November can be a difficult month — it’s darker, the weather is unpredictable, and trying to continue your routine from previous months can be tough. But it can also be a beautiful month. The trees are still stunning, the weather can be mild and calm and welcoming now and again, and the cosiness of the winter months begins — the warm fire, comforting soups and stews, slower time to do other things like crafts, read. There is a lot of talk about optimising these days, too. Getting your 10,000 steps. Up at 5am to do a million things before you “start your day”. This is a piece about stepping back from all of that, and about a loaf of bread.
There is a lot of talk about optimising these days
Getting your 10,000 steps. Up at 5am to do a million things before you “start your day”. Checking your watch to see if you had a good sleep rather than just checking in with yourself. Taking 10 different supplements to optimise your health but then skipping breakfast.
Getting 10,000 steps daily is a great goal to have — but are you staying present while you’re getting them, are you enjoying the process and connecting with your steps or nature as you go? Starting your day early is a great habit — if you’re getting sufficient sleep, if you allow your body to naturally wake up gently in its circadian rhythm. Getting a good sleep is vital — but there are many factors that affect your sleep, and a watch sending and receiving signals or issuing notifications might be one of them. Having a nutrient rich diet which nourishes us and helps us thrive is a priority — but why is the food we consume so far away from nutrient rich that we buy expensive supplements to top it up?
It’s not just one thing. It’s the whole lot
My point is really this — I think we, ultimately, are done with abusing our bodies. We are done with the no-nutrient food, the stagnant way of life. We are done with this disconnection with ourselves when we can’t tell if we are getting a good sleep or if we are eating well enough.
I was speaking at the Cork and Kerry Food Festival at the weekend and it was a great reminder of the fabulous small food producers we have in this country. We have been so indoctrinated that the supermarket and the big brands are the “normal” way to shop, that we have forgotten to look closer.
What if we just take a step back, slow down the frenzy and think about what we really want to achieve in our lives. Because modern life — its pace, the chemicals in conventionally grown food, the chemicals in our cleaning products, home fragrances, toiletries and perfumes, the social disconnection as a result of social media, and the power we give to big companies who do not have anything but profit at heart — all of these factors have led to people being sicker, more stressed, more anxious and more disconnected than ever.
If November feels like a lot — darker evenings, unpredictable weather, a routine that no longer fits — this is the ground we sit on together at Rooted Connection, on Wednesday 25th November. A guided meditation, and some gentle guidance on living according to your priorities and joy. You’re warmly welcome.
And that brings me back to the optimising — I think this is a sign that people are questioning modern life in the only way they know how — by rationalising it and obtaining data, hence the watches and the apps. And it’s a good sign to be honest. But it’s also just scratching the surface.
One way to do this is through food
In order to really see this whole picture, we need to take a step back and slow down the frenzy within us and around us. One way to do this is through food — I changed how I sourced my food 8 years ago and honestly it was the best decision. I moved slowly from regularly suffering from migraines, sleep problems and tonsillitis to a much healthier life where those symptoms are no longer the norm.
Bread-making is one of the few things left that requires your full presence. The dough knows if you’re distracted.
What I’m making in my kitchen — barm brack
Seeing as it’s November, I’ll share what I’m making in my kitchen — Samhain is just over but we will be having barm brack all month. This is not something I ate for about 20 years since I was small until I started making it myself again because I really disliked the shop bought versions.
I don’t really make anything the same way twice — I see what I have and use it up. So this recipe is flexible! You may have a family recipe you like to use. I use organic ingredients.
What you’ll need:
- 300ml hot tea brewed good and strong (2 teabags approx)
- 350g dried fruit (use a mix of whatever you have — raisins and sultanas are most traditional but I mix and match those plus dates, apricots, cranberries, mixed peel depending on what’s in)
- 180g light brown sugar (play around with this to get the level of sweetness you like)
- 275g self-raising flour (if you don’t have self-raising flour, just use plain flour with about 8g baking powder sifted together)
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 egg, beaten
How to make it
Mix the tea, sugar and dried fruit together, cover the bowl and leave overnight or for at least 6–8 hours.
When you’re ready to bake — oven on at 130°C for fan ovens or 150°C otherwise. Grease and line a bigger sized loaf tin (2lb size) with parchment paper.
Sift the flour and mixed spice into the tea mix and mix along with the egg. Pour the mixture into the tin and level the surface. Optional to insert a ring or a coin covered in baking parchment if you’re following tradition.
Bake for 1.5 hours — check to ensure it’s baked by inserting a skewer. If it comes out clean, then it’s done. If not, leave to bake for another couple of minutes. Let it cool and then enjoy with some butter. When its a day or two old it’s live toasted or you can freeze slices to have on demand also.
Before I go
Baking something like this in November brings you into the season. You can enjoy making it and then enjoy eating it knowing every ingredient that went into it. And even better you can share it with those around you.
Until next time,
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