Arts

Feast & Flow Review

Self Love…and Kidney Bean Heart Shaped Brownies

What says self-love like an afternoon of reflective yoga and deeply satisfying wholesome food? I am sure there are many alternatives however I can tell you that the Feast & Flow event arranged by MIMOD’s Kitchen and Wilde Yoga speaks volumes. At Slice Studios in Parson’s Green I was greeted lovingly by Sarah, the event’s yoga instructor whom very much floats across the room whilst Steph, creator of MIMOD’s Kitchen excitedly prepared the feast that would follow later.

The 90-minute yoga session focused on self-love and we were encouraged to dedicate the practice to ourselves as affirmation of that theme. As Sarah aptly pointed out; the beginning of the year sees us gifting love to our nearest and dearest (Christmas, Valentine’s Day) so now is the right time to ensure we too are taken care of; because as we all know 2017 is the year of body love, err go self love.IMG_2814

After a series of salutations, vinyasas and warriors (of which we were in abundance according to Sarah) we moved through to the stretch and balance portion of the class, which certainly tested the resilience of my muscles not to shake uncontrollably however with Sarah’s gentle touch and encouragement we powered through and it proved to be exactly what the doctor had ordered.

To conclude the flow session Sarah guided us through an apt meditation right after our shavasana (corpse pose…a fan favourite) and reiterated the theme of the day. The flow that we created in the session served as both a relaxant and energizer propelling us for the week ahead…but first, food.

As we sweated up an appetite, Steph cooked up a storm in the kitchen to present us with three courses of healthy and delicious breakfast food. Steph, formally of Manchester where she still hosts events, created MIMOD’s Kitchen as an ode to one our most vital meals, nay the Most Important Meal Of the Day.  No matter the time of day, Steph serves up breakfast’s heroes at her supper clubs and the Feast & Flow sessions adding further to the chosen themes. Previously a supper club reflected on the Big New York Breakfast and the Feast section of our afternoon picked up where Sarah left off, with self-love and heart shaped kidney bean browns which sparkled. Need I say more?

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In addition, the first course pickings included apple and almond butter with sourdough, glittery date and nut bars, lemon curd, berry chia jam and peanut butter smoothie bowls all of which were truly flavorsome and fulfilling. Everything on offer was plant based and mostly gluten free to compliment the yoga session and left you feeling nourished.

In the interim of courses and whilst talking with other patrons about their experiences of both Steph’s cooking and Sarah’s yoga, we cleansed our palettes with what will undoubtedly be the next big brunch item if not already…kombucha. Now, apparently as an Australian I should already be acquainted with the fermented effervescent tea drink as it is being consumed in droves on the beaches of Bondi. Never the less I was keen to try and may now be a convert. Steph offered us a selection of passionfruit and ginger and as one of my fellow patrons exclaimed, ‘it’s probably a great hangover cure’.

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Onto the main course and our choices were cacao porridge with balsamic cherries, gluten free baked blueberry doughnuts with an glaze or a baked shaksuka with fermented cashew cheese and homemade flatbread. My choice was the latter and I was not disappointed, maximum flavor with the little kick and a new variety of cheese to add to my obsession.

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On account of Steph having pre-prepared the doughnuts and many of us siding with shaksuka for mains, we rounded the afternoon off with a shared dessert and delighted in the blueberry morsels. Let’s face, everyone loves a doughnut and it’s all the better when they love you back.

In testament to their theme, Steph and Sarah ensured I left feeling the self-love; with a belly full of wholesome food and re-awakened muscles reminding me that the ways in which we can show are self-love need only be small and simple but never the less necessary.

Be sure to sign up for the ladies next event that will be held at Farley Macallan in Hackney where breakfast heads to the Middle East.

Tickets are £35pp for food menu and £46pp to include drinks. For bookings and more information visit www.mimodskitchen.com/upcoming.

Reporter: Hayley Middleton

@mimodskitchen

@wildeyoga