September Newsletter

1. MORE PRODUCTS FROM THE CANADIAN WAY!

We are big fans of David from The Canadian Way. I love his story. A Canadian guy who lands in Australia to find himself more than a little miffed about the fact that the only salmon fillets and smoked salmon available in Australia were all farmed and not wild. I've written about the wild versus farmed fish thing here. So he started importing wild Salmon from his home country Canada. Then his friends wanted in, so he started importing for them too. Then the circle keep expanding and expanding and before long he had to give up his day job in IT to exclusively work on importing and distributing wild salmon products from Canada. When I met David 5 years ago he was still juggling 2 jobs. He also imports the Jakemans pure maple syrup which is our sweetener or choice in our sokolata.

Due to customer requests, we have now expanded our range of The Canadian Way products to the following:

Maple syrup 250ml glass jar
Maple syrup 1L plastic tub - NEW! 
Maple syrup 4L bladder in box (with tap)- NEW! 
Smoked salmon 250g - NEW! 
Salmon raw portions 500g
Salmon raw portions single serve 180g - NEW! 
Caviar (salmon roe). 

2.  CONSCIOUS CLUB 22 OCTOBER

The CONSCIOUS CLUB IS BACK! Diarise 6pm Saturday 22nd October, Paddington Town Hall for an evening of THE POWER OF SOUND. BYO yoga mat to lie on and soak up the vibrations with 400 other people! 

Quantum field physics has proven that at the subtlest level of existence that EVERYTHING is VIBRATING. If it's vibrating, then it is making sound. The question is, what kind of sound ? A pleasant one, in tune with its surrounding and contributing in a positive way, or an out of tune one, disturbing the atmosphere.

Believe it or not us humans are vibrating and in the midst of our busy, technological world it's easy to get out of tune. 

Sound has been used for healing in cultures around the globe for millennia, but only recently, thanks to new scientific advances, have we begun to understand the profound benefit sound can elicit on our physical wellbeing and the elevating effect it has on our conscious state.

Matt Omo @thegongguru has been asked back to the Conscious Club after the huge success of the previously sold out and much talked about sound healing. Matt will provide deep insights into the effect of sound on the body, mind and spirit and lead us through a transformational sound immersion using a swag of instruments and innovative techniques to create a powerful 60 minute sound bath!

Also, international guests from Damanhur Sustainable Community in Northern Italy will explain their research of capturing the electromagnetic variations of plant leaves and roots. They will demonstrate how plants can sing! Bring your favourite pot plant along to see it to believe it. 

I will be there with another staff member handing out samples of our signature sokolata (raw dark chocolates) for everyone's dessert and we will also have a select range of products to sell. 

Tickets selling fast. Book your ticket here.

I hope to see you there and bathe in sound together 😉 

3. THE WELLNESS FESTIVAL 

After sold-out events in Melbourne and Brisbane, The Wellness Festival is coming to Sydney on October 15! 

The Wellness Festival, held over one day, is a hub of activity featuring world class speakers (including LIsa Messenger founder of The Collective Hub,  presenter Laura Dundovic, Melissa Ambrosini author of Mastering Your Mean Girl, Sarah Holloway founder of Matcha Maiden, Julie Stevanja founder of Stylerunner), a live DJ, fresh coconuts, a workout sesh and The Wellness Market featuring Australia's top health brands and services. We are honoured and delighted that Star Anise Organic Wholefoods has been asked to have a stall offering a hearty meal of the day, bone broth and our activated nuts and raw treats for sale. 

Dubbed ‘the Coachella of the health world’ by Sporteluxe, The Wellness Festival is the first of its kind. Get your tickets here before they sell out!

4.   We are HIRING at all levels of the business. 

Star Anise Organic Wholefoods is growing day by day! To keep up with the continual increased demand for our products we are after people to fill 2 very different positions in the company. One is a full time kitchen hand helping to make our beautiful range of artisan wholefood products. The second role is a very dynamic full time salaried position working in the management of the business with me. To apply for either position contact me directly Soulla Chamberlain (creator and director) by email at info@staraniseorganic.com or by phone 0407 871 884. 

5. Broth Bar & Larder menu for warmer weather

Our meals of the day sell out most days at Broth Bar & Larder. Seems like people love and crave good ol' fashioned honest home-made fare. And that's exactly what we are all about. 

A) POT ROASTS 

As the weather is warming, we are serving up at Broth Bar & Larder more slow cooked pot roasts with salads (as opposed to casseroles). Pot roasts are one of my favourite ways of eating meat. It's very similar to a casserole but doesn't involve adding any liquid or root veggies to the cast iron pot. Just heavily seasoned pastured meat with the lid on for 15-24 hours at low heat to produce the most flavoursome tender melt-in-your-mouth meat. One of our customers recently said in relation to the Indian lamb shoulder pot roast the other day "I regularly eat your meal of the day here but this is one of the best meals I have ever eaten". 

B) ACTIVATED BUCKWHEAT-BASED MUESLI 

If you don't feel like something hot to, our all-day breakfast smoothie bowl topped with our signature activated muesli is perfect for this warmer weather. 

I crafted this muesli several years ago because there wasn't a properly prepared clean muesli in Australia that I could lay my hands on i.e. a muesli that ticks ALL these boxes: 

+ the nuts and seeds are activated (soaked and dehydrated to reduce phytic acid found in all nuts and seeds that lead to digestive distress and poor nutrient absorption);
+ AND doesn't contain gluten (we use activated cinnamon dusted buckwheat);
+ AND contains only certified organic ingredients (conventional nuts and seeds are heavily sprayed);
+ AND doesn't contain puffed grains (nutritionally devoid);
+ AND doesn't contain concentrated sweeteners.

Take a look at the ingredients on the back of your muesli packet. Does the muesli that you are currently eating tick ALL these boxes? I still don't think that there is any other properly prepared muesli on the market... And even though I'm a bacon and eggs girl 99% of the time, occasionally my kids and I crave a cooler crunchy brekky. Our muesli is sold pre packaged as well as dine-in or take-away. And our favourite way of serving it dine-in or take-away at Broth Bar & Larder is with your choice of broth-infused smoothie (raw cacao, strawberry, mango, cinnamon cashew, or salted caramel). Don't worry, you can't taste those 2 sneaky beef broth cubes when they are frozen!  Beef broth when frozen just adds frothiness without affecting the taste. Trust me on this one. We can also make our smoothies without the broth cubes if you are vegetarian/vegan. 

I hope you can try our activated muesli smoothie bowl soon (and if you do let me know your feedback!)

6. UPCOMING COOKING WORKSHOPS

I'm running more ALL THINGS CHOCOLATE and ESSENTIAL OILS workshops in term 4. If you missed out on attending these workshops in the past or aren't already down to attend the ones I'm running in October, please email info@staranisrorganic.com so I can add your name to any upcoming new classes I may run. 

I also hope to run some gluten-free cakes and muffins workshops too- dates to be advised shortly so stay tuned! For all enquiries about my workshops or to come to one of my workshops for free as a helper please contact me directly Soulla Chamberlain (creator and director) by email on info@staraniseorganic.com or by phone 0407 871 884. 

7. NEW & IMPROVED FRUIT & NUT SOKOLOTA 

If your wondering if our maple-sweetened  fruit & activated nut sokolata looks a little different it's because she's had a little makeover! We have had fun bulking up our recipe to make her even more beautiful and delicious than ever by including 7 different activated nuts and seeds (instead of just 2) and 3 different fruits (dried figs, coconut flakes and goji berries). We hope you love the new flavour sensations as much as we do!

All our artisan chocolates are free of refined sugars, artificial ingredients, soy lecithins, milk powders and agave syrup. Using only certified organic pure ingredients we pride ourselves on producing the finest quality crap-free artisan chocolates and raw treats. 

8. HAPPY SEPTEMBER HOLIDAYS!!!   

Now that the school holidays are upon us, I hope you busy mums remember to make a little time each day to connect with nature, breathe some fresh air, connect with your kids, and just be. It's not a luxury, it's a necessity! 

Organ Meat Workshop!

I am excited to be running my first organ meats workshop for the year limited to 14 people on Wednesday the 3rd of August (SOLD OUT), Wednesday 10th August (SOLD OUT), Wednesday 17th August (SOLD OUT) and now Wednesday the 31st August!

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WHY ORGAN MEATS?

Organ meats from pastured animals are the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Given that the functions and systems of the human body are built from and runs on nutrients, we ought to be consuming organ meats ideally once a week, if not more frequently, for vibrant health and longevity. Organ meats were part of all traditional diets and were the most highly prized parts of the animal for our hunter-gatherer ancestors (along with the fat and bones of the animal….the muscle meat was often discarded!). Most people in modern society simply don’t consume organ meats on a regular basis. 

If the idea of preparing and eating organ meats scares you (and it did for me once as I used to be a hard-core vegetarian!) then this is your opportunity to get outside your kitchen comfort zone, expand your culinary repertoire, and build reserves of strength and vitality for you and your family. 

You will be surprised and delighted at how delicious organ meats can be. I also showcase how to sneak them into everyday meals without anyone being none the wiser ;-)

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IN THIS WORKSHOP I WILL BE SHOWCASING HOW TO INCORPORATE:

• Chicken livers (in the form of pâté, san choy bow, bacon liver roll ups and shepherds pie) 
• Lambs brains (via cheesy omelette) 
• Lamb sweetbreads in a creamy mushroom sauce
• Bone marrow (via vanilla berry custard)
• Chicken hearts (via mortician flavour skewers)
• Ox tongue (served on cooked and cooled potatoes with horseradish mustard and coriander) 

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COST IS $120 PER PERSON AND INCLUDES:

• Detailed theory discussion on the nutritional benefits of organ meats
• Detailed workshop booklet (20 pages) including theory, recipes and where to purchase organ meats
• Practical demonstrations
• Hands-on experience
• Food tasting
• Opportunity to ask questions

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THIS WORKSHOP IS IDEAL FOR:

• Those who are interested in including organ meats (whether prominently or in disguise!) in their home-made meals  
• Those who suffer, or have family members who suffer, from low immunity (eg frequent colds, infections) 
• Those who want to take their health and well-being to the next level with the introduction of organ meats
• Those who want to try new things and expand their culinary repertoire!

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WHEN AND WHERE:

WHEN: Wednesday 17th August: 6.30PM - 9.30PM (ISH), Wednesday August 31st: 6.30PM - 9.30PM (ISH)
WHERE: BROTH BAR & LARDER, 49 BELGRAVE STREET, BRONTE (FREE STREET PARKING)

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TO SECURE YOUR SPOT YOU WILL NEED TO:

1.  Text me on 0407 871 884 to confirm that there are spaces available
2.  Once I confirm that there is a spot available you will need to transfer $120 referencing your name into the following bank account within 24 hours (as places can only be reserved for up to 24 hours). I will then send out further details by email closer to the date...

Star Anise Organic Wholefoods Education P/L
BSB 062 000
Acct 1628 4526

I look forward to seeing you at one of my workshops soon!

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PLACES WILL BOOK UP QUICKLY!
IF THE CLASS IS FULLY BOOKED I WILL RUN MORE CLASSES IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD TO ANY FAMILY MEMBERS OR FRIENDS

CANCELLATION POLICY: ONCE FUNDS ARE DEPOSITED INTO MY BANK ACCOUNT THEY ARE NON-REFUNDABLE

May Newsletter

The days seem to be flying past at super sonic speed and I find it hard to believe that we are fast approaching winter! I only just managed to squeeze out my May newsletter in the last days of May! Eek! So much for organisational skills. Here’s a brief run down in the world of Star Anise Organic Wholefoods over the past month. 

New Products

1. PANNACOTTAS

As we have discontinued our brothsicles over the winter months (and are limiting them as a summer treat only) we have launched for winter our range of panaccottas made with GelPro beef pastured beef gelatin, coconut milk, maple syrup and a flavour: either raw cacao or vanilla bean powder. We hope to launch other flavours such as strawberry and mango. Sold in 100g glass jars, these are a no-guilty healthy dessert. The raw cacao one tastes like a chocolate custard. Yes please!

2. CURED MEATS & BEEF JERKY

I am really excited about offering a range of cured meats and beef jerky at Broth Bar & Larder. Preparing my kids’ school lunch boxes instantly became a heck of a lot easier and a little more diverse.

Through my daily social media posts and my School Lunch Inspiration ebook I aim to provide parents and carers with ideas for quick, easy and simple lunch boxes made with nutrient-dense whole unprocessed foods that are delicious and bursting with flavour. This is part of my broader mission to inspire parents to raise vibrantly healthy children. To that end, the first and easiest place to start, and the place that has the greatest impact, is diet.  By making products such as cured meats, beef jerky, raw milk cheeses, coconut yogurt, slow cooked casseroles and broth-based soups more accessible to parents, my hope is that school lunches become more of a pleasure and less of a burden. Some cured meat or beef jerky teamed with veggie sticks makes for a really quick and healthy lunch box. A piece of fruit and a slice of raw milk cheese or thermos of coconut yogurt is an easy morning tea. A thermos of soup, bolognaise with zucchini noodles or warming casserole is easy to heat up on school mornings and well received by kids.

We are selling the following selection of pastured pork products from Bundarra Birkshires: Little French Ham, Capocollo, Lonza, Smoked Ham, Pancetta and Bacon. These are made without any preservatives or nitrates.

Another quick and easy school lunch box inclusion is pastured beef jerky made by Kooee All Natural Snacks. Made from 100% grass fed free range Tasmanian beef and spices without any sweeteners, gluten or artificial crap. I met the producers at an organic expo recently and was inspired by their the story on back of their packets which recounts that “It all began on the trail…” in search of a healthy snack. As I am an avid bushwalker and lover of the great outdoors, this instantly struck me when I read it.

I hope you love these new products as much as my kids and I do!

SINGLE PORTION WILD FILLETS FROM THE CANADIAN WAY

You asked for single portion wild samlon fillets, and we delivered. The feedback I received from many of my customers is that the salmon tails, while more economical, were too large a size to get through especially for a 1 person household. Salmon from The Canadian Way is the only true wild salmon in Australia (other than the salmon you can buy in tins from supermarkets). The rest is farmed and the problem with that is the cramped crowded conditions in which they are farmed and what farmed fish are fed (antibiotics, soy pellets, colour dyes are injected into salmon to give it that pink colour). All this breeds illness and disease which is passed on to humans which eat diseased fish. You can read more about wild versus farmed in a previous post here. 

Wild salmon (and tuna) from The Canadian Way has an unparalleled omega 3 to 6 ratio making it one of the most anti-inflammatory foods on the planet. Because it is so high in omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, it should be prepared in a certain way to prevent these extremely heat sensitive fats from oxidizing. I will be sharing my favourite ways to prepare and eat wild salmon in my future posts soon.

New stockists

We welcome the following stockists to the Star Anise Organic Wholefoods family:

·    Little Bay Organics, 1407 Anzac Parade, Little Bay, 2036
·    Energy Scoop, 2/19 Victoria Ave Castle Hills NSW
·  Nourish Kitchen + Lifestyle, 3/68 Albert St, Berry NSW
·  The Yoga Bar, Westfield Sydney, Shop 5001, level 5, 188 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW

A huge congratulations to the following existing stockists who have opened up in these new locations:

·  Wholefoods House at 34 Morely Ave, Rosebery
·  Taste Organics, 20 Princes St, Turramurra

The Omeio has relaunched their online store. Omeio is an online store dedicated to providing and delivering a curated selection of fine artisan food. Their mission is to only offer a small selection of what they think is the most premium quality local organic artisan products so as not to overwhelm the consumer with too much choice. We are truly honoured that Omeio have selected our products as fit for their online store. 

The full list of our stockists can be found here.

 MINDD International forum 2016

Last weekend I attended the annual MINDD International Forum organised by the MINDD Foundation. To be immersed in 3 days of lectures on the latest research from Australian and International speakers and to meet and connect with practitioners, fellow mums, artisan producers, colleagues, customers and clients was such a rich and rewarding experience. My team and I supplied all of the bone broth and sauerkraut for one of the Food is Medicine lectures and the first meal off the plane for all of the International and Interstate speakers.

Everyone keeps asking me what were my major learnings from the conference. There was so much that it is hard to pinpoint, but here are a few surprising nuggets:

·    Even on the best diet, probiotic supplementation is still necessary in times of stress in our modern world.

·    We should stool 3 times a day. Anything short of that is considered constipation.

·    I have a big crush on psychiatrist Dr Kelly Brogan, author of A Mind of Your Own, and her holistic approach to depression and mental illness. She no longer prescribes medication to her new patients in her practice. In her words “The seat of health is in your gut”.

·    There are more lifestyle factors that affect the gut microbiome than I knew of including exercise, wearing shoes and mercury fillings. I talk more about these in my fermentation workshops (see below). 

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WORKSHOPS

My fourth and final fermentation workshop for the year will be run on 8 June. There are only a couple spots left. To book and for further information click here. 

After that the next round of workshops is organ meats and bone broth. By learning how to make your own bone broth, cook organ meats and make a few of your own ferments, you really can take your health to the next level. If every household did this like in the days of yesteryear, we would have a very different health care system in this country. I call these my trifecta of workshops and I encourage everyone to come to them.  They are foundational foods that have served mankind for millennia but have fallen by the wayside in modern society. My mission is to bring these nutrient-dense traditional wholefoods back to the modern table by educating people (especially time-poor parents!) on how to make them simply, easily, deliciously and affordably. I hope to see you at one of my workshops soon!

If anyone is interested in being a helper at one of my workshops please contact me at info@staraniseorganic. The helper comes to the workshop for free, obtains all the leanings and the workshop booklet in return for assisting with greeting the arrival of clients and helping to clean up throughout and at the end of the workshop. It is a small way of giving back to the community especially for those who would love to attend one of my workshops but may not have the financial means to do so. I especially encourage this for students studying health and nutrition.

Queens Birthday public holiday

We will be closed Monday 13 June for the Queens birthday long weekend.
Until then, Kali Orexi (that’s Greek for good appetite!)