my food: sweet treats

I think I can feel my cooking mojo coming back. Finally! After a few weeks off where I took it real easy, I had a super-productive day in the kitchen. Naturally, the first thing I had to make was some of my favourite raw brownies, and since the food processor was out I also made a batch of powerballs which I find just as addictive!

They are such a great snack for kids. Seriously, if Noah didn't dig them then I wouldn't have to make a new batch every week or so! I also had a hankering for some pancakes, so it was the perfect opportunity to try out this recipe for a buckwheat version from the Gaia Retreat website.

Now I know buckwheat doesn't sound like a particularly tasty ingredient (especially compared to other such delicacies as plain white flour and icing sugar) but thy were surprisingly delicious! This is how they turned out before I slathered them in maple syrup and sliced banana - they looked way too appetising after that so I didn't actually manage to get a photo before I demolished the entire plate. My bad... but you get the drift!

health hiccups

Wow, what a week. After a few too many days fighting gastro and a mild cold, I'm finally starting to feel like myself again. And let me just say, there is nothing like being knocked to the ground with sickness to make you appreciate good health. While I was under the weather I spent plenty of time resting on the couch, so not only am I totally up to date with all the episodes of The Bachelor, but I got to catch up on my favourite blogs. And this article on the Wellness Warrior, Everything you need to know about the pill really hit home.

You see, I look at the time that I went off the pill as a major turning point in my life - it was essentially the catalyst which started my journey to health and well being. I suffered some of the nasty side effects discussed in the article (and also the comments) including vitamin and mineral deficiencies and ammenhorea. These issues took months to sort out (and not without the help of my amazing naturopath), and after discovering the cause, I couldn't believe that I'd been putting synthetic hormones into my body for years without ever really questioning it.

It doesn't surprise me now when I realise just how common these problems actually are. And it doesn't surprise me that so many women remain in the dark about these issues when you think how often, if at all, an article like this would be published in mainstream media. But that's the beauty of the internet - it's a way for us to tell our own story and find our own truth - because if I learnt anything this past week, it's that good health is the one thing that we should never take for granted.

I'll be back...

Apologies for the lack of posts this week. I've been struck down with a bug and have spent the majority of my time feeling sorry for myself while taking up permanent residency on the couch. I'll be back as soon as I'm able to construct a proper sentence without falling asleep x

my food: seasonal juicing

One of the best things about the change of the season (come on, let's try and be positive about the fact that Winter is upon us people!) is the abundance of juice-friendly fruits and vegetables that suddenly appear. Case in point:

Let's just say that I am totally in my element right now.

And I'm not the only one.