Slow Sunday & a recipe

Chicken broth with barley & lime pickle

The birds are arriving back, the tree out front was full of them this morning, and the sky, bright blue with big sun; a rare sight in the UK at this time of year.

The street I live in was lit up. Evergreen hedges encrusted, diamonds of speckled sunlight. Tree trunks alive again with light. Shadow and sunshine playing across the tarmac road and up the walls of my sitting room.

Red berries on bushes shone bright, there was glistening on leaves and, when the little birds sang in the tree out front, I noticed a bigger bird on the roof opposite. Then I realised, the whole world, it was starting to feel alive again.

This was a computer work day, but at lunchtime I enjoyed getting out and becoming part of the bright blue-skied sunny scene. Houses of red brickwork shining in the sun as cars flashed past. On I went, to the end of the road, trees bare of leaves swayed as I turned one corner, then another, past the red post box onto the Monday midday main road.

Not many people about but all the shops open and cars racing this way and that. In the distance a bus at the bus stop, and next to this, bins overflowing onto the pavement. One dog Walker heading for the park, more rubbish spilling out of a ripped bin bag someone had left on the street. It glistened in the sun. That sun, it made everything look beautiful. There was a promise in that.

After work I saw pale smudge pink in the sky as the sun was setting, and big patches of fading blue turned to blue grey. Birds were singing as, ever so gradually the tree out front became a sillouhette. Soon the sky was dark and lights lit up the windows opposite, and then as evening progressed the lights went out one by one, and people began to put this, ever so ordinary day, to bed.

Then, it was time for foxes and badgers and owls to paint the street alive, but I, was fast asleep. Dreaming of sand and sea, sunshine and fishes and friendly fires under starlight, in far away places.

Joy dots

Sunshine on wall

The colour blue

Blue sky

Birds flying in the sky

Breathing

Red brickwork in the sun

Tree trunks

My first bumble bee of the year

Worms in the soil

Living soil

Weather

Bird on the lampost

Recipe

Chicken broth with barley & lime pickle

If you know your constitution, vata types who are feeling off balance can benefit from including some meat in their diet, especially if they are feeling ungrounded, spaced out and undernourished – this is a great dish for addressing this if you swap out the barley for wheat or rice. This is a meal I cooked last spring, using wild garlic, but you could use spinach. Barley is a good grain for spring because it is light and dry and so counteracts the kapha qualities in the air. I’ll be explaining all this in detail when I write my cookery book next year, introducing the Ayurvedic approach to nutrition and a peaceful belly.

For this lunch I simply cooked up barley in some chicken broth and served it with white chicken meat and wilted wild garlic leaves. Along with lime pickle.

I poached a chicken breast in butter for about 4 minutes on each side.

I wilted the wild garlic leaves by steaming them, they will be bringing in the woodland soil microbiome, so important for your gut microbiome to remain in balance and healthy.

I hope you enjoy.

Warmest wishes,

Lucy x