Are You Stuck in a Food Rut? Here's my tips to get out

 

It happens to the best of us. We start out with great intentions. We are food lovers at heart after all. We crave the healthier food more often, and are happy to give in the some choccie here and there. We get creative in the kitchen, Instagram incredible looking dishes, that taste even better.

What happens when that food spark dulls a little?  

Summer might 'technically' be gone...

So it's Monday morning, the sun is shining, the air is cool and crisp, and it seems to be a favourite time of year for alot of people I know. It is beautiful, but I'll be frank here, I much prefer Summer. Give me hot heat anyday! So when I got up and felt the hunger pangs for brekkie... this is what I made...


A Summer Smoothie (in a bowl of course)

1 small papaya
1 nashi pear
1 frozen banana
1/2 frozen mango cheek
2 slices pineapple
1/4 cup coconut water

Mmmm... brings back Summer memories doesn't it? Team it up with the morning sun on your skin eating it on the back deck, with papaya rubbed on your face for a morning exfoliation whilst slurping this deliciousness and you've got yourself a recipe for the best day ever!

This past week has FLOWN by I've only realised it's been almost a whole week since my last post! I had an awesome weekend tho - if you do care to know I will happily indulge you :)
I spent most of Saturday in the kitchen with my tunes on, dancing around making a mess, sun shining through the window and by the time I was done I had:

- carrot flat bread
- sweet potato crisps (althouth they're still in the dehydrator coz they were obviously too moist - Maya told me a trick I'm gonna try next time)
- 3 types of ice cream; Choc Chip Chai, Pineapple and Coconut (which had me singing "do you like pina coladas" all afternoon), and a Caramel Maple Maca...
- 2 type of a choc-orange slice; one "glued" together with chia gel which gives it a subtle lightness if you can even imagine that, and the other has tahini so it has a richer thicker flavour

These babies keep forever in the freezer, so when unexpected guests drop by I've always got something to offer them. Now they've got these and last week's brownies to choose from! People will be lining up at my door ;)

I also did some dehydrated walnuts and almonds, made some more seaweed rolls and a batch of Gena's amazing carrot falafels that i LOVE and have made time and time again

For a Monday lunch at home I don't think I'm doing too badly do you? I made a quick dressing simliar to Gena's but a bit different and teamed these babies with bok choy, tomatoes, mushies, sprouts and a biq squeeze of limone!

I've also sprouted buckwheat that I'll start dehydrating tomorrow coz I wanna make some granola full of seeds and fruit that I can share with some friends of mine :)

I did the Spit to Manly walk with Brock Saturday afternoon which was beautiful, but as the sun faded it became dark very quickly so the walk back through the bush turned into a run - bare foot trail running - and I managed to stub my big toe which kinda hurt but I figured it was nothing too bad, until yesterday at work it began turning purple and blue and primrose too! Not sure what I've done, I can walk but don't think I'll be on my rebounder or out running again too soon :(

Yesterday I was at work til mid-afternoon and met a guy that popped in who inspired me :)
He came in bubbly and energetic wanting to talk to me having heard I was the "raw girl" at the shop (he had already read my beautfiul little blog!) as he explained he is just starting the whole "raw vegan" thing. YAY!
I love it when people come to me telling me about what they're doing in their diet and lifestyle, changes they are making and the benefits they feel from even the smallest of changes. I love it love it love it!! I get goosebumps and shivers, my energy levels soar with enthusiasm and excitement and I walk away (usually after quite some time) on cloud 9. It's like my drug fix!
We were chatting for a while about differnt things and he is already doing fantastic, knows alot, has read alot, was asking me for some advice and suggestions which I gave him, and I really look forward to hearing more about his journey. Shout out to you if you're reading hun :)

An intersting trip home in the pouring rain carrying bags of fruit and veg with a purple busted toe unable to keep my thongs on, had my train ticket fall out of my pocket on the way... but had Maya offer to pick me up, then Brock surprised me and showed up instead, and the three of us sat around drinking tea and eating these brownies all afternoon at my place over amesome chit chats.

(I feel like writing "and these are the days of our lives") Coz I suppose they are. Each day is only as good as you make it to be. And I've been very aware of that recently. I've been throwing a mixed bag in each day as I've always been very structured and planned about everything. Now I'm not saying that's a bad thing coz I don't believe it is at all. But having always been like that, I've needed to see if I can be any other way... so I've been a bit looser... gotten on a different train to see a friend after college a few times instead of going straight home to study... went for a bike ride instead of a run... got a new hair cut last week...
I know they're all little things but in the end it's all about the little things I think. You never remember every detail about the trip to Italy you went on 5 years ago... but my god you do remember the best ever pizza you ate at the little pizzeria in Napoli... mmm... the little things

These are some of the little things that make me jump up and down!

- Talking to people on similar paths who are making positive changes in their lives and instantly reaping the benefits; physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally
- Hearing about people's health and lifestyle goals, progress, trials and tribulations, good, bad or indifferent; I LOVE this!
- Making love mess in the kitchen with my fav tunes blasting while shuffling about :)
- Spending time with Mother Nature (even if she does present me with lessons about my toes)
- Sun Sun and more Sun
- Working at the health food shop; chatting to customers, making changes, learning new things, whilst letting my inner perfectionist/organiser go WILD doing orders, writing signs, stocking shelves, and labelling things to a T ;)
- Educating myself and learning more and more and more about nutrition and lifestyle and health and fun and relationships and LOVE
- Having inspiring connecting motivating pure sharing conversations with people
- Jumping into bed after a long day and snuggling with my teddy
- Meditating on the cliff top at North Curl Curl beach
- Getting in the surf... it's pure food for my soul that one
- Getting big hugs from people I love, and from people I dont know :)
- Writing my blog :)


Have a beautifully sunny Monday wherever you may be :)

NOURISH: VALENTINES RASPBERRY TARTS

Have you ever been excited to get creative in the kitchen when you're feeling down, and then putting all your LOVE into what you're doing, even when you're not exactly sure what it is you're doing, to later have everyone try your creation and be WOWed by it?

Ok, so possibly a very lengthy way to ask that question, but still... have you?

It's a strange thing I think - when I'm emotionally feeling like shit (pardon my language there), I get in the kitchen and somehow manage to find so much joy and love that fills my being from top to toe and comes out into what I'm making and getting messy with, which is then tasted in the food. It tastes AMAZING! Just like an Italian mamas spaghetti - always beats the fancy expensive restaurant version doesn't it?

I decided to get in the kitchen on Sunday afternoon coz I was feeling really flat, upset, sad, and lonely. Depleted of any joy really, and I wondered when was the last time I actually got in the kitchen and got my hands dirty? I couldn't remember!! When I'm not feeling happy and can't decribe it any better than just being FLAT it's a sign to get creative. It's what my soul needs. It's where I get rid of the blah energy and bring in loads of bounce and fun! Dancing around to Bruno Mars (addicted to his new CD), hips-a-swingin, birds on the window sill, the kitchen was mine!

So that's exactly what I did. I had an idea of what I wanted to make, but wasn't totally sure so just went with it... and by the end I had these babies -

Banana Choc Fudge Cookies

Top-of-my-head stuff that turned out awesome. Above we have the before shot... and below is the aftermath once having spent a couple of days in the dehydrator.

Chewy, delicious cookies perfect with friends in the afternoon (right Jess?)

And then Valentines Raspberry Tarts.

And what made me smile the most - when I took them into work and over to my cousins and posted them on facebook, I had everyone asking for the recipe! It was actually really nice! Coz again, it was top-of-the-head-stuff! Sure I got inspiration from here, there and everywhere but essentially these are my babies! Looked yummy. Tasted yummier. And they had me feeling yummy.

So here it is;

The Base/s:

1/4 cup ground oat groats

1/2 cup ground cashews

1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil

1/8 cup agave syrup

good pinch of sea salt

Throw it all into a big bowl and mix really well.

The rest of it:

1.

1/3 cup medjool dates, pitted and chopped

few tbsp warm water

Blend these together, adding enough water in tiny tiny bits until it belnds nicely.

2.

3/4 cup raspberries (frozen or fresh)

good squeeze of lime juice

Blend this until smooth, and then push it all through a sieve so that all the tiny seeds are seperated and you're left with nice runny smooth raspberry sauce.

3.

1/4 cup ground cashews

1/4 cup coconut oil

good pich sea salt

tsp vanilla

Blend all these together until smooth.

Putting it all together:

Decide if you want mini tartlets or one big one - and then using wet fingertips, spread your base onto the bottom of whatever you choose to use (silicone moulds, muffin tins, etc). Pop in the freezer to set.

Blend all the filling ingredients together (once you've done each individual step). Grab your bases and start spooning the filling ontop. DO THIS QUICKLY as the coconut oil will set on the cold bases pretty quick. Shake and bang your tarts on the bench so that they even out and become smooth ontop.

Decorate with goji berries, cacao nibs, fresh berries, whatev!

Store in the freezer and eat whenever you need some lovin!!

So there you all go. Unleash your creativity, roll up your sleeves, and SPREAD THE LOVE!

Or try your hand with some raw chocolate... DAVID WOLFE IS HERE! I'm so excited I can't tell you! Tomorrow night is his first lecture here in Sydney and I'm BUZZING so much I feel like I'm on drugs!! CACAO perhaps? Then there's more lectures all weekend and the highly-anticipated RAW CACAO ECSTACY DANCE PARTY!! Wait for those pics hey!! Watch this space! :)

My FunDay SunDay

So one of my favourite things to do is to have SO MUCH TIME to spend in the kitchen. KITCHEN FUN! Uninterrupted. Sun shining in. Music on. Get in my groove. And that's exactly what I did all Sunday.
I had initially "planned" to do college work all day, and make one or two raw things, but instead made raw things all day, and did (less than) one or two college things :)

So I began...

We had loads of corn this week after the markets and I've wanted to make corn chips ever since going raw. Sunday was the day. They turned out GREAT and the touch of chilli is DELICIOUS! Super easy, I'm looking forward to making a big bowl of NACHOS sometime this week for dinner - complete with guacamole, tomatoes, more chilli, and maybe some sprouted beans blended up like refried beans!!


At the same time they were in the dehydrator I also had sesame-chia snaps doing their thing. Something else I had wanted to make for a while, it's the raw version of those crunchy sweet sesame snaps I used to love. So yummy, a little chewy, a little crunchy. Perfect sweet tooth fix. And good for you! Chia seeds and sesame seeds together = LOADS of calcium!




Then this one... WOW! This recipe is one I got off Heathy's blog SO LONG ago. Vanilla Oatmeal Bars. I've been wanting to create this one for AGES (am I sounding like a brocken record?)! It looks tricky and there are a fair few ingredients but it's a sinch! And OH MY GOD! Incredibly sweet and immensley calorific... but it's incredible.



I cut it up into tiny little pieces coz it was so sweet - and so it will last much longer :)


Think oaty-coconutty-sugary-anzac-cookie-like base... sweet and solid... as your teeth melt down through the top layer of soft coconutty-cashew-deliciousness that's sweeter than anything else... goji berries dotted throughout...


And with some of the base mix I made little biscuits as well - they taste like raw anzac cookies. MMM


I took a break to catch up with mum over a cup of tea... then was back to PLAYING!

Brock came home and said he had invited close mates of ours round for dinner... so I kept going... brain ticking... What shall I make?!?!

And so the Sunday night menu was as follows...

Green soup


Beetroot salad with parsley and orange


Cauli/parsnip rice salad with corn, tomatoes, coriander, lemon and lime


Cabbage salad with zucchini, basil and spring onions... but the dressing MADE it! Curry powder, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, agave, tamari, apple cider vinegar... few other bits n bobs


And then dessert. A dinner party isnt a dinner party without dessert.
Wanting to make something real spesh, my brain was going a million miles an hour trying to think of something different...

fruit? bananas? we had no berries... avocado? I didnt want so much fat... but pudding perhaps? left over chia gel from the sesame-chia snaps? could do pudding with that... left over vanilla cream from the oatmeal bars? again that's so high in calories... hmmm... cacao... blended bananas... nut-based fruit pie? layered parfait? sorbet?

All I can say is that with confusion comes clarity... and with all that came these babies...





Shall I call them my... vanilla-chia-choc-banana-walnut-crumble-layered-parfaits... topped with sliced bananas and goji berries :)

Sounds good to me. Quite a mouthful. Pardon the pun.

When you think the fridge is empty.

The past two days our fridge has been almost empty of FRESH VEGGIES for lunches and dinners… yet I have some how managed to come up with some damn tasty meals much to my surprise!

Ingredient numero uno - Cabbage.
Enough said for some. Not for me. I LOVE the stuff. Red. Green. Chinese. Savoy. It's cheap, always available, and the combinations I can create with it are ENDLESS making it PERFECT for when you think there's nothing in the fridge. ADD ANYTHING TO IT!

For lunch the other day I chopped CARROTS, RED ONIONS and PARSLEY. Added a dressing of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maybe a bit of agave too I dont remember. Salt. Pepper. Voila.


Cabbage is a BEAUTY FOOD so rich in sulphur. I feel BEAUTIFUL eating it.

Then lunch today... After a morning of shopping with mum I came home with a very healthy appetite. But with minimal ingredients???
I’ve always got GREENS so usually start with that – and I had ZUCCHINI so decided to grate it instead of my usual quick slicing job. I found a BEETROOT in the drawer and thought I’d do the same. A bit of AVO, drizzle of cold pressed olive oil. Presto! Alongside a piece of my raw bread that lasts forever in my fridge so I've always got some... A very fine juicy colourful Sunday lunch!


Then dinner.
What to eat when mum was cooking a roast! I'd usually try my hand at something along the same lines only RAW-STYLE, but coming home from the gym at 6pm I wasn’t feeling all that adventurous with the little bit of time I had to prep my meal, so again I had the GREENS… got some finely sliced strips of ZUCCHINI (love the stuff of late), some tasty PUMPKIN mum had got for her roast… TUMERIC and olive oil. Easy. Tasty.


And to top it all off… there's always frozen fruit in my freezer so I threw BANANAS and BLUEBERRIES in the blender with some carob, lecithin and a drizzle of agave. Delish!



So with what I thought was a fridge full of not alot - I surprised myself!

Does it get any better than this??

SUNDAY ends the week for some, it begins the week for others. For me, I think it's more an ending thing, but with EXCITEMENT for the next week to come! I cannot wait for what's up next as this past week has been INCREDIBLE!!! (NOTE: I began writing this up on Saturday, so this post is not dated SUNDAY like it should be)

MONDAY I did some groceries, had the house to myself, made some belated Anzac Cookies, saw a friend for a tea, and had dinner with mum after her weekend away.

My well stocked kitchen box

Home made, delicious smelling, Anzac Cookies (not raw - but tradition)

TUESDAY I was out the door before 830am for a Naturopathy appointment which was FANTASTIC - this guy is AMAZING and without asking anything about why I was there, confirmed all my reasons; my bowels, my hormones, my acne, my lymph nodes... and I literally bounced out with new herbs to take so EXCITED to finally feel like I was getting somewhere with all my upsets. I then saw an old girlfriend who I hadn't seen in YEARS and we chatted over tea and coffee having a BLAST! Bought some new nutrition books on sale (slight obsession they're but admittedly they're my only vice people), and later I got a bunch of phone calls from people asking ME if I was interested in working with THEM! I've been wanting to work more of late but was specific about what I wanted, and this week, IT ALL CAME AT ONCE!! Universe working its magic :) 2hrs of yoga and cardio at the gym, I was BUZZING! And then off for one amazing job interview :)

Raw porridge - oat groats, almonds, goji berries, sunflower seeds, buchwheat, cacao nibs, coconut, cinnamon, and a drizzle of agave syrup

WEDNESDAY I was up early again, this time for my first infra red sauna (OMG AMAZING) followed by my regular gravity-method colonic that I LOVE (if you've never tried it I can see you cringe, if you have, you understand my bliss). Then, another job interview, I saw one of my clients, and I later rearranged my pantry from the shopping I had done on Monday (a strange obsession I have) :)



THURSDAY, 6am, my favourite gym class :) Mid morning ANOTHER job interview (the one I was most excited about; my all-time-favourite health food store) and then chilling with Brock and Tsung at the Organic Markets in Crows Nest. I've become a bit of a loiter really, haha, but I figure having worked in the area for over 18 months, I know all the locals so it's more of a weekly catch up :)
I had lunch on the grass in the sun with my friend Beate and we chatted for HOURS about so much it was so ENERGISING to see her. Afternoon bliss.

Raw coleslaw - cabbage, carrot, parsley, red onion, and a tangy cashew nut dressing

Protein smoothie - pears, apple, spinach, spirulina, chia seeds, protein powder, lucuma, coconut oil, goji berries, carob powder, mesquite powder

FRIDAY I ran some errands, saw a friend about some work involving my LOVE of good food, got a new yoga DVD and veged out on the couch with mum and Lisa over PIZZA and a movie :)

Raw pizza - BEST EVER BASES topped with a sundried tomato sauce, greens, marinated zucchini and capsicum, a big blob of avocado, poppy seeds and chili oil

SATURDAY was mum's birthday. Lisa and I made her brekkie and did the pressie thing. Then mum and I went out to look at a garden not far as it was National Permeculture Day. FASCINATING STUFF! Although this womans garden looked a little higgelty-piggelty for my liking :) GREAT gym session late arvo and then... I called the health food store. THE JOB IS MINE!!! And I start Tuesday :) :) :)

Saturday night dinner - Left over marinated vegies with extra yellow squash with my cos/kale salad

My home made raw apple crumble for mums birthday - complete with raw butter pecan ice cream

And then TODAY was the 5th annual VEGAN EXPO! I LOVE this and volunteer to help out every year I can. I was up early and out at Petersham for 7am bump-in. Doors opened at 10am and everything was go go go! Mandee and I then helped out at the Tea and Empathy stall- so happy to have our green tea after 3hrs setting up :) It was SO BUSY this year, everyone was having a ball; the food stands had people lining up all day, the speakers had every seat in the house filled, people were wandering around at their own pace taking in what they were ready too and interested to learn more about EVERYTHING VEGAN! Surrounded by like minded folk, BOOKS, FOOD, fun, laughter, and catching up with friends new and old, it's a MUST on my calendar every year :)

Mandee and I - I look like I have antlers haha

Jessica from the Cruelty Free Shop - I got some new mineral makeup :)

Munching away on choc-coated-pepita-covered-frozen-bananas mmm

And of course, dotted in and out of my week, as always, I had alot of KITCHEN FUN!! I LOVE IT!

Raw bread with nut macadamia nut butter, hemp seed butter and little drops of agave for brekkie with The Sydney Magazine

A Weekend of Food

My little sister had her 22nd birthday party last night and I decided I wanted to make a few tasty raw finger food treats for Brock and I to enjoy, and enough for others to try. It was the first raw-finger-food I had really done and I LOVED IT! Baby steps... next time I'll definatley be testing out a few more things.

Here's what I came up with...

Stuffed mushrooms - celery, carrot, zucchini, onion and an amazing marinade


Bite sized wraps - wrapped in finely sliced daikon


Zucchini rounds with cashew cheese, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil


Crudites - with zucchini hommous


After all that colour comes the sweets...

I love making the sweets (my friend Kara keeps telling me she loves eating them - we work well together). I ALWAYS have a stash of assorted choccies, bliss balls and such things I've made in my freezer so I'm never without. These are an old favourite re-invented and inspired by Heathy's Sweetly Raw

Introducing the Chocolate Cups...

This one has a hemp seed butter/agave mix oozing from within once bitten into...
And this one has a macadamia nut butter filling, topped with cashews



And tonight we had our family dinner. Mum made cannelloni (an old family favourite) so I thought "YES RAW CANNELLONI!!" I sliced my zucchini, used my leftover cashew cheese and blended it with some red capsicum, nutritional yeast (not typically raw but its a delicious nutty-cheesy flavour and high in B vitamins), and a few other things... then mixed loads of chopped broccoli through it and rolled it up... then topped it with a rich tomato sauce.


Oh my god! Yep, IT WAS AMAZING!


And make mini-raw-cannelloni-bites for everyone to enjoy :)


And for the finale...Chocolate mud cake





Buon appetito!!