Good morning and a warm welcome to Byron Bay! [Sunrise at the most eastern point of Australia]

2.5 days and a few 1700 photos later, an aeroplane seat in between a film producer and a pro surfer launched my little escape into what felt like a movie plot, get ready for Byron Bay through bLANk’s eyes…

“To watch the dawn emerge from the night undoubtedly gives a heavenly feeling! The fresh sun rays entwine with the dark horizon and peep out of the creek with tranquil grin.” – Supriya Kaur Dhaliwal

If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration, in other words, think of Byron Bay.

Take a few seconds to see where your own energy wants to go, not where you think it should go. Do something because it feels right, not because it makes sense. Follow the spiritual impulse. My energy was pulling, basically dragging me to Byron Bay, and pleading me to give myself a rest, asking me to re-charge my batteries, to nurture my core connection.

Everyone smiles, everyone says hello, and everyone is kind and open hearted, they are energetically positive. Byron Bay greets you with a warmhearted hug and a soft kiss on the cheek that relaxes your soul and gently whispers, ‘you are beautiful’.

Immersed in a world that seems so foreign to the hustle and rush of the surface life of Melbourne, this culture, this way of living is based around the love of life. A destination that simply reminds us that we are here to enjoy ourselves, not just every now and then but every day and quite possibly, if we allow it, all day!

“Travel like Ghandi, with simple clothes, open eyes and an uncluttered mind.” – Rick Steves

So cheap flights only mean one thing, ‘spontaneous trip’, a little holiday for me, and an excursion for bLANk – Welcome to ‘bLANk’s Health Guide to Byron Bay’, starting with an early 7.5km run to catch and capture the 6.13am Sunrise at Byron Bay’s Lighthouse via The Pass!

Built at the turn of the 19th century to protect ships passing along the coast, Cape Byron Lighthouse stands resolute on the most easterly point of the Australian mainland. Operated by resident keepers until 1989, its now automated light is clearly visible from Byron Bay township.

It is built in the James Barnet style, by his successor, Charles Harding. James Barnet, the New South Wales colonial architect, was renown for his towers having large ornate crowns and are easily distinguished.

The first-order optical lens, which weighs 8 tons, was made by the French company, Societe des Establishment, Henry Lepante, Paris. It contains 760 pieces of highly polished prismatic glass. 

It is located about 3 km northeast of the town of Byron Bay and projects into the Pacific Ocean. British explorer Captain James Cook named the cape, when he passed the area in May 1770, to honour British explorer John Byron who circumnavigated the blog in the HMS Dolphin from 1764 to 1766. 

You’ll enjoy some of the best views of the ocean and hinterland on the entire coast, possibly sightings of turtles, dolphins and humpback whales! 

Probably a bit too eager, jumping out of bed at 4.30am on my ‘holiday’, in the darkness I found my way to the shores of Byron’s waves. I stopped to hear the silence, yep, hear it – we often only hear noise but we can struggle to locate silence. It felt like I was the only one on earth here, appreciating the day before it came, away from any distractions and completely and almost effortless I became in tune with the energetic powers of the natural environment.

I had let all of Byron’s magic take hold of me!

Borrow all the good vibes and energies in abundance from Byron, only on the contract that you will send out all the positive energy and love , your sunshine and colour glitter right back, wherever you go – focus on being grateful for what you have been given and then release it into the universe, the universe will manifest it!

“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” - James Michener

Basically through excitement, the first morning as I ran to the lighthouse, it wasn’t until I stopped to snap the overwhelmingly beautiful coast that I had realised I had forgotten the battery in my camera. A quick dash of annoyance darted through my mind until I caught it and took it as sign of Byron saying ‘slow down, this only needs to be seen by your own eyes right now,  let this sit solely in your heart’.  A sign telling me to come back early again the next morning and experience it in a different way, to see this mystic place through new sets of eyes everyday.

Something you’ll find is that Byron offers so much more than just a ‘cheap flight and a bit of sun’, something more you can imagine, but, it’s in that, that you have to surrender yourself to Byron’s tides and let the natural flow of it sweep you off your feet.

Whether it be Steve shuttering me to and from the airport in his Hawaiian shirt, or Renado a complete stranger disclosing his spiritual journey on the bus, to James friendly welcome and guidance and introduction to Danny at Naked Treaties who’s generous soul made Naked Treaties feel like a haven. My taxi driver to and from Gaia Retreat and Spa, Karen, her positivity and generosity, and uplifting spirit left me reminded me to just love life. Whether it’s the soft hands of Bridgette, my facial therapist at Gaia Day Spa, Joe, the local musician’s many hello’s and smiles, and the all the guys energy at the market, to Paula and Cameron at Fundies for such beautiful smiles and welcoming hearts, Peter at The Atlantic for her assistance, Marco from Freiburg on the plane home, you all made it an unforgettable two days! – All of whom I had never met before, all of who were put on my path for some reason to reveal something, even though, a short amount of time, it served a huge purpose and only elevated my Byron experience.

The message here is, to talk, to talk, talk, to say hello, to Sonder Core Style, it is time to be a traveler, not a tourist.

But one person stood out from the crowd.

Something that Byron reminded me of was that “one of the great things about travel is that you find out how many good, kind people are out there”,  a town just overflowing with compassionate locals. One particular person though, a unique and mysterious man, reminded me that there are others out there on the same wave length, others who are genuinely 100% good people and I am lucky enough to be reminded daily just how pure some people are thanks to you Sam. You, my newfound friend, have brought a new light to my life and for that I am eternally grateful – thank you for literally having Island Luxe’s door opening and letting me walk into your world.

Your Tibetan Sanskrit, “Love in the past is only a memory, love in the future is only a fantasy, true love lives in the here and now” has left an indelible print on me.

I yearn to see every corner and crevice of every place I visit, I need to, my soul needs it, my curiosity engulfs me, I voyage, I am on a quest. I have to understand and capture, experience and feel the destination, I am not a tourist, I am a traveler.

“The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes ‘sight seeing’.” – Daniel J. Boorstin. 

“When your Energy vibrates at a frequency that is in direct alignment with what the universe has been attempting to deliver your entire life, you begin to live in the flow and true miracles start to happen.”
 - Panache Desai

The Maptia Manifesto: I, Casey Trebilcock, want to see the world. Follow a map to its edges, and keep going. Forgo the plans and trust my instincts. Let curiosity be my guide. I want to change hemispheres, sleep with unfamiliar stars and let the journey unfold before me. I want to wander, I am a wanderlust soul. I am in love with cities I have never been and people I’ve never met. I am a global citizen.

[Wanderlust - It's a big world out there, go explore]

*Disclaimer: All photographs in a bLANk’s ‘Wanderlust’ are taken by bLANk and rightly owned by bLANk

Good Morning from Byron Bay ♥ Started with a Green Machine Juice (Kale, lemon, celery, cucumber, mint, wheatgrass, Echinacea & spirulina) after my trek to the eastern most point of Australia! So many stories and photos to share so watch out for bLANks ultimate health food guide for Byron!

Cane Juice Bar in Byron ♥ Watermelon, mint & cane juice on the rocks please! Cane juice is full of vitamins, minerals, micronutrients & antioxidants. It’s a natural isotonic, complex carb and has less then 1g of sugar per 300ml. It has 10 x less sugar content than apple juice and contains magnesium and calcium. Read more about this alternative juice ingredient!

Naked Treaties on arrival! Met a guy called James who was a serious chiller and shared lunch with him – what a character! He introduced me to the team here and I fell in love with raw sushi & sipped on ‘I am limitless’ & James’ ‘I am awesome’ – so much tp be written about this first encounter! bLANks Health Food Guide to Byron Bay ♥

One of my favourite photos I have taken at sunset here in Byron, I think it really captures the essence & energy ♥

Acai bowls at Top Shop – acai, banana, strawberries & Brooklyn muesli ♥ What a bunch of guys at this place!

Spell and the Gypsy Collective is just stunning ♥ Such a beautiful range of clothing that just produce such an energy, a store set up to capture you!

Naked Treaties ‘I am passionate’ (Passion fruit zing!) – Coconut meat & water, passion fruit, mango, raspberries, greens and raw vanilla protein powder – check out the colour! I am so passionate, passionate for life, for food, for soul & energy, for exploration and beauty, for all that is our world ♥ Passion is what makes your world come alive!

SUPER raw amazingness wrap from Fundies Byron Bay ♥ Cameron & Paula are absolute gems & this was so fresh!

Raw snacks at The Pass, Byron Bay from the Fundamental Food Store! ‘Superfood Powerball’ – Acai berries, spirulina, raw cacao, goji berries, maca root & chia seed and all gluten free, dairy free, egg free & no refined sugar ♥

Byron you just keep out doing yourself! “Life is all about enjoying every sunset and looking forward to the next sunrise” ♥

I sat and just stared at this view in absolute awe, natures beauty was beyond profound at my day stay at Gaia Retreat Day Spa ♥ This place is truly special – welcomed with a herbal tea and a robe, spent the first hour sitting in a private cabana beside the pool with a book and tonics, followed by a swim, the private hot spa & a sauna. Headed to lunch and was greeted with grilled haloumi, pomegranate & tahini roast vegetable salad, a ginger & turmeric tonic, lemongrass tea, organic blueberry muffins, nuts & a spectacular view. 90 minute facial where I was so relaxed I went into a meditative state/out of body experience without consciously trying followed by a exotic fruit platter in the relaxation room.

Meet a man from Sydney who is friends with Dalai Lama & is writing a memoir of his life at the moment with a NY publishing house (This story will be on the blog – lets just say I have a new contact!) as well as meeting a very elegant TV presenter from channel 7! Safe to say this was an experience that I will never forget – Gaia was simply energetically healing ♥

Dinner is served! Raw spinach & tomato pizza!

Confession as a health nut…I had actually never had raw cheesecake so I thought what better place to have this first experience other than on the balcony in Byron! Raw dragon fruit & rose cheesecake…the colour should say enough! ♥ As I have mentioned before I am a savoury addict not a sweet tooth but um this actually made my eyes widen like I had never tasted any sweet food! Pure bliss!

More bliss from the Gaia retreat ♥ Organic blueberry muffins, mixed seeds, dried fruits & macadamias, lemongrass iced tea & turmeric, ginger, lemon & honey tonic! Feeling the purest and healthiest I have ever felt, simply thriving.

Green juice at Top Shop after the sunrise at Byron Bays lighthouse! (This juice tasted like heaven!)

A little more heaven from the Gaia retreat – beauty & feelings of tranquility ♥

All natural Ice Blocks! I tried the blueberry & pomegranate for something refreshing – you can really taste how natural these are!

Naked Treaties raw vegetable wraps on the verandah!

Edible organic flowers at the Byron Farmers Market! What a market! The atmosphere was pumping with Juzzie making his magic music sending out all feel good vibes! I love seeing the surfer guys with their woven baskets packed with organic produce & bunches of flowers just makes me smile! It was absolute raw ecstasy here!

Woah it really is like a pudding in a cup! Naked Treaties ‘I am clear’ green superfood thick shake – (Choc mint pudding) Avocado, banana, greens, almond milk, peppermint, raw cacao & raw choc protein! I really do feel you could only have this if you really are clear which is where I am at! Complete clarity ♥

The Atlantic Guest Houses ♥ Perfect accommodation staying in the Premium suite – balcony, king-size bed, 2m wide shower, white, airy and fresh!

I shouldn’t get sick for at least a year now that I have this potent liquid in my system! Phwoaahh! Byron Bays Ginger Nectar – the first sip definitely packs a punch! On the way back from the Pass I got this into my system – freshly squeezed ginger root, lemon & raw honey ‘live’ drink!

Ahoy! Talented fashion designer & artist that have put together this beautiful little store! Byron you are the bee’s knees ♥ everything I love is here in abundance!

Naked Treaties Raw Passionfruit Cheezecake, chocolate beetroot cake, jaffa ganache & lemon cheesecake with raspberry sorbet dressing! I didn’t try these ones but I did get my hands on the bountyliscious & nickers and oh wow…

This guy is doing some serious sprouting! Ha in the boot of his car!

The almighty raw mint choc cake at Naked Treaties! In love with the colour ♥ (Opaque baby lime green is my favourite colour – it just represents everything pure & natural, energetic and fresh!)

This photo doesn’t even do it justice Sat here and meditated to get my breathe back whilst the sun rose and the surfers road the waves in – this trip has been beyond profound and full of beauty wherever I have gone – eternally grateful xx

Back again for my last one from Naked Treaties with a real show stopper, the ‘I am amazeballs’ – Coconut meat & water, banana, mango, passionfruit, greens, almond milk, lucama, mesquite, macca, raw choc protein & my beloved E3 live!

Supporting local designers everywhere I go ♥ My cute little Jade Plant to take home a piece of Byron with me alongside some hanging jars & a really cool doodled calendar from this little gem ‘The Little Seed’, tucked away amongst it all!

I had to stop this lady in the market to grab a shot of her ‘Dragon’s Tail’ jungle smoothie (red dragon fruit + passionfruit + berries + banana + juice) I shit you not it was actually this colour hence why o had to capture such a stunning thing – it was seriously hot pink!

Byron Bay you have completely out done yourself! Sitting waiting to board whilst everyone drinks their coffee I sip on a turmeric ginger beer with gingko, brahmi & gotu kola feeling the healthiest, energised, most peaceful & clear I have ever felt! Body full to the brim of superfoods like never before! Only here for 2.5 days, 1700 photos later…new friends & I’ll be back up in 2 months!

I was like a ninja tourist trying to see everything, eat everything, experience everything, met everyone and in 2.5 I think I did a pretty decent job! Traveling by myself is my favourite & if I had this much fun in two days in another state I can only imagine how out of this world trip is going to be Look out for bLANk’s Ultimate Health Guide to Byron Bay – you will not be disappointed! What a quick but rewarding trip! I love you Byron!

[Stained Pomegranate Seed - Everything in between]

My name is Casey and I am a recovering perfectionist…there I said it!

Recovering meaning that I recognise that I have a problem, the same problem I have had all my life but 2013 was about committing myself wholeheartedly to escaping the death involved with being a perfectionist. I am willing to admit that perfectionism debilitated me, pushed me to my absolute limits and kept making me hate myself and my skills on a daily basis, more like a minute basis. Nothing in my eyes was ever good or great enough until I had to force myself to see that ‘I couldn’t live like this anymore, not even an hour’.

Once a perfectionist, always a perfectionist but I have it under control to a great extent. I recognise when perfectionism is weighing me down, hampering my enthusiasm and stalling my progress. It’s still there. I feel it almost constantly. But I know now how to set it aside in order to move forward. It does still trigger mild anxiety from time to time but the difference is that I have found my own personal strategies and affirmations to push past this.

I can proudly say it has been 128 days, 9 hours, 5 minutes and 26 seconds since I have let my perfectionist self manipulate and take hold of my life and can safely say this is the happiest I have ever been. Self love, self respect and compassion, acknowledgement and kindness towards myself were the first stepping stones on my rocky road…and I am not going to lie, it has been a huge struggle to break a 20 year habit. But my god am I finding a world so true to my core truth that every task, action, anything I do is done with curiosity and love rather than restrictedness and destructive attachments.

Life today is competitive, it’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of unhealthy perfectionism. If you’re a perfectionist, I encourage you to make the effort. Destroy it before it destroys your dreams.

bLANk’s Imperfect Exploding Gluten Free Pistachio, Poppyseed, Cranberry & Cacao Biscuits – Makes 10 – 25 Minutes – Gluten Free

1 Cup Buckwheat or Rice Flour – 1 Cup Almond Meal – 1 Free Range Organic Egg – 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk – 1/2 Cup Crushed Pistachio – 3 tbsp Poppy-seeds – 1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries – 1/2 tbsp Cacao Powder – 1/2 tbsp Cinnamon – 2 tbsp Cold Pressed Coconut Oil –  1/4 Cup Melted Cacao Chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Using a sifter, sift the buckwheat flour into a bowl and then mix with the almond meal. Add all the dry ingredients (Crushed pistachio, poppy seeds, dried cranberries, cacao powder and cinnamon) into the flour.

*Leave a little extra crushed pistachio’s, poppy-seeds and cranberries to put on top of the biscuits before baking. 

2. Mix the coconut oil, melted cacao chocolate, unsweetened almond milk and egg into the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined well.

3. Line a tray with baking paper and spoon the mixture into balls and place on the tray. Once all the biscuit mix is used, top with the extra bits and use a fork to push them down.

4. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the cacao chocolate oozes out and the outside is golden or maybe until they explode a little!

5. Serve warm or store in an air tight container.

“Understanding the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is critical to laying down the shield and picking up your life. Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it’s often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis.” – Brene Brown

“There Is Time for Improvement

The world and everything in it is constantly evolving. Something that is “perfect” won’t always stay that way. The same is true for the “imperfect.” Why waste so much time and energy on it then? Why not, instead, simply focus on getting started? And, in the future, focus on making improvements?

Why not embrace evolution and remind yourself that whatever you do, whatever you create, whoever you are, will be different tomorrow. In evolution there is power. But if you fail to fully DO, CREATE, or BE because of your silly desire to be perfect right from the word “go,” you rob yourself—and the world—of the joy of evolution.

Enjoy the Journey of Growth

Growth is a joyful experience. If you were born perfect and simply stayed that way, I guarantee life would lose a lot of meaning and pleasure. Embrace your imperfections. Learn to love the process of improvement. And, more importantly, learn to love your perfectly imperfect self as it stumbles through change and growth.

Love Yourself (As You Are)

Perfectionists think they’re never good enough. They constantly beat themselves up for falling short, or they push themselves to unfair and unhealthy extremes.

But if the ultimate goal is perfection, you’ll always be disappointed. No matter how much you fight or push or punish yourself. What an ugly way to treat the most important person in your life!

No One Else Matters

Who are you trying to be perfect for? If you learn how to unconditionally love who you are and what you mean to the world, no one else matters.

Truth be told, no one notices you nearly as much as they notice themselves. That’s the nature of the world. Everyone is self-centered. So stop letting your desire to impress someone (or prove something) trap you in perfectionism. They don’t care. And if they do, you probably won’t sway them. Either you’re perfect in their eyes and nothing you mess up will change that, or you’re imperfect and nothing you master will change it.

“They” don’t matter. You, on the other hand, do. And perfectionism isn’t serving you.

JUST STOP IT. NOW.

Here’s a little tough love for you. Perfectionism is not doing you any favours. It’s not making your life easier, or more joyful, or more productive. It’s not making you more liked, or more successful, or more respected. It’s only harming you. So why do you fall for it? You have the power to silence that nagging voice inside your head. Be confident. Be real. Be YOU in all of your flawed, spectacular glory.Stop wasting time with the meaningless minutiae that doesn’t matter. Follow Nike’s advice and Just Do It. Perfect is overrated anyway” – Forbes.com

*For more advice on what to do about perfectionism click here.

“Perfectionism doesn’t believe in practice shots. It doesn’t believe in improvement. Perfectionism has never heard that anything worth doing is worth doing badly–and that if we allow ourselves to do something badly we might in time become quite good at it. Perfectionism measures our beginner’s work against the finished work of masters. Perfectionism thrives on comparison and competition. It doesn’t know how to say, “Good try,” or “Job well done.” The critic does not believe in creative glee–or any glee at all, for that matter. No, perfectionism is a serious matter.” – Julia Cameron

So let the reigns go because it’s time to strive for excellence and know that that in itself will motivate you because striving for perfection is demoralising. Perfection is not attainable but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence. The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake – you can’t learn anything from being perfect.

So spread your wings and aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism. Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make yourself a happier and more productive person.

*If you are really serious about kicking the perfectionist demon to the curb get started by clicking here. 

Simply simple – Live Healthy, Live bLANk

*Disclaimer: All photographs in a bLANk’s Nourishing Recipe Index are taken by bLANk and rightly owned by bLANk

[Photographs and styling by Casey Trebilcock (Me) for The Super Cool] *Copyright 2013 Casey Trebilcock

“Choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” – Confucius

Have you ever had someone tell you, “of course your job isn’t fun, that’s why they call it work”? For me, not loving my job has been a number one priority feeling to avoid. As a high school student, I started working the day I turned 14 and 9 months (Australia’s legal working age) in a cafe getting paid $10/hr once a week on a Saturday for 10 hours. I stuck at this job for 2 years and then started working in a reception/kiosk at a swimming pool. Finding work experience placements at the Australian Radio Network (Mix 101.1 & Gold 104.3) and Thomson Adsett Architects, I began to discover new career pathways.

During this I became a waitress at the local pub and people became interested in my help regarding training so I had a small loyal group of Personal Training clientele alongside helping my gym with the nutrition side of their weight loss challenges. Finding my enthusiasm dropping with PT I moved away from that and found myself in a job with one very talented world renown chef as his side-kick in the kitchen at private functions & dinner parties. As work became scarce, I grabbed a job at Victoria’s third best golf course in hospitality but then I graduated and with a mind like mine, a career, not just a job was now on my radar.

I needed to prove to myself that my qualifications could land me a career that would be the gateway to my break into the working world. Numerous design interviews, nothing that I particularly had my heart set on just trying to seek our jobs that would get my foot in the door, as everyone knows…you have to start some where.

After knock backs and let downs, I stumbled across the quirkiest of design emporiums by accident and did a little research on them to find that their feel, their mission, all that they are was all that I wanted to work with. Long story short and cutting out the constant reminder of my existence to them, they weren’t looking for anyone at that time but a couple months later they offered me a job – General Design Assistant.

Qualified as an Interior Designer and Decorator, although I am not a trained photographer, part of my job requires me to style and photograph products at my hearts desire, something that I do as a hobby, more with food but I adapted, found a style that reflected their image but accepted my eye for design.

“Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.” 
- Buddha

Not only do I work as a qualified designer in a quirky warehouse in the design estate of Melbourne but I have something sitting on the horizon regarding my health career, my ultimate dream career. This job has seen me sore, seen my creativity and passion thrive and push through more than ever, work that has expanded my name, bLANk and my mission. When I work in health, especially with Melbourne’s next up and coming big thing, I am truly at peace, I am in my element and my god do I feel like I am not working! The moral to my story is that although i love design and have been given the opportunity to work a dream job, food is where my heart lies but food & design together is my ultimate career passion and with consistence, persistence and belief, that dream job is in discussion and just around the corner – you can most certainly love your job, you just need to be willing to seek, to uncover, to explore.

“I think the person who takes a job in order to live – that is to say, for the money – has turned himself into a slave.” – Joseph Campbell

“Find a job you like and you add five days to every week.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

I understand what it feels like to not want to go to work, to look at the clock every five minutes of your shift and to want to quit because you just hate it. The difference, as I see it is age, qualification, time and passion – as I have learnt you can’t expect to have your dream job straight off the bat, specially at 14 years old but after 6 years of working I am now truly on a path that will lead me to career that makes me feel blessed and grateful that I can make a living out of such an ardent passion.

I work my hardest all the time but I work with love when I am passionate about what I do…and only at the tender age of 20 years old, I am so grateful to have already found my calling.

“You are what you do. If you do boring, stupid, monotonous work, chances 
are you’ll end up boring, stupid, and monotonous.”
 – Bob Black

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. The only way to great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs

If you wish to achieve worthwhile things in your personal and career life, you must become a worthwhile person in your own self-development. If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. Wherever you are—if you are following your bliss, you are enjoying that refreshment, that life within you, all the time.

Credit: Props, products and space full credit to The Supercool – Check them out here at www.thesupercool.com 

[Stained Pomegranate Seed - Everything in between]

We have bigger houses, but smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgement; more experts, but more problems; more medicines, but less healthiness. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour. We built more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication. We have become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are times of fast foods but slow digestion. Tall man but short character. Steep profits but shallow relationships. It’s a time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room.

Where do you fit in in that? Perhaps you do, or maybe you don’t. Are you actually alive, are you living? I ask myself that question every morning to evaluate and remind myself that life is here to be lived, to not hold back, to not hesitate at it.  A question that needs to be asked by everyone to themselves, because if you aren’t actually living, and by living I mean not just breathing and getting by, because if that’s all you are doing, then really, seriously, what are you doing? We’re so engaged in doing things to achieve purposes of outer value that we forget the inner value, the rapture that is associated with being alive, that is what it is all about.

RIGHT NOW, is the best time to be alive. This moment. Start living now, stop saving that something for that special occasion. Stop doing that. Stop holding your love back, throw that glitter on everyone. Every day you are alive, that’s the special occasion, every minute of it, your life is a gift. You can’t pretened to be alive, you got to sometimes work at it, to create that thriving force, to act, to move, to search, because prentending we are alive is a waste of time, you have to be alive to the truth, that truth being who you were born to be.

You have been granted the biggest oppurtunity in the unvierse, literally, and that is to be alive so respect it, respect your life. Did you know there are some four million different kinds of animals and plants in the world. Four million different solutions to the problems of staying alive, so if you are stuck in a rut or not living, there is no excuse to find a solution.

I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive. So live a little, eat out of a jar, eat something that looks like it’s too good to be healthy, because that is what this jar is about, simply living!

If you are living like you have time to make a better life later on, think again…the time to live is now.

Recipe for bLANk’s Probiotic Superfood Yoghurt Jar Parfait – Makes 1 – 5 Minutes – Overnight – *Can be gluten free – Raw

1 Cup of Probiotic Yoghurt (Choice) – 1/4 Cup Frozen Blueberries – 1/4 Cup Frozen Raspberries – 1/2 Cup Raw Buckwheat – 2 tbsp Dried Coconut – 2 tbsp Chia Seed – 1/4 tsp Bee Pollen – 1 tbsp Lecithin Granules – 1/4 tsp Maca – 1 tbsp Goji Berries – 1 tbsp Dried Cranberries – 1 tbsp Sunflower Seeds – 1 tbsp Pepitas – 1/4 tsp Cinnamon – 1 Banana – 2 tbsp Psyllium Husk

1. Ensure you have sterilised a jar, about 500ml in volume. The process is simple, simply layer the ingredients between the yoghurt.

2. For example, begin with the blueberries and raspberries at the bottom and then add a bit of yoghurt, on top of that add some seeds, powders, dried fruits and buckwheat and then yoghurt, followed by berries and so on and so fourth.

3. Once it has been layered, screw the lid on the jar tight and put in the fridge. Leave it overnight to let the yoghurt soften and become infused by the super foods.

4. In the morning, serve with fresh banana and the trick to making this taste even better is mashing it all together and getting all those flavours in at once!

*A little discovery…the lecithin granules will ‘melt’ per say and become almost caramelised in flavour – WARNING, this may just blow minds! 

“If you are going to be alive and on this planet, you have to, like, suck the marrow out of every day and get the most out of it…” – Drew Barrymore

Put basically, I like living. It’s such a whirlwind of a journey and you know what, I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still knew quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing. It takes great wit and interest and energy to be happy. The pursuit of happiness is a great activity. One must be open and alive. It is the greatest feat man has to accomplishment. Remember, life is without meaning, you bring life to it. The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be.

“When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.” – Tecumseh

“There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is more alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive.” – Jack London

Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living? If not, do something about it, make the conscious shift to change that because life must be lived and curiosity kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life. If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.

Simply simple – Live Healthy, Live bLANk

*Disclaimer: All photographs in a bLANk’s Nourishing Recipe Index are taken by bLANk and rightly owned by bLANk

Night in with uni books & essays! Biggest habit of mine is doodling everywhere ha, so Loving Earth you just got doodled! Loved the subtlety of the maqui flavour with that little extra crunch ♥ Raw, organic, gluten free, low GI, vegan chocolate is the only chocolate way to go!

I think this picture tells a thousand words ♥

He read me a card that he asked me to pick out and this was what it read…this card relates to strength of character, which is derived from a compassionate and loving heart. It reflects the inner strength and compassion that you radiate out to all those around you.

Like a sacred mountain, your energy is magnetic and magical. You are a mountain of strength and hope for many. Your love and wisdom are strong and grounded. Because of this, many people will be drawn to you to seek your advice. Yet, know that the real attraction occurs on a soul level; little needs to be said, for your energy is such that it has a calming and healing effect on all who meet or hear about you. Your honesty, courage and inner beauty are an inspiration for many people. You are indeed a sacred mountain – Through the changing seasons of life you will always remaining true to you true nature and wisdom: The Sacred Mountain card.

Afternoon snacks! Not everyone’s idea of an afternoon snack but I thrive on this ♥ Homemade made bottled chai Kombucha – Spicy kale chips – Homemade fermented daikon Kimchi!

Pre-workout shots! … E3 Live Algae shots! I get asked how do I do it – I guess it’s like the health fanatics tequila, it’s not a particular favourite but you lick-sip-suck anyway because you like the feeling that follows even if it tastes like methylated spirits. Surprisingly this stuff isn’t bad, been using it for a little while now before workouts and its better than any unnatural supplement I have tried in the past – increased mental clarity, increased energy, prevents inflammation, allows stem cells to be released from bone marrow which can be brought to any part of the body to help regenerate & repair muscles, tissue and organs! Doesn’t really get better than that..”so cups in the air, everybody lets take shots!”

Buckwheat porridge with cold pressed almond milk, cinnamon, maca, goji berries, quinoa puffs, frozen blueberries & grated green apple, chia, sunflower seeds and bee pollen ♥

Harvest Box…because everyone’s a little bit nutty! Healthy snacks delivered to your workplace, straight to your desk for real cheap too instead of calorie laden, sugary, bad fat drenched junk & stops at the vending machine – Harvest has your back!

There’s no time to eat boring looking food! There’s only time for creative healthy looking food ♥ Portobello field mushrooms rawstack with all the trimmings and cauliflower rice buried in there – easier to make look like this than it seems! Just stack it high!

Photography competition PRIZES + a Mis En Place class at the Academy! Botanical Cuisines products – vegan.raw.organic.gourmet ♥ Cannot eat them all myself so jarred them up for others to try because they are simply heaven…the tiramisu is pretty spot on!

Bircher with quinoa, mixed berries & pepitas crunch at Louie ♥ First time I had dinner there was so perfect and memorable and this Bircher was pretty spot on too but still doesn’t top Jos’ signature Bircher recipe!

In awe of my friend’s (Abbie) precision & skill ♥ Model making at it’s finest – you talented girl you! I am obsessed with Architectural models, was one of those kids who had a playroom literally just a lego city, all I wanted was lego, all I played with was lego, all I stepped on was lego but nothing beats a clean cut, structural model! I hear Stockholm calling you Abs!

You SON OF A GARDEN! Loved the name of this drink so I had to have it & all the better that it came in a jar – watermelon, mint & apple ♥ Spent a few hours sitting in the sun, in a good atmosphere & finally got a chance to read the Kinfolk issue from start to end – Sunday you really are the best!

Schweat…a wheatgrass shot with a chaser all in one! I can handle all the tastes of the weird & wacky super charged health concoctions but if you struggle to get it down this little product does a banana puree alongside your wheatgrass shot to take the edge of! Thought I’d try it!

I follow the flow of positive energy. Soon as I start getting bad vibes too often from anyone, I’m not hesitant to remove them from my life. I’ve learnt that you can’t control those bad vibes but you can control whose energy you let affect you! Cover yourself in an energy shield, a positive one, you’ll thrive, people will be drawn to you, life will just boom and as a close friend of mine says ‘share your glitter’ with the world! Dont be afraid to shine, the world needs you light (..and your glitter!) Love & light ♥

Hands down the BEST kale chips I have ever had and I’ve had my fair share. Dehydrated. Raw. Amazingness. Flavour insane.

Life is sweet. It’s just one of those days where you find yourself smiling in the car by yourself and dancing in the kitchen! Not because of anything particular other than the beauty of life, of the creation and shaping of my own life! And oh um this JAR OF PURE DELICIOUSNESS tops it off after training ♥ A jar parfait of probiotic yoghurt, buckwheat, bee pollen, raspberries and blueberries, maca, goji, cranberry, chia, sunflower seeds, coconut, cinnamon, banana + a whole lot of insane flavour! This is what it is about – just enjoying yourself just because ♥ its the moment and that’s all there is, be in it!

bLANk’s motto has always been ‘Simply simple – keep it simple but not predictable’ & to me this is just the best of ways to wake up on a Sunday morning! Man, I have been so disoriented this week – thought Friday was Saturday, Saturday was Monday & today was Friday! Whatttt! Got a very exciting call from my brother this morning – SO PROUD OF YOU ♥ ..and had a very exciting meeting yesterday! Hello to the makings of a dream career! Making time to sit and appreciate the beauty of simplicity!

Good morning shin veins! Leaning out! Upped the good fats like crazy, changed carbs and varied proteins and eating more than ever! Another 3% body fat down + a gain of 500g of muscle! Eat like a machine and get super lean!

[Stained Pomegranate Seed - Everything in between]

Let this bag show you where!

[To order online just click the links attached]

*As for pricing, don’t be to put off as it is generally a little more than usual products but you are buying quality, most fairly trade and organic products – Look after your insides and the earth around you, not just your purse. 

[Product 1]: Living Intentions Acai & Blueberry Superfood Cereal $13.95

So my granola obsession continues and can I just say the first cluster I tried of this actually stopped me in my tracks…this will blow your mind is all I can say!

“Kick-start your morning with purple power!

Enjoy our antioxidant rich cereal filled with several of natures most perfect super fruits. With a combination of blueberry, acai, bilberry and elderberry in synergy with Vitamin-C potent amla berries and camu camu, this cereal is literally bursting with a powerhouse of benefits to keep you energetic, healthy and young.”

 Ingredients: Organic Buckwheat Sprouts, Organic Coconut, Organic Coconut Palm Sugar, Organic Currants, Organic Banana, Raw Brown Rice Bran & Germ (grain free), Superfood Antioxidant Blend (Blueberry Juice, Organic Freeze Dried Acai, Wildcrafted Bilberries, Organic Elderberries, Amla Berry Extract, Camu Camu Fruit) and Himalayan Crystal Salt.

[Product 2]: Cocobella Coconut Water Pink Guava $3.75

Surprisingly, I don’t actually like the al-mighty coconut water – something about the taste of it makes me screw my face up but I decided to try it with some guava and it wasn’t too bad but remember with this kind of product to be careful of added sugars and preservatives. If possible get the raw coconuts to get the purest of coconut water and all the super-hydrating, potassium-rich, all natural goodness it has to offer!

“Cocobella was created from scratch by three Aussie school-mates from Melbourne – Luke Marget, Matt Dennis and Brad Wilson.

It began back in 2005 when they traded their professional careers to launch Australia’s first enhanced water beverage called NutrientWater. But it wasn’t until 2009 while taking a well needed summer break overseas that they experienced the amazing hydration properties of coconut water, touted by the locals as the ultimate hydration drink.

Coconut water is naturally rich in 5 key electrolytes – potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium and phosphorous. Electrolytes aid the hydration process and play a critical role in the function of nerves, heart and muscles.

Cocobella coconut water contains zero fat and zero added sugar and with around 30% less calories than regular sports drinks provides a healthy hydration alternative.”

[Product 3]: Crispy Veggie Chips Danielle $6.95

“The Danielle brand celebrates a woman by the name of Danielle who started a farm that produces only high quality fruits and vegetables. Her dedication of offering the best quality fruits grew this little farm from a local market to what today is an internationally known supplier of premium fruit products.

The Carrot is sweeter than many other vegetables and is an ideal ingredient in many side dishes and salads.  Carrots are also popular as a juice or snack and make delicious sliced chips.  Danielle Carrot chips are full of flavor and the perfect companion for all occasions.”

[Product 4]: Loving Earth’s Luvju Macqui Raw Organic Chocolate $3.50

Super subtle taste of the macqui with a little crunch throughout, this hot pink packet is a guaranteed crowd pleaser!

“Our Maqui Berry Chocolate Luvju is made with Raw Cacao. This means that our chocolate has up to twice as many antioxidants as conventional chocolate. We use Organic Evaporated Coconut Nectar (a natural, low GI sweetener) instead of cane sugar to create this delicious chocolate snack. Our Maqui Berry Chocolate has a nice clean snap, a smooth texture and a beautifully complex flavour. The Evaporated Coconut Nectar gives the flavour a wonderful depth with toffee citrusy notes, in addition to making the bar extremely healthy. The inclusion of Maqui with its enigmatic berry tones gives a deep lusty richness to the flavour.

Considered the highest antioxidant fruit on the planet, Maqui is a deep purple berry wild harvested in the pristine conditions of Southern Chile. The harsh climate of the Patagonian region is credited with increasing the anthocyanin level of fruits and berries grown in that area, and this is seen in Macqui’s ORAC score of 319,265 uMol TE per 100g.

We’ve using the first compostable metalised film that’s just come out in Europe for our Luvju bars. We’ve had it laminated to a paper finish on the outside, so it’s actually 96% plant-based compostable material. The dispenser box is printed on recycled board with vegetable inks and includes a unique design incorporating a totem on the front to reflect the spirit of each flavour. With our Maqui Chocolate Luvju we’ve got a baby condor, which symbolises energy, strength and rebirth, due to the inclusion of the antioxidants.” – Loving Earth

[Product 5]: Alive and Radiant Cheezy Chipotle Kale Krunch Chips $5.99

Hands down the best kale chips I have had in my life – not even exaggerating, boy do these have a crunch, a super kick of flavour and what’s better is they are raw, gluten-free, vegan, dehydrated not baked or fired and certified by the CCOF and made with 90% organic fruit, nuts and vegetables!

“A new twist on our best selling Quite Cheezy Kale Krunch, Cheezy Chipotle kicks things up a notch.  This time we’ve added chipotle peppers, smoked salt and paprika to our signature “cheesy” blend of cashews, red bell pepper and nutritional yeast to create the perfect balance of southern smoke and heat.  In each bag you’ll find full kale leaves that have been dehydrated for a satisfying crunch.

We sprout, mix and dehydrate our ingredients at low temperatures so that they remain ‘raw’.  Since we never bake or fry, you can rest assured that the fat in our products comes from heart-healthy nuts and seeds. The nutrients and great taste stay intact and aren’t processed away!” – Alive & Radiant

Ingredients: Kale*, Red Bell Pepper, Cashews*, Sesame Seeds*, Lemon Juice*, Nutritional Yeast, Himalayan Crystal Salt, Coconut Palm Sugar*, Paprika*, Chipotle Peppers*, Smoked Salt*.  *Organic

[Product 6]: Lydia’s Organic Spirulina Bar $5.95

Before I say anything, the spirulina taste is NOT as dominant as you would think, give it ago, if you crave that crunch then this organic bar is for you!

“One of the oldest life forms on Earth, Spirulina is a blue-green microalgae that helped produce the oxygen in our atmosphere billions of years ago so that other life forms could appear. The original ‘superfood,’ spirulina is so nutrient dense that you could survive on it and water alone.

Hundreds of studies have confirmed spirulina’s powerhouse status. It has 60-70% complete protein, meaning it has all 8 essential amino acids and 10 non-essential ones that support good health. That’s more protein than beef, chicken or soybeans.

Spirulina is highly digestible, protects the immune system, aids in mineral absorption and reduces cholesterol. Spirulina is a source of vitality and life energy. Consumers of spirulina usually notice an increase in energy and overall health. It supplies nutrients needed to cleanse and heal while providing protection from all kinds of cancers as well as multiple viruses including influenza, herpes, mumps, measles and AIDS.” – Natural News

Ingredients: Bananas*, coconut*, sprouted almonds*, sprouted sunflower seeds*, dates*, sprouted flax*, spirulina* & LOVE. * Organic

[Product 7]: Schweat Wheatgrass Shot $3.50

If you struggle to do the healthy kind of shot, this two in one wheatgrass shot takes the edge of the hit of the wheatgrass! Packaged in new generation of biodegradable and compostable bio-plastics that are derived from 100% annually renewable raw materials, Schweat! is another alternative for those who want the benefits of wheatgrass but can’t do it on it’s own!

“A swheat!-shot is a ‘single gulp’ wellbeing & vitality drink packed with nutrient rich greens and pro-life ingredients. Available in a ‘Ready-to-drink’ 50ml biodegradable shot cup.

It’s a fast, tasty and convenient daily health habit.

swheat! is a delicate blend of some of the best super foods we can get our hands on, put together for wellbeing and vitality. It is completely free from chemicals and preservatives, in fact one of the jobs it serves is to help counteract the chemicals and toxins that may occur in the food we eat. swheat! is a convenient way to get a much needed, quick shot of natural goodness every day.

Each shot has a serve of wheatgrass plus a hit of: spirulina, green tea, ginseng and ginger root, mixed with 100% natural fruit juice purees. swheat! is very tasty and more importantly it is really good for you. It’s your daily greens in a shot. Just one shot of swheat! is packed with nutritional goodness, so now you can give yourself the greens your body needs, even with a super busy lifestyle.

5 reasons to down a swheat! shot daily: vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, chlorophyll.

All of these are undeniably necessary for a healthy and well functioning body. Wheatgrass, spirulina, green tea, ginseng, ginger root and fruit are very rich sources of all of the above. swheat! contains all of these healthy ingredients in a form that your body can assimilate and utilize immediately.”

Ingredients: Green side: rehydrated earth-grown wheatgrass juice 66%, banana puree, guava puree, apple juice, passion fruit juice, Spirulina 165mg, green tea 125mg. Orange side: orange juice, apple puree, mango puree, apple juice, root extracts (ginger 60mg, ginseng 20mg), beta-carotene, vitamin c. *All natural and obviously free from preservatives. 

[Product 8]: Superbee Australian Bee Pollen $10.95

You will feel the difference just by adding the smallest amount…

MUST READ…because bee pollen will get you buzzing!

Bee pollen has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. It dates back to the ancient Egyptians and early Chinese who used it to restore energy.

In ancient Egypt, bee pollen was placed within the pharaohs in their tombs to nourish them in the afterlife. Bee pollen was also used for healing by Hippocrates, the ancient Greek Physician renowned as the father of modern medicine.

Bee pollen refers to the plant pollen that collects on bees as they gather nectar. Pollen is a male seed of flowers and is required for the fertilization of the plant. Bees work extremely hard while collecting bee pollen. One teaspoon of bee pollen contains more than two and a half billion grains of flower pollen and takes one bee eight hours a day for one month to gather. Each bee pollen granule contains more than 2 million flower pollen grains.

BEE POLLEN AT A GLANCE

Promotes general wellbeing – Boots immunity – Enhances energy – Increases stamina and endurance – Assists in recovery for debilitating illness – Beneficial for those who have a low appetite due to its high nutrient content – Easily digested – Rich in bioflavonoid rutin, which helps to enhance capillary strength – Has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties.

PROTEIN PLUS

Bee pollen is often referred to as natures most complete food as it contains nearly all of the nutrients required by humans. It is a complete protein source and is nutrient rich, containing all the eight essential amino acids – the building blocks of protein – along with a vast array of vitamins and minerals as well as carbohydrates and lipids.

Bee pollen contains 35% protein, 55% carbohydrates, 3% vitamins and minerals and 2% fatty acids. Approximately half of its protein content is in the form of free amino acids, which are easily assimilated into the body.

It’s nutrient content includes vitamins A,C,D,E,K and all the B vitamins, carotenoids, including beta-carotene, as well as lecithin and minerals such as magnesium and calcium. Bee pollen also contains significant amounts of antioxidants such as lycopene, selenium, flavonoids and other polyphenolic substances that reduce the risk of chronic degenerative disease, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

REGAIN YOUR BALANCE

Bee pollen is excellent for enhancing energy, vitality and stamina. Many endurance athletes use bee pollen to enhance energy and increase endurance. One possible explanation for this comes form a small number of human and animal studies that have shown that bee pollen helps increase red blood cells and haemoglobin. An animal study found that bee pollen resulted in increases in haemoglobin and serum iron levels, while a study on humans demonstrated that, in combination with Chinese herbs, bee pollen was found to increase the number of red blood cells for energy metabolism, this is one of the ways in which bee pollen can enhance your energy levels.

The B vitamins and particularly the high levels of panthothenic acid (vitamin B), and niacin (vitamin B) found in bee pollen also assist in increasing your energy levels. Pantothenic acid, along with all the B vitamins enhances the function of your adrenal glands, which become compromised when exposed to long periods of stress.

Bee pollen contains the nucleic acids RNA (ribonucleic acid) and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). RNA and DNA within the body are responsible for directing the growth, renewal and repair of your cells both become depleted when you are exposed to factors such as stress, pollution and intensive exercise.

BENEFITS OF BEE POLLEN

Due to its rich nutritional value, bee pollen is used for myriad of reasons, including PMS, improving alertness, enhancing concentration, easing joint pain and treating prostate conditions. Constipation, diarrhoea and premature ageing. Bee pollen also assists in alleviating symptoms of allergies, including hay fever. Research has shown that bee pollen contains quercetin, which works as a natural antihistamine by helping inhibit your body’s release of histamine.

[1]  Living Intentions Acai & Blueberry Superfood Cereal [2] [Product 2]: Cocobella Coconut Water Pink Guava $3.75 [3]  Crispy Veggie Chips Danielle [4] Loving Earth’s Luvju Macqui Raw Organic Chocolate [5]  Alive and Radiant Cheezy Chipotle Kale Krunch Chips [6]  Lydia’s Organic Spirulina Bar [7] Schweat Wheatgrass Shot [8] Superbee Australian Bee Pollen 

“Out of trillions of organisms that were alive at the beginning of time, are alive now and will be alive at the end of time, only one tampers with its food. You do not want to bet against those kinds of odds.” – David Wolfe

[Stained Pomegranate Seed - Everything in between]

“Honestly good snacks for the peckishly-minded!” – Harvest Box

Do you suffer from three thirtyitis?

Lapses in concentration that usually occur in the afternoon – typically 3.30pm? These lapses in concentration typically occur because you are hungry and you feel that internal stomach monster wake up and roar at you?

Well it’s time to feed that inner hungry lion with something a little bit tasty, slightly nutty and completely healthy! What is it? It is the convenience of Harvest Box! No longer do vending machines need to swap your hard earned cash for your sugary snack desk affairs, Harvest box delivers straight to your office, they can even plonk it on your desk!

Stash this box in your draw and allow yourself to go a bit nutty when you indulge in the surprise packets jam-packed full of goodness!

Do you like the Samba? They can dance with you, with their natural banana coins, coconut, mango and cashew mix or do you prefer wasabi? Packed with vitamins, mineral, antioxidants, phytochemicals & a big kick get heated with Harvest’s OMG Wasbi mix! Perhaps you aren’t a morning person and need the Rise & Shine kind of deal or you could be the complete opposite and feel like trekking through the Kokoda Trail…we could go on for hours with Harvest’s 50 different blends so be assured there is something for every office taste bud!

“I think everybody’s nuts.” – Johnny Depp

How does it work?

“You get 4 portions of snacking pleasure in each box. You tell them what you like and don’t like by rating our product range. Based on your choices, they select from a growing range of over 50 mixes of nuts, dried fruit, seeds and fill the box just for you. Each time, they will deliver a different variation to you. That means maximum flavour and variety in your munch mix and no more calorie-laden junk-stops at the vending machine.

Tell them how often you’d like a delivery and on which weekdays. Provide your details, they deliver it, as per your instructions, straight to your desk. Harvest box are the experts of easy, the kings of convenience. It’s seriously simple, nutritious snacking delivered to your desk. Fuss-free. Guilt-free.”

If one box isn’t enough for your workplace go super nutty with Harvest’s SUPER BOX – check it out here!

[Surprise Mix 1] – All about almonds (Only roasted almonds)

[Surprise Mix 2] - HB Super Mix (Cranberry, pineapple, pistachio, pepita, roasted almonds, sunflower seeds & white chocolate)

Thinking nuts are full of fats, bad fats? So you have cut them out of your diet and are sticking to a low fat, low carb, high protein kind of thing? Re-think what you are doing because you are missing out on some serious goodness…

Unfortunately, many people aren’t acknowledging any of the important health benefits associated with nuts and ‘good fats’, choosing instead to follow mainstream advice and follow a low-fat diet, which means nuts are out because of their fatty nature and high calorie content.

Yes, nuts are high in fat but they contain high levels of healthy fats that are known to have heart-protective benefits. As Lawrence Kirk, a naturopath and lecturer in diet and medicine at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine, explains: ‘What many people don’t appreciate is that the fat contained in nuts is mostly the healthiest monounsaturated type. Most nuts are quite low in artery-clogging saturated fats’.

Dr Hannah Theobald, a nutrition scientist for the British Nutrition Foundation in London, says: ‘Numerous studies have shown that replacing saturated fatty acids in the diet with unsaturated fats can lower bad, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL).’ It is LDL cholesterol that increases the risk of heart disease and strokes. 
The famous Nurses Health Study, which included over 86,000 participants, is an example of the heart-protective benefits of nuts. The participants in this study who ate nuts at least five times a week were found to have a 35 per cent lower risk of heart disease compared with those who rarely ate nuts or avoided them.

In addition, research conducted by Professor Penny Kris-Etherton of Pennsylvania State University, found that participants who ate peanuts and peanut butter experienced a 10 per cent reduction in triglycerides and also lowered their levels of LDL cholesterol. High triglyceride levels, like LDL cholesterol, are strongly implicated in increasing the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

The list of health benefits attached to each individual nut is endless. Other nuts that are particularly good include: pistachios for their high iron, protein and fibre content and high levels of magnesium, which helps control blood pressure; hazelnuts because they are one of the richest sources of the antioxidant vitamin E; and cashew nuts for their high iron content which is needed to make haemoglobin – the red pigment in the blood.

For more informations about why bLANk and Harvest Box love nuts, click here and for some nutty trivia click here.

*Obviously it goes without saying that nuts should not be eaten by anyone with an allergy to them.

[Surprise Mix 3] - Seville (Natural orange, roasted almond & dark chocolate)

“You gotta go nuts. You never know how long this is gonna last. You get in these crazy situations and the only way you can deal with it is to not take it seriously.”

[Surprise Mix 4] - Mount Blanc (Dried blueberry, white chocolate & crown sultanas) 

Snack is not a dirty word…

Snacks got a bad rap, and it’s true – snacking on food high in fat or sugar is not going to do you any favours, but if you’re snacking on healthy Harvest box snacks several times a day, then there are many benefits.

For one, snacking is a proven way to feed your metabolism, which in turn aids in weight maintenance and weight loss. It also assists in boosting your energy, as eating at regular intervals stabilises your blood sugar levels. So, instead of that mid-afternoon slump, you’ll be full of vigor and sparkle right through to dinnertime.

Consistent nibbling from your Harvest box throughout the day controls hunger pangs and keeps unhealthy temptations at arms length. You will also be less likely to overeat or binge, helping you to say no to that second or third helping, resulting in consumption of less calories overall.

So, with proper portions and healthy food choices, between-meal munching will actually enhance, rather than hurt your diet. Feeling hungry?

1. Walnuts - Boost the ability to recall, thanks to the omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts contain more fatty acid than tuna and salmon – and no need to worry about mercury. Eating 1/4 cup daily provides the recommended daily amount needed to prevent depression and Alzheimer’s.

2. Almonds - Will help eliminate a headache because, like aspirin, almonds contain salicylates, the same natural chemical that will reduce inflammation and block pain signals. Just a handful will provide the same benefit as two aspirins without the possibility of stomach upsets.

3. Chestnuts - Help ease stress and are the only nut that contains vitamin C, a nutrient that helps ease stress. Chestnuts are also the nuts lowest in calories and fat. They can be eaten roasted, boiled or raw.

4. Macadamia Nuts - Are good for the heart due to the natural oils high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat – which contain oleic fatty acids and palmitoleic fatty acids. Macadamia nuts have the highest amount of monounsaturated fatty acids in a natural food.

5. Brazil Nuts - Reduce anxiety due to their selenium. Just three Brazil nuts will give you a day’s worth of this important mineral. Selenium has mood-boosting, and anti-anxiety properties.

6. Pecans - Will lower cholesterol because of their high amount of plant sterols, vitamin E, and beta-sitosterol – which is a cholesterol-lowering compound. Pecans can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by 16 percent. Pecans also have a higher antioxidant content that other nuts.

7. Cashews – Reduce the risk of heart disease due to the monounsaturated fats, which, in turn, help to lower bad cholesterol. Cashews are also rich in iron, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium and zinc, as well as phytochemicals and antioxidants beneficial in protecting us from cancer. The magnesium is good for bone growth.

8. Pine Nuts – Are appetite suppressors because they are a good source of a polyunsaturated fat known as pinolenic acid, which stimulates secretion from a hormone produced in the intestines – and signals your brain that you are full. Pine nuts also slow down the rate of how quickly your stomach empties, helping you feel full longer.

9. Peanuts - Peanuts are often grouped in the nut category, but are not on the list because they are neither nuts nor seeds, and are actually legumes (beans are legumes). However, they are worth listing with nuts due to their amazing anti-aging benefits. This is because peanuts have resveratrol – the flavonoid found in red wine and purple grape juice. Resveratrol helps to stave off age-related cell damage and boosts blood flow in the brain by as much as 30 percent which, in turn, reduces the risk of dementia and stroke. Peanuts also have over 30 vital nutrients and has a higher antioxidant content than apples, carrots and beets. Roasting the peanuts boosts their antioxidant content by as much as 22 percent.

Get started here with your first Harvest Box delivery straight to your workplace! Now you can justify your nuttiness at work! Happy Harvesting!

[Stained Pomegranate Seed - Everything in between]

…and that’s how ice cream is done! Banana, mango, coconut & almond ice cream with mint in a co-co-coconut! A big YES!

Cheers to bLANk! A belated 1st birthday (I feel like a mum who’s forgotten their kids 1st birthday!) It’s been over a year since bLANk was born [8/2/12] & I honestly don’t know where I would be without it – starting with a normal camera using my brother’s bed as my photography platform (best natural light) and literally just trialing and error and practicing by myself everyday, writing, constantly looking, following over 600 blogs to find a niche, all the endless hours & people who have told me no, to all the work that no one sees – a year has really made all that difference.

A place where I could share my mind, passions, food, to just share myself but beyond anything it saved me – it was the one thing I could count on never leaving or hurting me, it got me out of my 3 year struggle with depression and it guided me, helped get my life back, gave me peace of mind and has brought so much happiness to me. It really is all about creating your own life, bLANk was once just an idea and now it’s becoming something beyond anything I thought it would, to me bLANk is priceless and I hold it closest to my heart. Everyday I celebrate it but today I am just taking that extra moment with my Kombucha to say simply thank you to myself a year ago – celebrate yourself and what you have done & are doing – “…a year ago today you will wish you had started today…”

“The Van Dieman” – Elderflower, cucumber + mint crushes at Gypsey & Musquito. Bon voyage Sophie – be safe missy x

A boiled egg with avocado on Ezekiel bread – simple and oh so perfect!

Spontaneously booked some flights…’Why the hell not!’ is the attitude I had when I woke up so it only seemed fit to go with the gut instinct! No point waiting if you can do it now, then just do it! [The 'use-everything-in-Sophs-pantry-before-she-leaves kind of rhubarb, pear & apple pie with a LSA & coconut crumble crust - turned the juice from the stewed fruits into a warm tea]

Homemade Chai Kombucha thanks to Ryan! What I call ‘The Mother Ship’ [The mushroom looking thing] is the Kombucha culture which is very alive creating a wide range or organic acids, vitamins + enzymes that give it extraordinary value – it is an effective metabolic balancer, probiotic, adaptogen and detoxifier. Extremely interesting process and nutritional value behind this fermented drink!

HOLY SH!T… this will actually change your life – hence the name, ‘the life changing loaf of bread’ by My New Roots. Literally bread made solely out of nuts & seeds, top it with avocado and it will blow your mind!

It’s been a day of ‘life changing food’ – flipped out trying Monk Bodhi Dharma Avignon Apple Pancakes – anyone who’s experienced these knows just what I am talking about! Literally blew my mind again! And all the better sharing it with one beautiful goddess who just glows with life, can not wait to collaborate with you Tasha ♥ Thank you for your energy & story xx

I bought this organic wheat-bag at the Finders Keepers Market because I needed something to save my neck and when it is made in Australia from organic wheat, organic cotton and clove herbs with such beautiful fabrics, I couldn’t resist! Check out Emiti Designs, she does some really beautiful work! Thank god for this, it has saved my neck & keeping me warm with Melbourne’s weird weather!

I made gluten free, dark chocolate, cranberry, pistachio & poppyseed clean biscuits – yep and that’s it! Oh and they kind of exploded in the oven!

We all deserve to spoil ourselves. A very close friend send to me at the start of the year to give myself a gift every week whether it be a facial, a new moisturiser or a lunch date with myself, time out, anything I wanted but I had to make sure I made this a priority.

As it goes, life happens and we forget about ourselves. Doing this isn’t selfish, it is actually giving you a chance to catch up with yourself, to have your time and to do something that little bit special, you know why? Because you’re worth it! I booked into the Lyall Hotel for a Remedial massage – my body was almost crying out for it! With valet parking, welcoming staff and a receptionist enthusiastic approach to life that re-vamped my spirits and soothed my body. Don’t feel guilty, just do it, seriously, don’t forget number one – that being YOU!

[Stained Pomegranate Seed - Everything in between]

“If you are going to ask yourself life-changing questions, be sure to do something with the answers.”

The question was “will this bread change my life?”, the answer post taste test was “it certainly just has” and to do something with my answer… well, that reaction only prompted the birth of a second loaf.

How can a loaf of bread change your life is probably the question right about now?

The idea here is that you can let things change your life, you can let them fascinate you. It boils down to the point of letting things simply amaze you and resonate deep within you. In one day I experienced a life changing loaf of bread, life changing pancakes and life changing music – how? I simply let it. To feel the crunch of this bread, the beauty associated with finding a pure health alternative, pancakes that were gluten free & vegan that tasted as if any other pancake had been a lie up until now and music that hit my soul, that made my body move from the core.

It is all in the way you choose to appreciate and react to things around you. Yes, for me a loaf of bread & pancakes can change my life because I let it. Healthy food changes lives and maybe you’ll understand why a healthy loaf of bread can change one too…

When we get into the habit of truly paying attention to life, we often find that miracles are all around us. They are simply every day occurrences seen more clearly. It can be as small as a nut in a loaf of bread or as big as a dream in your head – let it change your life, it can be a choice – be open to it.

Recipe for My New Roots’ Life Changing Loaf of Bread, bLANk’s Edition – Makes 1 loaf – 55 Minutes – Vegan Friendly

1 Cup Sunflower Seeds – 3/4 Cup Flax Seeds
 – 1 Cup Almonds – ¼ cup Hazelnuts – 1/2 cup Brazil Nuts -
1 ½ cups Traditional Raw Rolled Oats
 – 2 tbsp Chia Seeds – 
4 tbsp Psyllium Seed Husks – 1 tsp Fine Grain Sea Salt (add ½ tsp. if using coarse salt)
 – 1 tbsp Maple Syrup (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)
 – 3 tbsp Melted Coconut Oil – 
1 ½ cups Water

1. In a flexible, silicon loaf pan combine all dry ingredients, stirring well. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a measuring cup. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix very well until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick (if the dough is too thick to stir, add one or two teaspoons of water until the dough is manageable). Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight. To ensure the dough is ready, it should retain its shape even when you pull the sides of the loaf pan away from it.

“bLANk’s QUICK TIP: If you are looking for a ‘crust’ on your bread, before putting the mixture into the tin, make a thin layer of flax seeds at the bottom and then add the dry mixture. On top add extra flax again and then add the wet mixture. The seeds clump together and form a thin crust which helps hold the bread together too. 

2. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.

3. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing (difficult, but important).

4. Store bread in a tightly sealed container for up to five days. Freezes well too – slice before freezing for quick and easy toast!

Full Credit to My New Roots for the recipe and facts about our “Friendly Fibre: Psyllium Seed Husks…”

“You’re probably asking yourself how the heck this bread holds itself together without any flour. Nice observation, and the answer is psyllium seed husks.

Psyllium seed husks are one of nature’s most absorbent fibers, able to suck up over ten times their weight in water. For this reason, you’ll often find psyllium in over-the-counter laxatives, stool-bulking agents and colon cleansing kits; basically anything having to do with poo. I just came back from running a detox course in Lisbon where I got all the participants in-the-know about this amazing little supplement that also helps to reduce cholesterol levels, aid digestion and weight loss, and alleviate diarrhea and constipation.

Psyllium seed husks contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. The soluble fiber dissolves in water and soothes the digestive tract with its mucilaginous properties, while the insoluble fiber acts like a broom to sweep the colon free of toxins. Taken during a detox, juice cleanse, or fast, psyllium can greatly improve the body’s ability to eliminate impurities. But the good news is, you can take it anytime – many people find that a daily dose of a teaspoon or two in a glass of water really helps them get their bowels moving, (or slow them down if necessary).*

But what does this have to do with bread? Well, the idea here is to use psyllium to bind all these lovely ingredients together without resorting to flour. There have been some low-carb bread recipes floating around the ‘net as of late that take advantage of psyllium and I think it’s a great idea. Eat delicious bread, have good poops. I’m in!

Psyllium is available at health food stores and most pharmacies. It comes in two forms, the raw husks themselves, and powdered, which are just the husks that have been pulverized. It is easier to take the powdered form as it dissolves easier in water, but that is not important in the case of this bread – either type work just fine.” – Sarah, blogger of My New Roots 

“There is a club in this world that you do not join knowingly.

One day you are just a member.

It is “The life changing events club.”

The fee to join the club is hurt beyond belief, payable in full, up front for a lifetime membership.

The benefit of the club is a new found perspective on life, and a deep understanding that you may not be happy about your current situation, but you can be happy in your current situation.

The only rule to the club is that you cannot tell anyone that you are a member.

The club does not provide a directory of its members, but when you look into a member’s eye, you can tell that they too are part of the club. Members are allowed to exchange that brief eye contact that says: “I didn’t know.”

Being a member of this club is the last thing that anyone initially wants in their life.

Being a member of this club is the best thing that ever happens to a person in their life, and there is not a person in the club that would ever give up their membership.

If you really look and know what you are looking for you can spot the clubs members; they are the ones that provide a random act of kindness and do something for someone who can never repay them for what they have done. They are the people spreading joy and optimism and lifting people’s spirits even when their own heart has been broken.

I have paid my dues; my lifetime membership arrived today, not by mail, but by a deep inner feeling that I cannot describe.

It is the best club that I never wanted to be part of.

But I am glad that I am a member.” – John Passaro

Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come. You see, it’s never the environment; it’s never the events of our lives, but the meaning we attach to the events, how we interpret them, that shapes who we are today and who we’ll become tomorrow.

Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it.

Simply simple – Live Healthy, Live bLANk

*Disclaimer: All photographs in a bLANk’s Nourishing Recipe Index are taken by bLANk and rightly owned by bLANk