iin australia & berry nice cream

How are you, my friends? Me? I've had an ah-mazing week full of birthday celebrations and a weekend in Sydney for the Institute for Integrative Nutrition's live conference in Australia! I've had heaps of fun this week but I'm so thankful for slow Mondays to rest, recalibrate and rite write. One of my goals for this year has been to write more and I am making space for this during the week. Another goal has been to reduce the amount of natural sugars in my diet to help my body heal from Candidiasis. This week I am trialling going completely sugar-free! I'm counting on the amazing wellness community out there and have already come across these sugar-free vegan recipes. I'm also inspired by Pete Evans, a paleo chef here in Australia, to eat vegetables for breakfast!

Celebrating my 28th birthday with raw carrot cake!

Speaking of Pete Evans… 

…he was a guest speaker at the conference I attended on the weekend for the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, the New York based school through which I am studying Health Coaching. The one-day conference was held in Sydney, so I flew in on the Saturday arvo as I didn't want to miss the awesome vegan dinner for IIN peeps at the organic restaurant Bodhi. If you are in Sydney, I highly recommend you try this place out! The food was a delicious array of a la carte entrees, mains and dessert. Our dessert was a raw sticky date and cacao mousse fruit tartlet. Absolute food heaven! 

Raw vegan lunch during the conference from Raw Eats

On the Sunday I attended the conference with like-minded Australian health and wellness coaches and coaches-in-training including fellow Melburnian, the vivacious Kristy from Friends Gather Round, to be inspired by amazing guest speakers and the school's founder and visionary, Joshua Rosenthal. There is a health revolution dawning and health coaches are on the front lines of the battlefield. Joshua, in his gentle and inspiring way, reminded me of a few things that are crucial for advancing… being healthy is easy, being sick is complicated; health is a vehicle, not a destination; don't let procrastination or being paralysed stop you from pursuing your dreams. 

Sometimes I think the thing we can do to best serve the world is this… dream. And then, just do it. 

Joshua Rosenthal, the founder of IIN

Me in Sydney!

berry nice cream

2 bananas, peeled and frozen

1/2 cup frozen mixed berries

1/4 cup dried shredded coconut 

1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon

sprinkle cacao nibs & goji berries, to garnish

Place the bananas, berries, shredded coconut and cinnamon into a high-powered blender or a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy - use a tamper to push the ingredients into the blades of the blender (you may need to stop and stir the mixture once or twice). Pour into a bowl and serve with cacao nibs, goji berries and your choice of freshly sliced fruit. Drizzle with pure maple syrup or yacon syrup for delightfully gooey goodness. Serves 1-2. 

Quote for the Road…