Vegan Glutenfree, Sugarfree Christmas Cookies

IMG_1701.JPG

I really wanted to bake with Faye this year for the fun and also start the tradition of Christmas baking with a rolling pin and cookie cutters.
I know so many great, healthy recipes but they don’t have the right consistency for cookie cutting.

It took a little trial and error and searching the internet until I found a realtively healthy-ish version that worked. I used Banana Flour and Date Syrup and also added some spice :)

Here it is:
(inspired by this recipe at Unconventional Baker)

INGREDIENTS

½ cup coconut oil, softened

½ cup date syrup

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

½ a vanilla bean pod scraped out

a dash of salt

1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice  

2¼ cups gluten-free flour blend you can buy a ready made blend or make your own.
I used: 1 cup Organic Rice Flour, 1 Cup Banana Flour, 1/4 cup corn flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. 
Prepare a rolling area with two additional sheets of parchment paper
cookie cutter(s) .

  1. Place coconut oil in a large mixing bowl and whip it with a mixer until it’s creamy.
    Add sweetener, vanilla extract and bean, and salt and mix  once again to combine. Add in flour and use a wooden spoon to mix. Then get in there with your hands and mix everything together by working the  dough until you can shape it into a ball {note: the consistency of the dough should not be sticky but should press together  when pinched — be sure to knead it really well first for some time — if it’s a little sticky, add a little more flour (try 1-2 tbsp); if it’s a little dry add a little more sweetener (try 1 tbsp)
    Shape the dough into 2 balls and then flatten each into a disk.

  2. Roll out one of the dough balls between two sheets of parchment  paper to ¼” thickness {or thinner or thicker depending on how you want  your cookies to turn out}. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookies.  Carefully transfer to a prepared cookie sheets, spacing them ½” apart  {they won’t spread as they bake}. Gather up any dough scraps and repeat  until all dough is used up. Repeat the process with the second dough  ball.

  3. Bake in a pre-heated oven for approximately 11-13 minutes, until the edges just begin to become golden. Remove from oven and place on a  cooling rack. {Note: cookies will harden a little within minutes of cooling, so don’t overbake}.
    Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes  and enjoy!

Our Summer Glow Workshop- Roundup!

Just a week ago I teamed up with the raw food wizard (or shall I say unicorn?) Julie from Earth To Table & Naturopath & skincare expert Anna from Edible Beauty for a really fun and hands-on night teaching all about The Inside Out Summer Glow. From healing & nourishing foods and toxin-free skincare to natural makeup...
There was so much to tell, teach, demonstrate and play with!


Anna had everyone mix a fresh turmeric face mask to apply, Julideliciousmonstrated the most delicious treats (I also learned a thing or two about food preparation!) and I followed with a simple Summer Glow look, talking all things foundation, highlighter and radiant cheeks.
The look we did was quite similar to my day-to-day makeup, which you can see in this video.
I was using my fave Jane Iredale Foundations: Liquid Minerals, Glow Time & PurePressed.
The key is to find the right one for your skin type and needs.
And I really can't seem to get enough of the vegan lip&cheek carrot colour pots & vanilla highlighters by Ere Perez.
We used all the beautiful skincare products for prepping the skin by Edible Beauty, which I also featured in detail in this video.
(If you want to get yourself some: Use code "LIV15" at checkout, for a special discount that applied to my clients & readers!)

We were also lucky to have the talented Gaby @ Gabriela Fearn Photography, shoot some behind the scenes of the event for us. Thank you, Gaby!!!!

The beautiful toxin-free candles were supplied by BearLakeFinds.com


As usual, I had little Faye in tow, while she had a great time with daddy and coming to visit for a while, she definitely had enough of it all by the end of the night.
I totally pushed her bedtime a little too far. Mama has still a lot of learning to do. Oops.
Forgive your silly Mum, little one, I am trying my best.
Our next workshop will happen during the daytime :)
She has been amazing tagging along with my gigs and I make sure that she gets my full attention and presence when we spent time together. I might write a little piece about this working mum business sometime soon! 

Beauty Teas & Summer Teatox Favourites

Edible Beauty Tea Skin Tea Organic Tea

Herbal Teas are wonderful beauty boosters, healers and can offer essential nutrients for your wellbeing.

I am a huge fan of herbal teas and our cupboard is usually well stocked to the brim with all sorts of teas... Some for calming, some for uplifting, some for the morning, some for the night, some to go with something sweet, some for cleansing & detoxifying... the list goes on!

I already told you in my Postpartum Video about how much I love my Dandy Chai with plant milk as a nourishing & balancing alternative to coffee. I have also been drinking herbal nursing teas after Faye was born, which are formulated especially for nursing Mums and now I am enjoying a variety. I also usually serve some to my clients! I have witnessed many times how effective tea is in improving the skin.

I prefer loose teas to tea bags, as there is #zerowaste !
Less packaging is better for the environment. It's also nice to see the actual herbs, they usually look very pretty :) and often (not always) the quality of loose teas is higher.

So here are some of my favourites, both made by local Sydney businesses!

Edible Beauty Tea

 All formulated by Naturopath Anna Mitsios, these powerful concoctions really do what they say on the bag. They all have the benefit of also tasting really nice too. The range covers all skin and many health concerns from ageing to acne.
I have previously written about the ones I drank in the lead up to our wedding and for clear skin here.

no11-native-beauty-tea-jar-tea-4_1024x1024.jpg

No.11

I am all about No.11 right now, (which is also breastfeeding friendly), a beauty tea packed with anti-oxidants and collagen-boosters but the real beauty is in its story and the wonderful taste.
This tea has Guradj as the main ingredient, a Native Australian Tea, which has been used by Aboriginal communities for centuries as a medicinal and welcoming drink.
I have never heard about it before, but it sure is tasty. It's a perfect Summer tea, as it tastes amazing iced and is very refreshing!

Traditionally, wise native ‘Gurạdji Men’ dispensed the Gurạdji leaf. They were the holders of knowledge, tradition and rules. When someone visited another clan, the Gurạdji Man was consulted for permission to access that clan’s Country. They shared Gurạdji in a ceremony, which had a mild analgesic and great relaxing effect.  Medicinally, the leaves were used for analgesic and anti-bacterial use. They were chewed to relieve toothache, steeped in water and sipped to relieve pain or nausea, and made into a paste that was applied to wounds or injuries to reduce inflammation and help in the healing process.

Gurạdji tea is sourced from a traditional Guringai family, LORE Australia, that sustainably wild-harvests the groves. At every stage of the harvesting process LORE practices personal connection, respect and intent with the land and communities in which they operate.

But that's not enough this tea also contains the unique Australian fruit Quandong which is very high in vitamins & minerals and native Lemon Myrtle which has anti-aging and acne-clearing benefits. Use code "LIV15" at checkout for 15% off all Edible Beauty Teas & Skincare
 

bondi beach tea co review

 

Bondi Beach Tea Co

Is a local tea brand which specialises in detoxing & weight loss.
While I am breastfeeding weight loss is not my concern right now but I have tasted and tried the Bondi Beach Tea Co teas and the ingredients are a well formulated! These teas aren't recommended to be used during pregnancy & breastfeeding without confirming with your healthcare provider first!
If fitness & weight loss are your main concerns give these ones a go, they are all natural and free of any laxatives.
They state to use organic ingredients when available. I wish they could clarify and get certified organic ingredients.

BONDI SLIM – TEATOX BLEND
This has been formulated to speed up metabolism, is packed with antioxidant-enriched ingredients that are energy uplifters, enhance the body’s natural detoxifying powers, reduce inflammation, and promote healthy weight.
Of course, you will need to do your part and exercise and eat well, but a good herbal tea like this can really help to support the body. I like to think of it as team effort :)
This one contains green tea and is best to be consumed in the morning. It energises gently with Yerba Mate & Green Tea and contains natural caffeine.

BONDI BEACH TEA CO. – COLON CLEANSE TEA
 A mixture of traditional herbs known for their medicinal values this tea helps to keep your digestion on track, detoxify & help to lower blood sugar and curb sweet cravings! It tastes delicious and looks very pretty with its rose petals too. This tea is a sweet relaxing one for the evening. It doesn't contain any caffeine.

QXRP1205.JPG

It's best to look for organic ingredients to avoid pesticides & herbicides in your brew. As herbs can be potent & powerful always check with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or nursing.

Happy Raw Choc Chip Cookie Dough / High-Fibre High-Protein

IMG_4371.JPG

I told you, I am having a sweet tooth lately.
While I mostly satisfy it with ripe Mangoes, Bananas & Melons, I am also really craving chocolate, so I have been experimenting with healthy vegan choc recipes and came up with this one which is super good for you. It's based on Chickpeas!!! Yes, just trust me on this one, it tastes really good!

Why this is SO good for you:

  • They're a High-Fiber Food
  • Chickpeas Are Folate-Rich

  • They're a Vegan Source of Iron

  • Chickpeas Are High in Protein

"As a legume, chickpeas are considered both a vegetable and protein food, helping you hit two important food groups at once. These nutty beans are rich in a number of important nutrients that keep you well -- including protein, vitamins and minerals -- and they provide fiber too. Including chickpeas in your diet may play a role in reducing your risk of a number of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
A 1-cup serving of boiled chickpeas has 270 calories, 45 grams of carbs, 4 grams of fat, 15 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber. That same 1-cup serving also meets 70 percent of the daily value for folate and 26 percent of the DV for iron. It's also a good source of a number of other minerals including manganese, magnesium, zinc and copper, as well some other B-vitamins, including thiamine and vitamin B-6." (via livestrong.com)

IMG_4373.JPG

Happy Raw Choc Chip Cookie Dough Recipe

Makes enough for 2 people as dessert or snack
Ingredients

1 tin organic chickpeas (well rinsed)
1/2 cup organic rolled oats
1-2com piece organic vanilla pod
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp. organic tahini
2-3 organic dates
1/3 cup rice milk (or Mylk of your choice)
1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt
1 tbsp. cacao nibs
1/2 a bar of "Happy Thoughts" Raw Vegan Chocolate by The Chocolate Yogi

 Just blend all ingredients except cacao Nibs & Chocolate in a high speed blender or food processor until smooth then mix in the Cacao  Nibs & chopped up chocolate!

Enjoy! We ate ours straight with a spoon! 

 


 

 

 

This recipe was inspired by The Wellness Fox

 

Bounty Bliss Bowl

IMG_3919.JPG

I have had a bit of a sweet tooth lately and really felt like chocolate!  As in Chocolate everything! 

Did you know that Cacao is really good for the skin? Researchers found cacao boosts skin health by increasing blood flow and improving skin density and hydration. But that's not all...
It’s packed with Antioxidants & boosts well-being and mood!
It can actually protect the nervous system. That's why it makes perfect sense that we are craving chocolate in times of increased stress!  And that’s why I called this a BLISS bowl. :)  

 IMPORTANT: Don’t confuse Cocoa with Cacao!!!
Raw cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans. The process keeps the living enzymes in the cocoa and removes the fat (cacao butter). Cocoa looks the same but it’s not. Cocoa powder is raw cacao that’s been roasted at high temperatures. Sadly, roasting changes the molecular structure of the cocoa bean, reducing the enzyme content and lowering the overall nutritional value.

Good thing that there is is so much yummy & healthy-ish vegan chocolate out there...
And so it happened that most my smoothies, desserts and snacks involved adding some raw cacao & chunks of raw & sugar-free The Chocolate Yogi's creations. 

So instead of my usual Green Smoothie in the morning, I mixed things up, literally.
This works well as Special weekend brekkie! 

I won‘t recommend having a bar of chocolate every morning!
Yet, this is SO much better for you than regular sugar loaded cereal. 

Here is my recipe:
1 handful Red Kale
1 Frozen Banana
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tbsp Raw Cacao powder
1 tbsp raw vegan protein powder (optional)
Half a bar „Happy Thoughts“ Chocolate by The Chocolate Yogi
1 cup Rice Milk (or Almond or any Mylk of your choice)
Blend all the above on in a highspeed blender until smooth & creamy

Top with:
Dried Coconut
Berries in season
& the other half of your chocolate bar!