Guys it’s been a big year, a financial year end that is, and thankfully I’m feeling finished.

Finished in a really good way.  Finished in a ‘I couldn’t have fitted anymore in if I tried’ kind of way.  I did it all.  I kicked all my goals.  I soared.  I was unstoppable.  I succeeded.  I pushed till I got there. I bobbed AND weaved, I saw and I conquered.

Now don’t get me wrong, none of that was negative.  ALL of that was positive.  This year I thrived.  This year I took what I wanted and ran with it.  The universe was abundant.  And I wanted to share my success with you!

The reason I succeeded was that I thought of myself first.  Not in a selfish it’s all about me kind of way, but in a ‘I respect myself’ kind of way.  I ate healthy food.  I worked out.  I took the time to spend with my kids.  I took the time to spend time with my partner.  I took time to nurture my staff.  I took time to look ahead and also to look behind.  I took time each day to get excited about what I could achieve ‘today’.  Right here and right now I’m excited about all the work I’m going to do…and it worked.  Not only did I find time, but I somehow created more.  Because you see when you are focussed, you can achieve so much more.  When the housework got to much to bear I didn’t sink beneath it, no I got up half an hour earlier, had a coffee, and blitzed the place. I let the wise words of Arnie take over me when he said ‘just sleep faster’ and you’ll have more time in the day.  Love that saying and all that it means.

I think being mentally strong helps you to be physically strong. I can honestly say that I never give up.  And it’s all about balance.  You can’t feel good and happy and strong when you aren’t nourishing your body.  Your body is a finely tuned machine and filling it up with ‘bad’ food will honestly make you feel ‘bad’.

I call it happy food.  I’m a happy chef and a happy person therefore my food must be happy.  I eat to nourish my body.  We all know what our bodies need it’s truly very simple.  It’s really about making that commitment to yourself that you deserve this.  I want you to take your power back!  I want you to feel alive!  When was the last time you stood with your face to the rain, arms stretched out, feet planted firmly toes in the grass, feeling at one with your universe?  Now.  You can feel that now.  It’s not raining?  So what.  There’s no grass underfoot. So what.  Close your eyes, BREATHE, be present with yourself, take that moment for yourself and just be.  Had a terrible morning?  Had a terrible day yesterday?  Let it go.  Just breathe.  Reboot. Start again.

Dieting is not difficult.  Just don’t think of it as dieting.  Just think of eating as a wonderful opportunity to nourish yourself.  Eat food that is good for you.  Eat food that is kind to you.  Yes chocolate is food and can be kind to you.  Yes you can have a drink at the party.  But don’t do it every night.  Don’t do it all the time.  Slowly slowly kindly kindly.  You know what food you need.  You know you need to drink more water.  Don’t deny it just embrace it.

I’ve gone weeks before eating badly, drinking badly and feeling badly.  Tired, bloated, unhappy, unmotivated.  But what I put in was what I got out.

Are you ready?  Let’s do it people!  Let’s put in wonderful and get out wonderful!

Make sure you shop to support your new NOURISH way of life.  If you don’t have healthy reliable food within easy reach you WILL reach for something bad because you will eventually have to.  Plan your meals.  They say in life in you fail to plan you plan to fail.  Same with eating!  It’s so obvious I know!  You’ll also save heaps of money cooking and planning your own food!  It’s never too late to start.

So yes, it’s Health and Wellness month at Vanilla Zulu because I wanted to make sure that everyone was taking care of themselves, their loved ones, work and just life in general.

Here’s one inspirational recipe for you.  You can rehash this a million times and never get sick of it.

Sexy broccoli salad a’la Vanilla Zulu

Serves 2-4

100ml plain/Greek Style yogurt

1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint and/or basil

1 granny smith apple, cored and finely sliced

Half a cup fennel, finely sliced and then chopped (use purple cabbage if you prefer)

2 cups finely chopped broccoli

Lots of ground black pepper,

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

Method

Mix the ingredients together and mix to coat. This will be like a sexy and fabulous coleslaw. Either serve as it is as part of a meal, or as per the photo I arrange or stack this on a plate, garnish with fresh rocket and then your choice of cooked chicken breast, roast beef or even salmon! Photo above was made with roast beef!

Enjoy!