Some people can't wake up without their latte fix, others are addicted to their bulletproof coffee and I, well, I swear by my Prana chai.

For any real chai lovers out there, you’ll agree with me when I say a good cup of chai is more than just a good cup of chai. Chai warms you up from the inside out and feels like a million gentle hugs, cuddling your insides. If home had a taste, it would be chai. My ultimate motivator for finishing my morning walk is a daily cup of home-made chai and it helps me reach the finishing line every morning 

I’m not sure if it’s because of my Indian roots or if it’s because I like to add some spice to my life but if you can't already tell... I’m a little bit obsessed with chai.

So, I can say honestly, as a qualified chai enthusiast, there’s nothing worse than ordering a chai at a café and spying a teabag (#anglo-Indian girl problems) or even worse, the instant powder (just a whole bunch of sugar and additives), scooped out of a tub to serve.

Nothing can quite compare to the silky-smooth texture and aromatic delightful taste of a home-made chai.  

Prana Chai is made with that in mind. It's hand-made each day in Melbourne with only the best natural spices, mixes and of course, love by the owners, Vincent Conti and Mario Minichilli. After travelling across the globe, they, like myself and many others, fell in love with chai. Upon returning home, they worked on developing a chai blend inspired by their travels and love affair with India. This is when they met Koray Gencel and I guess you could say, the rest is chai-story!

I try to be humble with everything I do, but there’s one thing I’m certainly not humble about; I make a very good chai, one of the tastiest in the world. I’ve achieved the equal blend of froth with spice and I just couldn't make chai the way I do without my favourite Prana Chai.

So, what is Prana Chai? The word Prana, originating from Ayurvedic medicine, links to the idea of life-giving force or vital force, which is why it's the perfect name for this chai range. Prana Chai is an honest product with nothing artificial; only love, tea and whole spices.

Masala Chai, which is my favourite of Prana’s range, originates from Ayurveda, the traditional healing medicine system of India. It's a beautiful mix of black tea, aromatic Indian spices and milk. 

If you'd like to get your hands on some chai, be sure to go to Prana Chai's beautiful website here or check them out on instagram here.

If you’ve never made chai before, you need to chai it out! It’s so simple to make and will boost your senses!

Just follow these instructions down below:

1. Place two or three heaped teaspoons of Prana Chai into a pot
2. Fill with one cup of your favourite milk (or I do half water half milk)
3. Heat over the stovetop until it’s been brought to the boil.  Turn off and let steep for five minutes.
4. Strain and pour into your favourite tea cup
5. Relax and let that chai take over your whole body!

It’s been a long and laborious day at the office. You’re already peeved because you had to stay overtime to finish up some work. This means you’re coming home late to a messy house, hungry tummies and a glaringly empty fridge, standing there staring back at you.

You’re oh so tempted to dial in a cheap takeaway but your internal dialogue is torn. Then again, you’re way too tired to prepare a gourmet, organic three-course meal for you and the whole family. To even think about what to make feels like way too much hard work! Still you want to enjoy a healthy meal with all the right nutrients, but without a lot of effort required on your part.

Sound familiar?  If this feels like you, I'm giving you a chance to win the internal debate with two deliciously simple fish recipes from my book Fast Your Way to Wellness. I don’t want you to have to do one ounce of thinking, or over preparing for your meal to appear on the table in a flash.

These are a couple of my favourite go-to weekend recipes that have come to my rescue on many occasions during an "I-need-something-tasty-and-fast" crisis.

What I love about these recipes is that they’re super simple, healthy and don’t take more than 25 minutes each. The first one is the ultimate dinner winner!

Sautéed scallops with mushrooms and spinach

If you’re looking for something light for a dinner for two, this is a great recipe that not only tastes delicious, but also can be on the table in ten minutes.  Shellfish such as scallops are a beautiful source of fat-soluble vitamins, especially vitamin D. Always buy shellfish fresh from your local fishmonger and eat as soon as possible.

Serves 2

179 calories per serve (749 kJ)

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 200 g (7 oz/10 small) scallops, rinsed and patted dry
• Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 140 g (5 oz) mixed mushrooms, whole or sliced
• 1 teaspoon fresh or dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 200 g (7 oz) baby English spinach leaves
• Splash of apple cider vinegar
• Chopped parsley or rosemary sprigs, to serve
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat.

Season the scallops with salt and pepper, sear in the pan for 1–2 minutes on each side, until golden brown, then remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the garlic, mushrooms, rosemary, thyme and oregano to the pan, then cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

Add the spinach and apple cider vinegar, then cook for 1–2 minutes, until the spinach just begins to wilt.

Return the scallops to the pan and cook for 1 minute to heat through.

Serve topped with the parsley or rosemary and with lemon wedges on the side.

When you crave a lazy weekend and want to bring the fancy cafe Buddha bowl into the comfort of your own home, here's your go to recipe.  A bowl overflowing with protein-rich, and low cost lentils, chlorophyll-filled greens and deliciously smoked salmon brimming with omega-3s will provide a lunch of stately standards.  Whilst the lentils are cooking you can take off your shoes and put your feet up on the couch, then all you need to do is serve it up and add your other elements.

For those of you who find lentils hard to digest and you want to gain maximum nutritional value and make them more digestible, you can sprout them by placing them in a fine-mesh sieve or a sprouting jar and rinsing a few times a day for 2 days before you cook them. The lentils will grow little tails! Now there's a great weekend project.

Smoked salmon living lentil bowl

Serves 2

181 calories per serve (758 kJ)

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small brown onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 50 g (13/4 oz) brown lentils, rinsed
• 375 ml (13 fl oz/11/2 cups) chicken stock or filtered water
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 handful coriander (cilantro), chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
• 100 g (31/2 oz) baby English spinach leaves
• 100 g (31/2 oz) smoked salmon
• 35 g (11/4 oz/1/2 cup) snow pea (mangetout) sprouts
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)
• Squeeze of lemon juice

Method

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion, garlic and ginger, then cook for 3–4 minutes, until softened.

Add the lentils, stock or water and cumin.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the liquid has been absorbed.

Stir through the coriander and capers.

Arrange all the ingredients in serving bowls, then season with a grind of pepper (if using) and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Enjoy your weekend 

Lee xo

I think we all know those people who love and embrace everything about India, the sights, the culture, the colours and especially the FOOD!

Some of them take trips every year, stay at a minimalist yoga retreat and come back totally ‘spiritual’, #cultured and a changed person. 

If you're one of those people or anything like me, half Indian and half English and living between two cultures, or if you're just looking for a gentle reminder to get your 'Eat Pray Love' on, then you’ve come to the right place! 

If an Ashram sounds a little too hard-core right now, I’ve got the perfect dish that’ll make you feel as if you’re ‘connecting to your core’ and being healed internally by the local medicine man.

Transform your kitchen into an Indian land of spices with all of the aromatic colours and flavours of this beautiful country. I’m helping you put the authentic back into Indian food with a DAHLiciously easy dinner that is equally warm, comforting, wholesome and supercharged!.

Indian food has a way of catering to everyone’s food preferences – whether you’re gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free or anything else-free, this dahl can be catered to suit your needs. It’s Indian cooking made easy and people-friendly.

So, what is Dahl (or daal or dal)? It’s an Indian dish of curried, spiced lentils. It’s one of my favourite meals to make when I’m in a CURRY because it’s quick and simple. I’ve included anti-inflammatory turmeric, high-fibre lentils, antioxidant-rich garlic, nausea-relieving ginger and digestive-improving cumin to make this dahl rich in nutrients and perfectly grounding. This superb combination is warming and immune-boosting to help fight off colds all year long.

Growing up with my Indian background, lentil dahl has always made me feel at home.  If you want to know more about my ever-evolving love of India and Ayurveda, you can read about my Indian adventures or check out my Ayurvedic-inspired book, Eat Right for Your Shape. 

Let’s talk about the star of this Bollywood show - Lentils!

Lentils aren't just a good option for plant-based enthusiasts. These legumes punch way above their weight when it comes to protein, iron and nutrients.

Lentils are a low-calorie, nutrient-packed legume with a nutty and earthy flavour. They contain a great source of prebiotics which means they benefit our existing gut bacteria and feed our communities of healthy flora to keep  everything running smoothly :oops:.  Lentils also contain dietary fibre, protein, iron, B1, zinc, potassium and more!

Because they're high in insoluble fibre, they can help prevent constipation and even relieve irritable bowel syndrome.  They're a plant-based source of both protein and iron that can help lower cholesterol, stabilise blood sugar and look after heart health. These little legumes can also help with weight loss because they’re high in nutrients like fibre, protein, minerals and vitamins and low in calories which means they keep us full and satisfied - Bonus!

Just remember, lentils aren't everyone's best friend. They can increase flatulence so if you're trying them out for the first time, I suggest eating them with close friends or family or soaking them beforehand. 

Supercharged Dhal

Just like fine wine and cheese, there’s something about dahl that only gets better with age. This dahl makes for the perfect lunch the next day. That's, if you haven’t finished it before then!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups red lentils rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable stock or water
• 2 tsps turmeric
• 2 knobs unsalted butter
• 2 tsps cumin seeds
• 3 cardamom pods lightly crushed
• 4 cloves
• 4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 fresh green chilli deseeded and finely sliced
• 1 inch piece ginger grated
• 1 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 inch cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp coriander
• pinch sea salt

Method: 

Place the lentils in a pan add stock or water to cover and bring to the boil (skimming off any scum that rises to the top).  Once boiled turn heat down to a gentle simmer and add turmeric and 1 knob butter. Cover with a lid, and let simmer (about 15 mins) stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if required.

In a small frying pan, over a medium heat place a small amount of butter and add cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves and fry for about a minute until fragrant (the seeds may pop).

Remove the tempered spices from the pan and set aside in a small bowl.

Melt remaining butter in the same frying pan over a medium heat and fry garlic, onion, chillies, grated ginger and tomatoes, add the cinnamon, coriander and tempered spices and cook until onion is translucent.

Remove from the heat and set aside until lentils are cooked through, then stir through spice mix.

Season to taste, ladle into bowls and serve with fresh coriander.

I'm not sure about you, but I don’t love the idea of a fruit juice cleanse. After day one, I often feel deprived, lethargic, cold from all the juices and a little bit moody!

I'm a big believer in eating with the seasons so sitting by the fire-place and shivering whilst sipping on a pineapple juice for my 'health'. It just doesn't make sense to me! 

That's why I was thrilled when I found out about Mr Perkins' new Wellness Cleanse.

Mr Perkins, the latest health hub in Bondi Beach has a philosophy that I really love and try to live by myself – ‘cooked slow, served fast’. They turn the idea of 'fast food' on it's head with that one! Everything they serve is made in-house daily with locally sourced and fresh ingredients. Think hearty soups in winter and delicious smoothies and beautiful salads in summer. 

They've just released their official cleanse which is completely plant based, rich in fibre and designed to help heal and promote wellness. The cleanse is designed by Mr Perkins’ resident nutritionist, Jessica Rutledge, from the Greenery Clinic. 

Unlike many juice cleanses on the markets, Mr Perkins Wellness Cleanse acknowledges the seasonal changes and knows we don’t want to be drinking juice for dinner all winter long! It includes juices, smoothies, soups and broths to keep us satisfied whilst promoting detoxification. The body requires nourishment and warmth to maintain our wellbeing and this is what Mr Perkins does so well!

The cleanse allows us to step away from foods that are often inflammatory and, emphasises the goodness of vegetables, fruits and seeds.

If you’ve never done a cleanse before, don’t worry – it’s suitable for all levels. It works for people who’ve never touched a detox in their life to the juicing ninjas among us.

You can experience either a one-day, two-day or three-day cleanse depending on you.

Not yet convinced?

I’m giving you a sneak-peek into their delicious menu below!

Start the day off with a green smoothie, filled with avocado, banana, coconut milk, spinach and spirulina. This smoothie is energising and just delicious!

For lunch, you can enjoy a mineral-rich Shiitake broth filled to the brim with vegetables.

Need a pick-me-up? The Strawberry Gazpacho aids detoxification and is bursting with fresh flavours. It’s the perfect afternoon treat.

Now for dinner: their Green Soup with broccoli, leek, coconut milk and cumin is a real winner!

I love the Berry Chai Parfait for dessert. It’s a wholesome way to end the day, helps promote detoxification and is full of antioxidants and healthy fats to keep us going.

For more information, visit their website here or you can check them out on Facebook and Instagram @mrperkinsbondi 

I know that after a busy day at work, the last thing that most people want to do is figure out what they should have for dinner, let alone lunch the next day!  Working for hours on end and trying to be healthy may seem like two things that don’t necessarily go together but I’m here to show you that healthy eating doesn’t have to be time consuming or over complicated. I’ve got some great recipes for you to take to work with you that are fast and easy to prepare.

Sometimes, the thought of picking up something on your lunch break from the local food hall or fast food chain might seem like the only available food option. However, pre-preparing healthy food for work can not only save you money, but it can also save you time in the long run so that you can sit down and enjoy your lunch that has already been made by you. 

Eating healthily and preparing meals to nourish can also help to improve your work performance, and it can be simple to prepare healthy food the night before so that you can just grab it and go in the morning. If you’re reading this and it seems to you like an impossible feat, I’m here to show you that healthy lunches can be an achievable change in your workdays and really, it all comes down to mindset. 

The number one word I’m going to use here is preparation.  Preparing food, the night before or even preparing a few meals on the weekend, can save a lot of time and unnecessary stress in the morning. I’ll often cook more for dinner and take the rest as a takeaway. For example, if I’m making a salad, I’ll take some out before serving and put it in a container, and then dress the rest. This means the next morning it will still be fresh and delicious for the day and then all it needs is a protein source like a can of tuna in olive oil which I put in my bag and I’ll take a lemon with me to work (I work from the local library) and then at lunchtime, I'll dress the salad from there.

I’d love to share with you two of my favourite "Totally Totable" recipes from my latest book Fast Your Way to Wellness.

The first is a scrumptious Bento Box and secondly my Vegie Nori Wraps which are fun to make. Not only are these meals simple to prepare and delicious, they’ll also make all your co-workers extremely jealous by how good they look! They’re easy enough to transport to work and will help keep you focused for the day ahead.

The Supercharged Bento Box is a combination of everything to satisfy you fully! There’s a section packed with protein, another filled with complex carbohydrates, the third with vibrant veggies and of course the last one has a sweet little treat. I like to keep my meals balanced and like most, love having dessert to look forward to.

Nori is the main star of my Veggie Nori Wraps. Nori is an edible seaweed that is low in calories and rich in protein, iodine and fibre, making it a perfect lunchtime mix. Nori is packed full of B vitamins, especially B12, which is hard to find in vegetarian foods. This simple seaweed is also high in minerals and amino acids to maintain health as it controls everything from the immune system to mood.

Supercharged Bento Box

421 calories per serve (1763 kJ)

Serves 1

This meal has saved me time and time again! It’s a little bit like a throw-all-the-good-contents-from-the-fridge-into-a-container and it will no doubt taste delicious kind of meal.  This is easiest to eat from a bento box or lunchbox with four separate sections. Once it’s assembled, just refrigerate it for lunch the following day. Easy!

Sesame slaw with tahini and orange dressing

• 15 g (1/2 oz/1/4 cup) shredded green cabbage
• 15 g (1/2 oz/1/4 cup) shredded red cabbage
• 40 g (11/2 oz/ 1/4 cup) grated carrot
• a few mint stalks, chopped
• a few parsley stalks, chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onion (scallion)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted in a dry frying pan

DRESSING

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon tahini
• finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
• Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all the slaw ingredients except the sesame seeds and put in a section of the box. Combine the dressing ingredients, adding filtered water as needed, then pour over the salad. Top with the sesame seeds.

Sardines with Lemon and Pepper

• 45 g (11/2 oz) tinned sardines
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 lemon wedge

Drain the sardines and place in a section of your box. Season with pepper and add the lemon wedge.

Zesty Quinoa

• 110 g (41/4 oz/1/2 cup) cooked quinoa (make this the night before or on the weekend and store in fridge)
• finely grated zest of 1 lime
• Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the quinoa and lime zest, then season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a section of your box.

Sweet treat

Put a small handful of berries in the last section of the box for dessert.

Vegetable Nori Wraps

181 calories per serve (758 kJ)

These wraps are satisfyingly simple. Feel free to make them your own – add any additional veggies you like to the mix! Packing these nori rolls for lunch will keep your nourished and grounded when you’re on the go.

Serves 2

• 1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari
• 2 teaspoons rice malt (brown rice) syrup or raw honey
• 2 nori sheets
• 1 tablespoon nut butter (cashew nut butter works well)
• a few handfuls of baby English spinach leaves
• 40 g (11/2 oz/1/2 cup) shredded red cabbage
• 1/2 large carrot, grated
• 100 g (31/2 oz/about 1/2 large) avocado, sliced
• small handful of coriander (cilantro), chopped

Note; You can add a protein source to this recipe too, tuna or salmon is nice!

Combine the tamari and rice malt syrup in a small bowl. Lay one of the nori sheets on a clean work surface with a long side facing you and the shiny side down, then evenly spread half the nut butter over it, leaving a 3 cm (11/4 in) border on the top side.

Spread about one-third of the tamari mixture over the nut butter. Spread a tiny bit of tamari on the top side to help the wrap stay rolled up.

Put your desired amount of spinach on top of the nut butter and tamari layers, followed by half of each of the remaining ingredients. Be sure not to pile on too much or the wrap could break when you roll it up.

Roll the nori up away from you until sealed. Cut into three. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Wrap in plastic wrap, seal in an airtight lunchbox and refrigerate until ready to eat.

I hope you enjoy these totally totable work day recipes.  Make them and let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Let's talk about gut health.

I receive hundreds of emails daily and numerous personal clients tell me that they're constantly confused when it comes to the health of their gut. Even though many of them are eating a healthy diet, they continue to experience serious issues with digestion, a lack of energy, debilitating brain fog and annoying skin breakouts.

Do you want to know what I tell them?

You can eat as many chia-seed puddings, green smoothies and raw spinach salads as you like. Eating healthy food doesn't always mean you're absorbing all of the beautiful nutrients from these foods. So no, eating a can of spinach won't always give you instant popping muscles like Popeye (sorry to crush any dreams!).

These foods are great for you BUT in our modern-day world, many people have problems absorbing all the possible nutrients they provide. As a result of pesticides and chemicals, our poor bodies are finding it hard to recognise, differentiate and digest the goodness that comes out of delicious produce. This is where loving your gut, through the use of my powder, kicks into play. 

How long does it take to change a tyre?

I don't know, but what I do know is that it takes only 15 seconds to love your gut!

Incorporating my Love Your Gut powder  into your everyday life is the easiest and quickest way to show your gut some love.

My powder, made from the finest naturopathic-grade Diatomaceous Earth in the world, is rich in absorbable iron, silica and other essential nutrients such as magnesium and calcium. It helps to gently sweep the gut and carefully wipe it clean - like a dentist check-up for your insides (which is way nicer for you than it sounds!).  You can find out more about Diatomaceous Earth in this video here.

Love Your Gut Powder helps you to absorb nutrients by removing built up plaque, allowing you to absorb more from your food and in turn it helps to switch on and improve your digestion.

We source our Diatomaceous Earth from the best source in the world, found in the United States, to ensure that it's the lightest and finest quality around, the Australian version just doesn't cut it when it comes to purity and quality!. 

It's so easy do take too...

All you need to do is put one teaspoon (1.8gm) of my Love Your Gut Powder into a glass, mix it with water and drink it down.

And because it's FREEBIE FRIDAY, I also have a whole FREE eBook available full of great gut-healing recipes with my powder to help you on your way.

So... do you have 15 seconds to spare? Show your gut some love and I want to hear your results!

Let me know, the more information the better, I've heard it all ha! 🙂

Lee xo