Revitalising Green Juice

This refreshing homemade green juice is simple, healthy, and jam-packed with nutrition, making it all the more delicious!
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Apple Rooibos tea

Here’s a retreat favourite that’s a flavorful, caffeine-free alternative to black and green tea and deliciously simple to make!
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Healthy Winter Porridge

There’s nothing quite like a bowl of warming porridge to set you up for the day ahead in these wintery months. At The Zest Life, we like to add some simple toppings to make our porridge even more tasty and nutritious!
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Thai Spiced Squash & Sweetcorn Soup recipe

Enjoy a hearty bowl of this delicious soup which is rich, creamy (without the cream), easy to make and bursting with colour and flavours!
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Healthy Flapjack Recipe

Sweet tooths beware, this recipe is not only simple to make but deliciously moreish! Retreat chef Catherine of Wildings Vegan Kitchen has shared her healthy flapjacks that still use a touch of butter and a bit of syrup but most of the sweetness comes from the banana… it’s practically guilt-free!

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Wild Garlic Pesto

Spring is the perfect time to forage for this highly nutritious plant native to Britain. With its fresh, garlicky smell wild garlic is likely found growing in abundance in shady woodland environments near you. With blood-purifying properties, it is also thought to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Enjoy whipping up this simple yet delicious recipe shared by our fabulous retreat chef Catherine from Wildings Vegan Kitchen. We refer to The Woodland Trust for information on how to identify & sustainable source this edible plant. (more…)

Mango & Edamame Salad

Get into the spirit of Spring with this fresh and healthy salad we absolutely adore here at The Zest Life! (more…)

Why Go Wild Swimming?

As an avid open water swimmer for the past six years, I have yet to find anything that shifts you into an upbeat, energised frame of mind as much as a cold water swim does. There is never a time that I regret going in, even when I’ve broken ice to plunge or had to battle waves to dive in. (more…)

Why It’s Alright To Have Struggles

Why its ok to have struggles in life…..

I went to another inspiring talk with John Fleet up yesterday. The topic was detachment. I don’t know how we got onto it but he re told a story about  a beautiful butterfly and it went like this….

There was a man watching a delicate butterfly trying to emerge from its  chrysalis. It looked as if the butterfly was struggling so the man, being the kind person he was, tried to help the butterfly by cutting the chrysalis open. The butterfly did eventually emerge but with swollen wings filled with water. For the butterfly to emerge perfectly formed it needed the squeezing and the struggle as it left the tiny hole of the chrysalis to drain all the fluid from its wings. Without the squeezing the butterfly dies.

Sometimes in life when we are feeling the squeeze and the strain it’s a reminder for us that struggles and effort are needed for us to grow. It’s almost as if the struggling squeezes all the negativity out of us ready for new, brighter opportunities. So the next time you are feeling the strain, stick with it and know that beautiful more peaceful times will soon emerge.

7 Daily Detox Tips You Need To Know

With the stress and strains of the modern world we can start feeling overwhelmed, our energy levels plummeting. However with daily attention we can keep our mind and body healthy, lifting our mood, feeling less tired and improving our immune system. Little daily shifts will create the bigger changes long term. Follow these simple detox tips and energise your day!

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