Soul Food

I've come to realise in these past few days that one thing I thrive off, that feeds my soul, makes me smile and fills me with joy is creativity. Maybe not such an AHA moment of sorts, but as I've been trying to finish a bunch of assessments to hit my study goals for May, I feel like all I've been doing is assessment after assessment after assessment... which is true. In and around the health food store, going for walks or runs and whatever else I seem to fill my days with, all I've been doing is assessment after assessment after assessment. Don't get me wrong, I love my studies (Biology has actually been fascinating for me - no joke!), learning new things and going WHOAH when I read something that blows my mind, but it can kinda get to feel a little like ground-hog day.

So as I worked everyday bar one this week, I decided to do a few things differently so as not to get all tied up in stress and continuous worry about the lack of college work that would get done, when I've usually got more than half each week to do it.

I got creative. And more creative. And more. And I loved every little bit of it I feel like my happy pot has been filled up again and I'm ready for more!

I found a few recipes of home-made beauty products from a magazine I kept from years ago and decided I wanted to make some things from it; I'd run out of my mouth wash and it's not cheap so instead I made my own Double-Mint mouthwash. I also made a Stimulating Hair Oil and a Fragrant Hair Tonic.

Double Mint Mouthwash

1 Tbsp dried spearmint
1 Tbsp dried peppermint
180ml boiling water
5 drops tea tree essential oil
3 drops peppermint essential oil
5 drops clove essential oil


- Place the herbs in a bowl. Pour over the boiling water, cover the bowl, and steep for 30mins. Strain.
- Add essential oils, mix well, and pour into a dark glass bottle.
This is only a small amount but shouldn't be kept much longer than a week. For one person you could get away with halving this recipe.

The mints are effective at banishing odour and making your mouth sweet and fresh. Tea tree fights gum disease and is great for receding gums. Clove is both antiseptic and healing. Warning - the mouthwash packs a punch!

The process of making these is what I loved - the creativity of it. I had a spoonful of this herb, a spoonful of that herb in stainless steel bowls, covered in hot water to steep until cool, adding essential oils, straining, adding other things like apple cidar vinegar and pouring them into little bottles and making my own labels!  
I felt like a witch in my spell-concocting kitchen!

And I get just as excited when I make Bush Flower Essences; these babies work a treat if you've never tried them! You can buy ready-made combination bottles at health stores; we sell them they sell themselves. I recently did a course on them and found it incredible, and immediately bought some stock bottles to make my own remedies. I've tried different one's for different things, given some to my partner as well, and love getting feedback on these!

I've made up and taken one for the female-hormonal-emotional-drama-type-escapades (girls - you know the ones), another one I tried for a fungal skin infection, one for a lymphatic boost for my acne, and I'm currently trying a bottle of Five Corners which works well for self-sabotage (I had a feeling that a lot of my efforts in clearing my skin might be in vain due to unconscious self sabotage holding onto the acne I've had for so long; an unknown feeling that I'm not sure how to look at myself without it). When I read more about it I was surprised (although everything is divine timing right?) as it also helps with self esteem and a dislike of ones physical body, bringing about more self love and acceptance. Yes please! Alongside taking this remedy for 2 weeks I've got myself affirmations to say -

So far so good. I'm feeling great and sure other things play their roles but I know this remedy is pulling some strings.
But my blog wouldn't be mine without a mere mention of food now would it!! As you might recall from my last post, I haven't had my camera for a while as I rely on the one in my phone, and my phone was bust at the repair store. I knew I used my phone camera a lot, but I was surprised how much. Still not totally fixed, I can't get onto Facebook from my phone, so can't upload any pics I can now take, onto FB. Argh!! I've got my fingers crossed for the most delicious super-duper inexpensive camera I can one day afford! But I digress - where were we? Ah of course Food! Yesterday evening I decided to come up with some sort of  a-make-do-tabouli for dinner (that is "hey I've got loads of parsley - the main ingredient, but not a lot else...hmmm"). Having 2 massive bunches of parsley I wanted to juice, but realising I had nothing else to juice them with, (good one Christie) I instead made tabouli! And it was so good!


Make-Do Tabouli

1 bunch flat leaf parsley
2 small tomatoes
1/2 red onion
1/2 lemon (squeezed)
drizzle of garlic infused olive oil (I got lazy here; you can use fresh garlic and oil of your choice)
sea salt to taste


Chop parsley until fine. Throw in a medium sized. Dice tomatoes and onion. Add them to the bowl. Squeeze lemon juice over, drizzle oil, sprinkle salt. Voila!

I added this to a bowl of kale and sunflower sprouts I had and enjoyed it in front of the fire at mum's place whilst the others ate spaghetti bolognese.

And then with cravings for some sweeties and there being nothing to have (according to them - meaning no ice cream), I pulled a few things out of the pantry and made fudgy chocolate balls, and sweet halva balls. No pics of these I'm afraid as they got demolished too quickly! Sometimes the experience of eating something far beats waiting for a happy snap! And again I got some creative juices going and had another smile on my dial :D

On another note though, I finished all my Biology assessments yesterday!! I had 21 in total and they have taken me since last October to complete and I am so so happy to say they are all done! YAY!! I've still got a few Nutrition assessments to do, and then 2 exams before I jet up north but know they will all get done.

But I've gotta dash up the road now to grab some things with mum. I've got a few surprise announcements up my sleeve; I'll save them for a rainy day, so stay tuned! All very exciting!! I hope all is well out there in blogging land with you all! 

Enjoy the rest of your weekends :)