Peaches in balsamic reduction

One of my favourite summer salads and a good way to use up an excess of peaches. I love the complex infusion of flavours in this recipe - fresh, sweet, salty, sticky and peppery all combine to create gastronomic heaven.

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Ingredients:

• 3 white or yellow ripe peaches, seeded and sliced in segments

• 2 tablespoons caramelised balsamic vinegar (else use balsamic vinegar if wanting to reduce sugar)

• Juice of ½ lime (approximately 1 tablespoon) 

• 1-2 drops of Young Living lime essential oil (optional) 

• pinch of vanilla salt (optional)

• a few torn leaves of fresh basil, mint and/or oregano 

• 4 handfuls of rocket 

• 80g of preservative-free prosciutto 

Directions:

Heat vinegar in a large frying pan or cast iron pot. Add sliced peaches and cook on low-medium heat uncovered until the liquid reduces somewhat and the peaches are cooked through (approximately 10 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent the peaches from sticking to the pan and to coat the peaches well in the balsamic. 

Place rocket on a serving platter, and arrange the peaches and prosciutto on top of the rocket. Add the lime essential oil to the lime juice in a small bowl and drizzle over the salad. Season with a good pinch of vanilla salt and garnish with the fresh herbs.  

Serves 4 as a side.

Directions: If you prefer to serve the caramelised peaches as a luscious dessert, omit the rocket and prosciutto, and serve in bowls with a dollop of thick cream.

What does the end of one year and the start of a new year bring up for you?

In the past I would be so hard on myself looking back at the previous year thinking "is this ALL I have achieved?!" And I would wake up on New Year's Day feeling anxious and overwhelmed with everything I wanted to do and achieve in the forthcoming year. If those feelings come up now (and they still do to a degree) I simply sit with them to bring me back into the present. And then I put them into perspective. 

Acknowledge that everything that happened to each of us in 2017 - the good, the bad and the ugly- was all perfect and unfolded exactly as it should to bring us to where we are today. 

Now it's time to shine the light on 2018. A new chapter in our story book of life, waiting for us to write on its blank pages with endless possibilities. 

To create a life that lights you up start by writing a list of how you want to spend your time in 2018. It can be as short or as long as you like but make sure the things on there are those things that really light you up. That's step 1. Stick the list somewhere prominent where you can see it every single day. Step 2 is to find ways to delegate or outsource or kick to the curb the tasks that absorb much of your time that DON'T fall into that list.

I spent some time doing this the last couple days to be absolutely crystal clear on how I want to spend my time adding the most value (to myself and my community) in 2018, acknowledging that some goals will realistically have to wait to 2019. Rome wasn't built in a day. And then I spent time delegating every single task that either I don't absolutely want to do or is not critical for me and me alone to do. 

The path called 2018 that lies ahead may at times be treacherous, undulating, monotonous, spectacular, exhilarating or smooth sailing. But whatever twists and turns it brings, enjoy every step of the journey. While our goals and dreams are dearly important to each of us, my goal is to inject a sense of play and lightness into HOW I execute them and how I respond to the curveballs that life throws at me, to keep the bigger picture in perspective.

Whatever 2018 brings for you, know that a journey of personal growth always brings you one step closer to a life of fulfilment. And if along your path you come to the realisation that you don't like where you're heading, it's ok to start over. You're the artist creating your masterpiece called Life. Make it as delicious as possible in every sense of the word! 

Make 2018 Your Best Year Yet

WHY YOU NEED A health coach

Our ancient DNA requires us to live barefoot amidst nature, eat real food, drink pure water, move all day, bask in sunshine, breathe clean air, rise and sleep with the sun, feel deeply connected to ourselves and to the tribe to which we belong and only experience stress in acute situations. The mismatch between our DNA and our modern lifestyle is hugely problematic, manifesting in stress, illness and disease.  How can we embrace our ancient roots while living in the modern world? While I do not believe we can entirely eliminate the mismatch we experience every single day, we can certainly educate ourselves on it and go to great lengths to reduce it. Indeed, that is all we can do and that in itself is hugely empowering and results in profound shifts in our health and wellbeing. That is precisely why I am here and what I cover in my health coaching sessions. Small changes, big impact. 

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the modern dilemma

Do you find yourself:

— plagued with any health issues (such as gas, bloating, excess weight, under weight, skin conditions, lethargy, troubled sleep, absent /irregular menstrual cycle, PMT, inability to conceive, recurrent colds and flues, excessive mucous, osteo-skeletal issues, aches, pains, constipation, depression, low libido, brain fog, cavities)?

— stressed about your food choices?

— riddled with guilt when eating certain foods?

— confused with how much to eat and how often?

— wanting to reduce time in the kitchen or simplify meals?

— wanting to know where to purchase organic wholefoods from at the most affordable prices - especially if you are on a budget?

— dealing with picky and fussy eaters in your home?

— worried that your children aren’t thriving or functioning as best they could be?

— wanting to reduce or eliminate gluten, sugar and processed foods generally but don’t know where to start and don’t want to feel deprived of your favourite treats or deprive others in your home of their favorite foods?

— deficient in certain nutrients?

— generally healthy, fit and food conscious but are keen to take your health and well-being to the next level, especially if you are an athlete or personal trainer?

If so, then you are not living the full and vibrant a life that you so truly deserve. While health issues, pharmaceutical band-aids, and confusion and stress over what, when and how to eat might be considered “normal” in today’s society, this is not a natural state of being and you don’t have to settle to live that way. 

My mission is to inspire people to make positive and meaningful changes to their health in order to function properly and perform their best to reach their true potential. It is our birthright to be the very best version of ourselves and to shine our brightest light.  But without a solid foundation of health, you have nothing and you will only ever be a fraction of what you can truly be.  

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So what is health?

Modern science shows that the genes that we inherent from our parents are only responsible for a very small fraction of our health and our health in fact is largely dependent upon a number of different environmental or lifestyle factors. 

The 2 broad categories of these environmental factors that influence our health are nourishment and toxins. These lifestyle factors are also called epigenic factors because they switch our genes on or off for better or for worse. In my health coaching sessions I further unpack these 2 broad epigenetic factors into 8 specific lifestyle factors – what I call the 8 foundations of health (nutrition, hydration, sleep, movement, breadth, stress management, nature, connection) – each of which can either be a source of nourishment or toxicity to the body. 

Because we control to a large degree what we eat and drink, how we move and sleep, what and how we breathe, our ability to manage stress, how much time we spend in nature and our relationship with ourselves and others, it is nothing short of empowering knowing that YOU can reclaim and maintain your health through YOUR lifestyle choices. I spend time with clients to give them the information, tools and resources they need to embrace each of these 8 foundations of health to enhance nourishment in all aspects of their life and to reduce toxicity in all aspects of their life. 

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My nutritional philosophy

While all 8 foundations of health are hugely important and directly impact our physical and mental health, nourishing your body with the foods that we are designed to eat is, I believe, the fastest and easiest way of reclaiming and maintaining spectacular health and has the most profound impact. 

My nutritional philosophy is that we should eat what we are biologically designed to eat based on our anatomy (which is universally an omnivorous diet rich in nutrient-dense whole unprocessed foods) as tailored to individual physiology (to take account of digestive issues, food intolerances, auto immunity, allergies, etc). You could call this a traditional wholefoods diet, an ancestral diet, a species-appropriate diet or a paleo-esque type diet. 

With over 2 decades of research, I explain in my renowned uncomplicated, no-nonsense, practical approach the fundamentals of good nutrition and bust mainstream myths that have contributed to the epidemic of modern illness and degenerative disease. 

I educate clients on where our food comes from and how its been processed, where to source it most affordably, and how to properly prepare it super simply and efficiently while maximising its nutritional benefits and flavour. I help clients transition as effortlessly and joyously as possible from conventional to nutrient-dense whole foods with step by step healthy swaps.  I will even take you shopping and come to your house to clean out your fridge and pantry with you. 

^ photos by becca crawford

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CAN I TAILOR MY CONSULTATION FOR A SPECIFIC NEED?

Yes! Consultations can be tailored to the following specific areas upon request:

— Auto immunity (and meal plans for the auto immune protocol)
— Fat loss
— Fertility and pregnancy
— Sports nutrition
— Childrens’ nutrition and fussy eaters

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WHAT WILL I RECEiVE?

You will receive:

• a 20+ page folder of information containing many fact sheets (including a summary of the fundamentals of good nutrition, meal planning, go-to formulas for breakfast, lunch and dinner, a shopping list, a contact list of the holistic practitioners that I work closely with, a healthy swap table and fact sheets on specific health issues that may be relevant to you)
• actionable goals that I will hold you accountable for to help facilitate behaviour change 
• access to my original recipes and/or workshop booklets that I think will benefit you
• access to freely contact me at no additional cost with any questions that may crop up from time to time 
• regular contact from me to check in with you to see how you are tracking 
• as much hand-holding and support from me as you feel that you need.

For the vast majority of clients that I see, simply adopting an anti-inflammatory nutrient-dense traditional wholefoods diet that supports gut health leads to a complete resolution of all health issues. If you are not looking and feeling vibrantly healthy within a certain time period by adopting the diet and other lifestyle changes that I recommend, I will connect you with one of Australia’s leading integrative GPs or nutritionists that I work closely with for blood, stool and/or gut testing and diagnosis to determine if there is some underlying medical issue that needs to be addressed.

I also am privileged to work closely with an experienced naturopath for herbal support, a Weston A Price compliant dentist, an integrative paediatrician, a holistic psychologist, a TM meditation teacher, expert body workers to release trauma, a leading building biologist for home health, a primal movement Personal Trainer and many more. Because health is so multifactoral, we work together to think outside the box to see what else might be causing health issues once diet and basic lifestyle issues are addressed (e.g. mould, EMR, mercury amalgams, relationships etc).

By combining the wisdom of ancestral diets with the latest developments in nutritional medicine and robust science, I will provide you with all the tools and resources you need on your journey towards vibrant health and renewed vitality.

By the end of the process my goal is to ensure that:

— Nutrition makes perfect sense to you.
— Making diverse, nutritious and delicious meals is a pleasure and not a stress.
— You have better aligned all your lifestyle choices with your biology.
— You have kicked to the curb blood sugar issues, sugar cravings, digestive issues, constipation, excess weight, nutrient deficiencies, skin issues, troubled sleep, PMT, irregular/absent periods, lethargy, poor immunity, depression, anxiety, osteo-skeletal issues, brain fog and other health issues.
— You are looking and feeling vibrantly healthy.

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ARE YOU READY?

Click here for more information and to book a one on one session with me.

Or simply email me now.

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