Chocolate is still plentiful so morale is bearing up nicely. Apparently, we are now only allowed to shop in our area which may put perturbing pressure on my Lindt addiction as Aldi doesn´t stock it. Rationing one´s supermarket groceries so that they last two weeks has generated much creativity in our kitchen as I am sure it has in yours. One single portion of minced meat can now feed my whole family when mixed with black beans and frozen spinach, wrapped up snuggly in flour tortillas and submerged under tinned tomatoes with sautéed carrot and onion. Adding a dollop of yoghurt and a sprinkling of chipotle flakes makes for some deliciously nutritious burritos.
Frustration and loneliness trigger stress responses in our body which put pressure on our immune system. So, over the coming weeks I shall be providing some tips on how best to boost our body´s defenses. One simple way is to eat plenty of foods rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids such as mackerel, sardines and anchovies which can be all found in tins. Other sources include chia seeds, hemp and flax seeds. I love inflating chia seeds in water or milk flavoured with banana or orange blossom water (agua de azahar) which is so common in Spanish puddings and readily available in all supermarkets. Should you be wanting to treat yourself to an immune bolstering Saturday night you´ll have the perfect excuse to order some Omega 3-rich salmon, oysters and caviar online. If anyone at home baulks at the 25,000USD per kilo price tag of Alma´s White Beluga you can merely reply “But honey, I´m just trying to keep us all healthy” ………..or alternatively plump for salty fish roe.
Adversity often gives rise to positivity and here is one such free initiative which I am sure will continue well after the Corona virus is over. The Sofa Singers brings hundreds of people from around the world to “spark joy and human connection”. Every week you can tune in to sing a well-known song followed by a virtual collective tea break. Now, as some of you will know, in Spain there´s a saying that says “si cantas mal va a llover” (If you sing badly it´ll start raining), which is an allusion to frogs who croak before rainfall. Fortunately, as a Sofa Singer, no one will hear your individual “melody” so you can warble away anxiety and monsoon-free. The next session is at 8.30 pm (Spanish time) on Tuesday 24th March. Registration opens 8.30 pm on Monday 23rd March. Details at the end of the article on how to download zoom. They are hoping to livestream on YouTube too.
https://www.thesofasingers.net/
In the meantime, here is Area 5 member, Cris Barbi´s cheery suggestion for breakfast. Send me your ideas to uplift the spirit and let´s remember to contact those in our Areas who are in confinement by themselves at this time.
Editor’s Note:
The video conference platform zoom downloads automatically by clicking here: