NN DAY 13 – STRETCH IT OUT

 

Ever noticed how babies can grab their feet and lift them up to their mouth or head with ease? Yep that’s right every single one of us has been able to touch our toes at some point in our lives. You may not still be able to swing it up to your ears but that’s because our legs are a lot longer and our flexibility decreases and tightens over time if we don’t stretch.

“Stretching releases dopamine which helps you feel happier and more positive about the world”

 One of the most important parts of exercising is warming up and cooling down and of course STRETCHING! I am sure we are all guilty of it – me number one – of neglecting the stretch. I try to do pilates, yoga and body balance at my local gym but this is probably once I week if I am lucky – which lets face it, is not enough mat time. 10-15 minutes a day is all it takes and trust me your body will thank you for it. Especially if you sit at your desk all day – a good old spine stretch could be just the ticket to a perfect nights sleep!

Stretching is also great for;

–  relieving PMS pain, emotional imbalance and bloating

–  loosening the muscles which relieves fatigue so you can exercise longer

–  improving concentration as the blood flows around the body

–  lengthening your muscles to prevent tear or injury

– increasing circulation

 

Here are 10 simple ‘yoga’ stretches/positions to try tonight. Hold each stretch for 45-60 seconds. It will only take 10 minutes of your time – so bung the dinner in the oven and get stretching whilst you wait!

 

    Pelvic tilt

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    Cat-cow stretches

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    Downward facing dog pose

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    Pigeon pose

Pigeon-Pose

    Lunge hip flexor stretch

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Pyramid pose

Pyramid%20Pose

Mountain pose

Tadasana-Mountain-Pose-Of-Yoga

Standing forward bend

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Seated twist pose

Detox-Yoga-Poses

 Savasana pose

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Try this 10 minute sequence 2-3 times a week and see how you feel. Challenge yourself to get deeper into each stretch and take note of how your flexibility increases over time! Your body is the only place you have to live forever SO TAKE CARE OF IT!!

 

STRETCH IT OUT

 

K

NN DAY 11 – GO BANANAS

Bananas have always been one of my favourite fruits. If you think bananas are just for monkeys… think again. But hey we are part monkey after all right? And a banana was probably the first solid food that you ever ate as a baby.

HAVE YOU HAD YOUR BANANA TODAY??

Bananas are great for maintaining healthy digestion, lowering blood pressure and curbing appetite. They are dubbed natures energy snack and are great brain food to help keep you alert at work. Because they are rich in potassium, bananas are good for heart and kidney health as well as bone density. They nourish healthy bacteria in the digestive system and help the body to absorb nutrients and resist bacterial infection.

Nutritionally, a banana is a powerful package. The number one quick source of carbohydrates for many athletes or people working out, a banana will give you a sustained and substantial energy boost which is quickly digested and converted to muscle fuel, great for pre or post workout nutrition. They are easy to transport in your handbag (just don’t forget about it), backpack, work draw or car so they make the perfect on the go snack.

How can you look at a banana the same way again after discovering the amazing health benefits and many reasons to add them to your diet DAILY! and why wouldn’t you when they GO WITH ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING! Smoothies, ice cream, healthy slices, muffins RECIPE HERE, mug cakes RECIPE HERE and pancakes RECIPE HERE. In fact I don’t think there are many of my clean living recipes that DON’T use a banana.

CONVINCED YET? TRY THIS CREAMY BANANA AVOCADO SMOOTHIE BELOW.

 

banana-avo-smoothie

CREAMY BANANA AVOCADO SMOOTHIE RECIPE – serves 1 (simply double recipe for 2 people)

1 ripe banana (fresh or frozen)

1/2 avocado

1 cup dairy, soy or almond milk

1tsp cinnamon

1Tbs raw honey

1Tbs chia seeds

1Tbs peanut butter

Handful of ice

 

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!!

K

NN DAY 10 – THE CHOCOLATE FIX

Chocolate is just one of those things that makes us happy. FACT! It’s actually scientifically proven too!! OH YOU BETCHA. Chocolate is a very nutritious source of antioxidants which are good for our inner health, skin, brain function and hormones. Personally I don’t need much more reason than that and that’s why I rarely go a day without some form of chocolate. And why should we?

As someone with an ‘all or nothing’ streak in their body I am not the greatest at self control (or portion size mind you) and the more ‘artificial’ the chocolate… the more addictive it is. Our body gets a taste of the sweet sugar and we simply cannot stop. Ever gone to the pantry to have ‘just one piece’ and ended up demolishing the whole block? yeahhhhh about that!! This is why a lot of health magazines and websites/blog recommend dark chocolate because the higher the cocoa content the lower the sugar and therefore the better it is for us. Lindt dark coconut intense anyone?? YUM or any of the intense dark Lindt range for that matter. Although the lime flavour… hmmmm interesting!!

 

Here are my 5 favourite chocolate fixes for ANY TIME of the day. Any one of them is going to make you feel all gooey inside and satisfy the chocolatey goodness you are craving without causing a blood sugar insulin spikes followed by a lethargic slum.

1.  Banana-choc coconut smoothie (RECIPE HERE FROM NN DAY 08)

smoothie

2. Luvju organic raw chocolate by the amazing company Loving Earth. Website HERE. YOU HAVE GOT TO TRY THIS!!! I bought a whole box and then some – it was the most exciting (and healthy) delivery package I have ever received!!! Hello work draw!

luvju

3. Homemade cacao chia cookies – Recipe to come in the near future! stay tuned!

cookies

4. Instant avocado cacao mousse – recipe will be posted in a couple of days

mousse

5. Homemade cacao protein balls RECIPE BELOW

choc mint ball

CACAO PROTEIN BALLS

2 cups medjool dates (soaked overnight is best)

2 scoops protein powder (chocolate or vanilla)

1/2 cup shredded coconut (plus extra for rolling)

1/2 cup coconut oil

2Tbs honey

2Tbs cacao powder

1/2 cup nuts (almonds, cashews or brazil)

1/2 cup Goji berries (optional – but a wonderful little addition if you have them handy)

 

Place all ingredients into a food processor or Vitamix and blend.

Roll into medium sized balls and cover in extra cacao powder or coconut if desired. Refrigerate until firm! Can store in fridge for up to 4 weeks and freezer for 3 months! Trust me – they WONT last that long!

2-3 of these sweet chocolatey bliss balls make for the perfect after work or after dinner snack with a cuppa and are completely guilt free!! Happy Baking!!!

REMEMBER CHOCOLATE IS NOT AN ENEMY! IT CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIEND!!!

K

NN DAY 8 – GROOVY SMOOTHIE

Soggy spinach? Bruised mangoes? Spongey apples? Brown bananas? PERFECT!! Don’t throw them out. Throw them into a blender instead for the perfect groovy smoothie! They taste delicious and are jam packed with nutritious vitamins, minerals and fiber. Smoothies are a great on the go snack and are super quick and easy to make. And considering most things go into the one blender – there isn’t much mess to clean up after. (Unlike a juicer with its million parts)

If you chose to have a smoothie as a ‘meal’ ie for breakfast, then make sure you add substantial protein and healthy fats to keep you going. A simple scoop of protein powder, a raw egg, 1Tbs LSA, chia seeds or a handful of cashews are bound to do the trick! Cashews, macadamias and other nuts give smoothies a real creamy texture – so why not chuck a few in next time you blend!

To blend or juice? Unlike juicing – where you extract only the water and nutrients from the vegetable/fruit, smoothies include the whole content, fiber and all. When you remove the fiber from the produce, the liquid juice is absorbed into your blood stream quickly. If you are only juicing fruits, this would cause a rapid spike in blood sugar and unstable blood sugar  levels can lead to mood swings, energy loss, memory problems and more! Fiber is also filling and without fiber in the juice, some people tend to get hungry again quickly. If you do however prefer a pulp free ‘juice’ over a thick smoothie, make sure you don’t throw out the pulp. Use it to make vegetarian patties, burgers or add it to your next spaghetti bolognaise.

 

MY TWO FAVOURITE SMOOTHIE RECIPES BELOW – THE GREEN GODDESS AND THE BANANA-CHOC COCONUT

smoothie combo

GREEN GODDESS SMOOTHIE – serves 1

1 frozen ripe banana (doesn’t have to be frozen but it makes it more creamy if it is)

1 cup frozen mango or pineapple diced

1 handful of spinach or kale

1TBS chia seeds (extra for topping)

1TBS LSA or protein powder

2-4 Medjool dates

2tsp vital greens or spirulina powder  

1/2 cup milk (almond, dairy, coconut or soy)

1/2 cup coconut water (add extra if desired based on texture)

 

BANANA-CHOC COCONUT SMOOTHIE – serves 1

1 frozen ripe banana

2TBS shredded coconut (extra for topping)

2TBS cacao powder

1TBS chia seeds

8-10 cashews or macadamia nuts  

2-4 Medjool dates

1/2 cup coconut milk (can use almond, dairy or soy)

1/2 cup coconut water (add extra if desired based on texture)

 

HAPPY BLENDING UP THESE GROOVY SMOOTHIES !!!

K

 

NN DAY 6 – SPEAR A HANGOVER

If there is one thing that I truly hate… it is being hungover. I used to be the type of girl who could chug vodka from a bottle (yes i have a dark side buried deep below the surface from my younger years – don’t we all?) and I would NEVER get hungover or be sick the next day. Probably because I regrettably vomited it all out that night, but anyway… and then things changed as I got older and BOOM. Now any more than just two wines with dinner and I cant help but wake up feeling seedy.

So – how would you feel knowing there was a healthy hangover cure that doesn’t involve sugary drinks like Powerade, Sprite and Mizone to get you moving? The answer is simple. Get some asparagus spears on your plate. Yep asparagus… which conveniently makes a delicious breakfast side so you are in luck. Ask for a side of grilled asparagus with that greasy bacon and egg dish and it will make you feel oh so much better.

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According to Korean scientists, asparagus contains compounds that can alleviate hangover pain. The amino acids and minerals in the green spears can relieve the toxic effect that excess drinking has on the liver by speeding up the metabolism of alcohol. Asparagus also has anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic properties.

If all else fails remember the feeling you are experiencing and maybe just don’t drink as much next time!!

What to eat before a night out on the town?? Baked beans and avocado on grainy toast and a glass of apple juice. Oh and a large spoonful or two of probiotic Greek/natural yoghurt. Why? Well the beans, avocado and grains release energy slowly to prevent hunger and a fall in blood sugar levels caused by alcohol. The apple juice helps you stay hydrated and contains vitamin C which is often depleted by heavy drinking. They are also both good sources of zinc and vitamin A which are vital for a healthy immune system and are depleted by too much alcohol. Probiotic yoghurt counteracts morning-after bowel problems caused by binge drinking. GOODLUCK!!!!

K

NN DAY 5 – GRAB ‘N’ GO SNACKS

 

(above) Lunch box packed for the flight back to Perth last week – all the goods!!

If there is something that I excel at in life… it is snacking! Road trips, aero plane flights, weekend escapes, movie dates… you name it, I’ve got the snacks covered. I am honestly like a child. The only way to keep me happy is occupying me with food. When it comes to planes, boats and cars I blame this on my motion sickness. For some reason the only way to keep the nausea away is by eating. Literally as soon as I finish chomping my last mouthful, the motion sickness sets in. So that’s why I always have food handy!

And my draw at work. Well that is another whole kettle of fish. Unlike the limited space of a woman’s handbag my draw is STOCKED full of the essential snacks to keep that HANGRY feeling away. Nothing gets me in quite a rage like being so insanely hungry that it turns to anger. Admit it – we have all been there.

Here are my 5 favourite grab-and-go snacks kept on hand to avoid the “hangry” stage;

1. Rice cakes with nut butters, fruit, cottage cheese or avocado. (photo sourced from @mb_motivation)

crackers

2. Banana and handful of nuts/trail mix

banana cashew 2

3. Protein bars or homemade muffins (banana date muffin recipe HERE)

protein bar

 

4. Carrot sticks with hummus

hummus

5. Medjool dates with peanut butter or almonds

dates

 

Try and combine healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates into the one snack for optimum nutrition. That’s why you cant go wrong with the above snacks!!

K

NN DAY 4 – DRINK YOUR WATER

Why is it that something as simple as drinking water can be so difficult to remember? If I don’t have my water bottle on me and am consciously making an effort to drink water, then I will get to the end of the day without even a drip. Of course there is water in my daily coffee and 6 cups of tea BUT this does NOT count! Nope not even in the slightest. And before your clever little Melbourne Cup brain thinks that having a few vodka lime and soda WATERS today will also count – you are wrong!! Drinking alcohol is an even bigger reason to be guzzling back the water.

Yes there is water in the foods that we eat, such as meat, fish, eggs and especially ‘water-rich’ fruits and vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce, watermelon, apples etc and they DO ‘count’ towards your daily intake BUT we need to drink a LOT more of the pure refreshing liquid on its own to make it really count.

The body is made up of about 60% water. We are constantly losing water from our bodies, primarily via urine and sweat. So how much water should you be drinking everyday? Probably a lot more than you already are (guilty as charged). Everyone is different and it depends on the individual as to how much water we effectively NEED but you should be aiming to drink about 1.5 – 2 L of water a DAY.

Staying well hydrated is important for;
– increasing our energy levels
– improving brain function
– preventing health problems
– increasing metabolism and promoting weight loss
– hydrating our skin and improving complexion
– flushing out toxins
– maintaining regularity
– boosting the immune system

Put it this way – there are NO negative side effects of drinking water. Just don’t wait until 9pm to skull the whole 1.5 L because you will be up every 2 hours going to the bathroom!!

Tips for drinking more water;
– add a squeeze of lemon, fresh mint or berries for flavor (not raspberry cordial thanks)
– pop ice cubes made from fruit into your water
– keep a glass of water handy on your desk or a bottle of water in your handbag/backpack

Water has no calories, is flavourless and most of all it’s FREE!!! Go on – do yourself a favour and fill up a glass right now – especially if you are planning on having a boozy Melbourne cup luncheon.

K

NN DAY 2 – SUNDAY BRUNCH

Sunday is my favourite day of the week closely followed by my Friday nights in. Sunday for us means walks, coffee, sleep ins, food shops, yoga, brunch and catching up on things to prepare for the week ahead. And nothing like a large indulgent dessert (like my instant chocolate mug cake, recipe HERE) or a glass of wine on a Sunday night to celebrate a week of good health and nutrition, knowing that you can start a clean slate on a Monday morning. But before we get too carried away in indulgent desserts lets skip back to the MOST important meal of the day… BREAKFAST!!! If your daily breakfast routine consists of an alternating cycle of PB banana toast one day and soaked oats the next – then you will appreciate the enjoyment of making a nice exciting breakfast without a time limit. Yep I am talking smoked salmon, poached eggs and avocado on toast or a quadruple layer stack of peanut butter coconut pancakes, recipe HERE. It’s the simple things like actually sitting down and setting the table instead of scoffing my oats whilst making my other half’s smoothie or shoveling my toast down whilst walking out the door.

A few of my favourite Sunday brunches are;

1. Peanut butter coconut pancakes. Recipe on the blog HERE


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2. Smoked salmon, soft boiled eggs and avocado on toast

photo (1)

3. Jumbo mushroom omelette

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4. Smoothie bowl with granola

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5. Fresh Bircher muesli. Recipe below

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FRESH BIRCHER MUESLI RECIPE – serves 2

1 cup oats

3Tbs chia seeds

1tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

1-2 oranges freshly squeezed

Milk (enough to cover the oats)

1 large apple grated

½ cup coconut shredded

1/3 cup honey or maple syrup

½ cup goji berries

1 cup greek yoghurt

½ cup mixed nuts

2Tbs pepitas

Blueberries and 1/2 banana sliced for topping

Extra cinnamon, coconut and honey

The night before in a large bowl combine oats, chia seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange juice, apple, coconut, honey and goji berries. Stir until combined and pour enough milk so the ingredients are comfortably covered. Cover with cling wrap and leave in fridge overnight.

 

In the morning remove cling wrap and add the yoghurt. Pour in the nuts and seeds and stir until combined. Serve up 2 bowls and top with the cinnamon, honey, coconut, berries and banana. Get creative and enjoy!!

The most important part about healthy eating is enjoying what you eat. I personally get excited lying in bed at night thinking about what marvelous creation I am going to whip up for breakky in the morning!!

So get planning and make this Sunday a special ‘healthy’ brunch to kick off a fit, healthy and nutritious November.

K

NN DAY 1 – BUT FIRST… COFFEE

Welcome to Nutritional November. Firstly CAN YOU BELIEVE it is November already and will be the year 2015 in only 8 weeks?? I know I can’t. After much motivation this last month from the gorgeous ladies Jayne and Katie from Sweat and Oranges, I have decided to do “Nutritional November”. Each day of the month I will be posting tips, facts, recipes, workouts and other helpful healthyness to get you feeling confident and be the best version of yourself… just in time for December. Think of it as a little revamp of your health life to keep you motivated, on track and making progress!! So here goes. Day 1 – but first… coffee!

I don’t know about you but I am a creature of habit, not one who likes too much change, and someone who falls into a routine very comfortably and fast. Ok ok yes these are sounding like excuses you are right. These are the things that I tell myself every day when I think … “do I have a coffee addiction?” and the answer is yes. I do. You probably do too. Coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world. Although negative effects of caffeine have received most attention from health writers, coffee is a complex mixture of antioxidants which are beneficial to our health. Caffeine is one of the most commonly consumed stimulant ‘drugs’ occurring naturally in tea and coffee and other plants and when withdrawn entirely from a diet can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, stiffness, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, depressed mood and irritability. Well – want to avoid such symptoms??? DON’T STOP DRINKING COFFEE.

 

I am sorry for those nutritional therapists or natural foodies that I offend in saying that but if there is one thing I believe and stand by more than anything whilst living a clean and healthy lifestyle, is not depriving yourself or completely removing anything from your diet. God knows I have tried to quit. I gave it up for 30 days once and it made no difference. I didn’t feel the slightest bit healthier or better and I craved it just as much on day 30 as I did on day 1. For me coffee is social, fun, exciting, brings happiness, makes me alert, picks me up, burns my tongue (have got to stop demanding extra hot), gives me energy, lifts my mood and not to mention tastes AMAZING!!! And why would I deprive myself of those feelings on a daily basis. Not to mention the amazing antioxidant benefits of a daily coffee. I know that I can stop although I am not in the least concerned. I drink coffee because I LOVE IT!! Hell if my body would fit inside the takeaway cup (yes it HAS to be in a takeaway cup) then I would jump head first straight into it and bath in its creamy hot goodness. I am a sucker for anything coffee – desserts, slices, cookies, ice cream and smoothies.

 

So stop listening to all of those one liners about coffee being bad for your health. Yes if you consume 10 cups a day, but anything in excess is bad for you. Even Kale!!! Yep I said it… kale can be bad for you. Kale is a cruciferous vegetable similar to broccoli, cabbage and brussels all of which when consumed in excess can lead to problems with your thyroid glands. Proof!!

 

Here are the top 13 evidence based health benefits of coffee that have been confirmed by human studies.

 

  1. Coffee can improve energy levels and brain function
  2. Coffee can increase fat burning and boost your metabolic rate
  3. Coffee can improve physical performance
  4. Coffee is full of essential nutrients such as riboflavin, manganese, potassium, magnesium and niacin.
  5. Coffee may lower your risk of type II diabetes
  6. Coffee may protect you from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
  7. Coffee appears to have protective effects on the liver
  8. Coffee can fight depressive moods and make you happy
  9. Coffee is the biggest source of antioxidants in the western diet

 

Of course too much coffee can make you jittery and potentially cause high blood pressure and increase heart rates. Drinking more than 4 coffees a day is not recommended.

However I would be more worried for my bank account if I was consuming 4 coffees a day more than the effect it would have on my overall health.

So be reasonable. If you feel like a coffee HAVE ONE. If you have already had 3 and crave another… ask yourself do you really need it or are you bored/hungry/tired. Sometimes when you crave a coffee or something sweet your body just needs a little fresh air or a break. Take 5 minutes away from your desk, get some sunshine, go for a walk or drink a large glass of water. If you still crave the coffee… have it!!

On that note… I’m off to my fave ‘Edgar’s Inn’ for a darn big creamy coffee!

K

PANTRY ESSENTIALS

“Don’t eat anything you can’t pronounce” … ever heard of this little saying/quote? Well yes 99% of this quote is true BUT (and there is always a but) there are a few exceptions; quinoa, chia, acai and freekeh to name a few. There are a number of nasty additives, artificial sweeteners, colours and preservatives added to foods these days so you have to be careful with what you chose. Of course this doesn’t mean spending an hour staring at the nutritional label of EVERY item you pick up but simple little things like looking for items with minimal ingredients lists that you can pronounce will make a big difference.   Most of us, except for those lucky little buggars still living at home with an awesome Mum who cooks and cleans for them, have to do the weekly haul at Woolies or Coles that not only breaks our arms carrying it to and fro the car, but also breaks our banks. Yes I agree that eating a clean and healthy lifestyle is more expensive, especially if you chose to buy organic fruits, vegetables and grass fed meat. However I believe that your money is better spent on a healthy lifestyle than the medical bills and medicine that an unhealthy lifestyle and diet leads to.   Little food shopping tip: To make sure that you are setting yourself up for a healthy clean lifestyle it is important to buy the right things at the grocery store and have a prepared pantry. Notice that all the FRESH produce ie the fruit, vegetables, eggs, milk, bread, meat and cheese are located around the ‘edges’ of the supermarket and the processed items in the centre aisles. You should be aiming to spend 80% of your time/money in the edges of the supermarket and 20% in the centre aisles on those handy tinned items, sauces, peanut butter, grains and of course chocolate = 100% perfect shop!   Of course if you stock your pantry full of chips and lollies – you will eat chips and lollies. But if your pantry is stocked with quick easy healthy snacks like nuts, dried fruits, tuna, crackers and homemade cookies/slice – you will eat exactly that! And let’s be honest EVERYONE LOVES A PANTRY NIBBLE SESSION! Stock your pantry full of handy healthy staples and you won’t be able to make a bad choice. Be prepared – it’s the most important part of making a healthy lifestyle possible each day.   I don’t know about you but I get seriously excited over a clean and organised pantry. Yes I am talking containers neatly stacked, correctly labelled, categorised and fully stocked! The best part about working as a nanny during my early 20’s was checking out everyone’s pantry and politely offering my ‘spring clean pantry organisational’ services. And let me tell you with 4 kids and a full time job the wonder women were more than ecstatic with my willing attitude and efforts. Mum… well not so much. As a very clean and tidy organised person herself she would come home and find me either making a huge mess and ‘experimenting’ with pantry items or pulling everything out, spending copious amounts of money on containers and then passing on the receipt. Fair to say that she probably spent more time looking for the flour or coconut over the next couple of months and restocking the things that I tossed. But seriously a tomato sauce expiring in 2011 has no place in today’s pantry!   So back to today’s pantry. Firstly now is as good time as ever to pull everything out and wipe the shelves down and even rearrange the shelf heights (if possible) for a new clean start. And then comes the restocking phase. Yes if you don’t have these items your grocery shop will be quite pricey at first and probably blow the weekly budget but you only need to do this once. Then the pantry will be nice and stocked and ready to go.   The following items are healthy lifestyle pantry essentials to add to your next shopping list. Oh and do yourself a lovely favour and buy LOADS of containers and get stacking. Recycled jars also make a cute touch. dollar-store-pantry-makeover   GRAINS Quinoa Brown rice Buckwheat Barley Oats Popcorn kernels Rice crackers Rice cakes/thins Raw muesli or granola (recipes to come)   SEEDS AND NUTS Chia Pepitas Sunflower seeds Flaxseeds Almonds Cashews Walnuts Hazelnuts Pecans Pine nuts Trail Mix LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seed and almond)   BAKING ESSENTIALS Buckwheat/Wholemeal/Spelt flour Coconut flour Almond meal Acai Berry Powder Cacao Powder Goji Berries Shredded Coconut Dates Dried Apricots   SPICES AND SEASONING Turmeric Cinnamon Chilli flakes Paprika Himalayan pink sea salt Cayenne Pepper Dried herbs   SPREADS/SAUCES Peanut butter Tahini Apple Cider Vinegar Tamari Coconut oil Raw honey Rice malt syrup / pure maple syrup Apple sauce   CANNED GOODS Coconut milk / cream Crushed tomatoes Tomato paste Tinned fish; Tuna, Salmon, Sardines Chickpeas Lentils/5 bean mix   Now you have the right tips and advice to get your pantry organised and stocked up with the essentials for a healthy and clean lifestyle. There really is nothing better than a big pantry spring clean and what a perfect time to do it with summer just around the corner.   Up next: You have your pantry stocked and ready… now what? What on earth do I do with the quinoa? Blog post about how to use and what to do with all the new exciting healthy items in your pantry and some super quick snacks you can whip up in minutes. Stay tuned!!!!   K