This is one of the best salad plates you'll ever have to learn. Simply, because you don't really have to learn anything at all. So long as you have some fresh produce around, then you'll be able to throw something like this together any evening. I have however, for ease and education, given this recipe as a foundation to create amazing summer salads for lazy evenings, or for when you need to impress friends with limited time.  The key is to always have a few staples on hand. I always have a jar of tahini in the pantry, a good quality cold-pressed oil like hemp, avocado or organic olive, and a range of nuts, seeds and ancient grains in the pantry. From there all you need is seasonal produce which can vary widely to suit all your tastes, and then optional haloumi, meat of your choice or salmon to add some protein. To keep this vegan, simply add some nutritional yeast and an extra serving of mixed nuts and seeds or throw home made falafel together to serve.  Salad plate (recipe serves 4) You are welcome to create this on each plate by spreading the ingredients evenly across 4 plates,...

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Highly processed breads are being avoided by more and more people and for great reason. Being so heavily refined, and with almost zero health benefits, people are making the choice to use more nutrient dense whole foods in their lifestyle instead, and reaping the benefits of nourishing fats, quality plant protein and tasty options.  The Midnight Baker has shaken the system and has been sending her amazing loaf of seed and nut bread around Auckland and even opened her own cafe where her perfect toast is on the menu in so many stunning ways. Vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free is totally the new black.  If you are not in Auckland and have to make your own then you can find a great recipe here I created with inspiration from other seed loving nutritionists, and below I look at a sweet and savoury option you can choose to top yours with.    For the savoury lover - Miso, avocado and edemame smash with chargrilled broccoli This is undeniably one of my favourite combinations. It works perfectly at any meal of the day and you can even add your own hand-smoked bacon or a poached egg if you eat either. A great calcium source...

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We all know how amazing a well made raw cheesecake is, but it's quite daunting to make our own sometimes. Our guest recipe this week comes from a very talented nutritionist, blogger and dietician in the making Amanda Whitford, and it is simple and fast to create.  Dairy, refined sugar and gluten free for a decadent yet healthy option to share with good friends, raw vegan desserts are in fact a great chemical free alternative to traditional cheesecakes and ice creams - especially great to share on these warmer evenings.  Base 1 cup ground almonds3/4 cup raw almonds, soaked for an hour3/4 cup dates, soaked and drained1 tablespoon cacao powder1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Place almond meal nuts and cacao in a food processor and process until combined. Add the other ingredients and blend until the mixture forms a ball. You may need to break this up and re blend if it is not well mixed – depends how good the food processor is. Press this mix into the base of a lined loose bottomed cake tin (I only line the bottom). Filling 3.5 cups soaked raw cashews (at least 4 hours of soaking)3/4 cup cacao powder, or pure cocoa...

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Have you set goals that look great but you're not making the progress you thought you'd be? Sometimes it takes more than a few less potato chips and more boot camps to really start to move those unwanted kilos but what if you think you're on the right track, but something is still missing? What most people don't realise about losing weight is that it is often limited or negatively affected by exposure to toxins, gut health, processed foods, sleep quality, and most importantly stress. If you're one of those very common people who may binge one evening and then feel guilty about it for days, starving yourself to "un-do" that one night, then you're actually putting more stress on your body and doing more damage than that burger and ice cream did at the time. What is important is creating a mindset that moves away from negatives, long lists of food to avoid, and rules you'll just break. Instead you need to focus on self-love, healing, and nourishing your body from the inside out. You can't see positive changes on the outside, if you're not creating positive changes on the inside - both mentally and physically.  What are the top three common...

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  Our favourite foodie heaven in Melbourne You can read a top 10 favourite places to go in Melbourne written by 5 different people and you'll find it rare to have the same thing twice. That isn't because we don't all agree, it is simply because you're so spoiled for choice when you eat and drink your way through Melbourne's stunning city, beautiful botanic gardens and ultra-cool suburbs.  If you're heading there soon then Chantal wrote just a few suggestions of places to go below, and while there are so many amazing choices, here are some awesome suggestions on where to start. 1. Vegie Bar(Official Page) Brunswick St, is by far one of the best (and most affordable) vegetarian and vegan restaurants. Don't stress if there is is a waiting list, just relax in the back bar with a kombucha cocktail. 2. Drugstore Espresso on Toorak Rd gave me the best brekkie ever. Beetroot and quinoa fritters on pumpkin and cauli purée, great coffee and epic service. If you're staying in South Yarra like we were, then this can't be missed and is an easy 3 minute walk to Chapel Street. 3. Take a trip up to the slightly secret 55th floor...

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The GOOD and the BAD you should expect on your health journey. It's common to start your weight loss or feel great journey with a real bang and expect to feel amazing, to kick ass, and to look how you want to within a few weeks only. The reality is often the complete opposite, so we touch on some of the good and the bad expectations of your health journey.  A couple of important things we want everyone to understand is that health is most definitely not a box that once you're there, you'll just hang out with all the other healthy people forever, happily ever after. More realistically it is a terrain full of obstacles and hurdles that for every step closer you get to "healthy" the goals change and the direction you need to travel is different to last week.  THE BAD It's not easy.  In fact, sometimes it feels damn near impossible. Someone brought some ice cream over, and you promised yourself you wouldn't have any, but two bowls in, you're feeling awful, yet still spooning more into your mouth. It happens, but it is important to figure out to get over it.  It hurts.  Starting out is...

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We completely understand how miserable winter training can be when you have to battle to get out of your warm bed. We know you're often battling headaches and a constant runny nose that even a pre-school child would have trouble competing with. We also know that the idea of a pie, a burger, and a second glass of wine with your chocolate sounds better and tastier in the winter than a spinach smoothie or another kale salad. BUT we also know that once you've warmed up, exercise makes you feel better and fight illness. We know that the feeling of walking out of the gym with a post-sweat glow is much better than the feeling of regret for another endorphin hit missed. We know that hot soups, warming vegetable based slow cooker meals, and homemade cereals can be just as healthy as the colder choices you'd enjoy in the summer.We want to encourage you to feel better, stronger, fitter and more energetic this winter, than any other winter. We want you to do this by regular movement and by quality whole foods, vegetable juices and some self-love! Why it matters more to maintain regular movement and healthy eating habits in...

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We all love the sweet smell and wonderfully bitter taste of that perfect espresso mixed seductively with velvety milk, but it should be the enjoyment of the taste and association we go back for, not the requirement to function. So how do we keep our addiction in check? Caffeine itself is a stimulant that releases small amounts of adrenaline into your blood. It blocks receptors in your brain responsible for fatigue and drowsiness which can be incredibly handy when you need to be alert and focused on a task, but it is not so helpful when you are trying to sleep. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter released in your brain when you consume coffee, and it is responsible for feel good aspects in your body; often referred to as your brain’s happy-drug. It is also released when you laugh and when you exercise so if you combine good coffee with good friends, your mood can be elevated by a simple $4 cup of joy. What are the negatives?Everyone has different levels of caffeine tolerance and while some can build this up over weeks or years of increased caffeine intake, my recommendation is to keep your tolerance low. If you consume more than required; like many...

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