Welcome to the July Library Diary!
I’m so glad that the sun has put his hat back on and am looking forward to basking in some proper sunshine. If you’ve been mostly doing your Library work outs indoors, why not take that laptop outdoors and set up your own outdoor workout space in a shady spot in the garden… or grab a mat to spread out on the patio. Most of the Library workouts have full narration so even if it’s a bit bright to see the screen, you should be able to keep going just by listening!
The Woodland Workout continues through the Summer (apart from Tuesday 27th when there will be no class)
Feel free to bring friends, family, kids and babies along too!
CLASS TIMES | Tuesdays 9.15 - 10am & Saturdays 8.00-8.45am | PRICE: £10 per class | Book in advance or just come along.
Or how about trying a Pop up Pilates class? Bring friends or family and enjoy this special outdoor class through August.
Recipes for July...
I’ve picked a current favourite book this month….. Liz Earle’s Good Gut Guide which is choc-full of fabulous recipes that are super-simple to create and don’t use too many exotic ingredients. There are also lots of simple recipes to make your own Kimchi, Kombucha, Sauerkraut and more. It’s a really super read.
Liz Earle is all about gentle, natural wellbeing. As famous for her skincare products as she is for her appearances on GMTV in the nineties, Liz is a guru of whole body health. I’m also currently enjoying her IGTV posts and her podcast, The Liz Earle Wellbeing Show.
I’ve selected a red cabbage sauerkraut that I’m going to be making this weekend, a carrot burger (I love my beetroot burgers so this is a lovely alternative) and Liz’s Superfood Summer Salad that can be made for summer barbecue’s with friends and family, (and would also be delicious with the carrot burgers). Have a go and let me know how you get on!
RED CABBAGE SAUERKRAUT
Makes 1kg jar
2kg red cabbage finely shredded, 1 tbsp sea salt, 1 tsp fennel or caraway seeds
Put the cabbage in a large bowl, add the sea salt and massage thoroughly. Next pound the cabbage with a pestle or rolling pin end to get as much water released as possible, for about 5 to 10 mins.
Then spoon the cabbage into your kilner jar squashing it down really well each time, ensuring it is well submerged under its own water, it needs this to ferment properly.
Secure the lid and leave for 3 to 16 days in your kitchen (it will take longer if you leave it in your fridge).
The fibre is good for bowel health but the fermentation means that all the good bugs will help support the growth of more good bugs! All you need is a tbsp a day as a topping or side dish.
CARROT BURGERS
Makes 10 burgers (freezable too)
1kg carrots - half grated/half chopped, can of butter beans, 2 garlic cloves crushed, 1 apple roughly chopped, 1 tbsp flaxseeds, 1 egg lightly beaten, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper
Blitz the caraway seeds in food processor then add the chopped carrots, beans, garlic, apple and flaxseeds and season. Whizz until well mixed, then add the egg and mix again. Tip into a large bowl and add the grated carrots, mix well.
Divide into 10 large balls and sit them on a baking sheet on a tray and pop them in the fridge for 20 mins. Then remove them and pat them down with your hand to make the burger shape. Then cook slowly on a non-stick pan. Cook on low heat to brown them on each side, not too high a heat at all. Serve between a roll, some sourdough, between some little gem lettuce or Portobello mushrooms.
SUPERFOOD SUMMER SALAD
Serves 4
1kg organic new potatoes, 125g asparagus tips trimmed, 200g peas, 1 tbsp Greek yoghurt, juice 1/2 lemon, 100g sugar snaps, 1 fennel bulb finely sliced and tossed in lemon juice, salt and pepper, sumac, 75g alfalfa sprouts (you can sprout your own - mung beans and red lentils are easiest according to Liz!)
Pickled Radishes: 100g radishes finely sliced, fresh thyme, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, salt & pepper
Firstly cook the potatoes, steam the asparagus tips and cook the peas then set all aside.
Put all the ingredients of the pickled radishes together and mix well. Also mix the Greek yoghurt and lemon juice together, season and set aside.
Into your serving platter pop the peas, sugar snap, fennel and chop the asparagus then toss together after seasoning. Halve or quarter the cooled potatoes and add to the mixture. Then dot the yoghurt mix on top, sprinkle with sumac and scatter over your alfalfa sprouts, spoon the radish pickle onto the side or have in a separate dish.
A brand new workout for you...
This workout is one I put together for my fabulous ‘Lift Leaners’ last month - and they liked it so much I thought I should definitely highlight it on here.
A HIIT workout using the super stretchy cotton looped band and dumbbells. You don’t have to use a band if you don’t have one, and I thoroughly recommend these cotton looped ones too (from Amazon!).
Do the moves a bit faster, or slower, lighter or heavier weights - whatever suits your mood and ability. I will also be uploading a few more workouts onto the Library too so go and take a look, they will be under Lift Lean soon.
If you like this (and the recipes featured in this Diary entry) then maybe you’d like to join the Lift Lean Lifestyle programme for more of the same.
AND HERE'S A VERY BRILLIANT OFFER FOR YOU FROM OUR LOVELY FRIEND SARA WOOD...
Save 20% on any treatment...
Sara Wood is founder of lovely holistic treatment company Natural Balance in Petersfield. Sara has 20 years of expertise, energy and healing within the field of holistic health and seasonal wellbeing. She offers holistic and individualised treatments and packages of support by using reflexology, acupressure, yoga assisted stretching, massage, nutrition, breath work, and visualisation techniques. She has a clinic at Wild Nest Yoga Studio in Petersfield and also does home visits.
I first met Sara when she came on a Damson Hill Hike last September and she very kindly offered to do some reflexology and Indian head massage at my most recent Hike a couple of weeks ago. She gave the best massage! I thoroughly recommend you seek her out! Click on the link below to head to her website or call her on 07970 729 738 and just say you are a member of The Library at Damson Hill Cottage.