Friday, March 18, 2011

Keep it Simple


When I thought about posting a recipe and sending it out to the world I thought—it needs to be creative and really have a wow factor. I flipped through cookbooks and searched online for inspiration. Then it hit me—well actually it was served to me by my husband after a long day at work—it was a grilled cheese sandwich. 

Although the ingredients are few and the technique not overly complicated the outcome delivers high satisfaction. And creativity, well, that comes in the presentation. The sandwich emulates a heart and the side of ketchup adds some colour and doubles as a flavour enhancer. So simple. So tasty. So then, here it is folks. Enjoy!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1. Slice a baguette in diagonal slices. This will give you more surface area and a good foundation for the cheese.

2. Slice up your favourite cheese—I suggest an aged cheddar with some grated parmesan but this is where you can add your own unique touch. 

3. Heat up a frying pan to medium-high heat. A non-stick pan is best.

4. Butter one side of a baguette slice and place it butter side down in the pan.

5. Layer the cheese on the baguette slice.

6. Butter another baguette slice and place it butter side up on top of the cheese.

7. Using a spatula, press down on the mini sandwiches, use just enough force to assist with bread to cheese fusion.

8. When the bottom slice turns a nice golden brown, mindfully flip the sandwich over to the other side. It's all about balance here.

9. When both sides are equally grilled to perfection and the cheese filler is oozing out the side—your sandwich is done. Remove from heat.

10. Cut the sandwich diagonally—flip one of the halves over and place both cut ends together to create the heart shape. Place the sandwich on a plate with a side of ketchup and serve immediately.

This post was inspired by the teachings and feedback of my yoga teacher Chris Chavez—teach what you know and keep it simple. You don't want to burn the onions!

Friday, March 4, 2011

Quieting the Mind


They call it the monkey. It is the ever present noise-maker in the mind, reminding us of what we need to do, what we forgot to do, replaying past events, scripting future conversations, and so on.

Lately my monkey is working overtime and short of a vacation, I am looking to create a little space between my thoughts or 'clear my cache'. I have tried to meditate on my own in the past and the results have been mixed. I fidget and get distracted easily but there have been times where I have been able to create some space, quiet the noise and feel a sense of calm.

Like most things, mastering the art of blissfulness will have to come with some practice. My self-challenge for the next month is to try to take at least five to ten minutes each day and just, well, sit still. 

Here is a link to 100 benefits to meditation

Namaste.

Image found here.
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