https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal daily 0.75 2026-09-24 https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/yoga-means-union monthly 0.5 2026-09-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/32efe40a-a1b0-4bb4-87a1-4bff12731e8b/YMU1.png Journal - Yoga Means Union - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/8ee4d3b9-e4bd-427a-85aa-161655edc13c/YMU2.png Journal - Yoga Means Union At the autumn equinox, I become particularly aware of this. For a brief moment in the year, day and night come close to equal length. Light and darkness meet at a threshold. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/3d89480a-d7d4-48f7-a2f7-8b6ca1388836/YMU3.png Journal - Yoga Means Union At the equinox, I unroll my mat. There is light outside, and darkness coming. I begin to move between them. Susanna Syassen https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/tomatoes monthly 0.5 2026-09-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/9d703a86-0d2b-4fce-838f-482fa0a77d0f/IMG_5701.PNG Journal - Tomatoes I pick up a tomato at the market and turn it over in my hands. It is heavier than I thought it would be. Its shape is uneven, gathered into deep folds around the top, one side fuller than the other. The skin is red, but not evenly so. Near the stem, a little green remains. I hold it for longer than I need to. Perhaps choosing food begins before we taste it. With weight. Colour. The feel of skin beneath the fingers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/181d45d0-441b-40b8-bcce-2353f17590b2/IMG_5614.JPG Journal - Tomatoes Around me, the market is full of colour. Green peppers are piled beside red ones. Aubergines sit in wooden crates, their skins almost purple black beneath the lights. Long courgettes lean against one another. There are tomatoes everywhere: round ones, ribbed ones, small ones still attached to their vines. People reach across one another to choose them. Paper bags open and close. A hand presses gently against a peach. Someone lifts a melon to their nose. For a while, I watch. We do so much of this without thinking. We look. Touch. Lift. Smell. Somehow the body is gathering information all the time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/9023f35c-71c3-45b9-816a-8c4210928c0d/IMG_6089.JPG Journal - Tomatoes I tear basil between my fingers. Its scent is immediate, released before the leaves have even reached the plate. Olive oil catches in the folds of the tomato. Red. Green. Gold. Nothing needs disguising. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/listening monthly 0.5 2026-09-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/ef9f5f98-7cd7-4db7-a9b3-d3dbeef42309/IMG_5937.JPG Journal - Listening - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/84380806-e4a8-4709-8273-2e570e4e1b31/Lst1.png Journal - Listening I close my eyes. Without sight, it becomes harder to know exactly where the movement is. The sound seems to travel. Near. Further away. Above me. Then somewhere behind. I feel the air against my face a moment later. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/why-yin-yoga-feels-different monthly 0.5 2026-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/c21205a3-71b0-45d0-bd22-4fc4fd16fd04/yin-4.png Journal - Why Yin Yoga Feels Different Yin Yoga is sometimes described as passive. I don't think that means we simply collapse into a posture and remain there. There is still discernment. When I come into Swan, I am not looking for the deepest version of the shape my body can make. I am looking for a place where I can stay. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/making-space-for-rest monthly 0.5 2026-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1eea245c-34a0-4781-8c4e-fb8aac4c56d7/Restorative.PNG Journal - Making Space for Rest I have practised yoga for more than thirty years. Over that time, the shape of my practice has changed many times. There have been years when I wanted to move. To learn another posture. To stay longer. To understand more. Vinyasa has remained an important part of my practice. I still love the feeling of the body moving with the breath, the warmth that gathers through repetition, the concentration that comes from following one movement into the next. But somewhere along the way, I began making more room for something else. Rest. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/berries monthly 0.5 2026-08-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/ba31c27b-b979-442d-967b-d9305502d8d5/IMG_4926.PNG Journal - Berries The raspberries come away from the cane with almost no resistance. The ripe ones seem to fall into the hand. Their colour is deep and their flesh so soft that a little pressure leaves red on the fingertips. Redcurrants ask for something different. I hold the stem between my fingers and gather the small translucent berries into a bowl, some still carrying a leaf or a piece of stalk with them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/abd5564e-fda5-4bbf-9ee6-568ca1c1f66b/brs.png Journal - Berries In summer, I often soak oats overnight. By morning they have softened in the jar. I add yoghurt and the berries I have picked, crushing a few raspberries against the glass as I spoon them in. The red runs into the white. Some mornings there are redcurrants too, their sharpness cutting through the sweetness. I have come to think of seasonal eating less as something to follow and more as something to feel. To notice what is growing. To taste what has changed. To pay attention to what the body reaches for when the air is warm, or when the first cooler mornings eventually return. The season enters us in these ordinary ways. Through warmth on the skin. Through water. Through appetite. Through the taste of a berry picked moments before it is eaten. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/when-the-season-begins-to-turn monthly 0.5 2026-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/622fc325-b35c-4d31-a940-3666bc40a7b3/summer-autumn-transition.PNG Journal - The Turning Season - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/learning-to-rest monthly 0.5 2026-07-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/cbd5e0f8-3238-4d6e-a77b-4acef1ce1ca0/jnl1.PNG Journal - Learning to Rest The practice often begins with movement. A foot steps forward. An arm reaches overhead. The breath follows the shape of the body. We arrive carrying the momentum of the day. The body is already moving. The mind is already moving. Then something begins to settle. Attention returns to the breath. The gaze rests on a single point. The body learns how to remain in one place for a little longer than before. Even within movement, moments of rest begin to appear. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/4ffe5d81-0afe-4517-b98b-9dd42c17b4af/jrnl3.PNG Journal - Learning to Rest The body remains completely still while awareness stays awake. Attention moves through the body without needing to change anything. Across the right side. Across the left. Then through the whole body together. Awareness rests where it is placed. Perhaps this is why stillness can feel unfamiliar at first. We spend much of life moving towards the next thing, yet here there is nowhere to arrive. Only the quiet rhythm of breath. Only the weight of the body resting against the earth. The practice asks for very little. Simply to remain. Over time, the body begins to recognise this place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/678b268d-ec13-4838-ae54-c8a4d0c57c28/jrnl2.PNG Journal - Learning to Rest - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/what-repetition-builds monthly 0.5 2026-06-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/bff50684-2fa8-4e84-af10-cc3c05f80876/IMG_3539.JPG Journal - What Repetition Builds The small acts repeated without ceremony. A practice is built in this way. Not through intensity, but through return. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/what-holds-the-tendril monthly 0.5 2026-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/ef75b59e-7ca3-4cb9-bbb5-3e39836e2d4b/tendrils.png Journal - the Tendril - What supports growth is established before growth becomes visible. Practice follows a similar rhythm. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/what-the-pantry-holds monthly 0.5 2026-05-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/db3577a4-562a-402c-b3a4-25fe590772a7/LW-BL1.PNG Journal - What the Pantry Holds The body changes with light, temperature, season, age, activity. What supports us changes too. By late spring, digestion often begins to lighten. Bitter greens return. Herbs become sharper. Meals simplify. But simplicity does not mean absence. The body still needs grounding while energy rises. This is where the pantry supports the season. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/where-the-woods-begin-to-change monthly 0.5 2026-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/94879fff-999f-4156-8a23-a11520a01f9b/IMG_2020.jpg Journal - The Woods in Spring Nothing forces the bluebells open. They arrive when the conditions support them. Light reaches the forest floor before the canopy fully closes. Moisture remains in the ground. The timing holds. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/the-body-learns-slowly monthly 0.5 2026-05-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/7e9d2494-7bb3-4873-b5c4-7e1098e3ed75/blg1.jpg Journal - The Body Learns Slowly - Support changes the experience of opening. A strap extends the reach of the hands. A bench alters the angle of the spine. The body meets the posture through proportion rather than demand. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/finding-the-line monthly 0.5 2026-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/527bd638-43ed-4989-801b-d7105bc71d5f/TRIKONASANA2.PNG Journal - Finding the Line - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/what-begins-to-rise monthly 0.5 2026-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/da7fb7c7-b092-4ff5-9b43-d8c77e75f7d7/Bl-1.png Journal - The First Asparagus - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/when-colour-returns monthly 0.5 2026-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/61dc0227-6747-4ebd-b0d9-498e541394f6/Magnolia.png Journal - Colour Returns - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/where-strength-begins monthly 0.5 2026-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1772986117265-HIATMTQ3UYBZNOQQE77L/muscari.png Journal - The Ground Beneath the Feet https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1772986180763-D9TF1A9WT0FDZTAD4SN8/songbowl.png Journal - The Ground Beneath the Feet https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1772986707088-09DLYHY0QOV4DU74K53T/restorativeyoga.png Journal - The Ground Beneath the Feet https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/when-the-practice-turns-inward monthly 0.5 2026-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/4b304610-b3c2-42d2-ad54-c9635f704e63/earlyspring.png Journal - Turning Inward - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.susanna.yoga/living-wholeness-journal/the-practice-of-listening monthly 0.5 2026-03-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/2fdaa174-9bc0-4cec-9a9f-659b3ddbd2a9/WinterBP-1.png Journal - The Practice of Listening - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.susanna.yoga/seasonal-recipes daily 0.75 2026-10-18 https://www.susanna.yoga/seasonal-recipes/roasted-garlic-with-winter-herbs monthly 0.5 2026-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/ca4b39ee-6295-4d52-870e-e42d2e0f019c/garlic11.jpg Seasonal Recipes - Roasted Garlic with Winter Herbs - FROM MY KITCHEN As the days become colder, I find myself returning to garlic. I keep a plait of it hanging in the kitchen, and through autumn and winter I take down a few heads at a time. I slice across the tops, exposing the cloves, drizzle them generously with olive oil and tuck in whatever winter herbs I have nearby before putting them into the oven. It is one of the simplest things I make. As the garlic roasts, its sharpness softens. The cloves become golden and yielding, and the kitchen gradually fills with their warm, savoury smell. I have always associated garlic with looking after myself through the colder months. When autumn begins to move towards winter, this is one of the foods I naturally return to. I like it warm from the oven, spooned from its papery skin and spread over a piece of sourdough. There is something particularly comforting about the contrast: crisp bread, soft roasted garlic, olive oil and the scent of herbs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/fb3b4f00-f5a0-4137-b3d3-d5e1860c07b1/garlic12.jpg Seasonal Recipes - Roasted Garlic with Winter Herbs - AN AYURVEDIC NOTE In Ayurveda, garlic is traditionally regarded as warming and stimulating, qualities that can feel particularly welcome as the weather becomes colder. Ayurveda also asks us to consider how food is prepared. Raw garlic is pungent and intense; roasting transforms it. The cloves soften, their flavour becomes sweeter and mellower, and the addition of olive oil brings richness and moisture. This is a useful seasonal principle beyond garlic itself. As we move towards winter, the same ingredient can take on a different character through the way we cook it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/278c490a-d539-406b-ac3b-87a377835090/garlic13.jpg Seasonal Recipes - Roasted Garlic with Winter Herbs - THE RECIPE Roasted Garlic with Winter Herbs Serves as much or as little as you need Ingredients 4 whole heads of garlic Extra virgin olive oil A few sprigs of rosemary, thyme or sage A little sea salt Freshly ground black pepper, optional Sourdough, to serve Method Heat the oven to 190°C conventional / 170°C fan. Remove any very loose outer papery layers from the garlic, keeping the heads intact. Using a sharp knife, slice a small amount from the top of each head so that the individual cloves are exposed. Place the garlic cut-side upwards in a small roasting dish. Drizzle olive oil over the exposed cloves, allowing a little to run down between them. Add the herbs and a small pinch of sea salt. Cover loosely with foil or a lid and roast for around 35 to 45 minutes, removing the cover towards the end if you would like a little more colour. The garlic is ready when the cloves are completely soft and can easily be pressed from their skins. Toast or warm slices of sourdough. Spoon the soft garlic from its skin and spread it across the bread, adding a little of the fragrant oil from the roasting dish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/7abbc3ae-1cc2-4106-b561-83a055d9e653/garlic-17.png Seasonal Recipes - Roasted Garlic with Winter Herbs - A MINDFUL MOMENT Before you put the garlic into the oven, rub one of the winter herbs gently between your fingers. Notice its scent before it meets the warmth of the oil and garlic. When the dish comes out of the oven, notice it again. Cooking changes an ingredient in ways we can see, smell and taste. Sometimes paying attention to that transformation is enough to bring us fully into the kitchen. https://www.susanna.yoga/seasonal-recipes/spring-chard monthly 0.5 2026-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1792266267203-WOSPME32QYH5J9RF69C5/IMG_6416.jpg Seasonal Recipes - SPRING CHARD WITH OLIVE OIL https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1792266296537-Q9KTKKJ30H9DKLONW9QB/IMG_6417.jpg Seasonal Recipes - SPRING CHARD WITH OLIVE OIL https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1792266365291-YGSFIIX1CVGU2S27SQ8D/IMG_6418.jpg Seasonal Recipes - SPRING CHARD WITH OLIVE OIL https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1792266387727-HVR12KBKD8H1KNI5NPRP/IMG_6409.jpg Seasonal Recipes - SPRING CHARD WITH OLIVE OIL https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1792266455118-LIBY1QXKXE569OEV0ODF/IMG_6421.jpg Seasonal Recipes - SPRING CHARD WITH OLIVE OIL https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1792266473821-V986RR5IZGSVKDPWUUDG/IMG_6411.jpg Seasonal Recipes - SPRING CHARD WITH OLIVE OIL https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/f8e3b780-bff3-4337-8c10-880c2cfe91ff/CHARD11.png Seasonal Recipes - SPRING CHARD WITH OLIVE OIL - A MINDFUL MOMENT Before discarding the parts of a vegetable you don't immediately need, look at what is left. A stem, a leaf or a cooking liquid may still have a place in the kitchen. Cooking seasonally has made me more attentive to this. Sometimes using what remains is as simple as putting another small pan of water on the stove. https://www.susanna.yoga/seasonal-recipes/wild-fennel-chai monthly 0.5 2026-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/ac5c623d-9469-42c7-b4fd-a0679e81260d/cha4+%281%29.jpg Seasonal Recipes - Wild Fennel Chai - From My Kitchen By the end of summer, the fennel growing along the paths has reached above the surrounding grasses. Its fine green stems carry small clusters of yellow flowers, and later, as the season progresses, the seeds begin to ripen. I love this part of the year. The days can still be beautifully warm, although the mornings and evenings are beginning to feel cooler. It is around this time that I begin returning to warm, spiced drinks. For this chai, I wanted fennel to be the central flavour. Its natural sweetness works beautifully with coriander, cardamom and cinnamon, while a little ginger and clove bring warmth. I like the idea of making a chai that belongs to this particular moment in the growing year, when the last warmth of summer meets the beginning of autumn. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/a498d272-8b16-4557-a950-56802f223043/cha3.jpg Seasonal Recipes - Wild Fennel Chai - An Ayurvedic Note In Ayurveda, spices are valued for their flavour and for the qualities they are traditionally understood to bring to food and digestion. Fennel is particularly interesting because its sweet, aromatic character differs from the stronger heat of ginger and cloves. Combining spices allows us to explore how their qualities work together. This blend brings together sweetness, fragrance and warmth, with fennel remaining at its centre. As the seasons change, the spices we choose can change with them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/5cfcabab-efb4-4cda-9763-571b8265b979/cha2+%281%29.jpg Seasonal Recipes - Wild Fennel Chai - The Recipe Makes two cups Ingredients 1 teaspoon food-grade fennel seeds ½ teaspoon coriander seeds 3 green cardamom pods 1 small cinnamon stick 2–3 thin slices fresh ginger 2 whole cloves 300 ml water 200 ml milk or unsweetened plant milk A little sweetener, if desired Method Lightly crush the fennel and coriander seeds using a pestle and mortar. Gently press the cardamom pods to open them. Place the water in a small saucepan with all six spices. Bring to a gentle simmer and allow the spices to infuse for 8–10 minutes. Add the milk and warm through without boiling vigorously. Strain into two cups. Taste before adding any sweetness. The fennel, cinnamon and cardamom already bring a natural sweetness to the blend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/9a9dfa89-e2cd-464d-a81c-244db0b55f30/cha1+%282%29.jpg Seasonal Recipes - Wild Fennel Chai - A Mindful Moment As the spices begin to warm, notice how their aromas change. The sweetness of fennel, the fragrance of cardamom, the deeper scent of cinnamon. When the chai is ready, sit with your cup for a few minutes. Feel its warmth between your hands and take time to taste the different spices. Allow the preparation and the drinking to become part of the same small seasonal ritual. https://www.susanna.yoga/seasonal-recipes/chestnut-amp-mushroom-filo-early-winter monthly 0.5 2026-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/ed810cfa-0b7a-441d-a00f-7f5ddc9c45a9/IMG_6265.png Seasonal Recipes - Chestnut & Mushroom Filo Parcels Chestnuts begin appearing at the market as the year turns towards winter. Their deep brown shells seem to belong to the season, alongside walnuts, mushrooms and the other earthy foods that arrive as the days become colder. For these little parcels, I combine chestnuts with mushrooms and wrap the filling in filo pastry. They are simple to carry, which makes them particularly good for taking outside when winter offers an unexpectedly beautiful day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/86284fc5-3ea1-4e4b-9228-7d99788633a0/IMG_6264.JPG Seasonal Recipes - Chestnut & Mushroom Filo Parcels - Chestnut & Mushroom Filo Parcels Ingredients Cooked chestnuts Mushrooms 1 small onion or shallot Olive oil Fresh thyme Sea salt Black pepper Filo pastry A little extra olive oil for brushing I tend to cook by feel, so the quantities can be adjusted according to how many parcels you would like to make. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/48bd0599-430e-46e7-9815-0e7e43d1b73a/IMG_6268.JPG Seasonal Recipes - Chestnut & Mushroom Filo Parcels - Method Finely chop the onion or shallot and cook gently in a little olive oil until softened. Slice the mushrooms and add them to the pan with the thyme. Cook until the mushrooms have softened and any excess moisture has evaporated. Roughly chop or crumble the cooked chestnuts and stir them through the mushrooms. Season with sea salt and black pepper, then allow the mixture to cool slightly. Lay out a sheet of filo pastry and brush lightly with olive oil. Layer or fold the pastry as needed, spoon some of the chestnut and mushroom mixture onto it, then fold into a small parcel. Repeat with the remaining filling. Arrange the parcels in a baking dish or on a lined tray, brush the tops lightly with olive oil and bake at 180°C fan / 200°C conventional until the filo is crisp and golden, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/096e9966-3743-47c3-a4ae-193b78b6ac16/IMG_6261.JPG Seasonal Recipes - Chestnut & Mushroom Filo Parcels - From My Kitchen I made these on a winter day when there was enough sunlight coming through the garden to tempt us outside. Once the parcels were warm from the oven, I packed them into a picnic basket and carried lunch into the garden. There is something I love about eating outdoors in winter. You notice the warmth of the food differently. You notice the sun when it reaches your face, the coolness of the air around you, and how precious a little winter light can feel. https://www.susanna.yoga/seasonal-recipes/mung-bean-brown-rice-chives monthly 0.5 2026-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/9cf9d004-4862-48b1-9a1e-b029a67d0419/IMG_6490.JPG Seasonal Recipes - Mung & Brown Rice with the First Garden Chives - AN AYURVEDIC NOTE Ayurveda traditionally recognises six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. Each brings different qualities to a meal, and the balance between them can change with the season. Through winter, we may naturally be drawn towards sweeter, heavier and more substantial foods: roots, grains, nuts and warming dishes. As spring begins, bitter, pungent and astringent tastes traditionally become more prominent in Ayurvedic seasonal eating, bringing a lighter contrast to the heaviness of winter. In this bowl, the rice provides predominantly sweet taste, mung brings astringency, and the first fresh chives add pungency. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/ed42861b-5800-4b04-8acb-a388062d20f7/IMG_6492.JPG Seasonal Recipes - Mung & Brown Rice with the First Garden Chives - THE RECIPE Serves 2 generously Ingredients 100 g split yellow mung dal (moong dal) 100 g brown basmati rice 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed ½ teaspoon ground turmeric ½ teaspoon fennel seeds 2–3 thin slices fresh ginger, finely chopped 1 small cinnamon stick 900 ml–1 litre water, plus extra as needed Sea salt, to taste A small handful of fresh garden chives, finely chopped A little extra virgin olive oil, to finish Fresh lemon juice, optional Method Soak the mung dal. Place the mung dal in a bowl, cover generously with fresh water and leave to soak for 2–4 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly before cooking. Rinse the brown basmati rice under cold running water until the water becomes clearer. Drain well. Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a low to medium heat. Add the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds, stirring for approximately 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped ginger, turmeric and cinnamon stick. Stir briefly, allowing the spices to release their aroma without burning. Add the brown rice and stir to coat it in the warm spices. Pour in 900 ml water, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, loosely covered, for 15 minutes. Add the soaked and drained mung dal. Continue cooking for approximately 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice and mung dal are completely tender. Add more hot water as needed to maintain a soft, porridge-like consistency. Season with sea salt and remove the cinnamon stick. Spoon into warm bowls and finish with a little extra virgin olive oil and a generous scattering of freshly chopped garden chives. Add a few drops of lemon juice if desired. Serve warm, allowing the freshness of the first garden chives to complement the soft rice, mung dal and aromatic spices. A note on soaking and consistency Soaking the mung dal ahead of cooking allows it to hydrate and may help it cook more evenly. The mixture will thicken as it stands. If preparing it ahead of time, add a little warm water when reheating and stir until it returns to your preferred consistency. Brown rice takes longer to soften than white basmati rice, so cooking times may vary. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1792262869738-GDJ3EOHA3DI939MIK6I6/9750CF4F-96D4-460A-A262-19B53BC214DD.PNG Seasonal Recipes - Mung & Brown Rice with the First Garden Chives https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1792262887152-K8O7PTEHGGXWHMRGFQUY/IMG_6485.PNG Seasonal Recipes - Mung & Brown Rice with the First Garden Chives https://www.susanna.yoga/seasonal-recipes/minestrone-autumn monthly 0.5 2026-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/bf4863bc-73ae-4a24-bccf-5401689580ee/mine-1.png Seasonal Recipes - Early Autumn Minestrone - FROM MY KITCHEN At the end of summer, the kitchen begins to change. The days can still be warm, and there are courgettes, tomatoes and green beans to use, but I begin to want something warmer at lunchtime. It is too early for the deeper soups of winter, so I make something that seems to sit between the two seasons. This minestrone is one of those meals. I make it with whatever vegetables are abundant at the time. Here, late-summer courgettes and tomatoes meet carrots, onion, green beans and fresh beans. Nothing needs to be exact. The vegetables change as the weeks pass, and the soup changes with them. I like this kind of cooking because it makes the season visible. At the beginning of autumn, the garden and market still hold much of summer, while the way I want to eat has already begun to turn towards warmth. A little olive oil and lemon at the table are enough to finish it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/5209daaa-7bd6-4ebe-9e88-c2e461c2b8d1/IMG_6230.jpg Seasonal Recipes - Early Autumn Minestrone - THE RECIPE Early Autumn Minestrone Serves 4 Ingredients 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 red or yellow onion, finely chopped 2 carrots, sliced 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 medium courgette, diced 150 g green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces 3–4 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped, or 1 x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes 150 g cooked borlotti or cannellini beans Approximately 1 litre vegetable stock 1 bay leaf A small handful of flat-leaf parsley Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Extra virgin olive oil, to serve ½ lemon, to serve Method Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook gently for around 8 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the courgette, green beans and tomatoes and stir everything together. Pour in enough vegetable stock to cover the vegetables generously and add the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender while still retaining some texture. Add the cooked beans and continue to simmer for another 5–10 minutes. If the soup has become thicker than you would like, add a little more hot stock or water. Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon into warm bowls and finish with parsley, a little extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. The vegetables here are a guide rather than a rule. Minestrone is particularly good for using what is growing or available as one season moves into another. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1d2c5892-8af0-46c5-83d3-95d04d0e6aeb/mine2.png Seasonal Recipes - Early Autumn Minestrone - A MINDFUL MOMENT Before taking the first spoonful, pause for a few seconds. Notice the warmth of the bowl in your hands. Look at the different colours of the vegetables and breathe in the aroma before tasting. Then take the first spoonful without doing anything else. Taste what is there. https://www.susanna.yoga/seasonal-recipes/grape-amp-rosemary-focaccia-early-autumn monthly 0.5 2026-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/56c8cf28-8325-4a90-9818-88f9d4bfad25/IMG_5115.png Seasonal Recipes - grape & rosemary focaccia - Late Summer into Early Autumn At the back of the house, a grapevine grows over the terrace and forms a leafy passage towards the back door. By late summer, bunches of grapes hang overhead, some still green, others beginning to deepen into purple. I walk beneath them many times a day, watching the change happen almost without noticing it. And sometimes, in the afternoon, I reach up and pick a few for tea. There is something I love about this point in the year. Summer hasn't disappeared, but there are small signs that another season is beginning. The light changes. The evenings arrive a little earlier. Food begins to become warmer and more substantial. This is when I like to make grape and rosemary focaccia. The grapes soften and darken in the oven, their sweetness meeting the rosemary and olive oil. I begin using a little more oil in my cooking again at this time of year, and the bread feels wonderfully grounding after the lighter foods of summer. I often serve it with a simple soup, although it is equally good torn into pieces while it is still warm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1790889287248-SW4ANIMORG6VGU1C3VVW/IMG_5431.JPG Seasonal Recipes - grape & rosemary focaccia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1790889367643-EE2Y811EG4QSJR9E6O1O/IMG_6278.JPG Seasonal Recipes - grape & rosemary focaccia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/a9e370cf-4be2-49e2-81ee-1f6705989084/IMG_5566.JPG Seasonal Recipes - grape & rosemary focaccia - Grape & Rosemary Focaccia Makes one round focaccia Ingredients 500 g strong white bread flour 7 g fast-action dried yeast 1½ tsp fine sea salt 400 ml warm water, approximately 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the tin and finishing A little buckwheat flour for kneading 150–200 g seedless red or purple grapes 2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary Flaky sea salt Method Place the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Gradually add the warm water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, mixing until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Scatter a little buckwheat flour over the work surface and knead the dough for around 8–10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. Try not to add too much additional flour. The softness of the dough helps create the open texture of the focaccia. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean cloth and leave somewhere warm for around an hour, or until roughly doubled in size. Generously oil a round baking tin or shallow baking dish. Transfer the risen dough to the tin and gently ease it towards the edges with your fingertips. Cover again and leave to rise for another 20–30 minutes. Heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the dough. Press your fingertips gently into the surface to make the characteristic focaccia dimples. Nestle the grapes into the dough, allowing some to sit deeply in the hollows and others closer to the surface. Scatter over the rosemary leaves and a little flaky sea salt. Bake for approximately 25–30 minutes, until deeply golden and risen. Remove from the oven and drizzle with a little more olive oil while the focaccia is still warm. Allow it to rest briefly before tearing or cutting into pieces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/2b88764b-a2c0-4ccd-8d1c-e5405cf12404/IMG_5554.JPG Seasonal Recipes - grape & rosemary focaccia - A Seasonal Note Grapes seem to hold the last abundance of summer. For weeks they grow above the terrace, protected beneath their canopy of leaves. As summer begins to turn towards autumn, their colour deepens and their sweetness develops. At the same time, my way of eating begins to change. I start returning to warm soups, bread and a little more olive oil. There is still freshness on the table, but increasingly I find myself wanting food with substance and warmth. This focaccia seems to belong exactly at that threshold. https://www.susanna.yoga/seasonal-recipes/pea-amp-mint-soup-summer monthly 0.5 2026-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/6761a557-c99d-4636-a2fa-da97f53826b1/IMG_6247.png Seasonal Recipes - pea & mint soup - FROM MY KITCHEN By early summer, the vegetable garden has begun to climb. Pea plants wind themselves around their supports, sending out fine tendrils and small white flowers before the pods begin to fill. I love watching this part of the growing year. After the first shoots of spring, everything seems to be reaching upwards towards the light. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/27c3326c-16ec-43ea-9158-577f9759d7cb/IMG_6249.png Seasonal Recipes - pea & mint soup Picking peas for this soup is part of making it. I gather the pods outside, bring them into the kitchen and shell them by hand. Some inevitably get eaten before they ever reach the pan. Fresh peas need very little. Their sweetness is enough, so I keep this soup simple, adding mint from the garden and allowing the flavour of the peas to remain at the centre. I serve it with a few young pea shoots and flowers when I have them. It is a soup I associate with the beginning of summer, when the garden is green, vigorous and still tender. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/a662b9d5-e662-49cd-8fff-e0c20ce2299f/IMG_6252.JPG Seasonal Recipes - pea & mint soup - THE RECIPE Pea & Mint Soup Serves 4 Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 small onion or 2 shallots, finely chopped 1 small potato, peeled and diced 750 ml vegetable stock 500 g fresh peas, shelled, or frozen peas A generous handful of fresh mint leaves Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper A little extra virgin olive oil, to serve Fresh pea shoots and pea flowers, if available and known to be edible Method Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over a low to medium heat. Add the onion or shallots and cook gently for 5–7 minutes, until soft but not browned. Add the potato and vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for around 10 minutes, or until the potato is tender. Add the peas and cook for another 3–5 minutes. Fresh young peas may need very little cooking; older peas may need slightly longer. Remove the pan from the heat and add the mint leaves. Blend until smooth, adding a little more hot stock or water if you prefer a thinner soup. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm, at room temperature or lightly chilled according to the weather. Finish with a little olive oil and, if you have them, a few tender pea shoots. If using pea flowers or shoots as a garnish, use those from edible garden pea plants grown for eating, rather than ornamental sweet peas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/c0d7f6ec-67e3-4ce7-b4d5-f887c47403df/mintpeasoup7.jfif Seasonal Recipes - pea & mint soup https://www.susanna.yoga/seasonal-recipes/char-grilled-asparagus-baby-leeks monthly 0.5 2026-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/8cca1e5e-de1c-43ec-b14b-78ce6f24c642/ASP3.jpg Seasonal Recipes - Chargrilled Asparagus with Baby Leek Gratin & Pine Nuts - FROM MY KITCHEN Spring is when I bring the griddle out again. Through winter I am naturally drawn towards food cooked more slowly, with a little more oil and warmth. As the days become lighter, the way I want to cook begins to change too. I start grilling vegetables again, using the heat of the griddle to cook them simply without needing very much oil. Asparagus is one of the foods that marks that change for me. At the market, its arrival seems to coincide with everything else beginning to rise. There are tulips in great armfuls, leeks and young vegetables in the wooden crates, and bunches of asparagus appearing again after the winter. For this dish I char the asparagus on the griddle and lay it over a soft gratin of baby leeks, finishing it with toasted pine nuts. The asparagus stays fresh and green, while the leeks underneath make it substantial enough for a spring lunch. It feels like food for a season that is moving upwards again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/b1dc90c3-5135-4b9b-af02-8d2aa64adf36/ASP4.jpg Seasonal Recipes - Chargrilled Asparagus with Baby Leek Gratin & Pine Nuts - AN AYURVEDIC NOTE Ayurveda asks us to notice that our food does not need to remain the same throughout the year. After the heavier, colder months of winter, spring is traditionally a time when lighter ways of preparing food can begin to return. Grilling vegetables with less oil is one small way I notice that transition happening in my own kitchen. This does not mean food suddenly has to become raw or sparse. The warm baby leek gratin keeps this dish cooked and comforting, while the asparagus brings the freshness of the new season. It is another gradual change, rather than a sharp dividing line between winter and spring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1792265025523-7EPGW9XPYPF744BCAC0K/ASP2.jpg Seasonal Recipes - Chargrilled Asparagus with Baby Leek Gratin & Pine Nuts https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/1792265053789-MB2A9SQE9FK1NCY5FWJ9/ASP5.jpg Seasonal Recipes - Chargrilled Asparagus with Baby Leek Gratin & Pine Nuts https://www.susanna.yoga/home daily 1.0 2026-06-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/bf3eddc5-91f7-4acf-ab60-41cedb5e411f/1.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/80adcede-2199-448a-b5d6-d2535abf3648/IMG_6264.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/b4864351-a80f-4158-a647-cb3e94aacbcb/IMG_6250.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/71a39bc2-a09e-4d49-a379-d5a739c33b2a/2.png https://www.susanna.yoga/termsandconditions daily 0.75 2026-09-21 https://www.susanna.yoga/termsandconditions-1 daily 0.75 2026-09-21 https://www.susanna.yoga/the-seasonal-kitchen daily 0.75 2026-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/062f7c8d-3999-4b68-9cce-5b2cb15c9590/IMG_6228+%281%29.JPG The Seasonal Kitchen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/c8b011be-c9cc-41ff-8466-7fdccbab44dd/ASP5.jpg The Seasonal Kitchen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/9fa71a32-ecb7-4e21-b00a-e869b1b2a41b/garlic10.jpg The Seasonal Kitchen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/0dfdcabe-d572-4b7e-af54-9c2493c9d000/IMG_6278.JPG The Seasonal Kitchen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/833046c8-e271-4556-8a39-8fcbacc12ce8/cha4+%281%29.jpg The Seasonal Kitchen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/0fd39e93-ee49-43da-8d22-be4efa6e46e7/IMG_6264.JPG The Seasonal Kitchen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/58d6ba74-6d55-4ec3-8c69-7438b226bd48/CHARD11.jpg The Seasonal Kitchen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/73b769a1-2744-4336-ae19-f7e5e540c27e/IMG_6485.PNG The Seasonal Kitchen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66d339daa2af3d572ade5a09/981e69ea-9099-408c-a26f-8b354e8a9519/IMG_6252.JPG The Seasonal Kitchen