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

My name is Claire Bevilacqua I’m 29, and along with my partner Kylie we created Raw Ky foods. We have a line of foods that started from just the basic snacks & treats we make for ourselves being all vegan, gluten free and raw. From sharing with family and friends, the brand has grown and is feeding all those who taste it with the most highly nutritious hand made foods we can create.

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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

I am a professional surfer and I focus more on my inner health and fitness then outer beauty. I eat a mostly raw vegan diet, I am very active and I balance the intense action with light stretching. I use natural organic sunscreen on my face and for all other body needs I only use natural/unprocessed ingredients. From tooth paste to hair care its always 100% natural for me.

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

I love a strong massage and I love it done in Bali because its affordable and the Balinese people enjoy doing it.

♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth?

Nobody, I have had a fear of cutting my hair since I was a child so I let my partner trim the ends once a year. I never dye my hair as I don’t like anything fake and I think natural suits me best. The Aussie sun seems to do a great job at giving me highlights.

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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

Lathering pure coconut oil all over my body, smells good, tastes good and is healthy for you.

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

Coconut butter, Olive oil, Corrynnes natural soap.

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

Every morning I wake up and drink a litre of water with a spoonful of spirulina & chlorella powder. It has replaced caffeine, and alkalizes my body in the morning.

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

I have just started to have some pigment change in my face skin and I would love to find out how to naturally remove the unwanted spots that seem to have appeared overnight.

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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

I wake up drink a litre of water with the green powder, then i will have a plant fusion vegan protein smoothy or some Raw Ky granola. I will eat some salad with tempeh or raw pizza for dinner. Snack on dried fruits and nuts or some Raw Ky muesli bars & macaroons for a sweet treat. Some in season local fruit here and there. Then soup, zucchini pasta or a stir fry for dinner.

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♥ Describe your fitness routine.

I do what feels right in the moment. I surf almost every day for training from 1-5 hours depending on how good it is. I will run or bike if there are no waves. Stretch and use my foam roller in the afternoon, and chill out on the couch at night.

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

I believe in many forms of alternative medicine. I love acupuncture, massage, Osteopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, and so on. My favorite is healing with pure essential oils, the highest grade so you can ingest them daily.

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

I just love watching the ocean or sitting on the couch watching a movie with my lover. I zone out on the computer with Facebook and Instagram. My favorite way to detox and unwind is in a man made native American sweat lodge, on the dirt, it is incredible.

Me with ma veggies.

Welcome to the best thing ever for people who want a very easy way to be a LOT healthier! I don’t know about you, but as much as I love going to the supermarket, I feel overwhelmed when I walk into the fresh fruit and veggie section. What should I get? What am I going to need this week? Which is freshest? How many chemicals have been sprayed onto these? Are common questions that attack me…

$45 boxes of organic fruit n veg from Organic n Green (based in Wanneroo) solve all my woes:

1. They deliver! $45 + delivery fee.

2. It’s kinda like your Mum has come round and said “Here dear, this is what is good for you that you should be eating this week”, so I then plan meals accordingly without having to deliberate over what to get at the shops.

3. We’ve ordered three times so far and the variety is huge! They pick the best, freshest stuff each day and send it off to you in a reusable foam box with frozen cooler bottle.

4. Certified organic! No pesticides & chemicals entering your body.

5. Great value. in the last box we got 43 pieces of fruit n veg, which works out to be a little under $1.50 per item. Considering that some of the items are big sweet potatoes, half a pineapple, avocadoes, and bunches of asparagus, this is awesome!

6. With each order, the value just keeps becoming more apparent. The 2nd order we received 48 items, and the most recent was 52! Excellent! Naturally there will be variation depending on what’s been supplied, but I really feel like it’s 300% worth it.

7. You can let them know what stuff you’re not so keen on, and they take it into account when creating your box o goodies.

Veggie box day is better than Christmas for me, I’m a huge dork so I get really excited when opening the carton and seeing what goodies will be entering my world that week.

Photo by Organic n Green.

Here’s what I’ve received in the three orders undertaken:

♥ Numero Uno ♥ 6 x Silverbeet stalks, 1/2 white cabbage, head of broccoli, 3 x onions, 2 x zucchini, 1 x garlic, 4 x ‘real looking’ carrots, 2 x asparagus bunches, 2 x avocados, 5 x tomatoes (roma + regular), 2 x sweet potato, 3 x kiwi fruit, 2 x mangoes, 2 x bananas, 4 x plums, 1/2 a pineapple.

♥ Two ♥ 1/2 red cabbage, 1 x bag mixed lettuces, 2 x corns, 3 x tomatoes, 3 x small cucumbers, 2 x onions, 4 x carrots, 4 x potatoes, 1 x broccoli, 1 x red capsicum, 3 x beetroot, small bag of green beans, 2 x avocados, 2 x peaches, 2 x kiwi fruit, 4 x plums, 3 x apricots, 2 x mangoes, 2 x oranges.

♥ Three ♥ Bag of baby spinach, 2 x Nashi pears, 2 x plums, 2 x bananas, 1/2 white cabbage, 1 x broccoli, 3 x apples, 5 x tomatoes, 1 x green capsicum, 1 x 250gm strawberries, 1 x mango, 3 x baby eggplants, 1 x zucchini, 1 x large ginger, 1 x large corn, small bag of green beans, 2 x kiwi fruit, 7 x baby carrots, 3 x beetroots, 7 x potatoes, 1 x sweet potato, 5 x onions, 2 x garlic.

PHEW!!!!

Organic n Green also provide a large variety of other organic produce.

This, along with personal training, yoga, massage and a good nights sleep, is one of my TOP TOP TOP tips for making yourself feel great and boosting your wellbeing.

I can’t rave about it highly enough, I’m a very happy customer! I will be trialling other organic fruit and vegetable box providers in Perth so that I can do a ‘comparative study’ 😉 and figure out the best one, but for now I’m loving these guys, their customer service is lovely to boot.

Organic n Green is owned by Tony and Alicia Lopez.

Contact: 0416 02 82 92
E-mail: sales@organicngreen.com.au

Be well,

xoxo

Heath & Emma

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

Hi, I’m Em – I’m a 22 year old uni student and co-owner of The Raw Kitchen. The key aim of the The Raw Kitchen is to share and teach people about not only the incredible benefits of including raw living foods into our diets, but also how delicious they can be!

We currently run a raw food and smoothie bar down at The Fremantle Markets, where we also stock a wide variety of products, books, and appliances. We run raw food workshops and events and now have a RAW catering trailer out on the roads also hitting the local festivals and events!

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

Fast and simple due to necessity! In the mornings I rinse my face with fresh water, while my evening shower is my main opportunity to cleanse my face and body using a natural, organic body wash or soap. I’m not too fussy with anything beyond chemical-free ingredients so I alternate between brands like Suki and Natural Instincts that offer great value, affordable hair and body products.

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

I’m not sure if a massage technically classes as a beauty treatment, but this is certainly the one indulgence I pick first every time! Perth’s best kept secret has got be the training colleges – I’ve had many a wonderful massage from students at Endeavour College of Natural Health for $20-$30!

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

I very rarely get my hair cut professionally – in fact I quite enjoy snipping away at my ends on my balcony!

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

Coconut oil and/or cacao butter – these natural oils are such amazing moisturisers! I use them on my body, hair, lips and face (as well as in my food!) and they leave you feeling so beautiful and soft and without any fear or additives or chemicals, just pure, natural goodness.

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

– Good quality essential oils for when I feel like wearing a scent
– Mineral makeup – I’ve tried a few, currently I’m using an Australian brand – Claytime.
– Neem Leaf Extract – excellent for irritations, blemishes, itches. (ED: Neem leaf is also an ingredient in some La Mer products!)

Em lives on lots of whole, fresh, raw foods to keep her looking lovely!

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

As the saying goes, it’s about what you put inside your body and I’ve certainly found this to be true. Plenty of clean, pure water, ensuring the largest part of my diet is fresh, raw, living wholefoods, daily movement, and daily activities that I love.

♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)

A facial from Cherry Blossoms Organic Beauty Salon in Subiaco – they use the most divine, high quality organic products from Europe.

An example of some chia porridge!

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Breakfast is often light – either a smoothie, juice, fruit, a salad, chia porridge or similar.

For lunch/dinner we very rarely go without a big salad packed with greens, sprouts, avocado, seaweeds and then whatever other veg is in season and colourful!

For snacks I might have some flax crackers and dip or vege sticks, nuts, nori rolls, fruit, or a blended soup.

And of course desserts! At the moment I’m really into frozen berries and mango, but I’m fortunate to live in a house where there is often some wonderful raw creations being experimented with so there’s often something delicious in the freezer to finish the day.

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

Time is of the essence so I have to try to fit exercise into my day wherever I can. This often means walking/riding to uni, early morning walks, walks to the shops, stretches on the bedroom floor…and just in the last few weeks my partner and I have started attending classes as casuals at the local gym which has offered a great bit of variety and motivation.

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

We alternate a large range of different superfoods and minerals in our smoothies and daily intake. Seaweeds (spirulina, chlorella, modifilan etc) are something I make sure to get in one way or another everyday. Chia is another being such an excellent source of omega 3s, calcium and more. As far as alternative therapies go, I’m lucky that my partner Heath is a naturopath so he takes care of my health needs!

Emma & Heath can be found at their food stall, The Raw Kitchen, at the Fremantle Markets on the weekends! x

Any questions please leave them below!!

Be well,

xoxo

As previously mentioned, Raw Food is slowly starting to make it big, even in our little city more and more people are discovering the health and beauty benefits of eating a non-processed, fresh and organic based diet.

One company that I’ve happened upon recently is The Raw Kitchen, run by Heath and Emma, and after e-mailing with Emma for a while, it’s hard not to get excited about their business because she is so full of information and passion for all the different and healthy ways of eating and existing.

Taken from their website:

“The raw kitchen is a Perth based company offering community classes and workshops teaching the benefits and power of raw, whole, real, nourishing food. In addition, we also offer raw catering, kids and school parties and raw health product supply.
Our classes offer simple, practical, hands-on, applicable ways to incorporate raw food, to whatever degree, into your lifestyle.”

Their cooking, or un-cooking as it’s commonly referred to as, classes include something for everyone!

From an “Intro to Raw” class to find out what the heck Raw Food is, how a meal made just of fruit and vegetables can be filling and ways to incorporate more fresh foods into your diet, with tastings of raw goodies in a non-judgemental setting – you aren’t going to be crucified for being an omnivore. It’s not about being militant and critical of your diet, but showing you how to slowly increase your intake of healthful, wellbeing inducing, life-giving foods!

Other workshops include such treats as; Mains Made Easy (plenty of ideas for delicious dinners), Raw Lunchbox (tips on making great food to bring to school or the office), Decadent Desserts (need I say anything else?) and more!

Photo borrowed from Hold the Beef

Aside from the un-cooking classes, they also have a cute smoothie stall every week at the brand new Subiaco Farmers Market!

There are a few types of smoothies available, all at the reasonable price of $6:

Green Smoothie – baby spinach, frozen banana and water. Great introductory smoothie as it’s a classic and there’s an option to add mango or strawberry for $1.

Strawberry Sip – strawberry, banana, almond milk, vanilla. YUM! Can’t wait to try this!

Choc It To Me – cacao (raw chocolate), agave, almond milk.

King Hit: Choc Chilli – cacao, cayenne pepper, almond milk. A real kick!

There’s also a range of supplements you can add too and they use 100% biodegradable and compostable cups and straws. Very eco-friendly.

They also stock many, many raw essentials such as food stuffs, blenders, books and dvds.

In summary, if you can get down to see these guys and try a smoothie then you wont be disappointed! You can find out more information about the classes and catering there, or you can join the Raw Kitchen Mailing List: em.gilbert@hotmail.com!

Three cheers for innovative companies who are bringing us new ways to be happy, healthy & leave our taste buds satisfied.

Ps. Here is a fabulous book on raw smoothies (which I admittedly haven’t read but would love to): Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Toward Natural Health

Urban Spoon rating:

Be well,

xoxo

While for years many have deemed Perth slower to catch on, less trendy and dare I say it, boring, in comparison to our hyper-cool sibling cities of Melbourne and Sydney, seemingly lately the quality of life, art and culture are taking a turn for the exponentially greater.

More bands and festivals visit us, more art galleries and trendy boutiques are popping up and we even seem to be progressing enough that many of our restaurants now have more than zero to one vegetarian options for our animal loving friends.

Taking this a step further though are Raw Foodists. To those of you who this idea is new to, please read ahead with an open mind, I’m not trying to convert or make you do anything you don’t want to, just providing alternate ideas and ways to access health and wellness!

Raw Diet: A raw vegan diet consists of unprocessed, raw plant foods that have not been heated above 46 °C (115 °F). “Raw foodists” believe that foods cooked above this temperature have lost much of their enzymes and nutrients and are less healthy or even harmful to the body. Typical foods include fruit, vegetables, smoothies, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains and legumes.

Most people would think the idea of no cooked food to be somewhat ridiculous, however take a look at some of the widely documented benefits of people who eat a high raw diet report:

<3 Decreased need for sleep & greater energy throughout the day <3 Improved skin; healthy glow & reduction in acne / wrinkles <3 Weight loss <3 Bouts of euphoria (seriously), consistent feelings of wellbeing and positivity <3 Healing of many old "aches & pains" <3 And so many, many more! It's different for everyone, basically whatever you have issue with within your body can be helped by eating more fresh, raw foods. Here is a great quote: “Really, when you look at it logically, it makes sense. How could it possibly be bad for your body to subsist on lots of fresh, healthy produce from the earth?” – Source

There’s so much info out there about eating raw, but the best rundown I’ve found is: The Living and Raw Foods F.A.Q! They explain it all very clearly and concisely!

I can personally attest to the benefits of raw smoothies, my favourite is a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach, one banana, cupful of frozen berries, tsp wheatgerm and tbsp flaxseed oil with half a cup of apple juice and one cup of water. Whizz that up in a blender, and you will have your very own delicious liquid sludge that I can ASSURE YOU will make you feel sooooo amazing. I always feel so full of energy, positive and healthy when I drink these delights. I honestly never feel better.

If what you’ve always been eating and doing isn’t making you feel amazing, then maybe it is time to try something new, because it IS possible to feel happy, energetic and full of vitality every day. What you put into your body, is what you get out of it!

Some of my favourite Raw Food Blogs that will give you some fantastic ideas about recipes and living raw! AND you’ll see how gorgeous and healthy these ladies and their children look, it really is quite amazing: Choosing Raw, Kristen’s Raw, Green & Crunchy.

For hard-copy reading pleasure, here is one of the most popular books on raw right now, check out the testimonials: Raw Food Made Easy For 1 or 2 People!

Next, I’ll give you some information on raw food in Perth! Yes, there are some innovative, health conscious companies bringing this new way of thinking to our little city! Stay tuned…

Be well,

xoxo