hey mum, make this smoothie

For lunch today I had a piece of toast with avocado, a piece of toast with chocolate coconut butter, and this smoothie. I created it about a week ago and have had it almost every day since.

The recipe: 1 or 2 bushels of kale (tear the leaves off the stalk), some cold water, 1/2 frozen banana, some almond or rice milk, maca powder, cacao power, stevia powder, cinnamon, flaxseed oil and some cacao nibs. Blend the kale and water first, then add other ingredients and blend again.

Just like a chocolate milkshake, only with added kale. Plus, you get the knowledge that no lovely cows were harmed or even utilised at all in the making of this delicious smoothie. Yay!

Good to see you today, Mum!

fun workplace

It has been an interesting few days, and I admit that I haven't been in the best form ever (the glandy is still getting the better of me!), but yesterday totally cheered me up.

My colleague/friend Cheynee turns the ripe old age of 24 today, so yesterday we celebrated at work. My boss Megan organised a "high tea" in the break room (she spent the night before work baking up a storm- what a champ), and get this: IT WAS ALL VEGAN. Now, I am the only vegan in the team, everyone else is happily omnivorous, so it felt very special and meant a lot to me that I could join in on the fun. I love birthdays.

The delicacies included spinach and "cheese" pastries, vanilla cupcakes, cucumber sandwiches and spa water to wash it all down with. It was amazing, and I may or may not have eaten so much that I had to sleep it off during my break. Yesterday was extremely indulgent...I think I might have to eat lots of vegetables in the next few days to balance it out. Happy to do so, and it was totes worth it.

French theme, very cute

Happy birthday Cheynee!

lovely weekend

I had an excellent weekend, and am on day three of my "no processed foods or crap sugar" run. So far it is going well. I am starting my day today with a large glass of warm water with half a lemon squeezed into it- it is one of my big organic lemons, and it meant business! Left actual froth in my glass and the water is pale yellow. A lot different to the lemon water that I make with supermarket lemons, which hardly leave a trace.

I have been sticking to whole foods like kale, sweet potato, buckwheat, fruit, seeds, sprouted bread and vegetable soups. I feel pretty good- I even had the energy to go to the gym twice in a row, which hardly ever happens these days!

Yesterday my  fiance (I just like saying "fiance," and soon I will be able to say "husband," OMFG!) treated me to a day full of things that I wanted to do, and it was wonderful. I got a massage, we ate sweet potato fries, he did my washing, we watched a film...very fun and lovely indeed. He is the best. I love him. Obviously. The day before yesterday I got a much-needed haircut from my good friend Cheynee (she brought her tools and gave me a haircut in the comfort of my own kitchen- very cool), which also helped make it the best weekend ever. It looks awesome, and that is not something I very often feel about my hair. She will now be on permanent hairdresser emergency call for me- thanks, Cheynee!

The film Luke and I watched was "Warm Bodies" with Teresa Palmer and Nicholas Hoult, and it was deeply moving to me. It could be loosely described as a zombie romance, but it is SO much more that that. There were parts of it where I had tears in my eyes. A lot of parts, actually. Watch it now, preferably with a loved one by your side and a delicious bowl of vegan snacks in your lap, and do yourself/your heart/your brain a favour.

Now I am going to go get some nice wholegrain hot cereal and do a spot of reading in bed before starting my day. Yoga tonight, too- woo hoo!

Try to look at the nice hair, not the "Blue Steel" facial expression!

Leftover hot cereal for breakfast

sugar crash

Today I went crazy and devoured a tonne of chocolate-chip cookies (vegan, of course!) over the course of the day. Also, there were no surprises: as a result I also felt lethargic, unmotivated and slightly flu-ey and unwell. I spent most of the day feeling crappy in bed, emerged to read and eat, and thankfully managed to drag myself to go for a walk with my brother.

To combat any further feelings of ill health, I will have a bit of a sugar detox week, or at least a few days (three minimum!). I just detest the way that once I start eating something crappy and sugary I find it really hard to stop eating it. As I tell my clients who also struggle with the power that sugar has over them, simply- SUGAR IS LIKE CRACK. Best to just avoid it best you can and save yourself the trouble. As I plan to.

I want the next few days to clean me up and comprise mostly of greens, other vegetables, complex carbohydrates like brown rice and sweet potato, some nice breakfast grains with fruit, as well as nuts, seeds and a bit of healthy oil. I am a coconut oil fanatic (admittedly after a few years of skepticism). To hydrate myself: water with lemon juice- a lovely client gifted me with a giant bag of organic lemons from her tree, so there are no excuses there- apple cider vinegar, herbal teas (including chai, I don't mind minimal caffeine), and green smoothies. Off the list: processed food (including those damn cookies!) with the exception of raw food bars. I will avoid bread for the next few days as well. I just need to feel good in my body again.

Me and my lovely fur baby

Sandwich with tahini, sultanas, carrot and sprouts

sleep, work, chia seeds

Vegan update: still loving it! And staying strict about it, which I also weirdly love. Today I walked into work and there were (non-vegan) cupcakes everywhere! Now, they looked incredible, I love cupcakes, but it didn't even feel like a test of willpower or anything. I was expecting it to be harder to give up some of the foods I ate before, but it just...isn't hard. I am vegan now, I do not eat lovely animals or their products, and that food item therefore does not appeal to me. Plus I don't really want nasty refined sugars and flours in my body right now, as I am doing my best to eat mostly wholefoods, look after myself and get better.

I had a good day today, I just felt pretty happy even though I am having some sort of weird glandy relapse or something. Woke up, ate Crocodile Crunch for breakfast with a coffee, had a shower, took my little Toto for a brisk walk in the nice winter sunshine, had a nap, and went off to work. I was quite productive there as well which I felt pleased about.

Now I am baking some vegan black bean brownies to bring to work tomorrow for Grace's birthday celebrations. We have a meeting, but instead of talking business the whole time we might just eat and giggle for a while, then talk business. I have a really awesome team and I love my workplace.

Sneaking some chia pudding in between clients

I put some almond butter in there too

monday

Today was pretty busy, even though I didn't have work today. I got up, ate some delicious "pink oats" for breakfast, showered, dressed and started my day.

First stop was going to the government shopfront (which I always dread, for no logical reason) to renew my driver's licence. Such a grown up! The photograph didn't look so hot but I am not enough of a fusspot to get it taken again. And I suppose I will have to get it renewed in seven months or so when I get married and change my surname anyway, so who cares?

Next was spending time with one of my best girls, Grace! It was her 23rd birthday today, so we had an extremely low-key hang out to celebrate. We chatted, drank green smoothies, ate a plain bowl of brown rice (which sounds boring but is actually delicious) and watched "Bridesmaids." Grace and I are both kind of low-maintenance so it was a good day.

Multitasking

Bottom's up!

coconut water

Well. I haven't written in a couple of days as honestly I have been feeling really emotional and prone to upset and didn't feel like communicating. I think the focus this week will have to be staying calm and doing simple activities that relax and rejuvenate my brain, like cooking and patting the dog. Seriously, I have been a total nutcase. Sorry Luke. I love you so much.

Perhaps the plan this week could look a bit like this: I will have a nice bath with Epsom salts and candles, up the green smoothie intake, get some light exercise (yoga class on Monday!) and spray my Australian Bushflower Essences "Space Clearing" mist around my bedroom and study area. I really like the idea of eliminating negative energy, which leads me to...mala beads!

I have been beyond obsessed with these mala beads from Tiny Devotions, and after a month or so of intense deliberation I decided yesterday to make a purchase (even though I strongly suspected that the purchase would send me into near-financial ruin, which it did: I am such an idiot).

Thankfully the mala I chose contains a dalmatian jasper stone, which is said to be nurturing and promote healing as well as protecting against depression and negative thinking. Jaspers are also supposed to help with boosting the immune system and detoxing the body, which is a bonus for me as I am still suffering from the effects of glandular fever and it has been a pretty rough year physically. Plus, the mala itself is BEAUTIFUL. I had narrowed my choices down to four, but the dalmatian jasper just pulled me in and I just felt it was the one for me. Sweet.

An afternoon treat

Even though I have been a total mess, I got my shit together and had my parents over for dinner last night and it was lovely. I made pumpkin soup with some olive sourdough bread from the food market, and chased it up with a raw avocado cheesecake (I know, I make it a lot, but it is amazing!). I always like having them over because Dad is super busy with work and university, and Mum is always cooking for everyone else, so it is my way of nurturing them back. Hi Mum! Thanks for coming over and eating my vegan food!

The bonus of giving some love to people through the medium of cooking dinner is that I got to keep all the leftovers. The fridge is stocked with delicious homemade vegan food now. Winning.

bleargh

I feel so sick today! Why is my face so puffy? The lymph nodes in my neck feel like brazil nuts. My throat hurts. I want to go back to bed and I only just got up. Thoughts of the day.

Anyhoo. Last night Luke ended up getting me vegan takeaway for dinner, which is very much a treat! So that was nice. He got himself some Subway and we settled in for the night and watched "The Breakfast Club." I think I ate way too much processed food yesterday though, so I am going to try and have a fairly clean day today food-wise.

I think I might just crawl back into bed where I belong now.

Hawt

Tofu and cacao pudding with banana

pumpkin fetish

I am so happy with life in general at the moment. Everything is trucking along almost suspiciously well (I will try not to overthink it though!).

I think I might be feeling happy because I am being my authentic self, when for a few years back there I got a bit lost with a party-girl image that didn't "fit" me entirely. I was drinking a lot of alcohol, going out several nights a week, not eating properly and burning the candle at both ends (staying out 'til 5am when I would have to be in the office at 8am!). I mean, it was ultimately worth it because I met Luke during that time and he is the absolute love and light of my life, but I do feel more like myself these days. A work in progress maybe, but I'm getting closer.

It was my one-month veganniversary yesterday and I totally forgot to acknowledge it! I guess maybe I did subconsciously acknowledge it by having a super healthy clean eating day yesterday (buckwheat porridge, a few dates, a big luscious salad for lunch and dinner, and homemade tofu/cacao pudding for dessert). The salad was amazing: roasted pumpkin, rocket lettuce, quinoa sprouts, toasted walnuts and raw pepitas with a dressing of flaxseed oil, raw apple cider vinegar and orange juice.

Of course, I just kind of ruined my whole saintly vibe by scarfing down 10 vegan chocolate-chip cookies. Whoops- sorry, my lovely body! Sometimes I just go crazy with food, like super-unpredictable.

Midday nap today, all tuckered out from work

Yum with a capital Y

Look at that riot of colour! Just gorgeous

wiping up spills

Uh oh, I made a green mess on the carpet while I was trying to take a silly selfie with the dog. Sorry Luke [Note to self: Toto does not enjoy taking selfies].

I have had a nice morning so far; woke up late drenched in sweat (thank you, glandy!), made some buckwheat porridge for breakfast, emptied the fruit and vegie scraps into the backyard so they can compost away merrily, had a shower, and put some coconut oil in my hair.

In other news, I heard super-gorgeous Australian actress Teresa Palmer is pregnant: congratulations Teresa! I read an interview once where she spoke about her closet obsession with pregnancy and birthing, and that she would love to be a doula someday. I think that is cute, and so it makes it extra special that she is going to have a little baby of her own now. I feel happy for her and her fiance. I want a little baby too, and I would give it cuddles and nurture it and be a good mama, but not until after the wedding. I just have to nurture my fur baby until then. Teresa apparently also likes green juice and Pilates, so I am sure we would totes get along great.

My body feels a little sore today...because...I went to yoga last night! And I loved it! The instructor was lovely, a girl asked me where I got my cute yoga mat from (thanks Mum!), and I felt very happy and calm at the end of the class. I feel proud that I went to the class, as I have a tendency to be a hermit and it takes a lot of energy for me to go out. Did someone say introvert? Oh well.

My bad

Some of my favourite foods, all together as one

winter wellness

Still struggling with a runny nose and sore throat from this cold I seem to have contracted!

I am home today, so I slept in, had a beautiful bowl of pink oats for breakfast, downed a jar of leftover green smoothie, and am now sipping on some homemade ginger tea to try and make myself feel better. It is pretty warm and nourishing, and is making my nose drip even more- get out, germs!

I have spent most of the day hunting down textbooks and reading my study material, which I am loving. I am also baking some daikon chips in the oven, and may or may not go to a yoga class tonight. Healing times.

Oats with berries, almonds, LSA, coconut oil and soymilk

sunday jobs

Holy moly we had a productive day today!

I woke up nice and early and went to the market with Mum, picking up some lovely organic Dutch Cream potatoes, some locally-made vegan macadamia lip balm, some mushrooms (grown by the sea!), a couple of Pink Lady apples and half of a large daikon radish. I went halves with my Mum because we are both too intimidated to take a whole one home- they are ridiculously large.

Got home, unloaded my items, and made my beautiful deserving fiance some pancakes, banana and an egg for breakfast. I chopped up fruit and made Crocodile Crunch for myself, and we ate breakfast on the couch, drank coffee and cuddled with the dog. I let her lick spirulina sauce off my finger, to her delight. So that was a totally gorgeous way to start the day. It is fortunate that we both had a nourishing breakfast because we really needed the fuel for the busy day ahead!

The next few hours were spent running vegetable patch-related errands (purchasing organic soil, sugarcane mulch, a shovel, and collecting some cardboard and newspaper to line it) and buying groceries. Luke built the frame and dug up soil for my vegetable patch, and we successfully chose a spot, lay down the frame, lined it and filled it with soil. Need to get some more tomorrow and will lay down the mulch tomorrow.

I made cauliflower soup while the boys dug in the garden and the dog ran around excitedly trying to help, then we all ate, and now we are going to chill out and watch some television. An excellent day!

I dabbed a bit of green sauce on her forehead for a laugh

mellowing out

I am having some quiet time today and tonight and I must say, I am rather enjoying it. I have placed a television ban on the house today and have instead been entertaining myself with calm things like sleeping, cuddling my dog, reading magazines, studying, cooking and watching videos about health and wellness from some of my favourite blogs. I am in the zone! Right now I have my oil burner gently flickering warmly to my left, study material to my right, earphones in, heater on, dog slumbering on the couch and black bean brownies baking away in the oven.

I am usually (somewhat ashamedly) a bit of a stress-head. I am not actually super busy due to my reduced work hours (still healing myself from glandular fever), but I do really need to stay on top of positive thinking to stay happy and calm. I think taking time out to just be myself, like I did today, is really important. I think everyone should take some time out occasionally and just be. Mum, are you listening?

Anyway, onto the food! Today I had a wholemeal bagel with Nuttelex, prunes, walnuts, coffee and banana for breakfast, then I ate an apple, a slice of organic fruit toast and some homemade trail mix later in the day. Dinner was sweet potato and lentil soup, and dessert will be brownies. I already ate half the batter as I was mixing it, but am still craving some more. Get out of the oven already!

Everybody get your calm on

How brownies are born

breaking out

I am feeling a bit under the weather at the moment; I am fighting a cold (my groggy head feels like it weighs a tonne!) and my skin has uncharacteristically broken out. I am optimistically saying to myself that it's just because I have eliminated animal products and most chemicals from my life, and my skin and body are just going through a bit of an awkward "detox" stage. So, it's a positive thing.Yes?

So even though I feel awful I am soldiering on: eating a crap-load of fruits, vegetables and wholegrains, drinking plenty of water and herbal teas, and staying positive.

This morning I got up, made some Crocodile Crunch for breakfast, had a shower, took Toto out for a walk in the winter sun, came home and did a bit of yoga, and now I am going to do some study before work. I am loving my Naturopathy course so far.

Evidently it was so bright outside my eyes couldn't focus properly

still here

Apologies for not having written anything for the last few days- blogging has taken a bit of a back seat to other stuff right now!

Went out for breakfast with my darling fiance and my parents this morning and showed them our wedding venue (it seems to be the only place we hit up for breakfast these days- not that I'm complaining, because I actually make a kick-ass breakfast in the comfort of my own home). That was lovely and it was really nice being able to show them where all the magic's going to happen in March next year. Plus, amazing food and service there.

I have done just a little bit of cooking in my few days of blogosphere absence. I cooked homemade dog food, as I am starting to fret about her diet of tinned wet food- doggy junk food!- although as Toto is still rejecting my vegan cooking, I grudgingly put some meat in there. I didn't like touching it or smelling it at all, eew! I just made up a combination of spirulina, lentils, sweet potato, oats, wholemeal flour and pork mince. Then I rolled them into balls and baked them.

Vegan-wise, I made another raw avocado cheesecake which successfully held its shape this time and some wholemeal pasta with purple cabbage and toasted pine nuts. My Mum also made me a vegan feast last night when I came over for dinner, where I ate my body weight in veganised gado gado and black rice pudding with coconut milk for dessert. Thanks, Mum!

Today I plan to stew some rhubarb, catch up on some sleep and read some study material: Naturopathy, here I come!

Pasta with purple cabbage, pine nuts and rocket

Structure!!

In other news, today Luke and I went and bought some wood sleepers so I can construct a small vegetable garden in the backyard- exciting! I have a lot of little projects on the go at the moment.