Talofa … it’s me Sister Rasela on a fine, crisp, sunshiney morning, where i continue to feel inspired and dedicated to bring y’all ways to make you feel tastier on the inside. Love yourself from the inside and see who the person on the outside really is. Respect to this Bundjalung Nation for allowing us to rest here on the land we call home. We give gratitude.

So … do what i did and take some long slow breaths and just STOP for a moment … STOP and close your eyes for a few seconds (no, no not yet, read to the end of this caption first !!) and think of all the things you are grateful for. It could be something glaringly obvious or something as simple as the sun shining out there today. Acknowledge and give gratitude for what you already have, what you have achieved, what you have learned in this life, it can be anything !! Your favorite food perhaps … hey, it makes ya feeel reeeal goood right ??  (might make your belly rumble too) Carry on if you want while you stand on this beach staring out …

Being grateful – This is the simple core philosophy at Cafe Gratitude way over there in San Franciscoland when it comes to food and lifestyle. We usually like to keep things local on belly but this attitude should be spread around the world and back. Start by thinking good and healthy thoughts and this will transpire into good and healthy eating … could it be that easy ?? Well that’s up to you to make your own mind up about. This is a cafe that encourages you to think, speak and eat positivity by naming their dishes with self affirming names. For example, if you wish to order the ‘I am adored’ dish then you have to say the words, ‘I am adored’ and when your dish is served, the waiter will present it to you by saying ‘You are adored’. This is how it all begins …

It’s an interesting concept and one that really captured me which is why i chose to share some readings from the book with you on belly. The book is called “I Am Grateful”  and is written by the co-owner and chef of Cafe Gratitude Terces Englehart. It’s the ‘Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude’ and it seems to be distributed by North Atlantic Books, Berkeley, California if you’d like to get your hands on it and thumb through it’s pages of deliciousness. It’s full of the cafes recipes which are interspersed amongst captions like … ‘Do you invest more attention in being grateful or chasing desires?’ or ‘Unhappiness is the hunger to get, Happiness is the hunger to give’ so you see. it’s more than just your average cookbook in fact there is no cooking involved – It’s RAW and VEGAN !!!

We all have our own story and journey that has brought us to where it is we are today and Terces’ story is no exception. From her book i shared some of her story.

“This book is dedicated to my Mother and her love of food , with which she gifted me” Terces Engelhart. A wonderful gift indeed passed down to Terces in the kitchens of home. It was here that she was taught to follow explicit measurements and it was also here that she re-learned to cook with intuition. Her huband and co-owner of the cafe calls her a “Food Alchemist” which has been more than proven by their thriving providing !! A  natural kitchen farmer in the making it seems but not until she had made it back through to the otherside, from a life accompanied by eating disorders.

Things started to change back at the age of sixteen when her swim coach pressured her to loose weight for the National Championships and the possibility of going to the 1968 Olympics. That dream was never realised and instead a nightmare began with what was the start of a slow self starvation at this tender age, living on only lettuce and tab cola as the fear of regaining weight became too great. At just over 36 kg Terces found herself in a military hospital in the midst of the Vietnam war where she was molested by her physician and told to keep quiet, learned to lie and fill her pockets with rocks at weigh-in to be released into the fearful hands of her mother, who wanted only to feed her daughter and return her to ‘normal’. With the help of a tutor she went on to finish high-school and continued on into her 20 year battle with anorexia and bulimia. The secretive lives of these dis-ease sufferers was not understood back then. Today there is more awareness and help on offer but Terces believed she was caught in some unknown swirl of punishment and survival.

Still managing to major in Home Economics, she got her first job as a dietitian’s assistant in a hospital and while at the time married to her childhood sweetheart, she was once again sexually molested by one of their friends. Divorced at twenty she went on to join the airlines, become a dental assistant, work in and around restaurants, marry a Vietnam vet who was an addict, give birth to her first son, move to a farm in Pennsylvania, get hit by her addicted husband, go to work in the local pub, give birth to her daughter, start a wholesale bakery, get divorced, open up the first Mexican restaurant in Pennsylvania, marry the bartender who hired her in the pub, become a Navy wife, have another son, be transferred back to the Naval base in California where all of this started. Whoah !!!   

One day after coming out of the bathroom having vomited, her 8 year old daughter asked her “Mummy are you ok?” to which she brushed off with a casual “Yes,” before realising and deciding that she did not want to pass the lies, destruction and unhealthiness of her ways onto her own children.

Amongst the many healing modalities that were available and used it could be said that the ‘kitchen farming’, preparing, eating, sharing and being grateful for nutritious food was an outstanding element in Terces healing. To truly fuel and nourish a depleted body, to bring yourself back to life with raw, living foods, to love yourself from the INSIDE, to feel yourself revive means that people with eating disorders can be encouraged to go on to live a life that is literally full of life !!! Raw foods and juices were a predominant part of the turnaround for Terces and letting go of old patterns and habits which is harder than some of us could ever imagine … but it is possible. Clean and clear foods create a clean and clear mind. It’s a beautiful thing to discover your true self. Terces is now into her 20th year of loving and living life without any eating disorders and is therefore a live, breathing, vibrant voice of encouragement and inspiration. If you can change the way you think about food, it could well change the way you eat it. Putting positive, living thoughts and foods into your mind and body can only have positive effects … no ?? I think it’s time to start practising some of this around the Shire. Let’s open a belly cafe and bring the tasty love to one place where we can all come, share, learn, teach and EAT !! ha ha ha … maybe i should ask the other bellysisters first tho ….

Go to www.cafegratitude.com and be grateful for what you find.

If you need it – http://www.edap.org/ National Eating Disorders Association

I would recommend seeing both a Naturopath and Doctor if you have an eating disorder. There are some great clinics around the Shire where the two support each other. It’s my belief that the natural approach as well as the conventional approach is healthy, that way you have a broader understanding of information and it can be left in your control as to what you decide is best for YOU. It is my dream that Alternative Practitioners and Conventional Medical Practitioners will work together with mutual respect for each other and for the good of the patient one day … soon.

The other half of belly today was shared with the voice of an ambitious and nutritious film maker. I give thanks and more gratitude to the creators of this food documentary –

I found myself on the end of the phone to James Colquhoun who co-produced and directed “Food Matters” along with Laurentine ten Bosch. They are both Nutritionists who have brought a great documentary to the world which highlights some of the core issues that are still eluding many consumers. I urge you to watch it and decide for yourself how much Food Matters in your own life. Think about how much you spend to put premium petrol in your car or buy new clothes to keep you warm in winter, holidays to make you feel better because you are often unwell, makeup and perfumes and hair products and lotions for the outside and then tell me you can’t ‘afford’ to eat organic. I’m telling you now … if you take care of the inside, you will spend less money trying to make the outside look better !!!

Go to www.foodmatterstv.com for munch munch munch more info.

Alofa,

Sister Rasela

Talofa, good morning and welcome to another edition of belly in words and pictures on this public holiday Monday. Yes, thanks to Her Majesty most of us have this slightly gloomy but still gloriously grey Monday off  because of course, it’s her birthday. Aaaahhhh ‘appy birthdee M’am. Actually her real birthday is 21st April but it’s celebrated on the second Monday of June and it got me thinking all queen like. Well, what could be more ra ra than a Cream Tea / High Tea / Devonshire Tea – whatever you want to call it, it all boils down to good old fashioned scones with jam and cream. Where did all this tomfoolery begin one may wonder ?? One shall find out if one continues to read on but just before one gets all jammed up and dreamily, creamily clotted, i must mention the live part of the show today.

In the studio i was blessed to be joined by a dancing spirit of heavenly gorgeousness … Miss Yummy herself Sonja Kovachevich. Already the proud, pretty and popular author of 3 ‘Yummy in my Tummy’ cook books, Sonja is in the midst of brewing up number 4 which she’s compiling with the help of some very lucky individuals all over the Shire and in fact the world. Sonja emails a new recipe each week for us to test out and give feedback on. All you need is an email address, an appetite, a passion for highly nutritious, look ma no hands easy and quick food and your belly could be reaping the scrumptious rewards.

But for now, put the kettle on, get your best china tea set out and let’s celebrate Queenies B’day with High Tea … as one does. 

 I asked the maid in a dulcet tone

To order me a buttered scone

The silly girl had been and gone

And ordered me a buttered scone

Scone poetry by John Betjaman

 from “How to get on in Society”

 

Sipping on High Tea would not be possible were it not for the creation of the scone, who’s pronunciation varies within the UK. According to one academic study (can you believe they do academic studies on such things ??) two-thirds of the British population pronounce it ‘scone’ to rhyme with ‘con’ and ‘John’ with the preference rising to 99% in the Scottish population. The rest pronounce it ‘scone’ to rhyme with ‘cone’ or ‘Joan’.

The scone is a small British quick bread of Scottish origin, which are popular all around the world but especially in countries of the commonwealth. It is usually made of wheat, barley or oatmeal with baking powder as a leavening agent and is a basic component of a ‘High Tea’ or ‘Cream Tea’.

The Oxford dictionary reports that the first mention of the word was in 1513 and is thought to perhaps derive from the middle Dutch dialect  ‘Schoonbrood’ (fine white bread). Schoon = pure clean and Brood = bread. It could also derive from the Gaelic term ‘Sgonn’ meaning shapeless mass or large mouthful or better still it could be based on the town of Scone in Scotland.

Terms such as ‘Rock-cakes’ ‘Fat Rascals’  and ‘Singing Hinnies’ can also be used when referring to the humble scone. You may come across triangular scones and this could be because the original scone back in the day was flat, round and about the size of a medium sized plate. After being baked on the ‘griddle’ it was then cut into triangle-like quadrants for serving. Once baking powder became available to the masses (and they started poisoning us with Aluminium) scones began to be oven baked and resemble more like what we see today.

!!! NOTE ON BAKING POWDER !!! CHOOSE ALUMINIUM FREE !!!

 A 2005 report estimated the UK Scone Market to be worth 64 million pounds showing a 9% increase over the previous 5 years partly due to increasing consumer preference for impulse, convenient (and somewhat tasty) junk food !!

The baking of scones at home is often closely tied to heritage baking. They tend to be more from family recipes rather than recipe books since it is often a family member who holds the ‘best’ and ‘most treasured’ recipe.

Scones can be sweet or savoury and often include raisins, currants, cheese or dates. In Scotland and Ulster, savoury varieties include soda scones also known as ‘soda farls’ and potato scones known as ‘tattie scones’ which resemble small, thin, savoury pancakes made with potato flour. Potato scones are most commonly served in a full Scottish breakfast or Ulster fry.

But what’s happening in Oz … what are our scone preferences downunder ??

Well, it seems the pumpkin scone is the more well known variant here, made famous during the period when Florence Bjelke-Peterson was in the public eye … Who the heck is Flo i hear you say ?? She was an Australian politician and writer and a member of the Australian senate from 1981 to 1993 and is the widow of the longest serving premier of Queensland Sir Johannes Bjelke-Peterson. Does it sound like i know what I’m talking about ?? Well i don’t so let’s get back to scones … Flossie was born in Brisbane and apparently was partial to the odd scone or three, bringing this little dollop of dough into the mainstream and so began it’s glitzy life as the stodgy star it is today.

 An old style of cooking scones (generally in the colder months) was to deep fry or pan fry them in dripping (???!!!) or oil. When they are cooked this way they are know as ‘Puftaloons’ … or ‘Artery Clogging Thingamijigs’

It is usually the sweet variety that you will find at an English Cream Tea Party such as the one HRH might be tucking into as we speak.

A cream tea, Devonshire tea or Cornish tea is taken with a combination of scones, clotted cream and jam. Cream Teas are offered for sale throughout Great Britain (especially South West England) and the rest of the Commonwealth or wherever someone wants to give the impression of British influence.

 We’ve talked about how to pronounce them but how you eat your scone really depends on where you are …

The Devonshire method is to spilt the scone in two (very important business this is) cover each half with clotted cream and then add strawberry jam on top. Traditionally it is important that the scones be warm (ideally freshly baked) that clotted cream (not whipped) be used and that the jam be strawberry (sometimes raspberry can be used as an alternative) but butter should never be included and the tea should be served with milk. 

 In Cornwall however The Cream Tea was traditionally served with a ‘Cornish Split’ a type of slightly sweet white bread roll rather than a scone. Rare to find commercially available nowdays apart from in many Cornish family homes. The warm roll is first buttered then spread with strawberry jam and finally topped with a spoonful of Cornish clotted cream.

 

 There is another variation … it’s called “Thunder and Lightening” which is a round of bread topped with clotted cream and golden syrup, honey or treacle.

Just to end the scone fiasco extravaganza, in May 2010 a campaign was launched at the Devon Country Show to have the name ‘Devon Cream Tea’ protected within European Union under “Protected Designation of Origin” (PDO) rules. The campaign was first launched following a discussion on BBC Radio Devon.

I hope you’re all mouthwateringly magnificent after that.

Speaking of mouthwatering temptations, our bellysister Sonja joined me in the studio and we proceeded to sprout into a bellylicious discussion bulging with excitement about fermentation, teaching, her books, self love, breakfasts, philosophical eating, recipes and a dance or two in the studio in between all of that. 

I love the positivity that pours out across the airwaves from Sonja. The gentle understanding we share about the relationship between what you choose to put in your mouth and what rewards those choices make. A clear and concious mind is more able to deal with the comings and goings in this life and we believe you are more attuned to your natural path in life, your goals and dreams becoming not only clearer but attainable, when your body is operating at it’s optimal peak. You will literally find yourself buzzing !! It’s such a joy to connect with Sonja and i hope this interview encouraged someone out there to make a small change that could ultimately lead to a healthier more aware exisitance.

Here is an AMAZING recipe from Sonja as promised and her contact details should you wish to further your exploration into this world of happy, harmonious, healthy and heartfelt self love, food and eating.

 Yummy Cashew and Macadamia Yoghurt

-Half fill a glass jar with equal parts raw cashews and macadamias (whole or crumbled).

-Pour in enough water to cover the nuts and a little more.

-Blend the mixture until smooth.

-Add ½ to 1 tsp acidophilus powder and any optional extras (for example stevia to sweeten) and stir.

-Cover the jar with a thin cotton cloth (muslin works best) and secure with a rubber band.

_Leave somewhere warm for 36 hours until ready to eat and then cover with lid and store in the refrigerator. Yum!!!!!

 

Contact Sonja – 

www.cookbooksfromtheheart.com

www.lotusyogamassage.com

miss yummy face book page

Thank you Miss Yummy for your delicious dancing, your openness and sharing, your recipes for food and for life and for joining us on belly. Also thank you to all the listeners, readers, teachers, learners, supporters and friends of BayFM. We are all here to learn from one another and our amazing community radio station is the vehicle in which we get to travel on this journey down succulent streets and aluminium-free alleys.

Here’s a bio of the yummy lady herself !!

Who is Miss yummy?

 I am an ardent culinary adventurer and tantric kitchen goddess and I am continually and deeply inspired by all things yummy and nourishing.

 Proudly gifted the title of ‘miss yummy’ by the fabulous sister Rachel of the ‘belly sisters’ I have been exploring the world of health, food and spirit for as long as I can remember.

I never stop learning and thriving and along with my own flourishing my desire to educate and support others into the wonders of a nourishing lifestyle grows and grows.

 I love life because I see the sacred in all things and feel a deep connection with all of life, i respect life as a precious gift and in this way I am able to access a deep feeling of contentment and purpose. I have noticed that having a lifestyle filled with practices and food choices that activate my life force and keep me in my centre is absolutely vital in ensuring that I can access my potential and this feeling of deep connection.

The art of living

 Living life is an art form; perhaps the most important one to master as if we get this piece of the puzzle down then everything else falls into place.

 There is very little guidance given within the modern educational framework as to how to connect to our own innate wisdom and body intelligence. As a result so many of us have not learnt the skills as to how to nourish ourselves on all levels and to find a connection to a inner source of strength, clarity and joy that we can rely on.

Many have come to accept feeling tired, stressed and uninspired as ‘normal’.

Yet it is anything but, if we feel low in our life force we create the conditions for these feelings of apathy, yet if we create the conditions for life force to circulate freely through our bodies and our awareness to be strong within our centre then our life experience is automatically transformed.

There are simple and effective ways to transform ourselves and our experience through simply activating our life force.

 We can do this through food.

We can do this through breath.

We can do this through conscious movement.

We can do this through various kinds of meditation.

 And In fact we need to combine all of these into our daily lives.

No matter our personal circumstances this is absolutely possible.

And in fact it is absolutely necessary if we are going to experience optimum health and step into our full potential.

 I have spent the last 10 years exploring and practicing many ways to invite and activate well-being and connection. I have been able to creatively design a diet and lifestyle that supports my growth, health, emotional well being, clarity and vitality and I feel it is my purpose to share my knowledge and help guide others towards establishing their own perfect version of a nourishing lifestyle.

 The books

 It all started with the birthing of my ‘yummy in my tummy’ cookbooks. In which I poured the fruits of my continual culinary exploration along with a large dose of love and spirit, with the intention to share my knowledge and enthusiasm.

I have been selling these wondrous original spirit filled cook books for about 6 years and have received amazing positive feedback by people who have been inspired not only by the recipes but the fun, easy going approach to food that the books encourage.

 Feeding ourselves should be fun and eating healthy food should be a joy, the books give you the practical guidance to get started on your own culinary journey or provide some great ideas for those already seasoned foodies out there.

 For more about the books go to my website www.cookbooksfromtheheart.com

To order your copy contact me directly at sonjalala@hotmail.co.uk

 What I am up to now ….

 I am currently working on my latest book ’quick and easy vegan meals’(please e mail me if you would like to be on my list of samplers and receive a new yummy recipe in your in box each week).

And I continue my training both official and unofficial in yoga, personal development energy work, healing and nutrition.

I immerse myself in this exploration from where I dwell in the magical Byron shire of northern NSW where the earth energy is very potent and deep healing is part and parcel with daily life.

And the food here is amazing! I am a regular at the local farmers market and spend hours upon hours in the kitchen cooking and fermenting and experimenting up a storm and it never gets boring!

What I am offering

 As a natural progression from my books I am exploring different mediums for sharing the spirit of self love through food as well as the kind of valuable lifestyle skills that can support us in being our most amazing, energized, loving, inspired, productive and deeply content selves.

 I write a monthly full moon blog with a theme and a recipe, check it out through my website or on facebook in Miss Yummys Notes.

www.facebook.com/pages/Miss-Yummy/162870690393973?sk=notes

 I am co-hosting a women’s healing retreat with Helen Rubil at the magical Wangat Lodge in October which is very very exciting and is going to be very special.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=121986154555159&ref=ts

 I am offering my services as ‘hire your very own cooking goddess’ at retreats across Australia.

Check out the comments from previous retreat attendees-

 http://www.cookbooksfromtheheart.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=58

 Also:

Yummy vegan cooking course at Byron community college

 Well making yummy food certainly isn’t rocket science (my sister is the rocket scientist so if that Is what you want to learn she is your woman not me). Yet many people do not quite know where to start with creating healthy meals that do not contain meat, dairy and processed food.

These 4-week courses that I am offering through the community college are designed to equip you with lots of good simple ideas on how to eat delicious sugar, wheat and dairy free food without leaving out the all important yummy factor.

 Not only will the course be a guaranteed good time in the kitchen exploring different tastes but it will set you up with some fabulous recipes under your belt to work into your life.

 The focus is on practical, nutrient dense deliciousness, the cost is low and so come along whether you are a seasoned foodie or if you were like me in my pre-kitchen-goddess-era when all I could cook was pasta with pre-made pasta sauce, whatever, you are welcome, it is going to be fun. Here are the details-

11CK083  Yummy Vegan Cooking                                         

 This will start on: Tue and run for 4 sessions from 30/8/2011 to 20/9/2011 between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm

11CK084  Yummy Vegan Cooking                                        

 This will start on: Tue and run for 4 sessions from 18/10/2011 to 1/11/2011 between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm

 Both courses will be held at MULLUM. PRESBYTERIAN HALL 106 STUART ST

 Enroll through the college-

 www.byroncommunitycollege.com.au

And if you need a little extra help or if you are one of those ultra busy types needing a little more personal support here is what else I am offering……

 One on one sustenance support

 Yummy days

 I am proud to offer one-day one to one programs designed to give participants enough knowledge and practical skills to revolutionize their relationship to food and create sustainable ways to eat the best foods for them, quickly and cost effectively.

Good nutrition is so much more then calories and macro nutrients, it is about knowing your own personal constitution, how to nurture balance within that and within the greater environment, how to fill up on primarily nutrient dense and life force infused foods and how to tune into the subtle element of the eating process.

 This transformational one-day course provides personal tailor-made support to create the ultimate meal plan for you.

Its fun and informative and will set you up for eating well and eating in harmony with the elements, for life

 The 6 month program

 So many of us are dealing with issues such as low energy, stress, food cravings and issues etc many of us have come to accept a less than fulfilling life as ‘normal’.

Well I beg to differ, I firmly believe that we all have the opportunity to feel vibrant and deeply connected, that it is just a matter or enquiring into what in our life prevents us from that and what we can do to encourage that.

Often we get stuck in a small view of life and this is when unhelpful habits can take hold of us, if we are able to get a better view of the greater picture then insights and the motivation to act in a different way come naturally.

But to make changes, however small, often we need support, we need someone who believes in us and encourages us and can help us learn the skills to create a different way of being.

 I am here to guide you towards a view of that bigger picture so that you can experience the intrinsic wonder of who you are within a sustainable lifestyle that keeps on bringing out more and more of who you can be.

It is extraordinary what can happen when we ‘step up’ and make the intention to live a full and juicy life, whatever that means to us.

 For those people seeking continued support for implementing a healthy lifestyle and working with any issues that arise then the 6-month program provides the support for creating lasting change and ever flourishing quality of life.

 The program consists of 2 skype sessions a month and continual support, education and assistance to help guide you along your own transformational journey to vital health and realization of your potential.

 I sincerely encourage anyone who has been feeling the yearning to make their own health and well being a priority( in order to deepen the quality of their experience) to consider taking this potentially life changing offer of assistance.

 To organize a free consultation you can go to my website and send me a request:

 www.missyummy.healthcoach.integrativenutrition.com

 Food for thought…….

 Have you had your fair share of bliss?

Do you find that inhabiting your body is a joy?

Do you feel deeply inspired by life?

Can you sense clearly the difference between the guidance from your head and your heart?

Do you know what your gifts are and know how to offer them?

If not, why not and would you like to take the time to explore this?

Thanks Miss Yummy … you’re doing real good in the world !!

With dollops of love and sweetness,

Sister R