The weekend before Christmas we decided to have a last minute mini getaway. It was absolutely perfect! My husband and I joined some friends and headed down to a beach shack at Myponga Beach.

If you haven't heard of this place before, it is incredible. I absolutely loved it. Myponga Beach was only about 45 minute drive from my house BUT it felt like I was miles and miles away. It is such a secluded little spot and the shack we had was right on the beach. It was so cute and tranquil.


Because I am doing my 365 vegan smoothie challenge I of course packed a smoothie for the road and I threw my blender in the car for the weekend. It was SO good. I thought it would be annoying to lug around but it actually wasnt that bad and I just threw my weekends worth of smoothie ingredients into a cooler bag. Easy Peasy! No excuses for this challenge.



I really enjoyed the drive and even managed to stop and pat some cows :) they were so adorabubble!


Hubby and I stopped to pick up some vegan foods to go with the barbeque our friends were cooking up. People are always suprised with the foods we bring along to parties etc. They always end up loving them. I found this yummy Moroccan couscous salad in the Yankalilla Foodland. It was perfect for a barbeque side dish. I also grabbed some vegan schnitzels and cooked them on the barbeque. We used the schnitzels to make tropical burgers with grilled pineapple, tomato and lettuce.


On the Saturday the boys headed out for their usual big Saturday morning ride. While us girls headed out for a look at the Yankalila secondhand book store and the Yankalilla bakery.......

Okay let's have a real serious conversation about the Yankalilla Bakery guys.....I have never been so excited after setting foot in a bakery. Basically my girlfriend suggested the bakery because she has been there before and said not only was it amazing but she was pretty sure they had vegan pie options. I am always happy to try something new so we headed there for lunch.

Once I set foot in there I was in heaven. Vegan pies, pasties and sausage rolls were not the only options! They also had vegan cakes AND vegan DONUTS!!! Of course I had to try one of them.........

December has been a very interesting month so far. I was recently given a vegan smoothie book that my daughter thought I might like as she no longer needed it. The book is by Kathy Patalsky and is called '365 Vegan Smoothies'.

It has been quite a while since I have posted on here. I really love blogging and it always makes me happy when I actually get it done but lately I just haven't been able to find the time. I am going to make it my new goal to try and blog at least twice a week.

Now that I have finally managed to get a general routine back into my lif, I think I am ready to dedicate some of my week to just writing. I am super excited and I hope to be able to organise set days for you guys for my meal prep posts and monthly favourites. 

Speaking of favourites, this month I have been super excited to find some vegan beauty products that I have absolutely loved and I am so keen to show them off to you guys.

All of these items were just found in my local Coles. I always try hard to keep up with my vegan eating but recently I have been trying to make the conscious effort to change my daily beauty products to vegan options as my old products run out. I am really trying hard to cause as least damage to the environment and animals as I can by making better choices and researching.

This month I started to run out of some of my products and I replaced them with these options:


Original Source Mango Shower Gel:
Seriously guys! I can't get enough of this stuff, it smells absolutely amazing. I spend most of my sower time just sniffing the bottle. It is devine. The first time I swapped my shower gel I chose the mint scented one in the Original Source brand but it was such a strong smell of mint and tea tree that it really annoyed my nostrils in the morning. When I found this Mango one I was in heaven. I love my morning showers now. Not only is the smell amazing but it is also super soft on the skin. I love it.




Australis Oh 2 Glow Liquid Foundation: 
I have always had a love hate relationship with liquid foundations. I I can never find the right colour or when I do find the right colour it doesn't feel nice on my skin or it fades during the day etc etc. A friend recommended this foundation to me and when I found out that it was also vegan friendly I knew I had to give it a try.
I am hooked. This foundation is da bomb! It is so nice and silky to put on your skin and it really gives a lovely natural finish. It is also a good colour match for my skin. I have the shade 'natural tan' and I just haven't found any other foundation that I have used so much and not tired of. I am hoping to try out a few more australis products as I believe quite a few of their products are vegan friendly.




Australian Pure Beauty - Pores Be Clean 
Everyone needs a good exfoliating face scrub! I have been through so many different exfoliating scrubs in my life it's not funny. The Australian Pure Beauty one I chose has Lilli Pilli and Wattleseed in it and although i'm not a huge fan of the scent, I do really like the scrub. It does the job well and my face feels really clean and smooth after I use it. I also love that it is an australian made and owned product. I only use this face scrub twice a week and I am currently looking to replace my daily face wash soon with a vegan product so I will let you know how that goes when I find one.

Australian Pure Beauty - Skin Be Clean Wipes 
From the same company I found these cleansing face wipes. This brand was on special in coles so when I found the face scrub I also grabbed the wipes. Again I am not a fan of the scent of these wipes. They are enriched with cucumber and vitamin E and are super soft on my skin. I wouldn't say they are the best wipes i have ever had but they are definitely in my top 5 and being a vegan product really hits the right spot for me. They remove make up really well but I must admit that I have had better wipes for removing mascara. These ones just take a little extra to get the eye makeup off.

CROP Pure Rosehip Oil 
Holy crap, I certainly saved the best for last. This rosehip oil is a lifesaver. I use this oil every time I clean my face and it is PERFECT!! My face has never felt so good in my whole 30 years on this earth. This stuff is like a dream and I just can't get enough. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend. It is so soft on my skin and helps keep my skin smooth all day. I am not going to be able to survive without it ever again. It is a little on the pricey side but I think it is worth the price.

So there you have it guys. My favourite vegan beauty products so far. Do you have any favourite products you think I should try?? I would love to hear about them so please let me know in the comments.

Stay Happy & Healthy
Liane Xx
 

As I write this it is 1am on Saturday morning and I am rugged up on the couch watching Come Dine With Me with cough syrup, honey and lemon tea, tissues and a thermometer.

Okay folks! Things got serious this week when a new shop opened at my local shopping complex right next to my house. I do all of my shopping there every few days and now they have opened up a tiny Vietnamese Place. Which means that I can now go and get tofu Banh Mi's (vietnamese rolls) so much more frequently!! Excitement overload!

Here is the first one I purchased the other day. It was YUM! and my husband and I were the very first customers and we will be regulars for sure. 


I also work at the complex so I now have access to glorious food ALL the time! Double excitement. Basically my life is made. I find it hard to find vegetarian options locally (there is a lot closer to the the city) unless it is just a salad so you can understand how happy this makes me. I now how variety at work with Sushi, Vietnamese rolls and salads :D Yay!

Breakfast the last couple of days has just been oatmeal or toast. Nothing too exciting but more exciting things will come up again soon. I am trying out some recipes.

Dinner has been pretty basic as well. We haven't been major food shopping for a few days so we have just been having whatever is in the house. Using the pasta's etc. I will be shopping again soon which will mean more fancier foods again.

Not every day has to be full of fancy foods. I have been snacking on plenty of fruits. Yesterday I ate almost half a watermelon. I just love watermelon.

Apart from food, my wellness adventure has been  going well. Part of my wellness plan is to spend more time with friends and family which has been going really well now that I am planning my time more wisely and realising what is important to me.

The girls and I had a fun night out with a a cinema date to go and see 'Don't Breathe'. I was pretty keen to watch this movie because I love horror movies. But this movie wasn't really scary it was more sick and twisted. Picking it wasn't the best decision I have ever made but it was worth it for the giggles that us girls had and the horror on our faces at some of the twisted storyline.

I definitely wouldn't say that it was a masterpiece or anything. But it is good for a squirm or if you really like watching how twisted people can be. I don't know who comes up with these storylines that's for sure.


Next on our list of movies to watch is definitely the new Blair Witch movie. I'll let you know how that one goes too :P

I'm starting to go to bed every night and think of 5 things to be grateful for in my day. It is really helping me to relive my day especially when it seems like it has been stressful or not the best experiences. Being able to look back through and find those 5 things of gratitude that totally outweigh the negative is so good! Especially at night time because you can sleep knowing that it wasn't that bad and that tomorrow is a new start. I find that it makes me wake up so much more refreshed.

I thought I might start sharing my 5 daily gratitudes with you all as part of my blog posts. So here goes...........

Today I am grateful for: 

1. My girlfriends who provided so many giggles
2. The new Vietnamese place 
3. The memories that music can hold and create
4.  Having clothes to keep me warm
5. My husband for keeping me sane and happy

Stay Happy & Healthy
Liane Xx

Life is turning some more corners yet again. The last couple of days I have been looking at different pathways to take for my future. I still haven't decided on anything concrete but I am definitely looking at a whole bunch of alternatives.

The fact that there are so many options that I would love to explore gives me so much excitement. My bucket list is forever growing and I am always on the look out for more of life's experiences. There are so many things I would love to learn like nutrition, psychology, history and minimalism and I would also love to get involved in volunteer work and lots of travelling.

I want to live life to the fullest and also give to others whether that is through teaching, helping or caring for others. I don't want to be tied down to one thing. It has taken me a long time to reach this level of confidence and satisfaction in myself. Admitting to myself that I am not somebody that wants to be tied down to one thing has been a huge step for me. I have always been under the belief that I had to be brilliant at one thing. That I had to choose one career to be succesful. Now I believe that the person I am is always going to be learning and growing. I seek everything that the wide world has to offer and i'm happy and excited to get out there and venture into the unknown. This is my life now and i'm finally happy with where it may go.

The last week has really been one of many thoughts, ideas and revelations. You will all see many changes in me over the coming months, I am sure. I am so excited to be able to have this platform to share all my adventures and what I learn from life. My blog makes me incredibly happy.

Okay now that I have shared some of my deep dark thoughts from the week, let's get back onto the whole food topic. Today was a pretty good day food wise.



Breakfast: Turmeric Tropical Smoothie
Snack: Dried Mango
Lunch: Minestrone Soup
Snack: Peanut Butter Toast
Dinner: Salmon Capsicum Pesto Spaghetti

Ohhh another exciting moment from this week......I discovered the fun world of op shopping!! I spent a whole day this week just browsing several secondhand shops at Darlington and I am a total fan. Completely hooked. Check out these amazing bargains I picked up. Just $30 in total!!


There is a Forever New dress in there folks! I'm certainly going to make this a regular thing.

I would love to do some blogs on minimalism soon as I venture into that. Stay tuned.

Stay Happy & Healthy
Liane Xx

The most important thing for helping make most dishes that extra fantastic and tasty is the sauce or dressing that you use. I spend a lot of my time in the kitchen just throwing all sorts of flavours together but I do also have a few go-to recipes for sauces, dressings and dips that I absolutely love and use very frequently.

Today I thought I would share these favourites with you all.

The secret to making all these condiments by hand is this amazing mothers day gift my husband and kids gave me last year. The most used appliance in my kitchen it is perfect for whizzing up dips and sauces as well as blitzing those yummy homemade soups.




Vegan Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts
pinch salt and pepper

Just blitz all of those ingredients in a processor until at your desired consistency and hey presto :D
I use my basil pesto for dips, pasta, sandwiches, wraps and sometimes on my vegan lasagne. Yum!

Balsamic Salad Dressing   

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vingear
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon agave syrup or honey
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together with a fork or mini whisk.
My favourite dressing for lunch salads.

Thousand Island Dressing 

1 small onion finely diced
1/8 cup tomato paste or sauce
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp vegan mayo for extra creaminess

The perfect dressing for a summery pasta salad.

Sweet Chilli Red Capsicum Relish

2 tsps extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 kg red capsicums, chopped into 2cm pieces
400g can diced tomatoes
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup sweet chilli sauce

Stay Happy & Healthy
Liane Xx
 
 







 

 

Don't label yourself guys. I don't like labels. I have mentioned this many times and I just think labels suck. Am I vegan?? No but most of the time I eat a vegan based diet. Other times very minimally I eat some toast with honey on it. One day.........I went out for lunch with a friend and the food I ordered had some Feta on it...............Am I angry at myself? NO!!

I chose to go mostly vegan because of the health factors. I still believe in these health factors and I still 95% of the time eat this way because raw plant based foods are the very best for my body.
2% of the time I accidentally eat normal foods because I didn't read the label properly. 3% of the time my whole family is sitting down eating a meat based meal and I am just so tired that I will just eat it, i'm human!

I won't feel shit about it. I am living my life. I try my best to eat plant based foods. Most of these foods end up being vegan! YAY! I believe this is the best way to be, I won't deny that. I love it for the animals, I love it for the health benefits and I love it for the environment. If I have a choice between a vegie meal and a meat based meal I will pick the vegie meal. I just won't beat myself up about it when I choose something different and I certainly won't let people judge me.

I'm choosing to eat healthier foods. My body deserves that. Maybe one day I will get to the point where I am fully plant based. Until then i'm just trying my best to get healthier everyday and love myself. I just wanted to hit this topic up again because lately I have seen so many people hating on each other and it just breaks my heart. It is so much better to inform and teach others what you have learned than to judge them and hurt them for choices that they make. Labels give others a reason to point the finger and judge and that is just not cool........Therefore I am not a fan of labels.

Pancakes. 

Stay Happy & Healthy
Liane Xx

10 September 2008.

I went on my first date with my now husband. Our first date was a cinema date to see the new comedy at the time, Tropic Thunder. Such a funny movie and the start of a wonderful new life. 8 years later and we are happily married and on our way through an amazing adventure together. We have so many plans for our life and I couldn't have asked for anyone better to spend my life with.


Because today was a very special occasion Ross and I went out for a date night to celebrate. It was a lovely evening and we decided to spoil ourselves. One of our favourite restaurants is a Thai place called 'Pranee's Thai' it is at Brighton in South Australia and it is AMAZING. No exaggerating at all this place is da bomb!

They have a vegetarian menu that I love as well. It is really authentic flavours and the staff are o friendly and welcoming.

So we headed there for dinner. I went a little over the top with choices because......special occasion!!
Here is what we chose: 

Ross's Choice: Sweet & Sour Pork & Veg

My choice: Salt & Pepper Squid

Shared choice: Pad Thai

It was all so delicious. The salt & pepper squid is the best I have ever had ever!! If they could put this flavouring on tofu it would be even better for me. But like I said I was splurging today for the special occasion. This is how life should be.

For the rest of my day the menu was as follows:

Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Honey on toast
Snack: Latte with almond milk
Lunch: Sweet Potato Fries
Snack: Banana
Dinner: Thai Food

An easy day and a day full of delicious foods.

Stay Happy & Healthy
Liane Xx

Guys it is basically official. I hate meat!

For my 30 day challenge I was going to go back to eating meat.....occasionally. Well I just can't stomach it anymore. It makes me feel blah for my tummy. I don't feel any benefits health wise. I don't have more energy eating it and in all honesty I kind of prefer the vegies now. YAY! Which is extra great because I couldn't stomach the meat emotionally either. It never bothered me when I was younger but now that I am older and have researched the methods used and cruelty to animals my heart just sinks and I feel like I have to stand up against it.

Today I made a chicken stir fry for the family for dinner. I thought what the hell I have made it i'll just eat it. I ate it but I felt crap afterwards. I was still hungry later anyway and the whole time I looked at my plate I just thought of the chicken and how the stir fry would have been better with some cabbage and extra broccoli.

Cabbage folks!

I have actually got to the point where I prefer cabbage over meat! My mother would be shocked that this once vegie hating individual who at the age of 16 had never eaten capsicum and never even heard of Kale would now be living off vegetables and ENJOYING it all.


My 30 day challenge is still continuing. Clean eating is what my challenge is all about. So apart from the meat the other guidelines still stand. 30 days no processed foods. Even when I was vegan it was hard to stay away from all the processed foods they are so readily available and when you have been eating meat all your life you seem to believe that every dish has to have some sort of meat type product on the plate. I don't know if other people feel this way but I know I certainly did so of course when I went vegan I was constantly putting mock meat on my plate. This is fine every now and then but I really do feel that real raw clean foods are the best and should be consumed more often than anything else.

Day 4 and I am slowly getting there. It is definitely a different experience for me but i'm really excited to see what the next few weeks bring.

Enough of me talking. Here is a list of what I ate today:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with Bananas and Berries
Morning Snack: French Earl Grey Tea
Lunch: Avocado & Feta on Grain Toast with Lime (I shouldn't have had the Feta but I was out with a friend for a catch up and this was the quite expensive vegetarian option.)
Dinner: Chicken & Veg Stir Fry
Late Night Snack: Toast with Marmalade

 Lots of nutrition reading has been happening in my house this week. I am really enjoying all the research and I think it is really important to learn what we are actually putting into our mouths. Nutrition is incredibly important. I am hoping to be able to share more with you guys as I learn.

It can still be hard sometimes when there is so many bad and easy 'food' options surrounding us. Like I experienced yesterday with an easy option for a late dinner because I ran out of time. I really need to plan ahead a little better to avoid situations like that. I am thinking of having one or two freezer meals prepped each week for nights like that. Especially now that I will be working more.

Today started off really well with a gorgeous bowl of oatmeal  for breakfast topped with fresh fruit. I made this batch for the whole family before heading in to work.To give the oatmeal some extra flavour I just stirred through some cinnamon while cooking with organic almond milk and topped with a drizzle of honey.


For snacks we had some medjool dates and bananas.

I wasn't very hungry at dinner time so we just all snacked on fruit and toast for the evening.
Sometimes you don't need to be fancy.

Stay Happy & Healthy
Liane Xx

Oh my! Today was a glorious day. Day two of my thirty day challenge was just B-E-A-utiful!!!
It was a gorgeous 25 degrees in Adelaide and the sun was shining brightly. I managed to get outside and enjoy the garden. My husband and I got out in the front yard and got some much needed weeding done and then I enjoyed some sunshine in the back yard with a yummy glass of apple juice and my crossword book. It was so cute watching our two cats playing around and chasing little bugs.

Spring is my second favourite season (Autumn is my favourite) minus the crazy magpies that feel the need to attack when you are taking a stroll or riding a bike. But I absolutely adore all the gorgeous flowers that are blossoming at the moment. They always make me smile.

I did find some of my favourite clothes from our Bali holiday last year which always makes me comfortable and always give me the feeling of freedom and relaxation. A perfect addition to my relaxing day. 


Now on to the food of the day! Which I know you are all keen to see. Day two's food was just as exciting as day one and as always was easy peasy to put together.

Breakfast:  
I woke up and made a yummy batch of oats with almond milk and cinnamon. Topped with fresh blueberries and chopped banana. It is that simple. It takes me about 5 - 10 minutes.
I used to eat the quick oat sachets for quick morning go-to (pre packaged crap) but since starting this challenge I have really been reading ingredient labels and one of the ingredients I didn't know very well on the label was Maltodextrin. I decided to do some research on this ingredient because I have seen the name an awful lot on products I buy.
I found this article really interesting. If you don't know a lot about Maltodextrin, have a read. I will certainly be looking out for it more now. Making my own oats, using organic oats is so much healthier and so quick it's worth it.

Mid Morning Snack:
Most of you would have seen this in my other blog posts but I always buy half a watermelon, rockmelon, papaya or whole pineapples and chop them up the day I bring them home ready to eat for the week. Today I snacked on a big bowl of watermelon! Yum!

Lunch: 
Ahhhh today's dish of the day!
I was super impressed with my lunch today. I had some hokkien noodles and just boiled them until soft. I chopped up some spring onions and some seaweed sheets (something I learned from The Edgy Veg on Youtube - check out her vlogs! AMAZING) and then I whipped up a quick noodle sauce which consisted of:
- Chilli Sauce
- Sesame Oil
- Garlic Powder
- Honey
- Salt & Pepper
- Soy Sauce
I would like to try and make my own chilli sauce because the one we had in the fridge has way too much sugar in it and I think I could reinvent it with a little experimenting for a healthier version.
Anyway the dish was SO yum and we topped it with an egg and some fried onions. Delish. It took just as much time as making the packet migoreng noodles but there was no extra nasties.
 

After School Snack: More chopped up fruit from the fridge

Dinner: Ok guys. Here I have to tell you my horrible secret which I feel really bad about.
We got caught up in an op shopping adventure that went for a 'little' bit longer than we planned. So we then realised that the homemade pizza bases we were going to cook wouldn't be ready on time for the kids soooooo on the way home we picked up pizzas from a little local pizza shop.

Day two and I already stuffed up! But it's okay. I learned from the mistake because I no longer felt good afterwards. My body didn't like it all! This is progress as I think my body is really telling me what it needs and I won't bully myself about it any longer. Things happen and at least I am learning.

Today I learned that if my body wants to feel it's best I need to fuel it with more delicious whole clean foods. Bring on a new day and another chance to succeed. Hopefully by the end of my challenge I will have gained more lessons and be better equipped to live a clean lifestyle.

Stay Happy & Healthy
Liane Xx 
 

This morning I woke up with a brand new outlook on life. My new 30 day challenge is just one of the things I am working on in my journey to wellness. I am also researching into the whole minimalism way of living. I can see so many great things coming up for the future. Make sure you all stay tuned on the blog as there is so much more to come.

With minimalism I am currently decluttering my house. I basically do this every spring so it's nothing out of the ordinary except that this time I am REALLY decluttering. I don't want all this stuff anymore, it's crazy. I hate that it has taken me so long to work out that I don't need 'stuff'.

Anyway more on that later.......I am sure I will have lots of blog posts on minimalism very soon!

Today was my first day on my 30 day challenge. If you haven't read about my challenge you can have a read here. I have got the husband and kids on board as well but they are still eating bits and pieces here and there like 2 minute noodles, because my teenage son was apparently starving and my husband still has chocolate from Fathers Day to get through. Apart from that we have been doing pretty good so far.

I am feeling pretty good today. Refreshed and ready to take on the challenge and there have been no obstacles to battle so far. Only one day in but fingers crossed.

I have got this.......right??


 Thank you!

Inspirational quotes....you've gotta love them. I know I do.

So to get the family started I treated them to homemade bacon and egg muffins. I used wholemeal english muffins and they were a big hit. There was no cheese involved but nobody noticed.......phew!
I am still trying to stay away from meat so I didn't have bacon in my muffin. I substituted my bacon for spinach and tomato.

YUM!

Mid morning snack was a coffee. I am trying no soy products for the 30 days and I usually have soy in my coffee so I substituted that for almond milk. So far so good. I'm quite enjoying it and the almond milk I am buying is the organic kind. Remember less ingredients the better. I would love to make my own but at the moment I don't have the time. Baby steps peeps!

Lunch was just an easy salad sandwich. Wholemeal bread, lettuce, spinach, tomato, carrot, beetroot and cucumber.The kids had the same packed up for school with a fruit salad and yoghurt.
I am still big on the anti dairy thing and I have completely cut it out of my diet. However......my kids are not so keen on the dairy free alternatives yet and so they still consume it occasionally. They are old enough to make their own choices and i'm cool with that. My daughter is pretty good with anything you give her but my son's palate is a little hard to get through.

For dinner I experimented with some pasta and vegies. Experimenting with foods is so much fun and you can come up with some gorgeous flavours. There have been times where I have got flavours completely wrong but it's all about having fun and getting creative.

I got some vege coloured pasta the other day so I cooked up some of that and drained it. Then I fried up some onion added some mushrooms and diced tomatoes and stirred it all through to heat up. Following up with some halved cherry tomatoes that I had in the fridge.


With most foods it's all about the sauce or dressing. This can make a dish happen!
I grabbed a small bowl and whisked together some balsamic and maple vinegar that my husband purchased at a local market. You could just add some balsamic and a little bit of honey or maple. Two garlic cloves were then crushed in, some lemon juice, olive oil salt and pepper.

I threw the pasta in with my vegies and poured the dressing over the top.

That's it folks!


A delicious meal and if you have leftovers you can throw it in a tub for tomorrows lunch! Easy peasy.
I'm looking forward to what happens tomorrow.

Stay Happy & Healthy
Liane Xx

The last six months of my life have been a crazy ride. I have been vegan and mostly loving it but there have been parts of me that still have questions. I have never felt better since adopting the vegan lifestyle. I feel like I have a bit more energy, I no longer get mega migraines and in general I feel better. However half of the time I haven't been fully vegan because as I have mentioned previously I still eat eggs every now and then and I also eat honey.

Why?? because I believe that honey has so many health benefits and eggs are a great source of protein. Do I feel bad for eating them? Yes! because I feel pressured to keep up with the vegan values, because I want to care about the animals and also care about my body. Over the past week I have been thinking about 'labels'.

Before going vegan I had been through lots of different labelled 'diets'. I tried Paleo which also made me feel pretty good. I tried vegetarian, raw til 4 and then I have tried mini weekly meal plans from celebrities like Michelle Bridges.

I'm not looking at losing weight. That is the last thing on my mind. I'm a slim person and I am quite happy with the way I look. So why all these diets you ask?

I want to be healthy. I want to be natural and fit. I want my body to be rid of stupid chemicals that we are always putting into our bodies and I don't want the processed crap. I want real food. So far being vegan has provided me with the best of that and the Paleo way has given me knowledge and a basis for this train of thought. I just hate all the rules. I want to be able to go out and not be judged because what I am eating has some egg in it or the chocolate I ate the other day 'may contain milk products'. I want to not feel absolutely shit when the vegetarian roll I ate the other day actually had some feta in it.


Since trying all of these diets and fads I have realised how frustrating it is to cut out foods. But also how amazing my health has been since cutting out things like dairy and meat. So for the next 30 days I am starting my own challenge for myself. My challenge is to cut out foods that I have learned from experience are not good for me. As far as meat is concerned I am still trying my very best to stick to vegetarian. After my 30 days I will revisit my vegan diet and still if I still want to pursue that course. I will be eating fish for the 30 days but I will mostly stay away from meats. But my family will still be eating meat so I won't be punishing myself if I eat the odd meat with a meal however I will be avoiding it as much as possible. Please remember that this is a way for me to learn about nutrition and my body so I am trying everything on my journey.


For the next 30 days I will basically have:

- NO processed foods. 
I will be trying my hardest to stay away from packets and things that have more than 3 or 4 ingredients on the label. Ingredients I haven't heard of especially.
- NO dairy products. I don't like the dairy industry and from being vegan I have learned that my body does not approve either. This is one of the biggest things that has turned my health around so I will continue with it for my 30 day challenge.
- NO white grains/breads/potatoes.
Instead of white rice I will be choosing brown or wild rice. For breads I will limit my intake and if I am having bread with a meal it will only be wholegrain choices. Same for pastas and potatoes I will be eating sweet potatoes.
- NO store bought snack.
One of my biggest downfalls is munching on salty chips, sugar filled lollies and chocolates. For the next 30 days I will make my own snacks from home.
- Very Limited meats.

That is basically how my food intake will look for the next 30 days and I will of course be blogging daily for the next 30 days so you can all see how I am feeling each day and also the kinds of foods I eat. I will be sharing some recipes as well.
Throughout the next 30 days I will also be doing a lot of reading and research on nutrition and I am also considering doing some courses to better assist in my journey to complete health, happiness and wellbeing!!!


Stay Happy & Healthy
Liane Xx