Leek & Potato Soup

Leek & potato soup is cheap, nourishing full of flavour and only takes 30 minutes to cook

Ingredients: 3 leeks; 1.5lbs of potatoes; large onion; clove of garlic; tsp mixed herbs; chopped parsley; bay leaf; vegetable stock; salt & pepper to taste.

Chop leeks, onions, garlic & potatoes. Gently fry leeks, onions, garlic and mixed herbs in a little olive oil for a couple of minutes until soft. Add vegetable stock, potatoes, parsley & bay leaf and bring to the boil. Season with salt & pepper and simmer for about 20mins. Remove bay leaf and liquidise using a hand blender before serving with crusty bread. Enjoy.

Early Morning Meditation

Decided on an early sit this morning. Read these words from the Buddha before settling down on the cushions:

"This intent concentration on in-and-out breathing, if cultivated and developed, is something peaceful and excellent, something pleasant in itself and a pleasant way of living also. Not only that, it dispels evil unskilled thoughts that have arisen and makes them vanish in a moment.

It is just as when in the last month of the hot season the dust and dirt fly up and suddenly a great rain lays it and makes it settle in a moment."

Followed the session with a hearty breakfast of vegan sausages, mushrooms and fried tomatoes with lashings of hot toast and peppermint tea.

Later on in the day, I went for a long walk along the River Leven with my dog Lennon to work off the effect of the fry-up and to make room for vegan Sheperd's Pie. This version is made with soya mince instead of lentils and served with brussel sprouts:

Baked Potato, Coleslaw & Beetroot

Baked potato is a simple meal that I always enjoy -I should have it more often. It is served here with a dollop of vegan margarine, home made coleslaw and fresh beetroot. The coleslaw is made with shredded white cabbage, spring onions, grated carrot, chopped garlic and vegan mayonnaise.

Dhanakosa Retreat

Dhanakosa In The Snow

I have just spent a magical weekend meditating, walking, eating good food and discussing the Dharma with friends at Dhanakosa http://www.dhanakosa.com/ on the shore of Loch Voil, near Balquidder, home of Rob Roy McGregor.

Shrine Room At Dhanakosa

Shrine At Dhanakosa

Dhal With Rice, Garlic Nan & Salsa

Ingredients:
1 Tin of Green Lentils
1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes
1 Large Onion
2 Cloves of Garlic
Tbs Coriander
Tsp Turmeric
Tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder (adjust to taste)
Coriander Leaves

Fry onions and garlic until soft and golden. Blend with a hand blender and then add spices and fry for a few minutes. Add lentils and chopped tomatoes and coriander leaves and simmer for at least 30 mins. Serve with rice, garlic nan and salsa made from finely chopped onions, cucumber red and green chillies.

Chase Away Those Winter Blues

The Maid of the Loch basking in the winter sun

Loch Lomond from Balloch Park

Nothing like a daily dose of Mother Nature to chase away the winter blues followed by a heart warming bowl of Tuscan bean soup and dumplings:

Ingredients: barlotti beans; canneloni beans; tin of chopped tomatoes; onions; garlic; leek; carrots; turnip(swede); lemon juice; mixed herbs & a bay leaf.

Fry the onions; leek and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add chopped carrots; chopped turnip and mixed herbs and sweat down for a further five minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, beans, bay leaf and about a pint of vegetable stock. Season with salt and black pepper add lemon juice and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and add dumplings and simmer until light and fluffy.

Talkin' Turkey- Benjamin Zephaniah

Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas

Cos' turkeys just wanna hav fun

Turkeys are cool, turkeys are wicked

An every turkey has a Mum.

Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas,

Don't eat it, keep it alive,

It could be yu mate, an not on your plate

Say, Yo! Turkey I'm on your side.

I got lots of friends who are turkeys

An all of dem fear christmas time,

Dey wanna enjoy it, dey say humans destroyed it

An humans are out of dere mind,

Yeah, I got lots of friends who are turkeys

Dey all hav a right to a life,

Not to be caged up an genetically made up

By any farmer an his wife.

Turkeys just wanna play reggae

Turkeys just wanna hip-hop

Can yu imagine a nice young turkey saying,

'I cannot wait for de chop',

Turkeys like getting presents,

dey wanna watch christmas TV,

Turkeys hav brains an turkeys feel pain

In many ways like yu an me.

I once knew a turkey called...Turkey

He said "Benji explain to me please,

Who put de turkey in christmas

An what happens to christmas trees?",

I said "I am not too sure turkey

But its nothing to do wid Christ Mass

Humans get greedy an waste more dan need be

An business men mek loadsa cash'.

Invite dem indoors fe sum greens

Let dem eat cake an let dem partake

In a plate of organic grown beans,

Be nice to yu turkey dis christmas

An spare dem de cut of de knife,

Join Turkeys United an dey'll be delighted

An yu will mek new friends 'FOR LIFE'.