Daily Holistics: Lavendar Water!

We all know how good drinking lots of water is for you... my SO calls me a fish because I always drink tons of water throughout the day! 

I posted up on lemon water before and now here is a simple way to infuse your water with more yummy natural ingredients that are SO good for you... I have used this for my clients and so far, I've had good reviews!

Please do check out Dr. Phyl's holistic website

Apple Cider Vinegar Is Not Just For Hair!!!

Most of us who have natural hair would already know/heard how great Apple Cider Vinegar (most often called ACV) is for hair care... perfect for removing build-up and adds shine as a final rinse. It doesn't smell nice but I know this is one ingredient that I personally couldn't live without- I use it every time I wash my locs!

But what else can you do with it? Let's explore some other reasons to take out this ingredient from your shelf when it's not hair day...

Ten Tips For Using ACV:

Read this article

Spice It Up! Tumeric, Cooking & Health

One of the easiest things that you can use daily which will benefit your health (and doesn't cost much), is to add spice to your life... we're talking the type you eat lol! 

Invest in a selection of spices and find out new ways to add them into your cooking...

Tip: Remember to get good quality spices and be aware that a lot of spices in shops may actually contain dyes to enhance their colours which should be avoided! 

Today, we are going to explore the benefits of tumeric, one of my favourite spices!

20 Health Benefits Of Tumeric

3 Simple Cooking Tips With Tumeric: 

Tumeric Rice ~ Most people make rice dishes often - so why not add a generous teaspoon of tumeric powder to your boiling water while cooking the rice. I learned this trick from my mum who uses tumeric in place of Saffron sometimes for Spanish yellow paella rice. Depending on the amount you use and the type of rice you are cooking, this may add a smokey taste and a yellow colouring which I find very attractive to add colour to dishes, instead of plain coloured rice! [See the recipe here]

Tumeric Marinade ~ Whether you are marinading your tofu, meat or fish, tumeric is a great spice to add to your regular marinade recipe! I love to marinade my tofu with a blend of garlic paste, tumeric, sea salt, paprika and mild curry powder. 

Make Your Own Spice Sea Salt ~ It's easy to sprinkle some sea salt to add flaour in any dish. If you are feeling adventurous, why not try making your own sea salt shak with spices. In your regular sea salt, add a little tumeric and other spices - shake well before sprinkling on any foods. Remember, a little spice goes a long way! Or you could use tumeric directly to sprinkle on your salads and lightly over home made fried potatoes or tofu when frying.

This is an easy recipe for a supr healthy tumeric dressing!

Vegie Foodie: Tofu Pot Pies

Colder weather?

Bring on yummy healthy comfort foods, like this one!

Oh YES! A Summer Sugar Scrub

There a few simple things that can instantly cheer me up... having a regular sugar scrub is one of mine!

It's super easy to make, ingredients can be changed around to suit your needs, much cheaper than most of the scrubs bought at shops and is fun!

Here is the basic way to make it (I would suggest to use a natural oil instead as most baby oil products contain mineral oils, etc)...

My personal favourites: I always add lemongrass or vanilla essential oils and sweet almond oil (which doesn't have a strong smell like many other oils and is easily absorbed). It feels light and smells uplifting. I also like to do a combination with the sugar I use: 1 cup organic brown sugar and 1 cup natural cane sugar works well for me. I like mine less runny. Honey is also an ingredient that I love using, we all know how good it is for skin and hair! If I am using it on my face, I leave it on for a little while too, before rinsing. Very rich and moisturising!

I find that using sugar instead of salt is a much more gentle way of exfoliating the skin (minus the sting!) ... but I do love salt scrubs for tougher areas that aren't as sensitive, like my feet! For more great info, read this - have fun!

Vegie Foodie: Homemade Horchata Drink

With Summer here, it is a great time to try cooling drinks. Keeping on the Spanish theme lol, this is a must-do!!!

This is one of my favourites that I love drinking with ice. In Spain, you can buy this in cartons and ready-made but as I'm in London, I have yet to find any... who needs the easy option anyway, when you can make your own right lol?!?

It's a lovely drink made from chufas (or tiger nuts) which is packed full of health benefits! This drink also has origins in ancient Egypt, which I just found out now while seeking the recipe lol. Another version which I just learned about now is from South American, using rice. I haven't tried this but very curious to make it! There are also other versions using almonds which sounds tasty too... Learning something new everyday huh!

Every cafe in Spain has this stuff and it's so delicious and refreshing!!!

Clcik here for the full history and the recipe.

Vegie Foodie: Churros Con Chocolate

Since the weekend, I have been craving this easy dish. So, I thought it was time to try it out... See the recipe here.

For a vegan version, replace milk with soya milk (I love the vanilla one!), almond milk or rice milk. It's such great warming comfort food - I remember eating this stuff like crazy when I was little and it was Christams time or when we were out in town late in Madrid and wanted something warm at 3am before heading off home. Yum!

Raw Foodie: The Live Green Smoothie 85% Challenge

I have been on the look-out for a way to add much more raw food into my diet, slowly able to transition from cooked or to combine it. I found this (click to enlarge)!

Then, taking it one step further, I found a fantastic blog with with information and the perfect challenge...

Welcome to The LGS 85% Challenge!

Your mission should you choose to accept it: to use Live Green Smoothies (LGSs) to radically jack up the raw and living foods in your diet to around 85%.

Why 85%?

Because in my personal experimentation, that seems to be The Magic Zone, where weight, well-being, and wellness seem to find a beautiful, easy, natural balance.

Trying to lose weight and feeling stuck? Then try jacking up your LGSs to 3 blenderfuls a day, add a raw meal or two, and you’ll start to break through that plateau (just be sure you’re getting your sweat on for a good 30 minutes at least 3 times a week, as well)!

Feeling sluggish, no energy, heavy, or depressed? Honestly, I haven’t spoken to one person yet who jacked up their diet with 3 blenderfuls of LGSs every single day who did not report a wonderful increase in energy, well-being, and mood!

Those Live Green Smoothies really are like magic!

Everyday, challenge yourself to see if you can hit the 85% marker with the amount of raw and live foods you include in your diet.

Do this by: The Live Green Smoothie “85% Challenge”:

Consume three blenderfuls of Live Green Smoothies every day.  A blenderful is at least 32 oz., and my recommendation is that you make two in the morning and pour them out over ice in 4 water bottles, and then drink them by mid-afternoon. Then make another blenderful before dinner. That’s fully 96 oz. of Live Green Smoothies every single day!

Make one of your meals 100% raw. Doesn’t matter which one it is. Could be brekkies, could be dinner. Be flexible. Do what fits into your day. But learn some recipes that you really enjoy and make one every day. If the raw realm is new to you, spend $5 for one month of access to my recipe library and explore the possibilities. Start with “Angela’s Favorites” category and see what appeals to you. Or browse the EZ Browse Recipe Library for ideas. There’s some good stuff there.

Make one of your meals “rawish”… meaning, with lots of raw, living foods in it, but paired with something cooked. For example, a salad sandwich, or a great chopped salad or raw salsa eaten with avocado and organic tortilla chips. Or have that roast chicken you made for the family, but with something raw on the side… a tasty salad, perhaps. Greens optional, just make it yummy.

And that’s it!

The “85%” part is approximate, and I judge it by quantity, not by caloric density. If you’ve eaten mostly raw and living food all day long and then have a piece of grilled steak with greens at dinner, that’s definitely “in the zone”.

Are you in?

Read more in this website...

Check out these great recipes too!

I started up the challenge today, combined with workouts, so this should be interesting! My cooked section will rotate around the following foods: lentils, chickpeas, red kidney beans, quinoa and other protein packed cooked foods.

Vegie Foodie: Baba Ghanoush, Eggplant Dip

I grew up on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean foods... it's all so yummy! I try to keep the recipes as simple as possible as I don't like to spend much time cooking and I still believe that simple is always best!

Another thing that I have been used to is having a very strong flavoured breafast, packed with as much protein as possible. I rarely eat a lot for lunch as I am on the go, so breakfast needs to last lol and dinner is my main meal usually.

My mother and I came out from the latest Sex And The City film the other day and she showed me this spot that serves up traditional Lebanese foods. With girly chat, we munched on Arabic bread and dips that I LOVE, one of them being Baba Ghanoush (eggplant dip). Its so easy to make, very filling and I love eating it anytime of the day (especially for breaky!) - so easy to spice it up/down according to your taste... it's also very healthy (see bottom for link on health benefits!). It can served up as a dip (I love dipping in arabic bread and home made fries lol), as a sandwich spread, mixed with vegies. with your salad,  as a side to any meal or any other creative thing that you can think of!

Here is a video on it, but I also like to follow the similar Arabic recipe here. There is also a raw version of this recipe here.

Read More: Health Benefits Of Eating Eggplant

Perfect Guidance! Soy Free Yum Facilitation Guide

As you all know by now, I LOVE food lol! Nothing beats a plate of yummy nourishing goodness and I am always on a look out for new recipes to try out and share.

A few days with this wonderful guide has satisfoed my cravings lol! It breaks down vegie nutrition perfectly, with vital information and hosts a long list of delicious recipes that you can try for your Self- No matter if you are just beginning your vegie diet journey or if you have already been tuned into this way of eating for a while, this guide is perfect for everyone who enjoys healthy food!

I want to thank Janine Jackson (isn't she gorgous?!?) for putting this lovely cute guide together and sharing it! I'm having fun ;o)

Get Your Copy Here!

Vegie Foodie: Vegan Sushi

If you wanted to ake a raw version of suchi (minus the rice), this video is great!

Back-To-Basics Vegie Foodie: Risotto... Yum!

I'm loving comfort food... Here is the basic essential version to make this:

I also love to add other things to the basic recipe: onions, garlic, olives, red kidney beans or chick peas, mushrooms and tomatoes. It's great experimenting!

Spice it up with these recipes:
Spicy Azuki Bean Risotto | Lisa's Kitchen 
Baked Mushroom Risotto | Lisa's Kitchen 

...Yeah, food is the way to my heart LOL!

Vegie Foodie: Vegan Moussaka

I LOVE really flavoursome vegie recipes...

(more details)

This is perfect for any time of the day, yum!

Raw Foodie: Zucchini Pasta with Marinara Sauce

Yum!

Food Focus: Quinoa

Another food that has been in my kitchen and idle for some time is this: Quinoa. I haven't cooked this in AGES! A great source of protein and packed with nutrients...



Here's a quick and easy salad you can prepare with quinoa, great for lunch!



Or if you prefer a warming soup for these colder months, try this soup!

Vegie Food Focus: Lisa's Kitchen Blog

There's still a big snow panic over here in the UK and in this weather I go into hibernation mode lol... dusting off old books and mags, yoga, blogging, sleeping, dreaming...

And FOOD...oh yes, I love cooking food in this weather! I get lazy about it during the hotter months (the food tends to be a lot lighter for me too...more juicing etc.), but I always crave flavour-full (spicy even) food in these months. Yum ;o)

I had a look through my kitchen and found the humble azuki beans... perfect for keeping full for longer, packed with healthy goodness - and as I have been looking to tone up, lose a few kgs and start capoeira again, it's a perfect source of vegie protein.

A quick google search later and I found many recipes using azuki beans.

I have found many blogs in the past for vegie recipes but Lisa's Kitchen is GREAT ... I seriosluy can't find any recipe that I wouldn't like to try for myself and it promises to add some spice into vegie cooking - inspired!

Ancient Egyptian Recipe: Protien Packed Ful Medames

Ful Medames (Egyptian fava beans) is an ancient traditional Egyptian recipe with origins dating back to the time of the pharaohs and now eaten as a regular dish by almost everyone in Egypt and neighbouring countries. It makes for a delicious protein packed vegie breakfast and can be served with pitta bread and/or a fried egg. While I was growing up, this was a regular take-away dish from the local food shops and we used to eat it using large pitta bread slices to "scoop" and our hands only. I feel eating with hands only is such a spiritual experience and way of being connected to food!

I have been looking for new recipes to top-up my level of proteins, so I was glad to find this recipe online...

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs of dried fava beans or broad beans
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin

(My tip: You can also add other herbs/spices to your taste - such as parsley, cayenne, red chili pepper etc. Sliced onions and tomatoes can be added for extra flavour too)

Preparation:
Soak beans overnight in water.

Drain, and cover with fresh water in large saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer on low for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until beans are tender. Drain and place in medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Beans and remaining ingredients can be mashed together, or the beans can be left whole and gently mixed with remaining ingredients. It is more commonly served mashed together.

Serve hot with a fried egg and pita bread.

Don't have time to make ful yourself? Ful is sold as a canned good in Middle Eastern and North African grocers.

Yum! Simple Spinach Pie

Spinach is sooooo yummy! As well as being super healthy, it can be used in so many ways. While seeking for recipes to use, I found this simple recipe that can easily be customised with more ingredients to suit your tastes.... I love added red kidney beans and red peppers in mine!

See full recipe instructions here.

Release Your Inner Ingredient Junkie!

Freedom to KNOW exactly what is in your food, beauty products, home cleansers etc. And knowing that instead of being harmful to you, it’s actually nurturing/feeding you… on all levels.

More and more people are conscious of how ingredients (both used internally and externally) affect us… and want to choose to buy – or make – their own.

It couldn't be easier! The number of online shops selling raw 100% natural ingredients and products are growing… a fantastic opportunity to catch the ingredient/product junkie bug and take the time to mix it up at home.

Our 3 top picks of UK online shops are:
www.akuawood.co.uk
www.akamuti.co.uk
www.anitagrant.com

... Raw ingredients, great all natural products, packaging for your own homemade goodies and blogs!

And for natural recipes, we love the healthy and green living section of the Care 2 Website. A quick search will find you endless natural recipes to try for all areas of your life!

Enjoy!

A Natural You... When Did You Start The Journey?

(I can only speak from what my experiences are and of those I talk to... so this is not a topic that I wish to use to generalise anyone. It's just an observation from my life... And a space to hear your thoughts on your observations and natural journey.)

A huge part of my own curiosity in natural living and ingredients was sparked during the period when I began my locing journey... Every forum and friend (online and offline) who has been part of my locing journey have all inspired me further to learn on this topic. So, I was curious to hear your experiences...

When did you start being more aware of the ingredients in your life?

For those of you who have natural hair - did your journey in learning about your natural hair also connect with your learning in natural ingredients?

Do you have any home-made recipes that you would like to share?

Simple Sundays: Dishy Dates & Massages!

We LOVE... Simple.

Wholesome. Uncomplicated. Direct. Complete. Focused. Dedicated.

We LOVE... Sundays.

A whole day dedicated to Self alone. Growth. Renewal (old to new week). Energy. Reflective. Enjoyable. Fun. Peaceful. Blessed.

Fuse these together... For a perfect end-new week routine.

This section is part of the Self-nurture routine - sharing ideas/rituals/tips that you can do to celebrate Self - and not just for Sundays lol!

This Week - Getting back to pampering with detoxing dates and massages!

... Not the kind you might have in mind lol - We're talking healing food and Self facial massages - that both womben and men can enjoy as a Self routine.

The clocks changed last night which makes it officially the beginning of the Sun months (Spring/Summer) even though the weather has had it's own mood swings lately and refuses to acknowledge any of it! I love this time of year - Enjoy!

Dates Delicious!

Part of getting back to roots is indulging in foods that might remind the senses of the early years - and dates have long been another favourite in my house hold. So this week, I'll be sharing why I love dates so much!

Packed with essential goodness and health benefits, it can be eaten both fresh or dried. And made into sweet or savoury dishes... the possibilities of using this ingredient at home are endless and flexible. It's worth having this at hand in the kitchen and for experimenting!

Here are my favourite ways of using dates:

A natural sugar source!

Dates can be very sweet and can be converted into sugar at home. A great sweet substitute for using normal sugar in recipes and daily life.

To make your homemade date sugar... Slice up your dates and place in a baking tray. Bake at 450° for 10 to 20 minutes - You should start to notice that it becomes very dry, brittle and rock-like. When it reaches this state, remove, let cool and then grind (by hand or using a food processor) into natural date sugar. Store in a container in a cool place.

If you like, you can add some taste into your date sugar by adding a few drops of vanilla to your dates after baking and before grinding.

Energise With Homemade Energy Bars!

This is a simple recipe that can be changed around to add/remove ingredients. On a busy day, energy bars are a quick, non-messy and healthy fix to add to food breaks.

What you will need:

1 stick non-dairy butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs (optional)
1/4 cup. apple juice
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp bran (optional)
1 1/4 cup raisins
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped almonds (or any other nuts you prefer)

Combine first 4 ingredients and blend well. Add next 3 ingredients and stir in last 3 ingredients. Spread in greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Raw Breakfast Treat!

Dates can easily be chopped up into small pieces, along with your favourite wholegrain cereal and fruits. The usual way I like to prepare it is by chopping up dried dates and dried fruits from the whole food shop and mixing that in with wholemeal cereal - add in soya milk and use honey for some extra sweetness.

If you like yogurt, you can add your fruit/date chopped up mix to plain yogurt. Chopped up mangoes and dates work well with yogurt too.

Self Facial Massage

This is a fantastic routine to incorporate into your life. It can be done with your favourite oil (I love organic coconut oil) and this time is perfect to tune into music and to simply relax/reflect. You might like to do this Self massage before meditation work. It's also great to leave your oil on your face afterwards so the skin can completely absorbs it.

You may like to exfoliate your skin before doing this massage.

With time and regular use, you might find that your skin texture improves - I certainly notice a huge difference even after 1 session.

For more Self body massage techniques and info, please read this.

Below are 2 videos to try - The first is all about the techniques to use for the facial massage. The second is a homemade whipped shea butter recipe that you might like to try for this massage (change the ingredients to suit your needs/taste). My personal favourite: For the whipped treat, I love adding lemongrass essential oil (smells heavenly and light!... perfect for the sun months), coconut oil, hemp oil and aloe vera. This can also be used on loose natural afro hair for wash-&-go and other styles.