Ok- I won't make this some long ass blog with links to go any which way but the recipe you came here for...those sites really irritate me! I do not make money from these recipes or posts- I simply like sharing my ideas and hopefully you like them too. ON that note- I run a VERY low budget site... remember I said I don't make money on this so there is also nno link that sends you to the 'print recipe' page... sorry about that haha! I will forewarn- I don't measure much when it comes to these kind of things- I add and adjust by taste- most of the time. Also- I use a lot of frozen fish because- I don't' live anywhere near the ocean and it's easier ... Also I added the fish I had on hand- you can add what you want but I will say that Mussels make the dish extraordinary! Ingredients: garlic clove- 1-2 or to taste green onion/spring onion- 1/2 cup about olive oil - the good stuff 1/4 cup - about Sautee these ingredients until soft and aromatic scotch- 2 oz- to drink while you are cooking this magnificent meal chili flakes 2 cups Chicken broth ( about) ( it technically is to be made with clam broth as well but I do not like the smell!) 1 cup white wine ( Dry) I didn't have any on hand- hence I was drinking scotch- if you don't have it not to worry it's not a meal breaker I simmer the above ingredients for about 20-25 mins 1 jar of Tomato Passata ( save the jar as you will rinse the extra tomato passata out and add to your pot) simmer another 10-15 mins (if you have time) Basa fish ( ¬2-3 fillets- I add them in semi- defrosted - cut into cubes) Shrimp ( I like the smaller ones) about 1 cup of the small ones but if you want more then add more Mussels- 2-boxes- ( about 2 lbs) I use the frozen PEI Mussels you can get at your local Safeway (don't crucify me for not using fresh- I don't live anywhere near an ocean and do not have time to go to the market and get fresh ones) These mussels come frozen in a white wine/butter sauce - prepare according to direction- essentially you boil the bag - they come frozen and vacuumed packed- they retain so much flavor - and then add them to your pot Salt to taste- after it has been simmering for a while Simmer on stove for about 20-25 mins- if its getting thicker than you would like, give that passata jar another rinse and put some of that water into the pot. I hope this makes sense- send me a message if it does lol!! I hope you enjoy this as much as my husband and I do !

I think I have found the best sourdough discard sandwich bread! For real! I’m gonna keep this shirt cause I hate reading through blogs that take you through pages of sh’t just to get to the damn recipe! Drives me nuts! I will say this though - I have started to not be so rigid with my dough making. I don’t always use my scale and and a bit forgiving. The first time I made this recipe I used exactly 1 cup of warm water and 4 cups of water and the dough came out too tough for me- so I will end some my ingredients with an ‘ish’. I asked my Nonna how much she used when she made her bread and she looked at me like I had three heads! You measure with your heart and how the dough feels! Ingredients 1 to 1/4 cup warm water 1 tablespoonish honey 3 teaspoons active dry yeast 4 tablespoons butter softened 4 cups all purpose flour (start with 3 and add as you feel …. Yes you read that right) 1/2 tablespoon salt 1 cup sourdough discard ( needs to be about 12 hours since the last feed) Instructions Whisk together warm water, honey, and yeast. Allow it to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes. The mixture should get nice and bubbly. Add water yeast mixture, butter, (needs to be soft), salt, and sourdough discard to the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Mix this together - then add flour one cup at a atime and see how it mixes. Depending on humidity I won’t add all 4 cups. I will leave it at 3 1/2 ish. If the dough is sticky then add the entire 4 cups Knead on low speed until dough is smooth and elastic- about 10 minutes or so. It may take longer. You can also do this by hand…. Your wrist will be sore fyi 😉 At the end of it -It shouldn't stick to the sides of the bowl. To check to make sure the gluten has developed enough so the bread is nice and fluffy, it should pass the windowpane test. Grab a small ball of the dough and stretch it into a square. It should stretch thin enough to see through without breaking. Keep the the dough in a greased bowl with a lid, plastic wrap, or towel. ( I keep mine in the same bowl- I refuse to wash more than I have to!) Let the dough rise (also known as bulk rise) for about 1-2 hours (or until it about doubles in size) in a warm place like on top of a stove or on top of the refrigerator. ( using warm water at the beginning helps this process ) Grease a bread pan or add parchment paper. Roll the dough into a ball shape then shape into whatever you want it to look like…. Make it fit into the loaf pan with an elongated shape…. Hope that makes sense 😬. Add the shaped bread dough to the parchment lined or buttered loaf pans seam side down. Second rise for 30 minutes to an hour at room temperature, or until doubled. Covered with a towel. Bake the sandwich loaf at 375 for about 45 minutes, or until a lovely golden brown color on top. Allow to cool completely before slicing or storing. Oops I forgot to tell you to preheat the oven to 375- you’ve got time 😚 if you are like me you would have read the recipe before starting …. Maybe 😆 Most recipes tell you to wait an hour before cutting into it….. I never wait - it tastes the best right out of the oven- you might squish the hell out of it while slicing into its hands down worth the taste!!! Let me know what you think! Much luv V 😘

When someone first introduced box breathing to me I was like WTF is that??? In my mind I thought of a cardboard box and how I had to fold it down and breathe around it... which I am not far off and yes my brain is strange- …. Nope it doesn’t make sense but here we are! Box breathing, also known as square or four-square breathing, is a simple relaxation technique where you inhale, hold, exhale, and hold your breath again, each for a count of four.  This made me think of when I was I labour how helpful it would have been …. Fml lol- I needed to pay more attention to this back then; so read this if you need help for some tid bit of information on how to relax your nerves! Would this breathing have taken away labour pain- absolutely not- would it have helped me gain control of my body, of my thoughts and help me to focus- absolutely yes. This controlled breathing pattern helps calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and improve focus. It's a versatile tool that can be practiced anywhere to promote relaxation and manage anxiety. Here's a breakdown of the technique: Find a comfortable position: Sit or lie down in a relaxed posture. Inhale: Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four. Hold: Hold your breath for a count of four. Exhale: Breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of four. Hold: Hold your breath again for a count of four. Repeat: Continue this cycle as many times as needed.  This is soooo simple that  it can be used at anytime…. but always practice safe breathing practices... sounds like I am saying always practice safe sex- which you should at all times as well- as I digress.... what I am saying is when you are first starting out any new practice always discuss and seek the guidance of your physician, nurse, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have- period! The four-second inhale activates your energy, while the first hold creates a moment of stillness that signals safety to your brain. The four-second exhale then triggers your relaxation response, and the final hold reinforces this calming effect. Your vagus nerve - the freeway that runs in two lanes from your brain to your body - gets its shit together and wakes up and relaxes…. Yes you read that right - it wakes up and relaxes for you! - This triggers your parasympathetic nervous system, your body’s natural built-in relaxation response. This calms your heart rate; decreases blood pressure and slows your breathing down; it helps to create mindfulness; makes you look at what’s going on in the now. It’s like your very own reset button that helps tell your body- whoa, you are totally under control- you got this shit! Here is a study that Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal - PMC can help with stress management and overall well being. I’m all about backing what I say with something that has been studied! See this drawing below for how to do it…. If you’re like me- I need to ‘see’ it to really get a grasp on wtf I’m doing 🤷🏻‍♀️. Giving credit to sketchplanations- here’s the link ( I didn’t draw this and have to give credit for who did ❤️) https://images.app.goo.gl/WsSMWWakzySVbdne8 I like keeping these reads short and sweet.. if you wanna chat more send me a message …. If you wanna try out the breathing check out my website to see when the next event is going on… gemmascorner.ca under the events section! Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of your physician, nurse, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or health concern. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read here. Use of this blog does not establish a nurse-client or healthcare provider relationship.