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Keen for some Quinoa?

Have you heard of quinoa? Pronounced ‘keen-wa’ NOT ‘kwin-o-a’. Quinoa is actually a seed, not a grain but in many places it is referred to as a grain. Deriving from South America thousands of years ago, the Inca’s used it to feed their warriors. It gave them super powers! Well, a lot of energy anyway & kept their stamina up. It is branded today as a ‘super food’ as it has so many healthful benefits.

Quinoa first came into my radar a few years back whilst I was on a yoga, cleanse & detox retreat in Byron Bay. The menu for the week was vegan, gluten free; sugar free, caffeine free & alcohol free. Fun free? No not at all. I barely even missed all the above as the food was so amazing, fresh & organic (& cooked for me!). Quinoa was pretty much the main staple for the week’s menu. Quinoa porridge for breakfast, quinoa bakes for lunch and quinoa salads in the evening. This super food is so adaptable I didn’t even notice I was eating the same base seed for every meal. It even appeared in the muffins for those not on the cleanse.

Why is quinoa such a super food?

Protein – Quinoa is jam packed full of protein and all nine essential amino acids, important for muscled development. Very important to us vegetarians. I often tell my partner my quinoa has more protein than his steak!

Iron – Again very important for us vegos who don’t eat red meat. Iron keeps our red blood cells in working order and oxygenates the muscles.  Iron increases brain function too. New to being a vegetarian and feeling forgetful? Get some Quinoa down you. Our brain uses about 20% of our blood oxygen so we need iron to carry that oxygen from cell to cell.

Fibre – We’ve all heard of the importance of this one in keeping our digestive system running smoothly. Quinoa is super high in fibre with nearly twice as much as other grains. It’s fairly heavy to eat so takes longer to chew, leaving you feeling fuller for longer and you don’t eat as much. It has fewer calories than other grains that can help with weight loss.

Magnesium – A good one again for blood and circulation. Magnesium relaxes the blood vessels, great if you are prone to cramps or headaches. It is one of the essential electrolytes I spoke about in the hydration post. Great for bones and teeth as well as being a natural detoxifier.

Compared to other grains, quinoa is higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc than wheat, barley, or corn. (1)

It’s easy to cook too. I soak my quinoa for about 8 hours. This removes the phytic acid making it easier to digest. Use the 2:1 ratio, two cups of water to one cup of quinoa. Make sure you wash your Quinoa thoroughly after soaking or it may taste bitter. Bring to the boil then simmer at the lowest setting, covered, for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking. It’s done when it’s absorbed the water and is light and fluffy. Leave it to stand off the heat for another five minutes to rest with the lid on.

I eat quinoa nearly every day. I make a huge salad or bake on a Sunday and this lasts me all week as a main or side dish. Quinoa is widely available in health food stores. Here is Australia you will find it in the Macro section of Woolworths. There are loads of recipes out there you can use quinoa in. Just google it and away you go! If you have any favourite quinoa recipes, please share in the comments below.

Happy eating!

Seren xx

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©Seren Holistic Lifestyles Blog 2013
 (please share the love with full credit thanks)

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©Seren Holistic Lifestyles Blog 2013

(please share the love with full credit thanks)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference:

  1. The Largely Unknown Health Epidemic Affecting Almost ALL Americans, BodyEcology.com.
    http://www.bodyecology.com/06/12/28/unknown_health_epidemic.php

A lovely Cup of Tea

It’s officially autumn now in the Southern hemisphere & the early mornings are getting a tad chilly. Through out the whole year I drink tea, especially first thing in the morning even if it’s 40 degrees outside. Must be my British heritage shining brightly. This time of year I’m hanging for a cuppa to warm myself up from the inside out.

In the summer months I tend to only drink tea in the mornings. Now the days are getting colder I’m craving hot liquids even in the afternoon. This is when herbal teas take centre stage. There are so many varieties and blends out there you are bound to find one you like. My tastes change all the time. At the moment I’m all about ginger. I found a new USDA organic certified brand called Higher Living. Their Ginger Kick is delicious. It contains ginger (obviously!) and lemon peel. It’s 100% caffeine free & organic. Their Evening blend is rather nice of a night too with lemon balm, fennel, chamomile, lime, peppermint and lavender.

The Byron Bay Tea Company have a lot of lovely teas too. They are pricier and you can’t get them in the supermarkets. My day spa sells them or they are available over the Internet. My favourite is Energy a blend of green tea and berries. It’s really good for a pick me up as green tea contains natural caffeine.

Yogi tea make a Ginkgo Clarity blend that I use in the afternoons if I’m feeling a little brain fried. The ingredient list is huge! Everything from peppermint, liquorice, lemongrass, basil, ginger and lemon the list goes on. Nearly all the herbs are organic but the brand not organically certified. I love the quotes on the tea tags too.

I try where I can to buy organic tea. Just like non organic fruit and vegetables tea is sprayed with harmful agricultural chemicals. This is harmful to us as consumers, the environment and the farm workers growing the tea. Vegetables are usually washed before they reach our shelves. Tea is not as it is air-dried before packaging. The first time it meets water is in our cup where all those toxins are then washed into our drink. Need I say more? There are plenty of organic brands in the supermarket, look out for an organic seal either from the USDA or Australian Organic. These two carry the highest standards of organic certification.

Herbal caffeine free tea counts towards your daily hydration levels too. If you struggle to get your two to three litres of water in a day during winter give herbal tea a try. A good-sized mug can take about 250-300ml of liquid. If you can, use filtered water in the kettle. I know boiling gets rid of any nasties but it helps keep the kettles elements free from calcium build up. Tea tastes so much better with filtered water, no yucky chlorine taste.

Time for a nice cup of tea and a sit down me thinks.

Love Seren xx

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©Seren Holistic Lifestyles Blog 2013
 (please share the love with full credit thanks)

Click on image to enlarge

©Seren Holistic Lifestyles Blog 2013

(please share the love with full credit thanks)

Green Smoothie

It’s the latest health food trend and I’m sure you’ve all heard or tried them by now. The green smoothie has landed. Personally it took my a while to get on board with it. Probably because they look like a glass of bile & involved green vegetables I don’t particularly like. I felt when green smoothies first became popular & everyone was doing it I didn’t want to buy into something because it’s the cool new thing to do. So I didn’t. Nose being cut off to spite my face? Yes. Now I look back and think what a dick am I for ignoring something so healthful just because I was too stubborn and didn’t want to be part of cool and the gang. How I have changed and grown.

This is a good example of judgement and not listening too your inner self for guidance. Green vegetable messages come through loud and clear for me all the time. I don’t action them as much as I should. I know this because I keep getting the message and will do until I do was I’m told. Eating a massive plate of raw greens is my partners dream and my nightmare. They just don’t appeal. ‘What’ I hear you shout, you are an advocate for holistic loveliness how can you not like one of the most amazing, natural sources of goodness? We are all unique. One size does not fit all. It’s a no brainer raw vegetables are wonderful, they make us feel great, I feel great after eating them but it’s a chore to get them down. If our taste buds haven’t developed yet or aren’t ready yet for such helpful delights it will be a struggle.

Green juicing was my answer. I can down a green smoothie a lot quicker than eating a plate of veg. It’s quicker to prepare too, no chopping the Thermomix does it for me. The green veg is also disguised with other flavours that appeal more to my developing taste buds. Juicing raw vegetables is the best way to preserve all the natural nutrients too. Cooking actually kills off some of these. It still looks like bile. With a few trial and error experiments I now know the perfect blend that makes sure I’m getting my greens & it still tastes good. A pleasure now not a chore. I have my green juice in the morning and it keeps me a lot fuller than my old bread based breakfasts used to.

Here’ my recipe:

  • 400ml of Raw Coconut water
  • A handful of kale, spinach and broccoli
  • Half a green apple
  • 2 teaspoons of Vital Greens powder (full of the all important Organic spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass and alfalfa plus much, much more)
  • 1 tablespoon of organic, cold pressed coconut oil
  • 2 scoops of 180 Nutrition Vegan protein powder (full of pea protein, flaxseed, almond meal, sunflower kernels, coconut flour, chia seeds, sesame seeds, psyllium husks, inactive brewers yeast & stevia)
  • 1 teaspoon of bee pollen (*note: allergy aware!!)
  • Depending on my mood I also add occasionally 1 teaspoon of organic raw cacoa
  • Lots of ice from purified water!

Happy green juicing!

Love Seren xx

Mason jar available from Eco Jarz: http://www.ecojarz.com/

Seren Green Smoothies

Energy Cleansing

Do you ever feel that your home isn’t as settled and calming as you’d like it to be? Houses can get unbalanced if, just like your own body, there are trapped and negative emotions hanging around. We are all made up of energy and this is easily passed on and deposited into the environments in which we dwell. Just because you can’t ‘physically’ see energy dashing around doesn’t mean it’s not there. Our bodies are the physical manifestation of energy and they are very much tangible. If you are very sensitive to energy exchanges (you might not even realise you are) an unbalanced environment may really affect you. You can absorb this negativity that will in turn make you feel unsettled.

It’s a good idea to energy cleanse your home or office every few weeks. Especially if you have had guests enter your domain or a tricky client to deal with. They could have left you some emotional baggage of their own behind. Cleansing will help bring harmony back to your space and get rid of any negative energies or bad vibes. Leaving a lovely serene, calm environment for you to dwell in.

I cleanse my home often in a number of ways. Burning white sage incense is a cheap and effective way of balancing impurities. Sage burning is an ancient ritual of many religions. You can easily grow your own sage in your herb garden to burn if you don’t like using incense. I light a few sticks around my home, particularly in rooms that feel unbalanced. If I am preparing for a Reiki session sage is a must to cleanse my healing room from any energy I have brought in or from previous clients. As I light the sticks I say an affirmation that the sage clean and cleanse the room back to balance.

Smudging is a ritual that takes me longer to perform, it cleanses more deeply than just straight incense. I use a native Australian smudge stick made of lemon myrtle leaves and Australian paper bark. It is infused with 100% pure lemon myrtle essential oil that leaves a lovely refreshing, uplifting scent. Before I start I make sure the area is quiet and I am centred by taking a few long slow deep breathes. Again I will set the intention of clearing and cleansing the room from any negative energy or unwanted spirits. I light the sick, letting it burn for a few seconds before blowing it out. With the stick smouldering I circle the smoke in anti-clockwise (same direction as the energy flow of the Southern Hemisphere, go clockwise if your Northern) though the air in spiralling movements. Around doors and windows I direct the smoke well into the corners to make sure whole perimeter is cleansed. Especially important around doors guests have entered and exited.

My last technique is again quick, very effective, portable and does not require naked flames. It’s also one of my favourites as it smells so nice. I use Nemesis Clearing Mist a hand-blended spray by Elizabeth Peru of Deltawaves. It is made up of three essential oils – Angelica, celery & patchouli. I use it in any situation that I feel dense energy hanging around. A quick spritz is all that is needed. If I personally feel like I need some clearing or added protection I spray some over my shoulders. I’ve had my spray for nearly 8 months and there’s so much left. It does go a long way as only one or two sprays are needed.

Recently I took my Nemesis spray with me to the opening of a new yoga studio. Being freshly fitted out there had been a lot of energies through the door and I felt a pull to get in there to cleanse the yoga room before the first class. It worked a treat & created a relaxing, calm environment for the students enjoy. Even an intuitive friend commented on the energy flow in the room. When I told her I’d been in there to cleanse she said she felt like the space had has some extra help. Wonderful!

Follow your intuition, if your environment just does not feel right give it a cleanse and see how you feel afterwards.

Love & light,

Seren xx

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Nemesis Clearing Mist available here, international shipping available:

http://www.deltawaves.com.au/onlinestore_sacredessentials.html

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