Christmas Vegan Eggnog!

This year has been the year of connecting with my health. As most of you know I have created a book on mindful eating which is coming out this coming year April (I'm so excited I can pop). After creating something so near and dear to my heart I decided I had to live my brand and heal my relationship with food. So I took my health seriously. I cut out dairy, gluten, and sugar. Why? Because I didn't feel good after eating it. You should give it a try then see how you feel! I learned that being healthy is not black and white and it sure as hell isn't about perfection. It's about making lots of little changes as often as you can. It's about the small things adding up to the bigger picture. So are there days that I have a little sugar? Of course! But I try my best to honour my body with balance and real food. I also let go of when I indulge and allow myself to enjoy. This way I don't feel deprived and it stops me from binging. 

As the festive break is upon us I wanted to reframe my thinking. I don't want it to be about "falling off the wagon" then the tedious climb in January to "get back on it". I've had that mentality my whole life and it has never worked. That is why I have created some healthy recipes for you guys. They are going to be around my table this year. They are just as indulgent and won't leave you wanting for sugary empty calories that will do only harm leaving you with 'food comas' and sugar crashes. I know you will enjoy them and I hope that you share your creations with me! Give something different a try this year! Who knows, your body might thank you for it! 

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond milk 
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk 
• 1/3 cup macadamia nuts (soaked overnight or for at least 1 hour)
• 6 majool dates 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste 
• 1 tablespoon 100% maple syrup 
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg 
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
• pinch of ground cloves 
• pinch of salt 
• two shots brandy *optional 

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Instructions: 

Add all the ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Serve immidiately with holiday cheer!

-Melissa 

Earl grey and honey milkshakes

These milkshakes are inspired by one of my favourite ingredients of all time, honey.

I add honey to almost everything! You can use it in your tea, mix it in salad dressings and even add it to pizza! Yes, I said pizza. The saltiness of the bubbly cheese mixes so well with the sweetness of honey – its absolute perfection! Don’t even get me started on the health properties of honey. The list is too long to mention here but to give you an example; recently it’s proved a lifesaver in our home as a soothing throat and flu remedy (hot toddy alert!) 

You would be hard pressed to find a bigger fan of this versatile product from nature.

I partnered up with Woolworths to share these decadent Earl grey and honey milkshakes with you because, well, who said milkshakes are exclusively for summer? 
Or perhaps you need to bring a boy to your yard, pronto!?
Everyone knows a sure fire way to achieve the latter is through milkshakes.

I leave you with this parting thought from the only other honey fan that is more obsessed than I. 
The incomparable Winnie-the-Pooh.

“Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.” “Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.”

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Ingredients:

Serves 2

• 2 earl grey tea bags
• ½ a cup of boiling water
• 2 tablespoons of honey 
• 1 ½ cups vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup milk
• ½ a cup of cream
• Whipped cream to top
• Chocolate to decorate
• Honey to drizzle

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Instructions:

Add the tea bags to the boiling water and let seep for 4 minutes. No longer as the tea will become bitter!

Add the honey and stir. Let the tea cool. You can add two blocks of ice to speed up the process.

Blend together the tea, ice cream, milk and cream until light and frothy.

Serve topped with whipped cream, chocolate and a drizzle of honey!

-Melissa 

*This blog post is sponsored by Woolworths all opinions are my own

Pear Moscow Mule

With this freezing weather we might as well be in the snow!

I thought I would share this recipe of a pear Moscow mule with you guys to try and warm the cockles of your hearts with vodka. I mean isn’t that the way to do it?

Quick and easy to make and using pears which are in season this recipe will leave you wanting a fireplace and more vodka Russian style! 

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Serves 1

Ingredients

• 2 shots Vodka
• ½ lime Juice
• 1 sparkling pear juice or Peartiser  
• 1 Ginger beer
• Dash of bitters
• Pears as garnish, thinly sliced

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Instructions:

To prepare the cocktail, fill a glass with ice,

Add the vodka and the lime juice.

Fill the glass generously with sparkling pear juice about three quarter way, then top off with a splash of ginger beer and a dash of bitters. Stir to combine and serve with slices of pear!

-Melissa 

fresh infused waters

There is one thing I know for sure hydration is key. You can dress it up any way you would like but water truly is the wine of the gods. This being said I know I never drink enough water. Especially come winter and its freezing cold.

I spent the day cooking with a dear friend of mine sharing recipes when we got chatting about the lack of hydration in my life. She suggested I give these combinations of flavored waters a try. We made them early in the morning and photographed them then got to cooking. That evening when we were done we realised we hadn't had any water the whole day! The irony was all a bit much. Needless to say having had the day to infuse with their amazing flavours these waters were a major success and beyond delicious.

I can assure you that if all your waters looked and tasted this good you would be gulping them by the gallons! They are so easy to make and you can get completely creative. I will of course let you know what combinations we used but below are a list of fresh ingredients you can use and what health benefits they have 

Berries: these little jewels are huge anti oxidants that help your body fight free radicals caused by stress. Getting rid of them can stop major illness in the body!

Ginger: this marvelous ingredient has several health properties. It is a wonder in treating nausea and morning sickness, it can lower your risk of heart disease, aid exercise induced muscles pain and menstrual pain and it can even aid digestion. Just to name a few! 

Mint: can aid ingestion or an upset stomach and its wonderful flavour can be combined with most other fresh ingredients 

Lemon: high in vitamin c this citrus fruit is amazing for colds, rejuvenating skin cells and can even aid weight loss. 

Pomegranate: this amazing fruit is known as an antioxidant rich fruit. The seeds are sweet and wonderful to add to anything. You can also put them into your ice tray and make pomegranate ice. It looks beautiful and is so healthy for you! 

Cucumber: these amazing fruits-yes I said fruit is filled with multiple vitamins B such as B1 B5 and B7. It can aid in reducing anxiety and stress and so very good for digestion. 

Lemon grass: don't be fooled by its hard exterior, once cut and its flavours release. Lemon grass is wonderful for stomach ache, high blood pressure and can aid rheumatism. 

I have used several ingredients in different combinations and amount. Play around with them and with the fruits that are in season. The longer you leave them to infuse the better they taste. if you use fresh ingredients the flavours are even stronger and most of the time all you need to do is top up on the water before the fruit goes off. 

so here are the combinations I’ve used: 

•   Pomegranate, mint and orange 

•   Cucumber, mint and lemon

•   Lemon grass, ginger and mint 

•   Lime mint and berries (strawberry, blackberry and raspberries)

You can add any fruit that you like from oranges and limes, cinnamon and apple even pineapple and rosemary!

Just chop them up to release all the flavours and add them to your water jugs. Let them stand in the fridge for a few hours or even over night! 

Keeping hydrated is good for your digestion, hangover, skin and so much more-so drink up!  

-Melissa