April SAOW Newsletter

1. Conscious Club

The Gyuto Monks of Tibet will be at the next Conscious Club this Friday 22 April to deliver a truly rich and deep spiritual experience. I saw them last time they were in Sydney many years ago and the experience was something special. 

In an intimate setting of only 200 seats at Bondi Pavilion, 7 monks will chant their most sacred hymns immersing us in this ancient sound. The head monk will also share his personal journey and what life entails as a Monk. The stage will also be graced with Murray Kyle, Australian songwriter. And of course there will be group meditation and the Do Good challenge.

Team Star Anise Organic Wholefoods will be there handing out free samples of our organic artisan wholefoods delights  including dessert of signature raw cacao bars (yes please!!). 

To purchase a ticket CLICK HERE.

When: Friday 22nd April
Time: 6pm - 10pm
Where: Bondi Pavilion
Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach
Price: $55 $15 for a Vegan/Gluten Free meal

2. Dairy free coconut yogurt

We are so excited to announce that we are now selling Bondi Yogurt dairy-free COCONUT YOGURT in 375ml glass jars. I wasn't really happy with the quality of some of the coconut yogurt in the market after doing some research and then in walked Carolina from Bondi Yogurt with her 2 ingredient coconut yogurt: certified organic coconut and live cultures. Add in some time and love and you've got a delicious crap-free dairy-free yogurt. Being dairy-free for the past couple months while I cleared up some health issues has seriously forced me to consider and expand my non-dairy food repertoire. I feel I can be of much greater service to my non-dairy clients in my health coaching sessions. Have you tried this coconut yogurt yet?? We sold out within 24 hours so I'm tipping you think it's pretty special too. I'm really looking forward to your feedback! 

3.  Beef tallow cubes 

We are excited to announce a new product: BEEF TALLOW CUBES!

We have been selling 100% pastured beef tallow in containers for 5 years but to make life that little more easy for you we are now freezing our beef tallow into ice cube sized potions for you to conveniently melt down in an oven tray or frying pan to cook meat or veggies. I always use beef tallow when pan-frying meat (as it comes from the very animal I'm cooking) and now I simply throw a tallow cube into the frying pan straight from freezer.  So easy- this has seriously changed my life. No more chopping up a block of frozen tallow into small pieces and having to return the rest to the freezer. 

Tallow is an age-old dairy-free natural healthy saturated fat that has been used by traditional cultures world-wide for eons. You can also rub a little on your palms (with some essential oils if desired) to use as the most natural, non toxic and completely edible face, hand and body moisturiser. You can also use tallow to prevent and soothe baby's nappy rash. 

This product is proving just as popular as our beef broth cubes.

4.  Chocolate coated macadamias 

We included a packet of these in our Mother's Day hampers and too many people demanded that we make and sell them
as a regular product in 100g packets and individually for a bite sized "I've just died and gone to heaven" hit. 
If you tried my activated maccas and my sokolatas (raw dark maple sweetened chocolate) then combining the 2 is like a symphony where the end result is far sweeter, greater and richer than the sum of the parts. Sweet and salty, they make the best flavour combo.  If I had to choose just one food to eat before I died, these would be it. When I offer them to customers at Broth Bar & Larder the look in their eyes goes something like "Must I? I know I'm going to become seriously addicted to these. Please don't corrupt me further".  These are the bomb! 

5. MINDD forum

The MINDD Foundation promotes an integrative approach to healthcare focusing on nutrition. Each year the Foundation hosts a 3 day forum designed to educate patients and train practitioners in solutions for the prevention and treatment of disease. Tickets are now on sale for the 2016 MINDD International Forum held on 20-22 May. 

Whether you are a parent managing your child's chronic condition, an adult wanting to prevent or treat arthritis, dementia, diabetes or heart disease, or have a passion in nutrition and holistic health, the Mindd Forum offers solutions and a wealth of information. It is also a great opportunity to meet people in the industry. 

There is a terrific line up of international speakers. NY Times best selling author and keynote speaker Dr Kelly Brogan will be leading the sessions on women’s health which is an important part of the Foundation's initiative to promote healthy kids both through pre-natal care and healthy carers. Her book A Mind of Your Own has soared to the NY Times best-seller list. 

There are 2 streams to register in: 
Practitioner: MAPS & Mindd training for practitioners and students with strong biochemistry background. This is the stream I attends several years ago to become a certified MINDD practitioner. 

Public: Food Is Medicine, Women’s Health, Children’s Health which includes world experts on Biomedicine, Nutrition and Neuro therapies

As a MINDD partner, we are excited to be exhibiting our artisan wholefood products and will be supplying samples our raw kraut and bone broth. We wholeheartedly support the mission and important work of the MINDD Foundation and hope to see you there at this years forum! 

REGISTER HERE TO BOOK YOUR SEAT.
 

6. Mother's Day hampers 

Mother's Day is around the corner (8th May) and if, like me, you're over the thought of buying more dust-collecting unnecessary stuff consider our beautiful Mother's Day hampers filled with carefully selected organic artisan wholefood products that will really nourish, satisfy and delight. It's not too late to place your orders as we still have a few more hampers left.  Click HERE to view details of what's included in the hamper and how to order.

7. We are closed Anzac Day holiday 25 April.

So stock up (quite literally!) before then. 
Wishing you all a lovely relaxing Anzac Day long weekend! 
 

SAOW November Update

we are excited to announce the following new products!

beef stock cubes

We have frozen our beef broth (without added salt) into ice-cube sized portions for you to conveniently pop a cube or 2 into smoothies and sport drinks for extra nutrient-density and frothiness (without affecting the taste at all!). Any which way to sneak in our beloved bone broth into little bellies (big ones too!) is a winner. You can also add these cubes to sauces, stews and baby’s food for extra nutrient-density and liquid.

Our beef broth is long slow simmered using certified organic bones from 100% grass fed & finished cows raised on sustainable Australian farms. Our broth is truly unique because it was formulated in consultation with an integrative GP, a wholefoods dietician and naturopath to be completely free of FODMAPs and low allergenic as possible.   

I have been adding 2 cubes of frozen beef broth into my morning smoothies for almost 10 years. I started blogging about it in 2012 here and started teaching people how to do it when I started running my bone broth workshops 5 years ago. Earlier this year a customer walked into my workshop and said “You know Soulla, you really should start selling your frozen beef broth cubes”. So the idea was born but didn’t become a reality until recently as life got in the way. I’ve had tremendous response to this new product to date. It can be purchased directly from me or selected stockists such as The Health Emporium in Bondi, Foodies in Peakhurst and All Good Things Organic Market in Wollongong.

The retail price and list of ingredients can be found here.

Scroll down to read my nutrient-dense smoothie recipe!

veggie stock

We crafted this vegetable stock in response to a number of requests over the years and more recently. This stock is made by long slow simmering certified organic vegetables and dulse (a sea vegetable). This provides for a mineral-rich and intensely flavoursome vegetable broth. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans or those wishing to consume more nutrients in their diet. Some of my meat-eating friends drink veggie broth in place of water for parts of the day to up the nutrient-density ante. After all, vegetable broth can be thought of as nutrient-dense water. My 7 year old daughter is in love with my vegetable stock and asks for it. There must be minerals in there that her body is somewhat lacking. She loves taking it to school in a thermos container.

Click here and scroll down to the bottom of screen for the retail price and list of ingredients.

coming soon...

We also hope to launch a heap of new products in the coming weeks and months including veggie chips (salted or spicy), brothsicles (broth-infused ice blocks) made with Ovvio Organic teas or coconut milk based, gluten-free crackers, kale chips, spicy activated pumpkin seeds, spicy activated cashews, a gluten-free breadcrumb mix and ready-made casserole meals with root veggies and 100% pastured meat or chicken. Yes we have been busy (and that’s not the half of it!). 

I can’t wait to share these new products with you!  My passion is creating new products which don’t exist in the market or the quality of which is lacking. The products that I make and sell are IDENTICAL to the ones I make at home for myself and my kids. The same ingredients are used and the same preparation methods are employed. Our products are completely free of gluten, refined sugar, industrial seed oils and tap water. For these reasons and more. I believe our products are truly unique in the marketplace. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of my long-standing customers for your loyal support and for all of our new customers – your feedback and support has been touching and greatly appreciated. 

To make a delicious nutrient-dense smoothie for 1, blend the following with a stick blender:

+ 3/4 cup milk of choice (full-fat dairy, coconut or nut milk)
+ 2 frozen cubes of beef broth
+ 1/2 banana or 1-2 medjool dates
+ 1 tbsp extra virgin cold pressed coconut oil (optional)
+ 1-2 raw pastured egg yolks (optional). Not the whites! To understand why egg whites must NOT be consumed raw read one of my earlier posts here.

+ choice of flavours: 2 tsp raw cacao powder, 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder, 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder, pinch of nutmeg, 1/4 cup berries or 1/2 fresh mango.

Leftovers can be poured into ice-block moulds and frozen to make brothsicles! You may like to increase the sweetener if freezing.

Our fermented veggies have recently had a make-over with new glass jars. We will update all of the photos on the website in the coming weeks but for information about prices and ingredients click here!

We make 3 types of fermented veggies:

+ Sauerkraut
+ Turmeric spiced sauerkraut
+ Kim ch

I recommend up to ½ cup of fermented veggies be consumed per day. I have a heaped tablespoon or 2 as a condiment with eggs for brekky and I throw some into my salad at lunch. Packed with probiotics that proliferate as a result of the wild fermentation method, home-made fermented veggies are a must for robust gut health, immune function, skin and oral health, brain function and metabolism.

We welcome the following 2 new stockists on board:

Bondi Beach Chemist.

This institution of 18 years in South Bondi (opposite icebergs) is now stocking our activating nuts….the perfect summer beach snack–attack!

They are open 7 days and can be contacted at:
bondibeach.chemist@frednet.com.au
(02) 91305270
14 Campbell Pde, Bondi Beach NSW

Enliven Fitness & Enliven Organics

Enliven Organics is a online Sydney-based organic food delivery service. 

Enliven Fitness Studio offers a holistic approach to your health, fitness and weight loss goals.

They are located at 327/308 Wattle Street, Ultimo, NSW 02 8203 4598.

Follow them on instagram @enlivenfitness.

They are selling a selection of our date coconut balls, power bars, broths, broth-based soups, chicken liver pate, kombucha and beet kvass.

Henley’s Wholefoods

Congratulations Sophie Henley for opening up her third Henley’s Wholeoods in under 2 years: first in Bondi Junction which I blogged about here, then in Alexandria and now in the Intercontinental Hotel, Cross Street, Double Bay. We are in love with your work and your contribution to the wholefoods scene in Sydney. All food in made on the premises. Sophie is meticulous about the source and processing of what she offers customers. Yet another amazing clean eats place for brekky, lunch and snacks. 

New organic butcher: “1888 certified”

Also opened in Double Bay is a new butcher “1888 certified” selling 100% grass fed and finished, antibiotic-free and hormone-free meat from local farms. Previously located in Hall Street Bondi they moved their store to larger digs just behind About Life in Double Bay. The founders, Charlie Crichton and Tim White, are farmers and their forefathers have been farmers and graziers since 1888, hence the name. I visited their beautifully decorated store on the weekend and spoke at length to owner Tim. I share with you this information that he relayed to me:

+ They can absolutely guarantee the provenance of their meat. It might surprise you that few butchers can. Their beef, lamb and heritage pork  come from farms owned by the owners themselves or a select number of other local farms. The chickens are from Bannockburn. All these meats are not certified organic but as I have previously discussed in an earlier post organic certification is comforting but is not the be-all-and-end-all. I always look behind the existence or absence of a stamp, and do my own due diligence to ascertain “Is this in substance organic?”

+ They age their own beef.

+ They make their own biltong and bacon.

+ The cured meats are from Pino’s Dolce Vita Fine Foods.

+ Some sausages contain breadcrumbs and some are grain-free. Please ask!

+ They hope to sell a range of organ meats and bones too in the near future. In the meantime, these can be specially ordered.

+ They only use filtered (and not tap) water in their products.  

Shop K2, 1 Kiaora Lane Double Bay 2028 NSW (under Dan Murphy's) 
(02) 9328 3200
info@1888certified.com.au

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Go check them out. We welcome them and wish them every success!

EQ Wholefoods, Moore Park

EQ Wholefoods popped up at the Entertainment Quarter (near the farmers market) but this pop up is now staying. Hooray! They have a huge open space stocked with beautiful organic wholefood products. They do not serve ready-to-eat food (yet!) – only pre-packaged products that you will recognise and love. How cool are the beautiful larger than life size photos of the raw cacao beans on the windows?! I wonder how many people would even recognise these as raw cacao beans? Now you know...

If anyone has any lingering concerns about the consumption of red meat following the recent WHO report, I suggest you read Chris Kresser’s response here and/or Mark Sisson’s response here.  

"Mama, what's so bad about vegetable oil?" my 7 year old happen to ask me on the day that an article in the Sydney Morning Herald appeared highlighting the dangers of vegetable oils.

The article summarises that "Cooking with vegetable oils releases toxic chemicals linked to cancer and other diseases, according to leading scientists, who are now recommending food be fried in olive oil, coconut oil, butter or even lard."

Amen. Knew we were onto something. Vegetable oils are one of the most unhealthy fats you can consume for the following reasons:

 1. they are extremely high in omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids which cause inflammation, and inflammation in turn is the root cause of all (yes all!) modern disease including cancer, cardiovascular disease, hormone disruption, mental health problems including violent behaviour. This is all backed by robust scientific studies. 

2. they are made by an extremely industrialised process

3. they contain no nutritive benefit (100% empty calories) 

4. they are not heat stable yet they are used to cook with further denaturing the heat sensitive omega 6 fats. 

5. they are particularly damaging to children and unborn children according to Dr Catherine Shanahan in her book “Deep Nutrition: why our genes need traditional foods”.

P.S. vegetable oil doesn’t actually contain any vegetables!!  But it’s a great marketing name, right?!

Most restaurants and all fast food chains cook in vegetable oil because it's so damn cheap. Rethink store-bought deep fried foods in particular! So where should we eat out? Read this and this. Cook more at home! Make your own chips with coconut oil. Kids love this especially if you get them involved! Read the labels on all packaged goods- if it contains vegetable oils of any description ditch it! Life's too short and you and your kids are too precious to eat crap oils. Opt for the delicious healthy fats that your great grandmother cooked in: butter, tallow, lard, ghee or coconut oil. Our bodies (esp brains!!) need saturated fats from natural sources to grow and function properly and to perform our best. Why settle for anything less?!

A few years ago I wrote a post on Dr Kate Norris being one of the handful of integrative GPs in Sydney who I highly recommend. She is on exactly the same nutritional and lifestyle page. A couple years ago she left for Victoria but now she’s back and practising in Bondi Junction. For me it’s imperative that all of my health care professionals (from my dentist, GP, osteopath and naturopath) are on exactly the same nutritional page and speak and understand my language. It’s reassuring to know that, at least in Sydney, such people exist. We welcome Kate back!

I recommend you check out her brilliant website here. The other utterly brilliant integrative GP who I work with and highly recommend is Dr Min Yeo, also based in Bondi Junction. For recommendations on GPs further afield, please contact me directly.

A few months ago I had promised to run a heap of cooking workshops in the latter part of the year. Unfortunately I am not able to do that at present as a unique and exciting adventure has presented itself to me rather unexpectedly. Given the enormity of what’s involved for my business, I need to throw much of my energies into that. I hope to be able to reveal all of the details very very soon! Workshops will resume in 2016 in full swing!