Food As Medicine Tour: Take Inspired Action NOW!

Knowing the foods that make us thrive is one thing but having the tools and resources to put it all into practice and make it sustainable, easy and enjoyable is an entirely different story. That’s where I come in and provide a package that is truly unique. In my health coaching sessions I see so many well educated people who know what they should and shouldn’t be eating, but don’t know where to start, how to transition, where to shop from, how to cook the odd bits (like organ meats), how to properly prepare certain foods, or are spending way too much time in the kitchen to make it sustainable. It’s my little hacks, tips and tricks that I’ve fine tuned for over a decade that tie a bow around traditional wholefoods and have made profound impact on people’s lives. 

In my upcoming FOOD AS MEDICINE TALKS with leading holistic dietician Marieke Rodenstein, we not only provide 3 hours of comprehensive nutritional theory discussion (so you understand the WHY), I also provide you with a folder of information that sets you up for life with all the tools and resources you need to know exactly HOW to put it all into practice to optimise your diet. 

Two decades of research and learning have been comprehensively yet concisely summarised into numerous fact sheets including:

1. A summary of the fundamentals of good nutrition 
2. My breakfast, lunch and dinner go-to formulas (when meals become formulaic, life becomes less stressful!) 
3. The key staple ingredients for every traditional wholefoods kitchen 
4. A shopping list of where to get the staples from most affordably 
5. Why I’m not a fan of snacking 
6. My 16 tips for dealing with fussy eaters 
7.  My favourite clean eat restaurants 
8. My favourite lists of websites, podcasts, books and blogs 
9. A healthy swap table substituting processed foods with healthy alternatives 
10. Where to buy the highest quality water filter from and why unrefined salt should be added to your drinking water 
11. My two game-changing ways of overcoming constipation (which I suffered for 20 years even after I nailed the nutrient dense diet and was well hydrated).
12. Additional lifestyle tips that you’d never think of that can take your health to the next level. 
13.  My list of recommended practitioners, paediatricians, dentists, naturopaths, building biologists, body workers and PTs
14. How to curb sugar cravings 
And lots more! 

Knowing what to do is one thing but actually having the tools to do it, is another. The consistent feedback from clients is that the fact sheets that we provide are what enables them to put the theory into practice and make it not only simple and sustainable but also enjoyable. And life is, above all, to be deliciously enjoyed. 

Our Food As Medicine talks are taking place Melbourne 10 Nov and Sydney 24 Nov. Tickets booking fast.

Book now to avoid disappointment

Testimonials

“Thank you Soulla for sharing so much wisdom with us at your ‘Food is medicine’ talk in Melbourne. I have enjoyed several of your online workshops, so i was thrilled you could come to Melb to present this one in person. Your wealth of knowledge on this topic was really impressive and I loved that you included not only nutrition, but also lifestyle choices and low toxic living in the discussion as well. I’ve already implemented some of your handy hints and health hacks at home. My kids are particularly loving the healthy home made chocolates! The worksheets you gave us are fantastic and a bible I know I’ll refer to often. I particularly love the Healthy Swap table and the recommended holistic practitioners in Melbourne. It was fantastic to have Marieke there as well and I thoroughly enjoyed chatting to her afterwards for further nutrition advice. Thank you Soulla for spreading the ‘truth’ about nutrition and what our bodies are naturally designed to eat”

— Anna

“I sat for 6 hours over the weekend totally engrossed in Soulla’s message for health, vitality and happiness. For someone who likes to spend every minute of the weekend outside having adventures, this was quite an achievement on her behalf. What a compelling and informative two sessions it was for me. Such incredible information and delivered in an easy to follow and thoroughly engaging way. You are certainly well on your way to helping people with their mismatch in nutrition! Going back over the history of nutrition put everything in perspective for me, and made me see things from place of much deeper understanding. Most importantly, Soulla is living breathing evidence of the truth of her message. She is so vital, glowing, and happy and her enthusiasm is inspirational. I left both workshops (Food as Medicine and Healthy Home/Healthy Swaps) feeling ready to optimize my heath even further, and as a health coach, more able to help my clients achieve their dream health and their dreams.”

— Jessie

“I am LOVING my high fat diet since the food is medicine workshop! I’m so much more satisfied and it’s helping with my food binges that I’ve been struggling with so much!!! ”

— Renee

What Pots, Frying Pans and Saucepans I Use & How I Keep Them Clean

To my surprise I am very frequently asked what pots, frying pans and saucepans I use. And to my even greater surprise I am also frequently asked how I keep them so clean (my mum would scoff at this because to her excessively clean “you could eat off the floor” Greek standards, my cookware fails miserably her mirror reflective standards. Though I always thought that more attention should be devoted to quality of what’s IN the pan than the sparkly factor of the OUTSIDE of the pan). Nevertheless, I oblige my followers:

I use STAINLESS STEEL saucepans and frying pans. I like the ones with the stainless steel handles as the plastic handles often get too hot if positioned on top of a flame and toxins start spewing out into your home environment. Also plastic handles mean that you can't put the frying pan under the grill when making omelettes, and pancakes as the plastic may start to melt. Avoid aluminium cookware as aluminium is a light metal and a neurotoxin.

Ideally (although don’t lose sleep over this), if you can afford it, opt for stainless steel frying pans made with minimal nickel like the nöni™ range of Solidtenkics. Nickel is found in most stainless steel cookware which may release nickel into food. While small amounts of nickel are not an issue for most people, large amounts may be toxic and even carcinogenic. Other cheaper reputable brands include Scan Pan and Acro Steel. (And no I don’t get any kickbacks from these companies. I just dig their stuff).

I’m a traditional cook, so I avoid all non stick cookware. Period. However natural they say the non stick surface is, its not going to be as natural and non toxic as stainless steel. “But what about things sticking to the surface?!?!?” I hear you cry. Well my answer to that is FAT. And a lot of it.

Here’s my 5 TIPS on how I keep frying pans and saucepans clean:

1. I cook with lots of NATURAL FATS which go a long way to prevent things from sticking. The low fat, non stick frying pan movement peaking in the 1980s has a LOT to answer for as people (myself included) reduced their natural fat intake and started using cookware that potentially leaches chemicals into their food😤😷. Using stainless steel cookware practically forces you to revert back to using fats to cook with and provided you’re using only traditional natural fats (like butter, beef tallow, pork lard, duck fat or ghee), you’ve got a Win Win! When reheating food in saucepans (instead of microwaving!) I simply add a little bone broth to the bottom of the saucepan to prevent the food from sticking.
   
   2. I soak cookware in hot soapy water STRAIGHT AFTER I use them so food matter just slides off when I get around to washing them after eating. 
   
   3. I use a 100% natural eco friendly coconut husk kitchen scrubber to clean my frying pans and pot (combined with a bit of elbow grease – let’s face it brut force is sometimes needed). Granted, the conventional wire scourers are very effective but I eventually (and somewhat begrudgingly) gave them up as they are indeed an ecological disaster (the bits of wire break off, end up down our drain, into the mouths of fish and then we eat the fish 😷). Future generations and environmental sustainability takes precedence (in my mind anyway) over any aspirations for my pans to have mirror-like reflective surfaces. My mum would disagree. With all due respect, she’s of a different generation. 
   
   4. I use Young Living dishwashing liquid because it’s non toxic, all natural, and SUPER CONCENTRATED so works out to be very economical (I dilute it by a third with water). I don’t wear washing up gloves so its super important that my dishwashing liquid is non drying and non toxic on the skin because whatever we immerse our hands in gets absorbed into our system. To purchase YL products you need an existing YL wholesale account holder like myself to set up a wholesale account for you and then it’s just online shopping for you. Email me to set up a wholesale account for you or read this page of my website and fill out the contact form.   I’d love to set up a wholesale account for you and give you access to our comprehensive online resources, educational events and personalised support.
   
   5. For stubborn stains I use:

   • A few drops of Young Living lemon essential oil because of its unparalleled cleaning power to cut through grease and grime (plus it makes my kitchen smell divine! And/or

   • A sprinkle of Young Living Thieves kitchen & bath scrub which provides the power of a granular surface scrub free of harmful chemical smells and residue. It contains the mineral nepheline syenite (responsibly sourced), plus baking soda that gently absorbs odours plus sodium percarbonate that releases oxygen when combined with water. (I also use it to clean my bath.)

   Once again, to purchase YL products you need an existing YL wholesale account holder like myself to set up a wholesale account for you as per point 4 above.

For slow cooking I love using cast iron pots made by Le Creuset or Le Chasseur (you can certainly use cast iron frying pans and saucepans but I find them way too heavy for day to day use). Cast iron is not cheap, but a valuable investment that will last a lifetime (or longer). 

People with haemochromatosis (excessive iron) should avoid using cast iron.  I also own a non-lead Sunbeam slow cooker but much prefer the cast iron pots as I’m a traditional cook and prefer the more intense flavour they provide…plus they look so much prettier…I’m a girl after all ;-). If you do use a slow cooker ensure that the insert is non-lead.  

Hope you thought this little post was helpful. Wishing you Kali Orexi (that’s Greek for good appetite!).

P.S. if you’re keen to make your own slow cooks, bone broths, organ meat dishes, and gluten free nutrient-dense cakes, check out my game-changing online workshops (solid individually or as a bundle). 

Halloween healthy trick or treat bags!!

Any parent on a conscious consumption path shudders at the thought of Halloween, or more specifically at the part where strangers  thrust stupendous amounts of junk /artificial crap/ "non-food"/ rubbish /toxic treats  (insert your word of choice) into our darling little monsters. I first started blogging about how to tackle the Halloween issue a few years back here. Not wanting to deprive my kids entirely from the Halloween trick or treating experience (just the junk food part), I had to come up with some creative solutions. 

The solution….healthy swapping!

The solution is a realization that this is not about deprivation! This is about providing a healthy alternative to every piece of junk.

So instead of humiliating my kids by holding up a placard emblazed with “Dear fellow residents, can you stop poisoning my kids pleeeeeeeeeeease!!!", a few years ago I decided to take matters into my own hands and provide my community with a healthy Halloween trick or treat bag. Why? Because none exist in the market and it's high time we start a ripple effect that demonstrates:

1. As parents we care what goes into our children's bodies as we know full well the effect that refined sugar and artificial ingredients have on children’s IQ, behaviour, growth, and their emotional and physical health in general;

2. We are fed up with what passes as treats for our kids – junk food is called precisely that for a reason! Allowing them junk food even occasionally is sending them the message that “Its ok to put rubbish in your body”. Is it really ok?

3. Healthy treats are just as, or even more, delicious than the junk food that gets handed out at Halloween without all the toxic ingredients. So why not healthy swap?!?!

Our healthy treat bags have been a massive hit in past years and we could barely keep up with the demand. Parents came out of the woodwork expressing how grateful they were that healthy alternatives to junk food exists and that they no longer have to deal with the Halloween nightmare and the associated learning, behavioural and skin issues that often result when junk food is consumed.

What’s in our healthy treat bags?

Our healthy treat bags contain some of our best selling kiddie treats at Broth Bar & Larder:

🎃 1x raspberry gummie made with certified organic raspberries, GelPro grass fed gelatin powder and the teeniest amount of pure Canadian maple syrup (less than 1/10 teaspoon per gummy)
🎃 1 x mango gummie made with certified organic mangos, GelPro grass fed gelatin powder and an even smaller amount of maple syrup as mangos are naturally sweet
🎃 1x mint carob bears made with certified organic carob powder, certified organic raw cacao butter and therapeutic-grade food-grade Young Living peppermint essential oil (the most pure essential oils on the planet) .... With NO ADDED SWEETENER WHATSOEVER!!! 
🎃 1x raw cacao bliss ball made with certified organic raw cacao butter, certified organic raw cacao butter, certified organic coconut oil, and certified organic medjool dates. 
🎃1x choc orange bliss ball made wiuth the same ingredients as above but with added therapeutic-grade food-grade Young Living orange essential oil (the most pure essential oils on the planet)

All ingredients are hand made on the premises at Broth Bar & Larder and free of nuts, grains, gluten, and dairy. 

The above have all been road tested on kids and every single one gave them the big  "I want more please?!" 🙌🙌🏻

How to use our healthy treat bags?

You can use our bags in three different ways:

1. Take them with you when going trick or treating and let your kids munch on some of the healthy snacks rather than the crappy confectionary they will be given (which you can accept graciously then turf at home). If you have no healthy alternatives with you, I can assure you that the temptation to eat junk is just too great for kids.

2. When you get back home use the treats in the healthy teat bag as a healthy swap for all of the crap that they will be given.

3. Use the treats when a little ghost or Dracula comes knocking on YOUR door.  You'll feel good knowing that you have provided a little soul with something actually good for them.

How to purchase

Our treat bags are available from Broth Bar & Larder in Bronte or you can email us at orders@staraniseorganic.com and we can courier them to you for those who live in Sydney and Wollongong. 

As gummies have a 2 week expiry date if you intend to use the bags for Halloween I strongly recommend that you collect them or arrange for them to be couriered in the last week of October. Please store our treat bags in fridge. 

Limited quantities are available so to avoid disappointment we encourage you to pre-order and pre-pay on 0421 786 009.  

HAPPY TRICK OR TREATING (without breaking out into a cold sweat)!!!!! 👻👹😈🎃👽💀

I would love to know what you think of these healthy treat bags. Please share your thoughts below!