XMAS GIVEAWAY - 2 x SIMPLY RAW BAR PACKS

If you follow me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, you'll know that I am a HUGE Simply Raw fan, and for many reasons. Yes they are my best friends, but their product is far superior to any other bar I've had. They only use organic ingredients for starters, and they're based in Oz. Every bar is gluten free, wheat free, egg and dairy free, grain free, sugar free, and raw, making them all vegan, kosher, and paleo if you're cool with dried fruit. No emulsifiers, additives or preservatives! Winning!

Simply Raw was established on Janine and Sebastian's passion for health and wellbeing, as they made it their mission to provide pure & healthy alternatives to most other food products with a focus on quality, flavour and nutrition - they nailed it just quietly.

Weekend Recipe: The Eat-It-With-Your-Eyes Salad

I luuuurve a recipe that's not really a recipe -- you know the ones; start with this, add a handful of that, sprinkle some such-and-such, and top with whatever you like! No measurements, certain amounts, or weighing ingredients. It's a super easy way to make a meal, allows you to get in touch with your inner tummy to see and sense what it feels like.
Having said that; I'm still a fan of recipes and know them to be of great use and probably the best thing ever when starting to get yourself familiar in and around your kitchen -- especially with baking. Is anyone else like me here; you've got no clue about baked goods without a recipe??

Anyway this melange of a meal is from the delicious duo at Simply Raw. My bestest friends ever, the food that comes out of their kitchen is just -- well let's just say I'm happy to be rubbing shoulders with them at their place on my trips to Syd! This meal is something that's quick to prep, using basic ingredients and regular veggies so you've got no excuse to whip up something of the sort this weekend. Ladies and Gentlemen may I present you to  

The Eat-It-With-Your-Eyes Salad --

What you're gonna need:

Salad:
A bunch of mixed lettuce
Sprouts (snow pea, mung bean, lentil...)
Corn
Shredded carrot
Tomatoes
Avocado
Black tahini

Dressing:
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Chilli

Combine lettuce, sprouts, corn, carrot and tomatoes in a bowl. Add your avocado on top (I love half an avo sliced thinly) and a good tablespoon's worth of black tahini drizzled on top -- black tahini is for aesthetics predominantly, tasting the same as regular tahini.
Shake your dressing ingredients in a jar, or simply drizzle, squeeze and sprinkle one by one on top, and Voila!

Feel free to add anything extra you might like - I find this great with some tuna, a poached egg, or some beans for added protein and to keep me going a little longer. Add more sprouts otherwise as they'll do the same thing! Sit down, say thanks to the farmers, dig in and enjoy every little burst of flavour and yummy goodness your body will receive from this amazingly nutrient rich meal!

Enjoy your weekends wherever you are.
Drink quality water. Eat quality food. And smile :)

Christie xx

The Simply Raw team and Sebastien and Janine whose products come straight out of Bondi Beach in Sydney. All ingredients used in their products are 100% Certified Organic, Raw, Vegan and free from any Gluten, Dairy, Refined Sugars, Artificial Colours, Soy & GMO’s. Highly nutritious, absolutely delicious & always handmade with love!

This is important as it allows us to have peace of mind that our bodies are being fuelled with the most pure ingredients, straight from the earth.

Find Simply Raw on Facebook here
And check out their range of goodies and order online here

Earth to Table

The other week when I was in Sydney, I was lucky enough to be there for the opening of the first raw cafe in Sydney, Earth to Table. It's the baby of Julie Mitsios from Conscious Choice - and when I initially found out Julie had decided to open one, I knew that if anyone can do it, she could! I was way more than excited!

The cafe is totally organic, all raw and vegan. They support local farmers, environmentally friendly products and sustainable agriculture. Everything is made with love, amazing ingredients with flavour combinations that sit side by side in perfect taste-bud harmony on each plate, and served with smiles and attention :)

I had this lunch date planned for weeks anticipating my arrival and flight down to Sydney, and knowing it was opening the day before I left. Total luck there! Those perfect date-match-ups so rarely happen in my world. I was like a kid in a lolly shop with excitement at going to Earth to Table with my best friends, Janine and Sebastien from Simply Raw. The three of us drove up to Bondi Junction (from their cosy beach pad) and was welcomed with big Hello's and smiles from Julie and her team into the bright, fresh new decor of the place. We had a wander around, had a look at all the products available there; books, appliances, raw proteins and super foods powders, seaweeds, dried berries, tea, environmentally friendly drinking bottles, mushroom supplements, and cacao, including my favourite, and the smoothest, most delicious rich raw chocolate ever had, Sacred Heart raw chocolates OMG!! Get them here 'cause orders online from the USA will have you paying truckloads in freight (trust me, I know and learnt that one the hard way).
So after we had our chit chats and admired every inch of the place, we calmed down a little and began perusing the menu... Let me warn you; you might be flipping coins to narrow your choices down. You've got juices, smoothies, coffees, light salads, bigger salads, starter bits n pieces, heartier earthy meals, cakes and more. This is what we had...

Now I LOVE kefir - but I will say I love kombucha more. So seeing this on the menu had me sold. The subtle ginger taste lifted it for me as I'm a lover of water kefir over coconut water kefir, but this drink was delicious none-the-less and helped my belly with everything that followed...

Janine had this salad as her must-have from word go. I have to say, she chose well. Cabbage, broccoli, carrot, kelp, arame, hemp seeds and more all smothered lightly in a delicious creamy dressing. 

COFFEE!! Oh hello you delicious dreamy glass of goodness! I have had a love affair with coffee since it first hit my lips. A barista for 8-odd-years, I've since teetered in and out of my addiction slash love affair as I've played around with my health and tried new things. Having said that... I've always loved the stuff. Give it to me black, straight up, no fillers, creamers or sweeteners. YUM! Sebastien and I share this love for the black stuff, sometimes adding shilajit or reishi for a hint of difference, so when we saw the coffee available here we were in Heaven. Seb was cursing me for putting ideas into his head as to potentially riding up for a daily hit but I said just roll with it! I think coffee is great for so many different reasons, but not when it's taken with dairy and sugar, and of course individually dependent (by that I mean if you've got an addictive personality or suffering adrenal stress, daily coffee shouldn't be on the menu, for example).
From memory there are about 6 different coffee's available, both iced and warm varieties, but we ordered one whose name I can't remember but not because it was only average. This coffee was insanely good! It was a cold-pressed iced coffee with almond milk and WOW it was the most delicious, creamy, iced coffee I've ever had! Def gonna be getting that every trip back home!

Raw garlic bread. Yep, not something you see everyday and this baby immediately had my attention when reading through the menu. The 'bread' is crunchy on the outside yet subtly soft on the inside with a
dreamy garlic flavour running through it all. Served with a traditional South American chimichurri sauce with added bits n' pieces that was to die for - definitely  needs to be bottled!

In all the catering events, raw retreats, and food workshops Julie has done, I have always heard rave reviews about her quiche. Always. Every time. So when I found out she was serving it at her cafe, there was no further thought processes in my head other than YES PLEASE. This was  
quite possibly the best meal we shared. In terms of satiety, price, flavour and everything else, the quiche is the winner! Caramelised onions, olives and marinated mushrooms in a spinach quiche that tastes exactly like my mum's when I was a kid (but minus the cheese, milk, cream, butter, and pastry). So so good!

This was the salad I wanted to try - I LOVE picked, fermented anything! And the cheese on top tasted like a pongy blue cheese (which I always loved eating) it was incredible!  

Another amazing dish filled with lots of veggies including mushies, zucchini, fresh green peas (no doubt hand-shelled), onion and a few others and mixed into a tomato-ey, chilli type concoction of Heaven. And the 'bread' crumbled in your mouth... oh this was good!

And of course no meal is complete without dessert - especially if it's at a raw restaurant! And they are all so appropriately displayed behind glass at the counter so you can oggle and drool, and make your meal choices according to the dessert you've already eyed off - just like we did. Tiramisu it was gonna be! There was also a damn fine looking pear-ginger-caramel cheesecake, a choc-peppermint cake, a nut-free berry cheesecake and raw super food balls.

Here my love of coffee and chocolate intertwine for the most delicious Italian dessert - but made completely raw. So light and smooth each spoonful feels like your mouth is floating in the clouds. The rich chocolate hits the sides and the subtle coffee is enough for any coffee lover but not too much if you're not a huge fan of the stuff. This was totally incredible, delicious, taste-bud tantalising, a real conversation go-er, and the perfect way to finish the most delicious 6-course meal I've probably ever had!

We came. We saw. We conquered.

Janine and I doing our photo's thing with our phones

And we will definitely be back again. In less than a few weeks to be exact. I'll be back down in Sydney November 16th for Coldplay (and more raw cake of course).

In the meantime, I'll be posting the recipe for the coconut cake I made for Brock's birthday last week in a few days. It's super simple and super delicious! And nut-free so the ingredients will set you back less than otherwise which is always nice. Keep your eye out for it. I reckon it will be perfect over the Xmas Summer holidays in Oz, or the chilly Winter elsewhere. I'll be making it again then for sure.


Oh and have you signed up for my weekly Nutrition Notes Newsletter yet? Be sure you do. I'll recap the week's posts, share some nutrition info, giveaways, prizes, recipes, and anything else that inspires me to share. Get you name on the list here

See you there
Christie xx

My favourite things to do in Sydney

Last week I was lucky enough to get down and visit my home in Sydney - even if it was to pack up my entire life into boxes at my mums house before she leaves and rents the house out (think 25yrs of stuff needing to find a home in a box - manic!). I arrived to beautiful weather and amongst my mad-packing that I knew I had ahead of me, I made sure I had time to fit in a few of my favourite things whilst there...

Views of Sydney Harbour are like no other, and my dad was staying at Kirribili for the weekend so I had this magnificent view to oggle over, before Thai lunch with everyone - my big sis Nikki was in town for literally 2hrs between international flights, so we tee-ed up lunch with dad; who has always been overseas for work the weekend of October 19th (his birthday), mum and my little sister Lisa; both who hadn't seen Nikki in months; our step-sister Amy who lives hours away from everyone and our little nephew Callum, who has never met Nikki! So in the short meal we shared before Nikki had to bolt back to the airport, we all had a ball.

I went out with mum on Sunday morning to the Frenchs Forest Markets which are my absolute favourite!! The colourful buzz about, fresh produce abounds, juices, smoothies, Asian foods, natural lotions and potions, superfoods, baked breads, cookies and treats, elixirs, honey, massage, coffee and more! Everyone walks around saying hello to people they know, munching on their weekly favourite and grinning ear to ear. I got the organic green juice I love, we tried new organic raw honey, got the best macadamia nuts in Australia (Hand N' Hoe Organic Macadamias), and the most delicious raw apple crumble from Flawless Foods. These girls are amazing and their food will have every taste bud in your mouth having a party! Their goodies are sold at the Supafeast stand, and what's even better, is that they change things up every week!

After  my market fun, my girlfriend picked my up  for my all-time favourite yoga class; a 90 minute vinyasa power flow yoga class in St Leonards. My yoga teacher, friend, and mentor is the instructor for the class, and after sweating, stretching, twisting, flowing, bending, balancing and calming my thoughts, I leave on top of the world! I'm blessed that I could see him twice more before I left Sydney too!! (if you're interested and near by, he is offering a free-week pass to new students here)

Later on I caught up with all my old work girls for afternoon tea and chit chats before a relaxing evening at home, happy that 90% of my boxes at home were packed :)

My 2nd last day was pre-planned weeks before and that was to spend the entire day with my two best friends; the creative kitchen geniuses behind the Simply Raw bars. I drove over to beautiful Bondi at 730am after yoga and stopped to take in the stunning ocean and breathe in all the fresh sea air I could, before heading over for brekkie smoothies at their place.

Bondi Beach

Me feeding the chickens across the road

We fuelled our bodies with delicious juice and smoothies and sat all morning catching up on everything that's going on in our lives. And for lunch, we were going up to Earth to Table - Sydney's first raw vegan cafe! I know I'm not alone in shouting out FINALLY! We're a bit behind the 8-ball. But it is here; well it is there (in Sydney) and every time I visit now I've got somewhere I can choose anything off the menu to eat, enjoy it, LOVE it, and leave feeling amazing! Julie Mitsios from Conscious Choice is the wonder-woman behind this little gem up on Bronte Rd, and has decked out the place so it is simplistic-elegance. But you'll have to be patient and wait until my next post for all the mouth-watering pics and food reviews, as it wouldn't do it justice meshing them all in with this post.

We spent the rest of our afternoon lazying around on the beach, getting some sunshine, laughing and being silly before the "see you later's" instead of the dreaded "goodbye's". I'll be back in Sydney in less than a month! And the morning before my flight, mum and I both managed to have time free to grab some brekkie together and have a nice long (proper) girly chit chat :)

My girl Janine and I chillin' at Bondi Beach

Brekkie out with my beautiful mum

Remember to stay tuned or sign up for email alerts for the upcoming post and food-porn pics from Earth to Table; Sydney's first raw vegan cafe.

Until then... Love and Light :)

Simply Raw Desserts

Hands up if you've tried Simply Raw in Sydney yet? May I suggest that if you have not, you seriously need to get your butts down to Taylor Square Markets this Saturday!
Simply Raw offers a range of delicious and nutritious 100% organic raw vegan desserts (amongst other goodies) that are absolutely amazing!! All hand-made with love by these beautiful girls, my bet is that they're gonna be the next big best thing to hit the raw scene in Sydney (and about bloody time)!! I did a short interview with Janine from Simply Raw so you guys could know a little more about her...

Tell us the story of how your business Simply Raw was born. And what sparked your inspiration to do this?

The idea of 'Simply Raw' came about 2 years ago. My weak point has always been on sweets. Once I moved further away from processed sugars, additives, and chemically sprayed food it got harder and harder to find desserts that had the ingredients I wanted and the flavours I love. I found that most vegan food I could buy were lacking in flavour, which I didn't want to compromise. I found myself making more and more desserts at home and experimenting with food. I found all my joy and passion in making desserts, experimenting with food and nutrition and seeing the happiness in peoples faces enjoying my food. It makes me so happy! 
Then from August last year there was no doubt surrounding it anymore; this is what I want to do with my life. Educating the world about nutrition, healthy food and their benefits. And on top of that showing people that vegan food is not just healthy, but is absolutely and uncompromisably delicious!

What is the first thing you typically reach for to start your day?

I always start the day with a delicious super-smoothie or a fresh pressed fruit and veg juice. They give me the energy I need for a great start in the day.

How did you first find out about raw foods?

I've always preferred raw veggies over cooked veggies. I love a big salad of fresh cut fruit and veg (whatever I can get my hands on), throw it all in a bowl with a beautiful dressing and enjoy! I started learning more about the nutrition of raw food compared to that of cooked food once I turned vegan. I've learned the most about raw food nutrition from David 'Avocado' Wolfe through his amazing books and newsletters.

How much raw food do you include in your diet?

My diet is about 90-95% raw. I usually start my day with a fresh juice, have some fruit/veg/snacks throughout the day and a big salad at night. I have rice or stir fried veg once or twice a week - whenever my body tells me it's craving some Thai Food or Sushi :)


Do you have any "must haves" that you enjoy every day?
My "must have" is my juice in the morning. I don't feel the energy to get going with it. Come dinner time, I'm craving a big bowl of fresh salad and a bucket full of 'Luv Bites xox' chocolate as dessert. Yummo!

What have you experienced and noticed in regards to your health since incorporating more raw foods in your diet? 

My life has changed significantly ever since I changed my diet. I don't get sick anymore, I am much more relaxed, my skin is so much smoother, I feel energised, I feel happy, I feel balanced and the most important part: I feel healthy! Note: There is a significant difference from organic food and non organic food. Vegan is not = Vegan. It is a lifestyle choice. To get the best result: 1. Buy organic  
2. Eat as much raw as possible 3. Keep fit  4. Keep your nutritional levels up  5. Find your balance and happiness 6. Make sure you focus on 'Number One' (YOU)

Can you give us your most creative and delicious vegan snack idea?

My favorite snacks are fruit and chocolate desserts, preferably with super-foods. They are perfect as an "on the go" snack or whenever you feel the urge. They are delicious, packed with nutrition, energising and healthy. I always have some in my pocket. In regards to fresh fruit and veg: I love anything that's fresh and raw. Absolute favorites: Coconut, Avocado, Mango, Apples and Carrot.

When you first went vegan, what was the most challenging aspect of your new lifestyle? How did you overcome those obstacles?

When I first went vegan, the biggest challenge was to understand ingredients, understand their effect on your body, read all the labels on products you buy and getting to know the variety of amazing food that's out there in the world to explore. You need to face the challenge and start listening to your body. Your body will tell you what food it's craving. Follow and listen to as many like-minded people as possible and share experiences. I've been vegan for 6 years now, read a lot of books and follow a lot of inspiring raw vegan people all over the world; and I'm still learning every day. There is so much out there!

Have there been any books or people that have been of great inspiration to you on your journey?

I first began reading books from various vegan authors; the main person that inspired me and taught me the most I know about nutrition, raw food and its benefits is David Wolfe. He taught me to appreciate and enjoy the treasures that are full of delicious nutrition our earth is spoiling us with. 

Words to live by…

Happiness, Passion, Love, Friendship, Dreams, Support, Sharing. 

About Janine:
Janine is the founder of delicious organic raw vegan desserts 'Simply Raw', which focuses on high nutrition, and the amazing benefits of raw food without compromising flavour. Janine has been vegan for over 6 years. Inspired from vegan enterpreneurs all over the world, her focus is on educating and sharing her knowledge about vegan goodness and its benefits through her delicious food.


If you'd like to get your hands on some of these, pop down to Taylor Square Markets this Saturday and mention 'eat-more-plants' for a 10% discount. Or choose your poison  here and email the girls for your special order.