Tag Archives: health

Homemade & Happy Baby Wipes

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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).

WIPES All ingredients

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.

IMG_0461.JPGDon’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.

WIPES 3 liquid ingredients

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-EcoTravelwipesn

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

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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…

koala on tree

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:

Instructions:

  1. Melt beeswax with oil of choice in a double boiler until just melted.
  2. Add the essential oils (use half the amount for a baby version or dilute with coconut oil before using)
  3. 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.
  4. Use as needed to help sooth coughing and congestion.

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

The Yummiest Paleo Recipes EVER

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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.

sweet pot hash

– 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.

sweet pot friesbeet humus

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.

cauliflower rice

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).

roasted butternut soup

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

mango 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.

chip chicken skins

– 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.

fish tacos

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.

paleo mayo

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.

moroccan meatballs

– 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?

roast chicken

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.

Beet juice

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?)

salsa

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

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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.

IMG_8860.JPG

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.

IMG_9165.JPG

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:

eat food not too much

michael-pollan-quote

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…

ww.thesweetlight.com

Lemon Water – a must drink each morning…

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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

Lemon Water - the sweet light

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 

Preparing for Paleo

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Yesterday afternoon I popped into Food Lovers for some liquorice (it’s a problem) and I ended up with enough veggies to last me all of Paleo With Me Aug – okay, not really, but it sure felt like it. As I was meandering down the aisles I was remembering recipes, snacks, flavours and tips from my previous paleo experiences and was mentally preparing as I went (all the while enjoying my liquorice).

This over-shop resulted in an evening of butternut soup making, banana chip dehydrating and coriander pesto blending (without the parmesan).

One step is ESSENTIAL (read: E-SS-EN-TIAL) to starting strong, enjoying and succeeding at your month of Whole30/paleo eating, and it’s this: PREPARATION.

IMG_9720.JPG

Mentally: You need to be mentally prepared. It’s like running a race. I believe, up until a week or two before a race it’s ALL about mental prep – you can’t squeeze any more running into the last 2 weeks before a race. You gotta click into gear mentally. I’d encourage you to read, read, read. Read about how Whole30 started here.  Read through recipes and shopping lists and chat to people who have done this before. Get into the zone, understand what you can and cannot eat and why, plan dinner parties and family celebrations from September onwards. Create a Paleo board on Pinterest and pin your favourite recipes so you can go back to them time and time again. Get your brain in the game.

Here are my recommendations of where to read up on all things Paleo:

– Whole30 and their book ‘It Starts with Food‘ (read the entire website)
– The Clothes Make the Girl, and her books ‘Well Fed‘
– Paleo Grubs
– Stupid Easy Paleo
– NomNom Paleo

Emotionally: Understand this will require a lot of self control. You’ll need to make tough choices. You’ll have to say no to a lot of delicious food that comes past your face. But its for 30 days (well, 31 really, since we’re doing this in August). You’ll have to be brave, and courageous, and you will succeed if you want this enough. Want it enough.

As they say on the Whole30 website: ‘It is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Birthing a baby is hard. Losing a parent is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard. You’ve done harder things than this, and you have no excuse not to complete the program as written. It’s only thirty days, and it’s for the most important health cause on earth – the only physical body you will ever have in this lifetime’.

Practically: GO SHOPPING! Make your shopping list and go for it. Find some easy recipes and buy in bulk. Accept now, that you’ll need to take multiple trips to your fresh produce grocer every week. In my experience, the hardest part of Whole30 is feeling peckish (or downright starving) and scratching through your pantry with nothing to eat. Buy raw nuts, free range eggs, cherry tomatoes, avos and orange sweet potatoes in bulk.

Paleo Pic -

Once you have what you need in your pantry, prepare your kitchen. Remove all bad food and get cooking. Make soup and freeze it, boil eggs and have them ready to grab on the go, make beet humus and chop up crudités. Blend up almonds and make almond butter to eat with sliced apple, make homemade beef patties and pop them in the freezer, grate sweet potatoes and blend up cauliflower. Make paleo mayonnaise and salad dressing. Chop up fruits and veg and pack them in smoothie bags. Dehydrate apples and banana slices and have them on hand for when you need a nibble. Have your kitchen loaded with easy to grab and delicious paleo friendly foods.

Beet Humus

Make the time to prepare. It is vital. Take leave from work if you have to, give your kids extra iPad time, feed leftover ice cream to your husband or wife while you make homemade cashew butter and chicken stock.

If you’re prepared, not only will Whole30 change your life, but it will be remarkably easier and really, rather enjoyable.

(As always with this Paleo With Me August, please post additions tips, thoughts and any questions you might have below). 

I love glass

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Glass.

I love glass. I love every.single.thing about it EXCEPT that when it breaks it’s a blimmin mission to clean with little blissfully unaware feet stomping the ground. But regardless, it’s a beaut.

I’m on a mission, slowly, and sometimes unsuccessfully, to move towards an all glass/stainless steel life and eliminate plastic. I’m not binary, I’m not so black and white that I’ll stick my nose up to your plastic (un-biodegradable) cutlery when you hand it to me (I’d rather be your friend enjoying a picnic together however it goes down) but for myself and my family, this is something we’re rethinking.

If you’d like to read up on the dangers of plastic, you can do so here. Besides the hidden chemicals and the difficulty to recycle, there is automated ignorance around how much waste we are producing (and therefore polluting). We are also wasting money by how much we mindlessly purchase and re-purchase.

And so slowly, in different areas where possible, we’re moving towards a plastic free life. I still love Tupperware and Lego, and always will. We’ve replaced plastic water bottles with glass bottles (which never hold a odor), and we use glass for our homemade kombucha, natural baby products, sippy cups and bokashi juice (for the garden). We store food in glass mason jars, both in our pantry and the fridge. We like to decant milk sachets into vintage milk bottles, store our homemade yoghurt, jam and salad dressing in rustic old-school jars, and our toothpaste and mouthwash in glass ‘click’ jars. Mason jars are easily available and cheaper by the dozen overseas, so it’s a no brainer using them. I’m thinking about investing shares in Consol because – well, how rad is their new solar power glass lantern?

Not only is glass cool, and we’ll think you’re lank trendy if you make the move across, but glass bottles are begging for some creative flair. You can literally let you imagine run wild – and if you’re feeling creatively-lethargic, browse my Pinterest board here.

Think about it. What are you using right now, that you can replace with a better material? Buying one product is better than nothing.

Boycott ziplocks and replace them with reusable material snack bags. Stop buying plastic water bottles and carry a permanent (preferably glass) one around with you. Plastic bags? Are you kidding! Fabric grocery bags are available EVERYWHERE.

Start small, think it through – and GO.

Healthy, healthy hair

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We think healthy hair is not greasy hair, right? Well that’s what I thought. As long as my hair is not straw like, doesn’t looks dull and or flat – I’m happy. We like the glossy silky feel, and the aesthetic of the foamy foamy goodness, making our hair and scalp blind everyone with its shine and luminescence. Marketing departments have fooled us into thinking we’re clean in every sense of the word if we’re showering under a waterfall with blue skies, our wet locks gripping our toned, broze body, birds flying by, butterflies peering on in approval and foam covering all the places Adam and Eve never hid.

…Shall we rethink this one then?

Shampoos and conditioners. These poor products have endured a fair amount of rejection. The devout non-washees (who, fair enough, might be onto something), homemade concoctions with castor oil and you-name-it-whatever-else. The good news is that there are a fair number of companies bubbling up (excuse the pun) who know what they’re doing with these products and have our health in mind as they create.

One product in particular that has caught my eye is Africa Organics. Besides their pretty slick packaging (which I appreciate) they are EcoCert Certified, a Phyto-Trade Accredited Partner, they are Africa Friendly, Vegan, and accredited with Beauty Without Cruelty (so do not test any products on animals). Clearly, they’re winning.

They have a comprehensive yet simple body care range – including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, shower gel, body lotion, clay wash and a hair treatment. The shampoos and conditioners are great. The shampoo foams a little (thanks to biodegradable foaming agents) and they smell earthy, grounded and natural. I must admit when using the Kalahari Melon Body Wash, I expected myself to leave the shower smelling like a sweet watermelon, but I didn’t. And I had to remind myself that if I had, something would be wrong. Chemical perfumes and scents don’t feature here. They use ‘wild’ natural products – baobab, kalahari melon, marula and mongongo.

(And now for the health lesson…)

Another thing that doesn’t feature in Africa Organics products is parabens. Parabens are a (controversial) class of widely used preservatives in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. They are controversial little buggers. In a recent study in the Journal of Applied Toxicology, parabens were found in breast tissue at levels up to 1 million times higher than the natural oestrogen levels. The fact that the parabens were in the ester form indicated that they had come from dermal exposure: so (in other words) from personal care products.

Breast tumours generally need oestrogen to grow. Maybe you know someone that has had breast cancer? My mom has. So did my gran. 1 in 8 women will get it. In 1960 it was 1 in 20.

With breast cancer now in our family line in two generations above mine, and while the cancer above might have nothing to do with parabens, I have two gorgeous little boys in my house who need a mom, and I’d like to be around for a while. If I can make one small difference in what I use to wash my hair and body that could make a long term difference, why wouldn’t I? Its a simple question to answer.

Also, who doesn’t love the idea of having a massive pump bottle of body wash in their shower? What family doesn’t like health, in bulk? The Marula Shower Gel (and Body Lotion) are now available in 1L bottles with a pump spout. Win.

If you’re keen to give it a go, you can grab your Africa Organics (and other natural hair care products) here.

AO-Marula-Shower_Gel

 

If you would like to read a little bit more about natural shampoos, silicons and quads – here’s some great food for thought… Africa Organics Natural Alternative to Silicones and Quats.

The BEST homemade salad dressing

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We’ve been making our own salad dressing for yeeeears. I honestly couldn’t even tell you the last bottle of salad dressing we bought. Making your own salad dressing is so easy (and healthy!), you probably have all the ingredients you need in your kitchen right now.

This dressing comes from Regent College‘s ‘Food Course‘ and is also known as the (Loren and Mary-Ruth) Wilkinson salad dressing… or maybe I just call it that – who knows.

The best thing about it (besides it being heaps healthier and very delicious, obviously) is that you don’t need to measure a thing; you can guess it all using ratios. We like things rustic and a bit goosed loosey.

Wilkinson Salad Dressing:

  • 4 parts extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 parts balsamic vinegar
  • 1 part soy sauce (you can use reduced sodium soy sauce if you prefer)
  • 1 part maple syrup (which is easily accessible if you live in Canada, so a good substitute is honey)

We usually grab a mason jar and half full it with olive oil, pour in enough balsamic vinegar to take it to 3/4’s full and top it up with equal portions of soy sauce and maple syrup/honey. And it’s easy to remember: 4:2:1:1.


Shake that baby up and pour it over anything! Really. Anything. It’s sweet, it’s salty; it’s good for salads, on a boiled egg over avo, to liven up some sweet potato mash, or to dunk some crudités into.

Yeeeeeum.

*Some people like to add extra things such as lemon juice, Dijon mustard and/or black pepper. If you like that idea, go ahead, but I’ve always found the original recipe so easy and tasty I don’t bother with anything else. You know – keep it simple.

Thinking Organic

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Back in Vancouver, when summer eveeeentually broke free, we would always scramble to sign up to receive a CSA box.

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. This is a prepaid subscription to a farm’s produce for the season. Most CSA’s give shareholders a weekly supply of veggies, herbs, fruits and sometimes even eggs and meat. You know it’s fresh and you often have the opportunity to visit the farm and meet the people who grew your food. How rad? The prepaid CSA arrangement also makes it a source of financial security for the farmer. You’re a team. At the end of the day your food is fresh, seasonal, local and by getting involved you are supporting your local farmers. The best bit often was trying to identify unfamiliar produce items and Google how to use them in your meals that week.

So you can imagine my delight when I heard about Think Organic. They do a similar thing, but all year round, and so I jumped online, ordered my family budget bag of fruits and veggies, and wrote to Jamie Feldman, one of the founders – asking him about they got started here in Cape Town.

Here’s the scoop: Think Organic launched as an online shop in 2013 by himself and Natalie Coyne. After Jamie’s mom was diagnosed with cancer, part of her treatment included a diet change and organic juicing (I’m not surprised) and they thought to develop an online shop whereby they could promote the produce of local organic farms to like-minded people who are conscious about what they eat.

Natalie and Jamie source the produce from local farmers (now friends) and consider compostable packaging another important avenue to rethink (as should we). The Think Organic team love chatting to their clients, answering questions, and are working hard at building the community of farmers, organic consumers and green-friends. They know where all their food comes from and consider trust to be one of their highest priorities in the way they do business. Encouraging local farming also provides jobs for previously unemployed people in the surrounding areas, which is close to Jamie and Natalie’s hearts.

You can pop into their Kenilworth store (23a Putney Road) and build your own bag of all things organic (fruit, veggies, meats, seeds, breads, coffee, dairy products, and and aaaand) or grab a pre-packed bag. The budget bag costs R105 and the family bag is R155 (which I didn’t think was particularly expensive) and contains a variety of their choosing – similar to our Vancouver CSA boxes. There are also various pick up zones for easy collection convenience. This is what my bag looked like:


And this is what my littlie thought about it:

As they say ‘It all starts with a thought, so think organic‘.

If you have any questions, check Think Organic out at www.thinkorganic.co.za or email Jamie on shop@thinkorganic.co.za.

(Pictures taken by myself as well as taken from Think Organic’s Instagram account)