Ian Callaghan
I Am Enough
Covid and my mental health
Covid and My Mental Health. This is by no means an exhaustive post of how I have gotten through this year so far, just a quick post listing a few of the tools I have used to manage my mental health. During this year I have had several episodes if that is what you wish to call them from anxiety attacks in supermarkets to those very dark thoughts.
Like for many this year will go down as a pretty shit year, pandemic, lock-downs, job losses, isolation, weight gain, alcohol consumption increase and the list goes on and on. Just as we think things are on the up along comes more of the shitstorm, led by what for many seem inept, incompetent, lying, contradicting imbeciles. They are following the science they say, yet on our little island in the Atlantic, we get conflicting stories, rules, restrictions and guidelines. Why can it not be one song sheet one storybook rather than the individuals having silly little power games?
From day one bungling Boris, wee Jimmy up in Scotland and Dripford here in Wales have all said different things, I long ago gave up on the news and its constant negativity and bickering. Limiting social media as much as I can also, friends arguing with friends over the smallest thing.
Limit The Media
My circle is small and have I limited social interaction, the shop, the occasional visit to the pub.
I don’t mind my own company and can generally occupy my time. For the main part of this, I have been working from home with a few trips to the office in West Wales, that contract ended last Friday so its back to looking for more work to pay the bills.
Ideally, I would build the coaching business, I know that the skills I have and tools I have learnt over the last few years would be of so much use in these unprecedented times. From school children with anxiety to adults with the whole gamut of mental health issues from depression to anxiety. Over the last several years I have suffered from mental health issues, unlike many men of my age I have no qualms or issues in speaking about it. All the man up, get on with it shit is the past, we need to end the stigma, the taboo that surrounds mental health.
Covid and My Mental Health
I believe that mental health issues will be a far bigger burden on our struggling NHS than the virus over the coming years. We need to be teaching everyone how to manage their mental health, coping strategies, teaching them that it is OK to talk. From starting teaching mindfulness in schools to teaching it for the now growing work from home numbers. Teaching simple yet proven strategies for coping with anxiety and panic attacks.
Through various courses and self-taught practices, I have built a toolset that I use for my mental health.
The routine from something as simple as making the bed straight away.
Mindfulness first thing, our minds are better suited to doing meditation and mindfulness shortly after waking this is down to the different brain waves, from Delta which we experience during sleep to Beta which we experience during most of our waking day. Doing mindfulness or meditation shortly after waking our brains are in Alpha state, we are awake and aware but doing a thoughtful activity.
Breathing Exercise
Simple breathing exercises are great for when we feel anxiety or panic rising, by taking deep breaths we change our whole physiology and the body calms.
Something as simple as a
Breathe in for 3
Hold for 3
Exhale for 3
Hold for 3
Repeat, this is called box breathing and a 3 count is a great place to start with it as you practice you can increase the count. Carry out the exercise for 3-5 minutes to start and focus on the breath, that is as simple as mindfulness is. It is not about emptying the mind and transcending realms, we are not monks that sit in caves in the foothills of Everest. Mindfulness is about being in the moment and by focusing on the breath then we enter a state of calm.
Anxiety Coping Exercise
There is a simple exercise that you can use to help cope with anxiety it is called the 5-4-3-2-1 method
5: Acknowledge five things you see around you.
4: Acknowledge four things you can touch around you.
3: Acknowledge three things you can hear.
2: Acknowledge two things you can smell.
1: Acknowledge one thing you can taste.
By doing the above simple exercise it takes the focus away from whatever is causing the anxious moment.
Find a new hobby to occupy the mind, be it drawing, colouring, craft, learning a new language, playing a musical instrument whatever it is that interests you. With so many restrictions in place, it is hard to take up a new sport at the moment, but you can still exercise at home doing simple bodyweight exercises. Read more no matter what it is.
The Outdoors
Get outdoors, no matter how short a period there are proven benefits for both mental and physical health from being among nature, it makes no difference where your green space is, be it a mountain or local council park, fresh air, vitamin D and nature really are wonderful tonics for the mind and mood.
Try to eat as healthily as you can, I know it can be difficult during these crazy times we find ourselves in but please try. Cooking could be a new hobby, involve the children, cook from scratch even if you make your versions of their favourites, trust me they will enjoy them so much more.
Another good thing to do is journaling, you can look back and see how you got through similar things in the past. Keep a gratitude journal each day write down what you have been grateful for that day, some days you will think well I can’t think of anything today, but even the simplest of things can be written down, I woke up, I have a roof over my head, I have clean water to drink, when you make a practice of it then you notice that you give gratitude for all that you do have.
Try to limit your time watching the news, reading the papers, scrolling through social media and comparing yourself to others, don’t forget what we see online is what people want us to see, what the media portray as to how you should look, act, live is total bollocks and nonsense. If things are outside your circle of control put them in the fuck-it bucket and forget about them, they have no control over you unless you allow them to.
I am going to journal more on covid and my mental health on here as we continue through this bizarre time of our lives.
Take care, love yourself. Practice self-love and self care both physical and mental.
Making Sourdough Bread
Making Sourdough Bread
Bread the staff of life, Sourdough is the oldest form of leavened bread and was used at least as early as ancient Egypt. It was probably discovered by accident when bread dough was left out and good microorganisms wild yeast drifted into the mix. The resulting bread had a lighter texture and better taste.
Sourdough bread is made by the fermentation of dough using naturally occurring lactobacilli and yeast. It uses biological leavening rather than using cultivated baker’s yeast. The lactic acid produced by the lactobacilli gives it a more sour taste and improved keeping qualities.
The secret is a good starter, you can buy starters online. I am in the process of making jars of starter from mine to sell. You can of course make your own after all it is just flour and water, which like all living things you have to feed, I shall do a post on making and looking after a starter shortly.
So below is how I make my bread.
INGREDIENTS
- 50 – 100 g (1⁄4 – 1/2 cup) bubbly, active starter.
- 375 g (1 1/2 cups plus 1 tbsp) warm water
- 500 g (4 cups plus 2 tbsp) bread flour
- 9 to 11 g (1.5 – 2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make the dough: In the evening, whisk the starter and water together in a large bowl with a fork or spatula. Add the flour and salt. Mix to combine, finishing by hand if necessary to form a rough dough. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold. After half an hour, take a corner of the dough and pull it up and into the centre. Turn the bowl a quarter turn, repeat until you’ve performed this series of folds 4 to 5 times with the dough. Let dough rest for another 30 minutes and repeat the stretching and folding action. If you have the time: do this twice more for a total of 4 times in 2 hours.
- Bulk Fermentation (first rise): Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise overnight at room temperature, about 8 to 10 hours. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size, has a few bubbles on the surface, and jiggles when you move the bowl from side to side.
- Shaping: In the morning, coax the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape it into a round fold the top down to the centre, turn the dough, fold the top down to the centre, turn the dough; repeat until you’ve come full circle. If you have a bench scraper, use it to push and pull the dough to create tension.
- Resting: Let the dough rest seam side up rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line an 8-inch (20-cm) bowl or proofing basket with a towel and dust with flour (preferably rice flour, which doesn’t burn or stick the way bread or plain flour does). Using a bench scraper or your hands, shape it again as described in step 4. Place the round into your lined bowl, seam side up.
- Proof (second rise): Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour or for as long as 48 hours.
- Place a cast-iron dutch oven in your oven, and preheat your oven to 290°C or as hot as your oven will go. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the size of your baking pot.
- Score: Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Using the tip of a small knife or a razor blade, I use a Stanley knife blade, score your dough however you wish — a simple “X” is nice. Use the parchment to carefully transfer the dough into the preheated baking pot.
- Cook: Carefully cover the pot, close the oven, and reduce the heat to 230°C. Cook the dough for 30 minutes, covered. Remove the lid, lower the temperature to 200ºC and continue to bake for 10 – 15 minutes more. If necessary, lift the loaf out of the pot, and bake directly on the oven rack for the last 5 to 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before slicing.
So there we have the basics of making sourdough bread, I am going to do videos to show the shaping process, the lift and fold etc as well as making your own starter.
Four chillies chilli
Four chillies chilli
There are about 4,000 varieties of chilli in the world. This is my four chillies chilli, the chillies I use in this recipe are cascabel, chipotle, ancho and jalapeno. I have used this recipe for a number of years it was the chilli sauce I used when I did chilli dogs at food festivals. I use it in the smoker doing a low and slow with flank and shin that has an amazing depth of flavour from the low slow-smoked cooking. Does great nachos as well, a dish that used to go down really well when I did pop-ups. Although it has four chillies in it is not a fiery blow your head off chilli but more depth of flavour with that nice heat kick to it.
Ingredients:
800g minced beef
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions
2 cascabel chilli
4 jalapenos
2 ancho chilli
2 chipotle chilli
1 tbsp smoked paprika (I like piquant)
Half a bulb of smoked garlic
1 tbsp oregano or mixed herbs
8 squares dark chocolate (85 %)
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g tin kidney beans
300ml beer (your choice stout works well as does an IPA)
Beef stock cube or stock pot
Salt & pepper
Method:
Place the dried chillies, ancho, cascabel, chipotle in a bowl and cover with hot water to rehydrate. While they are rehydrating dice the onion and finely chop the garlic. Saute the onion and once it has taken on some colour add the garlic. In a blender add the tomatoes, herbs and the now rehydrated chillies. Saute off the minced beef until browned add the beer and the sauce mix. Bring to a simmer and then add the drained kidney beans and the broken up dark chocolate. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you were using a stewing steak, flank, shin or brisket you would make the sauce add the meat then slow cook for 3-4 hours, of course, you could do it in your slow cooker.
I am not one for sour cream and all the other stuff you see served with it but I do like to add extra candied jalapenos to garnish, that and I may be slightly addicted to them as well, I get mine from a good friend at The Preservation Society
Served with just a plain boiled basmati rice. So there you have my chilli recipe or rather my four chillies chilli.
Fried Chicken
Fried Chicken
I have never been a fast-food fan as such but I did enjoy fried chicken until I discovered the source of the chicken used. Now there are only two places I eat fried chicken and that is from my kitchen or my friend’s food truck Dirty Bird fried chicken
There are two secrets to having the perfect fried chicken, brine the bird and marinate in buttermilk. The choice of your seasoning in your flour dredge is up to you, I doubt mine are ever the same, sometimes spicy other times herby depending on my mood. The recipe for this one is below.
Recipe:
600g boneless chicken thighs
Spice mix
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp onion granules
2 tbsp mixed herbs ( oregano, thyme, parsley)
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp chilli powder
salt and pepper (sea salt fresh cracked black pepper)
Marinate:
5% brine ( for a litre of water 50g of salt dissolved) you can add to the brine with things like bay, pickling spices, citrus peel etc
300 ml buttermilk (if you can’t get buttermilk you can use whole milk and add cider vinegar for 300ml of milk add about a tablespoon of cider vinegar)
Dredge:
100g self raising flour
100g cornflour
You can use rice flour or even get some cornflakes and crush to a flour like consistency.
Method:
Make your brine by dissolving the salt in water, place the chicken thighs in the cooled brine for 4-6 hours. Remove from brine and pat dry with kitchen paper. Place the chicken in a container cover with the buttermilk and refrigerate overnight or for about 8 hours. The slightly acidic buttermilk helps tenderise the chicken by breaking down some of the proteins in the meat.
Mix the flours and most of the spice mix together, keep some of the spice mix back to mix with sea salt to season the chicken after cooking. Put the flour and spice mix in a bag this is the easiest and least messy way to dredge the chicken.
Frying:
Heat your oil to 170c personally I use beef dripping for my frying as I do not use highly processed vegetable oils. If I were to use a vegetable oil it would be a UK cold-pressed rapeseed oil. Cook the chicken in batches of about three pieces depending on the size of your fryer or pan. Deep fry for 8 minutes as with all my meat cooking I use a meat probe and cook to an internal temperature of 74c. As each batch is cooked I put on a rack and put in the oven at about 50c to keep warm but not continue cooking.
With this one, I did a spiced slaw using candied jalapenos from my good friend Rag who owns The Preservation Society. To say they are the best cowboy candies ever is an understatement and I truly am addicted to them. Chunky potato wedges seasoned with my chilli spice mix salt and pepper and roasted. Along with that was a side of my sauerkraut, I eat this with almost every meal I have.
So there you have my take on fried chicken hope you enjoy making it, get the kids involved and have fun.
Contrast showers
CONTRAST SHOWERS
I have done contrast showers for years and there are proven benefits to the hot and cold contrast. Contrast showering is basically ‘therapeutic contrasting’ – the act of quickly changing body temperature from hot to cold and back again. This is usually done by immersing yourself in hot then cold water. Experts say the best results come not from one cold shower or bath but by alternating between hot and cold water. Also known as contrast water therapy.
Just a few minutes of a contrast shower can provide many benefits. The sudden burst of cold water will cause blood to flow to your vital organs, while also activating your parasympathetic nervous system. This can give you a huge boost in energy.
Because the shock of the cold water causes a type of stress reaction in the body, you’ll also be priming your adrenal glands to handle stress more efficiently. The cold water is also very stimulating for your brain, causing endorphins to be released quickly.
Benefits
1. CONTRAST SHOWERS BOOST CIRCULATION
Contrasting temperatures increase circulation by causing your heart to send blood rushing to your vital organs. Over time, this forces your circulatory system to become more efficient and adaptable.
This effect is due to your body’s instant response to protect your vital organs. When it senses an abrupt change to cold temperatures, your blood has to circulate faster to protect your organs.
Essentially, your body is trying to conserve its natural core temperature. Eventually, it allows you to adapt to the new environment, – i.e., one that involves regular ‘shocks’ of cold water. This means that contrast showers may make your circulatory system act more quickly and effectively.
2. CONTRAST SHOWERS BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
Scientists have shown that switching between hot and cold water provides a substantial boost to your immune system. It appears that the contrast in temperature increases the number of disease-fighting immune system cells in your body, including an important type of white blood cell called monocytes.
Other sources say that alternating between hot and cold showers can help prevent common illnesses such as colds and flu. A study published by the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam reported that taking a contrast shower every day had a significant effect on employee’s susceptibility to illness. In fact, they found that the treatment reduced absences from work due to sickness by almost 30 per cent.
3. CONTRAST SHOWERS PREVENT DOMS (DELAYED ONSET MUSCLE SORENESS)
One of the most immediate benefits of contrast showers is in preventing exercise-related injuries such as DOMS. For this reason, contrast shower therapy is often used by elite athletes.
Exposure to cold water helps to reduce inflammation and injury by restricting blood flow to the affected area. High and low temperatures can have a major impact upon the amount of blood flow to the tissues, but at opposite extremes.
Cold temperatures cause blood vessels to shrink or tighten up, reducing blood flow and thus inflammation. This is known as vasoconstriction. Heat, on the other hand, causes vasodilation: the widening of blood vessels. Vasodilation allows more blood to flow to affected tissues or limbs.
4. CONTRAST SHOWERS MAY HELP WITH WEIGHT LOSS
Although there’s a lack of scientific evidence, some reports claim that regular contrast showers may support or stimulate weight loss.
This is all to do with the different types of fat: brown fat and white fat. White fat refers to adipose fat, which is generally formed due to consuming excess calories. Brown fat, on the other hand, is the type located around the collar bones, neck, sternum and upper back. The brown fat is important because it generates fuel (heat) by burning white fat. Brown fat also helps to keep your body warm.
5. CONTRAST SHOWERS MAY HELP WITH DEPRESSION
It’s also been suggested that contrast showers help reduce depression or low mood by boosting the flow of blood to the brain.
Cold exposure increases your blood levels of endorphins and noradrenaline, which then increase the synaptic release of noradrenaline (also known as norepinephrine), to the brain. Endorphins have a pain-relieving effect, lowering your perception of discomfort. The stimulating effect of endorphins also boosts feelings of well-being.
At the same time, the fresh flow of blood bringing oxygen and nutrients to your brain and other organs. Detoxification of harmful toxins and other metabolites are also cleared out more efficiently.
Habits
Habits
Your life today is essentially the sum of your habits.
How in shape or out of shape you are? A result of your habits.
How happy or unhappy you are? A result of your habits.
How successful or unsuccessful you are? A result of your habits.
What you repeatedly do (i.e. what you spend time thinking about and doing each day) ultimately forms the person you are, the things you believe, and the personality that you portray.
But what if you want to improve? What if you want to form new habits? How would you go about it?
Turns out, there’s a helpful framework that can make it easier to stick to new habits so that you can improve your health, your work, and your life in general.
Let’s talk about that framework now…
Before we talk about how to get started, I wanted to let you know I researched and compiled science-backed ways to stick to good habits and stop procrastinating.
The 3 R’s of Habit Change
Every habit you have — good or bad — follows the same 3–step pattern.
I call this framework “The 3 R’s of Habit Change,” but I didn’t come up with this pattern on my own. It’s been proven over and over again by behavioural psychology researchers.
What a Habit Looks Like When Broken Down
Before we get into each step, let’s use the 3 R’s to break down a typical habit. For example, answering a phone call…
- This is the reminder that initiates the behaviour. The ring acts as a trigger or cue to tell you to answer the phone. It is the prompt that starts the behaviour.
- This is the actual behaviour. When your phone rings, you answer the phone.
- This is the reward (or punishment, depending on who is calling). The reward is the benefit gained from doing the behaviour. You wanted to find out why the person on the other end was calling you and discovering that piece of information is the reward for completing the habit.
If the reward is positive, then you’ll want to repeat the routine the next time the reminder happens. Repeat the same action enough times and it becomes a habit. Every habit follows this basic 3–step structure.
All habits form by the same 3–step process. Here’s an example: the traffic light turns green, you drive through the intersection, you make it closer to your destination. Reminder, routine, reward.
How can you use this structure to create new habits and stick to them?
Here’s how…
Step 1: Set a Reminder for Your New Habit
If you talk to your friends about starting a new habit, they might tell you that you need to exercise self–control or that you need to find a new dose of willpower.
I disagree.
Getting motivated and trying to remember to do a new behaviour is the exact wrong way to go about it. If you’re a human, then your memory and your motivation will fail you. It’s just a fact.
This is why the reminder is such a critical part of forming new habits. A good reminder does not rely on motivation and it doesn’t require you to remember to do your new habit.
A good reminder makes it easy to start by encoding your new behaviour in something that you already do.
The act of brushing my teeth was something that I already did and it acted as the reminder to do my new behaviour.
To make things even easier and prevent myself from having to remember to floss, I bought a bowl, placed it next to my toothbrush, and put a handful of pre-made flossers in it. Now I see the floss every time I reach for my toothbrush.
Setting up a visible reminder and linking my new habit with current behaviour made it much easier to change. No need to be motivated. No need to remember.
It doesn’t matter if it’s working out or eating healthy or creating art, you can’t expect yourself to magically stick to a new habit without setting up a system that makes it easier to start.
How to Choose Your Reminder
Picking the correct reminder for your new habit is the first step to making change easier.
The best way I know to discover a good reminder for your new habit is to write down two lists. In the first list, write down the things that you do each day without fail.
For example…
You’ll often find that many of these items are daily health habits like washing your face, drinking morning tea, brushing your teeth, and so on. Those actions can act as reminders for new health habits. For example, “After I drink my morning tea, I meditate for 60 seconds.”
In the second list, write down the things that happen to you each day without fail.
For example…
With these two lists, you’ll have a wide range of things that you already do and already respond to each day. Those are the perfect reminders for new habits.
For example, let’s say you want to feel happier. Expressing gratitude is one proven way to boost happiness. Using the list above, you could pick the reminder “sit down for dinner” and use it as a cue to say one thing that you’re grateful for today.
“When I sit down for dinner, I say one thing that I’m grateful for today.”
That’s the type of small behaviour that could blossom into a more grateful outlook on life in general.
Step 2: Choose a Habit That’s Incredibly Easy to Start
Make it so easy you can’t say no.
It’s easy to get caught up in the desire to make massive changes in your life. We watch incredible weight loss transformations and think that we need to lose 30 pounds in the next 4 weeks. Elite athletes on TV and wish that we could run faster and jump higher tomorrow. We want to earn more, do more, and be more … right now.
I’ve felt those things too, so I get it. And in general, I applaud the enthusiasm. I’m glad that you want great things for your life and I want to do what I can to help you achieve them. But it’s important to remember that lasting change is a product of daily habits, not once–in–a–lifetime transformations.
If you want to start a new habit and begin living healthier and happier, then I have one suggestion that I cannot emphasis enough: start small. In the words of Leo Babauta, “make it so easy that you can’t say no.”
How small? BJ Fogg suggests that people who want to start flossing begin by only flossing one tooth. Just one.
In the beginning, performance doesn’t matter. Become the type of person who always sticks to your new habit. You can build-up to the level of performance that you want once the behaviour becomes consistent.
Here’s your action step: Decide what want your new habit to be. Now ask yourself, “How can I make this new behaviour so easy to do that I can’t say no?”
What is Your Reward?
It’s important to celebrate. (I think that’s just as true in life as it is with habits.)
We want to continue doing things that make us feel good. And because an action needs to be repeated for it to become a habit, you must reward yourself each time you practice your new habit.
For example, if I’m working towards a new fitness goal, then I’ll often tell myself at the end of a workout, “That was a good day.” Or, “Good job. You made progress today.”
If you feel like it, you could even tell yourself “Victory!” or “Success!” each time you do your new habit.
I haven’t done this myself, but some people swear by it.
Give yourself some credit and enjoy each success.
Related note: Only go after habits that are important to you. It’s tough to find a reward when you’re simply doing things because other people say they are important.
Where to Go From Here
In general, you’ll find that these three steps fit almost any habit. The specifics, however, may take some work.
You might have to experiment before you find the right cue that reminds you to start a new habit. You might have to think a bit before figuring out how to make your new habit so easy that you can’t say no. And rewarding yourself with positive self–talk can take some getting used to if you’re not someone who typically does that.
It’s all a process.
Lamb Keema
Lamb Keema
Lamb Keema curry is a traditional, spiced curry that blends flavours of garlic, chilli, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom and coriander to create a dish full of flavour and aroma. I saw one of my favourite Indian chefs Cyrus Todiwala cook Keema at the Abergavenny food festival a few years back with Ffion when he signed his book to her. That day Cyrus cooked Kheema ghotala curried minced meat scrambled with egg.
Keema is quick, simple and nutritious meal
Ingredients
2 Onions diced
1 Tbsp Oil (I used ghee)
500g minced lamb (you can use beef) I always use grass fed.
inch of ginger
4 garlic cloves
2 green chillis
1 tbsp garam masala ( contains cumin, coriander, cloves, cardamom seeds, Kashmir chillis, turmeric)
150g frozen peas
80g lentils
400g tin chopped tomatoes
Method
Heat the oil and saute the diced onion, garlic, ginger and green chillis. Add the spice mix and cook for a further 5 minutes, add the minced lamb and cook for about 7-8 minutes until coloured. Stir in the lentils and chopped tomatoes and simmer for around 15 minutes until the lentils are almost cooked if the sauce drys add some water. Add the frozen peas and heat through.
Serve with pilau rice, Naan bread or parathas, minted yoghurt and fresh coriander leaves to garnish.
As with the majority of my cooking there will always be loads leftover and that is the case with the keema. I will be using what is left to make a spicy shepherds pie, I may do a swede and carrot mash topping rather than the normal potato one.
Roast Haunch of Venison
Roast Haunch of Venison
It is not often I get a roast haunch of venison. When a neighbour posted on Facebook that he had some cuts of venison if anybody was interested. I had a haunch of roe deer off Neil and had already made up in my mind how I would cook this fantastic cut of meat. An overnight marinade of garlic, rosemary, juniper, lemon zest and olive oil, salt and sea salt seasoning. The aromatics that used were smashed in the pestle and mortar and the olive oil added. The haunch had a few light slashes to it the marinade well rubbed over and wrapped in clingfilm and put in the fridge to take on the flavours.
Marinade
3 cloves garlic
3 good sprigs of rosemary
zest of one lemon
A dozen juniper berries
Good pinch of sea salt
Cracked black pepper
Good glug of olive oil ( you don’t need your best extra virgin )
Cooking
Pre-heat oven to 220C, 450F, Gas Mark 8. Place the joint in a heavy roasting pan on a trivet of carrots, onions and celery, leave the skin on the onions. Cook for 20 minutes if the joint is under 2kg and 30 minutes if over 2kg. Reduce heat after the allotted time to 150C, 300F, Gas Mark 2 and cook for 12 minutes per 500g for medium-rare. 15 minutes per 500g for medium. I always cook to temp not times and use a thermapen and for medium-rare which is the perfect cook, you want an internal temp of 56c, 130f.
After it reached the desired temperature the secret is to rest the meat. Generally for around the same length of time as you cooked it. This allows the joint to rest and all those meat juices to spread through the joint giving you tender meat.
Served with the roast haunch of venison were horseradish mashed potatoes, roast potatoes done in beef dripping, honey roast parsnips, cauliflower, peas and rich roast gravy. The heat of the horseradish goes really well with venison and the sweetness of the parsnips rounds it off.
I used the leftovers from the roast to make a shepherds pie and a madras curry.
Nature the outdoors and mental health
Nature the outdoors and mental health
I have written about this subject in the past the power of Nature the outdoors and mental health. We are living in very strange times. Nature the outdoors and mental health, my medicine, my antidepressants, my therapy room and all free of cost to myself and the NHS.
I have suffered from mental health issues for longer than I have ever admitted to anyone. The first time I saw a doctor regarding my mental health was over 20 years ago, I was prescribed antidepressants and signed off work. As with every other time I have talked with anyone I sort of brushed it aside, never took the meds and self-medicated in one way or another with drink and drugs.
I have drunk since I was a teen and at times taken various recreational drugs. Along with smoking, I have not touched any form of drug in well over 15 years and in that time I have had no desire or need to use them since. I have gone periods of time without drink be that at times in the army where it was not permitted and other times I have chosen to myself. The thing is I always drift back to it starting with the odd beer and escalating to binge drinking anything and everything that has been in the house, the last time that was 6 beers, 2.5 bottles of wine and half a bottle of gin. My theory if I drink it all then there’s none here for me to drink.
The Outdoors
There is one constant throughout my whole life, when I get down, feel shit or need time then it is the outdoors I go to. Ever since I was a child I have loved the outdoors and in particular water, I tend to gravitate towards water. When I was younger it would be fishing, swimming in the brook, the acid pool or riding our homemade bikes to gypos tump a spot on the river Usk where we would spend the day. We would be out from the time we got up until shouts rang out around the streets of mum’s calling us in. Back then I doubt any of us or many others realised the benefits of nature the outdoors and mental health.
Taken from MIND the mental health charity.
Spending time in green space or bringing nature into your everyday life can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. For example, doing things like growing food or flowers, exercising outdoors or being around animals can have lots of positive effects. It can:
- improve your mood
- reduce feelings of stress or anger
- help you take time out and feel more relaxed
- improve your physical health
- improve your confidence and self-esteem
- help you be more active
- help you make new connections
- provide peer support.
My escape
Every day I give gratitude for having easy access to green spaces, from my door I can walk into the Brecon Beacons national park along the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal, walk the other way and I can walk the Usk Valley Walk. This super waterside walk follows the River Usk, the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal and the Brecon and Newport Canal from Caerleon to Brecon. The walk passes through Abergavenny and Usk and is enclosed by beautiful hills for the whole of its length. There are numerous woodland walks within easy access as well. There are numerous images of my walks in the gallery of my photography. My other escape in normal times outside these crazy pandemic times is the coast, I love the sea be it being by the sea or in and on the water. West Wales is my spiritual home and has a special draw for me.
My medicine
I have no doubt that being outdoors boosts my mental health and well being. The boost to my vitamin D from exposure to sunlight. Physical benefits to health be it from walking, riding my bike or doing things in and on the water. There are of course numerous benefits to mental health from exercise. I have never enjoyed running even when I was fit and healthy it is not the exercise for me, I can walk for miles, ride my bike for hours (after I get the bum accustomed to the saddle again).
During this episode of poor mental health and this crazy period in our lives. I have got out for my walks when at my lowest, spent time along the canal and river. Foraged wild garlic on the banks of the Usk while observing nature that seems to be in abundance right now, down to the millions of tadpoles in the canal right now. I have sat in the woods meditating while squirrels run less than 6foot from me going about their daily business.
Nature and the outdoors are truly remarkable in the power they have to ground us and change our whole physiology in such a short space of time.
I realise not everybody has access to such amazing green spaces such as I do. We all, in general, have access to some green space. I grew up on one of Newport’s toughest estates but still spent time in nature. Escaping the urban concrete jungle to spend time in the woods, fields, streams and ponds. Give it a go and get outdoors you will not regret it.
Until next time take care and love to you all.
Coasteering and kayaking
Coasteering and Kayaking in Pembrokeshire National Park
This post is a bit of a break from my normal posts but something I will be doing more of showing a bit of the other side of me away from my passion for cooking. Coasteering and kayaking, I love to be in or around the water and swim in the sea around West Wales and the local rivers year-round generally in just shorts whatever the time of year or water temp. After a swim in water between 7 and 12c, most people give you strange looks when you are walking towards the sea in December in just shorts as they are wrapped up in all the winter gear drinking hot chocolate from the beachside cafe.
When I opened my birthday cards this year the one from my girlfriend and daughter had a message “enjoy your coasteering Wales and kayaking in St David’s”. Coasteering is something I have wanted to do for quite a while now but have never managed to get around to it, I have done kayaking in the past and really enjoy the views it gives you as you explore areas of the coast seldom seen.
Pembrokeshire national park coastline
The backdrop to the day’s activities, the company that I was entrusting life and limb with to guide me along with cliff faces and jumping from varying heights of cliffs was TYF Adventure. They were the innovators of coasteering and have an amazing ethos they are members of 1% For The Planet last year donating over 12k to rainforest protection saving an area the size of Wales. This year the funds are going to EDUcat, Helping to transform young people into sustainable innovation change-makers. The challenges that eduCAT presents to pupils are real issues that organisations are experiencing in adapting to the immediate and long term impacts of sustainability, climate change, resource availability and food security.
They are also carbon neutral the first outdoor adventure company in the world to do this, all this shows that they not only take people on life-changing, adrenalin-filled adventures but they care for and protect the environment in which they do it. Making sure that the generations to follow can enjoy these activities in the real world rather than via a video game console.
Our Guide
My guide for the day’s activities was John Byrom, after the formalities of form filling for emergency contacts etc John talked us through the morning plan and got us kitted out for the coasteering. Wetsuit, buoyancy aid, helmets, after all, some of the jumps were around the 7m mark so safety is of paramount importance. After getting ready there was a 15-minute walk to where we would enter the water for the fun to begin. On the walk to St Nons, we were told of the history of the area, St Nons is the birthplace of St David the patron saint of Wales it is said that Non took shelter in a chapel during a particularly violent storm and gave birth to Dewi later to become Dewi Sant patron saint of Wales.
Coasteering
Our group for the day was 5 plus John, after the short walk along the coastal path we came to a grassy area and were informed this would be our entrance to the start point for the coasteering. To me and the group it looked like a rather large cliff face without John’s knowledge we would not have even known that you could reach the sea there, following his lead we made our way down to the waters edge well I say edge it was a couple of meters above the water and we were informed this would be a good start point. After my telling the group I generally swam in the sea year round san wetsuit it seemed I was to be the first in so in I went, what many people do not realise is that the sea temperature around this time of year is at its peak not the summer months that many think, the water was around 15c and with a wetsuit and wetsuit socks under my trainers the water was in my view perfect.
Into the sea
At our entry point is a very famous coasteering point known as the toilet, no not due to it being full of nasty things but due to the action the water takes it rises up a small gully then flushes back down, you are carried up by the surf then pulled back down my coming down was rather undignified. I was thrown upside down and came down face first, this was a hell of baptism to coasteering but an amazing adrenalin rush. We swam a short distance from this toilet and climbed along the cliff face coming to a jump of around 3m to cross to a small island with what we would discover was a jump that in fact was to be a belly flop to avoid shallow rocks to get back across to the main cliff face.
The lower cliffs are covered in barnacles that make for amazing foot grips but not the kindest to hands. A few more jumps and we came to a cove that was called the underwater challenge. The challenge is to dive and swim underwater to the opposite side, swimming underwater in just a wetsuit is a challenge itself due to buoyancy. add in a buoyancy aid and it gets very difficult other than John the guide who I know believe is part fish due to him swimming there and partway back only 2 others made it all the way me not being one of them.
Along the way, John pointed out various wildlife including a number of sea anemone, birds and shellfish all adding to the experience.
Cliffs
We came to what was to be the pinnacle of the morning activity a cove with a cliff face that to all intents and purpose could have been carved out for coasteering jumps starting at around 4m it looked as if there were actual steps leading up to the highest jump we would do which was around 7m. After doing several jumps building up to the final jump I stood on the edge looking down. I am not afraid of heights but standing on a cliff edge 7m above the water was still a bit daunting but I took the plunge and threw myself off the cliff into the amazingly clear blue water. The adrenalin was running and the feeling was amazing, this is something people should add to there bucket lists of things to do.
Swim
After a swim back across the cove, we climbed the rocks back to the coastal path John pointing out Samphire and sorrel along the way, of course, this was of interest to me being so much of a foodie. A walk back to the centre changing facilities before a break for lunch and then just myself and John doing an afternoon of kayaking.
Kayaking start point
Harbour entrance for kayaking
The afternoon’s activity was sea kayaking I was the only person doing this so after a short drive to the harbour at Porth Clais on the River Allun. A short walk along the coastal path to the harbour wall and the racks of TYF Adventure kayaks it was time to start exploring the stunning coastal national park from a viewpoint many people never see. My choice was a sit-on kayak and john a traditional sit-in, the weather had taken a turn for the worse from the morning sun and had started to rain this failed to put a damper on things and we set off.
We stayed close to the coast and explored a number of small channels some I had doubts the kayak would go through but with the surf, it carried you through. Being this close to the cliffs you see far more than you ever would whilst walking the coastal path or even on a tour boat as you could never get as close or access the places you can on a kayak. After a while we came to a channel that leads to Cathedral cave this was awe-inspiring and something very few people actually get to see the only way being by kayak.
Weather
Our weather for the afternoon took a turn for the worse despite the rain, this was an amazing journey along our only coastal national park seeing wildlife up so close is always a pleasure being so in touch with their environment added to this.
After around two and a half hours and only due to my hips aching we made our way back to the harbour where we had started our journey.
This was without doubt one of the best days I have had in many a year and was an amazing birthday present.
I would like to thank John Byrom and all the staff at TYF Adventure for an adrenalin-filled fantastic day, I can not think of many better ways to spend a day than exploring what is a national treasure in the coastal national park with people who care for it and enjoy showing others what it truly holds for us all to enjoy if you get the chance do the coasteering it is a definite to add to any bucket list and will excite even the hardened adrenalin junkies out there.