Cool healthy blog alert: Move, Nourish, Believe.

You know Lorna Jane (the people who make cool workout clothes)? Well they have a blog called Move, Nourish, Believe and I have a feeling you're going to want to bookmark it rightnow. Pick up healthy tips and tricks, watch a video, join a discussion in the forum or simply scroll through oodles of inspirational images on their "inspiration board". I've included a few of my faves below:

 

Click to visit Move, Nourish, Believe.

3 DELICIOUS juices to get you through Winter!

Photography and styling by Chantelle Grady.
 
Found via beautiful blog Bohemian Hunter

14 bookmark-worthy sites I (only) discovered this week

move nourish believe

 move nourish believe health 
gourmet girl-friend food
the rawtarian food
max connectors lifestyle 
a darlings nest decor/misc
fluoride action network health 
canvice decor/misc

mish downey misc

fashnberry fashion

arch dez art misc

git widdit decor/misc 

josie in the house renovation/misc

a joy collective misc

saturday-london fashion

A day in the life: 2.03.12

Yesterday, I had lunch at a friend's house at Palm Beach. She's thinking of starting a blog (to document her and her young family's renovation in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs) and wanted to pick my brain. This beautiful little arrangement is one of many she had in the living area. I could have gone mad taking photos, her style is out of this world. 

Meanwhile, at Casa Tonic, the Breeze Block wall is up! Finished! Painted! All we need now is to plant  something along the base of it (we're thinking of a long grassy type plant).

Fancy "career clothes" are no longer a part of my life (phew!), so I tend to dress for comfort (hello Bassike!) and accessorize until the cows come home. And sterling silver anything will always have a place in my heart. So if you haven't heard of Cool Baby Cool? Run, don't walk! Johsi is a creative Goddess and these little beauties are my newest obsessions (L-R): Peace Beads Bracelet, Silver "Mother Anklets", "The One" Bead Necklace.

Wednesday' night's dinner: DIY Rice Paper Rolls! Prawns, Mint, Capsicum, Cucumber, Carrot, Lime, Toasted Cashews and (my newest discovery) Slim Pasta! It's "naturally made of a vegetable called Konjac" and is gluten free, fat free, low carb... the list goes on. The best bit? To prepare, you simply pop it in hot water for 1 minute then drain. It's actually marketed as a pasta type product, but I'm calling it the new vermicelli, people... PS Find it in the health aisle at Woolies.

Halo lost it's shine? Look for the joinFITE logo on your next Dermalogica purchase and help a female entrepreneur in an underdeveloped country build a successful future for themselves, their family and their community. Dermalogica’s five top selling products - Skin Hydrating Booster (I practically drink it!), Daily Microfoliant, Precleanse, Intensive Eye Repair and Total Eye Repair SPF15 are each encased in a special sleeve. When removed, it reveals a code that can activate a $1 microloan somewhere in the world. For more, visit joinfite.org.

Table Tonic orders patiently await dispatch to soon-to-be-colourful-corners, worldwide! PS Don't forget to shop the 25% off everything sale!

New mag alert! Belle March/April 2012.

New mag alert! House & Garden April 2012.

Anoushka started ballet yesterday! It's just too sweet for words. I can't get over the cuteness... Or those long legs! They give me flashbacks to the ultrasound I had when I was pregnant with her - the lady doing it turned to me and said: "Is your husband tall? She has very long femurs...". Clearly not my femurs. Hmph.

Happy Friday Tonic-ettes! And PS Thank you doesn't even BEGIN to cover it for all your comments (and emails!) on the Byron Bay or Bali post. We've just about totally settled on Bali, although we'll most likely go in September, due to the climate/schoolies factor. Oh, and wait, it'll be my birthday! Woohoooooooooo! Happy weekend! x

Day in the life: 28.02.2012

The wedding: How do you fancy getting hitched at the Parker Palm Springs? This couple did! "We wanted our wedding to be formal without being stuffy. Whimsical without being kitschy. Glamorous yet understated. And above all else FUN!" Swoony. SO swoony.

Birds of a Feather

The Supermarket (good) news: In an "Australian supermarket first", Coles recently announced that there will be no added MSG or artificial colours in ANY of their 3500 branded products. How great is that?! “In my professional experience the top two additives that my patients have issues with are number 102 (tartrazine), which is a bright yellow colour and number 62 (MSG) which is a flavour enhancer,” says Mum and nutritionist Kate di Prima. “Common symptoms can be hyperactivity and a lack of attention span, exacerbation of ADHD, gastrointestinal problems, headaches, dizziness – the list goes on.” Onya Coles. Below are the Bell family staples - Rice cakes (me), Rock Salt crackers (Mr Tonic), Taco Shells (Jasper's fave) and Raspberry Jelly (Anoushka begs me for it!):

The magazine: The March issue of Country Style magazine invites you to "escape the everyday, take in a breathe of fresh air and revel in the spirit that sustains country life". On sale now!

The (new!) clean beauty buy: Aussie clean beauty brand, Original & Mineral recently launched "Original Queenie", a firm, flexible hold hairspray that provides "styling with an edge". Jose Bryce Smith CEO of Original & Mineral says "The hold, light but firm hold hairspray is definitely fit for a queen and the smell, well that's inspired by Her Majesty herself, nanna chic we like to call it". Ha! I love it! But wait for it - Original Queenie's "clean" formula includes Lilly Pilly (an Australian Native Plant that extends hold by reducing unwanted oil), Quandong (an Australian fruit that adds weightless protection to nourish your hair) and low VOC (Volatile Organic Carbon) so you don’t walk away lightheaded or dried out! Oh, and by the way - All O&M products have kissed harsh chemicals goodbye in favour of quality botanicals and essential oils. They are also free from Sulfates, Parabens, MIT, Phthalates, Triclosan and Propylene Glycol, meaning they are a kind to your body too. And just look how pretty she is:

(above) Shown on a Table Tonic Green Chevron Ikat cushion

Original Queenie is now available at the Atlantis Salon in Paddington and various boutique salons in Australia and the USA (and as of a few weeks ago, at Mana Hair in Avalon as well!). Visit the O&M website for more info.

The gym gear: Okay, now I get it. Now I understand why Lululemon stores are popping up faster than you can say Namaste. Beacause it looks great on (I'm wearing their black, ruffle edged racer back singlet as I type), is super comfy and competitively priced. Oh, and they ask your name when you go into the change room. Stuff like that gets me. I like it. And we haven't even talked about the bags you're given your purchase in yet!!

The salad: Alright, I can't take full credit (Donny Hay can though!) as I saw this one in a magazine. Such a lovely combination of ingredients - Lettuce, kidney beans, fresh corn (I just slice it off the cob and pan fry fry it for 2 minutes), capsicum, kidney beans (I used organic tinned ones), coriander and haloumi. With lime juice and extra virgin olive oil. That reminds me, I must make it again soon...

How to make the perfect Green Juice/Smoothie

A bunch of you have been asking how to make Green Juices and Green Smoothies (yay!), so I thought it was time I dedicated an entire blog post to it (yay again!).

So. What's the difference between a Green Juice and a Green Smoothie? A Green Juice is made by passing raw fruit, veggies and leafy greens through a juicer (I use a Breville Juice Fountain). A Green Smoothie is made by blending a combination of raw fruit, veggies, leafy greens and water in a blender (I use a Vitamix - pricey, but so worth it I cannot even begin to tell you - you'll use it a lot).

Why drink them? Because they are hands down, two of the easiest ways to fill up on major amounts of leafy greens on a daily basis. And they are delicious. You actually will begin to crave your greens. I'm not even kidding. Oh, and your skin will be amazing, you will have more energy (instantly!) and you will "go to the toilet" more regularly - yes, I'm talking number twos! Happy days.

How do you make a green juice? Simply pass lots of leafy greens (do them first), a few stalks of celery, 1 cucumber, 1 peeled lemon, fruit (only 1 or 2 pieces ideally) and ginger (if you like it) through a juicer. Then I like to add a carton of Coconut water to my jug of juice, plus a handful of ice. This is how I start almost every day:

(above) This amount of green/veg/fruit, once combined with a carton of Coconut Water, fills 3 x 500ml jars with juice - Two for me, one for Mr T!

How do you make a green smoothie? One of the best Green Smoothie blog posts I've ever seen was 5 Steps to the perfect green smoothie by "The Wellness Warrior", Jess Ainscough who explained it perfectly with the following graphics:

My Green Smoothie hot tips: 
- I always add 1 peeled organic lemon to my green smoothies. It cuts through the "grassiness" of the greens, particularly stronger/more bitter tasting ones like kale.
- New to Green Smoothies? Add lots of ice to the blender. The cold will neutralize the flavours to a degree, making it less taste "full on". And start with English Spinach as your green of choice (just 1/4 or 1/2 a bunch) - it's lovely and subtle.
- Familiarize yourself with Victoria Boutenko. Victoria claims to be the pioneer of Green Smoothies and her books The Green Smoothie Revolution and Green For Life are beyond amazing.
- Check out Kimberly Snyder and her Glowing Green Smoothie (the drink of choice of celebs worldwide!).
- Seriously consider investing in a Vitamix. It gets your smoothies SUPER smooth, making them even more "palatable" and is a breeze to wash up as nothing comes apart (you simply put soap and hot water in the blender and whizz it up for 10-20 seconds)! I make Jasper an oat, banana, almond and oat milk smoothie most mornings and last night I whizzed up roasted capsicum skins into the smoothest puree and added it to pasta tomato sauce. Yes, I should be on commission. 
- Click here if you still have any questions, or leave me a comment below and I'll do my best to answer it!

And remember, Green Juices and Green Smoothies should ideally be consumed alone, rather than with a meal or snack - so have nothing at least 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after drinking one. Not even water. That way, the nutrients will be absorbed by your body quickly and more efficiently. 


Happy Health Tonic-ettes!

The 4 (killer) salads I made on Christmas Day

So here they are - Four quick, easy and fresh, low-carb salads that you can whip up anytime. I made these on Christmas day (to accompany the lashings of ham & turkey!), but you could happily add some sliced grilled chicken breast or a boiled egg to oomph it up for a one-dish-dinner/lunch!

(above) Caprese: Cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, olives and basil. Dressing: Extra Virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Woolworths Select brand do a superb balsamic by the way (it has figs on the label - this is the bottle).

(above) Modern coleslaw: Shredded cabbage, cannelini beans, sliced radish, freshly grated parmesan cheese. Dressing: Fresh lemon juice & extra virgin olive oil.

(above) Beet & Feta: Lettuce (I used frisee), beetroot, feta and orange. Dressing: Anything goes with this one - honey mustard, olive oil & white balsamic...

(above) Best Bean Salad: Green beans, edamame beans and toasted pine nuts. Dressing: White balsamic vinegar, S&W egg mayonnaise, extra virgin olive oil.

(above) All served with some the best bread in Sydney - Sourdough from Bourke St Bakery. PS It's well worth a trip to BSB, wherever you live in Sydney!

(above) Speaking of fresh, gorgeous, organic food, this was a beautiful Chrissie pressie from my cousin Si and his lovely wifey Claire and their girls - Organic: Don Burke's guide to growing organic food for your family. Thanks guys, we love it! Starting a veggie garden is top of the list for 2012!

Did you make anything scrumptious over the silly season? Share!

A week in my (snapseed-ed/instagram-ed) life

Friday's lunch: Chicken, Avocado, tomato, cucumber, preserved lemon (made by by sis-in-law), walnut tapenade, chilli flakes, olive oil, lemon juice.

Monday's threads: ALL of which were bought online! T by Alexander Wang knitted pants (from Shopbop), Bassike top, Michael Kors watch (from Shopbop), Tiffany & Co bracelet, Havaianas.

"Stormcloud": Stormcloud is a Chinese Silky and is, by far, the daftest of our chickens - not the full quid - but also the most beautiful...

God save the Queen: Another TT Union Jack cushion (actually, two!) finds it's way to a happy Tonic-filled home...

Tuesday's lunch: Smoked salmon, edamame, quinoa, pesto, walnut, lemon, lettuce wraps... Photographed on the patio floor for effect.

Tuesday's afternoon snack: Fruit smoothie, a-la-Vitamix (serves 3). 1 mango, 1 nectarine, 1 lemon, heaps of frozen raspberries, heaps of ice. Whizz for 30 seconds aaaaand....

Mega-healthy fruity gelato in a cup! Quick! grab a spoon! PS This lot served Mr Tonic, myself and Jasper!

Tuesday's threads: Remo top, Sportsgirl jeans, Table Tonic necklace (click to buy), Havainas.

On another note, by my watch it's exactly 25 years today since we immigrated to Australia from Durban, South Africa. I was 12 at the time, so it was all terribly exciting. But to think what my Mum and Dad went through to give my brother and I a better future in a country where bomb scares and carjacking are not the norm is remarkable. Yes, Australia really is the lucky country! Happy Wednesday you guys.

Table Tonic's weekend in review

Friday morning: This is the little ray of sunshine that greeted me when I got home from Pilates on Friday morning - the January/February 2012 issue of Vogue Living! Yes. The weekend was off to a flying start...

Friday afternoon: Powerballs just got... SQUARE! So fun. Buy your Rice Cube here and find the recipe for my "Sunday Night Powerballs" (they're a little bit famous) here. There. I just made your day. 

Friday night: Friday night came in the form of a couch, Aussie Vogue's January 2012 issue (it's great one), ugg slippers and Green & Blacks organic dark chocolate (it's better than Lindt, I'm not even kidding).

Friday night: Mr Tonic, *cough* award-winning residential Architect *cough* received the following text message from one of his clients on Friday night. They are about to move back into their recently completed home and are (clearly) a little bit chuffed with Mr T:

Saturday morning: I made a batch of my favourite "My New Roots" Raw Brownie powerballs on Saturday, only I made the following modifications: Added 1/2 cup of organic coconut, added a big handful of organic rolled oats and reduced the cacao by about 1/4 cup. They are su-PERB.

Saturday afternoon: I took this picture of Anoushka shortly after she devoured a bowl of frozen berries (frozen berries = nutritious + convenient + delicious + affordable + kids love them). If there was ever one photograph that sums up my three year old daughter, this is it! Cheeky and dirty, mainly...

Sunday morning: Had a beautiful walk/run on the beach, a dip in the ocean pool and came home and made a green smoothie. Love Sunday mornings. I later threw on my Bassike dresses (I'm wearing two here), Spell Byron Bay wings necklace and Havaianas thongs. PS The Spell babes have got a fresh new website - check it out, your inner gypsy will go nuts for it! PS On my wishlist? This and/or this. Mmmmm. PPS Wearing zero makeup here. Healthy food-slash-exercise gives you killer skin, people!

Sunday morning: I keep meaning to show you Noushie's new Castle + Things pillowcases... Aren't they way fun?! Click to buy.

Sunday morning: Pesto is my new favourite thing to make - I took a bunch of organic basil, threw it in a food processor with a chunk of parmesan cheese, a big handful of pine nuts and a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of celtic sea salt.

Top it up with olive oil to prevent oxidization.

Sunday lunch: Salad! Baby spinach, tomato, avocado, quinoa, preserved lemon, walnut tapenade (recipe here), basil pesto (see above!) and Rich Glen Poppy's salad dressing. Ate it to the sound of two children frantically and relentlessly squirting each other with the hose pipe. #indigestion

Sunday afternoon: Mr Tonic continues to fix up the deck... See the strip down the bottom. Yup. New.

Sunday afternoon: Yes, you read that right! On Sunday afternoon, Mr DHL pulls up with a Shopbop parcel for me! Yay! T by Alexander Wang Cotton Knit Sweatpants in "Zest". And they are excellent! Click to buy.

How was your weekend? What was the best thing about your weekend?