Go bake a cake

102. Top Five Things I LOVED This Week:

1. Finally learning not to say my pin out aloud as I type each number into the eftpos machine.
2. Being the little spoon.
3. Learning the true definition of “house proud”. My husband and I moved into the brand new house we bought. We are so in love and content with our home. I’ve had countless moments like on that roof ad where the guy goes out to get the paper in his undies and ends up staring happily in a daze at his house while all the neighbours look on. However I’ve been fully clothed.
4. Isla Collective stripey-ness.
5. The funny moments of living in a new house like stumbling around in the dark in the middle of the night trying to find the bathroom not knowing where the hell you are. Or turning every single switch at the wall on each time you walk into every room to figure out which one will turn the light on.

Emma the Naturopath xx

PS. Does anyone else love HONY (Humans of New York)? I first heard about the project on Triple J’s Hack about a year ago. A fantastic photographer captures portraits and does a mini interview with people he sees on the street in NY. I follow it on Insta and Facebook. They have just been SO GOOD lately!

This week there was a photo of a middle aged woman standing next to this vibrantly dressed older woman with a walking stick wearing bright red lipstick and a gorgeous smile. The caption read:

“What's your favorite thing about your mother?"

"She loves life more than anyone I've ever known. I hope she doesn't mind me telling you this, but recently she's had some health problems. And her health got so bad at one point, she called me and said: 'I was starting to wonder if there was any reason to go on. But then I had the most delicious pear!'

True inspiration.

How good is snail mail! There was a big parcel waiting for me in the post box this morning on my way to work.

My mother has always been the most thoughtful and selfless human I know. She sent a beautifully soft jumper she had been knitting my husband and just so I wouldn't feel left out, she sent me a little set of gardening affirmation cards! I just pulled this one out.

Enjoy this fresh new week. It's going to be a great one!

Hello to all the pregnant mamas out there!

Just a gentle reminder to keep an eye on your vitamin D levels this time of year as you are your bubba's only source of D while its chilling on the inside.

Optimal vitamin D levels will help bub grow strong bones and teeth, help the absorption of calcium and phosphorus as well as protecting against diabetes and heart disease.Vitamin D will also give your immune system a fighting chance this winter!

Aim to go for a walk daily in the sunshine and incorporate vitamin D-rich foods into your diet like free range eggs and organic butter. When looking at supplements, make your choice based on quality. I'm a fan of BioCeuticals D3 Drops Forte. Ask your GP for a blood test to monitor your levels.

Enjoy the sunshine!

*LOCALS SUPPORTING LOCALS*

I'm a massive fan of beeswax candles. Who wouldn't want their house smelling like honey!?

I met a lovely couple from Bucca (10 mins north of Coffs) in the shop recently. The husband is a beekeeper and his wife uses the wax to create gorgeous candles!

Needless to say, we are so happy to be stocking a variety of beeswax candles (starting from $1.75 for tea lights). When the bees come out of hibernation in Spring (learn something every day!) we will also be stocking their local honey!

"I don't feel very much like Pooh today", said Pooh.

"There there" said Piglet."I'll bring you tea and honey til you do".

-A.A. Milne

103. Top Five Things I LOVED This Week:

1. Chet Faker’s cover of Lover (You Don’t Treat Me No Good) for Like a Version. Honey to my ears.
2. Reclining on my gorgeous new purple lotus bolster from @O
3. The cheeky possum that ran out in front of me while I was walking home with the groceries the other night. I got such a fright that I dropped the banana I was eating (um, or I MAY have thrown it at him), then he picked it up and ran off with it!
4. Baking my head off this morning for our Sunday picnic with the fam: zucchini slice and carrot cake. Sharing the recipe with you all this week.
5. My oversized ‘Good Morning Sunshine’ mug that has a picture of a flamingo wearing sunglasses standing next to a pineapple. A dear girlfriend gave it to me for my birthday this year. As soon as I wake up I fill it with milky chai and sit in a patch of sunshine that hits our courtyard at about 7:35 each morning.

Emma the Naturopath xx

PS. My routine has been totally out of whack for at least 6 weeks I reckon. But the dust has settled and my intention for this coming week is to put some positive lifestyle rituals back into place. I truly believe that we are only as strong as our daily habits.

Welcome back green juices, beach walks, my regular yoga practice, new recipes and journaling. Things that bring me back home to myself.

Have you been off track recently? Have a think about what you need MORE of in your life right now. You know those things you know you SHOULD be doing but you don’t really get around to doing? Let’s do them this week!!

*Photo of Emma the Naturopath chai-ing it up in Winter 2009 -taken by Brett the Physiologist.

So I made the BEST CAKE of my life on Sunday. Big claim, I know. Adapted from my fave cookbook ‘Wholefoods’ by Jude Blereau (page 289 for those of you playing along at home). It’s as if a carrot cake and fruit cake made love. There’s an interesting visualisation for you… Dairy free and gluten free. A lot of natural sugars so share it around. Really dense and moist. Perfectly accompanied by a hot tea and good book.

CARROT CAKE
2 cups gluten free self raising flour
1 cup coconut sugar
½ cup shredded or desiccated coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup sultanas
4 cups (400g) grated carrot
3 pineapple rings, roughly chopped
¼ cup (60ml) pineapple juice from the can
½ cup olive oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Combine flour, sugar, coconut, spices, walnuts and sultanas in a large bowl and mix lightly.
3. Mix together the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl then add to the rest of the mixture.
4. Line a cake tin with baking paper or lightly grease with coconut oil. I divided the mixture between a round 24 cm spring form tin and a loaf tin. Bake for about 1 hr and 15 mins or until the center is cooked when tested with a skewer. If the top starts to brown too quickly, cover with foil. Leave cakes to cool for 15 mins in the tin then turn out onto a wire rack. I actually turned my super powered oven down half way through, so just monitor.

Enjoy!

Emma the Naturopath xx

Essential Health
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