Recipe: Craving Crushing Bliss Balls

Pregnant or not, who doesn't crave sweet things from time to time?

I was trying to concentrate on some more beauty reviews that I have in the works, but I am getting uncomfortable sitting on the desk for too long. It was also snack'o'clock so I decided to whip up some Bliss Balls and share those with you instead :)

I have been lucky not to have any weird food cravings after my first trimester, I just got back to a fresh healthy, organic plant-based diet.

It says however that if you do crave sweet/carby foods that your body needs more protein and by eating more protein the cravings will go.

I incorporate healthy vegan protein into every meal during my pregnancy, which might be the reason I don't have those cravings in the first place!

Something tasty & sweet is always nice though and these goodies are also packed with protein at the same time :)

It's always a good idea to have some healthy, vegan & sugar-free treats in the house!

I just whack all the following ingredients into the Vitamix until a perfect sticky dough is formed. Then I form little balls with my hands and roll them in shredded coconut and pop them in the fridge to set. Full instructions below:
 

INGREDIENTS
2 cups raw cashews
2-3 cups organic rolled oats
1 cup dried sugar plums (you can also use dates, soak if needed)
1 cup vanilla protein powder ( I love this Amazonia one)
1/2 cup raw organic cacao powder
2 tbsp rice malt syrup
Shredded coconut, to coat

 

INSTRUCTIONS

- Start with the cashews and blend them in your food processor until they are creamy
   (add a few tablespoons of water if needed, but be careful to not add too much)

-Next, throw in the oats and blend them

-Add all other ingredients and process until you get a crumbly, evenly combined mixture.

-See if the mixture is doughy and sticks together nicely. If it is too dry, you can add a few tablespoons of water. If it's too wet, add a touch more protein powder.

-Scoop heaped tablespoons of the mixture out and roll into balls with wet hands.

-Roll them in shredded coconut and pop them in the fridge to set.

Easy as! I hope you enjoy them!
I am planning to make some extra ones and freeze them for the postpartum period!

Giveaway: Toxin Free Mani & Pedi at Biotyspa

Remember I raved about my favourite facialist and spa , Deborah from BIOTYSPA, before?

The fact that this place exists makes me already so happy.
A toxin-free, cruelty-free, vegan beauty salon with the most professional treatments and products...and all that just a few steps from my house in Bondi Beach.

French therapist Deborah just opened up a brand-new, beautiful Salon and of course, I had to go to the opening party.|
The treatment menu has also been updated and besides her signature treatments (which you HAVE TO try), clients can now also treat themselves to a toxin-free (five free) Mani & Pedi with the beautiful products and colours from Australia cult nail brand Kester Black.

Being pregnant I have been avoiding professional mani- and pedicures lately, as I want to avoid the toxin as well as the fumes in the conventional salons.
I had to try the Bioty Mani&Pedi , which besides using all five-free products is also done in in this beautiful large room with fresh-air and no fumes circulating around. 

What can I say? It is a completely different experience to your average nail salon.
Treatments with Deborah are always soooo relaxing and fun, so I really enjoyed my pamper time, especially when being pregnant. The result was flawless, my hands and feet are feeling moisturised.
There were so many beautiful colours, yet I decided to match fingers and toes and picked out colour "Lilac" for both. This is not the place to request funky nail art but rather have a relaxing & healthy experience.
I also got some extra tips on how to look after my rather dry poor pregnant feet, including more foot rubs from husband ;)

GIVEAWAY COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED

The Prize
One appointment for a toxin-free Mani&Pedi Combo at Biotyspa in Bondi.
Discover the pleasure of qualitative and relaxing manicure and pedicure, made with toxin-free products.
We use all natural creams, gels, nail polish and removers, certified cruelty-free, vegan and eco-friendly.

Enter Now!
To enter please leave a comment below and tell me what your favourite nail polish colours are this Summer. Do you love summerly coral, timeless nude, or stylish dark tones?
 

Terms & Conditions:
The Toxin Free Mani&Pedi At Biotyspa competition will be judged on skill. The competition opens, Thursday December 8 at 7pm EST and closes on Sunday, December 18th at 12noon EST. One entry per person. Entries will be judged on creativity and originality. Australian entries only, sorry. There is one prize to be won. Winners will be notified via email and published here at the end of this blog post by the end of Monday the 19th of December.

CONGRATULATIONS TO LUCKY WINNER KARA! WE WILL CONTACT YOU VIA EMAIL.
 

Winter Skin Good Bye with Eco Tan

This Winter has been feeling extremely long. I am still sipping hot tea next to the heater while typing this, so I guess it's safe to say that I have gotten used to the mild temperatures here in Australia. I am even getting a little bit pale.Naturally I am a medium skin tone, tanning very easily and I do get pretty dark during the Summer months. My skin is yellow toned and I feel it looks best sun kissed. I believe all skin tones are beautiful from the fairest milkiest white to the darkest chocolate brown, and of course we all suit our natural skin tone. As makeup artist I observe skin tones constantly as it's important to find the right colour match when applying makeup. My yellow skin can get a little sallow in Winter so I do prefer a little bit of a tan glow.

I am quite low maintenance (for someone working in the industry) with my personal beauty routine and really like products that work and a beauty routine that I can do at home. While spray tans are super popular here in Sydney (and thank goodness there are now certified organic self tan options available!) I prefer a quick DIY job in my own bathroom.

Self Tanning at home So I was very intrigued when I heard about Winter Skin by Eco Tan. Winter Skin is a lotion in a pump bottle, which is a body moisturizer with a hint of buildable self tan. It's THE solution to just warm up your skin, super easy to use. It has no stinky fake tan smell and keeps the skin hydrated. I simply exfoliate with the Extreme Exfoliating Glove in the shower and use the Winter skin as I would my usual body moisturizer and then wash my hands thoroughly. Done! If your knees, elbows and feet are dry make sure you exfoliate and hydrate them before using any self tan. This one is pretty foll proof though, as the colour is just a believable little hint of tan. No need for a tent or cleaning the bathroom afterwards, just a quick and easy thing to do. It can be used a few days in a row until you achieve the desired colour. Love it! It really helps as well to even out the skin and I feel ready to expose my legs now that Spring is around the corner.I might need a bottle for Summer to even out any tan lines before the wedding...(I will let you know if I do and if it works!) I think this is great for beginners, anyone with very fair skin, or people like me that find it too stressful to go for beauty appointments. If you however want a deep professional spray tan, Eco tan actually has professionals that can do this for you.

Why Organic? If you know me or have read this blog before you know how passionate I am about anything organic. To me it's the best lifestyle to ensure we can sustain this beautiful planet in the future. Organic food and cosmetics protect the environment, the animals and also our own health as humans. Of course I could go on and on why it is so important, but chances are you know this already. Otherwise I might write up a separate blog post.

Of course I all for the quality certified organic ingredients throughout the whole Eco Tan range. It has been tested in Australia to be toxin free and it's also vegan. I recommend this range to all my brides, if they are thinking about getting a fake tan for their wedding day. Of course always book yourself a trial appointment for a tan before the wedding day,so you can confirm the right colour and also make sure you don't have any allergic reactions. Now we can all get a truly healthy glow! In time for Spring...