It seems ages since I did this, how are you all? I hope you are having a lovely summer and enjoying the hot weather, I am not really a hot weather person, I like to see the sun and feel the warmth but only if I can sit in the shade and have lots of cool drinks. So holidays in very hot countries are not on the agenda for me I am afraid. Unlike my very adventurous comrade Tara, she is in deepest darkest Peru as we speak, searching for Paddington Bear I think! She has been trekking along the Inca trail, taking a train to Lake Titikaka and this week she is venturing into the jungle to go animal watching. Stephen and I have been holding the fort here at home and doing a sterling job.
Please check out our newly designed site, Stephen has worked really hard on it and I think the results are EXCELLENT, it is brilliant!! The shop is up and running and if you want to hear a snippet from the CD's that will soon be available for sale then just log on and listen. There is a wide range of unique gifts and cards that can only be obtained through us so why not check it out now and start buying ready for Christmas. I know we are in the middle of summer, but I do like to prepare early. I have already got quite a few gifts, I have not got to the wrapping up stage just yet, I will save that for cold winter nights in front of my open log fire.
If anyone has been anywhere exciting or unusual why not let us know about it, email either Stephen, Tara or me at www.therapypages.com and we will share it with everyone else. I don't know about holidays yet, I am going to visit Glastonbury in September and my teenage son would love to go to Monkey World in Dorset, but I am not sure that they would let him out again!
The little SMART car Xena has not been very well recently, she was attacked by some mindless vandals. They left her very much the worse for wear with a smashed window, scratched door and a gaping hole where the CD player used to be. This will never happen again as she is now equipped with the latest in security protection and failing that we will be sitting in wait with a howitzer. It is a sad reflection on our times isn't it that someone will take something they want without thinking about the distress and disruption that their actions will cause.
On a happier note, we paid a flying visit to Wales last month and visited the Centre for Alternative Technology, it was a brilliant day out and a real eye opener. It makes you look at things in a different way and appreciate the countryside and the elements. Well no more news this time so I will stop chattering on and sign off. See you in two months.
Love light and twinkling stars
Hazel.
Tara and Hazel have both been working on relaxation techniques and they are very nearly ready now. I know we've been saying it for a while, but it's more difficult trying to produce them than you think. You can here a snipit of them on at therapyinabox.co.uk or by visiting our shop and following the Relaxation CDs/Tapes link. To listen to the snipit simply click on the image and wait for it to download. The format is that of the notorious MP3 so you will need winamp or Microsoft Media Player 7.
If you like the sound of the CDs then you can go on our early reservation list by clicking here and letting us know which ones you would like, who you are and some contact details and as soon as they are ready we will let you know.
How about something really different in the salad line this month, our recipes come from the Colour Library book of Vegetarian Cooking introduced by Gail Duff and this is a Radish and Pasta Salad. You can serve this dish either as a lunch dish with some green salad or you could serve it on a bed of shredded lettuce in individual dishes as a starter. Delicious either way with some hot garlic, or herb bread. It takes about 25 minutes to prepare but it really tasty. For this dish you will need:
Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted water with the oil added until it is tender but still has a little bite to it. Drain the pasta thoroughly in a colander, then rinse well under cold running water to remove any excess starch. Allow the pasta to cool and drain thoroughly. Meanwhile cut each radish evenly into 3 or 4 slices. Place the pasta, radishes, chives, soured cream or yoghurt in a large serving dish and add salt and pepper to taste. Toss well and serve immediately whilst still fresh.
What about a Lemon Granita to finish your meal, this is a cross between a drink and a water ice, it is very refreshing.
to decorate
lemon twists
mint leaves
Put the water and sugar into a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil for about 5 minutes without stirring, until it forms a thick syrup. Remove syrup from the heat and set aside until it is completely cold.
Add the lemon juice to the completely cold syrup and pour into a loaf tin or a shallow dish, place in the freezer section of refrigerator for about 1 hour, then remove it and stir thoroughly with a metal spoon. Replace in the freezer for a further 3 hours but remember to remove it every 30 minutes or so and give it a good stir so that it forms an icy slush. Serve in individual dishes with a lemon twist and a mint leaf.