In a week, we will have moved house for the second time this month (!). We're going through all the motions: living around boxes, planning meals to maximise fridge clean out and minimise saucepan usage, thinking about the purpose, utility and value of the objects we have in our lives. The last few months have seen a serious clearing out of the things in our lives: furniture, books, kitchen stuff. For two people who felt like we didn't have a lot of "stuff," like holy shit we had a lot of stuff. It's a positive experience for me, being liberated of all of these objects, things -- stuff I hadn't used, which created anxiety just by sitting there.
It's made me think a heap about the things I want to bring into my life moving forward. Mostly, I've just sent the intention to actually think more about the things I bring into my house and into my life. Doing my research, making informed choices about what I want and how I want to use it. Adam hit the nail on the head the other day when he said that our mantra at the moment seems to be "Live Simple" and it's the truth. In the past few months we've unloaded computers, iPads, camera gear, clothes, beautiful things and not so beautiful things. At some point, all of that must have seemed like an addition to our lives. From where I'm standing now, I feel this immense gratitude and appreciation for the addition of space that shedding these items has brought instead.
My (sometimes extreme) desire for cleansing and renewal has definitely been satisfied lately. Simple living has also lead to simple eating: there's been lots of chopped raw salads, quick sautés of greens, fruit salads. And it's paid off. Making these scones today felt special, like a magical ritual. A few months ago making something like these scones would have been a regular activity, punctuated by a busy hurriedness to make them as tricked-out and jazzy as possible. Let me be clear: these scones are decidedly understated and not fancy. That being said, they are oh-so good. The secret lies, I think, in the roasted pumpkin puree -- it's intensely flavoured and sweet. Once you've got the puree, these scones come together in no time. While they're baking, you have time to make the berry chia jam. Suddenly you've got afternoon. Preferably to be enjoyed on a rainy day, with tea and good company.
How do you live simple? I'm a lady that loves a good tip!
Enjoy, friends. Sending minimalistic-zen-cleansing vibes to you all. X
p.s. I'm going to be doing a very non-spammy newsletter from February. Sign up on the contact page. Little tidbits of recipe, info on yoga workshops, maybe even a few sneaky discounts.
PUMPKIN SCONES
makes 81 cup roasted pumpking puree*
2 cups gluten free flour (plus more for dusting)
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
Preheat oven to 175 c/375 F, line a baking tray with baking paper. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the puree, oil and maple syrup. Mix with a wooden spoon for 30-60 seconds, until a workable dough is formed. Sprinkle a large clean surface with gluten free flour, turn out the dough, and use your hands to shape into a rough rectangle, about 2.5-3cm thick. Using a 5-6 cm cookie cutter, cut out the scones and place on the baking tray. Reshape the dough to make 8 scones. Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Scones are best eaten the same day as baking, but will keep overnight at room temperature. Best served warm.
*To make roast pumpking puree, cut a butternut pumpkin in half and place cut-side down on a lined baking tray. Bake at 175 C/375 F for approximately 1 hour, until the flesh is soft (a cake skewer is a good way to test). You now have a large amount of roast pumpkin. Puree as much as required for your recipe (leave the skin on if you like!). Store cooked pumpkin in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
BERRY CHIA JAM
makes about 1 cup
1 cup berries (a mix of blueberries + blackberries is my current fave)
1/4 cup chia seeds
dash/1 tbsp of maple syrup
pinch of ground vanilla
Place the berries in a bowl, use a masher to mash them up nicely (I prefer a few chunky berries pieces left in the jam, if you want a smooth feel, you can puree the berries in a blender). Add the chia seeds, vanilla, and maple, stirring well. Leave to soak for 30 minutes. Store in a airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.
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