Category Archives: Health

Go Green this Braai Day – 24 September 2015

September 14, 2015braai, braai day, eco friendly fire lighters, green lite eco fire lighters, heritage day, poudly south africanDebbie

Green (and gold) fever is upon us. The Rugby World Cup is approaching and next week we celebrate Heritage Day, otherwise known as ‘Braai Day’. Having lived outside of South Africa for the last 4.5 years I find it lank rad that Braai Day has become a thing. It really is a quintessential part of our culture and our South African-ness. Braai’s build community.

There is nothing quite like the smell of that wood fire burning, and the sizzle of slapping your boerie or your chops or your lekker sosaties on the fire (bru), knocking back with a castle or your tassies (or for you fancies – your craft brew). A little slaai (salad) on the side, your garlic rolls and maybe a couple mielies (corn on the cob)… As I type this, all I can hear is Trevor Noah in my head…

So let’s get our Braai Day on. We tend to complain a lot in South Africa, but this Braai Day, Eskom can’t get us down – even if you’re braai’ing on gas… which you shouldn’t because… it’s… kinda fake – come oooon now guyyyys.

The National Braai Day initiative aims to position National Heritage Day as South Africa’s annual day of celebration. We call on all South Africans to unite around fires, share our heritage and wave our flag on 24 September every year.

And so, in the midst of this celebration, I have the perfect (green) addition for your Braavleis. Ditch the old school paraffin/petroleum firelighters, and try Green Lite Eco Fire Lighters. I know what you might be thinking… “I’m so used to my usual firelighters, and now you want me to use something different that won’t be as effective, and probably double the price”.

W-R-O-N-G. Oh, oh so wrong.

Green Lite Eco Fire Lighters are 100% paraffin free, have a low odour and are made from recyclable materials, vegetable oils and natural colourants. They are the same price as Blitz (our most commonly bought brand), and is the brainchild of local Somerset West couple, Mark and Sandy Steinberg.

Hubby and I took a trip up to the mountain this past weekend and we put these eco fire lighters to the test and were well impressed. I know I say that about a lot of things (natural eco-goodies get me amped), but this is one of those products where it is EASY to make the change. Green Lite’s Eco Fire Lighters are SABS Safety tested, contain no petroleum products, are fuelled by clean burning vegetable oils, have a low odour, and are long burning (up to 12 min a block!) and are so clean in handling you don’t have to wash your hands before touching your food. The blocks are easy to break off and use (unlike the random snapping of your blitz bar) and they have a resealable inner sleeve. Best of all its made right here in South Africa.

GET YOURS NOW!!

FROM TODAY until BRAAI DAY (24th September 2015), Green Goods, your online eco-store, is offering all readers a 20% off Green Lite Eco Fire Lighters. Follow this link to find your green happy firelighters and enter the code braaiday2015 when you check out to redeem your discount.

Give it a go – this is a simple change to make. And with the more firelighter blocks you have left over, all the more reason to braai braai braai your way into summer.

The GLÜKi Life

September 13, 2015family health, gluki organics, natural skincare, newborn, organic skincareDebbie

I am an optimistic person by nature. A typical number 7 on the enneagram. Naturally, I over-commit myself to making absolutely everything I do full of adventure, excitement and fun – a life in full colour (aaaaand a little exhausting for my hubby and kids).

For instance, if we’re going to the beach, we neeeeeeeeeeed (as my toddler would say) an ice cream. If we’re going on a road trip, we simply must get coffees on the way. Camping trips require s’mores and I can’t go past a till check out without trying the new flavour of tic-tacs.

And so you can imagine my pure delight when I came across this range of organic skincare – GLÜKi Organics. As you may already know, names are a pretty big deal in our family (you can read the post on naming our second born here) and so if GLÜKi was a person, no doubt we’d be besties.

GLÜKi Baby – Happy Baby

Origins of the name GLÜKi, loosely derived from:

• South African Afrikaans – geluk (“happy”)
gelukkige verjaarsdag (“happy birthday”)
• Middle English – luk, lukke (“good luck”)
• Dutch – geluk (“happiness”)
• Yiddish – glick (“blessing / happiness”)
• Danish – lykke (“good luck”)
• Low German – luk (“good fortune”)
• German – glück (“happy”)
• Swedish – lycka (“good luck”)

GLÜKi Organics is an uncompromised high quality plant-based product range that meets a loving mother’s need for her baby. They take immense pride in the therapeutic value of each ingredient in their products.

GLÜKi uses a range of organic and natural ingredients such as mafura butter, aloe vera leaf extract, baobab powder, marula oil, shea butter, kalahari melon (one of my faves) and organic rooibos. No nonsense. I like.

So, bearing in mind I’m a number 7 and want all things fuller, bigger, more playful and joyous, you can imagine how satisfying it was to add GLÜKi to all areas of my life. It was like gleefully sprinkling glitter all over every room… without the clean up.

The range is attractive and beautifully designed. After browsing through it all, I gave the nipple cream and travel pack to a brand new mum-friend (how handy for her diaper bag?), and I threw the hand and body lotion straight into my handbag (and I smother it on like it’s nobody’s business). Honestly, sometimes before meetings, appointments or seeing friends, I like to rub it all over myself in the hope that they will recognize it as, you know, ‘my smell’. You know those friends who always smell good, and have a particular smell? Well that’s what I was going for. It really is that good.

The organic baby shampoo, baby body wash and bedtime bubble bath were delegated to the bathroom, and our changing table thought it was Christmas with the addition of the organic baby moisturizing lotion, oil gel, bum cream and baby powder. Like I said, goodness every-where.

My favourite product in the baby range is the bum cream. It is appropriately thicker than the rest of the range. Often I find thin bum cream gets messy and you end up slapping it (and therefore wasting it) all over your little ones tush, whereas this stays put and does what it needs to do: it nourishes, protects the skin, reduces chafe, and prevents rashes and irritation.

The GLÜKi team have written a wonderful post about how to care for your newborns skin. It includes the benefits of touch and baby massage, not overdoing bath time and how to feed your baby’s skin naturally. All of which I’m a huge advocate of.

I absolutely LOVE the smell of this range as you would have noted by my wishing people thought of it as ‘my smell’. To me, it smells like marshmallows (the nice, not sickly sweet, but the mature, refreshing and clean kind – if you can imagine such a marshmallow). This product to a baby’s skin is like a weeks trip to Indigo Fields for an adult. Have you been to Indigo Fields?

GLÜKi Organics is manufactured here in our very own beautiful South Africa and is EcoCert certified. GLÜKi is also an accredited partner of Phytotrade Africa, endorsed by Beauty without Cruelty and their ingredients Vegan. Have a peek at their extensive range of stockists online.

Coconut Oil, Coconut Oil Everywhere

August 30, 2015coconut connection, coconut oil, coconut oil baby care, coconut oil body scrub, coconut sugar, health, natural, Organic, PaleoDebbie

When I first embarked on this green life about 3 years ago, coconut oil popped up every-where. It’s like I couldn’t get away from the stuff – and for good reason.

If you spend 7 seconds browsing Pinterest you’ll see literally thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of posts about coconut oil, the benefits, the uses, the recipes, the health properties, and on and on it goes. It seems coconut oil really is one of the most versatile and healthy MUST-HAVES in your pantry, bathroom, bedroom, kids room, ANY-room.

You can read up more about their vast number of benefits and uses here and here. Below I’m highlighting three products in particular that I’ve found to fit into my day to day.

I have kids, am faaaaaairly addicted to sugar and love good skin. So, when Jenna from Coconut Connection, a local company, offered some product to try I grabbed the Baby Care, Organic Coconut Sugar and the Coconut Body Scrub.

Now, if you’re new to this, it’s good to know that coconut oil is an OIL. So it’s oily. Got it? I know a few people whose sensory vibes don’t dig the oil factor and so if that’s the case this might not be for you. But, as for the rest of you, let’s get greasy.

Oh wait, another thing. Coconut oil solidifies in cool temperatures, so, in colder climates it might need a slight warm up before use (like dipping the jar in warm water), and in hotter climates, if you don’t want to dip your fingers into runny oil, then keep it in a cool dry place, out of the sunlight.

Ready? Let’s go.

Coconut Connection’s Organic Baby Care:

Smothering my kidlets with coconut oil comes as NO surprise to me. From the very beginning, I ditched all the fancy branded creams (which had plenty of unknown ingredients) and went al-natural with the littlies using a single ingredient – Organic Coconut Oil. In fact when my second was born, his skin looked like it was almost cracking on his feet and hands and I lathered him up goooood and proper with the stuff. Within days, his skin was plump and juicy. And its a huge money saver as a little goes a very looooong way.

Uses: Can be used to treat baby acne, cradle cap, croup, nappy rash, ear infections, massage, bath oil and as a moisturiser.

Liven up your little ones bath time routine by running a warm bath, dim the lights, cuddle up your littlie in a towel, put on some relaxing music, drop some lavender essential oil in the diffuser and enjoy bonding time together involving some baby massage.

Coconut Connection’s Coconut Sugar:

I didn’t even know there was such a thing. Stevia, yes, Xylitol, yes… But coconut sugar?

Coconut sugar is made from the coconut flower, where the sap is removed and heated and you’re left with a sugary substance which leaves a caramelly aftertaste in your mouth. Whoooooaaaaaa, it is delicious. I can eat this stuff by the teaspoonful. In fact, if I’m honest, I do.

Compared to Xylitol, coconut sugar has a milder taste and flavour. When added to coffee, it knocks that bitter taste off, or adds a slight sweetness to tea. My rooibos addicted toddler loves coconut sugar in his morning tea and I way prefer using this than any other sweetener. Win.

Uses: you can use coconut sugar in many different sweet and savoury recipes. It is safe for diabetics and has a low GI of 35.

Coconut Connection’s Body Scrub:

I like things with as few ingredients as possible, and this scrub has 2. Coconut Oil and Sugar. So it’s a scrub, aaaand a dessert (almost).

Since my scrub had hardened, I warmed it up (you can pop the bottom of the jar in the bath) and gave it a stir to distribute the oil and sugar evenly (as the sugar had settled at the bottom of the jar). I quite like the oil-on-oil method of cleaning and so for me personally I like oil based scrubs. This scrub has a neutral smell and so if you don’t have a high sensitivity to essential oils, you could add a couple drops to your bath depending on what mood you’re in. Being oily, its quite nice to just give yourself a little neck massage while you’re at it. Well that’s what I do anyway.

Coconut Connection have a whole range of products, including coconut oil for cooking (or DIY-ing), toothpaste (similar to my homemade recipe), lip balm and much more.

What have you made recently that has coconut oil as a main ingredient?

Tam’s Natural Homemade Face Scrub

August 23, 2015DIY, essential oils, face scrub, health, homemade, naturalDebbie

Roll up your sleeves, we’re getting our DIY on.

Recently a friend of mine in Durbs sent me this recipe for a homemade face scrub she was making for her boyfriend who had really sensitive skin. Every now and then we send each other a quick message about what essential oils to buy or where to get witch hazel – you know… those kinds of things.

This scrub includes old used coffee grinds (from the bottom of the Bodum) and so in a moment of inspiration as I was washing out the plunger (preparing to make myself another cuppa), I grabbed an empty jar and threw it all together.

Now, I have heard horror stories about scrubs and while I’ve made my own body scrub before, the delicate skin on your face is a different ball game. So I spoke to my Beauty Blogger friend Emmy at Rouge Beauty, and she gave me some really insightful info into the benefits and dangers of exfoliating.

Baaaaasically, (let me summarize), using a scrub is important for the health of your skin (face), but OVER exfoliating can scratch and cause damage to your dermis. So don’t be getting all over-excited, and make the scrub and then go nuts like there’s no tomorrow. Exfoliating gets rid of old and dead skin, which has often collected pollutants and general nonsense in the air. It is recommended that you gently exfoliate (or use a scrub) about once a week, and less frequently as you get older. Also, she emphasized, to use a sunscreen (always), but especially the day following. Got it? Good!

Here is what you need:

– 2 T old coffee grinds (yes, the stuff at the bottom of your plunger!)

– 2 T of honey (you can use sugar or molasses, but I prefer honey)

– 2 T olive oil

– 1 T almond oil

– 15 drops of an essential oil (Tam recommends tea tree oil). Essential oils are always optional as they can cause sensitivity. Since my skin is not super sensitive, I added in lemon tea tree. Ohhhhh fresh!

And then in her words: ‘I added two squirts of my dermalogic face wash to make it a bit more “face washy” for him’. Ha ha ha. You could use castille soap, but I left this out.

I have LOVED using this scrub. I keep my jar in the shower and as prescribed, scrub gently once a week. I also love the natural oil-on-oil method of cleaning and have found my skin to feel really soft, clear and healthy after. Yay.

Thanks Tam!

Baobab Oil – Africa at its Finest

August 21, 2015baobab oil, Baobab tree, EcoProducts, naturalDebbie

My hubby has a weird (!) skin condition called urticaria. You would probably not notice it, but when he’s been tucking into the gooey cinnamon buns and double thick milkshakes (errrrmmmm read: eating particularly badly), round red-ish spots appear on his arms, ankles and sides of his chest (mainly). Not cool.

For the most part, he’s just dealt with it, and then it flairs up, itches and bugs him, and then he just tries to ignore it and it tends to go away.

Enter: Baobab Oil by EcoProducts.

Baobab oil is made from baobab seeds found in the fruit of the baobab tree. (Side note: my son has this African Alphabet CD and ‘B is for Baobab Tree (the big, beautiful baobab tree’), so the tune is running through my head as I type this. Hysterical). It is cold pressed and the oil is therefore squeezed from the seed. 100% pure. What I like to see.

The uses? Basically, go ahead and smother your entire body with this good stuff; in the shower, in the bath, over dry patches, eczema, scarring, stretch marks, acne, sun burn and and and. Being natural and fabulous, it is safe on pregnant mums and children, just don’t drink it. You can find more uses for baobab oil here.

Baobab oil not only nourishes and moisturizes your skin, but it is packed with all natural goodness including omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids.

So I gave the bottle to my husby to try on his sensitive skin. I am certainly the more excited, spontaneous, optimistic and convinced-these-things-will-work of the two of us. So after a few days (only!) when he came to me saying the baobab oil not only diminished the urticaria spots fairly dramatically, but had almost immediately stopped the itching, I was thoroughly impressed. As was he.

But we all love a good story behind a good product don’t we?

Meet Dr. Sarah Venter – founder of EcoProducts (on the very right).

For thousands of years, baobabs have made an important contribution to people’s livelihoods for food, fibre and medicine in Africa. More recently, the global trade in baobab powder and oil has become an important source of income for many rural families. EcoProducts works with rural people, producing baobab powder and oil which is then sold to the manufacturing and retail sectors. This provides the local Venda communities with employment and much needed income.

However, Dr. Sarah Venter felt that there was still so much more that can be done to promote not only environmental awareness, but also social upliftment. She decided to create a non-profit organisation, the EcoProducts Foundation so that she could make a stronger connection between global markets and the source of baobab fruit. This allows for benefits to flow directly to the care for these ancient trees and to the lives of the women and children who live around them. As I said in the title – Africa at its finest.

Caring is a big deal to Dr. Sarah Venter. She’s encouraged Creating a Culture of Caring because she believes caring for ourselves, others and our environment is desperately needed in the world right now. Caring needs to become not just something we do every now and then, but what we do on a continual basis so that to care becomes naturally embedded in our culture.

Birthing from this idea of intentional care, came two key areas – the Baobab Pre-School Programme and the Baobab Guardians Project. It.is.incredible what is going on behind the scenes of the simple baobab oil and powder products. For more info, please follow the links to learn more.

EcoProducts also holds the following impressive accreditations:

(Retail Price: R32 for 5ml, R118 for 30ml, R153 for 50ml and R234 for 100ml)

Homemade & Happy Baby Wipes

August 10, 2015aloe vera, baobab oil, DIY, Green baby, health, home projects, homemade baby wipes, Natural Baby Wipes, Wellness MamaDebbie

Have you ever read the ingredients in commonly used store-bought wipes? It’s terrifying. When my bub had his realllly bad bum rash back in the day (yes, you’ve heard this story a million times), I was told to use NOTHING on his bum other than water – and so this sparked my first homemade challenge… baby wipes.

Wellness Mama’s homemade baby wipes were the first thing I made myself when I started on this journey towards better health, reducing chemicals in our home and saving the earth (can you picture my super woman t-shirt?), and it has since become second nature.

Of course, while moving countries I fell off the wagon completely and am now fiiiiinally picking myself back up. Shame on me. My poor number 2 has had store-bought wipes with all their yukkiness for so long, the mom-guilt in me was screaming to do something, and FAST.

First and foremost these homemade wipes are safe for your child. To me that’s the most important thing. And secondly, even with an initial outlay on all the tupperware, gels, soap etc. this will most certainly save you money in the long run if you go through wipes like we do. Health, saving money and the environment. Winning at life.

Here’s what you need: Adapted from the Wellness Mama recipe. (I bet she has multiple superwoman shirts).

INGREDIENTS

– Paper Towels (R33.50). OF UTMOST importance: You cannot use cheap paper towel – it will tear and you’ll be left with a sludgy mess. Essential Green work well.

– A Container. I use these amazing Tupperware wipes containers (large wipes containers, as seen here, R109 or R89 for small – ideal for school bags) or a 2l ice cream container with a hole punched in the top will also do. (An excuse to eat some ice cream while you protect your family from harsh chemicals).

– 1 3/4 cups boiled water (or distilled), cooled but still warm. (You can just use regular water if you use them in less than a week like we do).

– 1 T Castille Soap (I use Dr. Bronners from overseas. I use this to wash my kids too).

– 1 T (pure) Aloe Vera Gel (see my note about aloe below).

– 1 T Witch Hazel (Pharmacy R42).

– NEW ADDITION (for me):1 t natural oil such as Baobab Tissue Oil (ohhh, yes I did). This is optional, but highly encouraged.

METHOD

1) Have your wipes container ready. Open your box of paper towels and divide them into 4. You will use 1/4 box of paper towels per wipes container, and so, since I make two batches, I use half the box.

Oops… as you can see, they don’t quite fit. Not to worry. Once I poured the warm liquid over them, I gently, but firmly, shoved them in – and made them fit. Voia la.

2) In bowl or 500ml jar mix the water, aloe, witch hazel, castille soap, and oil and stir.

As you can see, t’was the perfect day for some afternoon outside DIYing.

3) Put the paper towels in your container and pour the liquid over until they are well soaked (remembering to divide the liquid mixture in two). You can flip the containers over to make sure they’re soaked through.

Don’t forget to halve the liquid (since you’re making two batches). You don’t want very watery wipes.

4) Open it back up and pull the first wipe out – it might be a bit tricky but go with it.

5) Use as you would regular wipes, and smile, knowing you are not causing your beautiful children any future health problems! I use these wipes for EVERYTHING: from grubby hands and food covered mouths to bums and sandy feet – I know what I’m using on my kids skin is safe and effective.

Isn’t it beautiful?

Let me reassure you:

This might sound like its fairly complicated and a lot of work. It’s not. Once you get going, it literally takes 5 minutes to make. I buy the paper towels in bulk and then always have them on hand. You know that terrifying, panicky feeling when you realize you’re almost out of wipes… well you’ll never have that again (as long as you have the ingredients on hand). All you need each time you make a batch is water, soap, witch hazel and aloe vera. Mix and pour. Done.

Let me break it down:

– The castille soap cleans and makes the wipes slippery and easy to use. (You can use less if you find them too soapy),
– The witch hazel acts as a mild astringent and antibacterial,
– The aloe vera has long been an important and indispensable ally for all skin conditions or maladies. It’s just the most perfect soft, loving and caring ingredient for a precious bum.

ALOE VERA

Hold the (proverbial) phone. Let’s crank this up a notch.

While thinking about this post and driving to pick up my kids, I was AS-TOUN-DED as to how many aloes I saw growing freely in the Southern Suburbs. My friend who lives in Sun Valley had about 20 in her garden at one stage. It is easy-PEASY to make your own aloe vera gel – and cheap as. If I had not had the boys in the car I would’ve jumped out the car and nicked a big fat leaf from off the side of the road, but didn’t think that was very role-model like. Fortunately I got my thrifty paws on some samples from Alcare Aloe.

‘Whoaaaa, hold up’, you’re saying. ‘I’m barely able to wash my hair one a week and brush my teeth twice a day. I’ll never be caught dead making my own aloe vera gel and even these wipes are a push’. That you? Then, breathe a sigh of relief and read on…

Store bought Green Eco Wipes I’m loving…

Cherubs Eco Friendly Baby Wipes: Cherubs baby wipes contain aloe vera (we love aloe vera) and are gentle on delicate skin and the environment. They are flushable, biodegradable and alcohol, paraben and fragrance free. Yes please. (R31.12)

Cherubs have brought out a wonderful eco range. They have hand and face wipes, cotton rounds (nice puffy, durable rounds) and cotton buds (with a unique paper-based stem which is 100% flushable and biodegradable!).

Must be honest, I have a phobia about squeaky cotton rounds. A bit like I have a phobia about teeth and wool (together). Gives me the absolute grrrills. I’m happy to report Cherubs’ cotton rounds passed the non-squeak test. Phew.

Pure Beginnings Baby Wipes with Baobab and Aloe Vera. (Are you starting to see some familiar ingredients appear here?). These gentle bamboo baby wipes are 100% biodegradable. With organic aloe extract and baobab fruit extract, they are very gentle on delicate skin. (R39.50)

One small change is one small change. Do it!

xxx

‘How To’ Essential Oils: Eucalyptus

August 6, 2015DIY, essential oils, eucalyptus, health, Natural vapour rub, SOiLDebbie

Continuing my exploration into the mysterious world of essential oils – I thought, with winter now in full-on mode, my next essential oil I’d like to unpack is eucalyptus.

We’ve all heard of eucalyptus and no doubt you all know the smell. If our cuddly Koala friends love this plant, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t. I mean look at him…

Eucalyptus

Here are a few suggestions on how to make the most of eucalyptus, thanks to our friends at SOiL and DoTERRA.

Due to the many influential compounds found in eucalyptus, it is a common ingredient in throat drops and chest ointments. Eucalyptus is used widely both for its calming and clearing properties as well as to support breathing.

Here’s how you can use it effectively…

Sleep: Put one drop on the bottom of your feet before you go to bed for a more restful sleep. (I’m trying this tonight!)

Baths: Add 5 – 10 drops of essential oil(s) to a warm run bath. If skin is sensitive, blend the essential oil in a teaspoon of carrier oil first. Close the door so the vapours don’t escape. Soak for at least 10 minutes relaxing and breathing deeply. For added moisturising dilute the oils in 10ml of carrier before adding to the bath.

Massage: Add 5 – 6 drops of essential oil per 10ml of carrier oil. Mix thoroughly and apply liberally to the skin.

Inhalations: Add 4 – 5 drops of essential oil to a bowl of steaming water. Place a towel over your head, close your eyes and lean over the bowl. Inhale the vapour for a few minutes.

Burners and Diffusers: Fill the bowl of the burner/vaporiser with water and then add 3 – 6 drops of essential oil. Light the candle and the oil will evaporate as the water heats up. Do not let the bowl dry out. Eucalyptus blends well with Wild Orange, Lemon, and Peppermint essential oil.

Compress: Recommended when the area is too painful to massage. Dip a towel or cloth in 4-5 drops of essential oil and 200ml hot or hold water and wring out. Cover the affected area with this compress. Then place a plastic wrap over this and a towel or blanket on top. Leave the compress on for 2-4 hours.

Cleaning Spray: Mix water, Lemon, Eucalyptus, and Peppermint in a spray bottle for a cleaning spray.

Before Exercise: Rub onto chest or bottom of feet before exercising, using a carrier oil if you’re nervous about the intensity of an EO directly onto your skin.

As always…

Safety Information: Essential oils are highly concentrated and should always be used with care. They should be diluted in a suitable carrier oil when applying to the skin and should not be used on children under 18 months. Essential oils are not recommended for use during pregnancy. Do not take internally, and if ever uncertain consult an aromatherapy practitioner for professional advice. Be wise!

TRY THIS RECIPE:

Here is a recipe (thanks to Wellness Mama) that I have used when making my own Natural Vapour Rub. I couldn’t bring myself to use a store-bought vapour rub (full of petroleum and nonsense) on my kids when they were babies and so I made my own. I love it, and feel confident when using on the bubs when cough season comes round.

Homemade Natural Vapour Rub

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil, coconut oil, or almond oil
2 level tablespoons of beeswax pastilles.
20 drops of eucalyptus oil
20 drops peppermint oil
10 drops rosemary oil
10 drops cinnamon or clove oil (optional)

Instructions:

Melt beeswax with oil of choice in a double boiler until just melted.
Add the essential oils (use half the amount for a baby version or dilute with coconut oil before using)
Stir until well mixed and pour into some type of container with a lid to store. Little tins work well, as do small jars. I also always make a few in lip chap sticks to keep in my purse or use on baby feet.
Use as needed to help sooth coughing and congestion.

Photo credit: Wilson Promontory National park in Australia, and NAHA.

The Yummiest Paleo Recipes EVER

July 31, 2015beetroot, family recipes, food, fresh, fresh produce, fruit, health, healthy snack, homemade, juicing, Paleo, recipes, salad, soup, Whole30Debbie

We have only one more day to go friends, and so I’ve rounded up my favorite Paleo recipes of all time. I find myself coming back to these again and again, even when intentionally eating Paleo is far from my mind…

Most of these recipes can be found on my Paleo Board on Pinterest. Pinterest is an amazing resource for Paleo recipes and inspiration. Included in this blog post are just a handful of the gazillions of recipes that are all amazingly delicious and easily found online. So make friends with Google and enter a world of deliciousness. I’m currently also re-reading Pete Evans‘ book Family Food.

Please try to make as MUCH of this as you can at home. Homemade is BEST. Cooking, baking and almond milk making gets your creative food juices going and is so healthy for the soul.

Michael Pollan says something along the lines of, ‘take as much time to prepare your food, as you do to eat it’. I like that quote. And I think he’s right.

RECIPES:

BREAKFAST: (I usually have fruit and nuts on weekdays and save the bacon and eggy kinda brekkie for the weekend).

– My all time fave is Paleo Granola. Basically 1 cup of each of the following: almonds, cashews, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and coconut flakes. You can throw some linseed and sesame seed in if you like (maybe half a cup of each). Mix all the nuts/seeds in a large bowl (except coconut flakes) and mix in about 1/4 cup melted coconut oil. If you want, you can squeeze in the juice of an orange for a touch of sweetness. Spread it out over a baking dish (or two) and bake at a low temp (110 degrees) for about an hour, mixing once in-between. Toast the coconut flakes separately as they burn quickly! Add the coconut flakes to the rest of the granola and store in airtight container.

This is best served over cut up fruit (apples, oranges, pears, strawberries etc). Since this is oat-free and nut HEAVY, you really only need a couple tablespoons of granola over your fruit. This amount of nuts might seem expensive initially but it will last you a fair while since you don’t need that much – not nearly the amount you would usually use when eating granola (museli). Also, if you find the nuts too big, you can chop them roughly in the very beginning.

– Classic bacon and eggs, with balsamic grilled cherry tomatoes, garlic fried mushrooms, creamy avo and sweet potato hash. YUM.

– Spinach Beef Frittata. (I sometimes make these in cupcake pans so you have portion sizes that are just right!) Make up your own combinations too.

SNACKS:

– Banana chips (homemade)
– Apple chips with cinnamon (homemade)
– Cherry tomatoes
– Cut up apple and almond butter
– Beet dip and cucumber and carrot sticks
– Boiled eggs with paleo mayo
– Yam fries and aioli (paleo mayo, garlic and lemon juice)
– Kale chips. I know it is not everyone’s cup of tea but I love them.
– Spice-free biltong
– aaaaaaaaaaaand… Lara Balls (throw 1 cup almonds, 1 cup pitted dates, 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil into a food processor and blend to smitherines. Grab handfulls and squish into balls. Keep them in the fridge and nibble as you need. You can add a tablespoon or so of organic cacao powder or ground coffee beans if you’re wanting to add extra flavour). Lara Balls were essential in both my previous Whole30’s.

LUNCHES & DINNERS (I find these quite interchangeable):

Your alternatives to a carby base: cauliflower rice, sweet pot/ yam hash or mash, zucchini ribbons and broccoli and cauliflower florets. You can also make spaghetti squash – but I can’t find spaghetti squash in South Africa. Hmmph.

You absolutely have to make cauliflower rice and sweet potato hash/mash as your hearty meal bases (where you would have used noodles/rice/bread etc.) Omit the lime and coriander from the cauliflower rice recipe if you don’t like those flavours – but I find them super scrumptious. Also, zucchini ribbons (peeling a zucchini like you would a carrot) and broccoli florets or roasted cauliflower are very versatile as bases for a spaghetti type mince or juicy vegetable something-or-other.

Soups: (while you’re at it – make double and freeze extra portions so you have spare for the following week, or for an unpredictably busy day).

– I cannot get enough of this Roasted Butternut Soup. I can now make it with my eyes closed.
– Curried Cauliflower Soup (I buy cauliflower like its nobody’s business).
– Sweet Potato and Bacon Soup (with Ras el Hanout – take the time to make this – it’s easy and so worth it).
– Basil and Tomato Soup (with basil from your garden, obviously).

Salads: (Rule of thumb for salads in general: include 1 green, 1 fruit or vegetable and 1 nut. Usually I would say add 1 cheese, but not while on Whole30).

– Chicken, Avo, Mango, Cilantro, Lime, Mint, & Toasted Cashew Salad. Oh my wooord – one of my all time best.
– Bacon, Lime and Sweet Pot Salad
– Grilled Chicken Citrus Salad

Meaty Options:

– My BEST EVERRRR: Chipotle Chicken Sweet Pot Skins. Your friends will love you forever. Leave off the cheese. It’s a touch high maintenance, but so, so worth it.

– 2nd BEST: Homemade Burgers in Lettuce Wraps. Make it up as you wish. Add whatever tickles your fancy – but keep it dairy free. The crispy lettuce crunch with the warm homemade patty with juicy tomatoes and creamy avo. Stop it. It is so good.

Patty: Throw together minced beef, diced onion, salt, pepper, one egg, a handful of almond flour (leftover from your almond milk), coconut aminos (optional), herbs from the garden, balsamic vinegar, and crushed garlic. Shape into patties, pop in fridge for a while to let the flavours set in and fry in EVOO/Coconut oil on stove. Make extras as snacks.

– 3rd BEST: Fish Tacos. I have now started ordering fish tacos in (reputable seafood) restaurants I love them so so much. I adapt this recipe. I leave out the sugar, dairy and carb component and replace it with homemade paleo mayo and crispy lettuce as the wrap. Make this with a mango salsa. A taste sensation.

Fish & Chips: If you don’t feel like making tacos you can just cook the fish and serve it with yam fries. Yum.

– 4th BEST: Moroccan Meatballs. Yum. Over and Over (on cauli rice). This is another recipe I have continued to make again and again long after our Whole30’s ended.

– 5th BEST: Warm Veggie Salad. The hub is not a huge fan of this one, but I love it. I adapt this recipe (swap the potato for sweet potato or yam). I serve it on baby spinach and mix a couple more flavours into the sauce such as red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and chilli flakes.

When you’re lost for ideas, a frittata is always a safe bet (with whatever you have left in your pantry). Also, how about a delicious roast chicken with roasted veggies? So easy. Use the chicken carcass to make homemade chicken stock (in your Wonderbag) for your soups. So versatile huh?

BEVERAGES:

– Water, drink it with lemon, or not. Just drink LOTS of it.
– Coffee and Tea with Almond Milk or Coconut Milk. These milks are SO easy to make and have no hidden sugars, preservatives etc. unlike store bought. Also roast the left over coconut and almond flours. They’ll come in handy.
– Soda Water with Lemon (my evening drink of choice)
– Naturally Flavoured Water
– Smoothies (so easy to make)
– Juices in your juicer – such as my fave: Beet, Apple & Ginger
– I’m allowing Kombucha since there is no hard and fast rule if it is allowed. I love it for its probiotic and gut health benefits and so feel it’s a great addition. It’s also a good thing to drink when you feel like a glass of wine.

NEW RECIPES I can’t wait to try:

– Healthy Taco Salad in a mason jar with this deeeelicious salsa.
– Roasted Sweet Pot Salad
– Thai Coconut Soup (I love Thai flavours, and ginger is so good for you)
– Coconut Crusted Chicken Patties (how have we not had these before?)

Pheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwww. That’s a lot of info to take in. I did so much research on my first Whole30, I put this PDF together with a shopping list, meal plan for my 4 weeks and it really helped me when I was feeling inspiration-less. Print it out and pin it up in your kitchen for when you’re needing ideas: Whole 30 – Schedule (Week 1,2,3,4).

Now it’s your turn! Please share your winning recipes, and your total failures (so we know to, errrmmm, give them a skip). Be inspired to do your own research and create your own meals.

Good luck and enjoy!!

xxx

MUST HAVES in your Paleo Pantry

July 28, 2015diet, food, health, michael pollan, Paleo, Whole30Debbie

So, because I’m the one initiating this Whole30/Paleo month, I feel like I need to be even more on top of it than usual. My type A is kicking in. Not only do I need to get my game on, but I then need to write about it as well. This is accountability at its max.

So – I’ve been shopping. Yeeeowzers, have I been shopping. I dare not tell the hubby how much money I spent on raw nuts last week (lucky for me I put it on the Canadian credit card and so it feels like a distant dream).

Paleo can seem expensive, but if you find the right shops and budget well – it doesn’t have to break the bank. If you’re doing the higher grade version and buying purely organic, 100% grass-fed, pastured kobe beef well then sure, you might crank it up a notch or two on the spending scale, but if you can’t, that’s fine. Do what you can do.

In terms of specific items – here are a few of the must haves in the pantry at.all.times. My top 5:

– Coconut Oil (organic or preferably organic virgin),
– Free Range Eggs (Elgin Free Range Chicken), and
– Nuts for my paleo granola, homemade nut butters and lara balls. I get them all from Yellow Submarine in Ottery (macadamia, almond, cashew, brazil, coconut flakes, dates, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds etc.)
– Coconut Milk/Cream. Buy cans by the dozen. You’ll be amazed at how versatile these babies are.
– Cumin. Well… I just love cumin.

Fruit & Veg:

I mainly buy our fruits and veggies from our local Pick ‘n Pay – purely for my Vitality Healthy Food benefit (and cash back – see frugal, but smart), as well as Food Lovers when I need things in bulk (like making soups to freeze). When I’m feeling extra green I like to make use of an online organic food box system. I try not shop at Woolworths too much, mainly because I find their prices outrageous and I’m thrifty, and I felt a little fooled about their hormone-free – not so free – milk saga a while back. Holding a grudge? Clearly. Admittedly Woolies do sell good quality fruit and veg and if you are looking for something specific they’ll probably have it, and their fresh food lasts a good while. I also get suckered into their Eat In for under R200. Arghhh… they reel me in with their wonderfully sneaky marketing. (Urgh. did you see that? They even managed to turn me from an average supporter to a fairly pro supporter in just one paragraph. Amazing).

In general I am trying to move towards more of a food box system – mainly because its LOCAL, better tasting and organic, and c’mon – SA needs people to support the smaller entrepreneurs (farmers especially).

Here are a few options you can go with, which I’m going to be making use of this Paleo with Me August.

1) Wild Organics (mini bag R110 and medium bag is R160)
2) Think Organic (budget pack R105 and family pack R155)
3) Abalimi & Harvest of Hope (check out their website and Facebook Page)
4) Ethical Co-op (boxes range from R170 – R115).

And use herbs (from your garden for goodness sake). Please go herb shopping and plant them in the new awesome GROWbags and use them at every opportunity. Once your body has started cleaning out the rubbish, your taste buds will reawaken and these incredibly flavoursome little green leaves will become your best friends.

I can’t do without: avocados, cherry tomatoes, yams, cauliflower, coriander, lemons, beets and dates.

Healthy Oils/Fats:

Let’s keep this simple – the most popular and easily accessible oils to cook with are coconut oil and extra-virgin olive oil. If you stick with those you can’t go wrong. Get stocked up on some Oh Mega nut butters (except for the peanut butters – those aren’t allowed). Nuts are the BEST thing to snack on (although, let’s not go overboard).

You can also make almond milk if you simply cannot drink tea and coffee without ‘milk’ in it.

I can’t do without: coconut oil, cashew nuts, almond butter, and almonds (for lara balls).

Just a 1kg bag of cashews for the road. As you do.

Protein:

A couple tips when it comes to protein:

– Fish: please buy wild fish,
– Chicken/Poultry/Eggs: please buy free range,
– Beef: at minimum, please eat lean, fat trimmed/drained beef (remember, we are not banting), and at best, please try find grass-fed and/or organic beef (budget related).
– Processed meat (bacon, sausages, deli meats): please try avoid factory-farmed, or anything with added sugar or MSG, sulfites or carrageenan.

I can’t do without: all of the above really. They are all needed for some of my all time favourite Paleo recipes (coming soon). But don’t overdo it on the meat either. Lets glean the wisdom of our friend, Michael Pollan:

Now that we have all the basic staples stocked, look out for the post coming with my favorite recipes. It’s going to be a goodie.

Any questions? Now is the time to ask…

Lemon Water – a must drink each morning…

July 27, 2015drinks, health, lemon water, Paleo, Whole30Debbie

Thanks to Organic Health and Healthy Food House, we have 16 pretty awesome reasons to drink lemon water first thing in the morning. So, no more excuses.

Also – for those of you joining us on Paleo With Me August, this will be a good replacement for your morning coffee (if you can’t drink coffee without milk).

Here they are!

16 Ways in Which Lemon Water Helps Your Health

1. Weight loss

Lemon water will help you maintain a healthy weight and regulate your blood sugar. The pectin contained in lemon water can also fight off those cravings, thus will make you eat less throughout the day.

2. Immune System

Lemon water also supports our lymphatic system as well, which works in conjunction with our immune system.

3. Flu and Cold

Lemon enhances the immune system and has many antiviral and antibacterial effects, since it is rich in vitamin C, which makes it a superb remedy for colds and flu.

4. Acne

The consumption of lemon water in the morning will help to metabolize the acidic temperature of your body, and thus it will prevent those annoying breakouts.

5. Constipation

Drinking lemon water can prevent and get rid of constipation, for it promotes regular bowel movements. Undoubtedly, lemon water is great for your digestive health.

6. Kidney Stones

People often forget this benefit of lemon use. Lemons contain potassium which increases citrates in your urine, and in that way, it prevents the forming of oxalate, and flushes out kidney stones.

7. Gall Bladder

You can significantly reduce the pain due to gall bladder stones by drinking lemon water while you eat.

8. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

TUMS can be substituted with lemon water.

9. Colitis

Lemon water can help to balance your pH levels, and Colitis is an imbalance of the acid/alkaline levels within the body.

10. Fibromyalgia

People dealing with exhaustion from fibromyalgia can drink lemon water in combination with yoga stretches in order to feel some improvement.

11. Joint Pain and Swelling

Lemon water helps to reduce the amounts of uric acid amounts in our joints, thus reducing inflammation. It is extremely beneficial for people with arthritis, since it reduces the pain.

12. Inflammation

Acidity is the leading cause of inflammation in tissues. Lemons possess anti-inflammatory properties so they neutralize acidity.

13. Finger Nail Health

Lemon water increases the hardness of one’s nails as well as clearing up those white spots that appear on them from time to time.

14. Muscle Soreness

Drinking lemon water can reduce the pain in sore muscles substantially. So, after hard workout, do not forget to consume it.

15. Alcohol Cravings

Kick that alcohol craving by drinking lemon water at parties.

16. Food-Borne Illnesses

Drinking lemon water can help you to avoid any sort of food poisoning.

Beautiful images by The Sweet Light