Tag Archives: conscious cooking

Wheat & Gluten Free Cooking Day for Lung and Large Intestine Health

Posted on by
2
mushroom1

Shiitake Mushroom Risotto

Saturday 29th October 2016

The lung and large intestine are responsible for physical vitality and immunity. They take in essential oxygen and eliminate waste whilst maintaining a necessary physical, mental and emotional protective boundary. At this time of year the lung (including the skin as the third lung) and the large intestine are under great pressure, through the cold and damp, to repel invading viruses and maintain healthy boundaries. Come and find out how to support these systems, emotionally and physically by learning easy to cook, vegetarian recipes.

On the menu:

  • Shitake Mushroom risotto (reducing cholesterol and increasing good bacteria in the Intestine)
  • Hunky, chunky warming mixed bean and lentil stew (increase colon health by increasing fiber)
  • Kimchi (perfect for protection and expelling unwanted parasites & toxins)
  • Poached ginger and cinnamon pears (addressing and discussing candida)    
  • Wheat free Caraway Drop Scones (moving stagnant energy)
  • Almond and Chilli Relish (build up boundaries and immunity)
  • Fresh Tumeric anti Inflamatory tea (relax those irritable bowels)

The cost of the day is €75 – couple booking €140 and includes all food cooked and eaten on the day

The day will run from 11 am til 3.30 pm and is hosted in the light and bright kitchen at the Hunky Chunk House. There is plenty of parking and the Bayside Dart station is a 2 minute walk away. There is space for only 6 participants per day so book early to avoid disappointment.

To book a place simply call 086 607 0432

Easy Evening & Day Cooking Classes for Health & Well Being

Posted on by
Reply

“How we feel and the food we choose”

Baldoyle Community Centre 

Tuesday Eve’s 7-9pm – Oct & Nov (dates below)

or

Wednesday Morn’s 10am-12pm- Oct & Nov (dates below)

6 weeks- €60 including all the food we eat

Have you ever wanted all the answers ……. what will stop this headache? Why can’t I fall sleep? Why do I crave chocolate? Shiatsu & the Art of Conscious Cooking can help you answer many of the other questions linked to how we are feeling and the food we eat. 

quiche1Find out, what to eat to help you sleep, build strong bones, reduce blood sugars and cholesterol.  Lower high blood pressure and remain calm in stressfull situations so you can  live a long happy healthy life,

for more information or to book a place call me on 086 607 0432 or Baldoyle Community Centre on 01-839 5338 
IMG_2534

Eve -11th Oct   Day – 12th Oct      Healthy Immune System & Reducing Cholesterol 

Recipes – Onion Biryani & Baked spiced cauliflower
Eve -18th Oct   Day – 19th Oct     Regulating hormones & maintaining strong bones

Recipes – Feta, Seaweed and Roasted Onion Quiche, Humms with mixed seaweeds & Green Bean and Sesame Salad

Eve-8th Nov   Day-9th Nov     Improve flexibility and joints and learn to detox effortlessly 

Recipes – Shaved Fennel Salad, Hot & Sour Soup & Anti Inflammatory Tea

Eve – 15th Nov   Day 16th Nov        Healthy Heart reducing  stress and anxiety

Recipes – coconut Pancakes, roasted Brussed Sprouts with Lemon & Insomniac’s Tea

Eve 22nd Nov    Day 23rd Nov        Healthy alternatives  to stop sweet cravings

Recipes – Sweet Bread with Carrot & Courgette – Pomegranate and Caramelised Onion Bulghar wheat

Eve 29th Nov   Day 30th Nov     Balance in the body for harmony and health

Recipes – Sundried tomato Spelt loaf, Onion Miso Soup & raw Chocolate & Seed Bites

Cooking Day for Stomach, Spleen & Stopping Sweet Cravings

Posted on by
Reply

11am-3.30pm  Saturday 24th September 2016

pumpkin

Do you strive to eat healthily but get lost in cravings or habitual eating patterns? Do you eat plenty and still feel low in energy? Is there a sense of lack that cannot be satisfied in your life? In Chinese medicine this would suggest your stomach and spleen energy is out of balance.  Energetically these are the meridians of the nourishing mother earth element, they are the time of harvest and abundance and their flavour is sweet.  In Western medicine it is the Spleen/Pancreas that controls insulin and the breakdown of sugars in the body. It is this organ and this function that we will cook for during this unique one day cookery class.images

Learning these easy to cook recipes specifically for the Stomach and Spleen is a great way to connect with the body and soul’s need for sweet and comforting food without submitting to cravings for refined sugars and starches such as chocolate and bread.

On the menu is:

  • Fennel and Pea Paella
  • Light and Lemony Turkish Lentil Soup
  • Raw Chocolate and Seed Bites
  • Pomegranate and Caramelized Onion Bulghar wheat
  • Herby Millet
  • Carrot & Corguette Sweet Bread
  • Red Date Tea and a Craving busting Licorice Stick to take home

Also included are Acupressure points for cravings and bringing deep satisfaction

Come and unload the mental stresses and physical strains, have some fun and learn skills that can nourish your sweet self in everyday life

Cost €65 includes all written recipes and food eaten on the day.

Special offer – 2 people €120

Venue: Miele Kitchens, 2024 Bianconi Avenue, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin

To book a place call me on 086 607 0432     Or email joannefaulkner@live.ie

New Break up, New Blog

Posted on by
2

 

images1

Bye bye chocolate

The clue is in the title – yep, another boyfriend bites the dust, and even though I had been the one to end it I still found myself thinking about him all the time.  Obsessing how we could have made it work and how we could have done things differently. He was my waking thought that would carry on throughout the day like an addiction.  My mind habitually replayed the relationship, over and over; searching for any comfort from the painful feeling of loss and separation ……and then came the chocolate.  Chocolate isn’t usually my thing, I can take it or leave it but wow when I was feeling very tired and alone the day after being maid of honor at a wedding with out my plus one I worked my way through a whole box of celebrations followed by a tub of chocolate ice cream the next night and so it would have gone on had I not copped on and took control of my mind.  I needed to stop this cycle, break the addiction of my thoughts and my cravings.

In Chinese Medicine, overthinking really weakens the spleen and never really helps or changes the situation.  The flavor for spleen is sweet, so when we get into uncomfortable situations or when our mind chews and chews on a topic we often crave the comfort that comes from sweet flavours.  An easy, instant, sugar hit is chocolate.  It gives the mind temporary relief but in the long run creates sugar lows and further obsessive thinking.  Energetically the spleen is responsible for satisfaction and its flip side, addiction: easy to see how sweet flavours create addictive patterns both physically and mentally in Chinese Medicine

What can help is reaching for a better feeling or thought.  So park the problem, tell your mind you are not going to think about it until 6 o’clock and then you are going to only think about it – in fact you are going to write about it – write all about it and then throw the paper in the bin at 7 o’clock, but until then do something to make yourself feel better, bake some bread, sing along to your favourite songs at the top of your voice, call a friend, read a good book, go for a run, look at the clouds and just give your overthinking mind a breather, help your body and mind relax, this in itself improves any situation.

So what did I do?  All of the above plus made a few batches of the Raw Cacao Balls.  Because the raw cacao bean has been fermented rather than roasted, this form of chocolate is actually good for the body.  In its raw state, the antioxidants in cacao can be 20 times more powerful than blueberries. When dairy and sugar are added to cacao unfortunately the antioxidant properties of this food are blocked.  Also raw cacao is super at releasing the happy hormone, serotonin within the brain, bringing on that satisfied feeling without the aid of a sugar high.  These tasty treats are simple to make and keep well in the fridge. They are perfect if you feel like comfort eating.  If the lover that you love is not behaving how you would like, if you constantly replay conversations to see if things could have gone better, its time to stop chewing things over, its time to stop ruminating, deliberating and contemplating; Its time to start creating with Cacao.

images

Cacao Treats

•    2 tablespoons ground pumpkin seeds

•    1 teaspoon chia seeds

•    5 tablespoons ground almonds

•    2 tablespoons raw cacao powder – raw

•    1 tablespoon maple syrup (or alternative)

•    ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Alternatives

Tahini/peanut butter/honey

Dates/cranberries

Raisins soaked in apple or orange juice

Coconut oil

In a food processor blend all the ingredients in the order above.  When the seeds are ground and everything looks powdery use a teaspoon to scoop out the mixture, squeeze and roll into small balls using your fingers and the palm of your hand.  This can be messy so wear latex gloves if you like as they stop the mixture sticking too much.  Put them in a Tupperware in the fridge for an hour or so to harden and chill.  I have no idea how long they last as myself, visitors, neighbours, children eat them all pretty quickly.  They make great gifts too – who doesn’t love healthy chocolate.

IMG_1756

 

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you

Posted on by
3

Unknown

They say you teach what you need to learn …. in two weeks I will be teaching and cooking for a weekend retreat on Stomach & Spleen in Chinese Medicine.  I know one of my habits can be to see the things I didn’t do or didn’t get right.  I may have cooked for a group of 30 people all week but focus on not having made one salad quite as I liked.  I may have played games with the kids, baked cakes but still gone to bed feeling like a bad mum because maybe I gave out to them.  Sometimes enough is never enough for me.  I focus on the one little bit thats missing rather than seeing how fantastic the bigger picture is.  So Im grateful to write this blog,  to remind myself that gratitude is the key.  If Im not thankful for what I have, Im like an empty hole which will never be filled and I’ll never be satisfied.  As I type I can feel deep gratitude welling up and expanding out.  So thankful for all I have and all I am.  I want to snog the face off life and embrace it all……..  mouth & lips & flesh -all directly linked to the Stomach/Spleen meridian.

images1

It can be difficult to ask for support in our lives and sometimes just as hard to receive it. Even if someone has cleaned the house for you, peeled the potatoes, mowed the lawn or made you a cup of tea, maybe its not done quite the way you like it. The world with all its gifts isnt meeting our needs in exactly as we expect. So instead of generating a feeling of gratitude for the care given with the thoughtful cuppa, we reject it along with the person who made it. We miss an opportunity to deepen our understanding of what we want by experiencing what we don’t want and then communicating that need or desire. By communicating our needs we are more likely to have them met but to communicate means making ourselves open and vulnerable. We are out on a limb by really saying what we want because perhaps we will be rejected or judged. Sometimes its more comfortable to become a victim, a “poor me” – unsupported, isolated and misunderstood. These feelings can often be more manageable than the imagined abandonment by another if we show them who we are and what we really need. Ships operate constantly on feedback loops. Their course is never the same every day. They constantly change direction to compensate for tides and currents. They have a fixed destination but to reach it they must constantly change direction. Our journey throughout life is the same. We may have a fixed goal such as peace, happiness or love but how we get there will change due to outside experiences and internal perceptions. Enjoy the ride, keep talking, keep communicating, especially with yourself. Observe your process and ask for what you need, then have faith that your are completely loveable and fantastic enough to receive it.

Sometimes low self esteem can mean that we find it increasingly difficult to receive. We are not worthy, we don’t deserve of the gifts or compliments given to us. Perhaps the culturally induced idea that nothing comes for free means that openhearted receiving can be difficult. The idea that giving and receiving is conditional upon effort or worthiness is often deeply culturally ingrained.   However it’s possible to break these patterns by understanding the Stomach & Spleen in Chinese medicine.

The Stomach/Spleen in Chinese Medicine is at the time of transformation when summer is turning to autumn. The berries are ripe and the earth is fruitful. In a Christian tradition this would be celebrated as Harvest festival when we give thanks to Mother Earth for her bounty. It is a similar energy in Chinese medicine. The stomach spleen is all about the bond between mother and child. It’s how we cherish our bodies and nuture it as a mother would with deeply loving touch and embrace. Stomach/Spleen is in charge of the flesh of the body, it’s tone and texture, it loves to be touched, to be hugged, to be stroked, to be held. The flavour for Stomach/Spleen is sweet but instead of reaching straight for the chocolate bar which may give momentary satisfaction, rather feed yourself with wholesome sweet flavours within grains such as millet or rice. Mix them with starchy root roasted vegetables such as carrot, butternut squash and sweet potato. There are many ways in which to support the stomach & spleen so when we learn to connect with the abundance of the earth and our own wisdom to discerne what we want from it then we can feel truly satisfied and loved.

Due to a cancellation there is one place available on the Asking & Receiving Retreat – 

A weekend Health Retreat focusing on Satisfaction & Cravings – Using Tai Chi, Chinese Medicine & Healthy Cooking 

27-29th May 2016  –  Bobbio Centre, Co Wicklow

to book a place call me on 086607 0432 or for more info click here Asking and Receiving

baked peaches

 

images

 

Cuffe Street Cooking Classes

Posted on by
5

IMG_2534

Find out, what to eat to help you sleep, build healthy bones, maintain good blood pressure, to remain calm in stressful situations and to live a happy life, full of joy

Have fun and try new food – Thursday’s 10.30-12.30 – Greenside Hse, Cuffe St

Cost €4 (includes all food eaten within the class)

5th May       Healthy Immune System & Reducing Cholesterol

Recipes – Onion Biryani & Kashmiri cauliflower
12th May     Regulating hormones & maintaining strong bones

Recipes – Corn bread with Walnuts, Seaweed & Feta, Barley Water, Avocado & Barley Salad

19th May     Improve flexibility and joints and learn to detox effortlessly

Recipes – Buttermilk & Plum Cake, Spicy Sour Soup

26th May    Young Adult Special      balancing hormones, stop skin break outs

Recipes – Oatmilk Pancakes, Buckwheat noodles with black sesame & Miso  & Special Smoothie

2rd   June       Young Adult Special     How to manage exam stress

Recipes – Raw Power Cocoa Balls, Vegetarian Paella & Sweet Cleansing Juice

 9TH June        Healthy Heart reducing  stress and anxiety  

Recipes – Beetroot & Pear Salad & Wild Rice Casserole

 16TH June        Healthy alternatives  to stop sweet cravings    

Recipes – Crunchy Cabbage with Garlic & Ginger,  Feta & Roasted Carrot Salad

PIC_0012

Asking and Receiving

Posted on by
Reply

   A weekend Health Retreat focusing on Satisfaction & Cravings – Using Tai Chi, Chinese Medicine & Healthy Cooking 

images

27-29th May 2016  –  Bobbio Centre, Co Wicklow

Do you strive to eat healthily but get lost in cravings or habitual eating patterns?  Is there a sense of lack that cannot be satisfied in your life?  In Chinese medicine this suggests your stomach and spleen energy is out    of balance.  Energetically these are the meridians of the nourishing  mother earth element and their flavour is sweet.  This weekend aims to bring an awareness of the body’s emotional and physical needs.            

How to satisfy with mindful thought, movement and sweet soul food

The weekend includes

  • Conscious Cooking Classes focusing on recipes for a healthy heart and managing sugar cravings
  • Amazing Vegetarian Meals
  • Tai Chi & Chi Gong sessions focusing on calming the mind bringing peace and satisfaction to the body
  • Loving Kindness Meditation & Mantra
  • Time to rest and walk in the stunning grounds and secluded beach in North Wicklow

images-2

We are naturally happy beings so take an opportunity to return to this state by unloading the mental stresses and physically strains at this wonderfully unique retreat

Joanne-150x150   Joanne Faulkner is a Shiatsu Practitioner specialising in the energy of food in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Author of “Shiatsu & the Art of Conscious Cooking” she operates a Shiatsu Clinic in Dublin. She also runs cookery classes, health retreats, and caters holistic events.                    086 607 0432      www.joannefaulkner.org

Conscious Cooking Class with Jo

Using principles of Chinese Medicine and the 5 elements, we will discuss specific foods and preparations which help with stomach/spleen, cravings, addictions, weight management and satisfaction. Some of the dishes include

  • Carrot and Corguette Sweet Bread
  • Red date, pear and ginger tea
  • Fennel Paella
  • Turkish Lentil Soup
  • Sweet Orange Vinagrette
  • Roasted Balsamic Strawberries plus Coconut & Maple Macaroons
  • Special Spinach & Kale with a Tahini dressing
  • Caramalized onion, quionoa, carrot and coriander salad

fatima   Fatima Lucia  has 17 years experience in various styles of Tai Chi and Qigong. She is a fully qualified instructor through the Chinese International Tai Chi and Qigong Association.  Her life long studies include many different forms of body awareness disciplines as well as Flamenco dance, which she has performed and taught for over 20 years.

Tai Chi Session with Fatima

Through the practice of Tai Chi and Qigong we cultivate our awareness, sensitivity and balance, which transforms the way we move, stand and interact in all aspects of our life. As we develop and refine these, we can create a state of aliveness – physically, energetically and spiritually.

As you begin to understand Tai Chi, the differences between various forms and movements become merely external. The principles remain the same. Understand this and everything you do becomes Tai Chi. In this way Tai Chi can begin to have a profound effect on every aspect of life.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Cost: €295    There are a number of single rooms which will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. This workshop is for 14 participants max.

Price includes all food, accommodation & tuition. For a full schedule outline including menu and booking form contact:
Donate Button with Credit Cards

www.joannefaulkner.org       086 607 0432                    joannefaulkner@live.ie