Embrace the Spring Bloom: A Slow Living Guide for September 🌸

Embrace the Spring Bloom: A Slow Living Guide for September 🌸

September in the Southern Hemisphere is a time of rebirth and renewal. With every seasonal change, it is time for a fresh start, with this season highlighting the promise of longer days and more sunshine. It's the perfect time to embrace a slower pace, connect back in with nature and find child like fun and joy in the simple things.

This month, we're diving into a relaxed approach to spring, with a focus on mindful moments, nurturing our well-being with self connection, and creating nourishing meals for loved ones.

Let’s explore some delicious seasonal recipes, garden tips, and self-care rituals that bring a touch of warmth and intentionality to our days.

Get ready to slow down, breathe deeply, and let the magic of spring inspire you.

Something to Try In The Kitchen

Spring is a time of colourful abundance in the kitchen, with fresh, vibrant fruits and vegetables bursting with flavour. This month, we're embracing one of the seasons most loved vegetables with a recipe that's as simple as it is delicious. This dish nourishes both our body and our soul!

Spring Pea Risotto:

Ingredients

  • 2 Garlic cloves, rough
  • 1 Lemon, zest of
  • 1/4 cup Mint, fresh packed
  • 2 cups Peas
  • 2 Shallots
  • 4 cups Vegetable broth or chicken stock
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • 1 Salt and pepper
  • 3 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1/2 cup Pecorino cheese or sub-parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup White wine, dry

Method

  1. Heat 4 cups vegetable broth in a medium pot. 
  2. In a heavy-bottom pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat and saute shallots and garlic until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes, stirring.
  3. Add the arborio and stir to coat for one minute. Add white wine to deglaze the pan and simmer until the wine has completely been absorbed. Add one cup of hot broth and stir every 45-60 seconds, letting the rice absorb it slowly over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes. Continue adding one cup at a time, each time allowing the rice to slowly absorb the broth until the rice is tender (yet still holding its shape). This will take about 20 minutes.
  4. At the same time, blanch the fresh peas. Bring a small post of salted water to boil. Once boiling, add the peas and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until tender; drain and set aside.
  5. Add ½ cup blanched peas to a blender with ½ cup water and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Blend until silky smooth. Add a handful of spinach to bump up the colour even more. Blend until smooth again (it’s okay to add a little water to get the blades going). Set this aside.
  6. When the risotto is tender and you are close to serving it, fold in the pecorino cheese, lemon zest, the blanched peas, and the pea puree. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in ⅔ of the mint, saving the rest for the garnish.
  7. Taste, adjust salt, pepper, and lemon, adding more to taste. Add chili flakes if you like.
  8. Divide pea risotto among bowls, add a drizzle of truffle to elevate.

*Recipe and photo credit Feasting At Home

Something to Try In The Garden

Spring is one of my favourite seasons as it means getting my hands in the Garden.

As a slow living enthusiast, I find that there's no better way to embrace the change of seasons than by connecting with nature in the garden. There's something truly grounding about getting my hands dirty, nurturing new life, and watching things grow.

This spring, I unfortunately don’t have a garden to tend to as I am travelling, but I wanted to share a list of what herbs and vegetables I would to be starting to grow later this month / early October for my Spring garden.

Vegetables

  • Cucumbers
  • Sugar Snap Peas
  • Zucchini
  • Asparagus
  • Lettuce
  • Spinach

Herbs

  • Mint
  • Basil
  • Oregano
  • Rosemary
  • Chives

If any of our readers have a home garden, feel free to send me through a photo of your set up! I always love seeing people’s gardens.



Self-Care Ritual

Embrace the seasonal change and schedule some time off for self reflection and goal setting. To help this process I always like to unplug from social media for a few days. Unplugging from the social space helps keeping out the noise and clearing my head. I can more clearly focus on what is mine without so much external influence.

Some questions you may want to ask yourself during this seasonal intention setting time:

What is something I can include in my life for more joy?

Are there any connections in my life that need some more tending to?

What small, sustainable change can I make this season that will benefit my well-being?


Other Tips For A Slow September

  • Spring clean your place and declutter each room
  • Make your own flower arrangements
  • Start a Spring reading list
  • Create a fun spring playlist that reminds you of a Spring day
  • Press some flowers to use at a later stage for some art play
  • Wear fun rain boots - our favourites are from www.merrypeople.com 
  • Enjoy a relaxing picnic with family / friends
  • Explore a new hiking trail

As we move through September, let's remember that slow living isn't about being busy or achieving a certain amount. It's about finding joy in the everyday moments, nurturing our connections, and embracing the simple pleasures of life.

Whether you're whipping up a seasonal recipe, tending to your garden, or indulging in a mindful self-care ritual, we encourage you to savour each experience. Let the spirit of spring inspire you to create a life that feels authentically yours—one that's filled with warmth, comfort, and a touch of natural beauty.

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Resources:

https://www.feastingathome.com/spring-pea-risotto-with-halibut-spanish-chorizo-and-mint/

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