Day 98 - 100

And so it ends...ironically with a cooking class, yes we began out ten with course at Jamie's Ministry of Food on day 100. We learnt to cook eggs in all manner of ways - boiled, poached, scrambled and omellete. After downing the first two rounds of both our eggs, my master chef man was done with eggs and the more sophisticated versions were taken home for breakfast. At the beginning of our class we were asked to share why we had signed up and as I pondered this question the answer that formed on my lips was to simply learn more about food, real & wholesome food that nourishes the body and soothes the mind. In the past I would often feel incongruent which left me uneasy, what I ate was not always what I believed instinctively that I should be eating. I have not felt that way during this past three and a bit months and have been at peace as a result. From time to time if I had too many figs for example, I knew I was eating too much sugar and needed to fill up more on greens, my body would tell me. On the whole though I feel fantastic and healthier than I have been in years. Listen to your body, if you feel pain in your stomach after eating something - don't eat it anymore! I cannot say for sure that raw is the definative answer to better health and there probably isn't scientific data to back it up - all we have is anecdotal evidence and what works for you is what you need to do. I think general keys are ones we all know already: eat food in it's natural state, serve portion sizes that your grandma served up (visit some vintage haunts and pick up some old crockery sets), half of your plate with fresh green vegies, a quarter with a good wholesome grain and the last quarter with clean protein - limit refined sugars and fructose (fruit sugars) to minimal and take plenty of water. Here here are some of the photos I have taken along the way to inspire you of what is possible in the raw and I am so encouraged by everyone who has followed my journey and is indeed on their own journey, we are all headed in the same direction friends - let's continue to inspire one another. About two weeks ago I reviewed the documentary Hungry for Change which exposes the food industry and the mass production of imitation food products that are calorie dense but leave consumers starving at a cellular level. For me the decision to go raw protected me from consuming any of these products or ingredients. Committing myself to this challenge has changed my life. People have asked me what lies ahead and whilst I am still unsure of the answers, I know that I cannot go back to my previous food practices and continue to explore what works for Shaun and I as sharing fellowship together over food is a big part of our family and community life. Christopher Columbus said: “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” And courage it does take to make changes in your life, to grow, to stretch to reach out for what was not formerly possible. My ship has sailed and ahead lies my brave new world which I continue to embrace, one day at a time.

Day 97

And so the long weekend we have a national love affair with continues, we began ours with a relaxing breakfast picnic with friends at Kholo Gardens. We've been reflecting again today on those things in life that bring us joy and happiness. It always seems that the answers are unassuming and lie in the simplest of places: the beauty of a sunset, a homecooked meal shared with friends or the delight of fresh flowers from the one you love. I spent some time in the kitchen this afternoon preparing a big pot of soup for evening meals and a raw easter treat (raw cacao & beetroot mini-mud). It was very enjoyable and as I tinkered away I reflected further on the morning's thoughts and of some of the conversations I've had this past week with friends and loved ones that, for one reason or another, are hurting at the moment. In a world that is driven by an unquenchable notion that we need more to be happy, it's important to take time out and reconnect with the perpetual student within us, content with a simple life of learning, love and....lentils. I think of those truths that bring me peace and of the hands with the scars, a lasting image of the wounds we sometimes inflict on one another as from time to time we collide in our struggle to find our way, but also that remind me of compassion and love that would still embrace.       

Day 91 - 96

Why hello there! It's been awhile I know, my last post being Sunday evening now I find myself needing to catch you up on a week of raw food loving and what a week it has been! We have just returned home from a few days in the gorgeous Granite Belt visiting with family. Ever since we escaped the world in the rugged wilderness of Sundown National Park, the region has remained one of my favourite places in the world. We had a relaxing couple of days, canoeing on the Severn river at Ballandean, watching the sunset over the great dividing range. Lyn and I had green smoothies for dinner whilst the boys downed enough steak for all of us. The little steer Bob (RIP) recently relocated from the paddock to the deep freeze and as such there is a surplus of beef circulating in the family. I also made my first batch of raw ice cream. It was quite a hit, even with the boys and I was inspired with ideas of new flavours and variations to try! This morning we took a drive to visit to a little old Church for sale that I was imagining might be cool to renovate and live in, unfortunately the location wasn't quite what I envisaged - well it was fun to dream a little and this afternoon we donned a couple of Hermes scarves (ala Grace Kelly) and went for a spin in the new family toy - a 1968 Datsun roadster. Other highlights this week have been sharing the raw love with friends, hearing the joy in their new discoveries and enjoying the journey of learning to bring my gift to the world.

Day 89 & 90

A lovely weekend, some gardening, harvesting, lots of naps and a Naked Treaties 'raw chocolate beetroot mudcake' from Wray Organics on Saturday afternoon! Life is good! This evening a friend left a post on my Healthy Hint’s page asking how I was feeling and whether I had noticed any obvious changes. So I thought I’d share my reply with everyone here as well: I don't think I can go back - it's changed my life ... so many wonderful things have happened also - obvious changes: increased energy, great skin tone, increased mental clarity, increased ideas & productivity, excellent health, no digestion pains or feeling zonked after eating, reduced sleep requirements - sleep is high quality due to reduced digestive load, fat loss - all of my clothes are looser, I've learned how to use different ingredients that I've never tried before, I've met fascinating new people that are also raw and have learned so much about food through my research and am still learning - i always felt like my food practices were compromising my instincts about how I should be eating and now I am completely congruent and that I am truly treating my body like a temple - it's so energising - I am so glad I took that step of faith and am love love loving the journey!!

Day 87 & 88

It’s Friday evening and I’m thinking of how much I am looking forward to a weekend of gardening, new raw food adventures and a few good naps. I haven’t been spending as much time in the garden as I would like and will be dedicating some tlc to our little patch this weekend. I can’t wait to see how our sweet spuds are going, let the chooks have a good run through and then get the beds ready for our winter crops. We had our kitchen gardening meet-up again on Thursday evening and it was lovely to spend some time together learning from one another and sharing a nice supper. My lovely Fijian Indian aunty was most disappointed that I could not try her traditional dishes yet again (though the aroma was most inviting) so I promised that I would come for dinner very soon and am most looking forward to our date. Scott and Kitty generously shared their abundance of knowledge and seeds and we've got a nice little collection to plant this weekend. The group meets on the last Thursday of every month (email us if you want to be added to the mailout) at the Leichhardt Community Centre and all are welcome!  I have found a great recipe for raw pumpkin pie so I’m going to give that a crack and I have some buckwheat sprouted ready for raw waffles on Sunday morning. 

Day 86

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Well I think I’ve lost count somewhere along the line – oops – I started on 3 January so what day am I up to now? Anyway the journey has been simply amazing and as autumn begins to wrap it's arms around us, I am reminded that there is a time for everything and that we should not be afraid of change but embrace and delight in it. I feel so thankful for the opportunity to grow, to change, to make decisions that can lead to adventures into whole new worlds. If you're reading my blog it means you are committed to building sound health practices and want to keep learning so I want to share with you this clip Hungry for Change. I haven't yet watched the whole film but I intend to and would love to hear your comments.     

Day 85

I had the most wonderful surprise today. Over the weekend I was thinking of my friend, Svetlana, whom I haven't seen in some time. Lana and I met in about 2005 when she first migrated to Australia. She is a quiet observer who will out of the blue give you the clearest insight about yourself and you wonder how she knows. We trade psychoanalysis for English lessons and both partial to drinking exotic and interesting teas, our catch up's used to be at a quiet teahouse (which has now sadly closed it's doors) for a pot of Russian Caravan or Lapsang Souchang. I was in Cultiver today when I heard spoken Russian and looked up to see both Lana and Yulia standing there smiling at me coyly. Yulia, whom I met when I was tutoring English literacy at a community class, had remembered that I am at the shop on Tuesday's and they decided to come and find me. I was promptly escorted next door to fourthchild for a cuppa and catch up. I do love the gentle ceremony of taking tea, where for a few moments one can stop and just enjoi the moment either by yourself or with good friends. I often just sit in a café and take time out from the mad rush all around. Stress can undermine your health and lead to all kinds of disease so be sure to take time out regularly to relax, unwind and recharge those batteries which is just as important as eating well. Speaking of food.... today's menu was green tea, green smoothie and raw bircher before 9am - during the day: licorice tea and chai, a healthy handful of almonds, one banana and two squares of conscious chocolate (yes raw! thank you Katrina Lee for special sample delivery - you can now get raw, dairy free chocolate from Lee BonBons) - green vegetable salad & dandelion tea (3pm) and raw pad thai followed by a pear (8pm). Don't forget to eat lots of greens & schedule some me time out for yourself this week!     

Day 84

Winter is certainly knocking at our door here in Ipswich. We had a most crisp morning which only seemed to warm up around noon. Nearly everyone I have spoken with today is coming down with colds and flus as the bugs start to look for warm hosts for the cooler months. I did my weekly run to the grocer this afternoon and stocked up on lots of fresh veg, citrus and just look at the beautiful fresh, pink tipped ginger I found today.  I just love the colours of fresh produce and could spend hours mesmerised by the artist’s palette spread out before me. Ms Anna Maria broke my reverie near the oranges and we had a lovely little chat. We first met local artist & photographer Anna Maria at the Rockton House garden fair when she photographed us on our bicycles. After a declaration that I needed to be fattened up with orange poppy seed cake & tea, an invitation to partake in both at her new studio was extended and we said our goodbyes. This afternoon I made up a fresh batch of juice to which coconut water and green tea will be added for green smoothies. Lots of fresh produce & exercise is the key to staying healthy this winter season so eat well and keep moving! 

Day 82 & 83

A restful weekend with lots of naps, a beautiful film on Saturday evening, a stroll along the beach and my first ever batch of raw cookies. They really were so easy to make actually..... I had reserved the apple pulp from juicing a few days ago so when I made a fresh batch of brazil nut milk  I took the fresh nut pulp, added desicated coconut, cinnamon, flaxseed together with the apple pulp (oops I forgot the chia seeds….will add in next time!) and a drizzle of agave. The mix was shaped into little rounds and popped into dehydrator to hum along until crisp (hint: turn a few times).

Before the film Saturday evening dinner was a light meal of shredded pumpkin, courgette & asparagus with freshly picked basil & rocket, avocado, pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil.  We discovered some new pumpkins in our garden, one is growing through the fence so that’s going to be interesting! And the meat beans are really humming too! This week we will start preparing the beds for our autumn crops and don’t forget Thursday evening we have the monthly gardening meet-up all welcome.

We loved the time we spent in India many years ago and I’ve been longing to return so when the trailer for Best Exotic Marigold Hotel came on a few weeks ago I just had to see it. Judi Dench is sublime and the film is a gem, leaving no emotion unturned and something for everyone. It's amazing how films can take you back when you have been to a place before, you can almost taste and feel it. Shaun and I volunteered at Mother Theresa's hospice (Kalighat) in Calcutta some years ago. It was a most interesting experience meeting people from all over the world, spending time with the patients and listening to their stories. It was strenuous work in 40 degree heat but any calories burnt were quickly replaced by calorie dense biscuits and sweet milky masala chai the nuns fed us at morning tea. The food in Calcutta was extraordinary and after four weeks in rural Nepal, our 'international stomachs' were well settled so a few centimetres were definately added to our waistlines.

I watched the sun rise this morning and after a relaxing hour drinking tea we decided a ride was in order. We took did the Bergins Hill loop this morning (around 20km) finishing up with a delicious chai (Donna has a fabulous blend there you must try it - very aromatic) and congratulations to Mr Berry and his team who were also enjoying a morning cuppa in the laneway at Bon. The sun seemed to break through around noon so we drove down the coast, had Japanese for lunch and took a lovely stroll along the beach before heading home. Speaking of the coast and cycling - whose up for the Pink Triathlon on the Gold Coast in October?   

Day 80 & 81

A double post to finish an amazing the work week. The highlights have been attending the opening of Janette & LouLou's new Chocolaterie, massive productivity, meeting Alice at the Chamber lunch today and my new Chinese teacher this afternoon and HoP the new practice I have added to my weekly disciplines. I decided last Sunday to begin arising at 4am to make the most of that beautiful quiet time where I can prepare my heart, mind and soul for the day ahead and I'm calling it my Hour of Power (HoP). My reading from Psalm 108 on Monday was, "Awake harp & lyre! I will awaken the dawn!" Well I have to be very quiet (no instruments or music) but I am singing in my mind. Each day I spend time on a different area that I want to grow in - reading books, blogs, articles, eNewsletters and listening to online tutorials pertaining to that topic. I will also use that time to share and keys of wisdom or inspiration from that morning on my pages, write to friends and meditate on my goals and review the day ahead. At 5:15am it's time to wake the man up and get ready to hit the gym when it opens at 5:30am. We train for about an hour - running for 20-25 minutes then strength/resistance training before treating ourselves to a relaxing 10 minutes in the steam room. When I get home I put up the five things that I am thankful for, make my green smoothie, green tea, raw bircher museli (usually consumed later in the morning) & lunch for the day then do my other morning chores. Having this routine is energizing, creates an awesome platform for the day and by the time 8am rolls around I have already achieved so much that the momentum just keeps rolling. I have heard people mention a similar practice but have always dismissed the concept. Whilst I will be turning in early this evening, after my first week of awaking the dawn I am seriously hooked! And now for a relaxing weekend - good night all!   

Day 79

It's taken a little while but this week the man of the house finally put his order in for a tall glass of green goodness in the mornings in addition to his eggs (from our chooks) on toasted sourdough. I decided to serve it up in this little 5 ounce beer glass for him (he had two refills). Green smoothies are great for all the family, kids will love them you just have to set the example and get excited. I had a most enjoyable day off today, enjoyed a sweedish massage at the recently relocated Ipswich Massage Centre, an impromptu catch up with my friend & colleague and an afternoon at the library reading Vogue and Women's Health. I found an article interviewing Michelle Bridges about her own fitness & health practices - what an inspiring woman who is now helping many others to reach their potential - I just love seeing people living their dream!

Day 78

 

I love the refreshing change of the new season this time of year, in another month the early mornings will be crisp as chilled apples and it will be soon time to unpack the winter woolies. The beautiful new season pears are still unripened so I've put them in this little basket to pop on the counter, colourful fruit & vegetables really do brighten up a kitchen. Tomorrow morning I shall be preparing a double batch of my green smoothie as my man has put in his order for a greener start to his day. Following on from yesterday's little spruke about brocoli here is an easy to understand link on the amazing properties of the little edible tree that will hopefully inspire you and don't throw the 'trunk' like I used to - it is sweet and juicy and you can slice it up like carrot sticks. When I used to have my sauteed green veggies and gooey eggs for breakfast I would feel a real rush almost immediately so particularly for anyone who is unwell or recovering from illness, get munching! This evening we attended the launch the exciting new Chocalaterie on Ellenborough. Cacao has amazing health properties and in moderation can be a fabulous part of a good nutritional plan. I must say the chilli chocolate samples were enticing but Miss LouLou was very kind and gave me a little slab to take home for day 101. The clever girls have also apparently sourced a raw chocolate maker which I am very excited about. Keep an eye on LouLou's blog where I'm sure there will be lots of lovely photos very soon!   

Day 77

When we lived in FNQ in 2008 we had the most incredible view from the lakehouse of the gargantuan Bartle Frere silently watching over us day and night. I mentioned on day 67 about our adventure to the top of that grand old sage and the words of Hilary that inspired me: "It’s not the mountain we conquer but ourselves". As I began my week meditating on those words I felt as if they are becoming a reality more and more as I press through barriers that have stood in my way and it's so exciting! I am not needing as much sleep now so I have decided to arise at 4am when I am naturally waking and have my Hour of Power (HoP) before heading off to the gym around 5:15am. So I had planned my HoP for the week on Sunday evening and today I got off to a great start! The Dedicated Cyclist from New Zealand has been inspiring me with his green powered meals so this week I am focusing on loading up on even more greens. In addition to my green smoothie I am having big bowls of all things green - brocoli, courgette, cucumber, asparagus, green beans, sprouted lentilles du puy (french green lentils), avocado & pepitas, topped with an olive oil, coriander, apple cider and mustard dressing. I haven't eaten raw brocoli in the past but am discovering it's quite nice in a raw veggie salad. The health benefits are simply wonderful, in fact it has been called a miracle food. Having said that I all food in it's natural state has life-containing power that we can use to nourish our bodies. As the cooler season enfolds us lets follow the advice of Hippocrates and consider everything we consume so that our food be medicine and our medicine be food! Adieu....  

Day 75 & 76

Another weekend is slowly packing up to make way for the challenges of the week ahead. I love my Sunday evening's - a time to enjoy a final evening of rest and relaxation and to take a few moments with a lovely pot of tea and my Cara's 9 to plan my week and make sure that I take a balanced approach to life. Our friend Peta is off to Mongolia in a week to live in a yurt and complete a two year assignment with the Red Cross so on Saturday evening we all gathered to celebrate this exciting new opportunity and her upcoming birthday. It was lovely to see our Chinese friends Grace & Bob; and meet their daughter Emily (fifteen months) so a dinner date at Hong Kong Cuisine (I do love their yum cha!) is already in the pipeline for April. Sunday we had a big country drive to the Sunshine Coast, we're doing a little renovating at the moment and had to pick up a door which was also not too far from a raw foodie cafe I discovered online about a week ago. Our itinery took us to Maleny today (a motorbike swap meet was on) so we dropped in to visit the Maple Street Food Co-Op. We have some a group looking at starting a local co-op here so it was good to touch base with a good model for the project. After a scenic drive to Mapleton we headed down the mountain for a lovely lunch of buritos and a medditeranean platter at It's Rawesome Cafe before picking up the door and heading home to a few chapters of Just off Fifth.

Day 74

Friday evenings are great for unwinding and getting ready to enjoi a restful and relaxing weekend. My colleague and I took a road trip to Toowoomba today and the boys were enjoying cracking carrot jokes whilst I munched on green beans and almonds as we began our workshop around 10am. It's good not to take yourself too seriously and I read this week that being able to tell a funny story about something silly you've done is good for the mind & soul. I've got so many but can't think of anything right now (next post!). We enjoyed a lovely game of badminton in the garden at sunset before my man got picked up for footy with the lads so I've had some lovely Cara time this evening: a long overdue phone catch up with my friend, listening to my music, playing around with ideas for new catalogues, uploading photos from our trip to Vietnam last September and dreaming about new places to visit, sumptuous food to eat, fresh roses every morning and indulging the senses in all that a new place has to offer. So much still to discover....

Day 73

I am yet to master sprouting sunnies, the most deliciously sweet and crunchy sprouts on the planet. I planted a whole box full and one lonesome sprout popped up. Unlike other sprouts they grow in soil not water so a green thumb is required - here are some tips and I shall continue to experiment. Sprouts are full of the life force of nature and if you really want a boost of energy - add some sprouts to your diet. There are so many different types and the more variety the better! Many people have been commenting to me over the last few days about being on the final leg and even the man of the house said to me the other day "Oh I'm going to do the rest of the 100 days raw with you" [mind you those sentiments lasted a few hours until we dropped in to pick up some nori paper for the sushi and he slipped a couple of packets of chips, a bag of snack size snickers bars and some crumpets into the basket]. It may sound odd but I've almost forgotten that I'm eating differently and it just seems normal to me now. I think back to when I wrote in my journal over a year ago that I wanted to eat raw food - it was only a seed of a thought at the time but I have continued to meditate on the concept and now it has become a reality. Everything begins in the energy of our thoughts just like a tiny seed that sprouts into something incredible: “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.” Albert Einstein. What can you imagine to life this year.....?  

Day 72

What a relaxing day, I usually work Wednesday's but today I had an RDO scheduled which came at a great time after a demanding few days last week was overtime earlier this week. A colleague is on leave this week and he flicked a matter that was listed for a hearing yesterday so I spent half of Monday preparing and yesterday in court. We worked up quite an appetite visiting our favourite vintage haunts and by 12:30pm my green smoothie and raw bircher was definately burned up so I decided to make my first attempt at raw sushi for lunch. It was quick and easy - grated courgette in lieu of the rice, your favourite raw fillings and voila! Light and delicious! This evening we had Wine O'Clock, one of our casual networking functions with the local women's network. It was lovely to see everyone and a few of us took the opportunity to linger a little longer discussing life, work, fashion, food, politics & relationships. It's so important to make time to meet new people and then follow up on the 'keepers' by investing quality time in building healthy, supportive friendships. So another gals night is booked and I look forward to getting to know these two gorgeous gals some more.   

Day 70 & 71

So a double post at the beginning of the week (oops) I started the week meditating on the thoughts of what is our purpose and how does one find true joy, satisfaction and fullfilment in the post-modern world and I've distilled a few thoughts on the full life - to bring forth your gift, to love without fear, to empower and to show compassion. Here is a photo of the raw pad thai we had after yoga last night and tonight was a raw sashimi salad with the leftover bean sprouts - you do have to use them up pretty quick otherwise they go gooey. I was going to do Vietnamese salad but it was dark after our run this evening and the pumpkin has grown so much that my mint is lost somewhere under 'the blob' vine - let's hope we get some pumpkins for our raw linguine! So the Japanese version was impromptu this evening and I threw in some cool 'ear' mushrooms that I've been loving in everything. I look forward to strolling the streets on two wheels over the next few days for bike week and whilst it is not something out of the ordinary for me to be lost in my own world cycling along, I'd welcome company anytime....