Lee – Page 37 – Supercharged Food

Apple Pancakes Y’all

apple The humble apple is one of my greatly adored kitchen staples and today I'm sharing an apple recipe from my brand new book Fast Your Way to Wellness.

Affordable, nutritious and versatile, they’re a scrumptious fruity must-have that I love to continually replenish within my kitchen. Whether sliced thinly and thrown into salads, baked and stuffed with nuts and oats, stewed and made into apple sauce, or lovingly formed into a classic crumble, apples are the jack of all trades and a loyal friend that awaits transformation into all kinds of delectable creations.

Apples are nutritional ninjas, boasting loads of wellness boosting properties. Did you know that apples are a wonderful ingredient for regulating blood sugar? Recent studies have shown that the polyphenols contained within apples can help to prevent rollercoaster blood sugar spikes. Particular flavonoids like quercetin have the effect of inhibiting enzymes like alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase which normally break down carbohydrates into simple sugars. Therefore when you eat apples, your body deals with less simple sugars and releases you from spikes in blood sugar. (more…)

Turmeric Tummy Bark

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I must admit that sometimes, I like to let my inner-Nigella free and venture into the kitchen for some secret midnight snacking!

This is an activity that is totally okay by me... just not something that should happen every single night - especially when it often involves sugar-laden treats that can often leave your tummy feeling uncomfortable, your blood sugar levels sky high and your brain over wired.

So, what to do? Go for the celery stick instead? This moment is one that many people are often plagued with and a time when you might start to question all of the food decisions you’ve ever made up until this point.

I know I’m not the only one who partakes in such activities and so, I thought I'd make myself useful and create something that is okay for an anytime treat. This is a recipe that you can keep in your freezer when hunger cravings strike. It's my favourite gut loving and satiating Turmeric Tummy Bark. These fine chunks of goodness will satisfy your sweet cravings, keep you feeling happy and leave your tummy feeling fine.

This delicious bark is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, refined-sugar free, nutritious and super scrumptious. I've made sure that it's packed with all the good stuff; turmeric, slivered almonds and my insta-famous Love Your Gut powder. Just one bite will leave you feeling better, rather than worse after you’ve eaten it, and that to me is a treat worth waiting for.

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One Pan Roasted Fish & Vegetables

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There’s only one word I can use to describe this one pan meal from my brand new cook book Fast Your Way to Wellness and that is Delicious!

I cannot tell you how many times a good old one-pan has rescued me from the potential stress of last-minute dinner guests, and tired weeknights where it would be ever-so-easy to order in.

With a kitchen filled with plenty of veg and a variety of proteins, herbs and spices, there’s always the possibility of a creative and delicious one-pan that will satisfy the belly and nourish your body.

This particular meal is of the seafood variety, so it’s perfect for warmer days, and a great way to tick off your fish quota for the week.

Interestingly, in all my years of studying, researching, reading, and searching for supercharged foods, seafood has recurred as one of the most healthful ingredients humans can fill their bodies with. Studies show that people who consume fish regularly have a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death from heart disease. More studies have shown that people who serve fish up on their plate have lower rates of cognitive decline, and scientists believe that it may increase grey matter in the brain, protecting it from age related degeneration. Grey matter is the stuff that acts as the major functional tissue in your brain; containing the neurons that are responsible for storing your memories, processing information, and basically making you human!

Fish is a dream to cook with, as it provides protein in a lighter form, it digests beautifully, is versatile, and is high in one of my most highly adored nutrients for inflammatory conditions: omega 3 fatty acids.

Fish oils are one of your best whole food sources of anti-inflammatory fatty acids. There are two types of these fatty acids in fish oil; EPA and DHA. These guys are total legends, as they inhibit the signals of inflammation within the body. (more…)

Salted Caramel Slice

salted caramel slice

Today I'm supercharging a classic cake stall favourite straight outta the 80's. Back in the day when fashions and seasons were mixed; leg warmers and mini skirts, lace with acid wash jeans, now I'm combining salt and caramel!

Say hello to my gooey and melt-in-the-mouth Salted Caramel Slice, a dessert sure to be a sell out at every school fete across the country.

These beauties are gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar free and full of healthy mood boosting ingredients. I mean, what kind of person doesn’t break into a smile when they’re gobbling down a piece of chocolatey caramel slice? You’ll be surprised at how something so delicious can actually be so nutritious!

To reach their supercharged potential, I've rounded up some cashews and almonds to make the base. Cashews are great for zinc, iron and vitamins E, K and B6 and almonds are known for their fibre levels, protein, iron, magnesium and vitamin E.

These slices are full of lip-licking and tongue-tingling goodness, and satisfy your sweet cravings without adding inches to your waistline! They partner well with a pot of tea and best served chilled.

If you're looking for a healthy dessert to wow your guests or a superfood snack for afternoon tea, you've come to the right place!

So, what are you waiting for?

Here’s what you need:

Ingredients:

Base

1 cup raw cashews
1 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp rice malt syrup
a few cracks of sea salt

Filling:

1 cup cashew butter
1/3 cup rice malt syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil
a few cracks of sea salt

Chocolate topping:

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp cacao butter
2 tsp cacao powder

Method:

For the base, combine cashews, almonds and buckwheat in a food processor
Transfer to a bowl and add coconut oil, rice malt syrup and sea salt. This is best combined using hands and then pressing into a brownie tin. Leave in fridge for an hour or freezer for half an hour while preparing the filling.
To make filling, combine all ingredients in a bowl and spread on top of the base. Leave in the fridge for an hour or freezer for half an hour.
To make the topping melt coconut oil and cacao butter, add cacao powder and stir until there is no lumps... Drizzle on top of slice and set in the fridge or freezer. Top with shredded coconut and a few more cracks of sea salt!

Give them a whirl and let me know what you think in the comments section below 🙂

Billabong Retreat Sydney

Ever feel the need to have a break from your crazy schedule, sit back, enjoy blissful early morning restorative yoga and indulge in organic meals prepared especially for you? Beautiful Billabong Retreat will do just that.

Billabong is located only a smooth forty-five minute drive away from Sydney in a rural location called Maraylya. The stunning wellness retreat offers amazing cuisine in a natural setting surrounded by scribbly gums, gulping frogs and chirpy birds; who needs an alarm clock anyway?

I was fortunate enough to spend a few days at the retreat in a homely lodge, overhearing the calming chorus of kookaburras nestled in the treetops by the lily-covered waterhole.

Set amongst the natural surroundings of the native Australian bush, the central point of the retreat is a beautiful billabong which is not only breathtaking but also brings wildlife straight to your door. I guarantee after just a few hours of arriving, you’ll feel completely at home in the natural surroundings. Imagine a whole new world with no e-mails, no meetings, no distractions. Just you, a hug from mother-nature and a comforting cup of Chamomile.

During my stay I attended a three-day mindfulness retreat designed to take you out of your internal dialogue and chatter, bringing you back into the moment with practical tools to be at one with your thoughts. It’s the kind of retreat, run by Billabong’s founder Paul von Bergen that helps you to replace your “ugh’s” with “oms” and understand that mindfulness is a practise which can be really beneficial when implemented into your daily life. It’s a great retreat if you’re looking to improve your relationships, not only with yourself but with the people around you.

Billabong is a breath of fresh air, but just be warned, you’ll want to NamaSTAY there all year long.

Morning meditations with this guy and the best view – is there a nicer way to start the day?

Poolside. Once you go magnesium, you can never go back. With every stroke you take, you can feel the difference as the magnesium pool helps you get rid of impurities and brings you back to your organic core.

This super clean, super green and super tasty plate of goodness. Picking up those little squares of lemon rind in olive oil with each delicious mouthful. YUM!

Breakfast in the Aussie bush. Chocolate chia pudding, cinnamon yoghurt and poached pears sprinkled with coconut, walnuts and seeds. Delicious.

Scribbly gums and a chorus of kookaburras by the waterhole.

To learn more about Billabong Retreat visit: www.billabongretreat.com.au

Fast Your Way to Wellness Book + Mint and Ginger Prawns Recipe

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Lose weight, supercharge your energy and feel great with my brand new cookbook!

I’d love to introduce you to my latest book; one that is so close to my heart and part of my own weekly lifestyle. It’s called Fast Your Way to Wellness and it’s fast becoming my favourite book (please don’t tell the others). You can order a copy over here.

I like to think of the new book as one that can be read in conjunction with my bestseller Heal Your Gut; you can think of it as your very own all-in-one fasting resource. It’s the perfect read for everyone – from the fasting newbie to those who are committed to their own fasting regimes or even for the fasting curious.

Intermittent fasting, meaning a calorie reduction for two days a week, is scientifically proven to help you lose weight and improve your overall health. I want to show you how fasting can fit in with your lifestyle, how you can eat abundantly using real foods for fasting, and how you can enjoy your food too! The most important thing is that you can fast on wholefoods and make it a healthy fasting day instead of reaching for low calorie junk food.

As I’m sure you’re aware by now, I’m all about good gut health! If you want to feel your best physically and emotionally (and let’s be honest – who doesn’t?) gut health is key. Eating fibre rich veggies, digestible foods and sipping on delicious drinks and smoothies are all amazing ways to keep your gut health at bay but sometimes, your digestive system also needs a bit more of a rest. This is where intermittent fasting comes in. Intermittent fasting gives your body some time to heal, so it can carry on being supercharged and fabulous! Dramatically reducing calories on two days per week not only kick-starts weight loss, but also rejuvenates the body’s systems, repairs cells and restores vitality.

Here are just a few facts to show you why I live by intermittent fasting:

It reduces blood pressure, reduces inflammation, increases fat burning, improves beneficial gut bacteria and normalises your hunger hormone for better appetite control.

Coming from someone who’s personally experienced autoimmune issues, I’ve seen how much I’ve benefited from intermittent fasting.

When writing Fast Your Way to Wellness, I was keen to share everything I know about fasting and health with you and, most importantly get you on your way to looking and feeling the best that you can naturally.

The book is a gentle guide to different fasting methods to suit your own plans. I share my personal tips for what I do when I get cravings, how I manage my portion sizes and what foods are best for fasting and non-fasting days. I’ve created over ninety new delicious recipes to nourish and sustain you throughout your fast days and keep you motivated.

While many ‘fasters’ often eat low-calorie junk foods or skip meals altogether, Fast Your Way to Wellness provides easy and flavourful meals that will keep you satisfied and happy. My tasty, nutritious recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and portable snacks include calorie counts, and the menu plans will help get you in the swing of planning your fasting days so they sail by effortlessly. You'll reap the benefits of increased energy and vitality — the bonus will be watching those numbers on the bathroom scale go down, and stay down.

One of my favourite new recipes from the book is a Mint and Ginger Prawns with Coleslaw. Prawns are delicious summertime food, packed with protein to fill you up. In fact, did you know they have approximately the same amount of protein as chicken or beef, yet half the calories? This means they’re ideal for a fast day!

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At only 202 calories per serve (846kJ), it just shows that fasting can be satisfying to your tummy and tastebuds.

Prawn, Mint and Ginger Prawns with Coleslaw

Serves 2

1 small carrot, grated
180 g (61/4 oz/1/4 small) cabbage, finely shredded
180 g (61/4 oz/1/4 small) red cabbage, finely shredded
2 kale leaves, stalks removed, roughly chopped or torn
1 spring onion (scallion), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
150 g (51/2 oz/10 medium) peeled and deveined prawns (shrimp), tails left intact
mint leaves, to serve

Dressing

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoons wheat-free tamari
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped mint

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small jar, then seal and shake well.

Combine the carrot, cabbages, kale and spring onion in a serving bowl.

Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the prawns
and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

Put the prawns on top of the vegetables, pour over the dressing and serve topped with the mint leaves.

You can purchase the book here.

Supercharged Summer Popsicles ☀️

Popsicles In the searing heat of summer, I want my food to be refreshing, full of supercharged ingredients, and speedy to prepare. Balmy evenings and the dry warmth of the summer air begs for our energy to shift from the comforting presence of the stove and lengthy food preparation, towards simple alfresco food solutions that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike.

In the warmer parts of the year, my priorities shift away from indoor activity, to more outdoor, social engagements; morning yoga sessions and beach walks followed by throw-together breakfasts, inviting friends over for a shaded outdoor lunch of simple, seasonal ingredients, and family gatherings where common sense, last-minute entertaining or pot luck offerings are regularly required.

When enjoying the food of summer, I always tackle my food planning with a two-fold approach. Firstly, and most importantly, I focus on healing, supercharged ingredients that are full of the season’s well-curated nutrients that support immunity, energy and vitality that the summertime requires. Secondly, I love to embrace speedy simplicity by taking hold of the ritual of batch cooking, one pan options, and easy-peasy snacks and refreshments that allow less time in hands-on food prep, and more time enjoying the outdoors and the presence of those I love.

For summer breakfasts, you can’t go past a glorious granola topped with a mountain of seasonal fruits. My Cranberry and Walnut Granola is my favourite go-to. I find great contentment mixing and baking a large batch of this scrumptious stuff during a Sunday batch-cooking session. You should smell the aroma! The blissful scent of sweet cranberries and roasting nuts will fill the air of your home, comforting your mind with the assurance of nourishing breakfasts sorted for the week ahead. I love to immerse my granola in homemade almond milk topped with fresh organic farmer’s market fruits. You can’t beat passionfruit, mango or raspberries!

One pan meals minimise the need for hands on time in the kitchen, and you don’t have to miss out on flavour with a throw-together dish. My Seven Minute One Pan Salmon with Greens is one you could do blindfolded, and always delivers the light, fresh oceanic flavours of salmon, plus the anti-inflammatory benefits of this high omega 3 fish. It’s also surrounded by seasonal greens that are important for oxygenating the blood to increase energy levels for outdoor cricket or rugby and trying to keep up with chasing around my three step sons during the holidays.

But if I were to uphold one of the greatest summer recipes that I know of, I’d have to wave my banner for these no-fail popsicles. For the amount of effort required to whip up a batch of these darlings, it never ceases to amaze me how many times they have brought a sense of delight to both adults and children on a sweltering summers day.

As guests drizzle in through the holidays, I love to have a few variations of this basic recipe stored up in my freezer to bless unexpected guests. At the point of their presentation, it’s beautiful to watch the kid come out of everyone in response to the offer.

When whipping these up, you can use the basic variation, add cacao for a cheeky chocolate flavour, or try some of these seasonal variations:

Blend in some mango chunks and scatter some whole macadamias into each mould
Drop a handful of chopped strawberries into the mix before pouring into moulds for a strawberries and cream popsicle
Stir the pulp of two passionfruit into the mix before pouring.
Blend in a handful of blueberries and the zest of one lemon.

The best thing about this recipe is that it utilises simple non-perishable food items that can be kept on hand for use at any moment. Aside from being conveniently canned, coconut milk is also highly nutritious and rich in fibre, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. It’s also dairy free, so your popsicles will still impress friends or children with dairy allergies.

My Love Your Gut powder is included in this recipe but is an optional addition. However I always love to prioritise a scoop, as it’s a simple way to cram in its remarkable gut healing benefits of improving detoxification, aiding nutrient absorption, increasing the health of hair skin and nails, and boosting hydration in the hot weather. You can read more about the benefits of the LYG powder and purchase it here.

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Popsicles

Makes 6-8 popsicles

Ingredients:

2 cans of organic coconut milk
seeds of one vanilla bean (or alcohol free vanilla/ vanilla powder)
2 Tbsp LYG Powder
10 drops of stevia (or to taste)

For chocolate version add in 1 tsp of cacao powder

Method:

Blend all ingredients in a blender.
Pour into popsicle mould and leave in freezer for 3-4 hours.

*These are best eaten at this time, as if left overnight or too long in the freezer, the coconut milk sometimes splits.

Make them and let me know how you go! Viva la holidays 🙂

Lee xo

One-Bowl Turmeric Fudge Masterpiece!

Turmeric Fudge naomi sherman blue rust images

If you weren't aware by now, I'm happy to admit that I love love LOVE turmeric!

There's a big reason this powerful spice has taken over the kitchens and menus of 2016 and will continue to do so in 2017.

The compound within turmeric, known as curcumin, is the main active ingredient and gives turmeric it's famous golden colour. It's responsible for a host of anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to offer your immune system a boost. Turmeric can be extremely beneficial in weight-loss, lowering insulin resistance and activating fat-burning genes too.

If you're keen to add more turmeric-y goodness to your life this year, why not try making my Turmeric Fudge, it's super fun and tasty as a quick treat.

Not only does using coconut oil make this recipe bond beautifully, using a healthy saturated fat in conjunction with turmeric makes it easier for your body to make the most of the benefits of this powerful golden spice. Coconut oil can also promote heart health and improve blood cholesterol, so turmeric and coconut oil truly are a match made in heaven.

To make this recipe even more gut-friendly, I’ve added in my Love Your Gut powder which gently cleanses and sweeps away plaque built up in your gut over time. Since using my powder daily, I've found that I no longer experience that dreaded bloated feeling and know that my inner-microbes are in their perfect environment to flourish!

If you're looking to further the process of healing your gut and restoring balance within your body, why not try out my Heal Your Gut programs here? You can choose between the four-week program course or the two-day-a-week program depending upon what works best for your lifestyle. They both provide fantastic results, you can read testimonials from our community here and you can start at anytime!

By the way, these delectable fudgey pieces will surprise you with how easy and quick they are to make. You just need one bowl, a baking dish and a few minutes to spare. They're a simple and delicious treat so give them a go and enjoy their benefits.

Turmeric Fudge

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup tahini

1/4 cup rice malt syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1 tbsp LYG Powder

2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ginger

Method:

Stir all ingredients in a bowl, poor into a small lined baking dish, set in the fridge for an hour and cut into slices!

Christmas Tree Fudge Brownies 🎄

Merry Christmas everyone!

Thank you all so much for your support and inspiration this year. I'm extremely grateful to be able to share my blog and recipes with you throughout the year and thank you for your continued feedback. May the coming year bring you health, peace, tranquility and above all else, contentment.

As a token of my appreciation, I'd love to share this final delicious recipe for 2016. Why not celebrate the holidays with my fun and festive Christmas Tree Fudge Brownies? They're super easy to make and look pretty on the Christmas table too. I hope you'll love them!

Here's what you need

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup rice malt syrup
1/2 avocado
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/3 cup raw cacao
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

Method:

1. Combine avocado and coconut oil and mash until smooth
2. Stir in rice malt syrup and eggs
3. Add all dry ingredients and stir
4. Pour into a lined brownie tin and bake for 25 minutes at 170C

To Make Avocado Frosting:
Combine 1/4 of an avocado with 1 tbsp of non dairy milk and 3 drops of stevia, pass though a sieve to get lumps out.
Scoop frosting into a the corner of a snap-lock bag and twist to hold mixture in the corner.
Use scissors to cut a very small part of the corner off, and there you have a DIY piping bag!
Pipe zig zags onto the brownie trees and decorate them how you please!

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Have a wonderful Christmas!

Love Lee xo

My Guide to Love and Self-Care this Silly Season

Images by Clare Elsaesser

Wow! Can you believe how quickly this year has flown by? The countdown towards Christmas is on and the New Year is closing in fast. Around this time of year, things can get a little bit crazy. So why not use this calendar month to practice the art of slowing down and getting into the moment? Maybe take a bit of time to reflect on the year that was and don’t forget to give yourself an extra pat on the back for all of your efforts.

Hey, you survived the crazy year that was 2016 and now it’s time to reward yourself in ways that show you truly love yourself from within.

Read my Guide to Love and Self-Care in the Silly Season (now try saying that five times fast)!

I encourage you to try at least one of my tips weekly and see how sparklingly good you feel afterwards. And don’t worry these are achievable tips and they all come with pleasant side effects. (more…)

Bonkers Banana-cado Bread

Bananas and avocadoes are two foods always stocked in my fruit bowl. I honestly don’t know how I could live without these perfectly packaged portions of nourishment, in fact I'm bonkers about them.

While the spotlight is often on ambiguous superfoods found in the depths of Amazonian rainforests, I like to think that some of the simple seasonal foods we have grown up with are also brimming with supercharged goodness. This is something that I've discovered in my own kitchen at home; everyday foods often hold some of the greatest nutritional superpowers. My mission in life is to find ways to harness the nutrient density of these ingredients; maximising their benefits through the pleasure of everyday simple and delicious recipes.

Smashed avo on toast certainly is a national favourite in Australia and also was peaking in cafes on my recent trip to New York City, and why wouldn’t it be? Creamy, green, versatile and full of nourishment ranging from an abundance of heart healthy monounsaturated fats, a big hit of fibre, vitamin K, folate, vitamin B6, potassium and vitamin C; these perfect portions of goodness can turn a piece of toast or a standard salad into a thing of gastronomical wonder.

I love a bit of smashed avo, but you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg in a hipster café to enjoy its goodness, and can quite frugally enjoy this wholesome café favourite at home. My ultimate go-to breakfast recipe is my smashed sardines with avocado on chia and flaxseed loaf which is full of anti-inflammatory fats, and wonderful for anti-ageing by supplying the skin with moisture from the inside out.

My chilled avocado soup is also an ideal way to enjoy the delight of Mexican flavours and is a brilliant recipe to share as a light meal or starter in the warmth of summer.

No salad really feels complete to me without the presence of luscious chunks of ripe green avo, and another way to celebrate this dreamy fruit is within my kale, strawberry and avocado salad; a beautiful lunch or side to grace your family table. It's one I'll be serving at my annual orphans Christmas event at my house this year. For more Christmas recipes go here.

Now bananas are another one of those everyday foods that just don’t get old. It’s likely these yellow friends were a presence in your daily school lunchbox, and are the perfect on-the-go snack to bring energy and nourishment in an instant. But don’t let this commoner fool you. They are absolutely loaded with nutrition.

We all know they’re high in potassium which is important for relieving anxiety and stress, enhancing muscle strength, metabolism, water balance, electrolytic functions, and balancing the nervous system; but did you know that bananas are also loaded with vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese and fibre? They also contain several types of potent antioxidants, including dopamine and catechins, which have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and degenerative diseases.

I love to enjoy bananas as a quick morning snack before exercise. I never let an over-ripe banana go to waste; storing them up in my freezer as a quick way to add creaminess to breakfast smoothies. A stash of frozen bananas always means I can have a sustaining smoothie bowl on offer; whizzing up a deliciously customised blend bejewelled with different crunchy sprinkles like cacao nibs, nuts, seeds or coconut on top.

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earth mask & scrub = Skincare straight from the earth

empromo3_ Today I’m taking you on a trip to Lightning Ridge, the spiritual home of my brand new natural skincare product, Supercharged Food, earth mask & scrub.

But first, I want to invite you to explore the notion of lotions and potions that we use on our skin and the abundance of products that lurk on our supermarket shelves. Ones that are often loaded with damaging chemicals, unnatural fillers and questionable ingredients. Although they may show initial promise and improvements, long-term use can contribute to toxic build-up, and unhealthier skin.

Navigating beauty products can be a bit of minefield, especially with so many choices available and even bigger promises made. Like many of our packaged foods, labels on beauty products can appear confusing and tough to decode; unless you have a degree in chemical engineering of course!

A make-up minimalist

A sneaky selfie with my new mask – I took this with #nofilter and #nomakeup #cleanbeauty

I’m turning fifty in a few months, so for me using real ingredients is what I prefer to use on my skin to keep it full of life naturally. I’ve found the best ingredients for my skin are ones that literally come straight from the earth.

At my core I’m a true make-up minimalist. I want my natural skin to shine through and always look to avoid untrustworthy ingredients that have been proven to be harmful for health.

Fan girling

As you may already know, I’m a raging fan-girl of diatomaceous earth. I’ve been using it for over five years and it’s the key ingredient in my Love Your Gut powder. During that time, almost accidentally, I stumbled across the fact that it’s also an incredible skin healer due to its 90% silica and mineral composition.

The happy accident occurred when I added a couple of drops of water to my powder and found that it created a beautiful natural paste that when applied to my skin had remarkable results. I used it weekly on my face and began to see immediate results such as softer skin and reduction in pigmentation. I also love how it dries as a clay but most importantly it washes off very easily.

This little discovery got my creative juices flowing and I began thinking about how beneficial it would be to be able to create a dual purpose product, one that I could use as a deep cleansing mask and secondly as a gentle facial scrub in the shower more regularly. I also knew that I wanted it to be affordable and cost under twenty bucks!

Lightning bulb moment

I then started to experiment by using the diatomaceous earth as a scrub, but found it to be almost too fine to work with so I knew I needed to combine it with something else. That’s when my “Lightning” bulb moment came in the form of a mineral called Volcamin, which I discovered in a deep underground seam in the iconic town of Lightning Ridge in outback Australia.

So with excitement and a little bit of trepidation, I immediately started packing my bags for a 12-hour train trip deep into the Australian outback.

Becoming one with nature – everything from my soul to my skin was totally immersed in this beautiful earth!

Lightning Ridge is an unforgettable place which funnily enough gets deep under your skin! It’s the kind of town that has a magnetism that seems to keep drawing you back in. Some people travel there and never ever leave and I can understand why.

One of the highlights of Lightning Ridge is a wonderful natural therapeutic Bore Bath with water pumped from the Great Artesian Basin that is two million years old. Almost as old as my (LYG) dinosaur powder!

As I slid into this gorgeous soft and warming bore bath under the outback stars, I started to really relax. The water is naturally hot, about 45 degrees celsius and laden with naturally occurring minerals that are therapeutic for tired and aching muscles. Naturally it felt like I was in heaven.

The Therapeutic Lightning Ridge Spa Baths

But the next day I awoke to some interesting outback creatures that even a Google search couldn’t decipher. OK. Moving on...

I jumped into a beaten up four wheel drive explored the opal fields and vast desert moonscape. During my time in Lightning Ridge I met some lovely, earthy and grounded people who helped to show me around and spent time with my long time friend Rebel a ridgy didge local.

Unexpectedly, we stumbled across a shaman who had erected a teepee and medicine wheel on her property, after receiving a calling to travel to Lightning Ridge to heal people. We snuck up to Lunatic Hill too, a landmark after my own heart and ran into Brian McCudden the guy from the bar scene in the movie Crocodile Dundee; boy was he a real outback charmer!

I also ventured down a mine, deep underground to see and feel the minerals first-hand.

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The only negative thing that’s a positive

Lightning Ridge Volcamin is a high in silica and it’s also high in negative ions that are a major positive for your skin. Negative ions are a deep skin cleanser because they act like a magnet attracting positively charged dirt, oils, and bacteria. Although its super fine it absorbs water so the particles turn into a fantastic scrub. As an exfoliator, it gently removes dirt, dead skin cells, makeup, and pore-clogging environmental toxins. It also settles down rosacea with great results.

I made a friend who was just as excited about my new product as I am! Or perhaps he was just being friendly.

Once the minerals and their benefits were discovered I began experimenting with levels and combinations and used myself as a crash text dummy until the formula was perfected. I’m really happy with the results and my skin has never felt younger or healthier.

If you’re keen to get your hands on it, and want to know if this natural skincare is for you, firstly let me share with you some of it’s benefits.

Earth mask & scrub…

Supercharges your skin with just two natural mineral ingredients straight from the earth
Is rich in sensational silica. Good for softening and tightening skin, giving you a more youthful appearance
Is high in negative ions to attract and remove microscopic surface and deep pore deposits of dirt, oils, and dead skin cells  without causing irritation
Helps to reduce the appearance of age spots, rosacea and pigmentation
Enhances blood circulation for cell regeneration 
Reduces pore size for clearer, tighter, more radiant skin
Restores your skin’s natural PH balance 
Is effective for acne, blackheads and pimples

So, the biggest question now – how to use it?

It’s simple! As a mask, just add water to a tablespoon of the mask, apply evenly, leave for ten minutes and then wash it off. As a scrub, work it into a paste with some water and apply it using circular motions, two to three times a week.

After you use it, you’ll notice how soft, glowing and tight your skin feels, along with an overall more youthful appearance. You’ll be feeling instagram-ready all day, hello hash tags #nofilter #nomakeup #earthmask.

I’m so proud of this new product and can’t wait for you to try it out for yourself! This is skincare at it’s most simple and most pure. Two minerals straight from the earth. And that’s it.

Supercharged Food, earth mask & scrub is available here.

You can watch a quick video about how to apply it here below. (Apologies for the sound quality 🙁 it was windy in the Ridge!).

Lee xo

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