Tropical Açaí Bowl

This is a delicious way to start your day, get through the day, beat the days heat or end the day!

I first came across Açaí a year ago after trying it blended within a smoothie. My first impression? This is one expensive berry! But now you can say… Im addicted!

 

Ill probably do another post on all the amazing health benefits this beautiful berry can provide for you, but if you are unsure of what the new fad of the health industry is, then look no further. The Açaí berry, pronounced (a-sigh-ee),  is a powerful berry found in Brazil’s Amazon. It has grown to become one of the biggest superfoods out there. An amazing benefit and a great little fact for you to know, is that it has more than 5 times the antioxidant power of Blueberries. Cool hey?

I’m constantly experimenting with different mixtures to make with this power berry and this is one of my favourites!

Welcome to the tropics…

 

What you will need:

• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
• 2/3 cup frozen strawberries
• 130-50grams of frozen banana
• 1 packet of Acai
• 1/2 cup coconut water**

TOPPINGS:

• Choice of granola or muesli
• Extra Fruits e.g. mango chunks, kiwi fruit, blueberries…
• Superfoods e.g. goji berries, chia seeds, activated nuts and seeds, agave syrup…

** Coconut Water: more may be needed depending on how frozen your fruits are or how thick you want it.

What to do:

Simply add all ingredients into a high speed blender/food processor and blend until it has the consistency of sorbet (or to your desirable texture). Transfer to a bowl and get creative with those toppings!

Then, enjoy!

 

 

An Adventure to India

‘Why should I travel India?’

My answer, Why not travel India?

Does the countless shares of the stories and its variety of perspectives for this country not give you the simple buzz of wonder what India could create for you to treasure?

The good and bad behaviour of the locals, the Delhi belly’s, the rough travels or that India has changed a life? Basically experiencing the ‘un-normal’ living of what we are used to. This is what enticed me. Really, it sounded so out of my comfort zone, so out of what I believed to be reality and in one word…crazy. I had to do it.

I was living in a very easy part of the world yet finding it very hard. Frankly, my hunger for something spicy was rumbling. And before I go any further let me start with this: I cannot explain how India is in words. I cannot paint wonderful images for you to understand what the real depth of India is like. I can’t. India is a country you must experience yourself to truly understand its culture and how YOU dance along with it or not. Some people love the country, others hate it… me? I hate that I love it and I love how I hate it.

Everyday is unexpected,truly. But this brings even more to share in your life. Although there are moments were its frustrating or difficult, whether that be the poverty or the difference in lifestyle, something magical comes with it. The vast crowds of people, the sounds of temples ringing with chants, the cows on the streets (or everywhere to be honest), the food and Indians always wanting to talk, take selfies or rip you off will never, EVER not make me smile. It reminds me how unique our 24 hour day is from another individual on this beautiful planet. And how blessed I am, where I am and with countless opportunities.

To have a job is a blessing in India, even if that means working in the heat, barefoot with old tools breaking rocks or roads with your bare hands. But you know what was different? There was never a complaint. By having the whole population of Australia in one city, jobs and poverty is a very big issue that, at first, may be quite hard hitting. Their lives to a foreigner like me seemed ridiculously rough, however, for them I guess it works.

I like to think about the streets when explaining this. The manic parades of scooters, rickshaws, cars and busses dodging each other as they move in whatever direction they please. They warn each other with constant honks (which lets be honest, 89% of the time is unnecessary) and the additional add on’s of the cows, people, sand, camels or spitting from another vehicle to the mix, is just crazy, but crazily working.

With so much going on, its hard to not come back to your accommodation for the night without a ‘story of the day’ or specific people who taught you something you still have not made a connection to realising just then. And India brings out a lot in yourself that maybe you haven’t discovered just yet. Personally, I think its the magic and spirituality in the air… once you get over the dust of course.

But I cant give you a post on India without talking of its food. And where to begin with it… From the freshly made dough chapatis and flavour packed curries, comes a dance your taste buds have never before danced. When I look back to the food in India, I cant stop drooling over the real authentic goods. The best meals we had were made right in front of our eyes or real Indian food stalls. Masala potato filled dosa’s, light Idli balls with its flavoursome chutneys, Rajasthani Poha Rice, Vegetable packed curries and dahls… I could go on forever.

One very memorable setting was to watch the process of Bati (a traditional unleavened bread ball filled with spices like fennel) made from bare hands and cooked underneath a mountain of cow poo on fire. Yes, you read that right. Then wiped off a little and served with hot fire cooked dahl. Honestly so delicious, yet don’t have more than 2…they are very very dense. Which I guess is also something too look out with. India’s food can be very rich and very heavy as it is a lot of potato, bread and rice which for bodies (like mine) thriving on lots of plant-based goodies can be a bit of a shake for the system but over time your body adapts to that.

And the fear of getting sick? Well, firstly, don’t fear it. My advice would be to lay off fresh food like ready made cut salads (fresh fruits like bananas are ok because they have the peel still on them) for the first 1 or 2 weeks and try and find places you can watch your food be made like street stalls. Also, follow the Indians! They know good food, so ask around or see where is popular. Over time, you may be offered by locals to drink chai or to have dinner with their families, bringing more connections, good food and memories into yours and their lives.

I feel like that’s enough right now for India. I say go… because its an adventure your inner self is waiting for.

And when you do go, you must keep a journal! That either being words, photos or videos. Just to remind you how life really is so beautifully cultural and different.

Thank you for reading!

Also, big shout out to my travel partner for making my time abroad so much more fulfilling!

 

Vegan Eats: FARMACY – London

In the midst of Notting Hill London, lies a very beautiful restaurant called Farmacy. ‘Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Farmacy enables clean indulgence, inspired by dishes from around the globe and supports both a vegan and vegetarian diet, free from dairy, refined sugars, additives and chemicals.’ 

The story of this jackpot find started with 2 very hungry ladies (yes, I was one!) roaming around Portobello Market, trying to find some vegan and healthy food! After countless hot dog, meat burger and kebab stalls the only thing on offer were 2 to 3 small falafel balls in a salad wrap. Fair enough, I love falafels, I’m just a bit overly bored of them. I wanted something different in flavour, something vibrant and of which I cannot find any-where else! Was I being a bit snobby maybe?

London is becoming vegan heaven! So many new restaurants, cafe’s and events are all going veggie, its incredible! We have been to 6 different markets in London and they all have various vegan options, so it was a disappointment on Portobello Road’s behalf in that aspect. Lots of fruit though! We were on the edge of being hangry  and so I decided to ask a clerk at an organic health focused cosmetics shop if he could recommend anywhere with plant based options. Unfortunately, he was not much help. However, to our luck one lady over-heard and long story short she told us about Farmacy.

And whilst we walked 15 minutes out to Notting Hill, along the way we peaked into two different vegetarian cafe’s with lots of vegan options! Just saying…. 🙂

Now, Farmacy! The outside building is grand and very big so its hard to miss. Its glass doors lead you into a gorgeous open seating area full of greenery, plants and modern finishing. The large bar in the middle of the scene creates more vibrancy through out the restaurant and serves a wide variety of organic beverages and even a bio-dynamic or sulphur free option of alcoholic drinks too! The place was not so busy when we arrived but by the time we left it was heaving. Mum joked about being the oldest one there and although she doesn’t look it, she was probably right.  There were lots of families, lunch break catch-ups, fellow food bloggers,  couples and post gym goers. So very open to all kinds! From our arrival we were never short of thirst, as our water was constantly topped with fresh cucumber infused tap water… brilliant!

So it began when we were handed our menus and straight away one of their ‘Farmaceutical Teas’ caught my eye. The flavour of Beetroot and Cinnamon was that something new and interesting, I had to try it! And the added health bonus of it being a booster for the lymphatic system by being a blood cleanser made me feel like my money really was being invested into my health! Their whole menu reelects the teachings and message of food being the best medicine for us, which makes me so happy !

Next, we debated about choosing their main lunch of Farmacy Burger and a Macro Bowl or choosing a lighter yet filling brunch option of buckwheat berry pancakes and Rawnola with tiger-nut “milk”.

In the end, I believe we went for the best of both choices. Their Vegan Farmacy Burger which was made from millet, black bean & mushroom was served with garlic aioli, goji very ketchup, avocado, pickles, tomato & large fresh potato wedges served in a wholemeal vegan bun (where there was also a gluten free option too!). And their Macro Bowl which consisted of quinoa, avocado, seaweed, sprouts, sauerkraut, steamed seasonal greens & sweet potato mash with a separate miso ginger dressing.

My tea arrived first and we began examining it. The taste was certainly different. Very earthy, yet the spice of cinnamon turned it around. Mum loved it, yet I was a little unsure. Then, not long after, our food arrived. The macro bowl was beautifully presented in a ceramic bowl in different parts (a bit like a Buddha bowl) and the burger looked mighty good next to a criss-cross tower of large potato wedges. We did the old half-half with each other, picking around at all the different flavours.

I will start with the macro bowl! Everything tasted so fresh and the variety of textures within the bowl was lovely. The miso ginger dressing, however, was the BOMB (or the BEST, in a not so overly excited way!). We did both agree, that if we did not order the burger, and just brought the macro bowl on its own, it would not be super filling but a lighter meal. So defiently worth having if you are planning on having a larger dinner, going to the gym or don’t feel like something too heavy for lunch.

Now for the burger…

And lets begin with saying it was absolutely divine! I was so surprised by the creamy vegan aioli which was generously poured over a subtly flavoured burger. And what really made my taste buds dance was the accompany goji berry ketchup. So delicately rich in this one certain flavour, naturally sweet and vibrant in its colour! You must try it. The chips were perfectly cooked and not overly greasy. It was defiantly a winner. There was so much layered within it and each component really complimented each other.

Overall, both meals together filled us up perfectly and we felt very well nourished.

We wished we could have stayed for dessert but we wanted to catch an exhibition before it closed. And after looking at the dessert menu I was pretty gutted we didn’t stay, but it also gives me an excuse to go back! They had such goodies like a vegan “Nice Cream Brownie Sundae” which is one of their housmade brownies served with vanilla “ice cream”, seasonal fruits, raw cacao & maca caramel. How good does that sound? Or a “Lemon Cheesecake Bowl served with lemon sorbet, raspberry mousse & maple meringues. Plus, so much more.

Overall, it was a brilliant stay and a gorgeous meal. I would defiantly recommend going. For London and for the vast plant based goodness that are within their meals, the prices are very reasonable!

Follow me on Instagram: @floralfoodss and let me know if you go or would like more ‘vegan eats’!

FF

 

 

 

 

Avocado Muffins with Matcha Tea Icing

VEGAN – REFINED SUGAR FREE

Matcha Tea has many benefits for our beautiful bodies! The advantages to this super food would be that it is great for cleansing the body, increasing energy levels, aiding in possible weight loss, strengthening immunity, regulating metabolism and finally helping to relax and calm the mind. Originally the powder is had in tea form (i.e. as a hot drink) but that’s not always the case in my mind. Sometimes my sweet tooth gets the better of me and when in need… I bake!

On this occasion, YourTea sent me some of their certified organic green tea matcha to try out. Immediately I wanted to bake with it. Their matcha is sourced from the most superior certified organic green tea leaves from Japan; “which are steamed, dried, the leaves stripped from the stems, then ground into a fine powder. This powder, that’s matcha. Given that it contains the entire leaf, it’s not your standard green tea.”  And with nothing else added to it, I was super excited to add its unusual taste to one of my new favourite muffin recipes.  And if you are interested I will be making another matcha recipe soon using YourTea’s product. I think I am in love.

On first thought, I was going to substitute the cocoa powder inside the muffin mixture for the matcha powder, yet being a chocolate addict, I was not willing to do so. Then I thought I would just add it in to the chocolatey mixture, but I really wanted the beautiful and completely natural green colour from the tea to shine through some how. That’s when it clicked. An Icing as green as a tree to also represent the other super natural green delight hidden in the muffins…avocado.

And now I will pass this super tasty, super unique muffin recipe over to you…

What you will need:

• 1 ripe medium to large avocado
• 1 cup of plain flour
• 1/2 cup oat flour (or another 1/2 cup of plain flour**)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup agave nectar (sub: maple, date or golden syrup)
• pinch of Himalayan salt
• 1/3 cup of cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup of plant based milk (soy, almond, rice…)
• 1/4 cup of sweet applesauce
• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
• Dark chocolate chips are optional!

ICING:

• 1 sachet of Matcha Tea equivalent to:
• 200g icing sugar
• 2-3 tbsp boiling water

What to do:

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees.

In a food processor, add the flesh of the ripe avocado with the plant-based milk and blend. Next add in the applesauce, coconut oil and agave nectar, blend again.

In a mixing bowl, add in all the dry ingredients  and mix . (I.e the flours, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt.) Afterwards, add in the blended wet ingredients into the dry and stir until well incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips (op). Then, equally divide the mixture into your lined muffin moulds.

Place them into your pre-heated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Over-baking these may cause them to be dry, so watch out!

Once the muffins are cooled, start on your matcha icing!

In a bowl, sift in the icing sugar and matcha powder. Gradually add in the boiling water whilst stirring. The water to Icing sugar ratio is often tricky, but you are looking out for  a thick but pour-able texture between the ingredients. Once done, pour over the muffins and decorate. Serve and indulge.

** The oat flour helps make the muffins that little bit more moist. But you may substitute for another 1/2 cup of plain flour.

Enjoy!

Have you got Instagram? When you re-create this dish, snap it, upload it, and tag me (@floralfoodss) so I can see your brilliant work! **

 

❀ Creamy Beetroot Dip ❀

VEGAN – GLUTEN FREE – REFINED SUGAR FREE – HEALTHY

This is a stunner.

If the colour doesn’t have you intrigued, let it be its creamy, sweet but tangy taste that’s light and full of flavour.

The recipe is super simple but will make a great impression next to a bunch of crudities, on top of a home-made veggie burger, spread inside a sandwich, accompanied by some falafel or on top of a salad.

This dip is perfect for bringing along to dinner parties or to quickly make up for a simple lunch that’s full of colour and flavour.

The dip tastes best on the day it is prepared, as well as, the following day but I’m sure it won’t be around for long, it is so good.

What you will need:

• 3 medium-large cooked beetroot
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1/2 cup soy yoghurt **
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp cumin, ground
• 1 tsp coriander, ground
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp agave nectar (optional)

What to do:

In a food processor or high speed blender, place all of the ingredients above in the order they are listed. Change between pulsing and blending until the mixture comes together. If it is too thick add more yoghurt or tahini and if it is too liquid smooth add more beetroot.  Taste the dip and add more salt, sweetener, spices or some ground pepper to your preference.

Enjoy.

** you can use dairy yoghurt too.

Follow me on Instagram: FloralFoodss

 

Veg-Voyage Part 6

Veg Voyage Part 5

The next couple of days that drew another week to an end, were days of unwinding.

It was the week of July the 27th to August the 2nd, 2015 and my favourite snacks that I nibbled on throughout this period were such things like spiced soya sticks, dried fruit, various carob coated things and a new favourite, organic dried bananas in their full form.Honestly, if they weren’t so expensive, I would probably live of them.

The most exciting thing that was yet to come was my return to Lismore Car boot Market. A place were most of my Sundays were spent in New South Wales accompanying my dad with his Vegetarian Mexican food trailer.

To me its not just an undercover market were their is food, old brick’a’brack and plants being sold, but a place were families can spend their Sundays reminiscing through the stalls, chatting and meeting new people. A place were stall holders love what they do and what they sell, which shines through to the markets visitors. A place were the friendship between the market holders are very dear. Plus, there was always something to find that was not intentionally needed but cheap. From a young age, I was fortunate enough to be trusted to experience this. And I felt safe to roam my way around various markets. For that, I’m grateful.

So despite the early rise, I was so excited to see how it had evolved or not, meet some new and old faces and to watch my dad in his natural habitat doing what he does best. And the day did not fail to my expectations.

My dad had his usual spot alongside many other familiar stall holders who had not changed. The usual early crowds queuing for coffee or the fresh fruit and vegetables arrived just how they used to, before the community started to awake. And the humble smell of popcorn, grilling and coffee started to kick in just like old times. Not to forget the deep callings of a series of names being belted to the various coffee orders from our good friend Ron next door (or should I say next stall) to begin the morning for everyone. Metaphorically speaking, he would be a good alarm clock.

I began the day with one of their almond hot chocolates and a box of fruit salad I prepared the night before.

My day then consisted of roaming the market, looking after my sisters and sampling as much food as possible because my mind was set to holiday mode, which meant I needed to try everything before I left. One of my first binges were on these handmade raw superfood balls. The ladies who made them were from Nimbin and kindly enough gave me an extra one free so I could try all the different flavours, which consisted of: ‘Energise bunny’ , ‘D-Funk’ , ‘Chill pill’ and ‘bouncy ball’. They all contained dates as their main base ingredient before they each used a range of nuts, seeds, natural flavours and superfoods. After that, I had a fresh tangy juice of orange, pineapple and strawberries with a hint of mint to really up the detoxing morning before crashing with a vegan chocolate Lamington, a true Aussie speciality. This was all consumed around a nice mixed portion of my dad’s tasty Mexican dishes.

But of-course the weeks of high energy and excitement can cause a small moment of crashing. About two hours or so before packing up and leaving, the familiar twisting of my my fingers and clicking of my knuckles, without conscious or aware of doing so, began. The constant movement of my leg shaking up and down, with the accompanying biting of the lips were the first signs of the small clench in the throat which would lead to the rapid flow of my bloodstream around my body. My answer was to just get up and move quickly before it began to confuse me. To me, the best way to deal with it. I believe that dismissing all the anxious feelings of the trip for weeks before suddenly started to show. However, It was only a little moment. The market is situated below a shopping mall, so my quick exit route upstairs into a more quiet surrounding (compared to the hustle and bustle of the market down below) gave me room to walk around in circles. Not flattering but it was bound to happen, right? And before I knew it, my thoughts regained strength and the rush through my body left.  The feeling was sh*t but was also a reminder to myself and my body to breathe through the overwhelming excitement once and a while. So my day continued and I didn’t let it impact anything.

All I can say is that I used to love the markets and I still do. Its so special.

Monday the 3rd, and we were back to the Gold Coast for a day by the river. Exciting!

To be continued…

*Note: I am not a professional writer. These blogs are being written from a jumbled mind of mine and so I’m sorry if there are any mistakes within the paragraphs.

 

What I Ate This Weekend #2 – Vegan

I want to begin each ‘What I Ate…’ with this reminder:

This is a diet I have found personally works for me. This means a lot of things. Don’t let a popular diet affect your way of eating! If you love the things you eat and you are happy + nourished, do not change. You do not need to change your standards to meet the criteria of some-one else’s opinion, stand up for yourself! Everybody’s mind and bodies react to different foods in different ways, emotionally and physically. Find what’s right for you and your mind/body. And yes this takes time, but one day it will pay off. Just remember that ‘A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.’ – Roald Dahl (my child hood superstar author) So lets begin…

Saturday

☮ BREAKFAST ☮

Gluten free, organic CORN FLAKES. With: Carob powder, agave nectar, Banana, chopped dates and a sprinkle of pb2 powder. Then served with half coconut rice milk and oat milk.

+ Fresh Lemon and Ginger Tea

 

☮ LUNCH ☮

Now, lunch was a bit funny. We had attended a good friends funeral and at the gathering afterwards we were treated too lots of different food dishes. However, a lot of it contained meat or cheese, so I filled up on what I could, which was…

Plain Rice, Hummus, lots of Bread and a mixed salad.

I brought with me an apple and ate that too.

SNACK

2 corn thins with marmite and some grapes.

+ Peppermint Tea

☮ DINNER ☮

Mixed Vegetable and Lentil Soup with baked Corn Mountain Bread Wraps (kinda like crisps when baked).

SNACK

4 large pitted dates and a banana both with home made carob sauce.

Sunday

❀ BREAKFAST ❀

Sweet Smoothie Bowl

CONTAINING:

• Mango
• 2 Banana’s
• Coconut Water
• Rice milk
• Half a peach
• Sprinkle Cinnamon

Topped with Buckinis, Choc Shot, Pomegranate, dates and Toasted Oats.

SNACK

Organic Vanilla Rooibos tea with a little soy milk.

❀ LUNCH ❀

Giant Fruit Salad.

Every week, mum and I set out early to our towns little market. We have made really good friends (and I even believe he may have a crush on my mum haha 🙂 ) with the fruit and veg guy who knows I’m obsessed with fruit. Each week he gives us great discounts and offers for our weekly fruit and vegetable haul. So I always love a good fruit salad after.

CONTAINING:

• Papaya
• Mango
• Strawberries
• Apples
• Pears
• Melon
• Kiwi
• Oranges
• And plums

with a sprinkle of chia seeds on top.

Yes, even though its winter here

SNACK

Raw Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bar, Classic Chai Tea and 2x Corn cakes with Marmite.

❀ DINNER ❀

Home-made Gluten Free Pizzas (which were giant)

Topped with:

Cashew Cheese (home made), Fresh and Sun-dried tomatoes, Onions, Peppers, Mushrooms, Cougette, Olives, sweet + normal potatoes and Herbs.

SNACK

A piece of dark chocolate and half an apple with cinnamon.

And that was me for the weekend…

HAPPY EATING!

 

 

Veg-Voyage Part 2

(Veg Voyage part 1–> click here)

So it was the morning of July the 20th, 2015 and I was sitting in my dads car (that I still remember from over 5 years ago) in an airport car park. The same area of the last memory I had on Australia, which happened to be the last memory of one of the biggest changes to occur in my life. The car still had the same smell, same fur covered seats and familiar stickers that a long time ago a young me thought would make the car look ‘pretty’.

My bags were loaded and we were off.

Although I would say that the 14 hour flight from Dubai to Brisbane with a belly fuelled by only a small amount of snacks and a head as light as a feather may have contributed to the effect, I won’t lie, I felt obscure. I was sitting next to a man I haven’t seen for a great chunk of my life, in a familiar setting that was just not that familiar. What do you say? What do you do? What if he doesn’t like me? What if I don’t like it here? What am I doing? What if… STOP! I was full of questions. Full of anxious feelings, but I knew one thing for sure… I’m not going to want to leave. The fact is, it was going to be difficult, but that’s why I was here.

However, It didn’t take long for me to feel settled. My dad took me to the Gold Coast, the city ‘Famous for its fun’ south of Brisbane on the East Coast. I explained to him this little blog and my new love for good nutritious foods with its glorious benefits. He understood and explained that he, himself, is trying to cut down on dairy products, coffee, etc. Perfect. We talked about the bigger changes in our lives since last seeing each other and lots to do about food. To all my friends, this will seem ironic, as i’m all about the food! So then that lead us to breakfast, or whatever it was for me, seeing as I hadn’t slept in over a day and my fellow friends were probably just going to bed! It didn’t take us long to find a decant little coffee place near the sea side that offered small vegan things and a range of sweet and savoury breakfasts.

I had a gorgeous bowl of macadamia maple clusted granola base, soy yoghurt, fruit and superfood toppings of coconut, goji berries and chia seeds. Along side it, I had a lovely bottle of tangy juice, which (if I can remember) contained Grape fruit, orange, lime and carrot. A real refresher.

It took us another hour or so driving and talking before we entered the cold mist of the forest cluttered mountain where a community of animals and friends lies at the bottom to middle edge. Where snakes, bush turkeys and other critters roam, or in other words…home.

A tiny self made mud hut where the birds clean the dishes and the kangaroo’s make the fire’s… haha I’m only messing with you.

It would be wrong to say ‘nothing had changed’, because it had. But I guess what was making me think that, was that nothing, in terms of feelings, had changed at all. It felt so natural. It felt so good.

Now the next bit, again, the feelings are very special and I don’t think there are words that exist that describe the way I felt with the next two encounters.

I have two sisters. Two younger sisters. Two beautiful younger sisters. One of which, I have never met. So not only was I re-connecting with my dad, making myself feel at home again and settling to my new (but old) surroundings, I was meeting some-one very dear and who I had already loved,but had never actually met before. Again, the sorts of things that play around  the mind are questions. What if she doesn’t like? What if she doesn’t want anything to do with me? What if I can’t be a good role model? What if I don’t know what to say? What if… well F-it  (excuse my language), I needed to meet her! And so I did, and she is gorgeous. She is my little star.

She took me to her room, showed me all her dolls, introduced me to the two new cats and there on, a new story of our lives began. I suddenly felt a little more complete.

I was re-connected with my dad’s partner and introduced to her parents, who were staying for a couple of days. To be honest, I think I sat down for an hour or so quietly trying to take it all in. But before I could really be still, we were off again to collect and resume my relationship with another little gem.

We drove down to the bottom of the mountain and waited fro the school bus to arrive. I wish I could say it was a nice little wait, but lets just say, my palms were sweaty and I was shaking inside.

“Here it is” …

Before I even had the chance to really step out of the car I saw this small little girl (who in actual fact, was not as small as I remember) clasped around my hips. I was in total state of shock, but I felt like my happiness could’ve shot me to the moon and back. Again, she was beautiful, inside and out! It took me a little while to convince myself that the little toddler I once knew, was not a toddler but a stunning young lady.She told me that my cheeks were red and then went on to ask “Is it because you are happy?” and of-course my answer was ‘ I’m happy!’.

The next couple of days: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were mainly resting, re-adjusting and chitter-chattering.

On Tuesday and Wednesday morning I had bowls of fruit with vanilla soy-yoghurt and a self made topping of muesli (which consisted of oats, various dried fruits and super foods). Thursday, I had some banana porridge.

On Tuesday my dad made some amazing maize based tortillas which he flattened with an amazing but simple construction of wood and filled it with his special bean sauce. Along with this I had some avocado and chilli sauce. True Mexican feelings were starting to take over! My taste-buds where beginning their dance hehe :)) For dinner we had a lovely quiche which was filled with sweet potatoes and pumpkin which was sourced from their permaculture. Yep, it couldn’t be any more organic.

On Thursday, my dad’s partner made an exquisite Thai dish. I have never tried real Thai food before and if you havn’t, you really have too! Using paw paws grown on their land, she made a stunning and spicy green paw paw salad with crushed peanuts, sticky rice (super sticky, yet supper satisfying) and a shredded tofu salad. Oh my… heaven! Thank you Kat.

But to sum this very long and probably over written blog post… I want to say to you all , have faith! We all get nervous, we all get scared and we all tend to doubt ourselves at things, but we also have a little fight in us. Its ok to worry, actually I believe its good to be scared sometimes. Because how else would we learn to get over what fears us if we exceed to do what it is that worries or scares us. Its been said alot, but you never know what you are capable of achieving unless you try. And in the end, if we do not pursue something a little daunting, then one day we may live to regret it! But best of all, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO DREAM, even if you are going through a nightmare.

I’m sorry for a very long post, even though it was really only the one day I talked about…

What’s next?

PART 3 COMING SOON!

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WHAT’S TO COME:

      

Berry Swirly Breakfast Smoothie Bowl

 * Vegan * Gluten Free * Dairy Free * Refined Sugar Free *

Packed with antioxidants, heart healthy super-foods as well as slow releasing energy (from the oats) to keep you moving on those busy mornings!

‘Berry Swirly Breakfast Smoothie Bowl’ – bit of a tongue twister to start this recipe off 🙂

So I’m officially half way through my GCSE exams and already exhausted from it all! The one problem about all these exams, apart from the late night revising, back aches, bags under the eyes, the blisters on my hands and the painful view of a beautiful summers day being wasted as I sit at my desk procrastinating more than revising; is that I have no time for even planning a nicely presented/cooked breakfast for the early morning revision cramming and rush to an exam.

But the one delight with all this is that a mid-point ‘gift’ of a strong Nutribullet blender from my lovely mum, has helped kick start the mornings with varied energizing smoothies/juices for those ‘quick gotta go’ moments! Thanks mummy 🙂

Now, these smoothie bowl pictures are not entirely grabbing the point of speedy breakfasts, but the content of the smoothie is just so fabulously yummy, as well as being packed with antioxidants and slow-releasing energy for the morning, that I could not resist sharing the recipe!  PLUS, the carob swirl is SO EASY and SO QUICK (I have to emphasis this by using capitals) it will blow your socks off.

Did you know? Blueberries have been linked and studied for their help in improving spatial learning and memory! Perfect for all those exams…as well as being super delicious!

* Please note that you have the right to use your creative mind and add/take out anything you wish *

What you will need:

Smoothie:

• 1 cup of freshly frozen berries of choice (I use: blueberries, strawberries and raspberries) 
• 1 RIPE banana (frozen will make it creamier but that’s optional)
• 3-4 tablespoons of oats
• 3/4 cup almond milk or water (or any other milk you prefer-you could even try coconut water if you like)
• 1 tsp chia seeds 
• Handful of frozen mango cubes (optional-add a little more liquid if so)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Carob Swirls:

• 2 heaped teaspoons raw carob powder
• 3 – 4 teaspoons of almond milk

Potential Toppings: (tried and tested)

☯ Shredded Coconut ☯ Granola ☯  Goji Berries ☯ Pomegranate seeds ☯ Brown rice puffs ☯ Buckinnis ☯

What to do:

Place the berries, banana and mango into a high speed blender with the liquid. Then add in the chia seeds, oats and vanilla. Now whizz (blend) until smooth! Pour into your favourite bowl.

In a tiny bowl stir together the carob powder and milk. It should be JUST at a runny consistency. Add more milk/carob until you are happy with it. Now the fun part, swirl or create a picture with the carob ‘sauce’ on top of your smoothie (save a little for half way through too). Have fun with it and design a symbol that reflects your mood/personalty or just your wacky creative packed mind!

Top with other desired goodies!

Enjoy x

And don’t forget to tag/share with me your creation on Instagram (@floralfoodss)! Can’t wait to see your re-creations 🙂