Cultivated Vitality

Friends,
When we started Cultivated Vitality, we didn’t have a set path. We were unsure whether it was just for the Covid moment or for something more.
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George Floyd’s death was horrific, unlawful and sadly one of many that have happened because of systemic racism and police brutality. Since then, we have been taking time to learn about anti-racism, our part in the problem, and how we can be voices for change.
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This is not something we take lightly, so we have decided to put a pause on Cultivated Vitality for a while. We will let you know what the next step is as soon as we know!
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With great heart,
Kali & Corinne
Feel free to follow our personal accounts and in the meantime.

With so much going on in the world there are a lot of political conversations going on and rightly so as these things need to be talked about and light brought into the dark spaces. In these times, it is important to talk, to find out how those around us really are and take time to share with each other. Starting those conversations isn't always easy so here are some great conversation starters for your Sunday from :
- Is there a place in the world that you feel most represents who you are?
- What are you most grateful for in this season of life?
- What is your favorite thing about your personality?
- Who do you most admire, and how have they impacted your life?
- How do you best feel supported in hard times?
- What characteristics did you inherit from those that raised you?
- What accomplishments are you most proud of?

Saturdays are made for dates whether with a long time partner, a friend or someone you have just met it is time to do something wonderful. Here a few of our top date ideas in our current climate:
If you are together:
•Pack a picnic and find a quiet place in nature to enjoy
•Movie night in with all the snacks
•Pick up takeaway from your favorite restaurant and enjoy at home or pick a socially distanced spot to enjoy in the car
•Take a leisurely walk with the simple goal of being together and talking
•Have a breakfast date - go to town on creating your perfect brunch moment
If you are apart, here are some Zoom date ideas:
•Cook or order the same thing and enjoy together virtually
•Try the Netflix Party extension to have a movie night together
•Challenge yourselves with an online escape game or murder mystery
•Have a cocktail evening - make the same cocktail recipes and enjoy together
•Lazy morning - stay in your respective beds but chat online and enjoy the cozy chats
What is your favorite date idea?

Smoothies are a great way to get lots of nutritional goodness packed into a glass. There are lots of recipes out there but if you follow this simple framework you can make sure your smoothie will have some essentials that your body needs. Choose at least one thing for each catagory, we have included a few examples of each but get creative with what you have available:
- Liquid: Milk or milk alternative, water, kefir, coconut water
- Vegetable: Kale, celery, spinach, cucumber, carrot, zucchini
- Fruit: Bananas, all the berries, apple, pineapple, mango
- Fat: Nut butter, avocado, healthy oils, ghee, cocoa butter
- Smoothie boosters: Protein powder, maca, cacao, bee pollen, spirulina, flaxseed, ginger, apple cider vinegar, honey - there are so many more!
Throw everything in the blender with any frozen ingredients going in first, blend and enjoy!

We are going to try something a bit different - rather than recommend books you should read we are going to read a book together. Each month we will read a different book and we will review it once we are finished. We will mix up fiction and non-fiction. If you are interested in joining us, let us know and we will let you know the pace and maybe even a discussion.
This month, we are going to be reading The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer. It is an exploration of consciousness, mindfulness and who we really are. We are excited to get started and would love for you to join us!

If you are anything like us, lockdown has the house looking a little more out of control than usual. We have decided it is time to do some organizing! Here are our top tips for a clear out:
- Pick one area to organize at a time so you will finish the task in one go - clearout a wardrobe, a dresser, a kitchen cabinet
- Get rid of anything that is past it's date - old food, invitations, products, paperwork - anything like that you don't need to keep
- Make sure everything has a place, so that it Is easy to tidy up - you take something out, it has a home it goes back to rather than just being shoved in a drawer
- has a great philosophy - ask yourself about each item: ""Does it spark joy?"If not, into the charity box it goes
- A life hack from Corinne's mother-in-law - grab a box and put in it the clothes you haven't worn in a while, or some toys the kids aren't into and put it away for six months. Then you have two options - if you haven't missed what's inside in six months - take it straight to a charity drop off, otherwise, take everything out - it will feel like Christmas - and refill the box with other stuff for a new rotation
- Take before and after photos so you can see your progress and to motivate you to move on to the next area another day.

We were inspired a couple of weeks ago when we saw make this awesome extra clustery sweet treat granola on her IGTV. Super easy to make and easy to swap things out too for other textures and flavors.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups oats
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 3 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 chopped nuts
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar or another granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup liquid coconut oil
- 2 tbsp hot water
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
METHOD
1. Put the oats, coconut, flaxseed, chia seeds, chopped nuts and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir to combine.
2. In a smaller bowl, put the coconut sugar, maple syrup, water and vanilla extract and give it a good stir before adding it to your oat mix.
3. Mix your dry and and wet mix together using a spatula until the dry mix has all been coated.
4. Grab a large baking tray and cover with baking paper and spread your mix out into an even layer, press down over all of it to make it level and compact.
5. Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes, turn the tray half way through.
6. Allow to cool while you melt a bar of your favourite chocolate. Drizzle over your granola and allow to set.
7. Break into clusters and store in an airtight container. Start snacking!

Sometimes you meet people who inspire, excite and motivate us and sometimes we are fortunate to call them friends. These are the people we need to seek out in life - they are the ones who will drive us forward and encourage us to be the best version of ourselves and live life to the full. This in turn will make you someone who inspires others.
Who are these people for you?

Does anyone else feel guilty when you have a lie in? All the busy thoughts rush in - what you need to or should be doing and we forget to prioritize rest. Being kind to ourselves is such an important part of taking care of our own mental health. Making time for rest, relaxation and play is not something to feel guilty about. Make time today to rest in a way that feels good for you, let go of any thoughts creeping in to tell you otherwise and take up space.

If you are looking for something new to do with friends online, we have a new rabbit hole of activities for you to go down - virtual escape games. There are a huge variety out there in every price range, despite the majority only being created since lockdown. There are simple online text games all the way through to playing escape rooms digitally with a host playing for you that you instruct. We have tried three so far - all very different:
Mr X: A free escape room style experience that will involve your best Googling skills hosted by . This was easy to play as a team over Zoom and a good challenge.
https://www.escapedurham.co.uk/mr-x
Trapped in the Web: There are multiple games on offer for £7.99/$9.75 at a variety of levels. We tried an intermediate level and it provided a good hour or so of challenges and exploration. There are expert games available for those who are escape room pros!
- https://trappedintheweb.com/
- Hogwarts Digital Escape Room: You arrive at Hogwarts but things aren't as you would expect. This is free and would be great for young teenagers or a family challenge.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSflNxNM0jzbZJjUqOcXkwhGTfii4CM_CA3kCxImbY8c3AABEA/viewform
We really enjoyed this - so let us know if you give it a try or have any recommendations for us to try.

Today we are trying a delicious Veggie Tray Bake with Sticky Coconut Rice and Satay Dressing inspired by - you can follow along with the recipe on their IGTV. This is great because you can adapt depending on what veg you have to hand and you can use any nut butter as a substitute. There are a lot of ingredients but the method is super simple so don't worry - it will be well worth it!

For the roast veg
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch sea salt
- A mix of vegetables - COULD ADD WHAT YOU PLAN ON USING or say they used 1 fennel bulb sliced, 8 Asparagus spears and 300g Purple sprouting broccoli
For the coconut rice;
- 4 spring onions sliced
- Thumb size ginger grated
- 1 tbsp cononut oil/veg oil
- 200g basmati rice rinsed well
- A can of coconut milk
- 3/4 cup of water
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
For the satay dressing
- 1 tbsp tamari/soy/coconut aminos
- 1 tsp siracha or chilli flakes
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 tbsp coconut milk/ plant based milk
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp brown rice miso (optional)
- 2 tbsp chunky peanut butter
- 1/2 tsp garlic granules
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- Water to loosen

Method
Roast the veg
1. Prepare and transfer the veg to two baking trays and toss with the oil and salt.
2. Bake for 15 minutes then flip over and bake for a further 15 until crispy on the outside and tender in the middle.
Make the rice
1. Fry the spring onion in a large pan with the coconut oil. When soft add the ginger and fry for a further minute.
2. Next add the rice, coconut milk and water and simmer until the liquid is absorbed then turn off the heat and pop a lid on the rice for 10 minutes.
Make the satay sauce
1. Add the ingredients to a bowl or mason jar and mix well to combine.
To serve, spoon the coconut rice into bowls, top with the roast veg, pulses and all the garnishes.
Drizzle with the satay dressing. Enjoy!

Our mental health is just as important as our physical health but for many of us, it isn't something we thing about until we don't feel right. Without knowing everyday when you wake up, you assess your physical health - how you feel, is everything working as normal? We notice within in minutes when we don't feel right. We don't do this with our mental health in the same way so we need to be a little more intentional. Here are four questions we can use to check in and to care for our mental health daily:
- How am I feeling?
- What is occupying my thoughts?
- What am I grateful for?
- What am I looking forward to?
Self care is another important element of mental health - so look out for our mental health checklist in stories!

Wednesday is here again, for many of us it is called humpday for a reason. We have decided to commit to doing something fun to lift our spirits, make the day pass a little quicker. Maybe plan a call with a good friend who always makes you laugh, watch your favorite comedy film or comedian, play a board game, cook your favorite meal while dancing in kitchen or paint in bright colors. Whatever you have planned today make a space for something fun that will lift your spirits and turn Wednesday into a celebration.

So many mental health issues can be triggered by comparison. We look at others and see a perfection or a normal that we don't see in our own lives.
Firstly, we can never see the full reality of someone else's world - what looks normal to us may feel like chaos to them and we cannot see their interactions, how they feel, their past and so much more. They may be struggling more than we know.
Secondly, normal might not be that great even if it was possible to achieve. The color in life is in the differences between us that we get to enjoy and celebrate, in the adventures and experiences that we tell stories about, not in a cookie cutter life where everyone is and does the same thing. Embrace what makes you stand out from the crowd, it is what makes you who you are and what others will love you for if you love yourself.

Today's coffee adventure is Creamy Cashew Butter Coffee inspired by and it is delicious! We will be experimenting with swapping out the cashew butter for other nut butters too as we don't always it in the pantry. This is delight, let us see if you give it a try!
Ingredients
1 cup of brewed coffee
2 tbsp of cashew butter
1 tbsp coconut milk
2 tablespoons hazelnut extract (optional)
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of cacao powder
Method
Combine the coffee, cashew butter, coconut milk, hazelnut extract (if using), and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a mug and garnish with a sprinkle of cacao powder. Can be enjoyed warm or over ice.

Sunday is our down day when we put down our lives on social media and focus on being present for ourselves and others. Make time today to have a real conversation, whether by phone or in person. Don’t get distracted by games or trivial chat, find out how that person really is and what is going on for them at the moment. Really listen, don’t just wait for your next moment to talk. Have no expectations about what you will get out of the conversation other than to hear them. Being present for someone in this way can make a real difference to how they feel, strengthen you friendship and help us to work on being present where we are. See what happens when you try…

Here are some simple acts of kindness you can do for others, even if you can't leave your house:
- Send a letter or postcard
- Send a gift through the mail
- Offer to help an older neighbor with online shopping
- Call someone you haven't spoken to in a while
- Be a listening ear for someone who is having difficult time
- Help someone who loves with you with their chores
- Tell a friend or family member how much you love and appreciate them.
There are so many other things you could do, so get creative and see how you can bring kindness to those around you. We think these things are done best without the person or others knowing you are doing it. It isn't about the show but about making that person feel see and loved.

Next week is Mental Health Awareness Week and the theme is kindness. Being kind can have some great benefits for our mental health as well encouraging others to do the same creating a more positive society. So our challenge for today, and even every day for the next week, is to do a random act of kindness. Think of someone you know who you haven't been in touch with for a while or may be having a hard time. What is something simple you can do for them that might brighten their day?
Struggling for ideas? See our next post!
Follow for more information about Mental Health Awareness Week.

Sometimes mindfulness can seem like yet another thing to do in the day, sit down and be present before you get on with the next thing. However, this quote from Jon Kabat-Zin gives a really nice perspective on mindfulness. We all need time to ground ourselves in what we have experienced in the day or the week. If we consider that time when we are getting to know and love ourselves better then we will prioritize that time and make the most of it.

One of our favorite ways to listen to a podcast is settling down to color at the same time. Coloring a great mindfulness tool, helping out minds to focus in the moment enabling you to really listen to what is being said rather than drift off or get distracted by the next task.
If you don't have any coloring books at home, lots of museums are offering free coloring sheets, you can find lots to choose from by searching the hashtag so explore and see what inspires you!

Podcasts are a great way of getting new information, being inspired by stories both true and fictional and hearing about people's opinions and stories. If you are still at home, they are great to listen to while you take care of chores, or if you are working you can keep up with your favorites on your daily commute. If you haven't yet got into podcasts or are in need of something new, swipe right to see some of our recommendations!

Here is hoping that these last few week's onplanet earth have given us all a little perspective on what is important in life. There is so much craziness out in the world but sharing a meal with those we love is what life is really about. We won't be taking it for granted again!

Trust us, your are going to want to try these Thai meatless meatballs! You can enjoy them with just the coconut turmeric sauce, or you can serve over rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice or rice noodles. A simple and tasty midweek meal!

We are cooking again today, making Thai Meatless Meatballs with Coconut and Turmeric Sauce! To make this vegan you can swap out the egg for flax egg instead. It has a lot of ingredients but is simple to make so don't be put off!
Here we go:
Ingredients for meatless meatballs
2 cups of cauliflower rice
1 cup of cold quinoa cooked
1 cup of fresh cilantro or parsley
1/2 cup of any kind of flour
2 eggs, whipped
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp all spice or 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp oil for frying
Ingredients for coconut sauce with turmeric
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1"" fresh ginger root grated
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cracked black pepper
1 can of full fat coconut milk
1 cup vegetable stock or water
2tbsp lime or lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Method
1. Combine all the meatball ingredients (minus the frying oil) in a large bowl and refrigerate for 20 - 30 minutes.
2. In the meantimes, prepare the sauce. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes or until transparent. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another two minutes. Add turmeric, salt and pepper and cook for two minutes.
3. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, vegetable stock and cook for 5 - 7 minutes.
4. Add the chopped cilantro, remove from the heat and set aside.
5. For the meatballs, scoop about 1 tbsp of mixture at a time and form about 22 meatballs. Heat the oil in a separate pan and cook in batches over medium heat, 2 - 3 minutes on each side. Set aside.
6. Before serving, put the meatballs in the sauce and cook for 10 minutes - add a little water if the sauce is too thick.
7. Enjoy!

It is so easy to get dragged down by others, much harder to be pulled up so those we spend our time with is important. This isn't about who you run into during the day but the people you allow to speak into your life. Make sure those people are for you and want to see you flourish, then you will.

For those of us who can't be with other people yet, it can be hard to remember that there are people on your side supporting you as you try to achieve your goals and dreams. Get some photos of those people - dig some out, print them out or get some printed and delivered to your home. Make a mini display somewhere you will see them everyday - your bathroom mirror, by your bed, in your kitchen - so you will be reminded oten that you are not alone and that these people are supporting you even though you can be with them right now.

For us to reach our fullest potential, we need people around us who are going to encourage us, motivate us and pull us back up when we are down. Finding to people to trust can be hard, but when we share our goals and allow others into the journey, we are much more likely to get where we want to go.
Spend sometime today mapping out your support system, who are the people that are really with you and will lift you up, give you energy and help you when you are in need. Write people down that you know too that could be a great mentor or encourager that you haven't quite got the relationship you want with them yet. Then think about those that you want to encourage and help, even if they aren't quite in a position to do the same for you yet. All these people will help you get where you want to go so be intentional about spending time with them.

Really living life doesn't mean that we have to fill every moment with exciting adventures, but it does mean that we need to be present where we are and with the people we spend time with. The last eight, nine, ten weeks feel like a blur for many of us. Whether it's because this situation has made you more busy or has forced you into a slow pace of life, it is harder than usual to distinguish individual days. Mindfulness in these times can make all the difference - taking time to breathe, checking in with your body and how you feel is a lifegiving practice. Then being mindful in the moment, noticing the softness of the clothes on your skin, the taste of your food, the sun on your face, the sounds around you - all of this can ground us and help us to inhabit our days.

The finished product - it will keep you coming back for more! Take a moment to enjoy your coffee today. Step away from whatever is going on for you and be mindful of your coffee moment - the taste, the smell, how it makes you feel. We so often rush, and coffee is just another thing that keeps us moving faster. Slow down and enjoy!

This is a simple but delicious iced coffee recipe and might use up some of that instant coffee you got from the whipped coffee craze! Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar and milk according to your preferences! If you do not have instant coffee, don't worry just substitute 1 cup of chilled regular coffee for the instant coffee and water.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp instant coffee
1 cup cold water
1 tbsp simple syrup
1/2 cup milk or alt-milk
1 cup ice
Method:
1. Pour 1 tablespoon of instant coffee into a glass. Add 1 cup of cold water, stir until well combined.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of simple syrup to your coffee mixture.
3. Fill glass with ice, and top with desired milk. Stir well and enjoy!

Seeing light in the little things... There is magic in that. When we look at the world with expectation and gratitude it becomes easier to see the good and beauty even in the briefest moment. It brings contentment. It brings joy.