When things get touch or feel a bit too full on, one of the best recipes to find my grounding again is cooking wholesome food. Vegetarian needless to say, no need to create bad karma to nourish our body, minds and souls;) As such, our weeks in Crete saw me dig deeper into the Galley than for most of the summer. Here’s a few shots and some of the related recipes. Hope you enjoy that too and please share if you’ve got boat-handy (read easy, simple) recipes on the go!

SIMPLE BARLEY RISOTTO

For the barley risotto, soak the barley over night, rinse, bring it to boil in some vegie broth, then leave to stand with the lid on. It will cook through by itself without needing more gas/heating. In a frying pan, gently stir fry your favourite vegetables in olive oil. I like to keep them a bit crunchy which not only tastes good but also keep more of the delicious vitamin and minerals alive. Season with Himalayan rock salt and pepper, plus fresh basil, dill, parsley and/or oregano if you have. Mix in the barley and enjoy. For a slightly fancier version, grill some mushrooms and scooped out round zuchini’s (could try peppers and tomatoes too!) with a lid sliced of, then fill these veggies with the barley risotto and serve with a fresh salad. For the fancy salad version, peel a cucumber length wise and wrap it around a salad, holding it together with a tooth pick to create a little salad loop or mandala. Eyes eat too, right? And whilst on a boat, practical and simple are the main mantras, sometimes it’s necessary to check whether some fancy tools still work.