The Daily Ritual

Happy 2012!

2012-01-04T21:48:00.000-08:00

Another number ticks the calendar over, telling us a new year has begun. Although it seems nothing has really changed... the sun still rises, the stars twinkle and the moon does her thing.

Right now there are millions of people starting diets they will not finish, attempt new exercise programs, and aim to build healthy habits which are unlikely to be integrated into their life. As well as a bunch of other "stuff". I hope if you have made these resolutions at least some of them happen for you!

This isn't mine lol

To me this year is about letting go of goals and seeing what may come without any expectation.

Happy 2012!

Love
Ulyana

Banana Caramel Pie: Vegan and mostly Raw

2011-11-22T16:13:00.001-08:00

The only reason I know these pies exist is because my sister loved them so much in high school. The sickly sweetness never appealed to me but the flavour combination of caramel and banana did. Instead of the whipped cream, I topped it with coconut ice cream and left out the dairy, flour and white sugar. The result YUM.

Banana Caramel Pie with Coconut Ice Cream

Ingredients...

Crust...

1/4 cup finely ground oats or oat flour

1 cup walnuts

1 cup sultanas

1/4 cup dried banana pieces

1 tsp vanilla powder or extract

1. Break down all crust ingredients into a doughy consistency. As you can see from my picture, I've left the walnut pieces quite chunky. Walnut is a softer nut and it's quite nice to do it this way.

2. Put in the fridge for around 30 minutes to chill a touch, before moulding into mini tart tins or a pie dish (with removable bottoms).

3. Leave in the fridge until ready to use.

Caramel filling...

1 cup cashews

½ cup pitted fresh dates or about 8 Medjool dates

2 tbs mesquite powder

3/4 cup water (or almond milk if you prefer)

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp psyllium husk (optional)

1/4 tsp salt

Sliced banana to layer, flavour and decorate...

1. In a high powered blender whizz the cashews, dates and the rest of the filling ingredients together until very smooth. The mixture will turn a beautiful caramel colour. If the consistency is too thick then add a little extra water.
2. Layer slices of fresh banana on the crusts and spoon caramel neatly into the tins/ dishes and place in the fridge to set for minimum 1 hour.
3. Layer slices of fresh banana on top of the caramel.

*The psyllium husk is to bind and thicken the caramel, making it very firm. Although not a necessity, it's great if you need to mop up excess fluid*

Coconut ice cream...
Entirely optional and if you leave it out they have significantly less kj's and fat and just as nice.

1 can of coconut cream
3 tbs maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder
1/4 tsp liquid vanilla extract
1/4 tsp powdered stevia (optional)
1/4 tsp salt

1. Mix all the ingredients up and put in your ice cream maker and spoon onto the pies!

Turn the coconut into cream by doing this...Coconut Whipped Cream (just add a pinch of sweetener)

Love
Ulyana...

Dolmades: stuffed vine leaves

2011-11-16T02:08:00.001-08:00

A savoury appetizer ...

It only took one long conversation with my girlfriend, originally from the Greek Islands, to be inspired to make some dolmades will fresh vine leaves ;)

It turns out the process is very simple but it takes a while to roll each leaf. Also, you can use pickled grape vine leaves if fresh is not an option. As with many cultural dishes there are many variations, I've put my veggie inspired take on them.

When using fresh vine leaves only use the young tender leaves at the tips of the branches. The older and larger ones are too fibrous and chewy.

To prepare/ blanch the leaves...

First, rinse the leaves well in water and arrange grape leaves flat in a dish. Cover with boiling water that has 1/4 cup salt added to it, and let sit for 2 minutes. The colour should change to a brighter green. Drain then cover with cold water, let sit for 5 minutes, drain again. Dress with lemon juice and they are ready to use...

*The salt draws out any bitterness*

Filling 1: Herbs and lemon

1/2 cup white or brown rice (brown requires more boiling)

1/2 onion finely diced

2 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup raisins

3 tbs chopped parsley

3 tbs chopped mint

1 tsp chopped rosemary

lemon juice, salt, pepper

Filling 2: Sun dried tomato and artichoke

1/2 cup white or brown rice

1/2 cup marinated artichoke, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup sun dried tomato

1 tbs nutritional yeast

1/2 onion finely diced

2 cloves of garlic

Salt, pepper

1/4 cup tomato paste

Vegetable stock...
2 vegetable stock cubes
4 bay leaves,
1 tsp black pepper corns
1 tsp mustard seed,
1 tbs olive oil
salt

Dressing...

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 tbs olive oil,

2 tbs fresh dill

salt, pepper

Method...

1. Boil the rice and sauté onion and garlic in olive or coconut oil. (Coconut oil has a more buttery consistency), half the mixture for both fillings.

2. Add the rice and rest of filling 1 and 2 separately, set aside.

3. Using 1 or 2 vine leaves, use 2 heaped teaspoons of mixture per dolmade, roll them neatly and place in a large saucepan that has been lined with vine leaves or cabbage on the bottom (to prevent burning). This is where I put the vegetable stock, bay leaves, pepper, mustard seed, olive oil and salt.

4. Use a plate to keep the dolmades under the water level and set on low heat to cook slowly for around 45- 50 minutes. Once cooked drain, set aside to cool, refrigerate then dress with the lemon juice dressing.

Love
Ulyana...

A box of tomatoes...

2011-11-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

I said yes to a box of tomatoes before I knew what to do with them.

So, I gave some away and included them in every meal.

Tomato went into everything- salad, salsa, sandwiches and soup.

On my Sunday afternoon I thought I must make something nice...

I sun-dried a batch (in the dehydrator).

Before...

After...

I experimented by combining roasted apple into a savoury tomato sauce that can be used with anything. I'm sure it's been done before but this is my recipe :))

Savoury Tomato and Roast Apple Sauce

The tangy sweetness compliments the tomato flavour. Roasting the onions, garlic, tomato, and apples intensifies their flavour and begins the infusion process. Can be used as a base for any tomato dish pizza, pasta, dips, and sauces.

Ingredients...

8 very ripe tomatoes, halved

2 apples core removed and halved, pink lady or red delicious (red in colour)

2 medium sized brown onion, halved

1 extra brown or white onion, finely diced

3 cloves of garlic

1 extra clove of garlic finely diced

3 tablespoons of tomato paste concentrate

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1-3 cups of water

Olive oil

Salt, pepper

Method...

1. Slow roast the tomatoes, onion, garlic, apples and a good sprinkle of salt and drizzle of olive oil (keeping aside the extra onion and garlic for later) in a moderate oven until the tomatoes are nicely brown and collapsed and he apples soft- it may take around 45 minutes. Let cool.

2. Cook the finely diced garlic and onion in a small amount of (3 tablespoons) olive oil until golden.

3. In a food processor pulse the roasted tomato, apple, onion, garlic until at the desired consistency. Quite nice chunky or smooth.

4. Add the paprika, tomato paste then blended tomato and apple puree, the bay leaves and simmer on low heat. Add as much water as needed.

5. Test the taste and adjust accordingly. A little extra salt to balance the sweetness, extra olive oil, cracked pepper and if needed some lemon juice if needed.

All roasted and ready to go...

I preserved my batch, the colour is slightly more orange than other tomato sauces.

One word... YUM!

Love

Ulyana...

Summer ice fruit blocks, pops

2011-10-19T03:35:00.000-07:00

When playing around with fruity ice it's best done in the morning. The light is fresh enough to take a decent picture and the temperature is still cool to avoid melting. Kids are so easily satisfied with a fruity ice block and they contain no added sugars or flavours.

Orange Mango flavour

You'll need...

Ice pop molds- I used these star shaped ones, you'd be surprised how few we have in the shops so I ordered online.

Fruit juice or puree- it's that simple!

Front and centre is Hibiscus infusion...

Add fruit juice to the ice pop holds and freeze overnight, they'll be ready in the morning. Make sure you do freeze for long enough...

Front and centre pineapple and lemon

Flavours to try...

Orange

Pineapple

Mango

Lemon (will need to add some sweetness so combine it with a sweet, clear coloured fruit)

All berries

Kiwi fruit

Lychee

Grape

Apple juice and the list goes on...

Fruit tea infusion option

The red coloured pop I made with a hibiscus tea infusion and used stevia as a sweetener. I also used a white tea infusion with vanilla citrus, sweetened with some apple juice it was also for a sophisticated palate.

The moulds I used...

Have fun!

Love
Ulyana

Natural Fertility for Women

2011-10-18T02:43:00.000-07:00

Natural fertility and women's health is my biggest interest and clinically, I focus on it the most. I see client's undergoing IVF (in vitro fertilisation), menstruation problems and natural fertility, women wanting to conceive or are wanting to stay in peek condition while they are pregnant. It is very positive and rewarding for both me and my client.

On the opposite note, not everyone is as lucky or as fertile as nature's ideal intention. Some women and men struggle in the area and it is in my opinion the struggle of a life time. Nothing is as heartbreaking to watch someone else's hopes crumble month after month. It's sad to watch someone else's tears fall.

I'm writing this as an eye opener that this is a big problem that is forcing many people to seek medical help to conceive. We all want children, there is nothing more natural than wanting to procreate but we need to be open to getting help when we need it both naturally and medically. I've focused more on what lifestyle habits you can cultivate to encourage optimum fertility, rather than discuss too many of the causative factors.

Also, a women's endocrine system is a complicated topic and her reasons for infertility vary as does the right treatment strategy. A healthy lifestyle approach may improve your condition but more specific treatment such as body work (acupuncture), herbal and nutritional supplementation may be needed.

Causes of Infertility

Age- After the age 32 the quality and quantity of a woman's eggs begin to decline.

Hormones- Conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS (Poly cystic ovarian syndrome), egg quality and quantity and immune system factors may need to be investigated medically.

Smoking- Damaging to your cervix and fallopian tubes. Smoking also increases your risk of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.

Weight- If you're overweight or significantly underweight, it may inhibit normal ovulation.

Sexual history- Sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhoea can cause fallopian tube damage.

Alcohol and caffeine- Heavy drinking is associated with an increased risk of ovulation disorders and endometriosis. Caffeine is also a drug that is best kept to minimum- no more than 1 cup of coffee once or twice a week.

Drugs- Some medications interfere with a healthy pregnancy, check with your doctor. Recreational drugs don't support fertility.

This is a good article on infertility.

Fertility boosters

Eliminate toxins

Both in the environment and what you choose to wash, deodorise and pamper yourself with. Unnecessary chemicals and heavy metals can be absorbed and stored in your body, creating extra work for your liver to detoxify.

Why is the liver important to your fertility? Because it helps maintain hormonal balance within your body by metabolising the hormone after it's been used. If the liver doesn't remove these effectively then they can accumulate causing an imbalance such as oestrogen dominance. The body naturally produces metabolic waste, which also needs to be filtered. By keeping your environment pollutant free you create less work for the liver.

Chemical based deodorants, tap water, perfumes, toiletries, cleaning products, toothpaste, hair products, nail polish (don't worry, beautiful alternative nail polish Butter and Zoya are available), sanitary napkins, washing powders, insect repellent, dry cleaning chemicals, hair dye, electromagnetic radiation from TV's, computer screens- and the list goes on. Take a closer look at what you use that may be adding more chemicals to your life.

If it's not good for the water supply, it's unlikely to be good for you. Think eco-friendly when it comes to these products.

Rules of Nutrition

Aim for clean and organic, high vegetable and fruit, whole grains, plant-based essential fatty acids, nuts, seeds and lean protein sources. Raw foods such as salad, fresh juices and smoothies are great for overall health and increasing the antioxidants in your diet.

Include broccoli and other vegetables from the cruciferous family like cabbage, cress, bok choy and kale. These are particularly good for detoxifying oestrogen-like chemicals found in some plastic products like water bottles. PBC's (Polychlorinated biphenyls), and BPA's (Bisphenol A) are common xenonestrogens that mimic oestrogen in the body, even though they differ chemically.

No agricultural pesticides, no genetically modified goods, no processed and "junk" food, canned fish, crustaceans, excessive dairy (hormone drugs used in farming practices), minimal red meat and no pork or excessive white sugar.

**A nutrient dense diet will encourage fertility. In cultures where the food is less processed, the fertility rates are higher.**

Exercise

Moving your body is as natural as feeding it. Stimulating the circulation, energy production, and waste elimination helps maintain a healthy body weight and the right muscle/ fat ratio. A healthy amount of fat is necessary for a woman's fertility, if she is too lean it affects the health of her endocrine system.

A daily cardiovascular based routine with weight- resistance 2 or 3 times a week is ideal. Too much weight training for a female body will affect the hormones and menstrual cycle. If you've ever seen a women's body building competition then you can see why an extreme physique does not promote fertility. Maintaining a good balance between strength, stamina, flexibility and weight is the ideal.

All core work is important for when you do carry a child, your body is strong in all the right places to support you and be fit for child birth. After the child is born you'll need to be even more fit!

Which brings me to mention how beneficial yoga is for all stages of preconception, conception and post birth body care. Integrating bodily awareness, breath control, core strength and flexibility will all help when it's time to give birth.

Stress

Stress affects your endocrine system. Here is a more comprehensive article explaining the link between stress and infertility.
Regular acupuncture treatment can reduce stress levels, amongst other benefits for improving fertility. Traditional Chinese Medicine has been used for centuries, particularly in women's health. This topic alone deserves a full article and there is a lot of information on the web, be choosy with what you read. Acupuncture in combination with IVF treatment is being researched and has been shown to increase conception from 30% to 50%.

Get more sleep and learn to relax. Most of the women I see that need help with fertility tend to be the "nervy" type. Relaxation and proper sleep patterns allows your body a chance to heal and regenerate.

Supplements

Basic nutritional baseline for preconception care. Again more specific supplementation may be needed, so please see a good naturopath for more help.

B Complex including B12, iron and folic acid.
Vitamin C- fresh fruit, citrus and leafy vegetables and/ or supplement with a buffered form of vitamin C.
Vitamin D- first by getting enough sunshine then supplementing if needed.
Omega 3 fact acids- flaxseed oil and chia seed
Zinc and mineral complex

Love
Ulyana...

While I write up my next post...

2011-10-16T03:17:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting, educational and inspiring video (trailer) by Aussie Joe Cross... the full video is available through his website and online. Love a good Aussie doco when I see one!

"100 pounds overweight, loaded up on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe Cross is at the end of his rope and the end of his hope. In the mirror he saw a 310lb man whose gut was bigger than a beach ball and a path laid out before him that wouldn't end well— with one foot already in the grave, the other wasn't far behind. FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD is an inspiring film that chronicles Joe's personal mission to regain his health." www.fatsickandnearlydead.com

Muesli bar memories...

2011-09-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

I have fuzzy memories from primary school where each day my lunch box featured a different muesli bar. Some notables being choc-chip peppermint, fruit 'n' nut (when nuts were still allowed), and yoghurt topped berry crunch.

Now that I'm all grown up my preference is more organic. I steer away from the supermarket brands and make my own. Formulating the perfect vegan muesli bar is not an easy task. Crunchy vs chewy, cooked vs raw, sultanas vs goji's... Imagine little kiddies having goji's in their lunchbox- cute!

I came up with a recipe that can be dehydrated or baked, both as good as each other. . .

Muesli, Granola Bar
Raw or Cooked and vegan

2 cups soaked oats (in OJ or water)
1/2 cup soaked golden flaxseed
1 cup soaked almonds (in water, roughly chopped)
1/2 cup dried apricots (cut into sultana sized pieces)
1/2 cup goji berries or sultanas
1/2 cup coconut desiccated
1/2 cup coconut butter (optional)
1/2 cup raw or unprocessed honey
1/2 cup mesquite powder (optional)
1 finely grated apple
Orange, apple juice or water (to soak the oats in)
1 tablespoon cinnamon powder
Pinch of salt

1. Drain the almonds and oats well and allow to air dry for at least 30 minutes before use.

2. In a food processor pulse the oats and almonds until they are broken down, just a bit so they combine well. If your oats are quite mushy stir them in separately.

3. Stir in the coconut, grated apple, dried apricots, goji berries, cinnamon, mesquite powder, coconut butter, salt and raw honey. It should combine quite well forming a more pliable consistency.

4. Spread out onto teflex or baking paper and dehydrate for 12 hours or until dry, at about 7 hours cut into bar shapes and place the other side onto the siv sheets to continue dehydrating. To bake preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and bake for 35 minutes. Cut into bars, let cool and store in an air tight container.

*Sugar in the dehydrator (and oven for that matter) is what gives the bars crunch. You can use almond butter or even peanut butter if you want extra fats. The oils give it more flexibility. The trick is to get the right proportions.

**Choose dried apricots that are sulphur free. They may not look as pretty because they're not as orange but the flavour is worth it.

***Mesquite powder is a natural sweetener. If you don't like oranges try apple juice, however it'll be sweeter so only one or the other.

**** Play around with the consistency. Unprocessed ingredients all have different moisture levels and textures. If it becomes too wet or too dry adjust the amount of soaked and dry ingredients you use.

Easy power snack!

Love
Ulyana...

Friends and Food... Dining out health tips

2011-08-24T01:43:00.000-07:00

Life is better with good friends sharing it. For all the unconditional love and the fun memories I couldn't imagine life without them. It's not only the similarities that we embrace but our differences. I love health and they may love fashion or music and we'll learn and inspire each other in different ways. We need to find the right balance between fun nights out and healthier nights in.

Sometimes a client will feel guilty because they've had too much of a good time that weekend... They had been doing amazingly well in regards to changing habits, feeling better and getting healthier and now they're contemplating how to integrate their health goals with their social life. Or they have a limiting belief that they can't be healthy AND have fun.

First you have to consider what the state of your health is. If for example you have a serious health condition or are aiming to lose a decent amount of weight then yes, realistically your health needs to come first. However, if you're all OK and just want to stay balanced then you have more freedom.

It is my belief that if we become too rigid with our thoughts and our habits, our well being will suffer. Is it better to be 100% healthy but avoid all social activities? Or is it healthier to live a little and have some fun? I know my answer... but it doesn't involve MacDonald's.

So, when it comes to going out I've come up with a list of healthy habits and food choices to follow *most of the time... *Birthday's don't count- the older you get the more you should celebrate.

Dining out...

* Eat a little less at lunch time to compensate for extra kilojoules at dinner. Make sure it's only a little so not to encourage over-eating in the evening.

* Snack on something light before you go. In most cases we're left waiting a while and you won't attack the bread or appetisers.

* Don't drink too much alcohol before you eat. You'll get tipsy and likely eat or drink more than you hoped for.

* Drink water instead of flavoured drinks. Always drink water if you drink any alcohol.

* Ask for entree sized main meals, skip the fried chips and always replace it with salad or vegetables.

* Avoid bakery's, buffets or all-you-can-eat restaurants.

* Choose quality over quantity.

Menu ideas...

*Pay attention to the descriptions on the menu

* Choose grilled, broiled, roasted, steamed or fresh over fried or battered.

* Always have a side of vegetables or salad.

* Avoid creamy, buttery, rich sauces and go for tomato or clear based ones. Ask to have dressings and sauces on the side.

* Avoid pastries, biscuits, cakes (unless it's someones birthday)

* Pizza bases should be thin and ideally vegetarian.

What to order when you eat...

Italian

Enjoy: Pasta or rice with tomato based sauce, side veggies, salads, thin based vegetarian pizza and soup.

Avoid: Cream sauces such as Alfredo or butter sauce as well as parmigiana, beef lasagna, sausage dishes, garlic bread and dessert.

Japanese

Enjoy: Miso, nori rolls, green tea, soba noodles, seaweed salad and sushi.

Avoid: Tempura, pork, salty dishes and any brightly coloured desserts.

Chinese/ Thai

Enjoy: Brown rice, steamed basmati rice, cold rolls, clear soups, clear sauces, stir-fried, steamed, broiled, vegetarian and salads. Choose dishes with a higher portion of vegetables. Green tea

Avoid: Deep fried, fried rice, battered, tempura, peanuts, egg noodles, fried dumplings, egg rolls, wontons, MSG, pork, imitation meats and deep fried ice cream.

Indian

Enjoy: Rice, legumes, soup, tandoori, green sauces, roti (unleavened bread baked in clay oven), raita (cucumber, herb and yoghurt salad) and salad.

Avoid: Creamy sauces, poppadom's, dessert, samosas and anything with excessive spicy/ chili (so not to cover up a bad taste!).

Mexican

Enjoy: Gazpacho, rice, bean dishes, vegetable fajitas, salsa, soft tacos and chile con carne (no cheese)

Avoid: Nachos, chips, chimichangas, chalupas, taquitos, crunchy tacos, chile relleno, (all of which are deep-fried), burritos, guacamole and sour cream.

Greek

Enjoy: Hummus with pita, tabouli, couscous, dolmades, tzatziki sauce, stifado stew, legumes and bean dishes, char grilled vegetables, green vegetable dishes and Greek salad (no cheese).

Avoid: Yiros, filo pastry, baklava, most desserts (always sweet pastries).

Fast Food

I was going to put a section here but I don't count this as real food, with any real healthy options. If you're going to eat out make sure it's at a nice place.

Love

Ulyana...

Gym Bag Essentials...for Women

2011-08-21T05:14:00.000-07:00

Going to the gym or yoga class is easy if you have all the essentials...

* Yoga mat

* Sneakers & thongs

* Apple, muesli bar & BPA free water bottle

* Shorts/ leggings, sports bra/ top, hoodie/ sweater

* MP3 player & heart rate monitor

* Socks & underwear

* Soap, non-toxic deoderant, lip balm, hair brush & hair ties

* Towel & laundry bag

Make sure you keep it in order all the time and throw in extras like a magazine, your notebook and any supplements as needed. The simplest way to make healthy habits is to stay in routine.

Love

Ulyana...

Easy Healthy Breakfast..

2011-08-17T21:36:00.000-07:00

Nothing could be more simple than starting your day right...

It just makes sense to get your breakfast right and keep going, gathering momentum as your day progresses.

During your sleep, the body goes through a healing and rejuvenating process. Any wear and tear that occurred during the previous day now has a chance to repair itself at night. When you wake up your body begins its elimination processes and the very best thing you can do is get hydrated.

Water & Lemon Juice Cure

Not everyone can stomach water first thing but with persistence it becomes a more natural habit than coffee or juice. Most of us are familiar with adding lemon juice to our water to stimulate your liver and kick start the digestion and flush out the toxins from the night before. I cannot emphasise enough just how effective this remedy is. No liver supplement can compare to the old lemon juice cure.

Hydrating first thing in the morning, gives you an energising start to the day. In winter keep the water warm and in summer cool. Lime, apple cider vinegar and grapefruit are nice choices too.
At the moment my morning routine is to brew a pot of weak green tea and add half a lemon and stevia powder- I love it!

Green Smoothie or Fruit Smoothie

Smoothies go with almost anything, just add some green for a chlorophyll boost. Try very ripe banana, blueberries, baby spinach leaves, hemp or sprouted rice protein powder and maca powder. Just add water and blend until silky smooth. Enjoy with wholegrain toast and organic peanut or almond butter.

Hot Drinks

Green tea and chai are my favourite hot drinks. Enjoy the occasional coffee but don’t overdo it- your adrenals will thank you.

Muesli

Try mixing different proportions of rolled oats or quinoa, amaranth, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, sultanas, goji berries, coconut flakes, cacao nibs and cinnamon. Chop a banana and top with raw honey and your choice of milk and you have an energy filled start to the day.

Yoghurt and Berries

Biodynamic and organic yoghurt is a lighter breakfast option. Sprinkle with a high protein mix such as quinoa, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds and goji berries. Top with mixed berries or your choice of fruit. If you plan on using a lot of energy, or you need a heavier breakfast this isn't for you.

Toast, Sweet or Savoury
Not all bread is created equal but two slices of essene (sprouted grain bread) or sourdough rye is a wholesome savoury option. Spread half an avocado and add thin slices of tomato, fresh basil and some cracked pepper.
The sweet option is almond butter, banana slices, honey, cacao nibs and bee pollen- this is SO nice. You probably don't need to the pollen or even the nibs, just some coconut flakes or even sunflower seeds to give it crunch and extra nutrition.

Eggs
Poach, boil or fry or scramble (using a little coconut or olive oil) two eggs for a high protein fix. Enjoy with baby spinach, basil, tomato and mushrooms on the side. This is ideal for the weekend and those days where you need a heavier breakfast. Coconut and olive oil is ideal because it stays more stable at high temperatures.

Chia Seed Pudding
Chia seeds are a complete superfood high in protein and omega 3 fatty acids. A little goes a long way with this seed so you’ll only need ¼ of a cup to around 1 cup of your choice in milk. It goes perfectly with an almond milk base. Add cacao nibs, goji berries, cinnamon, coconut shreds and a few almonds, drizzle with honey or dark maple syrup.

Fresh Fruit
Let's not forget how simple and easy fresh fruit is. Days where you want to give your digestive system a rest, have just fruit for a change.

Love

Ulyana...

Why you should keep a food diary

2011-08-14T02:32:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons why you should keep a food diary, the most convincing being you will know exactly what you eat, when you eat and how you felt afterwards. You wouldn't rely soley on your memory to do your banking or tax return and neither should you take such an approach if you have specific health goals in mind .

1. Increases food awareness

A food diary is a valuable tool to get you on track in the initial stages of changing your diet and lifestyle habits. You can avoid telling the truth to your therapist but you can't lie to your diary. Even if you hate writing down the things you're not proud of eating, you will gain more insight into your problem areas.

2. Encourage healthier choices

You are more likely to make better food choices if you know you need to write them down and review them. The diary will highlight where you need to work harder. It also encourages you to keep improving, changing things up and trying new things when you do eat really well.

3. Positive life style change

Not only can you reflect on your food choices but you can add how you feel and how much exercise you do. "Like attracts like" as the saying goes, so focus on all the positive activity in your life and you will create more reasons to keep improving.

4. Track your wellbeing

This is especially useful if you are unwell, possible food allergies or have symptoms you can't trace. It is essential for health conditions that need monitoring such as diabetes, heart conditions and people undergoing serious medical treatment. By recording what you eat, when you do and how your symptoms afterward it gives you an actual record of how you are feeling on a day to day basis and how specific foods make you feel.

5. Achieve your goals

Whether that be weight loss, get fitter or tweak your health a food journal can help you keep track and stay motivated. The food diary will help you plan out your meals and snacks.

What will you need?

Either a basic note pad, Word document on your computer or an app like "Edibles". Make it visually appealling by sticking pictures or your favourite quotes and adding colour to your diary.

Why shouldn't you have a food diary? If you have a habit to control everything in your life, especially if you are very rigid with your food choices or have been in the past. In this case it is "healthier" for you to relax and enjoy what your eat, rather than analyse everything you put in your mouth.

Love
Ulyana...

Sugar Junkie

2011-08-05T07:45:00.000-07:00

The title was just to get your attention... this is a touchy topic. Sugar is everywhere, in almost every food product and has been for a while now. No one really wants to hear why this sweet, white substance can be compared to an addictive drug and I don't blame you. It's passed around the workplace, hidden in goodies, bars and lollies and if you don't accept the offer, the pressure begins.

It gets you through the day and we all look forward to the hit. Similar to why a smoker doesn't really want to hear about how damaging smoking can be for your health... Sugar is the legal, addictive, widely abused, affordable and most easily accessed "sweet poison" of our time.

White sugar is made from the tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum, native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of Asia or the sugar beet plant of the genus Beta vulgaris. Like salt it has history dating back to around the 8th Century, with raw sugar trade from Asia to the Middle East but this is disputable.

Glucose is the form of energy the human body was designed to run on. Every cell in your body from skin, liver to brain, in fact, every living thing on this Earth uses glucose for energy.
Simple carbohydrates are also called simple sugars and are chemically made of one or two sugars (monosaccharides and disaccharides). How long the chain determines if it's a fruit sugar (fructose) or table sugar (glucose) rice malt and honey (maltose) etc. These are digested very quickly by the body providing a quick energy boost.

Complex carbohydrates (starches) are made of three or more linked sugars. Grains, breads, pasta, rice, legumes and some vegetables contain complex carbohydrates. These take longer to digest, resulting with a slower energy release.

Insulin is how your body controls blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar is too low, your body signals hunger. As a result of the hunger signal, you eat and the food is converted to glucose, through the digestive process, which boosts the blood glucose levels and gives you energy.
Refined sugar is detrimental to health because it causes your body to release a large surge of insulin. This seems fine but it places a consistent burden on the pancreas, encourages the body to store fat (especially around the mid section) and causes cells to become insulin resistant. Insulin resistance is when the hormone insulin, becomes less effective at lowering blood sugars. Consistently high insulin levels, results in crashing blood sugar levels. This causes more sugar cravings to get your blood sugar back up and you more energy, only to be let dow again if you continue eating unnatural sugar. Basically, the more refined sugar you eat, the more reliant you are upon it to keep you going and the more damage it does to your body. Risk factors being type 2 diabetes, weight gain, headaches, cavities, mood swings, osteoporosis (poor mineral absorption), addiction, candida, allergies, insulin resistance and poor immunity. Sugar consumption has been linked with cancer...

Whose crazy idea was it to put sugar in everything!?

Let's put it into perspective...
Anything processed or highly refined is less healthy or simply unhealthy, depending on what and how it's made. Refined white and "brown" sugar, high fructose corn syrup , agave, and artificial sugars (chemical sweeteners) are all highly processed ingredients. I hate to be unpopular but these are best avoided...

Ok, so what are your alternatives...

Artificial Sweeteners??

Sucralose (Splenda), Saccharin, Aspartame, Maltitol and Sorbitol are the most commonly used in food products "diet" drinks, "lite" yogurts and ice creams, "low-carb" and "low-sugar" products, even toothpaste and mouth wash.

These sugar substitutes have been linked to the following, although some not yet conclusive.

*Potential cancer risks
*Negative effects on the liver, kidneys, and other organs and toxicity

*Stimulating cravings

*Gastrointestinal problems

It's a wonder this stuff is in food... really.

I feel we're in a lose-lose situation. On one hand we have white sugar and co. (at least a food product) bombarding our health yet the artificial sugar arena has us risking as much, if not more!

Natural Sugar Goodness :))))

Finally, something fun to write about.

I don't think all sugar is bad for your health, that would be a silly idea, considering it's the body's preferred fuel source but I think you need to be picky with what and how much sweetness you need. Keep in mind people that exercise more, naturally need more fuel to burn off.

Stevia- This is the best no calorie sweetener but you need to get used to it because it's around 300 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia is a herb that has been used as a sweetener in South America for hundreds of years.

Fruit- Suprise! you couldn't possibly ask for a better alternative than the real deal. You can use fruit as a snack, smoothie, juice or in your cooking. Think medjool dates, figs, sultanas and other dried fruit for your baked goodies and any ripe berry, melon or tree fruit to munch on. Fruit is made for the body, I have no questions about it.

Honey- Local, raw honey has amazing health benefits and it's sweet and easy to use but don't over do a good thing. A tablespoon a day on your muesli is enough.

Maple syrup- A highly mineralised and unique flavour, easy to use. Great in cooking and making chocolate. Again, this isn't to be used and abused...

Coconut sugar- instead of the "brown" stuff sold in the shops. Much nicer flavour too.

These natural sweeteners will still affect insulin levels (except the stevia extract), the idea is to wean off the white sugar and replace it sparingly with these. However, fruit contains fibre, water and minerals and is a complete food, natural, untouched and ready to eat. Keep in mind that increasing your exercise will allow you to burn sugar/ energy more effectively and in a perfect world you'd like to get most of your sugar intake from fruit only- it has been done.

Other complex carbohydrates such as basmati or brown rice, whole oats, buckwheat, barley, spelt, root vegetables, whole grain, rye and sourdough breads are also fine. I swear by them...

Love
Ulyana...

Yogini Glamour

2011-08-01T20:35:00.001-07:00

Winter

2011-07-27T02:07:00.000-07:00

Everything just seems harder in winter. It's harder to get out of bed in the mornings, it's harder to eat healthier, it's harder to exercise, harder to blog... and harder to stay chirpy. The sun is further away from the earth and we can feel the cold...

As if! Our winter is more like....

but a bit more drizzly...

Firstly, it's quite natural to have a daily, monthly, yearly lull. I can't imagine it being normal to feel super perky ALL the time. Life fluctuates and we tend to follow its lead. Your mood can be directly related to your energy levels. If you have energy, chances are you'll feel happier and more positive, unless you have a current trying personal experience. When you come home from work, your energy has been used up in the day and yes the thought of achieving that goal of yours seems too hard. Being a female, the monthly cycle demands you take a break, reflect and start a new cycle.

If you look at nature's cycles, you can see the trees have dropped their leaves. There are very few flowers, the animals seem to hibernate and sleep more. Naturally your energy turns inward to conserve and build reserves just like like the rest of the world. You can still feel healthy and energetic in winter but it is still normal to feel more introverted in the cooler months.

Ways to improve your mood

Sun...
The sun goes away for a while and the world looks a little glum, is it no wonder why Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or mood changes occur when the sun shines less. Some of my most blissful moments are in the warmth of the sun, especially mid morning with a cup of tea and or enjoying the beach weather. If you get very little or no sun exposure, not only is your vitamin D production at risk but you just don't feel or look right. If you were to starve a plant of sunlight, you can imagine what would happen to the poor thing. If the world were to suddenly become sunless, we would die too.

I don't suggest roasting yourself or being careless with sun exposure, especially if you live in Australia or have a family history of skin cancer but I suggest you allow some natural exposure, especially if you spend a lot of time indoors. Try 10 to 15 minutes a day. The darker your skin is naturally, the more sun exposure you need.

Follow this link to read up on the health benefits of sunlight http://www.naturalnews.com/rr-sunlight.html

Food...

I feel like a broken record but I guess diet is fundamental to all that I do. It's harder to eat "healthy" when the weather is gloomy, it just doesn't have that comfort factor we all crave. No doubt, we need nutrition to keep us energetic, operating smoothly and thinking clearly. The easiest way to eat better when the winter temptations come out is to plan ahead. Carby cravings need to be satisfied with whole grains, good fats and healthy desserts. Your vegetable dishes may need a heartier spin on them choosing seasonally. Nice choices are pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot, turnips, parsnip, brussel sprouts, broccoli and beetroot. Things like cabbage, kale, fennel and avocado can be sliced finely with added herbs and a nice vinagrette or glaze and you have a fresh winter side dish. Try and immitate "comfort" food and replace any questionable ingredients with healthy produce. For example, a standard greasy lasagne can be filled with almost any winter root vegetable, mushrooms and a creamy cashew or ricotta sauce instead of a yellow cheesy sauce.

Chocolate...

It has to be raw, vegan and organic. Not raw as in straight off the plant but as in how much heat is applied during its processing. Keeping the chocolate bean (cacao bean) under a certain temperature keeps its nutrients in tact. It also has amazing mood enhancing properites. Ever have a mid afternoon slump? Eat a small amount of raw chocolate, it will not only boost your mood but it will speed up your metabolism and give you more energy. This doesn't work for everyone, some people are very sensitive to the sharp energy boost cacao can give you and make you grumpy instead. Either make sure you only have a small amount or make sure it's not on an empty stomach.

Loving Earth Chocolate

Exercise...
The thought of facing the wind, rain and cold can keep me in doors at the best of times but I find this is easier to tackle if you do the following things.
* Make a set time
* Select and ideal routine (with a plan B if you need one)
* Make sure you put on the suitable clothes to make it happen (if it's an outdoor one, wear protective and warming clothing)
* Start small (20mins) then increase as necessary
* Keep it simple, if all you can do is a longer walk to the car or just around the block then great. The fresh air and circulation boost will put you in a better mood than you thought.
* Choose an indoor activity that gets you moving, even a yoga, pilates, dance classes are all things you can do inside.
* Dust of the yoga DVD's and make the decision to do only half. By the time you're into it you'll want to finish it and even if you don't, you've done what you agreed to do! Enroll in a class, there are some amazing ones out there...

If you struggle to be your own motivator, which we all do at times then hire some help. Ask around and find a good personal trainer that can take you through an 8 week program. You'll always show up (unless you'e unwell then you come see me!) and THEY do all the thinking/ planning for you. They will push you when you need it and you'll walk (or limp hehe) away feeling good about yourself. Then as the weather warms up, take a break and get yourself ready for some outdoor activity.

Affirmations...
Oh you've all tried that I hear, well not enough! Either repeat your affirmations until you, your body and your emotions relfect what you're saying or find another method such as hypnosis or neuro linguistic programing NLP to help you do it.
Use your imagination and create a short affirmation, using positive language and a present tense. Something like "I feel better everyday on every level, I love being healthy" or "I only choose the best foods for my body" or "I have an infinite source of energy". These are just examples and you can tailor them to suit your own needs but write them down, say them, think them and look at them when you need a pick me up. They work but only if you apply yourself. I've written these on my body, my mirrors at home, I have post-it stickers everywhere encouraging me to think better- even if slightly embarrasing at times.

Louise L. Hay

Shakti Gawain

Music
The power of a good tune. Have you ever been driving along and an old favourite comes on? Suddenly you're in a great mood and all is well in the world and vice versa have you ever been driving along and a song comes on that made you feel sad? If you've been feeling down lately make a habit of putting on your favourite music. In the clinic I always have calming, tinkly, music both in the waiting and the treatment room- amongst the other mood setters like incense, essential oils, lighting... People love to listen to the rain, thunder and ocean and it calms them down almost immediately.

Sleep
Sometimes we just need a break from everything and especially in the winter. What looks or feels like a down mood might just be a bodily request for a nap, or a night in or some time spent for yourself. Sometimes that request can seem to go on forever but really, once fullfilled your good mood returns. What goes up must come down and what goes down must come up again.
Respect the fact that you will have emotional fluctuations because that's the human experience. We feel things and when life isn't relfecting what we truly desire then we feel the consequences of that. The other point is, if you've been through trying experiences then you will have to deal with the emotions that come along with them ie a break up, death, betrayal, unsatisfying job...
I find I learn the most when I'm working through a "down time" whereas if everything was "rosie" it's a stand still, enjoying the moment type experience. I embrace the changes because they are transformative.

Nature

Nature is an antidote to stress. She seems to calm down and simplify everything. From a theoretical perspective, places with moving water and/ or plenty of trees emit negative ions which promote a calm disposition and are good for us. Positive ions are emitted from computers, T.V's phones etc and because we are surrounded by so much, it is very "ungrounding." Everyone feels better after a walk on the beach or in the park.

Me Time
Self explanatory really. I get a bit anxious if I don't have enough time to think. Some people need more time for themselves, while some need to get out and see more people. Work out where you sit on that scale...

Love
Ulyana...

Vegetarian Russian Borscht

2011-07-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I don't have anything to say. Nothing exciting but that's no reason not to get busy doing something, anything... it's cold and mid-winter and I like it. I have this theory, that life is really a string of moments, little moments mostly.

When I get asked "what have you been up to? I normally answer "Oh you know, not much". . .

Truth is I keep busy but it's a lot of seemingly insignificant stuff that makes my day, my week, my month that no one else would take interest in. It's these little things, these small wins that make me the happiest. Cooking gives me time to think and appreciate the little things. It's relaxing, keeps my hands busy and my mind empty. By the end of the dish, I've hopefully sorted out some of life's problems and created something that's good for me...

Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies

My Baba used make this pastry called Koubate, a sweet pumpkin, filo dessert. I thought because pumpkin was a vegetable it was not to be used in a sweet dish. It confused my palate. These days I've really opened up to the idea of combining different foods and appreciating the diversity. Having said that, if your digestion isn't strong or you're not feeling super healthy it's better to eat fruit separately and on an empty stomach.

I decided to make breakfast cookies using sweet potato, something easy to grab and go in the morning. This recipe is vegan and wheat free but you can replace the oat flour with a wheat, spelt or buckwheat based one. The spices nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and ginger add warmth and combine perfectly. A cookie, a banana and a green tea and I'm out the door and happy!

Ingredients...
1 cup steamed and mashed sweet potato or pumpkin
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1/2 cup firmly packed coconut sugar
2 tsp. baking powder (choose aluminium free)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp ginger powder
Grated nutmeg to taste (optional)
1/2 tsp. Celtic or Himalayan salt
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sultanas

Method...
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a tray with baking paper (or grease with coconut oil).
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, oat flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger powder and salt.
3. Mix in the vinegar. Fold in the sultanas. Spoon into cookie sized portions and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. I left mine all rough and messy (perfect!) but you can roll and squish them nicely with a fork...

**Cookies turn out a beautiful texture, the picture makes them look crunchy but they're actually quite soft.

Vegan Plov

The Italians make risotto, the Spanish paella, and Russians have this classic rice dish called plov. Plov is a savoury rice dish made with dried fruits, vegetables and herbs, that is said to have Middle Eastern roots and is traditionally made with cuts of fatty meat. Sweet really can go with savoury, and this dish proves it using bay leaf, pepper, turmeric, paprika and my twist by adding the goji berries and using a combination of brown and wild rice.

Ingredients...
1/2 cup wild rice
1/4 cup brown rice
1 tbs coconut oil
1 purple onion diced or sliced
1 carrot diced
1 stick celery diced
10 dried apricots
10 prunes
1/4 cup goji berries
salt, pepper
4 bay leaves
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbs tomato paste
Vegetable stock (optional)

Method...
1. Boil the wild rice for 20 minutes then add the brown rice and boil for another 25 to 30 minutes in vegetable stock. This is so you don't have to boil the different rice variety's in different pots. Feel free to just use one type or even basmati if you prefer... rinse when finished and set aside to drain.
2. In a saucepan, saute with coconut oil the onion, celery, carrot add the salt, pepper, spices, tomato paste and bay leaf lightly add the dried fruit and then the rice. Turn down the heat...
3. Add 1/2 cup of vegetable stock, cover and let simmer until the flavours combine. Best the next day but who wants to wait!

This photo makes it look like a rustic disaster but I promise this is a unique and tasty dish. After a quick google search, I believe this photo looks good. I guess it's hard to make plov look... beautiful.

Vegetarian Russian Borscht

The all so famous Russian/ Ukrainian soup borscht gets a mention today. I can just imagine one of my friends saying "it's not a vegetarian dish!"... I beg to differ. This soup is based on beetroot, one of the most-loved vegetables of East Europe (potato is hands down the first, for many reasons!).

You can add any other vegetable left in your fridge and it'll work perfectly- no rules as every family has their own special recipe.

Russian cuisine has many soup recipes. It's easy and economical, tasty and nutritious. Again it's normally made with meat based stock, in my opinion the hearty flavour comes from the beetroot and it can be served with sour cream and dark rye bread.

Ingredients...
1 medium beetroot, sliced thinly
1 medium potato cut into cubes
1 carrot diced
1 celery diced
1/2 cup purple cabbage sliced
1 onion diced finely
2 cloves of garlic diced finely
2 tomatoes roughly chopped
1 sprig of spring onion finely sliced
1 tablespoon coconut oil
salt, pepper
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
pinch of curry powder
fresh dill, can use dry
fresh parsley
water
vegetable stock (optional)

Method...
1. Saute the onions, garlic, celery, spices, salt, and carrot using coconut oil in a saucepan.
2. Add potato and beetroot, mix it through and add water or vegetable stock, keeping a moderate heat going.
3. Now add the cabbage and tomato and let simmer gently and if it needs extra salt or pepper, season accordingly.
4. Chop dill, spring onion and parsley and add just before serving.

Radish and cucumber salad...
This salad is self explanatory. When you have organic ingredients, food doesn't need to be covered in sauces. Radish is another Russian favourite, along with dill. Add cucumber, spring onion, seasoning and a nice dressing. Sour cream and mayonnaise is commonly used on everything but I like it clear dressing with just a little oil and apple cider vinegar.

Small wins :)

Love
Ulyana...

Salt of the Earth

2011-06-16T05:05:00.000-07:00

Sugar is to live for and salt ..apparently to fight over.

Salt crystal formations, Dead Sea

For centuries mankind fought battles, traded and valued salt and it infiltrated every civilisation across the globe. Ancient Egypt, Rome, China, France and Greece all have history in the control and distribution of it and virtually every culture has customs relating to salt. Salt has been mentioned in folktales and myth, used in many ritualistic traditions and in the arts.

"Such was the importance of salt that the words, 'war' and 'peace' originate from the word for salt & bread in Ancient Hebrew and Arabic" according to salt org

Yet the stuff we call table salt is also known as sodium chloride and manufacturers use a chemical extracting method to refine it this way. Salt is simply not found in nature in this isolated form. In nature it is found with an abundance of naturally occurring trace minerals and elements such as Sulphur, Calcium, Magnesium, Boron, Zinc, Silicon, and Iron.

How does this affect our body??

Our bodies are essentially made up of millions of living cells. Cells are composed of molecules such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus, water molecules, proteins, DNA, polysaccharides (sugars), lipids (fats), and MINERALS.
We need minerals in our diet to stay healthy and build tissue, the building blocks so to speak. But we can only absorb these minerals when they are in their organic whole form as nature intended, like in the fruits and vegetables we eat. Plants absorb the nutrition from the soil, creating a biologically available form of minerals and our bodies assimilate it to perfection. However, this all depends on the quality of the soil. Modern farming methods such as chemical fertilisers and mono-crops have made the soils deplete of these minerals. But nature does her best, she uses what she has because that's her style.

I heard a wise person say once, Women are as fertile as the Earth is. In other words, as nutrient rich the soil is as healthy and fertile the woman. Minerals! This is where the quality of salt comes in. Consuming sodium chloride has negative health effects as our body strives to balance it's isolated form. . .

"For every gram of sodium chloride that your body cannot get rid of, your body uses 23 times the amount of cell water to neutralize the salt. Eating common table salt causes excess fluid in your body tissue" Mercola.com

Which doesn't seem like a big deal until we mention cellulite, kidney issue, fluid retention, electrolyte and fluid imbalances, arthritis and high blood pressure.
Minerals are found with other minerals on purpose. It's natures way of providing us with a "supplement" and still buffer its concentrated effects on the body. A pinch of salt is all you need. When you don't have enough salt, issues like low blood pressure and dehydration occur, however, this is not the norm. Considering most processed foods some healthy, some not so healthy all contain excessive salt as a taste enhancer... amongst other things.

Traditional Chinese Medicine regards the kidneys as one of the most important organs. The kidneys are associated with the water element, and most susceptible to the cold and are stimulated by the taste salt. Energetically, the kidneys store the body's vital Essence- inherited from our parents. Essence is what forms the basis for growth cycles, development, reproduction and determines our constitution. How resilient or weak we are health wise and how long our life "battery" will last for.

Himalayan Salt
Beautiful pink salt from the Himalayan region. I question the ethicality of how this salt is mined because it is sourced from deep within the Earth, which seems like a great idea except in theory. However, it conjures up images of big destructive mines. It is however an Earth salt, hard and dry but contains around 84 trace minerals.

Celtic Sea Salt
Is my favourite salt, harvested by hand and evaporated by the sun and wind. It is a pleasure to pay good money for an artisan product like this. Salt is something we season food lightly, paying decent money for something that will last a long time in your kitchen cupboard.

Macrobiotic Sea Salt
Produced in a similar manner to the Celtic salt as it's a sea salt. This salt is the preferred salt for the macrobiotic diet, a Japanese dietary system based on the principle of balance.

Make your own season-all salt using your choice of high quality salt, dried herbs, and favourite spices. I love to mix a curry powder with dried parsley and mustard. I consider it the secret ingredient in my veggie dishes...

Salt lamps are pretty cool. I keep one in my bedroom, it casts a beautiful glow. Salt crystal is an ideal source of negative ions due to its chemical composition. Ideal to place anywhere in the home where you want to improve air quality and create a nice environment.

Love

Ulyana...

Shiny hair obsession...

2011-06-12T21:55:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that women and men adore beautiful hair. I seem to be borderline obsessed with my own and for a good reason. I never ever had problems, not with condition, length or thickness. My hair used to be blonde and technically should have snapped off but my "hair genetics" and healthy lifestyle seemed to have saved it time and time again. That was until one year, and I say year because once you mess with your hair, it literally takes a year or more to rectify the damage. I won't point the finger at anyone, well heehee not much!

Mermaids have been known to break hearts...
I was in a very stressful time of my life, at least I considered it to be back then. On reflection I was just being a drama queen. I had changed my colour to a nice chocolate brown hue, everything was going along nicely. My hairdresser would thin my hair, saying I had plenty of it and it'll make my life easier. It was long and pretty. Everything besides my personal life was peachy... That was until she left the salon! *shock* Where did she go??!! I should have known better but the salon owner suggested I try a different hairdresser. "Sure!" The younger, more gullible version of me replied.
Dissatisfied with the close to midnight colour I walked away with, a "friend" hairdresser suggested he do my hair instead...

I wanted my hair back to normal, long, pretty, thick and brown. He said he could make magic happen and I believed him. *Hint* NEVER believe a man that says he can do magic. I would say half of my hair snapped of from the attempt at highlighting. With all the breakage, he needed to blend it in somehow, so a ridiculous amount of layers were put through. This is where my hair resembled something from the 80's. THEN as I ran my hand through my hair, it was as crispy as a corn chip! No amount of product, blow drying, conditioning, or wishful thinking could make magic happen this time...

So I swore off all hairdressers. They were evil creatures, you get a good one and they desert you. You get a truly evil one and they destroy your hair and charge you while you pretend to like it, so not to hurt their feelings. *Vent over.* I know I don't mean that. I have actually found a really precious hairdresser, who only snips a centimetre off at a time. The next time I visit her, I'll let her take two. She also uses low chemical colours and products and can style hair like a dream.

The point to my long-winded story is that I've destroyed my hair but it came back. Admittedly, it took me a good two years full recovery. Hair is really slow moving, it takes months and months and months to see the results and you have to be consistent in treating it with caution. Minimal heat, no chemical based products and no colour fun. An effective distraction technique is to smile more, who needs fabulous hair when you smile like a princess???!

SOS products I have used...
Feminine Mysteries Tahitian Coconut and Vanilla Shampoo & Conditioner is heaven
Morroco Method The actual shampoos and conditioners are not so heavenly to use but the Diamond Crystal Mist is divine
David Babaii 4 Wildaid Beautiful products all round and love, love, love the Bohemian Beach Spray
Seven Wonders Hair Care Detangling Moisture Spray, is my pick. They also have an Argan (Moroccan Oil) range...

Apple Cider Vinegar & Herbal Hair Rinse
To improve condition, shine, body and boost hair growth...

This is a recipe my babushka taught me. I've always noticed how long many Russian women wear their hair. My babushka was no exception. While the other grandmas had purple perms mine was rocking silky tresses right down to her waist. She traveled across oceans from Russia to Australia and was certainly an exotic creature back in the day.
She wore her hair all braided and slicked back. I can see now why she was a heart breaker in her time (mermaids have been known to do that). She gave me this hair rinse recipe. The basic mixture is just vinegar and chamomile but I've added the rosemary extract with time. The vinegar softens the water, adjusts the pH and gives you a super glossy finish (no it doesn't smell). The chamomile adds highlights with time and somehow strengthens the hair (my babushka says), the rosemary is my little touch and stimulates the blood flow to the scalp, resulting in happier hair with more bounce.

Ingredients...
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (only ACV, no other vinegar will do)
1 cup chamomile tea
1/4 cup rosemary extract
1.5 litres filtered or spring water

Method...
1. Sprig of fresh rosemary to 2 cups water, bring to boil and reduce and leave for 10 minutes. Let cool.
2. Add ACV, chamomile tea, rosemary infusion to the water.
3. Shampoo and condition your hair with the best quality natural based products you can afford.
4. Rinse your hair well with water and put the herbal water through and let t sit for around 5 minutes for a perfect result.
5. Then if weather permits, rinse your hair with COLD water as a final then style.
6. Your hair will look gorgeous, tread carefully with the hearts you're about to break.

Do this once or twice a week for the best results.

Not only do you have to use the correct product but you have to eat the right foods and supplements speed up the process.

Chia seed- high in omega 3 fatty acids, high in protein, easy to use. Just add to muesli, desserts and smoothies.

Seaweed- high in minerals, nori, kelp, wakame, kombu, spirulina all fall under this Umbrella. A green superfood powder should do the trick ideally with sprouted baby grasses. The easiest and tastiest way to get your greens in.

Wholegrains- People are at odds with the wholegrain category but I swear by them. Brown rice, oats, quinoa, and buckwheat are my favourites. High in silica, fibre and minerals.

Almonds, Brazil, Sunflower and Pumpkin seeds- for the essential fatty acids, proteins and magnesium. Magnesium will help soothe the nervous system after you breakup with the evil hairdresser...

Greens- all the baby greens, sprouts, kale, broccoli and herbs. Highly mineralised and alkalising to the system.

Green, white, rosehip, nettle tea- high in antioxidants, good for detoxifying.

Celtic Sea Salt- Just a pinch, for the minerals. Table salt is a junk food.

Exercise and sunlight- essentials for life, oxygen and blood circulation. The body is built to move...

Avoid- excess alcohol, coffee, dairy, processed, denatured "fake" foods, chemicals and unnecessary pharmaceuticals (please confirm with your doctor) and peroxide...

Supplements that may help...

B Complex- for hair growth and condition
Zinc- growth
Green powder (with seaweed and sprouted greens)- detoxification, alkalising
Spirulina- condition, hair growth, quality
Silica- condition
MSM powder (organic suphur)- hair growth, quality

Brushes
Brush your hair everyday and using a soft bristle brush. Never brush your hair when it's wet.

Love
Ulyana xx

Dear Diary... Dream is a nice word

2011-06-10T03:59:00.000-07:00

Dream is a nice word don't you think? I always wonder where mine are at, if I'm "watering" them enough so to speak. Are we giving enough attention to our dreams or do we even know what they are??

Like many of my insights this one came to me during a consultation. We were talking about love... lost love to be exact. I think we've all been there and I think we can all relate. We've been both the lover and the heart breaker, we've been both wronged and in the wrong. I could think of at least 10 people I don't want knowing my thoughts on this topic but I can think of at least 10 who'd like my thoughts too. I sacrifice this post to be more of a "dear diary" entry.

Most of the people I see and talk to want love. "Love makes the world go round" and "love is all there is" love, love, love. Tears and butterflies, highs and lows I see it and feel it all. I wont recall my dating history here, I simply don't enough enough energy and it's pointless. But it's the thing everyone wants and I believe many of us are really here just to find it. Our life purpose might not be to discover a new form of sustainable and environmentally friendly energy source (although feel free) but to find that one person. Call it a soul mate or twin flame or something less mystical. Maybe deep down some people are here just to find simple love.

Imagine if in primary school the curriculum would include... love and all of the above. Relationship life skills that some "parents" are simply not capable of teaching their kids because quite honestly they've not been taught it either. Why when so many of us are completely capable of functioning in all facets of our lives except for maintaining healthy relationships. Why are we taught our times tables until we can recite them by heart but we're not taught to communicate with people effectively and truthfully. Some might say that's a parental role and I agree- it is. However, when your parents are busy counting numbers, paying bills and getting dinner on the table... we could do with a little more help.

Which brings me to my dream, it's just a dream but I'm putting it out there. Imagine if the structure of our society focused more on supporting us finding and keeping that other half and creating families and less on consuming, owning, investing and the rest. The more I look at how we do things the more distant I see we have become. We travel more, see more, learn and experience the world at an accelerated pace yet we're no closer to finding the person that makes our hearts tick. Paradoxically, we have more and have less. The people that do have, we consider to be the "lucky" ones.

If we focused more about finding love and valuing it then maybe we would be happier. Cultures that have less material security have been known to be happier and we often question why. My guess is they're not contemplating owning 5 houses rather contemplating how the welfare of their family. Focus on the stuff that matters because at the end of the day, on our death bed we reflect on how we lived, how we loved, if we loved at all and if we ever lived.

The other thing, don't be afraid to want love. It takes so much energy wearing various masks only to disguise our feelings. It takes more courage to be truthful with ourselves and another and walk away a little different, maybe deflated but certainly a more authentic version of yourself. The heart never fools anyone, it knows exactly what and who it wants. It's the mind that plays tricks.

And one more, never walk away from it.

Ulyana xx

Bugs want slugs and slugs want your organic kale..

2011-06-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

I've been distracted but I have been pondering what my next post would be about. Inspiration normally just falls out of the sky for me... and I was waiting for it...but it didn't come. I thought about cooking or maybe stretching my artistic side (only very few know about it). The only thing that bounced around my mind was thoughts about negative advertising methods and how they impact you and me and everyone else that switches on the TV, reads a magazine and listens to the radio.

People come in to see me for weight loss, which is common and normal these days. They struggle between "healthy" and "unhealthy" food choices, proportion sizes and living the life they want to live. There is no secret to this secret, you must eat the right food, in the right proportion and move in the right way to be at your ideal weight. What is it that keeps them in the negative yo-yo and food obsessive cycle?? ADVERTISING.

We've been placed in front of the television since we were how old and bombarded with advertising imagery before we could even talk. Now you might think that you make conscious choices in what you buy, that it is really you making the decision... I'll put my money on this one. That your choices are from what you've been exposed to at the right moment in time for you to tell yourself "yes I need one of those" or "Ohh that looks yummy!!". Who is born into his world thinking of Doritos or BMW's or Channel sunglasses? (can you tell that last one was one of mine!! Until I weened myself off). We are however born into this world thinking about our stomachs and if we feel the cold and our mothers. So our needs start of very simply.

Our minds process thoughts in images. In other words we think in images. If I tell you not to think about a pink elephant... what pops into your mind? If I bombard you with pictures of Cocoa Pops since you are the age of 5, in between your favourite cartoon shows... chances are Cocoa Pops will be on your mind next time your mum goes to the supermarket or if you're sitting in the trolley you'll spot that yellow box. Things don't change much either, look at what your favourite foods are today and they likely have been tricked into your favourites folder in your mind. Advertisers pay millions of dollars to place these images on prime time television and on front pages of your reading material and the Internet. They pay more for advertising than the quality of the product. My body wasn't born loving Cocoa Pops but Kellogg's will try and make you think so, it's in their best interest.

What you expose your mind to will influence you. Let your 8 year old girl watch Rhianna S&M video clip every morning and see how her behaviour changes. . .

So coming back to my point of weight loss and food choices. Start surrounding yourself with the right stuff, turning off KFC ads and removing yourself out of the media's way. Women's magazines love displaying their Sara Lee products, right after their feel good stories making you as susceptible as a sponge. It takes time to unplug and retrain yourself back to making choices YOU really want. Eating the right food, in the right proportions and moving in the right way because it's only natural and normal to function in that way.

It's only natural to want natural foods. All wild animals want the foods that nature intended. Birds want bugs, bugs want slugs, slugs want your organic kale, wolves want rabbits, and rabbits want grass. I never asked to be exposed to advertising that manipulates our food and lifestyle choices...did you? It requires work to create the change within yourself that increases your own awareness to why you buy what you buy and why you eat what you eat but it can be done!

Read how the tobacco industry influenced millions and million of people to become addicted and the effort companies go to so you can make them wealthy!

This is also a super read...

A nice perspective on food and culture...

I guess at the end of the day I knew what I wanted to post about but ignored it, hoping I'd have the urge to make a vegan blueberry pie or nut mylks or something... no such luck! Till next time lovelies!

Ulyana...
xxx

Crystals, gems and water elixirs

2011-04-30T03:37:00.000-07:00

I spent weeks typing up this post. I procrastinated, deleted, typed and retyped it over and over again. My reason being a topic as metaphysical as crystal therapy needed to be delivered in just the right way. This post is an expression of whom I call my "inner hippy". I couldn't let it float around as just an idea any longer so here goes...

Who is the inner hippy exactly? It is that little (or larger) part of you that draws your attention to an article like this one! The part that is captivated by a glimpse into an "unseen" world, something mystical and the possibility of magic. In fact, the inner hippy IS another way to explain the inner child, after all aren't children fascinated with magic?

Something that I've always loved are crystals, also known as semi-precious stones or gems. This started when I went on a family holiday to Broken Hill, a mining town in South Australia. On this trip my dad had given me a bag of mixed semi-precious gems, all colourful and full of quartz, amethyst, agate and the like. I still have a few of those gems, like marbles most of them were lost during the years but my trip to that town sparked a deep interest in the mineral kingdom. On the way we visited caves with stalactites, stalagmites and natural rock formations, which inspired me to start school projects on the topics. I must have known there was more to these "pretty stones" because these days my interest in them comes from a more metaphysical place. My collection has grown to be quite impressive along with my library ;)

Photographer Andrew Collins
Naracoorte Caves South Australia

Skeptics can think all they want when it comes to the "crystal healing". You certainly won't pick up a stone and "fix" yourself from heart disease nor is anyone claiming that. The kind of benefits I've noticed are far more subtle and like all good things, take their time in their manifestation. However, the use of these stones has a long history dating all the way back to beginning of mankind beginning with beads made from mammoth ivory and Baltic amber.

Historically, crystals were used in ancient Egypt, Sumaria, Greece, and Britain had used gems for jewellery, luck, protection, beauty and health. The word 'crystal' comes from the Greek word for ice, as it was believed that clear quartz was water that had frozen so deeply it would always remain solid. Amethyst means 'not drunken', and was worn as an amulet to avoid drunkenness. Hematite comes from the word for blood, because of its red colour. Jade was highly valued in ancient China and still is to this day. Crystals and gemstones have also played a part in all religions. They are mentioned throughout the Bible, and in the Koran. Amulets made with crystals were banned by the Christian church in 355 AD.

Image from beautifulplacestovisit.com

The quartz crystal structure embodies the mathematical and architectural proportion of phi- the Golden Ratio. The Great Pyramids of Giza are structured according to this ratio as is the natural world. The human body, trees, flowers, shells, fruits and animals all have these proportions, this is how science infuses with art.

Quartz crystal (silicon dioxide) is used today in watches (oscillator- to keep time), electronic products, telescopes and computers (silicon chips) because it possesses piezoelectricity, which produces a natural frequency. Quartz crystal is a receptor and emitter of electromagnetic waves and has the ability to hold memory.

Gem therapy is used in traditional Tibetan Medicine has a unique and mysterious system of making jewel pills made with crystals and other precious stones for use in treatment. Ayurvedic medicine also uses crystals as part of the treatment protocol. The theory is sunlight passing through the stone would transmit a certain frequency that would be absorbed by the cellular structure of the wearer. Over time the person's system resonates with this new influence and encourages the healing process.
Crystals are said to have a specific vibratory qualities that may be used to change and influence the brainwaves and effect the cellular vibrations in the body, balancing the

Crystals and Structured Water
Water is more than just H20, it is a crystalline entity that makes up 70% of this planet. The cells of our body are immersed in water, making us 70% (approx) water-based beings. Water has the power to support life and transform into different states. Just placing clear quartz crystals in your pitcher of water can restructure it, so your body can absorb it better. Add a pinch of naturally harvested sea salt to give it charge, minerals and for hydration.

Structured water has six sided molecules (the phi ratio). Snowflakes formed from structured water have six sides. Water that tumbles and flows over rocks is also found to be six sided in molecular structure and is referred to as “living water”. Bacteria and viruses do not survive in a structured water environment, which is why healthy streams, lakes and rivers keep clear and balanced. “Unstructured water” on the other hand is missing one electron from its outer orbit, while structured water has no missing electrons. Unstructured water results from chemical treatments, pesticides, piping water to high pressure, pollution, and electrical magnetic field radiations.

Research at the University of Georgia has shown that diseased cells are always surrounded by unstructured water. And healthy cells are always surrounded by structured water. Crystals and gems can be used to be infused with water, into a crystal elixir.

Japanese scientist Masaru Emoto has researched the healing affects of water...

A crystal elixir is a liquid preparations made from gemstones. Similar to Bach flower remedy's this is a vibrational or energetic medicine.
They are prepared by placing the stones in water in a bowl of clear glass in sunlight for several hours and then the water that has been 'charged' by the gem stone is filtered off and preserved with alcohol. The electromagnetic vibration specific to the stone is transferred to the water during the preparation of the gem elixir. This electromagnetic vibration in the water then alters electromagnetic vibrations that have become out of alignment back to their proper values on ingestion into the human body.
How to make a crystal elixir...
Making a crystal elixir is too simple! First, the crystals must be cleaned by placing them in running cold water to rid them of all stored/ irrelevant energy or dust. Then they should be left for at least an few hours or over night in a glass jug of filtered water. I'll add clear quartz to my water or whichever combination I feel like on the day. It is even better to make this water under a full moon. Add a pinch of mineralised sea salt and MSM powder and you have a super hydrating fluid, easily absorbed and used by your body. This water will even taste differently.

Crystals at the bottom of my glass water jug, easy!

Basic properties of stones...

Clear quartz- to "restructure" drinking water, or amplify any remedy
Rose quartz- for self-love, past trauma and heart-related issues
Amethyst- anxiety, insomnia, migraines and said to lower blood pressure
Moonstone- women's issues and fertility
Jade- health, hair, skin and nails

Check out Love is in the Earth if you want a fully comprehensive guide to crystals and semi-precious stones.

Maybe JUST maybe those hippies were onto something ; )

Love
Ulyana....

The Easter Goddess and her bunny

2011-04-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

I have many memories of Easter with me and my sister standing in church for hours at the mid-night service. We must have looked adorable in our dresses, ribbons, and braided hair but the reality was my legs ached, my attention span was non-existent and I was tired, hungry and GRUMPY. I still get a little miffed when I think about it. Mum would say "just pray Ulyana!" and I would ponder "uhhh how???"

Regardless of the mixed emotions I have of this holiday, I still really enjoy the tradition of Easter. Our family would make coloured and decorated eggs, paska (Easter cheese cake), and kulich (Easter bread). These days I add raw chocolate making to the festivities...

Paska and eggs

Kulich made by my very talented sister Anastasia...

The Easter Goddess...
Easter was named after the Norse spring goddess Eostre or Ostara and actually predates the Christian holiday we now celebrate. It has pagan, Earth based origins and was a celebration of the Spring Equinox, in the Northern Hemisphere around the 20th and 21st and in the Southern around the 23rd of September. It is dated the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. To this day many Wiccans still celebrate the Ostara sabbath.

Ostara is a goddess of the spring and the rising sun, dawn and her name derives from words the shining light arising from the east. The word estrogen, the female hormone, derives from her name. She was a fertility goddess, bringing longer, brighter days after the vernal equinox and the rabbit was her sacred animal.

Other goddesses celebrated at spring are Hathor (ancient Egypt), Kali (India), Demeter (Mycenae) and Aphrodite (ancient Cyprus).

Beautiful decorated Easter eggs

Eggs are a symbol of new life and fertility. Our family tradition is to naturally dye and decorate eggs a beautiful golden colour by boiling them in onion peel. Then on Easter Sunday brunch we'll play an odd egg cracking game.The idea is the person whose egg doesn't break is the luckiest for the coming year. I think it's a Greek tradition we have adopted. The Easter bunny is also a symbol of fertility because of their natural ability to reproduce easily.

Chocolate goodies all wrapped up

Chocolate Macadamia Truffles
These are so good! Like macadamia "Bounty's" but better. Wrap them in pretty foil for Easter...
Ingredients... (Filling)
whole macadamias
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 cup cashew nut or macadamia nut butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt

Basic chocolate mixture

Method...
1. Mix coconut, butter, vanilla, maple syrup and salt in a food processor until combined.
2. Using 1 whole macadamia cover with the coconut mixture to form a ball or egg shape.
3. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
4. Prepare basic chocolate mixture and temper, dip each egg in chocolate, let excess drip off then let set.

The Story of the Easter Bunny

The goddess of spring, Ostara was adored for her beauty by all the land. Long golden hair and a charming face she would travel the world and bring love, happiness and new life to all. Snow melted as the flowers blossomed on her journeys as the warm yellow sun followed her every step. Nature celebrated as the new babies were born and the soil became rich and fertile.

One year she came late by mistake. Looking around she could see how harsh the dark, cold winter had been on the world. The earth was looking baron and unfriendly. Feeling guilty Goddess Ostara saved a baby bird whose wings had been frozen by the snow but he could no longer fly. Feeling compassion for the little bird Ostara turned him into hare and gave him the gift of being able to run swiftly, so he may protect himself from hunters.

To honour his previous life as a bird, she gave him the ability to lay eggs of all colours of the rainbow but only once a year. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet eggs were laid once a year on her every return.

One day the hare had angered the goddess, so she cast him into the skies as the constellation Lepus (The Hare) forever and positioned under Orian (the Hunter). She permitted the hare to return to earth only once a year at spring time to give away his colourful eggs to the children of the land who waited eagerly for his arrival.

There we have the beginnings of the Easter bunny, bringer of chocolate eggs!

Happy Easter

Love

Ulyana...

Chai... Ayurvedic medicinal tea for health

2011-04-04T00:07:00.000-07:00

'Chai' is the word given to tea in many countries throughout Asia and Eastern Europe and it originates from ancient Sanskrit- one of the oldest languages in the world. The original tea beverage from the Camillia Sinensis plant species and has a history dating to around 4,000 ago. It has been called the "plant of Heaven".

The chai I'm talking about is an ancient Indian spiced tea, traditionally known as Masala Chai and is said to have dated back some 5,000 years ago. Its unique flavour comes from a blend of Ayurvedic herbs and spices. Ayurveda is the traditional Vedic Indian medicine which means "knowledge for life" and is said to be the sister science to yoga. Yoga has so much theory intertwined, it is considered a "science" or body of knowledge.

For those that know me well, they'll know I had an "interesting" experience with chai at the beginning of this year. I'll some it up really quickly... I went to a yoga retreat, which was really an undercover cult and the "guru" spiked the chai with opiates amongst other brainwashing techniques. How did I know the chai was spiked? Because I have an opiate allergy and started reacting badly, getting dumber, slower and more incoherent by the hour. The experience is of course far more dramatic and disturbing than I give it credit for and the reason why I'm mentioning it, is so other people may be very wary of the hidden agendas of some "gurus". . .

Back to the true medicinal benefits of chai! I woke up a bit sneezy, which is common at this transitional time of the year. The temperature starts to drop and your energy starts to draw inward. Believe it or not this is a massive shift that your system has to adjust to. The energy of nature changes direction, leaves change colour and fall off, flowers stop blooming, animals begin to hibernate, rain or snow everyday and of course the temperature. All of this and more because the sun moves further away from the Earth. See how much we need the sun for our health and sense of well being? It provides energy for our planet and it's animal and human life. Plants begin replenishing their energy reserves by drawing more nutrients from deep in the soil and the animals recharge their batteries by slowing down their daily activities. Same goes for humans, we need a little more sleep, a little more rest and a little less fun. Boo!

It's interesting how removed we are from these natural cycles because of artificial lighting, 24 hour conveniences, temperature control and so forth. No matter how "functional" our lifestyle has become, we need to take a little note of what the rest of the natural world is doing. In traditional Chinese medicine, the transitional time between seasons is where we are most susceptible to becoming run down. My symptoms today are a classic "wind-cold" syndrome, a slight drop in the temperature caused my body to work overtime, maintaining the delicate homeostasis balance and developed a head cold.

Masala chai is the perfect medicine for a little cold like this... There are literally hundreds and hundreds of masala chai recipes, each unique to the persons taste and needs. Cafes offer chai lattes, which are powdered, sugared chai mixes and unfortunately are nothing like the real thing (unless they're an awesome cafe). The real deal is a pleasure to drink, it really makes a great coffee alternative because it has a warming and energising effect when you drink it. It is also super easy to make!

Medicinal Chai tea recipe
I love adding vanilla to my chai mix, it gives it a sweet aroma plus it's my favourite spice/ smell of all time. Chai is great for soothing digestion, improving blood circulation, treating colds and flu, and improving energy levels. It really is like making your own custom blend medicinal beverage except it taste great.This particular recipe fixed my cold, so quickly! By the end of the day I was feeling good again... Other spice ideas are lemon, licorice root, goji berries, juniper berries, fennel, all spice, lemongrass, coriander, cacao and green tea.

Ingredients...
1 star anise
8 cardamon pods
1/2 vanilla bean
1 cinnamon quill (or 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon)
8 peppercorns
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
3 bay leaves
1 of 2 slices of ginger
10 cloves
1 tablespoon orange peel
pinch of grounded nutmeg
2 teaspoons rooibos tea
2 teaspoons black tea (omit if you want it caffeine free)
6 to 8 cups water

Method...
Add all the ingredients (except tea leaves) to 6 to 8 cups of water and boil in a saucepan. Turn on low heat to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes then turn off the heat and add tea leaves. Let sit for a few minutes then pour through a strainer. Sweeten with honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar or stevia and pour your choice of milk and dust with cinnamon powder. I prefer mine with almond milk because it gives a more subtle taste allowing the spices to come through. Other milks you can use are soy, oat, rice and dairy.
Health benefits of some chai spices...

Bay leaf:
Bay leaves were used for adornment in ancient Rome. Expectorant, anti fungal, antibacterial and digestive properties, bay leaf has been used for cough, cold and flu remedies plus other respiratory disorders. It adds flavour to culinary dishes and has a strong aromatic effect on cooking.

Nutmeg:
Is a potent spice that needs to be used in small amounts because it is very volatile. It is an hallucinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea, antispasmodic, carminitive and digestive stimulant. Nutmeg is not used much in the West because of their potential toxicity. It is mainly used in culinary dishes and medicinally it is used in Ayurveda.

Cinnamon:
Excellent for people with type 2 diabetes as it helps regulate blood sugar and lower blood pressure. It is naturally sweet and warming and has antibacterial, anti fungal, antiseptic and digestive properties. Cinnamon was also used in ancient Egypt and India. Good for colds, flu and digestive problems.

Ginger:
Popular in China, ancient Greece, Rome and the Middle East the ginger root has been used for culinary and medicinal use for over 5,000 years. Another plant with warming, digestive, anti fungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties plus carminative and circulatory stimulating effects on the body. Ginger prevents motion sickness and morning sickness. It thins the blood, elevates low blood pressure and lowers blood cholesterol.

Cardamom:
Is native to Southern India and Sri Lanka is an aromatic, antispasmodic, warming, digestive stimulant properties. Used for respiratory problems, infections and digestive dysfunction. Was used in ancient Egypt for perfumes.

Cloves:
Originally from the Moluccas Islands (Indonesia) and the Southern Philippines, cloves are used in Ayurvedic medicine as an analgesic. Good for soothing toothaches and treating halitosis. It also has antiseptic, anti parasitic, anti fungal, antibacterial qualities, and can be used to kill intestinal parasites, fungi, and bacteria. It is used to induce or prepare for childbirth by stimulating and strengthening uterine contractions during labour.

Pepper:
Black pepper is an antioxidant and circulatory stimulant.

Love
Ulyana...

Natural lip balm recipe

2011-03-31T15:39:00.000-07:00

I was looking through a dusty old box and an old teen magazine came to my attention. It was something I had read in my highschool days and I was a little amused by it actually. Firstly, that I hoarded it for so long and secondly, that I even read that stuff to begin with. I flicked it open and I remembered exactly why I liked that one so much. There was this little section on DIY beauty with lipbalms, face scrubs etc my sister and I made some of these lipbalms back in the day. Since then I had collecting books on lotions and potions that I could make myself and incorporate essential oils, herbal extracts and healthy, handy ingredients. My sister had gone on to become a cosmetic chemist, fittingly.

Lip balm, on my messy dressing table :p

Why use natural cosmetics? Just have a peek at the video below...

So, I decided to take a break from chocolate and make something different...

Vanilla Lip balm
I've called this a vanilla based balm but really it has a few extras to make it a little more interesting. Rose hip oil, carrot, honey and calendula give it a healing and anti-inflammatory effect on the skin, while a touch of cinnamon and spearmint encourages blood circulation. The vanilla is purely for it's sweet smell.

Ingredients...
10g beeswax
10g cacao butter
5g honey
30ml almond oil
30ml rose hip infused oil (optional)
15ml carrot infused oil (optional)
2ml natural vanilla essential oil, 2ml calendula oil, 2 drops cinnamon essential oil, 4 drops spearmint essential oil

High quality rose hip oil from Siberia

Method...
1. Melt the wax and cacao butter in a metal bowl over a saucepan filled with 1/4 amount of water
2. Still over the heat, add the almond, rose hip and carrot oil and honey until liquid
3. Whisk the mix to ensure it's all melted and smooth
4. Let it cool, add the essential oils
5. Store in small glass containers

They turned out so cute!

Love
Ulyana...

White chocolate and Blueberry hearts...raw, organic and filled with luuuurve :))

2011-03-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

People want my cooking. This has never happened before! I'm either better than I thought OR I'm selling it well. I mean I love what I make but that's just me, I'm easy enough to please. Healthy, organic, simple flavours, nice presentation and I'm sold... For whatever reason, it's a big compliment when someone with a sophisticated palate like my friend Melina requests a sweet creation for her birthday.

White cacao hearts, "milk" carob chai cups, dark fig n' pecan clusters

Melina is an Aries, do I need to say more?? ; ) She's strong, bright, determined, and wants the best in life. She walked into my clinic within the first week I opened a few years ago and oh my God, she kept me on my toes! Since then her glittery exterior softened to reveal quite a delicate inner nature. My friendship with her has been like a "pass the parcel game" one week we get challenging newspaper heading and the next an unexpected gift falls out!

She loves dark chocolate, dried fruit, nuts, unique flavours and high quality anything. She is similar to me in the sense that when I say I like chocolate, I'm talking about the only true sort there is- raw and organic, no refined sugars, flavours etc etc

I know she loves dark chocolate but she's also a creature of habit and I had this urge to coerce her to the "white" side, just for a bit. Raw white chocolate (cacao) isn't what you expect it to be. It is naturally off-white/ creamy yellow and needs to be made carefully, adding flavours and allowing the simplicity of the food to be appreciated. It goes perfectly with vanilla and coconut, two of my favourite ingredient's ever. The benefits being she can enjoy a bit in the evenings and have a good nights sleep too. A "milk" (carob) chocolate selection using a minimal amount of cacao and also a dark chocolate with enough cacao to keep her up all night... a bit of everything.

Dark chocolate can make you jittery if you're not careful and make your heart flutter, if you're sensitive. The perfect food to swoon your man... or lady.

White chocolate & blueberry hearts
I'm really proud of this creation. Let me run down the key ingredients; blueberries, coconut, vanilla, maple syrup, macadamias and a pinch of lemon. This is the BEST thing I've made so far! I soaked the blueberries in vanilla and maple syrup before dehydrating them for about 10 hours, so they were still quite juicy. I would have used shop bought ones if they didn't have sugar coating them and preservatives. A couple sultana's (per heart) are added for extra sweetness.

White chocolate & blueberry hearts

Ingredients...

3/4 cup cacao butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
dried blueberries
sultana's
coconut flakes
macadamias
vanilla extract
lemon zest

Method...
1. Melt cacao butter, coconut butter, maple syrup, add salt and vanilla extract.
2. Add coconut flakes when the mixture is ready and temper the chocolate until it is ready to be used.
2. In each silicon cup add blueberries, a couple sultanas and a macadamia or two.
3. Pour the raw white cacao mixture over the top
3. Zest some fresh lemon rind while the white hearts are setting.

Fig n' pecan dark chocolate clusters
This is probably my favourite thing to make so far and it reminds me of Heather : )) I love it because any combination of fruit, nuts, spices and flavours goes well and as long as you are patient enough to make chocolate, it'll be a hit. Make no mistake, chocolate making does require patience. This particular batch took me 2 hours of stiring to get it to the right consistency for setting. That's hard work!

Me with heathers clusters,
not a fab picture but it's the only one I had!

Chopped figs, cacao nibs, pecans, ginger, orange rind, Himalayan salt, maple syrup, with melted dark cacao. See basic chocolate recipe for more info on how to melt and use chocolate...

1. Chop the figs loosely and add the orange rind, almonds, pecans, and salt and mix into tempered dark chocolate then when ready take spoonfuls and plonk them onto baking paper. Set aside to set in a cool place.
Chai fudge cups
This is my version of a "milk" chocolate, using carob powder to add colour and taste with only minimal amounts of cacao. You can pick the chai spice if you're a fan of the beverage if not, it may encourage you to try it sometime. The centre is soft, sweet and fudgy. The only not so fantastic thing about working with carob is that it doesn't allow the chocolate to set with a nice gloss, it has a more dull appearance. Which is why I suggested dusting it with some powder.

Chai fudge "milk" chocolate cups

Ingredients...

1/2 cup soaked cashews
4 pitted medjool dates
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp powdered ginger
English toffee liquid stevia 8 drops
2 tbs carob powder
1 tbs cacao powder

1. Soak cashews for up to 4 hours and blend with 4 medjool dates until smooth, add vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, English toffee stevia and carob powder.
2. Fill piping bag with mixture and put in the fridge to chill.
3. Make basic dark chocolate recipe and temper.
4. Use mini silicon cupcake holders or mold and coat a thin layer at the bottom of each cup, allow to set in the fridge, keep the cacao warm.

Then fill with melted chocolate to seal the cup...

5. Pipe a small amount of the chai cashew filling into each cup. Allow to set a while then top with melted cacao to seal the cup.
6. Dust with cinnamon or cacao powder.

Fudgy chai center

Love

Ulyana...