Guys, I have some crazy news for you. I have actually made it to day 62 of my 365 days of smoothies. I am incredibly proud of myself because this is the first time that I have kept a challenge like this going for so long. Usually I only last 2 weeks max and then I'm onto something else. This year I did promise myself that I would complete this challenge and so far so good.

I buy frozen fruits whenever I see them on special as well which helps with costs and also things like coconut water and dairy free milks I will stock up on when they are going cheap.

I freeze bananas so that I always have them ready to go. I haven't started yet but I think I will buy bananas by the box because I eat so many of them. I am thinking of getting a bigger freezer because it really is so much cheaper to buy so many things in bulk.

Sometimes if something is really expensive and I just don't think I will use it much I will just substitute it for something else. It is so easy to find different substitutes for smoothies. If a smoothie asks for fresh berries and I only have frozen I will just use the frozen ones and not use the ice cubes in the recipe and vice versa.

From this smoothie adventure and my regular vegan eating I actually spend less than I ever did eating all the processed crap. It takes a little time and money to make the switch but once you have made that switch it is good health all around :D

Stay Happy & Healthy
Liane Xx

Well 2016 is finally over! I can honestly that 2016 wasn't one of my best years. 2016 was one of those years where I felt a little emotionally drained and deep down I felt as though I didn't progress much or get where I wanted to be.

I guess 2016 was more like a limbo year.

I sat down over the weekend and really thought about the year past and what I needed to do to feel better at the end of 2017. The biggest thing for me this year is going to be working hard to build my self confidence. I need to remember that I can't rely on anyone but myself to create my own happiness.

This year is going to be about self discovery and pushing myself to really live in the moment and explore more.

So here are my 10 New Year Goals:

1. Finish my 365 smoothie challenge. 
One thing I am not very good at is finishing things. I am always getting excited about new projects, challenges, hobbies etc but I can never finish them. I think I get bored quite easily and always jump around from one thing to another. This year I really want to complete a whole challenge from start to finish. I am currently on day 34 of my 365 day smoothie challenge and it is the longest I have stuck at something. I really think I can do this one.Don't forget that you can follow my daily smoothie adventures on instagram.

2.  Save $3,000.
During 2016 I attempted to save money for a trip to the UK. I managed to save $2,000 but then life got in the way and I had some major dental work that needed doing and all my savings got used up. I was extremely upset but there was nothing I could do at the time. 2017 is a time for new beginnings so I am starting again......This year my goal is $3,000 but if I can save more I will be extremely happy. 

3. Get all my health checks done. 
One thing I always forget every year is to get certain health checks done. I am always putting them off and years go by before I know it. This year I want to make sure I get my Pap Smear booked in and done and get the rest of my teeth fixed. I also want to go and have a general check up to see where I am at with all my nutrition levels etc. Being healthy and fit is going to be a very important part of my year.

4. Receive my Certificate III in Event Management.
About a month ago my application was accepted for a TAFE course in Events Management. I am currently attempting to plan for my future career path and this is my first big step. I want to make sure that by the end of the year I have this qualification in my hand! 
 

5. Read 12 books I have never read before. 
Every year I tell myself that I want to read more. For 2017 I have decided that I will pick 12 books and read one every month. This will also help me to find some time for myself to just sit back and unwind. Something I am always forgetting to do. 

6. Shop thrifty.
Time to get serious now. I am a shopaholic!
I spend way too much money buying silly things that I end up throwing away or never using. This really needs to stop if I want to save money and travel. One of my biggest shopping temptations is clothes. This year to help save more money I am going to try another little challenge and not purchase any brand new clothes. I have been to many op shops over the last year and it amazes me how much clothing just gets tossed away, a lot of it still with the tags attached. It is all such a waste. So if I do NEED any clothes this year the Op Shops are the first place I will be heading.


7. Become more minimalistic. 
Same as above! I need to stop living with so much clutter and just experience more of the world and not rely on 'stuff'. I will have a very big declutter session and start being more organised. 

8. Go camping. 
I tell myself every year that I want to camping and every year passes and it never happens. This year I am going to make it happen! 

9. Finish my arm tattoos. 
I have quite a few tattoos planned for myself but this year there is one in particular that I would like to get finished and that is the rest of my right arm. I need the top part of my arm done to complete my sleeve so I will make that happen at some stage this year. 

10. Learn to float in the water.  
My husband has been trying to push me into learning to swim. The water has always been a big fear of mine and I really want to overcome it but I think that the way I approach it might be wrong. I'm always telling myself at the start of the year that I am going to learn to swim. I go to the swimming centre and I practice for a little bit and then I panic. Eventually I go home telling myself that I will try again next week and it never happens because I am so ashamed of failing. This year I am going to tackle it with baby steps. Instead of telling myself that I am going to swim I am telling myself that I am going to just learn to float by the end of the year.

So there you have it. My ten goals for 2017. Some are easy, some are hard and some are damn scary but we will see what 2017 brings and what I can achieve with a little bit of pixie dust and belief in myself......

What are your New Years Resolutions or Goals??


Stay Happy & Healthy
Liane Xx

 

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