, so those 100%ers had better look away now. Cover in a bowl however many dried organic apricots you want for your batch with rose flower water (if you have edible, organic, fresh rose petals to hand make your own, but I used a bottle sculling around in the depths of my cupboards). Leave

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-24334699599912155202009-02-03T02:01:00.001-08:002010-05-11T02:25:15.452-07:00

Thank goodness I finished sewing up my hat: it’s snowed. Apparently it’s the most significant snowfall in the UK for eighteen years. It reminded me of a Nike clipping I came across at the end of last year and put up on my pin-board: a running machine’s control panel superimposed over a beautiful snow scene and the slogan ‘Enjoy the weather’. At the time I thought, ‘Why go to the gym when you can

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-22268994230806129282009-02-01T11:33:00.000-08:002009-02-08T05:25:44.416-08:00

I’ve been devoting my spare-time attention to knitting a hat (just the band left to sew on), so perhaps the purple colour triggered the bizarre craving I’ve been experiencing for Turkish Delight? I’m trying to work out a raw version. I’ve been coming close in my experiments but I’m not quite there yet ...

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-43520091190424344502009-01-27T06:21:00.001-08:002010-05-11T02:25:59.182-07:00

Lots of people were juice fasting/feasting last January. I wasn’t one of them. However, buoying me up this year through January has been – you’ve guessed it – substantial amounts of juice. Well, that and the Australian Open (tennis freak that I am). This broccoli recipe is also hitting all the buttons... Picture © Stella McCartney for Adidas

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-12442270142789986852009-01-01T02:42:00.000-08:002010-05-11T02:26:38.791-07:00

Happy New Year – let nature, beauty, health and happiness dominate your path in 2009!

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-59600983594161565422008-12-30T07:44:00.001-08:002009-02-03T04:54:51.004-08:00

Forget bums on seats, it’s books on seats that count in our house... If pictures speak louder than words then this latest collection (all given to me for Christmas) just about sums up my life: books on raw food, running, Buddhism, vintage clothes/dressmaking, yoga, and a peek into someone else’s life via a journal. It’s an odd time of year, the days feel muddled to me, and I can’t wait for the

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-32966399324388465982008-12-21T06:56:00.000-08:002009-02-03T04:55:52.759-08:00

At Winchester Farmers’ Market last Sunday. The reindeer is sticking close to the carrots! Happy Holidays to one and all.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-8923886761709731392008-12-18T03:28:00.000-08:002010-05-11T02:27:19.827-07:00

I was in Oxford yesterday. I studied for my doctorate there and the Botanic Garden was always a welcome respite when my poor brain couldn’t take looking at a dusty document for a second longer. According to my trusty moon planting/gardening guide, yesterday, and today, are fruit days (for planting out and pruning fruit trees), and work was underway in this vein at Oxford. I love gardens at this

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-10348738187865735772008-12-14T08:43:00.000-08:002009-02-03T04:57:50.471-08:00

I love the fact that people write me little ‘secret’ messages via this blog. I completely understand. I used to read various blogs avidly but felt too shy to even leave a message. I have gradually progressed over the last few years from leaving messages on favourite blogs to eventually writing an admittedly very non-personal and sporadic blog. One of the recent ‘secret messages’ to me referred to

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-61150889080539474062008-12-09T06:04:00.000-08:002009-02-03T05:00:08.292-08:00

One of my resolutions before the end of the year was to somehow organise a huge pile of magazine/newspaper cuttings. Anything interesting or inspiring I rip out. One particular pile is of adult human height (I kid you not). In my attempt at reorganisation I stumbled across a cutting on the re-launch of Arabella Boxer’s First Slice Your Cookbook (I grew up with a parental cooking bookshelf

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-63496750736600748082008-12-07T06:09:00.000-08:002009-02-03T04:58:44.431-08:00

It's December! Once the 1st of December strikes I always have a rush of inspiration to fulfill all of my determinations that somehow fell by the wayside over the year. I am chanting like crazy (4 hours a day!) yet am still managing to fit everything else in. The bright and crispy weather is an aid to all of this - it revs me up like nothing else. My lunches at the moment are mirroring the weather

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-31424564885103419432008-11-15T07:53:00.000-08:002009-02-03T05:01:41.307-08:00

Reading the fantastic Viktoras Kulvinskas interview in the latest issue of Get Fresh inspired me to re-read some of his publications. One of the 'Seven Secrets of Success' listed in the interview encouraged the making of fermented food '... it nurtures friendly bacteria, and is loaded with enzymes and B-complex vitamins ... Cultures that are long-lived always include at least one form of

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-42225563581786256042008-11-14T09:24:00.000-08:002009-02-03T05:03:01.186-08:00

The synchronicity doesn't stop at #1. I was going to post on my love of compact raw booklets, starting with the recipe booklet by the Funky Raw gang (I'm guessing from viewing their website that the booklet has been newly republished with a colour cover). I have 'key moments' in my raw journey and the booklet's 'Real Risotto' (with cauliflower being the chief ingredient) was one of them. As I

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-65855137190931620572008-11-14T08:25:00.000-08:002009-02-03T05:04:29.629-08:00

Isn't it funny when the universe responds to musings? I was lamenting recently to one of my closest friends who is a hot-shot graphic designer of cookbooks (Nigel Slater, Ottolenghi, Angela Hartnett etc.) about vegan and raw books published in the UK. I'd love it if as the raw market grows these books looked like some of the classics she's crafted (not too chef-y, not over-designed, but not too

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-79620248150339112342008-11-08T04:44:00.000-08:002009-02-03T05:05:47.124-08:00

We went to Brighton last Sunday and did some of my favourite things: the early morning station market, the monthly farmers’ market and stocking up at Infinity. It was a last-minute decision (one of those which so frequently turn out to be spot-on). The weather was gorgeous for the 2nd of November – it has been gray, cloudy and uninspiring both since and before. The bright colours of my resulting

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-79589581639046898512008-11-03T03:46:00.000-08:002009-02-03T05:14:11.201-08:00

Continuing on the simplicity front, I bought a favourite Australian interiors magazine on Friday which always seems to feature at least a couple of exquisite ‘natural homes’ amongst the frou-frou designer offerings in each issue. This kitchen is a dream ... rustic, light, simple (and I love the fact that they’re using the cooker as extra storage space!)...

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-42651098429380477402008-11-01T13:47:00.000-07:002009-02-03T05:15:12.342-08:00

It’s world vegan day today. It’s probably the ‘done’ thing to offer a recipe, but all I can think of is pears. It’s like I’m an addict. I’ve been buying them from the orchard around the corner and simply slice them with a mandolin (to try and fool myself that I’m making an effort with my diet!) and munch away. They’re divine. Thankfully, Matthew Kenney’s Everyday Raw arrived today, so I have an

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-39428039365909838892008-10-31T16:16:00.000-07:002009-02-03T05:13:24.158-08:00

I went to the Yoga Show today at Olympia. Sometimes food and/or exercise hits the spot perfectly in terms of upping the energy. Sometimes just being in London does it for me too. I walked to the show from Earl’s Court. Changing tube lines is a pet hate. I’m always amazed that people hang around at Earl’s Court waiting for a tube to High Street Kensington or Olympia, when the walk (especially

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-84592466782583729262008-10-26T07:22:00.000-07:002009-03-05T07:39:18.155-08:00

I love reading and seeing how other people live their lives, not just in terms of food, clothes, partners, family, friends, ideas, careers and dreams, but ‘dressing’ their homes as it were too. I like anonymous old things and places, rather than the ‘names’ of interior design and destinations. To that end, this site, and also this (this too!), give me great pleasure and inspiration. I’ve been

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-10455046558543393972008-10-22T12:36:00.000-07:002011-09-26T05:48:59.598-07:00

Out running at 1.32pm. I try to always ensure that I’m outside for at least an hour each day.

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-12149755521598947132008-10-18T05:48:00.000-07:002009-02-03T02:20:44.644-08:00

I’m feeling inspired after seeing Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s beetroot ice-cream and beetroot brownies the other night on Channel 4. Some experimenting ‘raw style’ this w/end is called for, but in the meantime, I can highly recommend the following.This recipe is probably up there as one of my top ten autumnal raw dishes. It’s unattributed on the Waitrose website, but I think it’s one of Katia’s

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577312173144172257.post-81412995608422880552008-10-12T11:11:00.000-07:002009-02-03T02:19:18.590-08:00

I generally prefer ‘cooked’ cookbooks to raw ‘uncooked’ cookbooks. There, I’ve said it. It’s not that I don’t relish uncook books, simply that I glean more ideas from standard cookbooks (over time, as confidence grows, I’ve found it easier and easier to make the conversion tweaks from cooked to uncooked). I am also, more often than not, seduced by atmospheric, beautiful pictures and the quality

Solar Ovenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01228785364575023983noreply@blogger.com3