Taking care of yourself with Ksenija Selivanova (The Moments Studio)

This week, I'm joined by my good friend and fellow multi-hyphenate, Ksenija Selivanova and her fur puppy Rio. Ksenija is the ultimate jack of all trades. She started her career as a model before pivoting to food styling for a few years and then becoming a Pilates teacher.

At some point along her journey, she started developing a deep passion for skincare and face massages and realised her true calling was, as she put it, to help people to feel better and lighter within themselves.

She achieves this both with in-person treatments across multiple locations in London and online through her Instagram and YouTube channels, where she's known as The Moments to an adoring community that is hundreds of thousands strong.

To Ksenija, face massages are not just a way to improve your physical appearance. They are a necessary maintenance, a tool to carve out some time of the day to connect with yourself.

Last year, she decided to add even more strings to her bow and go back to school, which I think is a very brave thing to do in your 30s. She's now well on her way to get a degree in naturopath nutrition so she can help her clients with a more holistic approach.

And if this wasn't impressive enough, she is also about to publish her first book, which is titled Face Massage for Everyone, a practical guide with step-by-step instructions. Ksenija and I met when she moved into my neighbourhood and she quickly became my go-to guru on all things Pilates and skincare, as well as a really good friend.

We go quite deep with Ksenija, from the traumas that make us who we are to growing a tougher skin against criticism and protecting your own energy. But don't worry, we also talk about lighter things as well, like what must-have skincare products she would bring to a desert island.

As you will hear, she has a very funny and bubbly personality, but she also has an extremely nurturing and caring side to her.

Amongst her many talents, Ksenija is also very green-fingered. Once, after visiting her old home studio for a treatment, she offered me a fresh lemon verbena tea with leaves she grew in her garden. That stuck with me, so I thought I’d repay the favour by creating a Lemon Verbena-inspired meal, paired with Avantcha’s Lemon Verbena & Lavender tea.

Keep scrolling to find all the recipes!

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We mention in the podcast…

Inside Ksenija’s little travel pouch:

1. Manucurist Active Bright Treatment 15ml, £16

2. Bertioli, Water Meadow Breathing Balm - 30ml, £22.00

3. Marvis Concentrated Mouthwash Spearmint, 120ml, £9.49

4. DeoDoc Intimate Wipes - Fragrance-Free, £15

5. Omorovicza, Youthful Hands, £63

6. Elizabeth Scarlett, World Wildlife Everyday Pouch, £32.00

7. Heliocare SPF 50 Gel 50ml twin pack, £33.60

8. LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask 20g Grapefruit, £21

Ksenija’s first book, Face Massage for Everyone, will soon be available for pre-order! To be kept in the loop, you can sign up to her mailing list from the link below:

The recipes

Courgette, Grilled Pear, Beetroot & Pecorino salad
with fresh Lemon Verbena

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 medium courgette

• 1 ripe pear, cored and thickly sliced

• 1 small cooked beetroot (about 100g), diced or sliced

• 50g Pecorino cheese, shaved or crumbled

• A small handful of fresh lemon verbena leaves

• 1 tbsp olive oil (for grilling)

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for dressing)

• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

• ½ lemon, juice and zest

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• A handful of walnuts, toasted

Method:

1. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the courgette lengthwise into thin ribbons. Set aside.

2. Preheat a grill or griddle pan on medium heat. Brush the sliced pear with olive oil. Grill for a couple of minutes on each side until slightly caramelized and softened. Set aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, toss the courgette ribbons, beetroot slices and the fresh lemon verbena leaves.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and zest. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Arrange the salad on a serving platter. Top with grilled pear wedges, shaved Pecorino, and a few additional lemon verbena leaves for garnish and some toasted walnuts.

6. Drizzle the salad with the dressing, toss gently, and serve immediately. Enjoy!

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Ricotta gnocchi with Chanterelles, Sage & Pecorino

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 250g ricotta cheese (well-drained)

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 50g grated Pecorino cheese

• 150g 00 flour (plus extra for dusting)

• ¼ tsp salt

• A pinch of black pepper

• A pinch of nutmeg (optional)

For the chanterelle sauce:

• 150g fresh chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 6-8 fresh sage leaves

• 1 small garlic clove, minced

• 50ml dry white wine or vegetable stock

• 30g grated Pecorino cheese (for garnish)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, beaten egg, Pecorino cheese, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg (if using). Stir until smooth. Gradually add flour, mixing gently until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix. The dough should be soft but not sticky.

2. Lightly flour your work surface. Divide the dough into two portions and roll each into a long rope about 1.5 cm in diameter. Cut into 2-3 cm pieces to form gnocchi.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the gnocchi in batches. When they float to the surface (about 2-3 minutes), let them cook for an additional 30 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon. Set aside.

For the Chanterelle Sauce:

1. In a large pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry until crispy, about 1-2 minutes. Remove the sage and set aside. Add the minced garlic and chanterelles to the pan, cooking for 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms are golden and tender.

2. Pour in the white wine (or vegetable stock) and cook for 2-3 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the cooked gnocchi to the pan with the chanterelles. Toss gently to coat the gnocchi in the sauce and heat through for 1-2 minutes.

4. Divide the gnocchi and chanterelles between two plates. Top with crispy sage leaves, a sprinkle of grated Pecorino, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve immediately.

5. Enjoy!

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Plum, lavender and honey galette

Ingredients
for the dough

• 125g unsalted butter, cut into cubes

• 1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 4 tbsp iced water

• 250g all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp sugar

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 egg (for egg wash)

• Caster sugar (for sprinkling)

for the filling:

• 500g ripe plums, sliced

• 1 tsp lime zest

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon verbena leaves

• ½ tsp dried culinary lavender buds (or 1 tsp fresh lavender flowers)

• 75g sugar

• Juice of ½ lime

• 2 tbsp ground almonds

• 2 tbsp honey (plus extra for drizzling)

to serve:

• Fresh lemon verbena and lavender (for garnish)

• Honey (for drizzling)

• Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Method

1. Cut cold butter into small cubes and place them in the freezer for 10 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar with iced water.

3. Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter cubes and use your fingertips to rub them into the flour until you have pea-sized pieces of butter. Alternatively, pulse briefly in a food processor to avoid overmixing.

4. Add the icy vinegar water, a little at a time, and work the dough until it just comes together. Avoid overworking it; you should still see small specks of butter. Wrap the dough in cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

5. In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon verbena, lavender buds, and sugar. Rub them together with your fingers to release the fragrant oils.

6. Add the plum slices and honey, and gently mix them with the infused sugar and lemon juice. Set aside.

7. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
   Roll out the chilled shortcrust pastry on a floured surface into a large, rough circle about 5mm thick. Transfer it to a lined baking sheet. Don’t worry about uneven edges – the rustic look adds charm!

8. Sprinkle the ground almonds over the centre of the pastry, leaving a 5cm border around the edges. This will help absorb moisture from the plums.

9. Arrange the plum slices evenly over the almonds. Fold the edges of the pastry over the fruit, leaving the centre exposed.

10. Brush the pastry edges with eggwash and sprinkle with caster sugar. Rest the galette in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking.

11. Bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the plums are soft and bubbling.

12. Let the galette cool slightly before serving. Drizzle with extra honey for sweetness and garnish with fresh lemon verbena and lavender. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

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