Rainy Day Hot Chocolate Cravings & the Simple Solution! :)

October 28, 2015 by Lorien

It is raining today and this cold change has got me craving a warm hot chocolate ~ though not just any kind of hot chocolate from a café will do. I want something real, smooth, creamy and chocolaty!

I got the inspiration while I was out and about picking something up from the post office… I could have orderd a hot choc from the local café and I didn’t… I wanted to alcehmise my own delicious intuitive brew at home so I asked my hot choc urge to be patient until I got home and this is what I came up with – and it’s deeelicious, scrumptious, smooth, creamy, chocolatey and naturally sweet (with love!) – nothing else added!

Enjoy this cosy, warming, sugar-free, beverage to fulfil your secret (or not so secret) rainy day hot choc fantasies!

You will need:

1 cup of your choice of milk (coconut milk, almond milk, rice milk or unhomogenised dairy)
1 tbsp dark carob powder
1 tsp raw cacao powder
½ tsp Ceylon cinnamon powder
Your juicy, creative hot chocalicious love!

To Brew: Pour your milk into a pot and add carob, cacao and cinnamon. Stir with a small whisk to blend powders together nicely or use a spoon or fork. Bring to a gently bubbling boil until your chocy drink gets a little frothy (frothy is good!) then turn it off, find your favourite mug, get your blanky, a relaxing – sumptuous song to listen to (like Sade) and sit… and sip… and drink your uber smooth, creamy, wholesome and real divine home made hot choc and think of how fun it was to make your own brew! Yum!

Enjoy!

For more recipe join my mailing list on the right (look for the cardamon pods!) and stay tuned for the release of my first ever recipe ebook that will be dancing into a kitchen near you soon!

x Lorien

Feeling Tropical! Vegan Black Rice Porridge Recipe

October 10, 2015 by Lorien

H E L L O ~ D E L I C I O U S N E S S !

My aaaaalllllll time favourite food while growing up was this – (apart from its fruity counterpart: fresh papaya!)

I was first introduced to this nourishing, exotic, delectable pudding while on holidays in Indonesia with my mum. I also grew up close to an authentic Indonesian restaurant called ‘Masakan Indonesia’ on the Gold Coast ~ my love for black rice pudding was sustained between our family trips to bali and our family dinners at Masakan. :) Such happy , yummy memories! I’m smiling just contemplating those precious black rice days!

Mum and I made it at home also ~ as with anything delicious, it is fun to explore making it for yourself and this also adds to being able to appreciate the subtlety and elegance that chefs go through in order to master their recipes. I loved the ones we made at home and I loved the ones we ate either in Bali or at Masakan.

I recently discovered ORGANIC black rice for sale at my local health food shop. Excitement! :) One of the reasons I had not made my black rice pudding in a while was because I could only find black rice at specific exotic asian grocery stores – and this was not always convenient to find and I really do prefer to eat organic whole foods for optimum nutrition and care of myself and planet, so buying the non-organic heavily transported type turned me off a bit.

The second reason I stopped buying or making black rice pudding is because the bought ones in restaurants often have loads of sugar in them (as delicious as they are!). This turns me off. I have a new respect and awareness of sugar these days since reading ‘Sweet Poison’ by David Gillespie (great easy read!) and also since studying nutrition and the way food affects our immune system, mental functioning and emotions. Black rice tastes so good with sugar – these days I like to use WHOLE-FOOD sweeteners as much as possible.

My Favourite Wholefood Sweeteners:

Medjool dates
Maple Syrup
Carob
Honey (not for baking or cooking)

If I’m ever going to use sugar I will choose the most ‘whole’ form I can get such as coconut sugar, rapadura sugar or jaggery. In my ayurvedic studies I learnt that these whole forms of sugar can be good for the body and this is true – at certain times and in certain instances, some whole sugar can be medicine. On the whole though – for me personally I feel cleaner, clearer and have more energy when I keep to my natural WHOLE FOOD sweetness listed above as even though whole-sugars still have minerals intact, they can still affect the body in a similar way to regular processed sugar as if you think about it – they are still concentrated condensed crystals of energy. It is easy to be addicted to sugar these days so I choose to get myself hooked on more sober tastes and flavours when I want a sweet hit and the list mentioned above generally always does the trick! :)

Organic Sugar-free Black Rice Pudding is now well and truly back on the menu in my kitchen! :)

If you feel like having some tropical ‘Indonesian’ black-rice pudding fun at home, here is my sugar-free + vegan black rice recipe for you to have a play with! :)

Wholesome Vegan Coconut Black Rice Pudding Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup organic black rice
3 cups of boiling water
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
2 cups of coconut milk
shredded coconut (to toast and add as a garnish!)

Creation process:

Rinse your black rice and boil the kettle (it’s always good to give your grains a rinse prior to cooking).
Place your rice in your pot and add approx 3 cups of boiling water to steam the rice.
Bring to a boil and place the lid on. Cook until the rice is soft and the water has absorbed.
Remove from the heat once steamed and add 2 cups of coconut milk, a dash of maple syrup, 2 tsp’s of cinnamon and your love!
Serve your pudding warm in your favourite bowls and garnish with some fresh banana, papaya, toasted coconut and or a few cheeky raisins.

Voila! So easy, black rice pudding in a flash with whole food ingredients to make this sweety treaty nourishing and delicious! :)

Happy creating in the kitchen!

Love,

x Lorien

Spring Moong Bean Kitchari Recipe with fresh parsley & creamy salted avocado! Gluten Free / Vegetarian / Vegan / Wholesome!

October 9, 2015 by Lorien

The best nutritional path to take in life is the one that suits you most!

We are all unique and this means that our bodies and digestive systems are unique as well! (Yay! how beautiful is that!)

Our bodies thrive when we can listen and be intuitive about our food & lifestyle choices.

Instead of following the latest food trend or getting overwhelmed by varying food philosophies – ask your body what it wants, what it needs and then listen. You are not like anyone else. Doing what everyone else does will never be truly nourishing.

In order to really nourish yourself – you must listen to the call of your tummy, your feelings, your passions and your inspirations.

Ask yourself these questions… Which foods feel amazing in your tummy? & Which foods make your heart and mind sing? and move towards those things… experiment, play and explore!

Often creating this inner connection with self is all that is needed to soothe, calm and rebalance the intelligence of our body, heart and mind.

It’s exciting, it’s fun and it’s delicious to open up, to explore your body and to listen to what foods your body wants, loves and needs.

Master your eating and you will master your mind… this is what the Ayurvedic sages of India share with us.

“Quality of mind depends on quality of food.” ~The Vedas

Ingredients:

2 cup whole moong beans (soaked overnight)
1 cup basmati or brown rice (washed 3 x and strained)
1/4 pumpkin chopped into cubes
1 cup green beans chopped into small pieces
8 cups of boiling water
1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
1 tbsp freshly chopped ginger
1 clove of garlic finely chopped/pressed
1/2 a red onion finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds, 1tsp coriander seeds, 1/3 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp himalayan salt & a few cracks black pepper
1/2 ripe avocado & some fresh parsley or coriander
your love! :)

So easy to digest, nourishing & in Ayurvedic texts said to be a ‘complete protein’!

Creation process:

Add 1 tblsp Ghee or Coconut oil to your pot
Once melted, add 1/4 teaspoon of Cumin seeds & Coriander seeds. Allow to toast.
Add Ginger, garlic and onion to the spices & toast. (Garlic & Onion is optional).
Add 1/3 teaspoon of turmeric powder & stir.
Add 2 cups of soaked & rinsed whole moong beans.
Add 1 cup of rice.
Stir & toast in the spices for a few minutes to lighten the lentils & rice for improved digestion.
Place your chopped pumpkin and green beans in the pot.
Add 8 cups of boiling water & stir. Allow to gently boil.
Add a pinch of Himalayan salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
Continue to stir regularly – adding your juicy love! :) Cook for approx 20-30 minutes on a medium heat.
When Rice & Moong become creamy, turn off the heat and serve with an extra spoon of ghee or coconut oil on top, 1/2 an avocado sliced and salted and a fresh garnish of parsley or coriander!

Voila!

A super delicious nourishing vegetarian and vegan (minus the ghee!) complete protein dish! Yum! This is such an easy meal to make during the week when it’s hard to come up with creative ideas for the family and you want something fast, nourishing AND delicious! :)

Bon appetite! :)

x Lorien

1 Day Women’s ‘Soul-Spa’ Retreat, Byron Bay!

September 7, 2015 by Lorien

‘Relaxation is the prerequisite for that inner expansion that allows a person to express the source of inspiration and joy within.’ ~Deepak Chopra

Join me and my very own amazing mum, Alora Waldron (with over 35+ years experience in natural therapies) for a nourishing, juicy, creative and soul-inspiring ~1 Day Women’s Soul-Spa Retreat~ in beautiful Byron Bay to welcome Spring and feed your body, mind, spirit and soul!

We have dreamed up a magical day of: yoga, dance, art-play, sound meditation, sacred ritual, self-massage, ayurveda, visioning, eating (delicious yummy ayurvedic organic lunch and treats) and 2 hours of spa pampering at the luscious Kiva Spa to top it off! …Bliss!

9am – 7pm Sunday 20th Sept, 2015
$127 early bird (until 10th sept) // $147
(over $500 worth of value!)

Book your place here…

Re-connect with your body, your creativity and your joy!
As the old ayurvedic proverb goes…

‘When the woman is healthy, the family is healthy…’

Looking forward to sharing this luscious special day coming up!

x Lorien

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost.”~Martha Graham

Wheat-free, No Stress!

July 19, 2015 by Lorien

Fresh gluten-free buckwheat pancakes and organic berries for breakfast!! (pancakes made by Mary Murray in Toronto, Canada!) :)

Making the transition from eating wheat as a staple to eating gluten-free / wheat-free grains can be quite a daunting challenge and difficult at first to negotiate for many lovers of food out there who love their bread, toast, bagels, pancakes and pasta!

When choosing to embark on a ‘wheat-free’ journey there can be a lot of stress associated with having to learn to literally ‘eat’ again and figure out by yourself – what you CAN and can’t eat to stay true to your new way of life.

What you may not know is that many gluten-free processed and packaged products you see on the super market shelf are not going to do your body ANY favours… They are just as bad, if not worse.

Cheap and often nasty gluten-free ingredients to be aware of in the supermarket: Corn flour, corn starch, corn syrup, maize, potato starch, tapioca flour & white rice flour. (+Anything that is not labelled certified organic! In a big super-market it will be genetically modified if not otherwise stated.)

Why go wheat-free?

Wheat has changed A-LOT since humans started first eating it. Through the process of agriculturalisation – the precious and highly revered staple grain for many cultures has become less than a shadow self of what it once was. The nutrients and goodness that wheat may have used to offer has now diminished. Since we eat it so much as its used as a ‘filler’ or main ingredient in virtually everything, our bodies often struggle beneath the surface to deal with the large amounts of this stuff that we eat. It is very easy to eat ‘wheat’ 3-5 times in one single day these days, the supermarket is filled with wheat products – your cereal, toast, sandwhich, biscuit, crackers, pasta, fancy cookies… it’s all around. Wheat has made it in the big leagues ~ by far the most processed and consumed food product in the western world.

Common symptoms of eating Wheat:

Weight gain, inflammation of joints, arthritis, skin rashes, acne, pimples, obesity, malabsorption, fuzzy head, confusion, tiredness, diabetes, depression, high blood sugar levels, poor digestion, feeling heavy & fluid retention.

You don’t need to live with any of these ailments – they are preventable through looking at your food and lifestyle choices. For many… wheat is the number #1 offender. Simply cutting it out 90% of the time can lead to drastic inspiring results, weigh loss, clear thinking, reduced pain and inflammation plus feeling good about life!

Good news: Choosing Wholesome ‘Wheat-Free’ Alternatives is Easy!

It doesn’t need to be so stressful! There are SO many delicious wonderful wholefoods you can eat and cook with to replace the wheats throne at your table!

My top ‘Gluten-free’ + ‘Wheat-free’ wholesome kitchen favourites:

Buckwheat pancakes, buckwheat bread, buckwheat crisp bread, buckwheat flour for cooking.
Quinoa flakes for porridge, quinoa flour for baking, whole quinoa for simply eating.
Millet flour for baking, millet flakes for porridge, whole millet for simply eating.
Amaranth flakes for porridge, amaranth flour for baking, whole amaranth for simply eating.
Brown rice flour for baking, brown rice flakes for porridge, whole brown rice for simply eating.
Besan (chick-pea) flour for baking, making pancakes and binding.
Mung bean pasta, adzuki bean spaghetti, black bean spaghetti (there are so many great grain-free pastas available nowadays in your local health food shop – just ask them!)

There are SO many great ingredients and foods that make the body feel good – AND that taste good. Try some of these favourites for yourself and remember, never stress – there is a whole world of delicious, simple and nourishing wheat-free foods out there for you to love and enjoy!

x Lorien

Yoga: Iyengar Inspiration

June 10, 2015 by Lorien

‘The yogi realises that his life and all its activities are part of the divine action in nature, manifesting and operating in the form of man. In the beating of his pulse and the rhythm of his respiration, he recognises the flow of the seasons and the throbbing of universal life.’

~BKS Iyengar, pg 41, Light On Yoga.

{original ‘gold om’ artwork + typography by lorien waldron.}

x Om Shanti

Byron Bay Ayurvedic Cooking Class!

May 11, 2015 by Lorien

Autumn Equinox

March 21, 2015 by Lorien

Since the first of March, according to the western calendar year, Summer was ‘officially’ over and Autumn had begun.

What!? Autumn! …It still feels like Summer!

On the first day of Autumn however, I found myself at the beach, taking respite in the cool waters of the ocean and enjoying the warm air ~ delicious fresh Papaya by the spoonful and long summer-love-story short, …it certainly STILL felt like Summer!

That is because the seasons don’t stop and start like a machine. Just like we don’t stop and start (when living in balance) like a machine. We are alive, breathing beings, organic in our true nature. Mother nature and her seasons are the same, really we are mini living manifestations of her divine creation. That is a whole other exciting ‘macrocosm’, ‘microcosm’ conversation though… Back to the seasons. Mother nature and her seasons are gradual and as such we must allow ourselves to gradually adapt during a seasonal juncture in order to rebalance to our new and changing environment as well as allow for our bodies and minds to cleanse from the previous season to create a clear fresh space that is appropriate for the current season that is beginning.

Autumn brings an increase in the air + ether elements, (Vata).

As the cooler air and wind causes the leaves to dry and then fall to the ground. There is a ‘dryer’ and less humid quality to the air as we shift from the heat and moisture of summer to the slightly cooler movement, via wind of Autumn. The earth beginning to prepare for winter!

Seasons are so beautiful, they show us that everything grows, transforms, cycles and evolves… And for harmony to be maintained, this cycle and process must continue ~ year, after year, after year!

Change is what is always constant! It is a blessing and time of ritual and ceremony in many traditional cultures, where the people honour the sacred earth elements.

At all seasonal junctions through out the year, it is important to take extra care of yourself and to listen to your bodies needs as the environment around you shifts.

To balance your Vata, you must respond and adapt your lifestyle habits and routine to suit and harmonise with the changing environment around you.

You may find yourself eating less, eating lighter foods, warmer foods, more nourishing foods and even wearing different clothes as the climate changes, even just subtly.

The official Autumn Equinox

Yesterday, the 21st of march marked the autumn equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. Equinox meaning ‘equal’ light and dark. From yesterday onwards we will move from having more light and warmth in each day to slightly less as we glide into winter. The opposite is occurring in the northern hemisphere as they move towards the warmth and longer days.

Ayurvedic medicine places great significance on seasonal change as it is important that way have the tools and knowledge to align and re-balance during the various transitions and changes in life for the health of our body, mind and spirit, our optimum wellness.

3 Simple Lifestyle Tips for Seasonal Change you can do at home:

My top #3 Ayurvedic Lifestyle tips for you to smoothly navigate and re-balanced during this seasonal juncture that we are in right now are…

#1 Make sure you give your body adequate rest, I’m talking 7-8 hours sleep each night so your body can rejuvenate and balance out during the night. (I went to bed at 9pm last night and it felt amazing!!!)

#2 Eat warm, light meals to give your digestion a little rest, think soups, kitchari, stewed fruit, steamed vegies… Warm and simple. This is also a great time to do a mini cleanse or soup/kitchari fast for 2-5 days. The best time of year for it! (I made a pot of Kitchari yesterday and have fasted on Kitchari and fresh Papaya during the day today, feels amazing and so great to have a little digestion re-set!)

#3 Drink warm water and warm herbal teas in place of cold drinks during the day, night and first thing in the morning to gently cleanse your digestive system, support your agni, (digestive fire) and ground your mind and body due to the relaxing and healing qualities of warm h20! (I carry a 1 litre thermal drink bottle with me everywhere, filled with warm water so it is easy for me to stay hydrated and drink warm water wherever I am. The best invention ever. Warm water really makes a difference!)

That’s it. Simple awareness of your body, mind, spirit and breath at all times in life ensures balance and harmony to reside within you and allows your bodies natural innate intelligence to shine, re-balance, heal and guide you on your journey inside and out.

Love your body and listen to it’s callings…

Happy Autumn Equinox beautifuls!

With love and all things yummy and wholesome,

x Lorien

Poetry of Truth

February 27, 2015 by Lorien

Truth ~ Satya

We are made of our mother and our father

We are made of the soil and stars…

We are made from the dancing fire, the falling rain…

The clouds and the fresh breeze…

All of this; will remain.

Our task while here is to honour this truth…

You are creation in motion, energy in flow

You are all knowing and all seeing…

Your heart will show.

Listen to her whisper, listen to his call…

Intelligence beyond logic, intuition beyond any fear.

When things don’t make sense any more, comfort in this truth my dear…

All that matters is in you. Never to be lost. Always to be found.

The only quest for your spirit to pursue, is what is false and what is true…

No mind needed, no ego to push and shove.

No battles of thought that get you caught ~ no more drowning panic…

Truth is your path. Like a flame in the dead of night.

Truth is your guide when there’s no answer to wrong or right.

All else will drop away…

Your pure heart,

Your peaceful heart,

Your TRUE heart is here to stay.

Truth my dear, truth is your song,

Truth my love is where you belong.

“Satya (Sanskrit: सत्य) literally means truth, reality. It also refers to a virtue in Indian religions, referring to being truthful in one’s thought, speech and action. In Yoga, satya is one of five yamas, the virtuous restraint from falsehood and distortion of reality in one’s expressions and actions.”

Some Juicy Wholesome Goodness = Is On. Its. Way!

February 20, 2015 by Lorien

Hello Beautiful Soul, (yes, I’m talking to you – the beautiful being reading this!) :)

Wholesome Loving Goodness, (my mission) is going through a magnificent transformation. More than ever I wish to share with YOU inspiration, tools, tips, info ~ holistic living that is nourishing, chemical-free and good for the soul!

My Holistic Ayurvedic Lifestyle + Recipe book is coming this year, 2015 – release date to be announced soon!
Women’s 1 day and weekend getaway retreats in Byron Bay (and perhaps some other exotic destinations) co-faciliated with my very own Wholesome Mother, Alora Waldron – expert teacher on all things chemical-free, organic and transformational are coming this year, 2015 – dates to be announced soon!
Ayurveda+Cooking+Yoga 1 day immersion workshops coming this year, 2015 – dates announced soon!

I’m feeling moved beyond moved to serve communities of families, youth and children in bringing love into food, cooking and life this year. Projects and collaborations to make this dream a reality are underway. This will be the big focus of 2015!

It’s time to DREAM big friends – it’s time to make the difference you are here to make – starting with the basics, proper nourishment and wholesomeness pure chemical free living so that you and your family, society and the planet, can thrive!

It’s been a while since I’ve shared ‘What Is Up’ – in Wholesome Loving Goodness land. So here you go. I’m so excited and look forward to sharing with you in this magical year of 2015!

++JOIN ME++ If you would like to work with me, retreat with me, cook with me or transform your lifestyle with me in 2015 – if this year is THE year for YOU! …Look to the sidebar on the right of this page and join my Cardamom Pod Newsletter List!

Join me, I’d love to work with you in this powerful year of possibility, 2015!

“Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense everything that comes from love is a miracle.”

~Marianne Williamson

x Om Shanti x