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♥ Healthy Sweet Treats

I have just returned from a 3 week holiday, and needless to say, my body has taken a beating at the hands of Pina Coladas, Pad Thai and English pub meals. After indulging my sweet tooth, coming back to my usual low-sugar fare has been a bit tricky. To ease myself back into the swing of things, I’ve been making some healthy sweet treats. These are delicious, and the basic recipe can be changed up (I put a dried cherry in the middle of mine for a surprise zing!). I’ve also been scoping out these delicious-looking recipes, and have a funny feeling some of those will be making their way into my kitchen very soon!

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♥ Fresh Flowers

Fresh flowers not only brighten up the room, but also your mood. Try it- it’s impossible to be unhappy or upset when faced with some fresh blooms. And who needs Ambi-Pur when you’ve got a bunch of something lovely on the table? It’s a simple pleasure, but well worth treating yourself with a bunch of your favourites when you get the chance.

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♥ Mark’s Daily Apple

I’ve been reading Mark’s Daily Apple (www.marksdailyapple.com) for a while, and lately his articles have really been striking a chord with me. Mark is a former athlete turned wellness activist, and promotes the ‘Primal’ lifestyle. He publishes daily articles, covering everything from recipes to success stories, lifestyle tips and his opinions on various foods and activities. Whilst I don’t always agree with everything he says, I really enjoy his down-to-earth approach to healthy living on a day-to-day basis, which alone makes it worth the read.

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♥ Journalling

One of my new year’s resolutions was to journal more, and after just over a month, it’s become part of my daily routine. Sometimes it’s stress, sometimes it’s worry, sometimes it’s happiness and excitement, but most days I feel the need to jot down my thoughts and feelings. I find it very relaxing, and often if something is troubling me, re-reading my entry helps me see the solution. Journalling also allows me to appreciate the good in my life, which in itself is incredibly beneficial.

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♥ ‘Play’

As kids, we rode bikes, climbed trees, and swung from monkey bars, but as adults, it seems the concept of play gets left behind. I’m on a mini-mission to bring back those golden years by riding my bike and skipping, whenever I can, for fun. I cannot begin to describe how much I am genuinely enjoying this, and really encourage everyone to do the same. Choose your two favourite childhood activities and try to incorporate them into your week. Even better, get your friends involved! Now, who’s for a game of ‘Spotlight’?…

What do you do for ‘play’? Do you journal? What are your favourite flowers to have in the house? Drop me a line below and let me know your thoughts!

Article written by Katie, a flower-loving, diary-writing biker girl, whose boyfriend is really enjoying her sweet treat recipe experiments.

Be well,

xoxo

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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

Vanessa and Fabrice are the creators of The Health Collective here in WA! Vanessa is a passionate Personal-Trainer, Massage-therapist at Silq Medi-Spa in Nedlands and a raw fresh food enthusiast. Fabrice is a runner and offers one-to-one life coaching sessions for those who need the clarity and the motivation to achieve their goals (weight and health wise).

Together we share raw and vegan cooking classes from the “Newbie” to the more educated. We like to keep it simple and accessible to all. Our classes include step by step information to transition your lifestyle, from the “standard Australian diet” to a healthier one.

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At The Health Collective, we are sharing our knowledge about true health, fitness, food and nutrition. Our vision is to get people healthier, to assist them in reconnecting with planet earth, and ultimately raise the global consciousness.

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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

I lightly scrub my face each morning with a bamboo fibre mitten, under lukewarm water, and apply some Tinderbox Day Cream. That’s it! Because of my lifestyle, my skin remains clear and healthy so I don’t need anything else.

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♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

I like to get my eyebrows threaded, as I think eyebrows give a defining look to the face.

♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

I am currently having my hair cut at “Renos on St Quentin” in Claremont Quarter, with a hairdresser named Edward (not scissors- hands hahah!) he is good at style cutting long hair.

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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

I love Puresource Rotorua Thermal Mud Mask, I use this once a week. It is a natural smooth mud mask, loaded with mineral that comes from New Zealand …and it only costs $12.00 online! I always recommend this to anyone.

Watermelon, mint & lime juice!

♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

I have no products that I can’t live without, my lifestyle really supports the healthy glow to my skin, so I guess I would say I would not give up my love of eating fresh fruits, veg and natural oils like coconut, hemp, avocado and olive oil.

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♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

In one word: LIFESTYLE!

Healthy lifestyle (raw organic/bio dynamic fruits and veg), good water, exercise and happiness – Your mindset is truly important too, and can be improved easily, with meditation, laughing and socializing.

♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet?

I have heard there is an Indian “hot oil hair treatment” (ED: Shirodhara!) that is meant to be amazing… I would like to try that. I totally believe though, that beauty comes from inside out, and not the other way around.

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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

I always eat local and seasonal;
Breakfast start with a high carb smoothie (usually bananas, dates, fresh coconut water or high PH water)
For brunch, if I have been to the gym I will make a young coconut vanilla-pod smoothie (this provides all the natural amino acids for the body after a workout) otherwise fresh fruits.

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Lunch will be a huge green salad, and I am talking huuuge ! Haha …like a bucket.. variety is essential.
Afternoon Snacking will be some kind of nuts (macadamia , walnuts, etc.. )

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Dinner will either be mono-fruit eating, so at the moment persimmons are in season ,so I would eat between 6-8 of them, or a raw homemade dish like raw pasta. By eating light at night, you will find your sleep will improve greatly and you will feel much more refreshed in the morning.

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

1 hour cycling followed with 3 weight training exercises for either upper or lower body then 20min stretching, 4 to 5 days a week. However I listen to my body if it needs a rest.

♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

A good massage does have an outstanding effect on the human body and mind, being a massage therapist myself I consistently see great improvement with my clients. Now and then, I have massage treatment done, from a great therapist from “Perfect Posture”. I take one plant-based supplement called Neuropathy Support Formula for B1 & 12 to support my nervous system and B vitamins intake, mainly because the modern world that we live in does not provide the same quality regarding the fruits and vegetables as it was 50 years ago.

♥ How many hours sleep do you usually get each night? Do you have any bedtime rituals or tips to help you get a great nights sleep?

I sleep around 8 to 9 hours per night. I go to bed early, as most of the the body’s cleansing, healing and hormonal processes operate between 10.00pm and 6.00am. I also use a sleeping mask to block out any light, because the pineal gland will only release melatonin (regulating female reproductive system) and many other hormones in the pitch black. I have noticed a real improvement in the quality of my sleep.

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♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

Meditation and stretching with candle light.

If you have any questions or comments on Vee’s gorgeous routine, please leave them below!

Be well,

xoxo

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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

Sure! My name is Melissa and I am a holistic health + life coach, speaker, writer and self love teacher. Four years ago I was a model, dancer, presenter and actress but after experiencing severe burn out and a cocktail of health issues something had to shift. This lead me to weeks in hospital where I decided I wanted to cure myself of adrenal fatigue and thyroid problems and thus became fascinated with holistic health. After practicing as a holistic health coach for a while I realised that it’s not only about what you put in your mouth, it’s about the thoughts you think moment to moment and I believe these go hand in hand. I want to inspire people to take back control of their health and life and live the life they have always dreamt of.

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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

For My Hair: I recently went to the relaunch of A’kin and Al’chemy and was blown away with how beautiful their products are and having been using their delicious shampoo and conditioner. They’ve created products with “purity” and “goodness” in mind, and they smell AMAZING. I also use Original and Mineral and love coconut oil for a leave in treatment.

For My Skin: I use Pai Moisturiser and Cleanser from Flora Organica.

For My Body: I use Indah Organic Coconut Oil on my body. It’s about the purest you can get, is fair trade and harvested sustainably with local Balinese farmers. The product is gorgeous and so is their philosophy.

Make Up: I don’t wear it often but when I do I use Jane Iredale.

Lady Products: I use TOM Organics. You can’t get any better than this, and the packaging is super cute.

♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

Mani’s and Pedi’s, I love them. Any place is fine with me.

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♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

The only people that touch my hair are the team at Lily Jackson in Sydney. They are amazing and most of their products are natural.

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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

Tea tree oil on spots. This is awesome.

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♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

1. Coconut oil

2. Tea tree oil

3. Organic face moisturiser

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♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

Drink loads of water. Don’t drink coffee. Eat loads of fruit and veggies.

♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet?

Maybe some of the ayurvedic treatments.

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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Morning is either green smoothie or porridge. Lunch and dinner is either organic grass fed and grass finished meat or salmon with salad or veggies + loads of filtered water throughout the day + a bliss ball or two.

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

I exercise every day for at least 30 mins. It changes all the time from yoga, running, walking, boxing or weights.

♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

I take a probiotic each day and don’t regularly do alternative therapies but have tried a few.

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♥ How many hours sleep do you usually get each night? Do you have any bedtime rituals or tips to help you get a great nights sleep?

8 hours every night is a must for me. My bedtime rituals are dim lights, no TV, phone or computers in bedroom and reading, meditation or deep breathing before bed.

♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

Walking in nature, meditating, sipping tea, reading, watching a good movie, yoga, laying on the grass and being around loved ones.

If you have any questions or comments for Melissa please leave them below!

Are you ready to start your path to wellness? Melissa Ambrosini has experienced first hand the power of simple, consistent changes to our thoughts and behaviours. In the past 2 years she’s held countless people on their path to wellness, transforming their bodies, relationships, finances, careers, and self-image – check out her new e-book “12 Steps to Wellness”, available from her website for $18.

Be well,

xoxo

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Simple and delicious. Two things I love in the morning, and these pancakes are just that! They take 10 mins to cook up and are sooooo easy to prepare. Make the base mixture and then add whatever toppings and flavour combinations you like. Refined sugar free and gluten free so you don’t have to feel guilty about eating 3 (or 5….) and high in protein (so they’re perfect post workout!).

Makes about 5 medium sized or 6 small. So serves 1 very hungry person or 2 people willing to share!

BASIC MIXTURE

♥ 1 ripe banana
♥ 2 eggs
♥ 2 teaspoons cinnamon
♥ 1 tablespoon flax meal
♥ 1 tablespoon water
♥ 2 tablespoons quinoa flakes
♥ 1/2 -1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used David Wolfe’s organic brown rice protein)

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METHOD

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth

2. Heat some coconut oil in a pan and cook pancakes on both sides until lightly brown (turning when the top bubbles)

3. Top with anything you want (use your imagination!!!)

Topping ideas:

+ Peanut butter, shredded coconut, blueberries, walnuts (as above)

+ Almond butter, chopped figs, shredded coconut

+ Coconut butter, raspberries, chopped banana

Happy breakfast everyone!!!

Do you like the look of this recipe, leave a comment below if you’ve tried it, I’d love to hear your thoughts & what toppings you used!

Review by Kavisha, self confessed ‘health foodie’ & pancake lover. She is currently studying for her Master of Wellness at RMIT University and blogs at bebalancedbewell.tumblr.com

Be well,

xoxo