Love List – July 2015

July 31, 2015 · 4 Comments

Yes, it’s the end of another month and time for my love list!

July was a wonderful month for me – so many changes, trips away and new experiences.

What have you been up to? Did you find anything cool this month that rocked your world?

Here are some things that I have been loving:

♥ My very own eBook!

If you didn’t catch the news, I have released my first every eBook! It has been such a labour of love. The number one problem that I hear about from you is how to feed the family good food on a budget. Well, this is your answer! I have compiled loads of tips, recipes and resources on this very topic. And perhaps the best thing is that it is totally free.

Yep! You just need to be part of the NNAM community and it’s all yours. Join us here.

♥ Dulse Flakes

I use these all the time and put them in all our cooking from bone broth to curries and casseroles. I knew they were great but seeing Cyndi O’Meara at her seminar this month reinforced just how important they are in our diet. Many people have an iodine deficiency and adding dulse flakes (a type of seaweed) to your food is a simple, inexpensive way to fix it with real food!

It’s really important to make sure your dulse flakes are sourced from somewhere other than Japan as there is still an issue with radiation. Cyndi’s dulse flakes are from the Atlantic Coast in Canada. As for the taste, well I can’t taste it once it’s something and it’s only a slight salty sea smell. The kids never know they are eating a superfood!

Get it online here.

♥ Make a Music Wall for Kids

How amazing is this idea from Pre + K Sharing!? All you have to do is find some household items that make a great sound when played and attach it to a wall! I reckon the op-shop would be a great place to start. A beautiful outdoor activity, made from recycled items, that encourages kids’ creativity. It’s a winner.

Find out more here.

♥ Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Sausage Rolls

OMG! Amazing. Sarah Wong at Clever Cook really is a clever cook. I love her recipes. This time she has a delicious and healthy sausage roll recipe for us, free of gluten and dairy. Find it here.

♥ Create and Activate a Vision Board

This amazing blog post at Energy Muse has inspired me to not only update my vision board but to activate it as well. What a great activity to do with the kids or a special, soulful group of women.

Read it here.

♥ Musical Toothbrush

Seriously, can they make these in an adult version??? Popular natural toothpaste brand Jack n Jill have brought out this super duper electrical and musical toothbrush. Made from safe and recycled ingredients, this is an awesome way to get your kids excited about brushing their teeth. Such fun.

Get it here.

♥ DIY Gift Bows

I will admit right now that I am not the most crafty person, but I think I could give these a crack. So easy to make your own gift bows using magazine pages! Or you could use kids’ artwork, scrapbooking pages or the comics. You only need a pair of scissors and some glue or tape. Too easy.

Find the tutorial here.

♥ Celebrate your Life

My gorgeous friend Kirri from Kirri White Coaching is running her free 10 day e-course again, Celebrate Your Life.

It’s not about setting goals, hustling, or striving for change. It’s about embracing daily rituals that will leave you feeling loved up, positive and vibrant. It’s an opportunity to cradle your wellbeing in your own powerful hands and commit to nourishing yourself with wholehearted passion.

Get on board here.

This month’s articles:

♥ The Top 10 Books for Natural New Age Mums

♥ Smart Swaps for Single Use Plastic

♥ Pearls of Wisdom from Nutritionist, Cyndi O’Meara

This month’s bargains:

♥ Sarah at The Raw Food Store is having a massive clearance sale.

♥ Lisa at Happy Tummies has loads of allergy-friendly stuff on sale.

♥ 20% off all Coconut Magic products here.

♥ Lots of lunchboxes and natural make-up on sale at Biome.

Princess Pikelets

June 11, 2015 · 67 Comments

Today on the website, I am thrilled to be able to share a healthy pikelets recipe with you from the lovely Amy Crawford, health and wellness practitioner and founder of the online wellness hub The Holistic Ingredient.

Princess Pikelets

Vital Stats: gluten free, dairy free, nut free

Makes 40 small pikelets.

You’ll Need:

1 ½ cups buckwheat flour

1 cup tapioca flour

2 tablespoons coconut flour

2/3 cup milk of choice (coconut milk, almond milk, rice milk etc)

3 tablespoons raw honey

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Pinch sea salt

Coconut oil for frying

Method:

In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs. Sieve the flours into the bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Stir to combine, ensuring no lumps in the batter.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat and melt 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Spoon dessertspoons of the mixture into the pan. Cook for 1 minute or until bubbles form. Flip and cook for less than a minute or until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more coconut oil as required.

Eat warm with Jammy Raspberry Goo or store in an airtight container for 5 days.

Jammy Raspberry Goo:

You’ll Need

1 ½ cups raspberries, fresh or frozen

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons chia seeds

3 tablespoons rice malt syrup

Seeds of one vanilla pod

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Use a fork to mash up the raspberries. Cover and place in the fridge for a minimum of one hour or overnight. Store the jam in a sterilised airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. Spread between pikelets.

Sophia Eats – A book review and giveaway.

July 25, 2014 · 51 Comments

One thing that really annoys me is ‘toddler formula’ !!

Even way back when my kids were little (15 years ago now) and I wasn’t as nutritionally savvy as I am now, I still thought, that is crazy! Why not just feed kids food?

Let’s face it though – nutrition can be confusing! Toddlers are notoriously fussy eaters and it can be hard to know if they are getting the right amount and type of nutrients.

Leading Aussie naturopath and nutritionist, Emma Sutherland, has the solution.

After becoming a new mum a few years ago, Emma saw a need for a one stop guide for overall toddler health and vitality….. so she created it herself! Sophia Eats – A Parents Guide to Toddler Health & Vitality is now available directly from Emma on her website.

“When I was pregnant I began thinking about how I could ensure my child also shared my passion for food. I simply couldn’t imagine raising a child who wouldn’t enjoy hours of cooking and meal times with me! ” Emma Sutherland.

This is not just another recipe book, Emma has also shared a lot of amazing information about nutrition as well as practical advice and tips on toddler health in general. This lady knows her stuff – it’s not outdated nutrition advice!

Gut health is a feature and Emma has a fabulous recipe for bone broth and advice about probiotics. Emma even talks about removing toxins from your child’s diet and relaxation techniques. You will find food tips for better behaved kids, getting kids to sleep and calming hyperactivity as well as strategies for fussy eaters. It’s very much an holistic approach.

The photography is stunning and Sophia is such a cutie and makes a great model!

The book is full of little gems of parenting wisdom like… “The table is a place of emotional warmth and connection”. It’s all about taking the stress out of meal times and instead making them a fun, pleasureable experience for everyone. I mean … who doesn’t want that?

The recipes are simple but all feature nourishing whole foods – things like apple and chia muffins, chocolate ‘ice cream, jelly vitamins and immune boosting milk. The recipes are suitable for all ages, really.

I love this book!

Emma writes in a friendly way that makes you feel supported. No holier than thou parenting advice here! Just helpful, useful information and tips that are achievable and easy to put into practice. I am thrilled that this information is available to parents to help them negotiate the tricky world of toddler feeding (without going insane).

And … no toddler formula in sight!

What’s in the book?

♥ Sophia and Emma’s favourite recipes, tried, tested and proven successful!

♥ 7 day diet diary template with portion suggestions

♥ Top 10 things nobody told you about being a parent

♥ Top tips for fussy eaters and frustrated parents

♥ Top 8 nutrients for a growing toddler

♥ 5 food mistakes even smart parents make

♥ How to become a food detective

♥ Is your toddler getting enough nutrition?

♥ 10 foods to ensure better behavior

♥ Foods to help your toddler sleep

♥ Quick & healthy family breakfast ideas

♥ My top 6 nutrients for toddlers – what is the research saying?

You can get it for direct download at Emma’s website here.

Giveaway:

This giveaway is now closed. The lucky winners are Glynis, Claire and Winsome.

Want to win one? Emma is kindly giving away three copies of Sophia Eats!!

All you need to do is:

♥ Be a blog subscriber (add your email to the right hand side box)

♥ Like Emma’s Facebook page, Emma Sutherland Expert Nutritionist

♥ Leave a comment on this blog post telling us why you want to win

[box] Terms and conditions. This giveaway runs until 9am, 4th of August 2014. One winner will be chosen using a random number generator from those meeting the entry criteria. Giveaway is open world-wide. Please make a note to check your emails! Good luck![/box]

Natural, New Age Freebies!

June 3, 2013 · 25 Comments

Everyone loves free stuff, right?

Well I have found 21 amazing natural and new age free gifts for you! Enjoy.

♥ Cactus Skincare samples (pictured). I love try before you buy! Get your free samples here. The hand-written note and rose petals were so gorgeous! Love. Check out Cactus Skincare on their website and Facebook too. (Just be warned there is a backlog on samples at the moment).

♥ Gaia Natural Baby samples. Just send a stamped self addressed envelope to Gaia to try out their baby range. We love Gaia products – they are natural and affordable. Go here for details. Also check them out on the website and Facebook.

♥ Bamboo wet wipes and nappy. Email Kendall at kendall@littleshoppers.com.au with your address and baby’s weight to receive a sample of bamboo wet wipes and bamboo disposable nappy (both are biodegradable). I have been using the wipes and they are fabulous. Check out Kendall’s business Little Shoppers at her website or Facebook page.

♥ Natralus skincare samples. Complete a short survey at Natralus and get sent a sample pack! Go here to do the survey. Check out the website and Facebook too.

♥ Dancing meditation for your sacral chakra. Download this amazing free meditation from Chakra Dance at this link. I have been wanting to try Chakra Dance for ages and this gives me a small taste of it! Find out more at the website or Facebook page.

♥ T2 samples. Sign up to T 2’s Tea Society and get free tea samples sent. T2 tea is so amazing – tea drinker’s heaven! Go here to sign up. Check out the website and Facebook.

♥ Valley Green Tea samples. Just send a stamped self addressed envelope to Valley Green Tea and they will send you three loose leaf teas to try! Get the details here. Check out the website and Facebook page too.

♥ Printable Wall Art. This beautiful mother and daughter print with quote is totally free to download from fabulous blog, Colour Me There. Go here to download. Check out the blog and Facebook page too.

♥ Aromatherapy Magazine. Gorgeous Julie from Aromatique Essentials brings out regular online magazines which are all free. The photography and styling is so beautiful. Find them here. Check out Julie’s website and Facebook page too.

♥ Journey with your Child Meditation. The amazing Megan Koufos is giving away a free download of this meditation when you sign up to her newsletter. I love this meditation so much – it’s a beautiful way to connect with your child. Get the download here. Find out more about Megan and the work she does at her website or Facebook page.

♥ Shopping list printable. A cute shopping list printable is all yours for free at Vegie Smugglers. Click here to find the download link. Wendy has a few other free printables and an e-book so have a look around while you are there. Find out more about Vegie Smugglers at the website or Facebook page.

♥ Smoothie Ebooks. Teresa Cutter, The Healthy Chef has three free e-books all about different types of smoothies. Find the download links here. Find out more about Teresa at her website or Facebook page.

♥ Raw Food Kids Ebook. Raw Food Mum, Sarah has an e-book with raw food recipes for kids when you sign up to her newsletter. It has some really yummy recipes. Get the info here on the website and follow Sarah on Facebook here.

♥ Be Asleep Bath Salts. The beautiful Jacqui from Naturlea gives away a free sachet of these yummy bath salts to everyone who signs up to the newsletter! Yippee! I have used lots of Jacqui’s products and I am a big fan. Just gorgeous. Find out how to sign up on the website here and check out the Facebook page here.

♥ ‘Guide to a Happy Healthy Abundant Life’ Ebook. From Jia Ni Teo get 15 To-Dos, Worksheets, and a Roadmap to Abundance in this free ebook. Just sign up to the newsletter! Find details here. Take a look at the website and Facebook page.

♥ 80 Green Smoothie Recipes Ebook. Sign up to The Wellness Warrior newsletter to download a free ‘Green Mo Revolution’ recipe book. I have this one and it’s fabulous! Find the download details on the website. Follow Jess on Facebook.

♥ 10 Day Gym Pass. Enter your details into an online form and get a 10 day pass at any Goodlife Health Club! Go here for the form. Find out more about Good Life Health Clubs on the website or Facebook page.

♥ No junk mail sticker. Get a free sticker from Stop Junk Mail to advertise on your mail box that you don’t want junk mail. Just send a stamped, self addressed envelope! Go here for the details.

♥ Living with Water DVD. A water safety DVD from Kids Alive – Do The Five! You just email your details through to get this DVD from Laurie Lawrence. Find the info here.

♥ Elmore Oil sample. Get a no strings attached sample of natural Elmore Oil for arthritis pain relief. Get all the details here.

♥ Free Books. Amazon always has loads of free books available for download on Kindle. Check them out here.

Do you have any other links to free samples or ebooks?

Let us know!

*this blog post has affiliate links