Halewood Yoga Retreat - Malaga, Spain

When I got the opportunity to fly to Spain to cook for a Self-Care Yoga Retreat, I said yes with out a doubt. The retreat venue was located an hour from Malaga, Spain in the Andalusia Mountains. The space and view was nothing short but magical. The retreat venue was a Spanish vibe and was located high up in the mountains, overlooking the Andalusia mountains, valley, lake and the ocean. The retreat venue was quirky yet charming and inviting.

There were 14 British women who attended the retreat and it was hosted by the incredible Yoga Teacher, Megan Halewood. Most of these women were not used to eating a strictly plant based, vegan diet. They all expressed how open minded and pleased they were to eat this way for the duration of the retreat.
This was the first time I cooked for a big group like this in a foreign country. Of course it came with challenges, like cooking in a foreign kitchen with appliances I've never used and shopping around in multiple supermarkets to find the ingredients I needed. But overall, I learned to adapt and work with what I got and this was the greatest lesson in it all.

The weekend was so special because for some of the women, it was their first time leaving their kids at home and taking time off to do something for themselves. A time for them to “retreat”, restore, relax and self-reflect. This is a huge reason why I love cooking and sharing my food in this kind of setting. I believe retreats offer a space for self-reflection and transformation, and I like to think my food is a reflection of that.

The retreat ladies participated in yoga twice daily, got to on a couple hikes, relax near the pool with the amazing view and nourish their bodies with plant powered foods. I was over the moon to hear how much everyone loved the food and that they left feeling inspired to continue eating this way and incorporating more plant foods into their diet.

- The Plant-Based Retreat Menu -

Daily breakfast:
Mixed berry ginger smoothies
Homemade banana bread
Peanut butter
Superfood burcha
Fresh fruit

Evening # 1:
- Vegetable red curry with brown rice
- Raw carrot cake

Evening # 2:
- Falafel bowl with chickpea falafel + quinoa tabbouleh + sprouted cashew herb tzakiki
- Raw raspberry cheesecake

Evening # 3:
- Spaghetti + zucchini noodles + walnut meat + cashew parmesan + salad w/ garlic tahini dressing
- Raw coconut carob brownie

Snacks:
- Watermelon juice
- Pineapple juice
- Chocolate peanut butter bliss
- Lemon coconut bliss balls

A big thank you to Megan for inviting me and for the incredible experience. To all the ladies, it was a pleasure meeting you, connecting with you and feeding you! You all honestly made me feel so welcomed, at home and loved. I hope to see you again!

Megan Halewood Info:
Email halewoodyoga@outlook.com
Social @halewoodyoga

with love,

Kaitlyn