A common theme around wellness is that we are what we eat.

If this really were the case, I’d be a kale omelette with salmon and avocado... which I’m perfectly okay with!

But this had me thinking; how does this philosophy apply to the skin we are in?

If we feed our skin with a bunch of chemicals, pesticides, synthetic colours and fragrances – what’s our poor skin going to look like in the long run?!

I don’t know about you but I’d rather my skin look fresh and vibrant like a punnet of berries than a chemically-operated science laboratory.

There's no denying that we all feel our best when we consume healthy food, so when it comes to our skin, the same rules apply. 

ACURE Organics is a product range that’s pure and driven to provide you with the best and most organic experience possible. The brand is loved globally and is the #5 natural skin care brand in the US.

Unlike many organic brands, ACURE Organics has an incredibly diverse range of high-quality skin, hair and baby products that are gentle on the body and won’t break the bank.

All of their products are free from gluten, mineral oils, parabens, sulphates, harmful preservatives and artificial colours. However, ACURE Organics is so much more than what they exclude in their products – it’s about what they put in. Their products are made from pure essential oils and plant-based natural ingredients. This means they’re high in antioxidants to protect our skin from damage and ageing *insert collective cheer here*!

ACURE Organics uses powerfully potent nutrients that are good enough to eat. They've created a Certified Organic Curoxidant Blend as the foundation for each product, and it's food based and features acai, pomegranate, blackberry, rosehip and rooibos – I'm getting hungry just thinking about it…

They're also leading the way with plant-stem technology, figuring out how to isolate and amplify a plant’s benefits up to one thousand times their natural bioavailability. This is revolutionary in the tech world!

All of their products are pH balanced to match our skin’s natural acidity, helping to prevent damage. Everything is toxin-free and not tested on animals. One of the other things I love about ACURE Organics is that they're a sustainable brand that uses green packaging, recycled materials and biodegradable ingredients and packaging where possible.

By buying ACURE Organics, you're not only helping save the planet, you're also supporting charity. With every purchase, you're also supporting two wonderful charities – Unite for Her (a non-profit breast cancer support organisation) and Turning Green (a student-led sustainable movement).

Their new on-the-go product line makes beautiful travelling that much easier. The ACURE Organic’s travel pack combines a mini 30g size of their hydrating shampoo and conditioner, brightening facial scrub and day cream. The travel pack's a great idea if you’re scared of committing to big bottles and want to test it out for yourself first! They're so easy to pop into your toiletry bag and travel with.

They’ve also created biodegradable towelettes which are vegan, sulfate-free, paraben-free and cruelty-free. These towelettes contain glycolic and zinc to clear the skin of dirt, grime and oil. You can choose your destination when it comes to their smell - either clean your face and body with Fragrance Free or, my favourite, Coconut + Argan Oil (because who doesn’t want to smell like a tropical island?).

ACURE Organics  offers high-quality, and effective organic products for low prices. Could you ask for anything more for the health of your skin?

It's time fire-up those kettles into full gear, keep the soup spoon handy and pull the fluffiest blanket out from the back of the cupboard – winter is here!

Winter is a time of hibernation, where we crave comfort foods and warming drinks. But we're usually so busy keeping warm, we tend to spend more time eating, less time cooking and even less time working out - which inevitably adds to that extra winter pudge! (Hello... Love Your Gut powder!)

But it's important to keep in mind that winter is also one of the best times of year to stock up on those essential nutrients and eat healthy.

My winter menu generally rotates between comforting soups, spicy stews, crispy stir fries, perfect porridges and spiced teas - all of which can be packed full of nutritional whole foods. Curries and stews are perfect for packing in your veggies and protein, but the misconception is that these delicious wintery meals take a lot of time to cook.

Enter your new best friend: the slow cooker!

Basically, a slow cooker does all the hard work for you, and they're easy to clean - which I know will have most home cooks cheering! If you're time-poor in the evenings, find some slow-cooker recipes - lamb shanks, curries and stews are perfect - throw the ingredients into the cooker, and it'll be ready for you at dinner time.

(more…)

This one's for all you exercise and gym lovers and likers, hikers and bikers, buffs and bunnies.

If you're planning to fit a workout into your daily schedule, nourishing your body with the right foods is essential.

It can be difficult to find a pre or post workout meal with just the right amount of nutritious ingredients to make you feel satisfied AND energized.

If you're pressed for time or honestly can't be bothered after a long day at work (it’s alright, we've all been there), having a few supercharged ingredients on hand can make a real difference to your motivation levels.

Before we begin, I’m going to have to break a bit of a myth that’s circulating about how to build or tone specific muscles in the body. There’s no miracle food that can tone your physique or build specific muscles. What I can tell you however, is that by eating supercharged foods, with an adequate amount of protein, healthy fats and unrefined carbohydrates, and a great exercise regime, you can be on your way to #breakingtheinternet with your fabulous body.

Supercharged foods are everyday super foods full of antioxidants that are easily accessible and relatively affordable. It’s all about making it easier for you to make healthier food choices so your mind and body don't fall into temptation and undo all your hard work.

That's why I’m a huge fan of bowl food. Personally, I find that eating food out of a bowl has made me more conscious and mindful of what and how much I'm eating. Plus, it’s quick and easy to make and you can come up with as many healthy combinations as possible. It's the best motivation for smashing out another set of squats! 

Usually I opt for a healthy mix of protein, vegetables and grains. It’s nutritious and a great way to exercise portion control. More importantly, the great thing about bowl food is its convenience. You can easily whip up a meal by using whatever you have sitting around in your fridge and pantry.

Did you also know that food eaten out of a bowl can trick your mind into feeling full? Studies have shown that when we're exposed to various sensory stimuli, this can impact our perception of flavour – including how full we feel after a meal.

Eating heathy meals served in bowls simply because they seem to taste better and eating smaller portions sounds like a win-win situation to me!

And now I've concocted three new reps to add to your repertoire!

Carbohydrates are a go zone when it comes to helping to build muscle, especially if we’re burning through energy while exercising. Carbohydrates help keep our energy levels steady and fuel our muscles so we can be twerking the night away.  Some of my favourite carbohydrates are brown rice, quinoa, pumpkin, sweet potato and fruit. Just be sure to stay away from refined products like pasta, pastries and white bread to keep your butt looking fab instead of drab.

If you plan to workout in the morning, the Pear and Walnut Oatmeal bowl is a great option. Pears are in season now so I've included them in this recipe but the best part is that you can swap them out for other fruits and they’ll taste just as good! 

I try to stock up on oats, nuts and seeds when I can. Sometimes I use fresh supercharged foods such as berries in my breakfast bowl but oats and nuts are a great alternative and non-perishable so you don’t have to worry about them turning to mush within a week.

Pear and Walnut Oatmeal bowl

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 pears peeled and cut into slices
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ½ cup almond or coconut milk
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 1/4 cups water
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 TBS nut butter
• handful toasted walnuts and pumpkin seeds
• 2 TBS cacao nibs

Method:

• Place pear, vanilla, cinnamon, nut butter and milk into a medium saucepan and heat to medium high, cook stirring until pears are softened and milk has reduced to a thick sauce, about 10-15 mins.
• Add oats to a small saucepan and add water and salt and bring to the boil then simmer until the water is absorbed and oats are cooked.
• Scoop oats into a bowl, top with caramelised pears and top with walnuts and pumpkin seeds and cacao nibs

I've also included a simple bliss ball recipe, as an on the go snack so you have all your bases covered.

Hemp and Tahini Bliss Balls

Makes 10 large

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mixed nuts (chopped nuts, almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, hazelnuts)
• ½ cup almond meal
• ¼ cup hemp seeds  plus extra for rolling
• ¼ cup coconut flakes
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• ¼ cup raw honey
• 5 TBS almond nut butter

• 1/2 cup tahini

• ¼ cup hemp seeds for rolling

Method:

• Place nuts, almond meal, hemp seeds, coconut flakes and coconut milk into food processor and mix

• Add honey, almond nut butter and tahini and continue to mix until combined

• Chill the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes
• Remove the dough from the freezer and using hands, roll into balls and placeon a flat tray

• Place extra hemp seeds in a bowl and roll balls to coat the surface

• Refrigerate and enjoy. These can also be kept in the freezer

If you truly don’t have the time to make your own bliss balls, Sprout has quite the selection, including gluten-free, paleo or vegan-friendly options.

Now that you're finally done with the daily grind and your workout, it’s time to nourish your body with the good stuff. The urge to eat a big old bowl after a workout can be strong and why not? You deserve it. Reward yourself by eating smart and opting for the Ultimate Veg Bowl, which allows you to not only avoid undoing all your hard work but also tastes delicious at the same time!

The Ultimate Roasted Veg Bowl

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 whole eggs
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• ½ butternut pumpkin cubed
• 2 zucchini sliced lengthways and quartered
• 4 yellow squash quartered
• ¼ cup hemp seeds
• 3 TBS extra extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cauliflower chopped into florets
• ½ tsp turmeric
• squeeze of lemon
• small bunch broccolini
• ¼ cup tahini
• 2 tbs tamari
• ¼ cup water
• 1 avocado quartered

Method

• Boil eggs and set aside
• Make quinoa and once cooked fluff with a fork and set aside
• Place pumpkin, zucchini, squash, on a roasting tray and drizzle with 2 TBS olive oil and sea salt, sprinkle pumpkin with hemp seeds
• Place in oven 210 degrees for 35 mins
• Meanwhile coat cauliflower with turmeric and remaining olive oil and a squeeze of lemon and place on a smaller tray in the oven for 20-25 mins
• Place broccolini in a tray drizzle with oil and place in oven for 15-20 mins
• Mix tahini, tamari and lemon with water to create a pourable dressing
• Once roasted layer all ingredients into a bowl and top with tamari and tahini dressing
• Add avocado and egg and top with extra hemp seeds

We all know the importance of eating clean, sweating it out at the gym and fuelling our bodies with products that promote wellness, but, this is usually where healthcare ends. While this is helpful, there's a lot more to looking after our health than green smoothies, boxing classes and chia seed puddings. 

Just for a moment, consider all of the chemically-filled beauty products that we use on our skin daily, or the pills that we take when we feel we could be coming down with a little sniffle?  Unfortunately for many of us, ancient herbal remedies have been replaced by runs to the pharmacy, pill bottles and cure-alls.

For people looking for that quick health fix, we’ve forgotten the very nature of food as medicine and the concept of using our own kitchens and gardens as a natural pharmacy.

Everyone's favourite Herb Nerd, Reece Carter, is on a mission to show us how easy it is to take health into our own hands by inspiring us to create our very own homemade herbal remedies. 

The Garden Apothecary his debut book, empowers the reader to turn to garden herbs and plants and the food already sitting in our pantries and concoct them into powerful medicinal aids.  He also give us the chance to personally fall in love with simple herbal remedies and tasty recipes.

At just ten years old, Reece could be found trying to re-create his grandfather’s fabulous veggie garden and making an absolute mess in the kitchen. I can tell you now that nothing for this herb nerd has changed. Reece went on to study Naturopathy and his goal was, and still is, to make herbal medicine a part of our everyday lives.

In The Garden Apothecary, Reece teaches us the art of herbal medicine, so we too can become our very own herb nerds. Reece helps us every step of the way – from growing our own plants to making our own ointments and tinctures.

With over forty recipes to choose from, Reece reveals how to relieve a range of ailments the natural way. This includes fixes for the everyday cold, boosting our immunity, relieving stress, curing sleep issues, improving digestion, increasing vitality and even resolving skin issues.

These herbal remedies have been backed-up by both traditional users and modern-day scientists to provide you with the best of both worlds.

The Garden Apothecary will inspire you to become your very own herb nerd. Take hold of your health with these natural remedies and fixes! 

We're very lucky that Reece has shared one of his tasty recipes with us today.  His Maca-Macadamia Chocolate Bark which will lift anyone's mood with it's delicious flavours and happy hormone-boosting ingredients. 

Maca-Macadamia Chocolate Bark

Serves: 12 

Ingredients:

• 1 vanilla bean pod
• 155 g (1 cup) macadamia nuts
• 1⁄2 cup coconut oil
• 125 g (1⁄2 cup) coconut cream
• 1⁄4 cup raw cacao powder
  
• 9 teaspoons dried maca root powder
• 9 teaspoons (45 millilitres) rice malt syrup
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried chilli powder or flakes
• 1⁄4 cup shredded coconut

Method: 

1. Slice the vanilla pod lengthways, then scrape out the seeds using the back of a knife. Discard the pod and keep the seeds.
2. Roughly chop the macadamias in half, and place to one side for later.
3. Melt the coconut oil in a large mixing bowl over a water bath.
4. Remove bowl from heat and stir through the coconut cream, cacao, vanilla seeds, maca, rice malt syrup, sea salt and chilli powder. Whisk until smooth.
5. Add half the macadamias and half the coconut. Stir through with a wooden spoon or spatula.
6. Line a baking tray with baking paper, then spread the mixture over evenly.
7. Top with the remaining macadamias and coconut.
8. Refrigerate until set, then break into twelve pieces roughly the same size. To store, layer the pieces in an airtight container, separated by baking paper. Keep refrigerated or—if like me you prefer it with a little more snap to it—in the freezer.

Good luck with your book Reece! I know it will go far.

If you want to find out more about Reece, you can find him on Instagram here, check out his website here or click this link for his Facebook.