THE WHITE TEA POT

Tea in the front room.. The "parlour?"

This is the charming little tea pot and jug that the lovely ladies at the op shop saved for me.  Of course it was an "investment" piece at the great cost of 50cents.  It is not too big and not too small.

I use a unique,  French,  blue and gold glass to drink my tea from (like Poirot) because I have not found a beautiful enough white porcelain cup and saucer.   I don't like drinking from big,  thick ceramic cups - do you?

The tea?  This time Himalayan Rhubarb Tea.  Herbal of course.

ITS JUST LUNCH

Its Just Lunch

It is ONLY lunch, but the new (I love food) me, makes sure it as beautiful, and nourishing as can be.

It looks like a large meal, and it was very satisfying, however,  was only one large poached plum, a dessert spoon of sour cream added to a scoop of pot set yoghurt, and one slice of polenta cut into three and grilled on both sides.  I added mint leaves and a fancy sugar to give a little extra colour.



If you have a blow torch you could add more caster sugar topping and caramelise.  But if you did this you would need lots of sugar, and with all that sugar comes calories!

I sliced the gluten free polenta and put it under the grill for 5 minutes (turning half way),  when I had popped the polenta under the grill I microwaved the plum, covered, for 1minute 50 seconds, and folded the cream and the yoghurt together.. I plated up,  and when that was done the polenta was ready and I was ready!   Jamie might do 15 minute meals, but this was about 5 minutes, maybe 6.

NEVER MISS BREAKFAST OR AFTERNOON TEA

I have never liked breakfast.  When I was young and living in the garage, a fresh granny smith apple was all that I felt that I needed, and maybe that would have been good if it was accompanied by a large drink of water.  But it was just an apple,  which added to a lifetime of digestive problems.

Today I am not part smart.  I have a drink of lemony water on rising, followed by a large green smoothie containing my TCM herbal mix, a shot of milk, a shot of fruit juice,  a shot of water, a handful of mixed fresh greens from my garden, a capful of sea minerals, a scoop of green power powder I make up, a scoop of dried digestive herbs, and a half a teasp. of a high quality gluten free vitamin powder.  I whizz all that up in my whizz-and-go (it tastes terrific) and also take a high dosage it A, B and sometimes D.  I follow this with a RELAXING POT of Tibetan herbal tea.  I must admit to sometimes having milk coffee if I feel like it.

Part of my tea cups/pots collection

I think that this routine sets me up nutritionally for the day.  I don't get hungry until lunch time (and sometimes not even then) and I usually have the same meal for lunch each day - poached fruit and a slice of toast with a dollop of yoghurt or sour cream.  Once again a POT of tea.  For supper I have steamed vegetables,  a carbohydrate and a protein, and yes, a pot of herbal tea.

The biggest change I have made is to eat my food and drink my tea quietly and in peace.  The introduction of the FULL POT of herbal tea is also new, and with the addition of water during the day keeps me well hydrated.  Last year I remembered that my mother had the same tea routine in the conservatory.  Even when she was travelling ket to this routine.  I have sat at the tables and windows in London where she "tea'd" hows that for tradition?   I always laughed at her and now find myself following the same routine.  Because I now appreciate the joy of this time, I have also brought together a lovely collection of pots, cups and gorgeous tea-glasses to add to the "Tea Experience".

I often suggest a formal tea-break like this to people who are having trouble with the hurry hurry of their lives (or even asking them to institute a routine like this rather than using a break as the opportunity to smoke).

I love my tea time, and think it has improved my overall health.  The most beautiful example of a "tea person" for me (and one I aspire to) was of a lady in Death Valley.  She built a wonderful, delightful inn at the base of a hill.  The Inn, still the only one in Death Valley, very 1947 and gorgeous, is still there but unfortunately she is long dead.  Every afternoon about 4pm as the valley was cooling down she would have her Mexican servant load up a donkey, then with full regalia (long skirt and lace parasol) she would walk gently to the top of the hill, and there, under an Indian style tent she would sit at a table and a have a full afternoon tea complete with trimmings, waiter standing by to pour.. at the end, it would all be packed up and brought down, ready for tomorrow.  What a wonderful tradition.  Unfortunately I don't have a donkey, a tent, or a manservant - but I do have the collection of trimmings, pots, glasses, trays.  It will do for now.

NUTRITION CAN BE FASCINATING

My breakfast garden on the deck

Nutrition can be fascinating because it is about YOU.  It is the study of how foods make you tick after they have been swallowed.  We often confuse nutrition with dietetics which is the study of which foods SHOULD be swallowed.  I never manage well with "shoulds".

If the knowledge of nutrition is so fascinating, and personal, why doesn't everyone apply it to their lives?

Nutritionists themselves could be the reason.  They not only put people off with their ridiculous food faddiness, they basically make a religion out of nutrition.   I tried barley grass once.  Is smelled like mown grass might have at one time, but it didn't taste good.  No matter how many minerals it contained I didn't line up for it a second time..

Personally, I think that for the healthy person, all the foods that we have the pleasure to eat should be absolutely delicious.  There is no reason you should eat food you do not like;   that being said, it is a good idea to learn to enjoy foods rich in nutrients,  that your body must have in order to function normally.   Tweaking the recipes so that they line up with our palate.

You could approach new foods in the way I have,  and choose the nibble method.  Try, nibble,  before rejecting new tastes.  If food looks good, is good for us,  AND TASTES TERRIFIC then we will all improve our diets and begin to feel as well as it possible to feel.  We will be building good health.  I am not talking just about supplementation.  Although supplements are encouraged they should supplement good nutrition not replace it.  I honestly believe that dis-ease is a symptom of bad choices, and bad nutrition is not helpful in dealing with this imbalance in the body.  The symptom is not the disease.  We all have the tools for wonderful health - food.  We should lift our game.

I hope that you are all going to read these blogs.  We are coming into winter, and it is a good time to consider nutrition.  We can make a food change for the season, and change our focus around food at the same time.  If you have a family make changes quietly and slowly.  When positive improvement follows as it will, your family will observe it and will applaud what you have achieved.

Regardless of your present state of health, no matter how radiant you feel yourself to be, a better knowledge of nutrition can always bring improvement, and will make your dreams of living a long active life a reality.