The Nourishing Your Soul Challenge: Days 2 + 3

Hello lovely lovelies!

I'm sorry I didn't post yesterday. It got late and I was tired and ill and blah, blah, blah. Anyhow, as part of my second day of soul nourishing I decided to cook! I love, love, love to cook. It's a rare treat for me to cook anything I like, living on a student income. And I just love cooking with apples.
Apples are often considered symbols of love and godliness! They taste sweet, light and crisp. I don't know what could be better to nourish my soul (or my stomach) than cooking apple pastries. I felt it only fair to share my recipe!

To make for two people you need:

• 6 ready rolled filo pastry sheets, 3 sheets per person (You can do this with puff pastry and not make parcels. Both ways taste just lovely.)
• 3 cooking apples
• Golden caster sugar
• An egg
• Some salted butter

I also added some seasonal spices to give it a Christmassy edge. These are optional though, the pastries taste just as nice without them:

• A half or whole teaspoon of cinnamon (dependant on personal tastes)
• 2 cloves per apple stewed
• A little bit of ground nutmeg

Ok! So now for the instructions. I'll make them as brief as possible. It really doesn't take as long as it might seem.

• Peel, core and quarter 2 of the apples and plop them into a pan of water and lemon so they don't brown as you go.
• Chop them up a little more and place them in another pan over a high heat with a knob of butter and 2 tablespoons of golden caster sugar.
• Chuck in the cloves now so the flavour soaks into the apple.
• The apples will gradually break down and turn lovely and mushy. Chuck in the cinnamon and nutmeg. Add sugar and butter to taste if you like. It's a very experimental recipe and all up to you!
• Peel, core, quarter and thinly slice the last apple. Pop that in the lemon water too for a while.
• Unroll 3 sheets of the pastry and scoop half of the stewed apple into the middle. Lay some of the sliced apples on top and sprinkle with a bit more sugar. 
• Fold one corner over the apple and brush the folded corner with egg. Repeat this for all of the corners and sprinkle the whole thing with a little more sugar.
• Put in the oven at 200 degrees C for 10 minutes then check it. It might need more time in the oven but just keep checking.

Serve with cream and enjoy!!

As for day 3, I've lapsed. I'm baaaaad. I'm not feeling well today so my soul nourishing activity has been to sleep! And sleep I shall.

Lots of love and good night!

xxxx Aria

Here's some pictures!

Nourishing Your Soul Challenge: Day 1

Sun Cards!!
It's Solstice time again and I have a happy tradition of creating Sun/Moon cards on the Winter/Summer solstices!
So today I am making Sun cards to welcome in the increasing hours of wonderful sunlight.

Now for the soul nourishing part! On the back of each card I write a wish for the next 6 months. I ask for all sorts of wonderful from the universe for myself and the ones close. I can cast off previous goals and embrace new ones that might need to be brought to the surface. I guess it's like having a new years resolution but ever 6 months.
One of my ways of coping is to plan ahead so if I can set goals for myself everyday, week, month and 6 months then I find I can focus myself a lot easier!

So to make the cards for the Winter Solstice you need:

• A few sheets of yellow card
• Scissors
• A mug
• A black sharpie
• Little arty bits like glitter, glue, sequins, string and tissue paper
• A long string of ribbon

Cut some large circles out using your cards by placing the mug on the card and drawing around it. You can cut out as many as you like! Then write your wish, desire or goal onto one side. Punch a little hole in the top. Decorate the other side of the cards as much as you like! I'm pulling out some white tissue paper and a couple of felt tip pens. Then string the cards onto your ribbon and hang them up!

One rule with the cards is that you can't look at the wishes again until the next Solstice!!! You've put your intentions out into the world they're out there! Let them be.

Let the magic work!

My soul will feel a little nourished by the time I'm done! I hope you guys give this ago. Let me know how it made you feel. Did you enjoy getting a bit messy?

Lots of love,

Aria xxx

P.S. Look out for pictures tomorrow!
P.P.S.
Strike that! Here's pictures!!

The Nourishing Your Soul Challenge!

Hello precious people!

I haven't blogged in a horribly long time. I've been going through an awful bad patch. It's really not been good. However, the Solstice is upon us and now, if ever, is a time for change.

Thankfully, a very dear friend and supporting influence to me has issued a challenge that can help me in this change! Effy Wild has asked us to nourish our souls with the good things in life. The nourishment must be taken once daily for a period of 30 days :D!
I aim to blog about my experiences as I embark on this little adventure.
I have no idea what to expect because I have no idea what nourishes my soul but I aim to share and care. If anyone would like to join in or take from my experiences then please do!
You can find Effy's post at Wild.Precious.
She really is a wonderful lady who has her head screwed on just right.

Watch out for my first soul nourishing experience later today!!
Lots of love and happy to be back,
xxx Aria Angelica