my life: obsessive compulsive

Yep, its a list of what I'm obsessing over right now.

superfood smoothies: I know, I know, this is nothing new. But this breastfeeding gig is making me ravenous (and also time-poor) and smoothies are the answer. Any combination of the following are sure to get me excited: coconut milk, almond milk, cacao, frozen banana, dates, spinach (seriously- you don't even taste it) and maple syrup with a topping of chia seeds and cacao nibs. Ah-mazing. As it gets colder, I plan to whizz these up for longer until the Vitamix heats them up slightly. Hot chocolate, anyone?

gwyneth: Yeah, this is nothing new either. I mean who isn't obsessed with her, even just a little? She is rad. I want to be her.

But since that's impossible, I'll settle with being her in the kitchen. Which is also rad.

Her latest book It's All Good is an amazing compilation of recipes suitable for all kinds of elimination diets. We're talking gluten-free, dairy-free and none of the fun stuff - coffee, alcohol or sugar. But since I don't strictly follow any particular diet (besides an all-around healthy one!), I'm just using it for some much-needed inspiration in the kitchen. I'll get back to you with how that goes.

thermomix: So I've kinda gotten caught up in the hype and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Rob gave me the go-ahead to buy one for Mother's Day (#winning!) so I placed my order a few days ago and am counting the hours until my life changes forever.

If you've never heard of one, then climb out from under that rock and have a look-see over here. At first glance, it all seems a bit steep for a kitchen appliance to set you back just under $2K, but what I will say is this: you can't put a price on time, it's our most precious resource. (Yes, I really did use that line. And yes, it really did work).

And to those of you who may be worried that an appliance like this eliminates the art of cooking? Let me just point out that there is no "art" of cooking at 5.23pm on a Tuesday with an infant on your hip, a toddler giving you hungry eyes and a burnt lentil dahl on offer to those with no sense of smell. My life will now be divided into two parts: BT (Before Thermomix) and AT (Don't make me spell it out for you).

Seriously - I'm so excited, I could wet my pants. But Gwyneth would never do that.

making changes

Wow, what a week! It's been another busy one and the highlight was most definitely this:

Baby Guinevere

My gorgeous little niece who finally made her way into the world on Wednesday morning after a few false alarms. She kept us all on our toes but was definitely worth the wait. And let me tell you, it's lucky I'm already pregnant because there's nothing that will make you want a baby more than holding a newborn!

In other news, my week of hydration has been a huge success. The weather has been ridiculously warm which works well when you're downing smoothies and coconut water like they're going out of fashion. It's just so hard to keep fluid levels up when its cold!

If anything I definitely feel much more mindful about not only how much I drink but also how dehydrating certain foods can be. The obvious one being anything overly salty, but also meat and caffeinated drinks. I'm planning to focus on this a lot more now, and hopefully it will only get easier if this weather keeps up!

hydration motivation

I was browsing one of my favourite sites today and was completely inspired by this post on hydration. It was a timely reminder for me because recently I've been guilty of some major dehydration. Part of it is because I'm always rushing around and simply forget to have a drink, and part of it is due to being pregnant and the fact that I feel like I need to pee the second I drink anything - not fun!

But I've decided that I'm totally going to give this a go - a week of serious hydration. I want to focus on drinking more juices and smoothies (which is super hard for me in Winter - the last thing I feel like on an ice-cold day is an ice-cold drink), herbal teas and, of course, coconut water! Plus I'll aim to eat more hydrating foods, and less caffeine, salt and meat. Taking on a challenge like this is often exactly what I need to get out of a rut and back into trying some new things in the kitchen again. Wish me luck!

P.S. There are also a few follow-up posts on their site if you're interested in the idea. Just have a looksie here and here.

food for thought

So earlier in the week, the article How Green Smoothies Can Devastate Your Health (which I touched on here), went viral. Now, Green Smoothies Blog has responded with this post. It's a really interesting read and, if anything, shows us just how little we know (or how much we can often get wrong) about nutrition and disease. What I take away from these kinds of articles is that we just can't escape the hard-hitting facts.

Today's (not so) green smoothie: banana, blueberries,  spinach, lemon and chia seeds.

Since I read The China Study (the best book in the world!) I've become so interested in the scientific side of health and nutrition. I recommend this book to anyone who is remotely interested in taking control of their own health, and especially anyone affected by disease. It's a game-changer. And really, these days, who doesn't know someone who is?! My copy is getting loved over and over again, and that in itself makes me happy. I love spreading the word.

And seeing articles like these remind me that there is no "right" answer or "perfect" way to live. But doing whatever you do consciously makes a hell of a lot of difference.

everything in moderation: moderation is everything!

As much as I am an advocate for living a healthy lifestyle, I am most definitely not one to impose rules or restrict myself - where's the fun in that? I like to make the healthiest choices possible the majority of the time, but there is always room to move.

Reading this article on How Green Smoothies Can Devastate Your Health kinda puts it all in perspective. Who would've thought that you can be too healthy - that you can eat too many greens and have it work against you?! It sounds like crazy talk! If anything, an article like this promotes the importance of moderation and I love that. So for the sake of protecting our health, let's not forget to go easy on ourselves. Moderation is everything - so would someone please pass me the dark chocolate?!

a peek into my week: 01.05.12

What I'm doing: Making almond milk. Organisation is key here, to make sure there is plenty of time to soak the nuts before we run out completely and Noah makes his sad face. Technical reason: soaking releases the toxic enzyme inhibitors that work to stop the sprouting process until conditions are ideal, plus it makes the nutrients more digestible. Translation: less toxins for your body to get rid of and more bang for your buck nutrient-wise.

A post outlining this entire milk-making process is in our future. Stay tuned.

What I'm reading:

It's a big one but I am (slowly) making my way through it. Whoever said that having children leaves little time for leisurely activities was most certainly not kidding. I'll report back with my findings sometime in 2015.

What I'm drinking: Yep the green drinks are still going strong, but I'm finding my enthusiasm wavering with this cold weather. I can't imagine there is a (pleasant-tasting) warmer alternative so I suppose I will have to soldier on and start to follow up with a herbal tea chaser.

What I'm eating: My current kitchen inspiration (obsession) has manifested from this amazing cookbook. I suggest you do yourself a favour and  have a look-see.

Tonight's dinner was Yoghurt flatbreads with barley and mushoom ragout. It. Was. Amazing.

What I'm wearing: I'm still not sure that I should be telling you this. In my possession I now have my very own beanie-with-ears. I'm pretty sure the electrician at our place today thought I was a little bit loopy while I was wearing it, but I promise you that I have no intention of ever leaving the house in this getup*. Thank you Sportsgirl for making my dreams come true.

*Promise may or may not be kept.

What I'm watching: The cutest little friendship blossoming. Noah is utterly obsessed with throwing things (thanks for that one Rob). Scout is utterly obsessed with catching things. It's a match made in heaven.

smooth operator

You've heard the hype, right? Green smoothies (and juices) are all the rage. Here's a fantastic post on how to make them. Here are the recipes on high rotation in our household:

#1 This is Noah's current favourite. If he polishes off one of these bad-boys for breakfast then I don't have to spend the rest of the day worrying too much about his fruit and vege intake.

1 x frozen banana
1 x apple (organic fuji's are incredibly sweet and juicy at the moment)
1 x pear (optional, usually if the apple is on the small side)
1/2 lemon, peeled
2 large handfuls baby spinach leaves
1 tbsp chia seeds
1-2 cups water/coconut water (use some ice if you want it thicker)
> Blend in a high speed blender.

#2 This is one of my faves, especially handy since as we usually always have all of the ingredients in the freezer.

1 x frozen banana
1 x handful frozen blueberries
1 x handful frozen rasberries
2 large handfuls kale or spinach
1 tbsp flaxmeal
1-2 cups water/coconut water
> Blend.


#3 If you're partial to a creamier drink, then this is the one for you.

1 x frozen banana
1/2 large avocado (or 1 small)
1 lemon or lime, peeled
2 handfuls spinach/kale/silverbeet
1 apple or handful of berries (optional, if you like it sweet)
1 tbsp maca powder or bee pollen (optional)
1-2 cups water/coconut water
> Blend.

You can always add more greens or substitute the fruit with whatever you prefer. I also like to sneak in a few extra superfoods when I can as they (usually) go unnoticed - excellent! And I'm always keen to taste a new recipe so do share if you have one worth trying!