Beetroot, Apple & Echinacea Super Food Juice

Super Food Juice for boosting your immune system...

Beetroot is a great for your heart health, a good source of iron and folate (naturally occurring folic acid). It also contains nitrates, betaine, magnesium and other antioxidants (notably betacyanin).

Research is showing that beetroot can help to lower blood pressure, naturally boost exercise performance, can sooth inflammation and studies are under way regarding the prevention of dementia.

Apple has a super powerpack of health supporting vitamins. They're also great for heart health.

Echinacea is a versatile tincture to support your immune system

Especially useful during winter, echinacea is a multi-purpose herb; greatly valued by Native Americans for centuries because of its many uses.

You can buy it here...

Remember: This echinacea tincture isn't suitable for use by children under 12 or during pregnancy or lactation unless recommended by a healthcare practitioner.

                                                                                  Ingredients...

1 small raw beet (washed)

1 large apple (washed)

sprig of mint (optional)

Method...

Press all the ingredients through your juicer, add 15 drops of tincture, stir.

Enjoy!

You could add ginger or celery or carrot, or a squirt of fresh lime to your recipe, I'd be delighted if you came back to share your ideas with me here :-)

shop Neals Yard Remedies online https://uk.nyrorganic.com/shop/freshconnective/area/shop-online/

Easy Ayurvedic Golden Turmeric Milk Recipe

Vibrant Golden Turmeric Milk drank warm or cold, is an earthy comforting treat. This delicious plant based milk is completely relaxing and soothing, it's extremely nutritious and perfect for supporting the body to heal inflammation as it's packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Turmeric milk is a traditional Ayurvedic drink used to boost health and vitality and can be taken at night to promote sleep.
The health benefits of turmeric milk are further enhanced by adding coconut oil and black pepper as this aids the body to better absorb "curcumin" turmeric's most active compound.

Ingredients...

3 cups almond milk (or your choice of milk, rice, dairy, oat etc…)
2 inches fresh turmeric root (scrubbed) 
1 inch fresh ginger (scrubbed)
spoon of quality raw organic coconut oil
either a spoon of raw honey or 2 dates (to sweeten)
• Place almond milk with all other ingredients into the Vitamix
• Blend for at least minute or so
• Pour into two mugs or glasses, kick back, enjoy.

Now that you have the basic recipe you could warm it on the stove with cinnamon or cardamom or clove. Or perhaps use coconut milk. or in fact any other milk. Use date or rice syrup or coconut sugar to sweeten, maybe even top with a grating of fresh nutmeg. Incorporate black pepper if you wish. Please note that if using a regular blender, you may prefer to strain before drinking.
There are endless possibilities, please do share yours with me here :-)
Ps, make sure you wash your utensils ASAP after using turmeric!

                                                           

Instructions for basic home-made almond milk recipe...

Cover 2 cups of almonds with water and leave to soak overnight.
Drain and thoroughly rinse the soaked almonds.Put almonds, 4 cups of water and perhaps a dab of vanilla into the blender.
Wizz on high until thoroughly blended.
Strain through muslin/nutbag. (I usually pop the roughage into a freezer bag to use in protein bars etc)

Stealth Health Snack Bars

Stealth Health Snack Bars (bit like Nigella's but better)

I often do my gym work out at lunch time, which means I need a healthy snack around mid morning, these chunky bars of yumster goodness are everything I need to see me through.

They would also be a great choice if you're prone to an afternoon nibble. Because they're packed with slow release natural energy foods, you'll not need a nap after scoffing them.

If you want to use different nuts, go ahead, if you don't fancy the fruit then leave it out and simply add more nuts or seeds. Mostly, I use up whatever happens to be in my kitchen at the time of baking! 

I make a batch on Sunday, cut them into squares, and keep them in a container in the fridge ready to grab in the mornings.

You can also add your maca and/or lacuma powder to the mixture but be aware that baking will slightly reduce some of their health benefits.


Ingredients:

1½ cup oats

1¼ cup chopped dates 

1½ cup hot water 

½ cup sesame seed

½ cup mixed pumpkin, sunflower or chopped nuts etc

½ cup cocoa nibs

handful corn/bran flakes (or similar)

handful dried fruit (cranberries, chopped apricot etc)

1tbs melted coconut oil

1tbs chia seed                   

In a sauce pan, warm and mush the dates in the hot water.

Add and mix together all of the ingredients.

Press the mixture down into a lined baking dish/tin.

Bake at 175 for 30 mins, once cooled cut into pieces, keep in the fridge for one week or freeze in a container.

With Love, Dawn x

Neal's Yard Remedies Organic Canterbury shop

Neal's Yard Remedies Beauty Book

Neal's Yard Remedies have just launched the brand new Beauty Book

BUY HERE

It's a wonderful edition to any coffee table but presently mine is mostly living on my kitchen table, It's packed with up to date information on how to identify your skin type and nourish it accordingly.  I'll be sharing the lotion and potion recipes with you as I try them out.


Your essential guide to natural beauty from the in-house experts at Neal’s Yard Remedies.

• Over 60 natural foods & ingredients – fully illustrated and detailing their beneficial properties • Step-by-step guides to simple pampering techniques – including feet and hand massage, and body brushing
• 6 make-up looks – with easy to follow step-by-step directions
• Daily beauty regimes – how to achieve glowing skin, a younger-looking complexion, stronger hair and much more

The fully illustrated must-have guide includes:

• 100+ organic beauty recipes – such as anti-ageing eye creams and exfoliating masks

Written by:
Susan Curtis 
Practising homoeopath and naturopath, and our Director of Natural Health

Pat Thomas
Journalist, campaigner, broadcaster and editor of our natural health website, NYR Natural News

Fran Johnson
Cosmetic Scientist, practising aromatherapist and our Formulations Manager (the brains behind some of our award-winning beauty)

Justine Jenkins
Renowned celebrity make-up artist, broadcaster and cruelty-free cosmetics ambassador

“An A-Z of aesthetic alchemy – from a detailed directory of vital ingredients to natural recipes for organic skincare” Vogue.co.uk

BUY HERE:

Enjoy, Dawn x

Immortelle Essential oil

I have an exciting new product to share with you... Immortelle also known as Helichrysum, is the latest organic essential oil from Neal's Yard Remedies Organic.

The Immortelle plant is an aromatic herb, native to the Mediterranean, with yellow, daisy-like flowers.
The flowers do not wither and are popular with florists, hence their name Everlasting Flowers or the French Immortelle. 

The Immortelle essential oil is highly valued for perfumery as well as aromatherapy.

Latin name: Helichrysum Italicum  Origin: Bosnia (although it grows quite happily here in my Kentish garden in the UK)

Method of extraction: Steam distillation of the fresh flowering tops.

Description: Immortelle oil is a yellow liquid, sometimes with a tinge of red.

The Flower oil scent: is heady and honeylike, with a warm and spicy undertone.

Key actions: Balancing, Cooling, Moving, Regenerative.

Key reasons of use: Stress, nervous exhaustion, depression, allergies, eczema.

Methods of use: Massage, bath, skin cream, room fragrance, inhalation.

Blends well with: Chamomile, geranium, lavender, rose and citrus oils.

About the product:

Regenerative

Skin-soothing

Cooling

De-stressing & uplifting

Heady, honey-like aroma with warm & spicy undertone

Directions for blending with a base oil, lotion, bath oil or shower gel:

Adults with no skin sensitivities (1-2%): blend up to 5 drops in 10ml (2tsp), up to 10 drops in 20ml (4tsp), up to 15 drops in 30ml (2tbsp), up to 30 drops in 60ml (4tbsp)

Children over 2 years, adults with delicate skin, or for applying to face (less than 1%): blend up to 2 drops in 10ml (2tsp), up to 4 drops in 20ml (4tsp), up to 6 drops in 30ml (2tbsp), up to 12 drops in 60ml (4tbsp)

Vaporisation: add 2-4 drops of essential oils to a burner or diffuser

A 5ml bottle is £30 and you can purchase it HERE

With love, Dawn x

Zen Soto Aroma Diffuser

So, simply put, my Zen Soto Aroma Diffuser has been my latest love and obsession since the very first moment I pressed the "on" button!

I have to admit that when I first saw this gadget in the catalogue I was wondering what all the fuss was about? I thought it looked quite ordinary...pa! how wrong can I be.
Then fortunately I got to experience one in action, I promise I'm not joking when I say I actually gasped with delight :-)

Instant spa-dom:
You see from the very first second you press the button, a silent gorgeous and almost mysterious vapour winds its way from the little spout at the top. 
The Zen Soto is ultrasonic which means no heat is involved, the nature of the essential oil you put in remains pure and you will benefit from their properties immediately.

Because the Zen Soto uses high frequency ultrasonic vibration to create a fine aromatherapy mist, it's a mini humidifier and hydrates the air without creating condensation so air quality is greatly improved.

It's also an ioniser.. it produces mood boosting negative ions providing many health benefits.

Easy to use:
Lift up the lid, it comes with a little cup that you can use to fill the miniature tank with water, add 4 drops of your favourite essential or fragrance oil, replace the lid, switch on, do a happy dance.                                 

Where do you keeps yours?

It's especially great to have near-by for easing snuffles or nasal congestion.

Use the Soto as a soothing colour changing night light, switch to stay on your favourite colour, or, use only the diffuser without a light.
Which ever your choice, it will continue to fragrance your room for approx 3-4 hours, it then automatically switches itself off making it perfectly safe around pets and children. More wonderfully, we don't have candle flame anxiety anymore!
I have mine silently wafting my fave relaxing essential oil blend in the therapy room, in the office, I use a nightime blend essential oil in the bedroom and of course presently I'm using a winter aromatherapy blend at my Neal's Yard Organic parties.

For the price of a couple of quality candles this diffuser wins hands down for me, it doesn't create smoke, can safely be left unattended, I'm able to easily change the scent as often as I choose, its wipe clean, has low energy consumption (is only 12W) uses LED colour lights and it's great for my families health, you can see why I'm singing about it.

You can check out the Zen Soto Aroma diffuser HERE  
Enjoy, Dawn

If you're local to Canterbury, Faversham or Herne Bay Kent then maybe consider getting a few friends together for a little pamper party? I'd be delighted to plan it with you, tell you all about your hostess free gifts and free shopping possibilities and come along to demonstrate the products. Message me here or join the conversation on Face Book 

                                                      

Store cupboard Organic coconut body scrub recipe

Out of your favourite winter scrub? no problem, whizz up this home made recipe in minutes.

A good exfoliating and moisturising scrub can exfoliate dry skin, prevent breakouts, prevent in-growing hairs and will leave your skin feeling refreshed and gleaming.

whizz up   2 tablespoons of porridge to a fine oatmeal.

mix with    2 tablespoons of brown sugar.

mix in       1 tablespoon of warmed Organic virgin coconut oil

mix in       2 tablespoons of warmed coconut milk.

optional:   a pinch of cinnamon powder.

In the bath or shower, massage the scrub in a circular motion over the skin, and rinse off.

easy peasy lemon squeezy plus suitable for vegans (although there isn't actually any lemon in this recipe!)

The Organic virgin coconut oil I use in this recipe is the same oil I use in smoothies and on toast or crackers instead of butter :-) you can purchase it right here 

Enjoy, Dawn

If you're local to Canterbury, Faversham or Herne Bay Kent then maybe consider getting a few friends together for a little pamper party? I'd be delighted to plan it with you, tell you all about your hostess free gifts and free shopping possibilities and come along to demonstrate the products.