Wednesday, May 21, 2014

My BLOG is now on my WEBSITE

My website has been updated and now everything can be found in the one place!

Simply click on http://seedsofhealth.com.au/blog/ to be directed to the right place.  I look forward to continuing to share with you.  I also love to receive your comments!  :)

Sunday, January 12, 2014

DELICIOUS food for plane travel! What food is easy and nutritious to travel with?

Happy new year to you!
I hope you had a restful and recharging break!

I recently found myself on another plane, but this time well prepared and I wanted to share some information with you on what I do prior to plane travel, that helps me.

On Christmas Eve, I travelled from Cairns to Brisbane and then drove to Ballandean (Granite belt country).  I picked up my partner from work about lunchtime & we travelled together down south.  First there was a 2 hour plane trip and then a 3 hour drive to Ballandean, with my parents included.  My parents drove us from the airport to Ballandean so I thought there may be a few people to feed on the 3 hour car journey.  I knew that my partner would be hungry after a full morning of work (last day for the year and he’s the boss) and then straight on a plane with the need to get on the road, at the other end, ASAP to make it for Christmas Eve celebrations at his parents.  So I prepared a whole lot of food. 

Aside from our longish commute, I do believe it’s always good to be prepared when jumping on a plane because the food is often so processed.   If you happen to opt for a ‘healthy’ sandwich the bread is often white and causes bloating or all kinds of nasty things that you don’t want while trapped in a small compartment with strangers.

So I thought I’d share a few ideas of what you could take when travelling on a plane that can either be sealed in zip lock bags or throw away containers so they don’t end up being extra luggage for your trip.  The zip lock bags can also be washed out and used on the return journey if you need to save space in your luggage.

The foods that I prepared for us included:
·       2x whole roasted sweet potatojust roast the whole sweet potato (skin on) in the oven on a tray and walk away and do other things.  Give it about 40-60mins.  It will be deliciously soft and able to be pulled apart and sprinkled with sea salt when ready to eat. 
·       Home made hommus
·       Raw dehydrated crackers that I had made in bulk after wanting to use my left over veggie pulp from my juicer.
·       Feta cheese to have as something a little decadent on the plane with our crackers.  That nice salty taste to create variety.  This was left over in the fridge.  I personally feel better without dairy in my diet however my partner likes it.  Organic is a must if you are going to choose to eat any dairy.  My partner is currently trialing 30 days of no dairy to see how it agrees for him. 
·       Festive cherries bought fresh from Rusty’s Market for our trip.  There were so many we got to share them with the family when we arrived.
·       Home grown pineapplethis was special for sure!  Not an easy addition to every plane trip as they do take 2 years to growbut wow!  It was the sweetest, juiciest, delicious pineapple I’ve ever had!
·       Raw cakeI had a small love heart shaped Chilli Maca Chocolate Pie frozen in my freezer that I thought we could share and enjoy. 
·       Bliss balls are another great option!  I have a simple recipe on my blog as well as a new recipe/ingredients list on my Facebook page.
·       Smoothies and or juices are also a fabulous choice when travelling! 
·       Water is so under-estimated as well.  I always over hydrate before hopping on a plane.  When we are dehydrated we often feel hungry which causes us to eat unnecessarily.  When we are stuck in a chair on a long flight we can also choose to eat unnecessarily, which is another reason to over hydrate.  I often get caught out on international flights and have to skull my 1L bottle of water at security.  I actually found this beneficial the first time it happened because I got off the plane feeling absolutely fine rather than dry and bloated and all of those awful plane flight symptoms.  I try to drink at least 2L before an early morning flight and 3L or more before a later flight during the day.  It doesn’t bother me so much having to get up to go to the toilet because I get to stretch my legs and get the blood flowing.

As you can see I went well overboard, but had no idea how hungry we would all get, on the 5 hour journey.  It's better to have more than end up eating plane food!  These photos aren't particularly clear but give you an idea of easy foods to take on the plane.  In the tupperware container (L) there is hommus and a little feta.  Along with some dehydrated crackers and sweet potato. On the right in the container is the raw cake as well as pineapple & cherries.

I would love to hear what you take on planes to fill your hungry tummy?  

I hope 2014 is off to a fabulous healthy start for you!  If you're wanting health advice or coaching or perhaps a detox or cleanse  from all of the Christmas festivities, please book in for a consultation to ensure you start the year off on the right foot!  Also follow me on Facebook to get food ideas, recipes, tips, links and inspiration to help you out when you feel like you need that boost!

Janelle.

Monday, December 16, 2013

I've returned from a fabulous juice fast in Bali!

Hello healthy readers!
Well it’s been 2 weeks since I returned home from assisting to run the inspiring and fabulous juice fast in Bali, with the amazing Don and Tyler Tolman.

I feel motivated, clean and more than happy knowing that I have added to my fasting experiences and topped up my knowledge, expanded my consciousness, as well as making some beautiful connections with mostly Aussies that I will continue to cherish.

There were 28 ‘fasters’ in Bali that successfully completed a 7 day juice fast.  Well done to them!  It was amazing to see them ride the highs and lows of cleansing their temple.   Each day we were all involved in morning rituals that allowed us to begin the day in the best way possible.

Our morning rituals consisted of waking between 5am and 6am (on alternate days) joining together at the main room to do a coconut oil pull (to assist in drawing toxins out), hydrate with 1L of water and then make our way to the beach which was about a 10 minute walk where we would ideally be greeted by a perfect sunrise (shown to the right).  In the pavilion by the beach we would either do a yoga session with a visiting teacher or the 5 Tibetian Rites followed by various resistance exercises with Tyler.  On non-yoga days we would follow our exercises with a walk/run on the sand and a swim in the ocean.  I had such a thrill one morning body surfing some waves all the way in to shore.  It’s been too long!

Following our morning beach session participants were given around 1 hour to do an enema if they wished, gwasha their bodies (a fabulous mixture to cleanse the body and prepare it to absorb sun rays) and get in to the sun before our morning knowledge sessions focusing on one of the 7 principles of health.

We would start our morning knowledge sessions with an uplifting 5 minute dance session which would wake everyone up and inspire them to switch their brains on & get ready to learn!  This was definitely one of my favourite parts of the day!

If we were lucky enough we would get a ‘question and answer’ session with both Don and Tyler where we were allowed to leave any questions we liked in the question box & they would spend 15minutes answering as many as they could.  This really allowed the topics to expand!

In the afternoon we would head off on adventures ranging from white water rafting and massages in Ubud to whole food workshops with Chef Cynthia Louise!  This allowed us to observe ourselves putting the mornings session in to practice, in the real world.

I loved hearing both Tyler and Don share their passion, giving us all a greater understanding about ancient practices and what choices we can make to better our health in this life time.

I am so excited to be able to hopefully run some of my own juice fasts in Cairns in 2014.  It would be so wonderful to bring a community together to fast and learn in order to raise our consciousness and better our health so each and every day gets better and better!

Finally, I LOVE that when fasting it gives the body a chance to cleanse and recharge while re-programing things at a cellular level.   I often visualize these little guys (our cells) hard at work.  It’s simply amazing what they can achieve and how this positively impacts our mind!


Please leave a comment below or contact me via my email (janellecarolyn@gmail.com), my Facebook page (Seeds Of Health) or phone (0438 733 103) to let me know if you are one of those KEEN juice fasters for 2014?!  If you have a group that would like to fast together, outside of Cairns, I would be happy to travel.

Signing off with a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and an excited feeling inside of what possibilities lay ahead for 2014! 

Janelle J 

Monday, November 18, 2013

Preparation for a juice fast in Bali

It's nearing the end of the year…can you believe it?!!


I'm loving the hot weather in Cairns and the build up to Christmas holidays with family and friends.  I have to say I also LOVE the peaches that are in season at this time of year!  I simply love sitting still and enjoying the smell of a ripe organic peach before launching in for my first bite :)

In the lead up to Christmas remember that it doesn't need to be a time to stuff yourself silly on foods that make you feel bloated and yuck.  It can be a healthy, delicious and enjoyable time with loads of whole food treats and meals to share of greater nutrition value and flavour without the awful feeling post meal.  Please come in and see me for an appointment or ask if you are wanting help to ensure that you can enjoy your Christmas without the feeling of being bloated and hungover on sugar.    

I'm really excited that I have been invited to assist in facilitating a juice fast in Bali, with Tyler Tolman and Don Tolman, before the year is out.  Wow!  What an opportunity!  This father and son pair have a passion for whole foods and fasting with an emphasis on the 7 principles of health.  Don has spent many years researching different cultures and their practices surrounding health.  Both have the most amazing knowledge and brains.  A wealth of information!

I leave for Bali tomorrow and I have been working my body towards a juice fast over the last 3 days.  These initial steps of transitioning to raw allow the body to begin detoxing with lighter, cleaner foods before stepping in to the realm of just juice and water.   For the first 2 days I have eaten only raw foods (eg. raw zucchini pesto pasta, lots of fresh fruit (watermelon, peaches, pineapple), dairy free/sugar free smoothies, acai bowls, lightly steamed broccoli, kombucha, etc).  Today I have transitioned on to juices and will continue on that while taking a colon cleanse powder blend with bentonite clay in it, to assist in drawing toxins out.  It goes without saying that hydration is key also!  I always have 1L of water upon waking and ensure that my fluids are kept up during the day.  I am consuming an easy 3L plus per day at the moment.

I will stay on this juice cleanse prior to arriving in Bali as I am wanting to be at my best to assist in the facilitation of the juice fast (i.e. I don't want to be detoxing myself).  I am there to support others during their fasting experience and therefore want to be feeling on top of things by Saturday.  It is common to find the first 3 days of juice fasting the most challenging, hence why I have started on raw and transitioned to juice in the week leading up to the community juice fast in Bali, beginning on Saturday.

The group of people gathering together in Bali will be from all walks of life, with different health histories and different daily practices.  The detox symptoms of each and every one of them will be different.  If you are choosing to join us via the virtual online juice fast, please remember this and be kind to yourself.  We are all unique.
A supportive community makes a juice fast so much easier!  Come and join in the fun…here is the link to join the FREE 7 day juice fast in Bali, online...

Fasting gives the digestive system a break allowing it to rest and repair.  This regenerates the organs and gives the body an opportunity to cleanse.  With the emphasis on the 7 principles of health (hydration, air, exercise, whole foods, passions, relationships and sunshine) along with enemas the body is able to cleanse and repair.  A can't wait to support and share in this experience with others, over the next week!

I am looking at facilitating a juice fast in Cairns next year.  It is such a perfect location surrounded by delicious tropical produce.  If you are interested in joining the juice fast or have a great idea for a venue please reply below, comment on my Seeds Of Health Facebook page, email (janellecarolyn@gmail.com) or call me (0438 733 103).  

Tyler and Rachelle Tolman have hosted many online juice fasts this year allowing the online community to grow with 1700 members currently.  It is a place where you can ask questions and share your thoughts.  A perfect platform to fast from if you are unable to join us in person.  Good luck if you're choosing to join us on this amazing journey of fasting, which starts this Saturday!  

I'm really looking forward to assisting those who are joining us in Bali this Saturday!  I also look forward to sharing my experience on the other side :)

Janelle

Monday, October 7, 2013

Delicious easy cool summer treats



Here is a collection of cooling summer treats that are great to have prepared for the kids (or adults) for an after school snack or weekend treat.  They are all frozen so perfect for the weather that is heating up!

AVOCADO AND COCONUT POPSICLES 
- by Sarah Wilson "I quit sugar"
INGREDIENTS
1 ripe avocado
200ml coconut cream
Juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp coconut water
1 tbsp rice malt syrup or 100% pure maple syrup
1 tsp chia seeds (preferably white ones)
1/4 tsp salt

METHOD
Blend all ingredients together until smooth and place into ice block moulds or cups with paddlepop sticks sticking out and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours.

KIWI COATED IN RAW CHOCOLATE ON STICKS

This recipe is from the Show Food Chef (http://www.showfoodchef.com/2010/09/chocolate-kiwi-popsicles-simple.html) with a dairy free alternative using raw cacao chocolate (eg. Loving Earth) or an alternative recipe found here (http://wholefoodkids.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/fresh-kiwi-popsicles.html).   

INGREDIENTS (for either recipe)
Kiwi fruit
Coconut oil
Dark chocolate or Raw cacao chocolate (you can either buy some raw chocolate from Loving Earth or another brand or make your own raw chocolate).  If not, purchase a good quality organic fair trade dary chocolate and melt it.
Paddle pop sticks

Otherwise recipe 2:
8 Kiwi fruit
Honey
Sea salt
Ice block moulds

METHOD
I will leave you to follow the method from the websites given above as there are 2 alternatives, depending on which recipe you choose.


BANANA ICE CREAM
This is super easy and can be as plain or varied as you like.

INGREDIENTS
Frozen bananas (skins off) – as many as you like
Optional extras – cacao powder, cacao nibs, almond butter, coconut oil, berries, Spiralina, honey, etc.
Almond milk (optional if you would like to make a thick shake)

METHOD
Blend everything together in a blender and enjoy.  This ice cream is best served straight away and not frozen for eating at a later date as it tends to form icicles.  You can easily make a delicious chocolate thick shake by blending some almond milk with your frozen bananas, honey and cacao powder.  Delightful!


FROZEN GRAPES
As easy as freezing whole grapes and eating them straight out of the freezer!  You can even create grape kebabs out of them like the picture below.

Please share below or on my Facebook page (Seeds Of Health) any cool summer treats you enjoy!

Have fun creating!
Janelle



Sunday, October 6, 2013

Fantastic hiking food for those trekkers amongst us...

Hello fellow hikers,
A friend and I recently completed a 4 day hike in Western Australia from Cape Leuwin to Gracetown - part of the Cape to Cape track, near Margaret River.  We needed to carry all our own water, food, clothes, tent, etc.  So therefore we had to be very conscious of weight.
I have done many multi day hikes over the years, with some of them being 13 days long, however my food choices have changed a lot since my first multi day hike back in 2006.  I really enjoy doing multi day hikes and each time I complete one I learn a little more.

This hike I decided to focus more on which whole foods I could take with me that were light, clean and nutrient dense.  Chia seeds became a major part of both breakfast and lunch, with the benefits of this seed outlined below.



These were my food choices on my most recent hike.  I had more than enough, however we did plan on a 5 day hike so I had extra tucker.
Breakfast - Home made muesli consisting of oats, rice bran, chia seeds, almonds, walnuts, coconut, goji berries, cacao nibs and chopped dried apricots (the brown ones without preservative 220 on them).  I had this soaked in either hot or cold water of a morning and a squeeze of honey could be added on top.  This was so incredibly filling it kept me going for hours as we hiked over sand, rocky cliffs, through forests and up hills.  I measured each daily amount out into zip lock bags to ensure I had enough for the week.

Lunch - Chia porridge consisting of chia seeds, coconut, pecans and chopped dates.  This is incredibly light prior to adding water so a fantastic hiking food.  This could be heated up with warm water when the weather is cold or otherwise cold water.  A squeeze of honey is optional.  I would like to add more flavour to this dish for my next hike (perhaps cacao and maca powder), however the energy gain from these little seeds is sensational!  

Dinner - I tend to favour dahl on long hikes as it's highly nutritious and light and so tasty with the right mix of spices.  I choose to use red lentils as they cook quickly and also absorb the flavours of spices well.  A great accompaniment is quinoa as it cooks faster than brown or white rice, therefore saving on gas or wood, and is more nutritious with a better balance of protein to carbohydrates.  This ratio helps to repair muscles after hiking all day.  Recently on my hike I also discovered another dish that is a winner – butter bean and sweet potato curry served with cous cous.  The butter beans can be pre cooked and then dehydrated or otherwise a can of organic butter beans placed in a vaccum sealed bag and eaten on the first night is fine.  Onions, garlic and fresh ginger are a great base for both of these dishes.  It can be pre cut and dehydrated, however if room allows it’s great to be able to cut the onions, garlic and ginger fresh and cook them in some coconut oil and let the aroma spread through the camp as everyone’s appetite grows after a long day of hiking.  A spice mix that I enjoy using is turmeric, cumin, mustard seeds, sea salt (plus onion, garlic and ginger above) and I’m sure there are a few others, which I’ve forgotten.  Be creative!

Snacks – Bliss balls (containing chia seeds) are fantastic as they are light, full of flavour and nutrient dense.  I tend to put a lot of cacao powder in mine to ensure a good energy source and a high amount of antioxidants.  I ended up going to Paleo cafĂ© with friends prior to flying to WA so I picked up a lemon myrtle raw food bar and lemon and macadamia slice.  I also carried some wheatgrass powder with me and some activated almonds and extra dried apricots.  This was more than enough.  The wheatgrass powder I feel is essential as it gives the body an alkaline source, as it’s hard to get greens when out on the track.  Dehydrated bananas were another delicious and energy rich snack.  Next time bananas are cheap buy a heap and dehydrate them if you can.  Then vacuum seal them and they’ll store really well for long periods, ready for your next hike. 

Despite the number of superfood choices I would like to highlight the benefits of chia for multi day hikes.  This seed has the ability to absorb 9-12 times its weight in water.  This means that chia increases hydration in the body, leading to less fatigue and muscle cramping.  Chia also decreases recovery time and fatigue due to its high amount of omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants.  Both of these reduce inflammation, which speeds up recovery.  Its high potassium and moisture retaining qualities helps protect against electrolyte loss which can lead to cramping.  The Tarahumara people of southwest Mexico would roast the seed and crush it before adding it to water to make a 'sports gel' which they would consume prior to long distance running.  Coates, W. (2012). Chia - The complete guide to the ultimate superfood.

I would love to hear your ideas or questions surrounding hiking foods.  It's a fantastic idea to learn from each other.  Please share your comments below, email me or post a comment on my Facebook page - Seeds Of Health.

Happy hiking!
Janelle