Energy Charged Green Smoothie

Banana Spinach Super Boost Smoothie Recipe

Green Banana Spinach Super Smoothie

Super Charged Ingredients

6 Strawberries
1 Banana
150 ml Almond Milk
1 tbsp Greek Yogurt
Good Handful Spinach
1 Tsp Coconut Oil



Health Benefits 

• Straw berries provide a punch of Vitamin C which is vital in collagen production for healthy, younger looking skin as well as boosting your immune system. 
• Bananas provide both fiber as well as high levels of potassium.   The potassium found in bananas neutralizes any excess sodium in the body which then allows for healthy amounts of calcium to remain to be used for  strengthening your bones. 
• Almond Milk is a great alternative to cows milk for smoothies and is a source of calcium 
• Greek Yogurt packs a punch of protein over regular yogurt and so keeps you fuller for longer. Either type is beneficial to a health diet. 
• Spinach is an Awesome Power Superfood. Low in calories, packed with nutrients such as Vit A and K along with magnesium, protein and calcium. Blend it , Eat it and cook it every day!
• Coconut Oil rates right up there with the best of the best. It helps in weight loss, improves your  metabolism and reduces fatigue to name a few benefits. Maybe I should put some more in the smoothie but the taste is just as powerful as the benefits, so it's up to you

Blend your Green Smoothie and Enjoy a Productive Day

What do you put in your power smoothies?

3 Reasons to go Natural

Why Natural?

When you hit 30 your metabolism naturally slows down by about 5% with each approaching decade. 

At age 35 you are burning 100 calories less than at age 25. 

Between 35 and 45 you are burning around 200 calories less.

If you do not adjust your diet on reaching age 40 and definitely by age 50 to account for the metabolism slow down, you can easily feel your clothes fitting tighter and you begin to feel more and more sluggish. 

Have you noticed this?

It is for this reason that we need to develop a diet rich in "fit" anti-aging foods which I loosely term a natural diet, suitable not just for our consumption but also for the benefit of the largest organ of the body, the skin.

When you think of all the chemicals we put on our bodies in the name of beauty, good health and hygiene, the list is never ending. Shampoo, conditioner, hair serum, hair spray and gel and that's just for the hair before we move onto the face and our skincare.  It works out to be a pretty expensive business and on close examination of the ingredients, we can see that it can be pretty destructive on our long term health. 

Hmm or does it have to be?!!! 

This blog is all about looking at ways to achieve good health from the inside out, using Nature's arsenal of supercharged nutrient laden, chemical free, non genetically modified products. Every herb and every tree is available to us in service to our long term health and inner glowing beauty. You are worth it!

So I find myself exploring a whole new world that is available for our benefit should we but change our attitude and be ready to embrace new things one small step at a time. 
Shop in a different parking lot!
Learn new things, shop in a different way looking for the nuts, seeds, oils, herbs and natural foods that bring out your inner beauty and give you strength to do everything you dream of.

Three Reasons to go Natural
When your friends and family ask you why, you can confidently say:

1. The health returns are worth it
Some may consider the initial outlay to be too expensive but when you consider how much you spend annually on these products and the benefits you get in return, you might find that the shift is worth it for the gains you receive. Its important to do it slowly and consider aspects of your life that you want to change and plan it into your routine until it becomes a habit. The race is not for the swift.

2. I know what I am using in my health and beauty care regime
I enjoy doing research into natural skincare and beauty products that are multi-purpose and beneficial to areas of our health; products which we can just as easily put on our skin as we would use as food. 
Olive oil, avocado, bananas, honey to name a few! 
Just like visiting a new country or having a short break in a city, this is fun. With this approach you will clearly know the ingredients you are using and the reasons why you have chosen them to accompany you on this adventure. 

3. I can create a natural health regime my way
Your health regime is unique and personal to you, so you can make it as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. A shift to natural products is just the solution that your body has been crying out for. You will often find that whenever you introduce a change to your health or beauty care regime your body sings back happy thoughts and moods to you. Then you know that you are on the right track and you can begin to layer in further natural health, skin and beauty care products through trial and error. Of course the opposite applies as well but either way, your body will respond and speak up. 

The importance of research
I am not a health expert just a  health enthusiast parent who needs a never ending supply of sustainable energy to keep ahead of a sporting, sprouting, growing family. Even though some of them are young adults I seem to need more energy now than when they were babies! How did that happen, I do not know. I just cannot afford to be constantly fatigued and tired all the time while life is passing by and waving to me.  

Does this sound like you too? 
Maybe now it's your time to consider the three reasons to go natural and follow the quick 4 step plan.

• Choose one aspect to work on  such as your hair. skin or diet
• Decide what you want to achieve such as rejuvenate your skin or thicken your hair
• Make a list of the new products or ingredients you want to introduce and how you might do it. You could choose to begin juicing green vegetables
• Do it starting with the next shopping trip

I would advise you to do your own research to convince yourself, or not, about any thing I write on this blog. 
You are so unique that what works for one may not work for you in the same way but there is certainly something that works for you.
I hope that you will be encouraged to look into new things highlighted on this blog that are natural and beneficial for your health, skin and beauty care. 
Become an Awesome Naturelle step by step.

Have you gone natural in your skin, hair or beauty care?
What have you found? 

Juicing for Life

Juicing has become a definite part of my diet since the beginning of the year. 
Today I read that juicing green vegetables and drinking water helps you to effortlessly lose inches from around your waist. 
I just jumped for joy because that is exactly what has happened. I can actually see a waist forming when I put my jeans on. The shape goes in where before it was just a straight line unless I wore a belt. 
Overjoyed Mama!

Check out:
FitLife.tv on Facebook and the website for great health information and inspiration particularly on juicing. 

Here is a quick Recipe I used today 

• 3 celery sticks
• 2 carrots
• 1 apple
• small piece of sweet pointed Red Peppers
• 1/2 cucumber

What pretty colours! Green, Green Green with some Red and Orange, wonderful.
You can see the amount of liquid I got as well. 400ml. Very filling!

Awesome Tip: The peppers are very strong in taste so only use a little and they may repeat on you depending on your constitution. I am now used to them. 
I also usually add a piece of ginger for a lovely kick.

I love juicing and you will also. If you ever stop, you will notice the difference soon enough.

What are you juicing today?
Share your blends with us.
Here's to your health!

Ways to drink more water

Water Challenge February Ends but continues!

I saw this picture on Woman in the Jungle on Facebook and it just tied in with the Awesome Naturelles Water challenge. Have a look at her Facebook page; she is a sassy London based chica growing her natural hair and enjoying the journey.

Water is key to our health and well being even if we have the longest length of hair. I really want to encourage you all to drink more water daily and find interesting and creative ways to do it because we need to maintain our liquid intake. The benefits are holistic and long lasting. Its simple, uncomplicated with no fuss. What more can we ask for? 
Watch out for the next 7 day challenge in March! 

So go grab a glass of water now!
How are you doing with drinking more water?
Share some awesome tips with us.

Simple Henna Ayurvedic Natural Hair Treatment

It's Natural Hair Wash Day using a mix of Henna and Ayurvedic Powders

I started the day with a clean, happy head of hair after completing a relatively simple but still messy henna ayurvedic treatment which I switched up a bit from my regular regime.
There is nothing more energising than having your crowning glory shining and glossy for the week ahead. It just makes my day and I hope it helps with yours!

What did I do today?

From my library of Ayuvedic powders I chose

• 1 tsp Henna
• 1 tsp Aritha
• 1 tsp Brahmi
• 1 tsp Amla
• 1/2 tsp Coconut oil

All of these powders contribute to the cleansing and conditioning of your hair in a very gentle but thorough manner which leaves your hair purring like a kitten after treatment.

My Expanding library of Ayurvedic Powders with prices you can see!

Aritha is known as the Soapnut powder and comes from the fruit of the Soapnut tree. The fruit of the tree contains a high level of saponins which acts as a foaming agent making it a natural cleanser. 

Henna is known as a wonderful conditioner for your hair. It helps to restore damaged hair and bring it back to health while maintaining the natural acid-alkaline balance of the scalp. I have very sensitive scalp and have enjoyed using henna over the past few months without any irritation or itchiness. Please note that henna can be drying for some hair types and so less is always best to start with until you understand what your hair is saying about the product. Henna also adds colour to your hair.

Brahmi powder combats a number of chronic hair problems helping to strengthen the hair roots and control hair thinning and loss. I always include this in my hair regime as I have thinning edges and patches of thin hair around my crown. 

Amla powder stimulates the roots and promotes hair growth as well, while reducing shedding and conditioning the hair. 

Coconut Oil: The benefits of this oil and the smell are equally awesome and wonderful. 
A guaranteed Bounty moment! Coconut has a low molecular weight and a structure that makes it one of the few oils that can penetrate the hair shaft and do good for your hair. That alone makes it a sought after product to be used in your hair care regime. You should find the best way to do this that suits your hair type. I just had it in front of me and decided to use it for this particular treatment. 

How are the powders used?

• Add the amount required to a small mixing bowl
• Add water and mix to the consistency of mashed potato or smooth enough to be able to apply to your whole head without drying out.
• Massage with care into your hair and scalp
• Put on a plastic bag, wrap in a towel of scarf and leave for an hour or two.
• Wash with warm water ensuring that all the bits are washed out completely. This may take a while! 

Another Method
Through research I found that the powders can be made into a tea and used as a hair wash. (This does not apply to henna) This would be convenient for a quick wash but would not allow you to leave it on for any length of time to absorb more of the benefits of the powders. The tea could be used for in-between treatments but should be refrigerated and used within 4 days.
I have yet to try this but can definitely see how it would fit in to a hair care regime saving you time while still maintaining the quality of your natural hair care regime
Let me know if you try this and how it worked for you.



After Treatment
My hair felt soft, clean and moisturised. There was very little shedding which led me to cut out my usual deep conditioning step with Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonnaise. 
If your hair feels a bit crunchy it may be worth your while to add in some extra conditioning with heat if required. 
It is important to respond to your hair needs as it responds to what you are doing. 

Next Step
Using the Liquid - Oil - Cream method, known as LOC:

• Aloe Vera Gel and water spritz to tee shirt dried hair
• Oiled with Avocado and Jojoba Oil Mix
• Creamed with Shea Butter focusing on the ends of my hair
• Braided my hair wrapped it up in a satin scarf. 

All Done!!
Voila! My hair is singing and my scalp feels great. The effort is well worth it for beautiful, healthy hair. 
This is a regime which I am using at present with great results. How do I know?
My hair is shedding less
My scalp itches less
My hair is growing in all the thin areas and there is length increase all over as well.

It is really worth giving these powders a try. There are several others which you can include, all available from the Indian shops and groceries at very little cost but maximum benefits.
Take the time to do some research in order to make sure the right powders are working well together. 
Aim to balance the mixtures with 1 part cleansing to 2 parts conditioning powders to provide the best results for you. 


Have you tried these powders and benefited from using them?

Water Challenge

I am aiming to increase my water intake and set myself (and you) a challenge to do just that.

I am on the water challenge and I have had a great day with that but the rest has not been so great.
It's no big deal, it's not the end of the world for sure. Does that happen to you sometimes?
Its half term school break this week so we can allow some changes to the regular routine.
There are some exciting things planned which I cannot wait to share.

• Quick, Simple Hand Made Gifts for Mothers Day
• Green Cleaning Recipes

Keep in touch on Facebook: Awesome Naturelles
Speak to you soon

18 Quick & Easy Tips to Increase Your Water Intake

18 Quick & Easy Tips to Increase Your Water Intake

Decide from the start that you are not going to give up until you reach for a drink of water as your drink of choice!

Start the day with hot water and lemons. You can add a slice of lemons or squeeze fresh lemons into the cup. This gives the body a wake up call and kick starts the metabolism (to put it pleasantly!!)

Use a beautiful carafe and keep it filled with water wherever you are. Of course have a glass handy nearby. This works if you are at home and you know that you will be in a specific room for most of the day or somewhere away from the water supply. 

Make use of your home water filter if you realise that you don't like the taste of your tap water.

Pep up your water. Add crushed mint leaves, frozen or fresh lemon or lime slices to add some zesty zing to your drink

Claim an interesting glass for your water challenge. Set aside a special glass, a wine goblet or something humorous that will just make drinking more water an awesome body spa adventure.
Drink water before you have that sugary snack that you think you want. This will let you know if it's hunger or thirst as we often assume that we are hungry and not the other way around.

Use a straw to drink your glass of water and see how fast it disappears, especially with wider straws. We tend to take in bigger gulps with straws, something that I will definitely be adopting.

Carry a bottle of water in your bag to sip on while you are queuing at the bank or waiting to pay for shopping. Keep sipping until you get to the top and you would have increased your water intake already.

Include drinking water as part of your skincare routine as you do the daily cleanse and moisturise or my favorite Oil Cleansing Method. Drinking water is the first and last step in the routine. Drink, Cleanse, Moisturise, Drink again. 

Juicing is a great, healthy way to increase your water intake as the vegetables such as cucumbers, carrots and celery contain large amounts of water along with a burst of beneficial nutrients. A double whammy enjoyable health boost!

Treat yourself to a special water bottle that is yours alone to take to the gym or use at home or work. Mark it with the times of day when you wish to have drunk certain amounts. Mark it  for set times  (11am, 1pm and 3pm), you want to finish the bottle to ensure you meet the goals. 

Put three rubber bands on a bottle and take one of after every refill to help you meet your water quota for that day. This will help you to keep a tally on your intake. Two rubber bands left means two more refiils before bedtime so get going. Drink Up!

After every visit to the rest room, have another glass of water to replenish your body's water supply. If you do this constantly, your trips to the rest room will decrease as your body finds its true water balance. 

Only have a fizzy drink after 2-4 glasses of water. You set your own target to test yourself. Fizzy or Water? Who will win that battle? I can only say: 'Think of the waistline'

Drink a selection of herbal teas for variety as well as their excellent health boosting benefits. You can enjoy fruity, green and a range of low cost herbal teas from every supermarket or health food store. Enjoy something new!

Try to drink cold water as often as you are able as this actually burns more calories and is absorbed into the system more quickly. Try for at least once in a normal non-exercise day when temperatures are low. It's part of the challenge!

If you are drinking juice, dilute it with water as a quick, easy way to increase your intake making the juice last even longer. 

Challenge yourself with others on this blog, post your successes, ideas and tips every day and encourage others.

Good Food

http://backonpointe.tumblr.com/archive

This is so true

I was inspired by this on Pinterest and had to share. See the link above for more interesting health ideas.

So plan ahead to have good food readily available everywhere you look
Fruit on the table. 
Vegetables in the salad drawer and lots of fresh frozen food in the freezer.
Let there be an overflow in your house.

Valentines Day Plans?

Its the Love Season.

How will you be spending the day?

Are even bothered by it all or do you show continuous love every day of the year through all that you do?

Will it irritate you if your other half doesn't do anything at all and you just get a peck on the cheek and an even cheekier grin?

What's the deal here for this 2013 Valentine's Day?

Even if you have not thought about it by now, there is still time. It's not over until it's over!
Think of the sweetest, silliest and simplest thing that you can do and go do it.
Give some love and celebrate your spouse.

Some thought ticklers for you

• Buy a special Valentine's Meal from your supermarket
• Prepare a sweet strawberries and cream desert. Add chocolate chips for decorations.
• Buy an orchid or extra special flower arrangement though the prices are through the roof at present. But that's the point, isn't it?
• Make breakfast in bed if they have the day off
• At least buy a humorous card and seal it with a kiss.

Share your thoughts on Valentine's Day in the comments box. Give others some inspiration..

Awesome Protein Boost

February Focus includes increasing  protein intake to assist with  hair and nail growth and to increase staying power throughout the day. No more afternoon slumps!

The first recipe, which I found on Blended Recipes,  is mainly for growing sons (I have 3 of those!) and those doing regular exercise and gym workouts. But do try it if you feel so inclined.
http://blendedrecipes.com/

Sources of protein
Peanut Butter
This is a hidden gem in the food cupboard. It has fiber and protein both of which help to keep you feeling full for longer, so you don't need to eat a lot of it. It is nutrition packed with great goodness. Vitamin E, bone-building magnesium and muscle friendly potassium to name a few of them, all in a serving of this little thought of food. 

Greek Yogurt 
Packed with protein which helps promote fullness. A typical 6-ounce serving contains 15 to 20 grams, the amount in 2 to 3 ounces of lean meat. That makes it particularly appealing to vegetarians, who sometimes struggle to get enough of the nutrient. An identical serving of regular yogurt, on the other hand, provides just 9 grams, meaning you may feel hunger pangs sooner. Be wary of the fat content in Greek yogurt. 
Best to buy low fat or no fat versions for health benefits. I originally used yogurt I had in the fridge at the time and will be changing to Greek yogurt in the future. 

If you like peanut Butter and do not have any nut allergies, this one really works well. 

Protein powder
A concentrated shot of protein to enhance the drink. There are many on the market to choose from which you can research for your individual needs. Fortunately there are small sizes available to help you in your trial and error here. Do not worry as the amount that you will be using will not give you hard muscles like Popeye! 

This smoothie is great for after a workout or as a meal replacement to prevent you from flagging mid afternoon in addition to all the many nutritional benefits.

Recipe 1

2 banana
1 scoop of Protein powder
1 tbsp peanut Butter
Few Frozen Mango chunks
1 Tbsp Oats
1 cup of no fat Greek yogurt (you can use a flavor of your choice)
Add extra milk or water for liquid
1 tsp honey (or natural sweetener of your choice)

Blend Away! 

Recipe 2 

This is a protein and iron boost drink with Spinach

Spinach
A very nutrient-dense food. It is low in calories yet very high in vitamins and minerals.
This is an excellent leafy green vegetable which is high in iron, protein with an abundance of nutrients which put it on the list of super foods.

1 Banana
1 Apple
Mango Chunks
2-3 Tbsp Flavored No Fat Greek Yogurt
1 Tbsp Oats
A good handful of spinach

Blend Away!

Try these and enjoy good health
I love reading your comments, please share.

Food for Your Soul

Bible and Breakfast

A different post from me today sharing a bit about spending quality time with God. After a month of intentionally seeking God through prayer and fasting, I woke up with the thought that we should always be looking after the health of our inner man as much as we do our physical bodies. 

As a busy woman with a whole heap of things to be done daily, I know that this is a challenge to many. 
Some would put it under the huge banner of time management; 'How can I use my time better to get all the things i want to get done, done!'
I don't have the perfect answer but I find it helps me when I take time to have breakfast with my bible.  
By this I don't necessarily mean that I eat breakfast and read my bible but that I break the fast of the night by reading my bible. This feeds my inner man with peace for the day, strength to deal with matters in hand, wisdom for situations that arise and joy in knowing that I am not alone through it all.

I have a range of devotionals along with my trusted King James Study Bible which I use depending on the tug of my heart that morning. As the Holy Spirit leads!
A few of these are in the pictures above.
Have you used any of these and with what results?

No guilt or condemnation here!

For some of us, we may still be trying to get it right and that's good because you have not given up. 
For others, it may be that the middle of the day is better or the midnight hours are the best for you.
For still others, you may just be thinking about it and that's great because you are being drawn to action.

Does it have to be early morning?

I use the term breakfast very loosely here. Of course we have our physical breakfast first thing in the morning but in spiritual terms I don't think we should get hooked up on the time that we do this. Our lives are busy, indeed! As an early riser the morning works great for me but you may have a different energy cycle which suits the evening best. 
So take break fast to be that time you take to break the fast for your inner man and give him his breakfast. 

What tips can you share with all the busy women trying to fit this into their schedules? 

Five Awesome Tips I can share

1. Don't despise the small beginnings, 5 minutes is better than none; 1 verse is better than a whole chapter.  
2. Have the Bible close at hand so that you can just reach for it when you are ready
3. Plan to wake up 30 minutes earlier than the rest of the house or stay up 30 minutes later. 
4. Put on your favorite Christian Radio station through the cable TV so you can hear the Word, listen to praise music and be encouraged throughout the day. 
5. Play an audio Bible program either through an app on your mobile or again as a radio station through your cable supplier.                                 

Share your stories. I love to read your comments.

Five reasons to enjoy sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are go! 

Keep a pack of these nutritious, inexpensive and delicious vegetables always handy in your store cupboard to enjoy all round health benefits. Awesome!!
I must admit that I never used to like these as I enjoyed the white sweet potatoes so much  more. That is until the price went off the scale! 
So it is now good to know the nutritious value of the yellow sweet potatoes. They are power packed with goodness. A must for your kitchen supplies.

Five reasons to enjoy sweet potatoes

1. Rich in betacarotene, which gives it the beautiful yellow orange colour and provides vitamin A; great for your eyes and for bone strength.

2. Awesome source of Vitamin C which we all know wards off the flu and colds. But did you also know that this vitamin is essential in bone and tooth formation and in the production of collagen which helps maintain a youthful elasticity to your skin? 

3. Sweet potatoes are a source of Vitamin D. This vitamin  plays an important role in our energy levels, moods, and helps to build healthy bones, heart, nerves, skin, and teeth, and it supports the thyroid gland. If our bones are healthy then our hair will be healthy too!! 

4. Sweet potatoes contain iron. We know we need iron for our energy supply but iron also plays other important roles in our body such as giving us a resistance to stress, proper im­mune functioning, and the metabolizing of protein, among other things.

5. A great source of magnesium which helps us to relax and stay stress free. We appreciate any natural help we can get from Mother Nature to stay calm and relax. 

Check this source for even more reasons to include sweet potatoes in your weekly shop! 
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/9-reasons-to-love-sweet-potatoes.html


Awesome Tips!!   

1. Great for a quick meal or to take to work for lunch.
2. Make extra and freeze a batch.

Recipe Suggestion

Big Flavour Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup

1 tbs Sunflower Oil

2 garlic cloves
Grated Ginger

1 onion chopped

500g sweet potatoes peeled and chopped

1 cup red lentils

1 jalapeno pepper (optional)

1 tsp cumin
1 stock cube in 4 cups water

Method
Heat the oil adding onion, ginger, garlic and jalapeno pepper stirring until the ingredients are soft and have released their flavours
Add the sweet potato, lentils and 4 cups of stock to pan and stir gently
Reduce heat and leave to simmer for 20-25 minutes until the texture is as smooth as you enjoy.

Sometimes I add coconut cream for a different taste, yummilicious!!
You can blend if you prefer a smooth texture.

Serve with whole wheat bread or pitta