Cloudy with a chance of courgette veggie balls

Delicious and easy veggie balls lovingly made with courgettes, potatoes, cornflour, and a game-changer: mint!

A fresh appetiser or a light main, these veggie balls will please everyone at the table.

Flow activities

Any type of ball-shaped food makes everyone smile. I think the secret is in its simplicity.

Veggie balls, rice balls, meatballs, and even fish balls are based on a few basic ingredients. They also don’t take long to make. You can eat them in a few seconds, no cutlery is required.

Food is a big part of the pursuit of happiness.

When I experience a cloudy day, I find peace in the kitchen. Cooking allows me to completely switch off and focus on what I am doing.

This mental state is called ‘flow’ in positive psychology. It’s when you experience complete immersion and involvement in an activity. I relish these times, especially during the pandemic.

It’s when you are ‘in the zone’ and these activities distort our perception of time.

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Everyone has a different flow activity. Some people experience this while running, others while painting their nails, others while writing, others while listening to music, others while sewing pearls and patches on clothes (I am talking about you, Francesco!), and others (like me) when cooking.

It doesn’t need to be a major activity. Simple actions work best. Use tools and things you already have. These activities need to be something requiring a comfortable level of challenge – enough to make you focus, but not too much to make you anxious.

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Flow activities require times, the most difficult thing to find nowadays.

Don’t start with an hour, a whole afternoon, a weekend. As with the things and tools, start with what you can do. Five minutes is a good start.

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A mindful kitchen

Flow is a big part of mindfulness. Mindfulness is also a big part of mental health.

When you are mindful, you bring your awareness to what you are feeling with all your senses and emotions.

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I find it incredibly challenging as I always move twenty miles a second. My mind is so restless, especially at night.

I used to think that multitasking was key to success.

I am slowly unlearning old patterns, discovering that efficiency is not always what I need. Perfection can be dangerous.

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Caring for myself and others with a balance of love and levity is often the answer for me.

I am no one to preach and on a journey myself.

I think a mindful kitchen is a great place to start. We all have to eat, at least three times a day. Why not preparing one of your meals, slowly and happily?

Back to the courgette veggie balls

Try these courgette veggie balls. They are simple, quick, and give so much satisfaction.

Slowly grate the courgettes, feel the mix of soft potatoes and courgette flakes coming together, count each new ball you make, watch the veggie balls happily browning in the oven. Slow down and breathe.

The air will smell of parmesan and mint.

Do you have a flow activity? Share them in the comments below, I am always looking for inspiration.