Welcome to the November Library Diary!
Cold clear mornings, crunchy leaves under foot and cosying up in the evenings… there’s lots to love about November! Now Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night are done and dusted, we’re beginning to think festive thoughts at Damson Hill Cottage (and it’s not long ‘til I can dig out those Christmassy leggings - hurrah!) Not only do we have Wild Woodland Wreath making workshops planned, there’s warming hot chocolate now on sale courtesy of Betty the Caravan Cafe - and we have a date in the diary for the ever-popular ‘Bloody Mary Workout’ (I can’t wait!) I hope you are still getting on well with your Library Workouts. Don’t forget that if you need any tips or advice about how to get the best from your fitness regime, I’m just a phonecall (or whatsapp) away!
Pilates Classes are back on in the studio or on the deck. They are fairly full but get in touch if you're interested and we can see if we can find a space or add you to the waiting list. Or come along as a 'drop-in'.
Woodland Workout continues, and we're booking NOW for our festive Bloody Mary Workout!
Our monthly class, The Firm, for men in need of a little help with flexibility & core strength has proved to be so popular there are now 2 classes running! Now every 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month (every 2 weeks) from 8pm.
There are still spaces available for the next Damson Hill Hike on Sunday 21st November at 9.30am.
Our NEW Lift Lean Lite 5 day programme starts on the 22nd November and is booking now.
You can read more about all these in the 'classes' section of the website.
November Challenges!
THERE ARE 3 CHALLENGES THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO TRY THIS MONTH… SO YOU CAN PICK ONE - OR DO ALL 3!
100 Squats a day!
This is a Cancer Research challenge so why not raise some money for some extra motivation? The challenge is 100 Squats a day - split up however you like! Do ten at a time or go for the burn… whatever suits!
Plank Challenge
Here’s a great one - and you can sign up to do it with the Alzheimer’s Society if you’d like to give something back. Hold a plank position every day throughout November to work your way up to holding a plank for either three or six minutes.
Dry November
A brilliant way to detox before the Christmas Celebrations begin, cutting out the booze for a full month can really make you feel better, brighter and fitter! Or why not go the whole hog and join the Lift Lean Lite programme too!
Recipes for November...
I was recommended this book from a great friend who similarly, and very sadly, experienced the loss of a parent with Alzheimers. The recipes inside are truly delicious and right on par with everything Lift Lean and Damson Hill Cottage. As we are raising money / doing the plank challenge I thought this book would be a perfect fit this month. Its such a fabulous book and I highly recommend you popping it on your Christmas list for the array of delicious recipes inside.
I do tend to veer towards giving you vegetarian recipes I know, (but there’s so much goodness in veggies!) and these three today are vegetarian again but my favourite type of meal with plant based protein too- a hearty soup, these are more like a ‘one pot’ as I call them. I really don’t think you can beat a veggie soup, full of flavour, full of nutrients and the best bit about them is you can double the quantities and eat them all week long, freeze for later or even serve alongside something else.
I have a feeling one or two of these are going to feature in my next Damson Hill Hike on Sunday 21st November and maybe even some of the winter retreats that are happening here over the next few months too (other teachers are hiring the place and I’m doing the cooking!).
YELLOW SPLIT PEA SOUP with spinach & pomegranate
1.5 cups yellow split peas, 2 medium tomatoes diced, 5 cups stock, 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 onion diced, 1 green chilli thinly sliced, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp each of cumin, garam masala turmeric. 3 handfuls of spinach, 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, salt & pepper. Pomegranate seeds and coriander for garnish.
Rinse split peas and put them in large pan with tomatoes and broth, bring to boil, then partially cover and simmer, skimming the foam, for 30 mins. Add more water if necessary.
Saute the onion in the oil in another pan until soft then add chilli, ginger, garlic stirring for 1 min, then add the spices and add the odd tbsp of stock or water as you go. Pop a ladle of the split pea mixture into the pan, stir then tip the whole lot into the rest of the split pea mixture, stirring.
Bring to the boil adding the spinach just to wilt then season, partially blend if you like or keep it whole. Scatter with the pomegranate seeds and coriander.
CHICKPEA BARLEY SOUP
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 leek sliced, 1 celery stalk chopped, 1 medium carrot diced, 1 cup of mushrooms chopped, 1 cup pearl barley or spelt, 5 cups stock, 1 large bunch of spring greens thinly sliced (beet tops too, any green leaf that takes a bit of time to cook), 1 can chick peas rinsed, salt / pepper, chopped dill and chives, juice of a lemon.
Saute the leeks, celery, carrot and mushrooms in the oil in a pan for about 5 mins. Add barley and stir then pour in the stock, bring to boil then simmer stirring occasionally up to 30 mins (check packet instructions).
Once barley softened add the greens and chickpeas, season to taste and cook for 5 to 10 mins, (if using spinach then just add right at the end so it just wilts) then stir in the dill, chives and lemon juice.
HEARTY BEAN CHILLI
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 large onion chopped, 1 large pepper diced, 1 large jalapeno/chilli deseeded and chopped, 1/2 tsp salt, 6 garlic cloves crushed, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 3 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 2 cans of chopped tomatoes, 3 tbsp tomato puree, 3 cups water, 1 can of cannellini beans, 1 can black beans, 1 can of kidney beans, salt and pepper, juice of 2 limes
In a large pot saute the onion in the oil for a couple of minutes, then add the peppers and chilli for a further 3 mins then the garlic shortly followed by the herbs/spices for another minute.
Then add the chopped tomatoes and puree then after a minute or so add 2 cups of water. Then add the beans and stir and the last cup of water if needed. The beans should be submerged, cover the pot and simmer for 30 mins adding more water if needed.
After 30 mins turn off the heat, adjust with seasoning, add the lime juice or more chilli if you need more heat. Lovely served with cashews / avocado / red onion / coriander / greek yoghurt.
Workout Highlight of the Month
Just a little bit of a reminder how the classes looked not so long ago! Barefoot on the woodland deck with birdsong in the background!
So this is a Tummy Tabata. I love a Tabata. Short but intense bursts of exercise for 20s with a short 10s rest then repeated for up to 4 mins. Its the repetitions that create the burn. No kit needed on this one either.
Now ideally, this form of HIIT training means you need to go all out for your best effort for the whole 20s each time, however, I have incorporated it into a Tummy Tabata so its not like a cardio one where you go as deep and fast as you can. .What I want you to do with this one is think about your core, think about your precise movement, are your hips still, are you abs on, are you lengthening your legs, dropping your shoulders - just thinking about your position and form throughout, make each 20s your best. Now go and press play!
Here is a link fro Women’s Health Magazine that explains it further: What is Tabata?
HERE"S ANOTHER FABULOUS (AND EXCLUSIVE) OFFER FOR YOU...
10% OFF deliciously nutritious ChalkStream®️ Trout this week!
Pop along to the ChalkStream®️ Website to save 10% on their Smoked Trout!
Lovely local producers ChalkStream®️ have kindly offered Damson Hill Cottage Library members 10%OFF their delicious cold smoked trout fillets if you Order between the 15th & 21st November 2021 using code DAMSONHILLCOTTAGE.
Trout fillets are a great alternative for salmon and these smoked trout fillets can be frozen - so that makes them perfect for Christmas (if you don’t guzzle them straight away!)
If you need any more convincing to take Chalk Stream up on their offer, here are some trout related facts :-)
Trout is one of the few foods to be rich in vitamin D, vital to keep immune systems strong.
Oily fish such as ChalkStream®️ trout are also a rich source of highly digestible protein, unsaturated fat and vitamin B12.
ChalkStream®️ trout is a particularly good source of highly digestible protein, thanks in part to the fast flowing rivers they swim in. This protein provides all the essential building blocks we require in our everyday metabolism.
Most importantly, oily fish like trout provide by far the richest source of Omega 3 in our diet, critical for the development of unborn babies, the optimal growth of children and for longer-term health, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Fancy a little bit of Wild Woodland Wreath Making?
You may have heard about our festive Wreath Making Workshops… Your chance to forage, chat and get creative in the grounds of Damson Hill Cottage - and get into the mood for Christmas! We have a couple of spaces on our Wednesday 1st December and Friday 10th December Workshops up for grabs so why not treat yourself!
Our NEW, intensive health & wellness plan will give you a quick reboot when you need it most... and have you feeling fighting fit and ready to face the festive season. Brilliant as a refresh if you’ve already completed a Lift Lean Lifestyle 14 day programme, as a taster if you’re thinking of trying Lift Lean lifestyle - or just if you could do with switching some unhealthy habits to some new ones. (Plus it may even help you get into that party dress!)
The Christmas Bloody Mary Workout is a 45 minute Woodland Workout class, held in the great outdoors (whatever the weather) at Damson Hill Cottage. You get to wear your Christmas hat (or your Christmas leggings) if you like, and afterwards we’ll mix you up a festive Bloody Mary made with Turner & Hardy’s IOW tomatoes (or a Virgin Mary), teas, coffees, herbals and juice. There’ll be delicious flatbreads to enjoy and fresh fruit to follow. Ho ho ho.