Sweet and fruity with fresh plums, tomatoes, squash and hazelnuts.
Prep time: 55min
Serves 4
600g squash, roasted
160g plums, chopped
170g cherry tomatoes
1 ½ teasp garam masala
5 cloves
3 tbsp of plum sauce
80g hazelnuts
can of chickpeas
200g kale
300g quinoa
Slice the squash while preheating the oven to 200 degrees / Gas mark 7. Place squash in a roasting dish and drizzle with oil. Place at the top of the hot oven. Warm a little oil in a large frying pan. Chop the plums into small pieces and add to the oil. Pour three spoonfuls of plum sauce over the plums. Add the cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle garam masala over the fruits, add cloves. Add the hazelnuts and a can of chickpeas drained. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20minutes. In a separate saucepan, boil the kale for 10 minutes. Boil the quinoa in water as per the instructions. When the kale is cooked, add to the fryin g pan and stir in. Once the squash has been roasting for 45minutes, take out of the oven. Serve the quinoa, plum masala and squash.
When a new technology comes to the market there are often outcries about the harm to society that it will wreak. Take AI, the number of jobs that it threatens could cause a global recession. Social media is causing a breakdown in child psychology. If / when AI becomes conscious we’re not ready to manage the unforeseen consequences. Throughout history, new technologies have morphed the way that we live. Until a new technology becomes established, its full effect cannot be fully appreciated. It is diffuclt to guage how integrated it will become. As a result, new technologies hit us like waves reaching the shore; one innovation after another, each building on the previous invention.
I don’t want to be a naysayer, I think I am quite open minded, but I have noticed that many modern technologies pander to our shadow side. Our shadow side shies away from social interaction. It doesn’t want to meet new people, or chat to someone in the shops. Our shadow side doesn’t want to leave the house, or walk anywhere. I argue that unlike inventions of the past, like boats, trains and aeroplanes, which are expansive, increasing the users experiences, quite literally expanding their horizons, many modern technologies are reducing their users experience and, as a result, increasing isolation.
Instead of going shopping, we browse online. Instead of going to the cinema, we watch Netflix. Instead of talking to the shop assistant, we self check out. Instead of talking to people on the bus, we are on social media. Instead of talking to our family at dinner time, we are on our mobile phone. Looking to rent a room? Housemates no longer seek a match, instead landlords recruit the new housie and housemates hang out in their rooms, on their laptops. Everywhere we look, modern society, aided by tech, is shrinking our social sphere.
In Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell cites sociologist Granovetter’s theory about the strength of ‘weak connections’. Like that between the shop assistant and the customer, a weak connection can be more important than a strong connection in effecting social and cultural change. But these connections are disappearing. Now we do not have to leave the house for any reason, if we do not want to. We entertain ourselves with social media and AI chatbots, we eat food deliveries. Why should such virtual realities permeate our lives? Why were we so willing to sacrifice our old ways of life?
The answer is threefold. Dependent on hand held computers in the form of mobile phones, and laptops, shiney new tech, with flashing lights and multicolours is hard to resist. I have had a mobile phone for nearly thirty years and I rarely tire of picking it up for an update, even if its just the weather. The path of progress is unstoppable with new technology and functionality tying in to fun gadgets. Our virtual realities are addictive. We are only too happy to use our electronic gizmos more and more. And the more we carry out our business online, the less we interact with each other in person.
Secondly, mechanisation is generally cheaper than managing humans, so more and more businesses are replacing humans with machines. The more automated the shopping experience, in theory, the cheaper it should be. Cheaper usually wins out as customers vote with their wallets. Centralised retail warehouses, and global social media platforms all use economies of scale to offer the customer a cheaper product. Money based economies are driving us towards a streamlined virtual world that is financially superior. Whether it is ecologically sound, or socially rewarding is an entirely different matter. Money based economics ignore these other criteria. Virtual worlds have the feel of good value because so much content is free, paid for by adverts.
Finally, technology panders to our shadow side. Our introverted, antisocial shadow does not want to wait in a queue or greet the shop assistant; it does not want to walk into town and browse the aisles for some new clothes; it does not think to join a new club to meet new people, instead it creates an AI companion. Technophiles think they are helping people to get more out of life for less effort, but they are erasing vast swathes of sociability and opportunity. Without physical interaction, being close to other humans, and idly chatting, we miss out on creating those all important weak connections.
Another aspect of our shadow side is vanity. And of late, new tech has certainly played into our vainglorious streak. Selfies, photo albums, videos, all document our lives in technicolour. New tech tends to mimic ourselves, what it means to be human is imitated and amplified. We call, we record voice messages, we compose photos, we make videos of the beautiful things in our lives. We search for validation. Do I look pretty? Do you like my posts? And now AI companions mean we can mimic friendships. If no one else is around we can log in to our chatbox host and have endless conversation about anything we can imagine. Tech takes what we can already do, and makes it better, bigger, further reaching and lasting: the virtual world is full of content old and new, our lives are immortalised on the web.
And it’s not just the memories and snapshots of our lives. As robotics develop, as artificial intelligence becomes more nuanced, we will create millions of robots using tonnes of resources, all dependent on electricity. We aim to mimic, not just part of us, but entire family members. The novelty value of a robot, of a walking, talking human that isn’t a human, is impossible to resist. But just as with the development of AI, where no one thought about the energy cost, there is no consideration of the damage we will do to the environment in creating all these new computerised toys. Our vainglorious, “fun” side takes precedent.
If we travel down this road of technology, anywhere and everywhere, our energy costs will undoubtedly rise. Until we discover clean energy, we should all be thinking about cutting down our energy consumption, not increasing it. Thats if we get that far. With temperatures rising, their could be an apocalyptic rise in temperatures, which only worsens the more energy we burn and the more resources we process. Here comes my main boggle with technology: without clean energy, shortsightedness will take us down a path of intensive technology, and ever higher energy consumption. AI gadgets and gizmos will come to predominate when basic products would suffice. There will be a robot in every home, just for the crack.
I’m not suggesting we get rid of technology, but the world is facing a climate crisis. Various govenments have annnounced a climate emergency. As part of that emergency, we should be limiting, or delaying, the technology that is introduced. We have forgotten nature, we spend little time in meditation. Our neurones have become hard wired to indulge in technology. It is perfectly normal to create a virtual reality and to exist within it, from the moment we wake up, to the moment that we go to sleep. But for all our infinite innovation, are we about to shoot ourselves most finally in the foot? With rising energy costs, will we lose all hope of cutting down to net zero?
What can we do about this unstoppable train of technological evolution? Will we be happy cosying up with our shadow side, hidden away from the world, forever? Social isolation is a major problem in the UK. Public spaces have deteriorated in the face of virtual spaces, heightening the problems of people who live alone. When we become aware of the dynamic, we can buck the trend. By spending more time outdoors, in our communities we can mend our broken relationship with society. We can use social media to find events that are going on near to us. We can switch off the phone at meal times. We could leave the phone at home.
No Light Ecology says that it is ok to sacrifice your time spent using technology. Indulging your senses in a walk amongst nature, in a dance class, or in quiet contemplation may not be as shiney and bright as browsing on your mobile phone, but it can nourish your body and mind. Making your computer and phone last for longer, and buying refurbished products are another source of sacrifice that leads to ecological advantage.
Just as watching TV, gaming, and using mobile phones gives you a lift, it is possible to find a lift in lo-fi, non tech experiences. Some years ago, I had an elightening experience in meditation inIndia. I spent weeks feeling that everything around me was just as it should be. Buildings that I had once thought were ugly were the proper destiny of a modern people, creative and beautiful even, probably as the architect intended. Enlightenment comes in many forms. Today, most people find their light in technology. That is ok. But we need to be aware of how it panders to the shadow side, and that it eats up resources and energy. Switching to some lo-fi solutions for a few hours a week would reduce your carbon footprint and potentially expand your horizons in new ways. Do you dare to shake off technology, and shake off your shadow?
Technology has developed at an astounding rate in recent decades with the internet boom changing our lives forever. The most recent tech to take us “forward” is AI.
According to the philosophy of yin and yang, whenever we do something, good or bad, it has an equal and opposite reaction. Ecologial behaviour has a good feel about it. Does that mean it will cause some evil later on down the road? If we are to save the planet from our polluting ways, we have little choice but to embark on the journey. But what if we solve ecological problems with sacrifice, does that mean we still have a karmic debt to pay? If we aim for net zero carbon, does that take us to back into cosmic balance?
Religion is often blamed for causing wars. It is accused of being divisive, creating mutually exclusive philosophical realities that lead to conflict. But more fundamental than that, is the pure goodness of religion a magnet for death and destruction? It is human nature to seek happiness and crave peace. Religions around the world have laid down values that aim to satisfy this inner unrest for millennia. Inner calm is big business. But what happens when we channel light? Do we attract darkness?
Over the next weeks, in a series of posts, I posit that we need to consider light and dark when we implement social and cultural changes to benefit ecology. Aetheism dominates cultures today because in the advent of science, ethereal representations of the creative and destructive forces of god (good) and the devil (evil) no longer resonated with the majority of people. That does not mean they are not there. But how we manage them has become much more personalised. Unless you go to church there are no rituals, no prayers and no preachings. Our moral compass is just as likely to be the TV!
Acting in the interest of someone other than ourselves, doing good, is no longer culturally assigned. There is no risk of hell spurring us on, no vicar to mandate behaviour. How do we motivate billions of people to act in the interest of the earth, to undertake that risky business of doing good?
No Light Ecology aims to discuss modern ecological breakdowns, and to suggest practical solutions. Quite often there is a philosophical chasm between where we are now and where we want to be. People resist change, and they have failed to hear the earth calling. No Light Ecology explores whether we can, if we use our energy wisely, make change culturally, without creating waves of light, without doing so much good that it repels the very people who need to change most.
Juicey tomato pasta with black beans and hazelnuts, accents of garlic and oregano.
Prep time 40minutes
Serves 3 – 4
150g cherry tomatoes
5-6 cloves of garlic
tin of chopped tomatoes
mixed herbs, salt and pepper
3-4 handfuls of hazelnuts
can of black beans
200g greens
150-200g pasta
dollops of tahini
Chop the garlic and fry in a little oil Add the cherry tomatoes to the frying pan. Once the tomatoes and garlic are blanched, add the tin of tomatoes. Sprinkle 2-3 teaspoons of mixed herbs, salt and pepper. Chop the hazelnuts and add to the pan. Drain the black beans and add to the frying pan. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes. Cook the greens in a separate pan. Boil the pasta. Drain the greens and add to the frying pan. Drain the pasta and and stir into the sauce. Serve with a dollop of tahini, bread and salad optional.
Fresh, zesty and seasonal, this pasta is quick and easy to prepare.
Prep time: 20min
Serves 2
20 cherry tomatoes
150g courgette (one medium courgette)
5 cloves garlic
120g spinach
12 large olives
40g hazelnuts, chopped
half a can of white beans
one lemon juiced
generous pinch of oregano
70g pasta
Boil the pasta as per the instructions. While it is cooking, heat some oil in a large frying pan. Slice the courgettes, and chop the garlic, fry in the oil. Add the tomatoes. Halve the olives and add to the pan. Chop the nuts and add to the pan. Drain the beans and add to the pan. Sprinkle oregano and drizzle lemon juice over the contents of the pan. Wilt the spinach in a separate pan for 3 minutes, drain. Stir the frying pan regularly. When the pasta is cooked, drain. Add pasta and spinach to the frying pan, turn up the heat, and mix thoroughly. Serve in a bowl, season and drizzle with oil.
This fusion cuisine combines the spiced lentils of India with the traditional South American dish black beans and rice.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves 4
In pot 1:
150g brown rice
150g lentils
600ml boiling water
2-3 tsp stock
3 tsp garam masala
In frying pan 2:
drizzle of oil
small onion chopped
80g hazelnuts, chopped
can of black beans
75g cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tsp garlic puree
Super simple to cook, prepare the two pans full of good nosh and combine into one melange of plant based comfort food. Pot 1: put all ingredients into the pot, turn up the heat and allow to boil for 25 minutes, or until rice and lentils are cooked. Pot 2: fry onions in the oil until translucent. Crush the nuts in a bag with a rolling pin, or chop, and add to onions. Drain black beans and add to frying pan. Halve the cherry tomatoes, and add to the pan. Stir both pots frequently. After 25 minutes, the water in pot 1 should be absorbed. It is time to add the contents of pot 2. Stir well. Serve in soup bowls, bread optional.
*If you want to add some greens to the mix, boil up some spinach or kale in a third pot and mix in at the end.
A simple salad, dressed in lemon and fresh herbs from the garden.
Prep time 20 minutes
Serves: 2
100g quinoa
2 handfuls rocket
3 handfuls of lettuce
150g broad beans (or a medium courgette)
2 medium tomatoes
chives, parsley, oregano (be generous!)
Boil the quinoa for 20minutes; cover with water in the ratio 2:1, water should be fully absorbed. Tear up lettuce and rocket and put into a salad bowl. Chop tomato finely. Chop, then fry the broad beans (or courgette) in a little oil, spray with lemon juice and salt. Cut the chives and tear the parsley and oregano into small pieces, sprinkle over lettuce. Once the quinoa is cooked, spoon onto the salad bowl over the leaves. Pour the broad beans over the top. Scatter the tomato over the beans. If you have chive flowers, add them to the top of the salad. Drizzle some oil, or your favourite dressing over the salad.
Bursting with summer flavours, this melange of cherry tomatoes, white beans and greens is packed full of goodness.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves 3
Three large drizzles of oil
30 cherry tomatoes
2-3 tsp garam masala
can of white beans
225g greens
60g hazelnuts (three handfuls)
Sprigs of parsley
150g couscous
salt, pepper, lemon juice
Warm some oil in a large frying pan. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add to the oil. Sprinkle with 2-3 tsp of garam masala. In a separate pan, boil the greens until cooked. Cut the hazelnuts in half. Drain the beans. Add the nuts and beans to the frying pan and stir well. When the greens are cooked, drain and add to the frying pan. Prepare the couscous. Turn up the heat under the frying pan. Add the chopped parsley and lemon juice, hear it sizzle! Serve the mix of veg with couscous in a bowl, with another drizzle of oil, salt and pepper.
Seasonal veg eat your heart out, this pasta dish is bursting with juicy summer veg dressed in a garlic white sauce, brought to life with oregano.
Prep time: 15minutes
Serves 2
100g pasta
130g courgette
10 cherry tomatoes
40g roasted hazelnuts
2/3 can of mixed beans
180g spinach
2 tsp garlic puree
lots of oregano
for the roux:
20ml oil
20g flour
225ml oat milk
Boil the pasta. While it is cooking, slice the courgette, and fry in a medium sized frying pan. In a small saucepan warm 20ml of oil, once it is spitting, sprinkle the flour over it and mix well, creating a thick paste. Gradually add the 225ml of milk, stirring in. In another saucepan boil the spinach in an inch of water (lid on) until wilted. Slice the tomatoes and add to the courgette. Roughly chop the hazelnuts. Add the nuts, and beans to the frying pan. After a few minutes, add the roux, garlic puree and oregano to the frying pan, and stir well. If you have a lid, put it on the frying pan. Turn up the heat and warm through. Pasta should now be cooked, drain and add to the frying pan. Stir well.
This one’s a whopper with 9 plant portions. Combining traditional vegetables of South America with ancient grains; lentils and quinoa. It’s technically a fusion dish with Mediterranean, Indian and Mexican influences.
Prep time: 30-45minutes
Serves 4 – 5
100g red lentils
100g quinoa
tbsp tomato puree
one small red onion (chopped)
an orange pepper (chopped)
medium sweet potato (chop into 2” pieces)
one can kidney beans
one can chopped tomatoes
250ml stock
2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp turmeric, sprig of oregano
200g kale
tahini
Chop the onion, pepper and potatoes. Fry the onions and pepper in a little oil in a large frying pan. Add the paprika and turmeric. Add the potatoes and stir well coating in spice. When the potatoes are seared, add the can of tomatoes, kidney beans and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer.
Boil some water in the kettle. Put the lentils and quinoa in a saucepan. Pour boiling water over the grains, twice as much water as grains. Boil for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. After 20 minutes the water should be absorbed and the grains cooked. Stir in a two large spoonfuls of tomato puree.
Chop and then boil the kale for 8 – 10 minutes. Optionally, drain and mix with the other vegetables, and continue to simmer. Otherwise, serve as is, Veg alongside grains, and kale. Top with a generous dollop of tahini.
Sarasvati Flow 