reality bites

So I poured some kombucha into a wine glass on Friday night and Rob told me that I had officially lost it. I don't know when this healthy lifestyle went from being a labour of love to an all-out obsession, but it has definitely happened. Our reality is this:

Noah thinks kefir is yoghurt (hey, close enough!), and as a "treat" he puts goji berries on it. To him, cacao nibs are chocolate chips and chia seeds are sprinkles. Our dessert tonight was "chocolate pudding" made from avocado, banana, cacao and maple syrup. Noah thought it was Christmas, so you can call me Santa.

We've made a game of swallowing fermented cod liver oil tablets without chewing them (it was the only way I figured he would take it and hey, it worked!). I don't want to think of the reaction if he ever accidentally bites into one of those - even I'm not game enough to take it straight!

With his tablet chaser of choice: kombucha.

Each morning, our green smoothie leftovers go into icy-pole moulds. These have proven particularly popular since I started adding Vital Greens powder into them.

As you can see, Harry just wishes he was eating solids already. Your time will come, my friend.

I seriously get excited when I think of all the good things these foods are giving his body - at the moment he hardly ever gets sick. Um,  #winning ! So far the one thing that I just can't win him over with is broccoli. We even call them magic trees and still no interest. Zilch. Ah well, you can't win them all!

And so much for being the crazy one in the family - I couldn't believe my eyes when Rob poured himself a glass of kombucha (instead of a beer, no less!) as he relaxed on the couch on Sunday afternoon. Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

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.

my food: crazy for kombucha

It doesn't take a lot to get me excited. In fact, a new hobby is just the ticket and at the moment I'm all about brewing kombucha. 

Never heard of it? Well my friends, "Kombucha is an effervescent fermentation of sweetened tea that is used as a functional food" (thanks Wikipedia). Want more info? This will fill you in.

Up until now I used to get my fix from a bunch of zany guys at my local markets, but this stuff is just too easy to make so I took it upon myself to start brewing. I ordered my starter kit from a lovely lady on eBay and two days later I was handling a SCOBY like it was no one's business. 

All you need to do is this: brew some tea, add a bit of sugar to feed to culture and leave it for a week to do it's thang. 

That is all.

Let me put it this way: if you like iced tea, then you've hit the jackpot. If you're a fan of soft drinks, then this will be your new crack. And if you just want a healthy and ridiculously refreshing drink full of probiotics and all sorts of goodness, then drink up my friend. 

If your digestive system could talk, then it would most certainly say: Thank You.

just another manic monday

Things are still crazy around here - time is flying and there's still plenty of renovation work to be done around our house before baby #2 arrives. Nesting mode is in full swing! I'm almost finished all of the painting (we're talking inside and out!), so next on the agenda is getting Noah's new bedroom ready which is the fun part! I'm just trying to do as much as I can while I'm still mobile as I plan to spend the last few weeks of this pregnancy either with my feet up or at the beach. Like so:

So that explains my absence on the blog - there just isn't enough time in the day at the moment! But I do have to share with you my latest obsession: raw cultured butter. You already know how I feel about raw dairy so this was always going to be the next step, no? Let me tell you - it's amazing! You can read all about the (long) list of benefits at some of my favourite sites Mercola.com and Natural News.

Meanwhile, how awesome is it that daylight saving has started? More so because our day now starts at  reasonable hour than because of the longer days. Getting back to 6am wake-ups has been amazing. Summer is definitely on its way!

get real

Awhile ago when I started looking into the health benefits (and risks!) of drinking real (raw) milk compared to pasteurised milk, I came across this fantastic article in Nourished Magazine. My friend Cass from Choose Life posted the link on her Facebook page this week and I thought it was worth sharing again.

Ingredients for my cacao-hazelnut hot chocolate

It's a bit scary to read when you think of how much milk most of us consume on a daily basis - just think of all of the coffee we drink to start! It's almost impossible to avoid completely (and where's the fun in that anyway?!) but as always, being mindful of our consumption is a good start.

I must admit that I'm a bit of a milk snob these days and would rather not drink non-organic milk when I can help it - I just can't stop thinking of all the hormones and antibiotics it has! But obviously raw milk is in limited supply so I do still drink pasteurised organic milk occasionally too.

My problem is, when I'm on the go and want to grab a coffee (and by coffee, I also mean a chai or hot chocolate), I still can't decide which is the lesser or two evils between regular (non-organic) milk and soy milk? Sometimes a herbal tea just isn't going to cut it but I'm not sure which way to go. So the jury is still out for me on this one...

hello from my soapbox

I love Miranda Kerr. Not just for the obvious reasons, mind you, although I definitely see why she's kind of a big deal. It's more because of her frankness in interviews and the fact that she isn't afraid to speak her mind and say what she believes in. She's a great health advocate and I totally dig her vibe.

@mirandakerrverified/Instagram

So she received some "backlash" this week (don't they all?) for having an informed opinion on epidural anesthesia. While discussing her son's birth, she commented that she had seen videos comparing newborn babies whose mothers had had an epidural to those who hadn't. Miranda described how the babies of mothers without pain-relief often went straight for the breast. "Then they showed ones right after the epidural and that didn't happen", she said. "The baby was a little bit drugged up, and I was like, 'Well I don't want that'...  I had made a decision I wanted to do it naturally... I wanted to give him the best possible start in life I could".

What I find most frustrating about this "backlash" is not only that her comments were clearly on something she had educated herself about, but also because of the fact that her opinion isn't necessarily the mainstream way of thinking. It seems like many people were offended by her comments, perhaps taking it as a personal attack, but there's no denying the fact that when you do some research, Miranda isn't making it all up. As is often the case with many health-related issues, sometimes we need to dig a little deeper than the "truths" the mainstream media and health professionals give us, to find out what exactly we are exposing ourselves to.

While I was pregnant with Noah, I did a whole lot of reading on all aspects of pregnancy and birth (as most expectant mothers do!). This book changed my life:

It really opened my eyes to a lot of things, but what I remember most is that when I finished it I was convinced that I was going to have a natural birth. Now I'm not saying that there isn't a time and a place for an epidural - and I'm not one to judge - but I do think that we as mothers should at the very least take control and be educated about every decision we make in regards to our bodies and that of our families. No one else will.

Miranda has merit in saying what she truly believes was the best for her situation. I ended up having the natural birth that I wanted and that was the best for my situation. Who knows what will happen with my next one, as much as I hope for the same outcome. But at least I'll know what I'm getting myself and my baby into when the time comes. And I really encourage all expectant mothers to do the same.

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.

health hiccups

Wow, what a week. After a few too many days fighting gastro and a mild cold, I'm finally starting to feel like myself again. And let me just say, there is nothing like being knocked to the ground with sickness to make you appreciate good health. While I was under the weather I spent plenty of time resting on the couch, so not only am I totally up to date with all the episodes of The Bachelor, but I got to catch up on my favourite blogs. And this article on the Wellness Warrior, Everything you need to know about the pill really hit home.

You see, I look at the time that I went off the pill as a major turning point in my life - it was essentially the catalyst which started my journey to health and well being. I suffered some of the nasty side effects discussed in the article (and also the comments) including vitamin and mineral deficiencies and ammenhorea. These issues took months to sort out (and not without the help of my amazing naturopath), and after discovering the cause, I couldn't believe that I'd been putting synthetic hormones into my body for years without ever really questioning it.

It doesn't surprise me now when I realise just how common these problems actually are. And it doesn't surprise me that so many women remain in the dark about these issues when you think how often, if at all, an article like this would be published in mainstream media. But that's the beauty of the internet - it's a way for us to tell our own story and find our own truth - because if I learnt anything this past week, it's that good health is the one thing that we should never take for granted.

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.

my food: freshly squeezed

It seems like so many people get sick at this time of year, so in an effort to avoid a man-flu epidemic in our household I've amped up our fresh juice consumption dramatically. The flavour of the week is carrot, orange and ginger. We're talking a drink full of vitamins A, C, E, B-complex and folate plus important minerals potassium, calcium and magnesium - that's a potent mix right there. Plus, ginger is a natural decongestant and antihistamine which can only do wonders for Rob who takes sneezing to a whole new level! The best bit? It's ridiculously delicious!

inspiration street: pure mamas

I love being inspired. I need to be inspired - especially on those days when I feel like I don't have the time or energy to be what I want to be or do what I want to do. This was my first stop on inspiration street. At the moment, this blog is what's motivating me.

Pure Mamas

Challenging the norm and having a slightly different approach and way of thinking to nutrition and health can sometimes be exhausting. But seeing others living the life you aspire to live is incredibly motivating. The idea behind this blog is simple: incorporate more plant-based meals and superfood principles into your everyday routine and diet. This approach is pretty much exactly what I aim for, so seeing it in action makes it seem that much more achievable. It's a reminder that it's not difficult, just different. That it truly is a better way of life. And sometimes that's all I need to see to be inspired and continue on my journey.

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!

my food: the nut milk edition

Today's glass of goodness is brought to you courtesy of a bowl of activated cashew nuts, some H2O and the humble date. Is there nothing that this sweet ball of goodness can't do?

My dairy milk-loving days are over, and now it's my nut milkshake that brings all the boys to the yard.

And by boys, I mean boy. And by yard, I mean kitchen.

inspiration street: the wellness warrior

Is it weird to be so truly happy for and proud of someone you don't know? Because that is how I feel about Jessica Ainscough aka The Wellness Warrior. Now to be fair, I do kind of know her. We used to work on the same level back in my magazine days - she worked at Dolly and I worked at Cleo, so we would cross paths and say "hi" in the kitchen. I heard her story through the grapevine, and continued to follow her journey on her blog long after we had both left the building.

So why the warm fuzzies all of a sudden? Because this past weekend she finished two years of intese detoxification and nutritional treatment for an aggressive form of cancer that was supposed to take her left arm, and then her life. We're talking daily juicing and enemas, plus plenty of supplements and castor oil shots. She did this instead of undergoing an amputation, radiation and chemo as advised by traditional doctors, and survived. Her story is rather controversial and truly inspirational, and I have learnt so much from her and her blog. She has taken complete control of her health and is living proof (albeit an extreme one!) of the success that an holistic approach can have.


But lets get back to basics. We don't all spend each and every day with the top priority of fighting disease, but we can all learn something from those who do. I emailed this link to Rob one day and when he came home he threw out our microwave. Whenever the sun is out, so are we. And when one of us is sick, I try to figure out why. The little things can make a big difference. Each and every day let's make them count, because who knows how many of them we have. 

why is my life bohemian?

For the part year since Noah was born I have become so much more passionate about organic food and holistic health. Now I was pretty into it beforehand, so that's really saying something. There's not much else that has been as life-changing for me (birth of child and marriage to husband not included) as the realisation that each and every one of us needs to take responsibility and control of our own well-being.


Now don't worry, nothing irritates me more that a holier-than-thou preacher so you won't be getting any of that from me, but I do think it is important for everyone to realise just how much what you eat (and especially what you don't eat) affects every part of your health. I could never emphasise enough just how important it is to skip conventional produce, pay that little bit extra and go organic. How we need to eat vegetables, greens, fruits and wholegrains everyday to fuel our body and immune system. How we seem to have forgotten that food is our medicine, and we can't expect to be healthy and have the ability to fight disease if we don't give our bodies the tools they need to do it. And let me tell you right now, a six-week old apple from Coles or a Woolies frozen meal is just not going to cut it.


There. I said it. I'm jumping off my soapbox now and I don't plan to hop back on any time soon. I don't know about you, but it can be pretty hard for me to find time to cook from scratch Every. Single. Day. What works in this household is a whole lotta planning and a few ground rules: A ban on (most) processed foods. Cooking every meal myself (with the exception of Friday nights which will forever remain take-away domain). Buying organic. Green smoothies. There are other things - bigger lifestyle changes - that I have adopted on the way and are constantly evolving: More vegetarian meals. Limiting dairy (click here for some interesting links if you're curious why). Growing some of our own produce. It really never ends. There is always something new to improve on, and that is why I find it all so satisfying to learn about and so important to spread the word. Ignoring the elephant in the supermarket aisle ain't helping anyone.


Is there a name for this kind of way of thinking? Not that I know of. How do I define myself? I don't. I had a conversation with a friend recently discussing food and nutrition, wondering which would be the best diet to follow for optimal health. Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw... And you know, I think they all have their place, but there are parts of every diet that has nutritional pitfalls as well as benefits. I feel that defining my lifestyle is extremely limiting, but more importantly, it places too much pressure. Life is to be enjoyed, and food is one of the best ways to do it. All I can do is aim to make conscious decisions every day and don't stress too much when life gets in the way. There is always tomorrow, and it is never too late to make it right.

try and buy, invested and tested.

So many good things came home with me from the Choose Life launch and I was most excited to test my strength (for want of a better word) with the Cococut. 

Verdict: a success! I had to watch a pretty funny demo video first to figure out how to use it (watch it here, it'll totally bring the LOLs). It requires a bit of elbow grease to crack it open (two of us twisting together at first!) but once I got the hang of it I was opening coconuts solo. It leaves you with a decent-sized hole making it much easier to scoop out the flesh.

For breakfast we made Sweet Corn Fritters with mushrooms, spinach and tomato, from The Healthy Chef's cookbook. I ended up altering the recipe a little as we didn't have every ingredient and I like to use whole eggs, not just the whites. Result? They were ah-mazing! (Hint: make sure you use plenty of corn. The sweetness and crunch-factor is the best part!) 

I topped it off with a dollop of home-made basil pesto which I made with the last of the basil in our garden before it dies off from the winter frost. 

It is super-easy to whip up: blend one or two bunches of basil with a handful of pine nuts or cashews (I used a mix as I didn't have enough of either), olive oil, a large chunk of parmesan and a clove of garlic. Here's the result:

And what better way to end a rather food-oriented day than with some of Loving Earth's luvju mint & a.f.a raw organic chocolate.

AFA is the ultimate green superfood and raw chocolate has all of its nutrients and enzymes intact so they are quickly and easily absorbed by your body - you couldn't feel anything but virtuous after having one of these! Seriously try one. You can thank me later.

health, wellness and happiness.

Tonight I went to the launch party of a friends new online health shop Choose Life!. The food was absolutely delish and right up my alley - think brown rice balls, spinach tarts, raw chocolate cake and coconut smoothies (some of it was provided by The Healthy Chef and Iku Wholefood). 

It was a great opportunity to talk all things health and wellness while testing out some great products. I finally picked up a Cococut opener for my coconut addiction. Pretty sure Rob will be happy that he'll no longer find his drill in our pantry!

I also bought an Environmental toothbrush for Noah (as used by Miranda Kerr for her son Flynn!). They're made from biodegradable and environmentally sustainable bamboo, so instead of ending up in landfill you bury it in the garden! 



Now this is my kind of product. We go through 30 million toothbrushes in Australia alone every year, and the plastic they're made of wont break down in our lifetime, or the lifetime of our children. Just think about that for a minute...


The highlight for me was winning Teresa Cutter's cookbook in the door prize giveaway. 

I love pretty much everything on the menu at her Avalon cafe and it has been sold out there for ages. I'm planning to get stuck into a recipe or two over the weekend.