Blood orange and almond cake

As promised to those of you who have been at Grōwan this month here is the cake I have been making for our events.
I found this on instagram but there are lots of recipes flying around, its quite a well know way of making a gluten free cake - it also has 3 whole oranges in which means it must be good for you!

You need:
390g orange puree (2/3 oranges)
4 eggs
170g sugar (I used soft brown sugar)
270g almonds (I did 200g almonds and 70g of ground pistachios because I love them!)
1/2 tsp baking powder

1. Cover your oranges with water in a saucepan and bring to the boil

2. Cook for 45 minutes until completely soft then drain and let cool a little

3. Blend all of them, peel, pith and juice into a smooth purees, weigh out 390g and set to one side

4. In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and airy, this step is key for the lift of the cake

5. In another bowl mix the ground nuts and orange puree until smooth

6. Gently fold the eggs and sugar into the puree mix, you can do this gradually to avoid knocking the air out of the mixture

7. Pour the mix into a lined cake tin (I used a springform 20inch round)

8. Baking in a preheated oven at 180 for 40-50 minutes (mine took 45), allow to cool in the tin before removing

Serve with cream or yogurt and I like to add extra blood oranges on the side, or if you have too much puree a little spoon of that is lovely!

Pistachio Love Cake

A photo of the pistachio love cake

This recipe was in Waitrose weekend magazine from John Whaite and I have made it many many times already this year - the piece of paper is getting messier every time so decided to put it here for me - and to share!

It says:
Serves 8

For the cake:
75g pistachio kernals plus 10g to chop and decorate
175g caster sugar
175g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cardamon
(to make this remove seeds form 18 cardamon pods and blend to a fine powder in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar)
1 orange, scrubbed, zest
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
250g buttermilk (I have used yogurt and creme fraiche too)
2 large free range eggs
125g butter, melted, plus more for greasing the tin
For the syrup:
1 orange , juice
1 lemon, juice
75g caster sugar
1/4 tsp rose water and orange blossom water
For the icing (optional)
100g ready to roll fondant icing cut into 1cm dice
1/8 rose water or to taste

1. Preheat oven to 180C/gas mark 4, grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parcement
2. To make the cake, put the pistachio kernels into a food processor with the caster sugar and blitz to a fine powder - the sugar helps break down the nuts. Then add the flour, baking powder, cardamon, orange zest and salt then blitz again to combine well
3. Add the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter to the for processor and blitz to a smooth even batter. The pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 45 mins or until rose and golden. Check the cake with a skewer I find it sometimes needs a bit longer, until it comes out clean it’s not quite ready. You can cover with foil if needed
4. Meanwhile make the syrup. Put the citrus juices, caster sugar and rose and orange blossom waters into a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once boiling remove from the heat. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven leave in the tin and then pierce repeatedly with a metal skewer and then gently pour over the syrup allowing it to soak in, this will take a while
5. Once the cake has cooled to room temperature you can remove from the tin, it will be very moist and set on a wire rack to cool over a tray
6. For doing the icing beat the fondant with 1 tbsp of just boiled water in a bain Marie (a bowl of water over a saucepan of simmering water) once smooth beat in the rose water to taste
7. Pour the runny fondant icing over the cake letting it drip down the sides and scatter the chopped pistachios then allow to set, I also like to add dried rose petals

Enjoy one of my very favorite cakes.

Sweet potato and coconut soup

I have been making this for a very long time, if you have been to a retreat here it’s likely you have had this soup!
I don’t have a recipe or quantities as such - its that easy its not necessary and you can play around with what consistency and taste you like best.

You need:
Onions - chopped
Garlic - chopped
Sweet potatoes - chopped
Coconut milk
Stock
Salt and pepper
The rest is totally up to you, you could just use curry powder keep it really simple.
My usual mix is:
Mustard seeds
Black onion seeds
Cumin seeds
Turmeric
Before serving some garam masala and chopped coriander

I cook the onions and garlic until soft, then add in the spices and seeds, cook until you can smell them (not too hot) and then add the potatoes, stock and coconut milk. You need enough liquid to cover the potatoes (you can always add more if its too thick later)
When the potatoes are soft blend with a hand blender - that’s it!
Add the garam masala and the coriander and enjoy.

Energy Bites

These are the energy bites I have made countless times for workshops and retreats and for gifts too. I always get asked for the recipe so thought it was time to share here so I can link you any time!

The recipe is by Anna Jones from her The Modern Cooks Year - a book I use all the time for Grōwan food, it’s all super nutritious and delicious and mostly vegan if not vegetarian. Highly recommend!

Makes about 30 bites
200g pecans
100g cashews
4 tbsp raw cacao or cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla paste
½ tsp fine salt
175g pitted fresh dates or standard dried ones soaked for 10 minutes
1 tbsp coconut oil

In bowl of a food processor, pulse the pecans and cashews until you have a rough powder. Add the raw cacao or cocoa and vanilla powders and salt. Pulse to mix evenly.

Add the dates and coconut oil to the food processor, then blitz, scraping down the sides of the bowl here and there. The dough should ball up, have a glossy appearance and come together on your finger. If it’s still a little powdery, add a teaspoon of water and blitz again until it comes together, but not so it is too sticky and wet.

Scoop out the brownie bite mixture in heaped teaspoon-sized portions, then roughly roll into balls. Put on to a tray lined with baking paper, then chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

Tin Loaf

This recipe is pretty much the one I have used for YEARS, it’s from The Five O’Clock Apron by Claire Thompson…. I have adjusted the measurements a little for my cold kitchen and my oven - don’t be afraid to mess with the yeast and salt to your taste.
Step one is best done the night before but the original recipe says a few hours… in the summer it definitely doesn’t take as long.

You need:
A mixing bowl
A loaf tin

Ingredients:
500g strong white bread flour (or 300g white and 200g seeded/wholemeal)
10g dried yeast
10g sea salt (fine)
380g water

1. Mix the flour, yeast, salt and water in a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel (wet with cold water and squeeze so its very damp)… I leave this overnight to give it plenty of time to rise, leaving somewhere warm will speed this up.

2. Move your dough into the tin. Cover tight the damp tea towel again. Let this rise again at least for an hour, but you don’t want it going over the sides.

3. Preheat your oven to 250c/gas mark 7

4. Bake at 250c/gas mark 7 for 10 minutes then turn the temp down to 180c/gas mark 5 and bake for another 30 minutes

5. That’s it - let it cool for as long as you can - but a warm slice with salted butter to ‘test’ is highly recommended.

How I teach

Some more information that I thought would be useful to have written down to share my approach on teaching yoga at Grōwan specifically.

I teach a mix of Hatha and Restorative yoga - Hatha is a bit of a catch all term, but generally we move through poses at a steady pace, and then restorative is very much comfortable poses supported with props held for a few minutes. I like to teach with the seasons as our lovely barn is set in a field that looks out into the Herefordshire countryside. You will definitely hear birds and you might see a bunny hopping around while you practice.

I teach in roughly 6 week series’ where we do the same classes every week, and as we progress hold poses longer and flow through slightly quicker. We might add in a few new things too. Then after 6 weeks I will switch it up.
I like teaching this way because I feel that repetition is very much a part of yoga - I have heard about classes in India being the same always and forever! The practice is always the goal.
I feel that through the 6 weeks you get to know what’s is happening next and that always feels great, I also feel that you start to notice how the poses feel when you are doing them each week. At first for example they might feel difficult to hold, but by the end you are holding it for longer very comfortably - and so you feel and see that progress.

I was taught in a trauma informed way, this is not just important for those that hold trauma but also for beginners. It informs my language and how I approach you in class. If you hold trauma yoga can bring things up - it is very common for people to get emotional during a class because you are tuning into yourself and your feelings. It is also not a given this will happen!

For beginners it means I won’t make you feel like you can’t do anything - or that you should be able to do something that maybe doesn’t feel good yet. I will help you find variations of poses while you practice as we all work towards holding the poses. I am aware that yoga was written and practised by Aristocratic Indian men first and foremost - so some of the poses don’t work on our female modern bodies - all of our bodies are different and we can adjust to make the poses work for us - while still holding reverence for where yoga came from.

A little note on restorative too, I find sometimes this is tougher than people think it will be - because it’s not physical work for the body. You are still and supported and it is a time for deep relaxation, something that day to day is not prevalent in our society! So it might feel pointless or strange but we are teaching our minds and bodies how it feel to be relaxed. This means than you are able to get there quicker - it helps with sleep for example and shutting off from work. Something I think is so needed for so many!

Any questions please email sally@growan.co

Why I practise Yoga

I want to get this down somewhere so when I have newcomers to my classes everyone doesn’t need to hear this all over again… why I love yoga and why I think everyone can benefit form a practice.

Obviously I love yoga - I have been practising since my very early twenties, very much starting because my gym had a class and I liked the idea of being more flexible and stretching out after a vigorous gym session but after a while the practises outside of the movement got me.

I do love how yoga makes me feel physically, it makes me feel lean and strong. I move with more ease, my mobility is good, my flexibility is good. As I get older this is even more important for me - use it or lose it as they say. These asanas are thousands of years old and still going strong - there is a reason for this, I do believe it feels good for everyone (with room for variations and modifications sometimes).

But mentally it’s the same, yoga has helped me get to know myself more and be more in tune with my needs it makes me feel mentally strong and flexible. I don’t sweat the small stuff, I know where my boundaries are and I hold them. I am solid when there are challenges in life - which there always will be! This is where the magic lies - with the pranayama and the meditation and the philosophy.

My classes are very much about the asana, meditation with breath. I do not always delve into the philosophy very deeply. I do think a light touch is what people need and want from Grōwan at the moment but maybe as time goes on we will find ourselves wanting more together and we can look into the ideas behind it all.

Always happy to chat yoga - email me sally@growan.co with any questions!

x

Easy Focaccia

This recipe is pretty much the one I have used for YEARS, it’s from The Five O’Clock Apron by Claire Thompson…. I have adjusted the measurements a little for my cold kitchen and my oven - don’t be afraid to mess with the yeast and salt to your taste. Highly recommend the whole book - it has some real gems for family food that everyone will love.
Step one is best done the night before but the original recipe says a few hours… in the summer it definitely doesn’t take as long.
Focaccia is best fresh in my opinion, but we do sometimes make toasted sandwiches the next day if there’s any left (this rarely happens!)

You need:
A mixing bowl
44 x 30cm baking tray (or roughly this size - I have used many different sizes)

Ingredients:
500g strong white bread flour
10g dried yeast
10g sea salt (fine)
380g water
Lots of olive oil!
Flaked sea salt
Herbs - I like thyme, oregano and rosemary

1. Mix the flour, yeast, salt and water in a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel (wet with cold water and squeeze so its very damp)… I leave this overnight to give it plenty of time to rise, leaving somewhere warm will speed this up.

2. Liberally oil your baking tray with the olive oil making sure all sides are covered and there is plenty in the bottom - use more than you think… again you can just to taste and play with this as you make more!

3. Add your dough into the tray and push it into the four corners to shape it into the tin. Cover tight the damp tea towel again. Let this rise again at least for an hour, but you don’t want it going over the sides.

4. Preheat your oven to 250c/gas mark 7

5. When it’s risen with claw like hands push holes into the dough, all over - don’t go through to the bottom. Then add a little more olive oil all over the surface of the dough, add your herbs here too.

6. Bake at 250c/gas mark 7 for 10 minutes then turn the temp down to 180c/gas mark 5 and bake for another 30 minutes

7. As soon as it’s out of the oven pour even more olive oil all over, and into the holes letting the bread soak this up… finally add lots of flaked sea salt. Leave to cool in the tin - it will be easier to remove.

Brotherhood

Brotherhood is as ancient as man. 

The men (and boys) in our ancestry would sit together, often, and talk, share, plan, decide, release, grieve and support each other.  

In today’s world, men’s groups are still on the fringes of society.   

They are important. 

And needed.

Male isolation, loneliness and suicide is the silent epidemic of our times

Lockdown 2020 (remember that?), I was experiencing a deep dark depression, isolated from people, and relying on my partner to be my everything.   It wasn’t natural.

 Initially, I resisted the online realm of ‘zoom’ brotherhood, but I was pushed and encouraged by deeper parts of myself (and others).   That was to be my first time hosting a men’s group online. 

It changed everything for me.   For one, it showed me the power of brotherhood and connection is not diminished through a laptop screen.    Simply showing up, listening, talking, sharing, celebrating, being courageous and vulnerable, had a big positive impact on the men present.

The truth is we all share the fundamental needs:

• To be seen

• To be heard

• To feel safe to express ourselves

• To be held and comforted  

Life's value lies in our relationships with others; these connections are what truly matter.

 ‘Community is the medicine’ 

How does it work?

“Everyone carries with them at least one piece to someone else’s puzzle.” Lawrence Kushner

The power of togetherness cannot be underestimated.  

 Sharing and articulating your inner world in the presence of others requires immense courage.

 Actively listening to others as they courageously share their experiences is a profound source of wisdom.

A healthy dose of shadow work

 Shadow work is giving name and form to those parts within you that are held back, suppressed or denied.   

This can sometimes be an uncomfortable process of acknowledging, recognising, accepting and integrating parts of yourself that have been kept hidden. These could be emotional aspects, thoughts or ideas, memories or projections.   

 But it’s not all dark, there is also a light shadow, the parts of your creative genius, your skills and positive traits that sometimes go unrecognised by yourself and others.

 This is an opportunity to not only integrate the dark murky sh*t of human fragility, but also assimilate the brilliance within you.

Learning to trust men again

The masculine archetype, with its complex tapestry of the Father figure, the King, the Warrior, the Lover, and the Magician, has been lost in the modern world.   It is through the process of witnessing the archetypes in other men that allows us to recognise and integrate these parts within ourselves. 

The modern world is a sh*t storm of complexity.   We are disconnected, fragmented and out of alignment with ourselves, each other and the natural world.  

On top of this, men’s superpower has been stolen.   Our ability to focus on one thing is constantly being hijacked, often right in front of our noses. 

I call this the ‘Three-Body Problem’.

• Stolen Focus

• Forgotten Masculinity 

• Disconnection 

Together, we unravel this mess.  

The Core Values Of Brotherhood 

Commitment is vital in any endeavour.   You are fully committed to showing up on time for every session and the exercises, practices and connections in between.   

Fire is a fundamental energy every man must cultivate.  This means each man is open to being challenged, open to challenging each other, holds themselves accountable and encourages action and momentum in each other’s lives.   

This is paramount, for without it, the group can struggle and get lost in endless emotional processing. 

Confidentiality matters.    All men are encouraged to use ‘I’ statements and share only about their personal experiences, and not to share about anyone else's process, in or out of the group work sessions.   This fosters and cultivates a deep trust that leads to deeper connection, which lies at the heart of this work. 

Courage is welcomed and held in high regard.     Courage and vulnerability go hand in hand.   Courage to be seen, to be heard, to be held and ask for support.   Courage to try something new, courage to make mistakes, to fail and to try again.     And the courage to see, hear, hold and support others without judgement.     

 Without courage, we remain prisoners of our own fears and limiting beliefs, never truly experiencing the depth of connection, growth, and authenticity that life offers.

Truth is the cornerstone of men’s work.    In parallel to courage, truth is speaking directly, articulating as best and as honestly as possible.  Truth is transparent, real and raw.   Truth is ‘I’ statements.   Truth is rarely opinions or stories projected onto others or the world.   

Through the power of speaking, sharing, intuitive potential of active listening and the joyous healing of community, our true essence becomes manifest.  Be it through creativity or life-force energy, we emerge reborn and ready for adventure. 

We live in a crazy, complicated, fast paced and disconnected modern world.   Our intention with this work is to untangle the complex knots that divide the simple connections between us. 

Be brave | be bold | be beautiful 

BEING | BELONGING | BECOMING

If you are interested in joining us, or curious to know more, you can find our event booking page here:

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