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Today began bright and painfully early — 5:30am — because I thought the dog I was looking after would arrive at 6:00. By 6:30 I finally checked my messages and realised the only guidance given had been “early morning.”  And early morning, as it turns out, is a deeply personal interpretation. So, suddenly gifted with unexpected time, I made apple purée from the allotment apples still lingering in the fridge — a task I forgot to do yesterday. Then I moved on to ginger biscuit d

I woke up at 6:00am today — a small but important win, especially with an even earlier start needed tomorrow. I’ve been doing well with getting a head start before the kids wake up. By 7:30 the porridge was made, lunch boxes were packed, and the kitchen was tidied. I postponed my morning yoga until after they’d left, choosing a quieter house over a rushed start. Once they were out the door, I rolled out my mat for a yoga session with Kassandra, followed by a hot-then-cold sho

The day began at 6:30 — a full 30 minutes earlier than I’ve been managing recently — and that small victory gave me an unexpected lift. By the time the kids came downstairs, the dishwasher was emptied, lunch boxes were ready, the mango was cut up, and porridge was already in the bowls. It felt like a quietly triumphant start to the morning. At 7:30 I was ready for my workout. After the cool down, I added Adriene’s daily “neck hygiene” yoga session because something in my shou

Today’s mindful calendar prompt was a lovely one: watch a Christmas film mindfully  — no phone, no food, no drink, just presence. Notice the feelings, the magic, the music, and all the techniques filmmakers use to guide our emotions. My daughter and I attempted this over the weekend. As I wrote in yesterday’s blog, I failed spectacularly on the “no food” rule — unusual for me, because I’m normally perfectly happy watching a film with nothing more than a cup of tea in hand. St

Second Advent Reflections from the ChickpeaHub Kitchen Last Night’s Episode: 200g of Sugar in 90 Minutes Last night took an unexpected turn between 20:00 and 21:30.Two  sharing  bags of M&Ms — though “sharing” is a generous term when Nikolaus gives everyone their own pack. Without the natural brake of sharing, those shiny, colourful packets did exactly what they were designed to do. About 200g of sugar, gone. You would never scoop a cup of plain sugar and eat it with a spoon.

Today’s mindfulness calendar prompt was all about not getting frustrated while waiting .Instead of fidgeting, the task invited me to notice my breathing , feel, smell, and observe the physical and emotional sensations that appear in those tiny pauses — the kettle boiling, the computer loading, those mini breaks we rarely appreciate. I smiled reading it this morning because I almost never watch a kettle boil unless I’m in someone else’s kitchen, and a slow-loading computer is

Today’s mindful activity was to write a Christmas list — not a list of things to buy, but a list of the intangibles I most want from the season. When I read that prompt this morning, I instantly decided to… postpone it. I make lists in my head constantly — usually when I’m drying my hair or, like last night, when excitement kept me awake. I had been buzzing from the FIT Partners offer and my tour with Sarah, who was so genuinely pleasant. One part of my mind wanted to jump in

Mindful Moment Calendar My planned mindful activity for the day? A walk. Perfect timing. Today didn’t look anything like a snowy winter postcard. It was definitely not  “Leise rieselt der Schnee, still und starr ruht der See”  — “softly falls the snow, still and frozen lies the lake.” Realistically, it was more like: “Leise segeln die Blätter, nass und gelb-braun liegen sie auf der Erde,” “softly the leaves drift down, landing damp and yellow-brown on the ground.” A quiet, ea

A Gentle Start to a Beautifully Unexpected Day Last night, after reading  Elbridge Magazine , I spontaneously booked a free trial session at  The Method Gym  on Walton High Street. A small spark of motivation — and one that ended up shaping the whole day. This morning began on a warm, nourishing note. Black Bean made a wonderful bowl of porridge, and after breakfast he headed out to the allotment to enjoy the sunshine, while I stayed at home to prepare lunch. Slow Morning Pre

A 5-Minute Reset Today’s mindful moment is beautifully simple: five minutes of conscious breathing . My most important tool is always my breath . It helps me channel my focus, settle my thoughts, and soften my nervous system. I chose to lie down on my yoga mat in a comfortable position. The breathing pattern is gentle: Inhale Hold for up to 3 seconds Exhale, noticing your abdomen rise and fall Five minutes is all you need to reconnect with yourself. Just five minutes of prese

Last year, I introduced a  mindfulness Christmas calendar  at work — a simple daily prompt to help us slow down during the busiest month of the year. Ironically, I was so busy that I didn’t even have time to read the cards, let alone complete the mindful activities myself. So this year, I’m giving it a proper go. No pressure, no striving — just small pockets of presence. And I’ll share as many reflections as I can throughout December. Today’s prompt was a gentle one:  take fi

Bonfire at the Allotment We had never been to the allotment bonfire before , so we arrived not quite knowing what to expect. It started quietly, but before long we found ourselves chatting to a handful of fellow home growers , swapping stories about what thrived this season and what didn’t. The sunshine was generous — T-shirt weather in November! —  and the air smelled of wood smoke, barbecue, and plenty of homemade cakes . It was one of those slow, easy gatherings that remin

October arrived with a touch of gold in the leaves and a new little heartbeat in our house — a cheerful Maltipoo who stayed for a week and brought endless smiles. The whole Chickpea family adored our four-legged guest Trick-or-Treat, Chickpea Style Halloween was another highlight — our version of it, at least. We handed out dried fruit alongside the traditional sweets: little organic packets of dried mango, raisins, and strawberries next to the Haribo options. It felt good to

As the air cools and autumn settles in, my kitchen fills with the scent of roasting squash, simmering risottos, and spiced oats. This...

September was one of those months that felt full in the best possible way — the kind that keeps you moving but leaves you smiling at the...

The day began in the best possible way: with a Joe Wicks workout to shake off the sleep, followed by the Zoe podcast. By coincidence—or...

Friday brought a surprise: a last-minute emergency booking came through via Rover — 3pm to 2am. Chickpea sprang into action,...

Today was one of those days that just fills your heart with warmth and hope. I met a wonderful guy named Michael while out walking—he’s...

Some days don’t follow a plan — they write their own. Chickpea was up at 7:00 this morning making sandwiches for the kids, then snuck...

🌿  June at The Chickpea Hub June has been a wonderfully busy month here at The Chickpea Hub, with the allotment in full swing and summer...