SELF CARE THROUGH FOOD - WHAT YOU EAT MATTERS

So you mindlessly shove another dorito chip into your mouth,  Im mean who cares, you're busy and you don't have time for specially crafted meals - who really does now a days? I need to collect a dozen things from the shops, tick off my to-do list and then in a few hours..,, who am I kidding - quite a lot of hours, plop my bum in the couch and zone out on series and take out....

I feel myself justifying my need to do nothing - I deserve to zone out and stuff my face - life is busy. This 21st century women vibe can be a lot to pull off. And being Martha  Steward is a whole other thing to add to the game of supreme women rocking the world vibes that I need to master.... Another day maybe?

PEP TALK: Women vibes and self love and self care can be hard to priorities some times - but at the very base of self care and self love is the basic need to feed our bodies and give it rest.

Food is a means to an ends - just like sleep. But this one simple ritual that provides our body with fuel can either poison us or make us thrive. Yes you read that right -eating can be either kind or cruel.

LETS START WITH 3 THINGS WE CAN DO TO HELP US THRIVE:

Betty Bake in Woman & Home Magazine

I was fortunate enough to be in this months Woman and Home Magazine (November 2017).
The article is on baking and they did a small write up on each woman that was featured. 
I am so thrilled and humbled each time I get to be in the media and want to say a huge thanks to everyone who reads this blog - its because of you that I get opportunities like this. 
Really - THANK YOU!


Woman and Home Magazine wanted a particular pic of me holding one of my baked gluten-free cakes (which I didn't have). So we arranged a photoshoot to create the pic they required and ended up filming our fun photo shoot.

The article is on page 52 of the November 2017 Woman & Home Magazine. 

And we also did a video on the day while photographing myself and the cake. Please take a look at it.

LINK FOR SWEET POTATO CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE HERE

GRAIN-FREE SEED CRACKERS

I made these crackers for breakfast this morning. I was craving something crunchy, crispy and just

VEGAN MAYO - PLUS HOW TO RECIPE VIDEO

Whether you are vegan or NOT this mayo is the bomb dot com, yip I just said that. Thats not how I usually speak but I felt it was the best way to describe a recipe that is:

CAULIFLOWER SIDE SALAD

When you fetch your daughter from school and you ask how was your day and she replies boring. But then tells you she would have the boring day all over again just so she could eat her lunch again. Yes this is a true story, I promise. One that made me a proud mom and home cook. This dish was in her lunch box on the day in question.

Lets Holiday: 6 Things to Look for When Booking Accommodation

sponsored post / Thank you for supporting the companies that keep bettybake.co.za going

Lets play a game of - DAYDREAM: Holiday EDITION... Sounds fun and distracting doesn't it?
We are at that part of the year where Christmas was too long ago, that the relaxed feeling has long rubbed off and Easter isn't quite close enough to be in reach of holiday relief! (do you know what I mean?)

But instead Im going to distract myself with pretty pictures of accommodation and ideas of what could be and Im going to start booking some accommodation for later in the year now.
So please join me on this mini post of holiday bliss and my crazy list criteria of what I need (from accommodation) to book time away.
Maybe you are not as picky as me - Maybe all you need is a tent and a patch of dirt... me I just can't!

RULE 1:  Pictures
I need to see pictures! Im one of those people that when we book time away - I need to see photos of the decor, furniture and kitchen. If I can't see myself relaxing in the spot (with decor that I like) it definitely a no-go from me.
I sound crazy (don't I?) but I just know it won't be nice for me and holidays are meant to be nice AND relaxing after all.

The TWO Party Method (THROW TWO PARTIES IN ONE DAY)

PARTY/PARTIES
For those of you who follow my social media platforms you will have seen that I planned and created my daughters 13th Birthday Party.... and if you know me even a little, you will know that we host 2 parties on the SAME day for the birthday girl. Why you may ask?

BLOGGING or not so much

I have been dragging my feet about this blog and a lot of things lately. Im not sure why.

I think in some way its not serving me anymore. You see I love interaction with people.

I like to post but haven't posted because food blogging is labor intensive

It looks something like this:
methodically writing down a recipe(making sure to double check your measurements,
taking photos and editing them,
uploading,
typing out the recipe,
writing an intro,
tagging the post for search phrases for google
and finally pushing PUBLISH.

AAAAND then *crickets* or the odd comment of yum (thanks random people who comment YUM but not very interactive).

You see Im not seeing the reward that I was hoping for. I have managed to grow a teeny tiny following on twitter, Instagram, snapchat and Facebook for this here blog but I seem to have even started publishing less on those platforms to. Its strange really  - Am I going through a shift into something else?
I studied to me a health coach but its not that either.... I am properly freaked out by my lack of clear guidance of what I should actually be doing. I do still love food (just so you know). Although the kinds of food i eat now are WAY different from where this blog started. Just go back through my old recipes from the beginning of this blog and you will find dairy and eggs and sugar!! WHAT!???
Our lives are now filled with foods that are made from scratch, contain no sugar, no dairy or eggs and are still gluten-free. We eat nothing (not a thing) that is refined. We have transitioned into being vegan (so far, so good) can't promise how long we will stay vegan but 2 months already and very happy. Myself and the husband are grain-free too. Its crazy really!
Maybe I feel like everything on here is no longer a reflection of how we eat.
We eat so differently the old posts feel weird to me.

But this is just me putting fingers to my keyboard and thinking through something I haven't a clue about.

Please know that if you are reading this post, thank you for listening to my rambles.

UPDATE: August 2017 no longer vegan BUT still staying with doing no gluten, no dairy, no eggs, no legumes, no beans, no grains, etc. I noticed my husbands thyroid symptoms and energy needed some help and by adding a little organic, free range meat has helped... We are still predominately plant based.



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BERRY SUMMER SMOOTHIE

I have been loving having berries around now that the warmer weather seems to be here, Hello Spring and then Summer!

This is one of those make shift recipes where it really just a guideline to what I throw in my blender (so please adjust according to your taste).

Vegetarian
Summery
Fruity
Quick
and could be vegan if you sub the honey for maple syrup.


BERRY SMOOTHIE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

+/- 2 cups of berries (I used strawberries and mulberries)
1 medium banana
1 cup organic coconut milk
2 -3 Tablespoons hemp seeds
1 teaspoon honey. 

1/4 cup filtered water (if to thick - OPTIONAL)

METHOD
Blend and adjust sweetness and thickness to taste. 

serve. 

Comment and tell me what your favorite smoothie combo is below.

I don't look like a health coach and here is why...

Time to lift the curtain and for you to know what is really going on with me.

Im a health coach but I don't look like a perfect, slim, gym clothes wearing coach.
I really do practice what I teach - I eat a mostly vegetable based diet, I drink water and herbal tea (no

WIN - The Healthy Life Book by Jessica Sepel

This book is a great resource tool for anyone who is trying to get healthy.

Overview
As a health coach there is SOOOO much in this book that I teach and help my clients with.
The first 126 pages of the book are filled with 10 Principles for a Healthier Life and Nutrition 101.

6 reasons I love snapchat

If you feel like I have been missing around here - well its because I have been (sorry).
But there is a good reason why,,, well I think its a good reason.

You see I have fallen in love
(pause for dramatic effect)

with


Snapchat


Once I figured out the simplicity of the app (at first I was convinced there had to be more to it) and

Table Magazine and Grazia Magazine

Hello you

Its been a busy, fun and exciting time around here. Myself and this blog have been talked about in two publications and an email newsletter. I am more than thrilled - as publicity is always a blessing!
This blog post is my way of keeping track of any publicity for myself and to share with you what has been happening.

TABLE MAG: So first off here I am personally in the Table Magazine for my instagram account. I was blown away to be featured with international women of amazing standards when it comes to health and well-being. I am so chuffed to be 1 of the 5 (deliciously Ella and Sarah Wilson - are 2 to of the women I am alongside - WOW)

IM THAT MOM!

Im THAT mom - you know the kind that other moms roll their eyes at.

Can my kid have a play date at your house? umm maybe... but I'll send her food. Why you may ask? because my kid's gluten-free, dairy-free and eats organic food.  - Do you have organic carrots and organic fruit at your house? Sadly most don't.

Moms look at me as if Im crazy - I try to tell them as politely as possible that I would like to send my childs food - they almost always look at me like I have a big fat crazy thing coming out my head! yes

LEMONADE POPSICLES

One hot summers afternoon my house contained 3 hot and sweaty little girls in need of some ice cream! (my daughter and two of her cousins). It was that sweltering kind of heat and plus who could say no to those cute little faces asking for a cold treat? - I couldn't.

One SMALL word to create change

I wrote this blog post for when you're feeling motivated BUT you ALSO want change...  Its the DIY of how to help yourself get from feeling to doing.


Ever felt really chuffed with yourself for feeling all motivated? I have! We feel like change is around the corner, we can feel it with every part of our being... then after a day or two OR a week or two it fades. Which kind of sucks.... Have you ever wandered what to do with that motivation AND how to help yourself make it work for you?

It all starts with a change in mindset - you see feeling motivated is not an action.

I know as a human being we (myself included) like to stop at the feeling... example: feeling motivated to go for a walk is very different to ACTUALLY GOING and doing the walk. But I really like that I felt motivated to want to do it (10 points for me - wink)

PICK JUST 1 THING

It occurred to me that there are only 52 weeks in the the year and therefore only 52 Mondays, 52 Tuesdays, 52 Wednesdays etc (you get my point). So that would mean that I could harness this power of pattern that the working world (calendar) has put before me to pick one day of the week and decide to work on a skill, or desire I want to make happen.

It seems silly that I have only just realized the power of this. I mean I have always had the same 52 weeks every year right? but this year it dawned on me - lets say I pick every Monday to write for 30 minutes (I mean just 30 minutes, once a week) sounds doable. That means I would get in 50 sessions of writing (I took out 2 weeks because you know - life happens).


THE MATH
So back to the 50 sessions.
Lets do the math: 50 session x 30 minutes = 25 hours. 

25 hours of doing something consistently is nothing to sneeze at.

WIN - MINDFULNESS Colouring Books

In the health and wellness world there has been a trend towards being more mindful.

Being Mindful can take some practice. We can easily run around crazy and busy (plus with the fast paced way of living that has become normal) we just don't make time for ourselves. Unless we are sick and then we have no choice.

Well I have some GOOD news for you. If you are an adult and you loved to colour-in as a child - guess what? you can totally colour in as a adult and be mindful (being good to yourself). PLUS with science on our side its really good for your brain!

REVIEW That Sugar Book by Damon Gameau

Overview
This book is for anyone who means business about their health. Not only is it very educational it clearly walks you down a path of what kinds of sugar there are in the world BUT also the health community is eating... The so called "healthy" snacks we all think we are doing so well with-in our kids lunch boxes and snacks. Things like fruit juices and health bars etc... I mean they are healthy aren't they???  Well surprise surprise we may not be that healthy after all.

Gluten-Free NOT so healthy RANT!

I love to find gluten-free recipes on the internet but just lately Ive been more and more shocked when I see that even though the gluten has been swapped out in the recipe for other flours the sugar is still there and sometimes its even MORE than before to mask some of the different tasting flour alternatives!
We often love to believe that when we are gluten-free we are soooo healthy! I mean we know that gluten can be bad for some of us and wreak havoc in our bodies ... but don't be fooled that just because you made a gluten-free cake you can eat if for breakfast, lunch and supper - I means its gluten-free so it must be healthy right ;) ... I just wanted to point a little finger at sugar and other nasties that could be in your baking or food that is just as bad for your digestion. I know we all want to be the best and healthiest version of ourselves - YAY! So lets strive for less sugar and more natural ways to baking and cooking. (here's looking at you gluten-free biscuits in the shops- they sneak in lots of other junk!)

Please note in this little rant I know I'm not perfect but Im trying to remember that my body is worth beautiful food and support so that it feels nourished. So this post is as much for me as it is for any one else wanting a happy body... minus the the inflammation (hint: sugar can cause inflammation)