Life, Love and Health Coaching with Samantha Honey-Pollock

Eating a cheaper Rainbow- outside the Kitchen

2012-01-27T16:06:00.002Z

Yesterday I was excited to share with you WHAT to make and HOW to use more fruits and veg to make sure unlike many families as prices hike, you're not the Mum that compromises her family's health by leaving out this goodness. (I was shocked at the statistics!)

And since that post I've had some lovely colleagues sharing their ways of enjoying a maximum amount of fruit and vegetables on a low-cost budget.

Because many brought up simple and tasty ideas such as freezing individual portions of delicious dishes bursting with Rainbow produce, it got me thinking of not just WHAT to make on a budget, but HOW to save money in the purchase & distribution of the delicious Rainbow you want your family to eat!

So below you'll find a few more suggestions before the delicious cheap Rainbow meals are even being gobbled on the plates you serve.

1. Farmer's markets offer their best seasonal produce, often grown without pesticides and locally. If you're not already a regular, you'll be pleased at how cost-effective local veg can be!

2. Is your family too small for a home-delivered box of veg offered by your local farm or market? Consider splitting a box with a neighbour or cooking up vegetable dishes in double quantities other families might give you a contribution towards! sharing the love...

3. Compare prices online to find the best stores offering fresh produce cheaply. Here's such a tool.

4. It's recognised our fresh produce isn't going to get any cheaper as the world population grows and new demands are placed for crops grown for fuel, instead of food. So make it a goal in 2012 to begin to grow your own. If you don't have a garden, consider window boxes, vertical window gardens, getting on the list for an allotment or volunteering to plant a friend's garden in return for some spoils!

5. Buy loose. It may sound obvious that pre-sliced onion, grated carrot or diced vegetables in bags cost more, but even netted bags of oranges and bagged-up potatoes can be priced up to 30% more per pound depending on where you shop! Retailers take advantage of the fact that we are short on time and enjoy convenience, and place the pre-packaged items at eyeline & within easy reach. Case in point: at my local shop yesterday I saved 70p just by selecting my own chestnut mushrooms rather than reaching for the plastic covered punnet!

6. And lastly, the Rainbow of fruits and vegetables are just that- Fruits and Vegetables. Whether it's Harris Farm Market in Australia, Trader Joes in America, and some independent stores in the UK plus Whole Foods, specialty Fruit & Veg providores all over the world also offer a bounty of other temptations that wave the banner "Healthy!". Mixed nut bags, carob and yoghurt coated things, fruit bars, meat jerkys, confectionery, vegie crisps, bakery items from fresh to imported and gluten-free... these aren't part of the Rainbow and including them in your shopping basket will quickly blow your budget.

And remember a few key words:
Fresh (or fresh-frozen). Seasonal. Local & Organic.
Buy in bulk; use a variety of ways; freeze, and share!

I wish you deliciously healthy living at a very happy price for your budget!

P.S. make sure you're on my list to receive delicious healthy lighter life tips and how to live to feel enegetically fresh all year... be my VIP, free to join here.

30 ways to eat a cheaper Rainbow

2012-01-26T14:15:00.003Z

A new survey shows that rising food costs in the UK have reduced purchase and consumption of fruits and vegetables by 30% in three years... with many poorer families only eating on average 2.7 portions per day.

We all love to budget wisely, don't we? When summer fruits jump in price during the cooler months it can be tempting to grab that £1 Aunt Bessie's family size apple crumble, fibbing to ourselves that it's mostly fruit and it's a warming healthy choice. No, it's not. It's a sugar-laden processed excuse that contributes nothing to our long-term health or training of healthy, happy tastebuds of our families.

Here I'll show you LOTS of easy ways & ideas to Eat your rainbow; cheaper and more pleasurably!

Frozen and tetra-packed pure fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh. Whilst we're talking about frozen desserts, do pick up a frozen bag of mixed berries. One of nature's natural superfoods, blueberries and their siblings are a storehouse of nutrients and deliciously healthy phytochemicals which boost and protect our immune system. The beauty of frozen fruits and vegetables is how long they last, which stretches their value financially out, too!
Priceless family times happen in the kitchen, so cook your own comfort food A kitchen warmed by the glow of the oven and everyone mucking in with the preparation - and cleaning up!- creates a cosy family meal to remember. Here are some cost-effective ideas for Rainbow meals:
Mac-Off! Swap the stodge for just as comforting Cauliflower & Cheese. It's a rainbow too, when we can use purple and green caulis (natural hybrids). Mix in a cup of grated carrot and dot with cherry tomatoes for a colourful, creamy treat!
Ratatouille, made with the rainbow of red tomatoes, orange & yellow bell peppers, green courgette and purple aubergine
Multi-coloured world of different textures: just think of a lovely green vegetable that is sooo good for us and kind on the wallet too. Loved by adults and children alike, it's the garden pea. Frozen they can be blended into a deliciously filling fresh soup using vegetable bouillion and unsweetened pumpkin puree, seasoned with herbs and pepper.
Added to salads they add a sweet bite; stirred into rice they add pretty contrast and children love to mix them into mashed sweet or plain potatoes.
Speaking of mash, what about using the same vegetable or fruit in a variety of new, clever ways? Instead of mashed potato, have you tried the British favourite, mashed swede & carrot ?
What about mashed cheap n cheerful celeriac, loved by the Irish, or champ- spring onions or leeks mixed with mashed potato?
Pureed fruits with bruised skin can make popsicles or stirred into unsweetened yoghurt for a healthy, colourful pudding.
Diced apples and pears are delicious in a salad (add nuts too for a satisfying winter meal)
For a really special treat, have a fondue evening using a Rainbow plate of vegetables for main course, and fruits for dessert!
Experiment: Children can select a different veg to add to the Rainbow each week. If you're clever enough to substitute this for a sweet purchase, there's no end to the fun you can have matching colours & it'll save you money!
Button yellow squash is probably cheaper than a "banana flavoured" icecream as a treat, a red pomegranate tastier and more fun than a toffee apple, and making sliced beets from scratch so much more satisfying than scoffing a calorie-laden, chemically loaded chocolate pudding!
Remember our dried Rainbow friends for a burst of sweetness! Leftover or freshly-steamed rice becomes something special, like a Pilaf, when we blend favourite spices such as tumeric with sultanas, dessicated coconut and chopped dried apricots.
A squeeze of from a fresh lemon or lime also lends brightness and a shot of vitamin C, and leftovers can be sliced and used in tea or water as a refreshing healthy drink.
Dried fruits can last for months or enjoyed instead of sweets as a high-energy snack.
Herbs can be a rainbow, too, and here are ways to work them into your budget! Use rosemary stalks as kebab sticks for other veggies and enjoy the fragrant petals they'll add to the food- rosemary is a common plant in many places and picking a little of mother nature's bounty may cost you nothing at all!
Re: buying fresh herbs. This can seem costly when you only need a little but consider the versatility of a bunch of basil, which is well-known for it's astringent & healing properties, full of vitamin C and anti-oxidants. For instance, you can:
Whiz up your own pesto with two handfuls of leaves + pinenuts
Layer the larger leaves with tomatoes and soft cheese cut into discs to make "insalata caprese"
Tear and add to puree tomato for a healthier sauce as a base for chilli, ratatouille or home-made pizza
Fold into dough with olives to make an italian scented ciabatta
Add the larger leaves to a warming thai coconut curry and garnish with the smaller
Parsley, especially the flat-leaved variety is just as versatile; it's fresh taste brings life to any dish and just a handful is classed as one of our 5 per day.
Add as much as you like to green smoothies and fresh soups
Keep the remains of the bunch on the table in a tall glass for family members to nibble on as a snack throughout the day. Trust me, it's addictive!
One more herb well worth the cost is Coriander or Cilantro.
With a little planning you'll find uses for this nutrition-packed herb abundant: as a carrot & coriander soup; in warming mexican-inspired chilli or bean bakes; in a fresh salsa blended with tomatoes & onion or chopped finely and sprinkled over salads or guacamole.
Lastly, whatever time of year you'd like to feed your family healthier on a budget, think to include the exotic Rainbow in jars.
A few drained sundried tomatoes or olives, sliced pickled beetroot, pickles or artichokes, a handful of caper berries or dried mushrooms added to a dish will turn an ordinary vegetable dish into something singing with flavour!

Who says you can't feed your family deliciously well on a budget? Just remember to buy the freshest, most local or organic produce you can, making sure variety and seasonality are at the top of your shopping list, and you'll have the healthiest, brightest bounty on a budget than ever before!

Tune into the heavens for marvellous guidance this weekend

2012-01-21T11:17:00.003Z

Dear Angels,

It's one of the most positive-energy weekends of the Year!

The Capricorn/Aquarius new moon placement in the skies is known as "An Angel Carrying a Harp" It's a time when we are invited by the sensitive, all-loving, gently guiding energy of the Angelic realm to follow our spiritual path for an abundant & joyful life.

"Expect a spiritual click where everything seems to fall into place. You'll more fully see how your presence and purpose can flow into your activities and feel calmer ad clearer about achieving your goals."

Find out more about this fascinating time which will be most strongly felt on Sunday, here.

www.liography.com Li Fan Photography

Further we welcome the Year of the Dragon as the new moon enters on Monday. The Dragon's power energy of change, celebration, and exuberent optimism will feel like a Whoooosh! of fresh air. For many it will bring about a serious Aha! moment and you'll be off and jogging your blessed path this year!

Expect a spiritual click where everything seems to fall into place. You'll more fully see how your presence and purpose can flow into your activities and feel calmer ad clearer about achieving your goals.

At this time the angels are calling you. You can more easily access their guidance. Especially Sunday is a day for spending quiet time in meditation, in a bubble bath, journalling or day-dreaming. You will receive messages if you do this. The angels have assured me!

Often we are also drawn to what I like to call our earthly angelic friends- Crystals. Their energies are very similar to the angelic realm but more tangibly, they give us something to "hold on to" and travel with.

If you would like to dedicate a crystal at this time to helping you on your journey this year, or to place in your home for cleansing, blessing and protection (EXTREMELY AUSPICIOUS at Chinese New Year),

I have a Crystal Energy Ritual for you to use. It' easy and it's free to to those on my feng shui list. If you are not already on the list, you can add your name here, and I'll send it to you!

Natural & Lucky foods for Chinese New Year

2012-01-20T19:18:00.002Z

1. Rice, of course!- representing prosperity and fertility; to eat rice every year is considered to advance one to the highest level of promotion.

tip: try the deliciously nutty taste of brown rice, and add colour with Wild rice. Rice is gluten-free, and suitable for coeliacs.

2. Fish
The word for fish, "Yu", sounds like Wish and Abundance! It's customary to serve a fish whole at Chinese new year, and for guests to help themselvs to the gleaming, healthy dish. James Duigan, author of the Clean and Lean diet, reckons grilled fish and salad is the healthiest meal one can have. James, if it works for your best client Elle (Macpherson), we'll be eating it every day this year!

tip: Check out the impact of the fish you prefer to purchase, on a website such as Seafood Watch (in the US), Sustainable Seafood (in Australia) or Fish Online (in the UK)

3. Eggs
The round shape symbolises family reunion and prosperity.

tip: did you know free range and organic eggs contain up to three times as much heart-helper Omega 3 than regular eggs? Read your egg-box and reap better health for you and your family!

4. An abundance of greens
Lettuce (with food wrapped inside it= having a child soon!) meaning abundance of good fortune, and sea vegetables, symbolising and bringing prosperity, are wonderful foods to welcome luck at Chinese New Year.

tip: ext time you make a chilli, swap the tortillas or taco shells for delicious large lettuce or cabbage leaves. the freshness really allows your flavours to shine through!

5. Oranges
the words for Orange and tangerine sound like Luck" and "Wealth" to the Chinese, so it is a tradition that these fruit are freely exchanged, given to neighbours and friends.

tip: A beautiful and abundantly decadent recipe using small oranges or clementines is "Poached Clementines " ; sticky-sweet grown-up dessert served with vanilla ice-cream or coconut ice.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!
wishing you delicious and auspicious Year of the Dragon, commencing this weekend!
What's your favourite recipe using one of the above?

A baker's dozen of balance & beauty

2012-01-17T17:29:00.003Z

13 ways to beautify & balance your life in 2012

(I call it our feng shui baker's dozen!)
i'm up for the challenge ~join me?

January~ bring down the festive decorations, leaving a set of twinkly lights up to warm and cheer you on the dark days.

pic from gorgeous blog "Cecilia's in Reading"

February~ throw out any chipped plates or higgedly-piggeldy crockery bits. Get yourself a beautiful mug to encourage everyday elegant comfort.

March~ wash your windows with vinegar and water to let the light in. Spritz through your home with essential oils dissolved in spring water to oust old energy.

April~ bring in some potted herbs to the kitchen and experiment with their delicious, fresh tastes.

May~ Hang a windchime outside your window to catch the breeze and make you smile.

June~ pop on your summery bedspread, and re-arrange your bedroom for a fresh holiday feeling.

pic from "sussex sea"

July~ Go barefoot- many times. Visit the sea.

August~ Learn something new, and share it. A joke. A handstand. Craft. A poem.

September~ Go somewhere you've never been before. Count the butterflies you see.

October~ Bake a new cake. Get great at it. Give it away. Often.

November~ Wear a cosy hat. Climb a big hill.

December~ Cook for friends, and let them cook for you. Share the leftovers.

January~ Make friends with a new animal. Stargaze.

why, it's the owl and the pussycat! image from somewhere i did not note, je m'excuse...

Monthly challenge~ Discover someone's dream. Help to make it come true.

Health & Wealth for your home in 2012- FREE Feng Shui

2012-01-12T00:13:00.003Z

dear friends,

I would like to invite you to a teleseminar/call on SUNDAY 15th JAN

where I'll be sharing with You the most important Flying Star feng shui changes for this coming year, 2012- Year of the Dragon.

The call is at 10.30am EST
3.30pm UK (gmt)
6.30pm Middle East time

and the recording will be sent to all subscribers and anyone who emails me to angels (at) samanthahoney.com with "recording please" in the subject line.

The call is absolutely FREE. I really do encourage you to please get this important information.

What is Flying Star feng shui?

Flying Star feng shui is one of the most advanced and sensitive schools of Feng Shui. It is time-oriented feng shui and it's application offers amazing protection from the negative places in our environments which change each year, along with the opportunity to harness the areas which offer great luck and energy.

Each first day of Spring in the Chinese almanac the energies in a space "fly" and create a new series of events for that year ahead.

In 2012 there is great chance to protect against robbery and burglary.

There is danger of accident by metal in one area which needs protecting against and more happily, a great chance to create love and abundance through your creativity!

I know you care about your own health and that of your family, and if you believe, as I do, that our environment makes SUCH a difference to our wellbeing... if you would like to know the universe is supporting you this year and evade any ill-health or accidents- DO send me a message or dial-in to hear the half-hour call!

Telephone or Skype this US number: (724) 444-7444

The call ID (like, a "pin") is: 117020

And I'll meet you there!

in advance, Gong Xi Fa Cai... and here's to your strong health, happiness and true ABUNDANCE this year!

much love,

Samantha.

“Samantha first came into my life when I was selling property. She gave expert Feng Shui advice on how to present the home which resulted in a great sale. Then Samantha assisted in the purchase of my next property - advising which directions would work best for a harmonious home environment. After undertaking a thorough study and writing a full and detailed report of the house I now live in, Samantha's parting words were that this would be "the house of happy coincidences". And it really has. Samantha has so many talents - her spiritual readings and guidance (face to face and via email) are full of wisdom and loving kindness and have proven to be 100% accurate. She is a true expert in her field and is an absolutely delightful being.” - Jennie Smiedt, Sydney, Australia.

Finding What was Lost

2012-01-11T16:07:00.000Z

"My angels are old women with dark skin and long grey hair. Some have eyes of light. The eyes of others are bottomless pools of darkness that lead to inner worlds. They have come to me in my dreams for years. In that time of forsaking myself it took them a couple of years to get one clear message through the fog of my disorientation. When I finally heard them, I was startled.

“Get out of here now!” they whispered. “Wake up! Your house is on fire.”

And I awoke in a smoke-filled dream and finally moved to save my life.

I am making my way back to all I ever wanted with my whole being: God, the awareness that is in all things. Back to the kiss I wanted with my whole life, the scent of what has always been home, the Sacred Mystery."

-excerpt from Oriah Mountain Dreamer's, "Finding what was lost"

Our first Full Moon of 2012- tomorrow

2012-01-07T23:02:00.001Z

Tomorrow's Full Moon- the Wolf Moon- brings us to a powerful pause in our beautiful manifestations this year.

We get a chance to push the pause button. Do you get that?
It's our chance to go back to those lucid days just before and after Christmas, when time was a little bit softer, like icing not yet set on a cake, we could prod it see if it made sense.

Sunday. Monday. Prod your new year. Your dreams and desires. See if they make sense.

The Wolf moon is so named because at this lean, hungry time in the history of the native american indians, the wolves would come close to the campsites and howl at the full moon. It must have been a fearful time for them. Yet also, strangely comforting. Mammals drawing close for warmth, acknowledging a force neither of them understood. The Moon still controls our tides, the efficacy of our medicines, our womanly cycle. Do we understand it? No. By watching, observing, waiting, we can learn.

The appearance, presence or memory of Wolf as an animal in your life is recognised to bestow upon you the gift of teacher of spirit.

I invite you.
Examine how the medicine of the Wolf relates to you at this time. How do you need to share your gift of the sacred and the spiritual with your pack? What do you see, that they don't? What must be said, for your peace and their protection?

Winter Cravings & how a Highly Sensitive Person can handle them

2012-01-06T13:16:00.000Z

Do you have a strong sense of intuition?

Do you also have a problem with eating- like strong cravings, compulsive or over-eating... especially during the winter months?

Believe it or not... (and I'm sure you will at some level) these two questions are linked. And if you answered "yes" to both, you're definitely not alone.

"As a flight attendant, before I realised I was "picking up" all my passengers' worries of flying, I would come home from a shift and eat a whole box of breakfast cereal. I found the sweetness and crunchiness soothed the angst I was feeling, seemingly from nowhere. "

Our six senses pick up on the extra information in the world around us that less sensitive individuals remain unaware of- information including premonitions, hunches, or emotions from others around us.

This information isn't easily processed by our rational brains. We're not wired in the way that interprets touching a hot stove as- ouch! danger! burnies!

It's like we are babies again who don't know why they are upset. When we pick up information we subconsciously realise as important, but don't have the ability to "translate"- it, as babies we cried. As adults, we just feel bad, or sad.

Often, people turn to food when they are feeling depressed. Why? Mental health professionals say we want to "squash down" our emotions or "fill the emotional emptiness". There's also a biochemical reason. Eating, especially eating carbohydrates, raises the seratonin levels in our body.

Seratonin is the feel-good hormone produced by the consumption of carbohydrates. What is it you crave when you're feeling down? Chips? Bread? Cakes? Cookies? Donuts? Sweets? If so, you're responding to your body's natural desire to feel good.

So, why more in winter? Sunlight also stimulates the production of seratonin in the brain- which is why going outside in the sunshine is a valuable remedy to feeling sad. If we've not got the sunshine, we may try to elevate our body's seratonin levels by over-eating starchy carbs like those above.

It helps to realise that the feelings you can't communicate when you head to the cookie jar may not have anything to do with you at all. Perhaps your sister or husband are in a glum mood or worried about something, ad you've just picked up on it. As a flight attendant, before I realise I was "picking up" all my passengers worries of flying, I would come home from a shift and eat a whole box of breakfast cereal. I found the sweetness and crunchiness soothed the angst I was feeling, seemingly from nowhere. I'd had a great day flying, so why the sadness? It was all the energy of others still clinging to me like psychic rubbish that it was, bringing me down.

'There are many supportive practices healthy, successful artists and intuitives weave into their every day to keep happy and helpful...'

How to handle winter cravings.

If you eat to feel better, and if you consistently do feel bad or sad for no good reason, I recommend you do two things.

1. You can't back out of your high level of intuition. Each gift is a curse in a way! So you must use techniques to get rid of the psychic rubbish you will inevitably pick up. Try one or all of these:

Change or brush down your clothes and brush your hair after you have been in contact with someone who is in an extreme negative mood- such as anger, worry, fear or depression. This is so important if you come home from a day at work surrounded by such people. Have a bath or shower and change your clothes BEFORE putting any food in your mouth!!
Spritz the room or around yourself with a blend of essential oils mixed with spring water. Lavender + lemon + cedarwood are my favourites for the calming, refreshing and change-manifest qualities they represent.
Carry a quartz crystal and use it as a touchstone- hold it and ask it to take any energy you have picked up on that you do not need, from you.

2. Do your body and health a favour by naturally raising your seratonin levels healthfully, without the negative effects (sugar highs and lows, weight gain, increased risk of disease and mood swings) of stodgy carbohydrates- here's how!

Eat coriander, eggs, turkey, and avocados regularly- these contain the amino acid tryptophan used by the body to make seratonin
Expose yourself daily to sunshine, especially in the winter. Ten minutes a day is enough!
Chew your food slowly (increases seratonin)
Vitamin B and B6 supplements can be helpful
Avoid artificial sweeetners which slow the production of seratonin

(1.)

You CAN be a sensitive, intuitive soul without taking it out on your body. There are many supportive practices healthy, successful artists and intuitives weave into their every day to keep happy and helpful. Underpinning it all is the nourishing diet that is just right for you. Have you found it yet? Contact me and let's get started.

1. Marisa Peer's 'You can be thin', Sphere 2008.

belongs to the beautiful artist Yee Von Chan

Norway for new year? No, it's Your Way.

2011-12-28T01:26:00.004Z

Hello beautifuls,

Happy Twixmas! Are you finding it difficult? Lots of us come down with a bump when dreams of bestest presents, happy families, quality conversation and even good weather expectations wouldn't, just couldn't be met. The magic of Christmas makes us believe it could be so, but the magic of real-life means that the turkey gets burned and we end up eating roasties with bacon and eggs- laughing and making memories unprecedented!

Instead of blaming ourselves and soothing that feeling of inadequacy with shop-shop-shop, you also could "don't do as I do", and set yourself up three weeks beforehand for disappointment.

They say a cynic is a idealist who has had their heart trampled on. The bitter shell of cynicism keeps us safe from feeling the magic and joy, not just of Christmas, but every day. how sad.

I beg of you not to let disappointment you have suffered get in the way of your brilliant dreams and plans for the most stunning of years ahead, 2012. We're still a few days away!

There is still time to step away from the loveliness/chaos/fretful mind...

into the quiet empty space where you yearn

to really pense about what a truly darling 2012 will look like for you.

Space comes first. In the sanctity of your bathroom. Your bath, even! Your garden shed. Your car parked in your favourite tree lined street, mobile phone turned off, no-one knowing where you are. Just you. And your shot at bliss.

A few questions I'm considering as a recovering cynic. I'm not shouting to the world what this year will bring to me. I'm even not offering up my soul for the use of God, this time. I'm walking towards the light. I'm feeling the pull of the yearn. I'm finding safe guides. I'm beginning, ever so gently, to put pressure on myself again. For time is short my friends. And it is the only thing we cannot get back...

Join me on the path to feeling your way to a truly darling 2012 in two easy ways...

1. Find your animal totem.

The red robin's message includes understanding the power of happiness,
and being a guide for growth and renewal.
When we are full of spirit & humour no coldness can enter.

ONE power animal guides and leads us through the year. This creature has so much wisdom and is so pure of heart, I urge you to find it. It's not domesticated: you may already know what your power animal of 2012 is. Otherwise, it is an animal you may come across; in your walks, in paintings or stories, in a vague inkling that you want to know more about them. may I recommend a book and friend on this journey?: "What the Walrus knows" by Sarah Bamford Seidelman.

you need neither, but their beautiful presence in your life will open so much bizarre beauty. Find your 2012 animal. How? Ask the angels before you sleep to show it to you. (This is how I found mine, as well as much yearnings to see him on my walks, on a wintry branch, then in the first scene of the movie Gladiator, which we watched last night) Next, google your animal as "Spirit Totem" ... and find out your message & guidance for 2012.

2. What would be too painful to even consider for you, this time next year?
We can live day in and out running to patch up messes that could pull "life as we know it" to bits...or be so busy shining a new path and helping others that nothing can disturb our peace of course. This is why we need to know what we want, and promise ourselves the worthiness to get it. Maybe you have had disappointments this year.

Are you willing to be in the same place this time next year? Are you willing to let that happen again?
Who are you really, and how do you live?

what's your year-end message, inspiring one? and have you found your power animal? I'd love to know! do share!

Beware of Justin Case! A Ghost of Christmas Eve.

2011-12-24T11:32:00.001Z

Two dark ghosts of Christmas eve stalk us in western societies today. I feel it's my obligation to shine light on them; their names are Justin Case and No T'enough.

But no doubt, you'll have felt their presence already...

Justin Case waits for us to venture out just for sticky-tape, timing it so we see our neighbour arriving home with their arms full of chocolate boxes. "What if so-n-so drops by, or doesn't like what you've already got him?", Justin Case whispers in our ear. We shudder, thinking it to be the cold winter wind. But his malicious seed has been planted.

No T'enough is friskier, more spiteful. He fills our facebook pages with others excited plans! He causes restaurants and directory assistance and shops telephone lines to be impossible to get through on! He sends premature "Out of office" replies and causes our mobile phones to cut out mid-conversation. He is a mischievous sprite who delights in the gathering together of flurried souls, fighting to buy the last roll of gold wrapping paper. He needs to do very little, for when we join with others under his influence, we all feed on that flurry, the competition, the inner desperation. Then, his work is done.

If you have been touched by the cold grip of the Ghosts of Christmas eve, here's help:

1. Breathe. Name them. Tell them you're not afraid.

2. My personal remedy; don't do so much today. You've probably got enough- so there!, No't Enough. You don't need any more "Just in case".

3. Powerfully cleansing is to make your own cranberry sauce. A bag of cranberries, 3/4 cup of sugar and 1 cup water simmering on the stove with the zest of half an orange brightens, warms and wards off these creeps of doubt. But don't rush out to buy these... just a pot of water with orange peel, cinnamon and a few cloves will do the same trick.

4. I also love to clean the house on Christmas Eve. you could try it too- it's wonderful for finding hidden goodies perfect to wrap up in that last scrap of paper and ensures you wake up feeling excited and proud tomorrow, instead of with a regretful hangover from a ghastly- ghostly?- day of excess today.

wishing you love & beauty this Christmas,

Samantha

xoxo.

O Happy Day~ recipe for a Winter Birthday Pavlova

2011-12-12T13:29:00.001Z

Uh-Oh, a birthday with a big "0" in it.
And this close to Christmas, too!

Like all the Saggittarians I know, my lovely husband is a happy-go-lucky adventurer with his hands in as many pies as possible.

There was no way he was going to be left out of his Own plans for a birthday celebration!

Saggittarians are strong-willed and usually sociable. But when there's something on their minds they can be impossible to cajole from their caves. Such was the affliction here and we found that this saggy-trousers didn't want to share with friends or family much- well- at all, on his special day. No party??? Oh, the curse of the "0" birthday!

Happily we both got inspired by a traditional Aussie recipe celebrated this time of year down under. Importing it to the Isle of Man seemed an ideal alternative to a Winter Sun escape...

To make a PAVLOVA is so beautifully simple that even I, who quavers under the responsibility of making a pretty cake from scratch, let alone a BIRTHDAY cake, was doing jim-jiminies in the kitchen.

Thankyou to beautiful friends who encouraged me to make D's birthday beautifully simple and personally special. Without your lovely suggestions- which I'll be sharing in another post!- I'd have been swept into the ocean of "not doing enough". Instead, the day was perfectly fulfilling. I hope you'll make a pavlova on a special day for your loved one, too!

Winter Pav.

You'll need:

6 free-range eggs, seperated (whites needed only)
1 1/4 cup caster sugar
2 tsps cornflour
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 teapoon vanilla essence
300ml double or whipping cream (please choose organic proen to be better for our health and the planet)
Selection of soft fruits to decorate (Down Under they favour kiwis, bananas and passionfruit puree. Here I used pomegranates, sliced mango, banana and strawberries)

In a clean dry bowl beat the egg whites til soft peaks form
Slowly add the sugar one small pour at a time (I'd like to experiment next time by adding less sugar) and mix til just combined
When all the sugar is beaten in, add the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla extract
Spoon the mixture on to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Spoon it into a round shape (you can trace a circle onto the baking parchment using a cake tin) Alert: it will keep round but may also expand widthways as well as upwards so allow plenty of extra paper at the sides.
Bake in a pre-heated to 120 degrees C oven for 1 and a half hours or until firm to the touch.
Once firm, turn the oven off and leave the meringue to cool completely in the oven with the door ajar.
Whip the cream and slice the fruits prettily for decoration.
Once the meringue base is cool, spoon the whipped cream over the base
decorate with the fresh fruits and serve immediately.

tips:

~ To easily de-seed a pomegranate, soak it in a bowl filled with cold water for 5-10 minutes. Thank you Hannah Marcotti for this tip! If you're the sort of darling that needs extra info, here is a resource for you.

~ Use a spatula to make round swirls n the meringue before placing it in the oven, looks so pretty upon finale.

~ Did you know, though high in sugar, this is a health conscious dessert? Filled with fruit, wheat and gluten-free, and high in protein. Enjoy in moderation!

~ What to do with the left over egg-yolks? here's a recipe for a unique "Gold Cake" -you'll need a flour substitute if you're gluten-sensitive. What about a healthy mayonnaise without additives ; a rich custard for a child who doesn't like eggs, or a delicious crustless quiche to use up lots of wilting green vegetables you've got hanging around? What's your favourite recipe using eggs? Do share!

Got a dilemma? Just tune into WII FM

2011-11-25T11:14:00.000Z

morning Angels...

Fancy a spot of mind reading to help things flow your way, today?

part of my Claim your Psychic Power for professionals program is a exercise called "Tuning into WII FM"

It's an enlightening experience and I want to share it with you here.

We've done it here at home this morning- there's an important letter that needs sent to a difficult individual and we want a specific outcome...

Do you have to communicate with someone today and you feel it could be tricky?

Want to guarantee a good outcome?

Here's How!
This takes all of 60 seconds- come on- try it...

1. Grab a piece of paper and a pen, crayon or texta
2. Draw however many people are in your dilemma. In our dilemma this morning, it was just two: my husband, and the individual concerned. We drew a round head each. If it's your dilemma, you will be one of the figures.

3. Now this bit is important!- draw earphones or a headset on each head, and in a thought bubble: "Listening to WII FM- What's In It For Me?"

4. Under each of the figures list what's important to them. In the interaction, and also their personal dreams, goals and desires... if you don't know, imagine being the other person. What's their day like? Picture their home life, their job? What matters to them?

4. When you list the same thing under more than one figure, this becomes a bonding point. You must be sure to weave this into your interaction and identify to the other person that you share the goal too!

5. By making sure your offer or communication fulfills or isn't in direct conflict with the other party's goals, your request is seen as kind and easy by the other. They will be grateful for your communication and try and give you what you're seeking as far as possible- as if by magic!

Tuning into another's favourite radio station- WII FM - is a wonderful way to develop your powers of perception, compassion and clarity in communication. It works great on stubborn kids, too!

Extra inspiration this new moon...

The winds of grace blow all the time. All we need to do is set our sails.
-- Ramakrishna

Mercury Retrograde & Tomorrow's New Moon

2011-11-24T17:02:00.003Z

IMPORTANT! NOV. 24th- TODAY: With Mercury in retrograde beginning shortly and solar eclipse + new moon in Sagittarius, today please make any decisions you have been putting off.
Put your plan into action even in just small way by writing it down or taking a first step.
Activities started in the next 12-15 hours will have much less risk of running into the obstacles Mercury throws up (such as communication glitches, travel plans gone awry, and social gaffes!!) this time round.
Mercury stays in Retrograde til Dec 14 and we're out of it' effects Jan 1st completely.

Please contact me for an intuitive reading if you'd like to discover personally how your life could be impacted
and which positive action steps the universe is guiding you to take now to minimise it's effects

dear friends... I popped this on my facebook this morning and want you to know too- wherever you are in the world there is still a few hours left to put plans into place which will make it much easier for you to overcome any obstacles Mercury may throw in you until Jan. 1. Also... did you know? Depending on your personal birth chart, Mercury retrograde can be your time to thrive. You could be one of those very individuals who does better in a downturn than when all's shining on smooth!

Towards your smooth and shining peace-

with love,

Samantha

xoxo

Warming up these wintry mornings...

2011-11-24T15:34:00.001Z

these dark wintry mornings it's so tempting to stay in our pyjamas all day, isn't it?

(if we're not getting up to witness a sunrise like this, that is!)

Here's 3 peace-inducing ways to warm-up for your day as your computer comes to life each morning:

Stretch. awakening all those helpful muscles which have been softly healing and supportive all night. try to touch the ceiling and do a few belly-dance style figure of eights (easy how-to, here!) as you prepare your morning hot drink, switching on your core muscles for the day.

Brush your hair. I love the first hair-brush of the morning. It awakens my scalp and I like to think, sets my brain a-tingling! It's also a little act of self-love which makes us feel cherished and pretty. Focus not on the way your hair looks as you brush it, but how your roots and scalp feels with the rush of fresh new blood to them.

Make a wish. Even just whispered into the computer screen, "please work well for me today". If there is an event you're nervous about or dreading, instead of worrying or gathering strategies ad rabbit's feet to make sure it all goes to plan, immediately ask the Angels to make everything okay (and it is done). You will be surprised just how peaceful you feel after this one simple thought.

Happy thanksgiving to my beautiful American friends! I love your presence in my life. This is for you, especially...

"Let gratitude be the prayer on which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good." - Maya Angelou

Do you count your blessings often? Is it part of your morning wake-up ritual? Do share!

Healing with rainbows, butterflies, spirit, knowledge... & love.

2011-11-13T16:54:00.001Z

Hello, beautiful angels.

...wanted to share with you the most lovely AHA! moment I've recently been through.
As you may be aware, soon I'll be qualified as professional holistic health counsellor with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.
My journey led me here.
just as All our journeys have led us to where we are right now.

Spirit- mostly angels- and food have been the only constants in my surprising life and this AHA! has been discovering that it is through tying together the two I know I can shine my light most beautifully on the world.

It may have been the amazing experience of Holistic MBA live last week...

Or the recent letter I received from a client back from feng shui days who asked me if "my gifts had moved on" ie. if I was no longer the psychic intuitive that I was; and so helpful with it, a few years ago... oh, this hurt, angels!

So I've VOWED to no longer stand with my back to the sun- or the Sea. Ever. Not in my work as a massage therapist, personal trainer, health counsellor or professional feng shui practitioner. I'm not clinical. Nor are my beautiful band of angels- the clients who seek me out wherever I hide on this planet, and call me to share their- Your- inspiring journey.

A clinical approach is not my way of healing. In my belief, a clinical approach- in life. in love. in health. will not work.

It's all spirit.
We are spirit.
(I'll teach you how to be your own psychic, too.)

So, welcome to spirit-based health and a dream life.
Welcome to my love and support on your journey
Welcome to Angels By The Sea therapy!

add your email here to increase your intuition, too!

Powerful Ritual to Break through your Roadblock- FOR 11.11.11 & the waning moon

2011-11-09T14:26:00.005Z

The Law of Attraction is the law of frequency. Our vibration attracts it's match in the world around us.

When we're aware- as I know you are!- of the law of attraction, we can be so busy trying to be "up" or positive in our vibration--- that we supress what's underneath--- YET it's what's underneath that is our true vibration and what the world is responding to, not our surface positive thinking or desperate affirmations!

I know I've done this... been thinking so positively, but inside asking why nothing's going right. Have you had this experience, too? Oh dear!

SO-- what to do to truly lift our energy and start to see the marvellous manifestations we deserve?

Quite simply we can't bottle deep worries, the quiet fears anymore. We have to bring them out into the open and clear them. This is an amazingly effective process especially when done at a date and time the universe supports you. It's the extra THRUST of support we need to step permanently up on the next ladder-rung of vibration.
Where more good things start showing up. More regularly.

The date and time for your clearing process, to finally look at and shatter the negative beliefs that are creating a road-block for you, is this Friday, 11th November 2011.

11.11.11. Ideally in the 11th hour of your local time.

new feedback:
"i just received it and it's awesome! thanks Samantha!"- Lisa
"got it and Love it!" -Heather
"this is a really lovely ritual, Samantha." -Wendy

NOTE: now it's beyond 11.11.11 you can STILL use & get great effect this ritual during the waning moon- until 24th November!

Notice it's all about the number 1's. I invite you to carve out a few minutes at this time for the only person in this world that can change your life for the better- YOU. I know you are a caring, compassionate and very aware being. You deserve to clear any underlying thoughts that are getting in your way.

Please add your email in the sign-up box to receive the short, powerful Ritual on Friday that will uncover whats not working for you... and create the space for you to leave it in the past.

Yes, it's completely free.

This short Ritual is powerfully built on the principles of the law of attraction and my training as a master practitioner of NLP and Hypnotherapy. I'm newly jazzed from the excellent road-block busting work I learned at Holistic MBA live last week in Philly and can't wait to help you take an amazing step forward.

11.11.11 is too good an opportunity to miss out on to leave your fears behind: simply, safely & forever.

Enter your email to receive the Ritual for Friday, below.

Keep Up the Joy! Your Tribe for love and support.

2011-11-07T15:58:00.001Z

dear beautifuls,

Hi from New York City!

I'm marinading in the afterglow of 4 days surrounded by some of the most inspirational, loving and refreshing people on the planet. I'm so grateful to have been part of Holistic MBA LIVE in Philly and the Institute of Integrative Nutrition's Rock the Ripple conference!

Now it's over, I find the unstoppable urge for the next positive energy hit- and I want you, with me. You are part of this tribe. You are one of the most inspirational, loving and refreshing people on the planet! So I want to share with you what that next positive energy, rock your world with love event is...

so delicious. so powerful. and you don't even have to get out of your pyjamas for this one!

It's called the Holiday JoyUP.

...an extraordinary opportunity to join a community of heart-centred, simple-pleasure dedicated women for 10 days of true Joy, led by my mentor and muse Hannah Marcotti.

In Hannah's own words:

"As we approach the Holidays it is easy to lose focus on joy, we want magic and sparkly nights, not stress and fights! Pressures arise and we are faced with decisions to make and food indulgences on every table.

These 10 days are about connecting to daily gratitude, creating everyday magic, feeling filled with connection rather than sugar, truthfulness, radiating love, and that twinkle of inspiration for creating a season of joy."

You can find more about Hannah, her wonderful work with women, and her plan to help us all through the holidays here.

I became part of the JOYtribe in August and it is truly one of my favourite place to hang out in the whole wide world. The support, love and positivity of the amazing tribe is pure positive energy. This kind of support will change your life!

Hannah's 10 day program and unlimited lifetime membership to the JOYtribe is a pay-what-you want program. That's right- whatever feels affordable for you.

I was so grateful and moved by August's Joy program, this time I doubled my contribution! -- and it still doesn't come close to touching the value I know I'll get out of it.

Beautiful friend, as one of my tribe, I invite you to come with me and join a bigger circle. New friends. Such beautiful thoughts. Fresh eyes, sparkles and butterflies. Starts Nov. 23. , and your JoyTribe is already waiting for you! "See" you there!

Ocean healing, Isle of Man

2011-10-28T23:15:00.001+01:00

Just today I had the most amazing animal experience.

Have you? Ever had something change in your life, and an animal has stepped forward? Did you fall off a swing and your dog came up to sit with you to lick your salty tears? Did you get a heartbreak and your cat was your shadow? Were you alone for a winter in a foreign city, but became friends with a bird, squirrel, or rabbit?

This morning I walked our beach with a confused heart over a female friend. Something caught my eye in the sea- i looked, but couldn't see anything. I think I am imagining it.

I stop to offer my sadness to the sea. Staring out with soft eyes. Listening to the gentle whoosh, wave + shore. And up pops a head. It is looking at me. No fear. All curious. Even... inviting.

Next I do something I wouldn't have hesitated to do in Australia- anywhere on the east coast!- and yet, in over 5 years, I've never done in the UK. I entered the ocean. I waded in, in my running gear, and the sea wasn't cold.

I waded past the breakers, where the gentle swell lapped up to my chest and took my breath away. And I sang to the Seal, to call him to me. I want to see your big eyes, full of compassion and love. I want to touch you. I want you to take my pain away. I want to feel love, again.

He disappeared and popped back up, more times than a few! Then he was joined by another- grey head this time! I was too chicken to go swimming. But I loved that he was playing with me. The experience cleansed me like nothing else.

Back at home, I googled what a Seal appearing in your life means. I'd like to share it with you:

"Seal, Sea Lion: Symbol of The Inner Voice

By Ina Woolcott

Seal's medicine includes protection during change, dreaming and lucid dreaming, imagination, creativity, protection from danger, movement through emotions, the inner voice

Seals as sea mammals, are highly symbolic of our feeling, sensual selves. The seal helps us to remember our connection to our deep inner rhythms, feelings, and knowing, as represented by the sea. Seal being a good swimmer and knowing how to flow with the ever changing current, reminds us how to swim with the current. When we do this the negative feelings we have created such as worry, fear and anxiety are released from our minds. If seal enters your life, you are being asked to review the ebb and flow of your thoughts and emotions and find and keep up a point of balance.
Water is a creative element and symbolises the feminine imagination and intuition. If the seal appears in your life, pay close attention to your imagination and insight - in the waking stateand in dreamtime. A lot of what you imagine generally has a strong basis in reality, no matter how far-off it may seem.

They teach those with this totem how to flow, how to hear, and how to discover the deeper mysteries of their true nature. Seals are keepers of wisdom. They reveal to us what is hidden deep within ourselves, and teach us how to integrate our imagination with the reasoning power of the intellect. This will give balance and harmony on all levels.

The seal which is so sleek and gorgeous in the water, teaches us how to feel at home in our bodies, and to uncover our inner beauty. "

Thank you for sharing! if you have a comment, do add below! and yes, for some reason, I believe that seal was a "he" :)

Terracotta pizza vs. ...

2011-10-28T22:49:00.001+01:00

Last night we were on a mission to test Jamie Oliver.

As a long-time purveyor of pizzas-from-scratch; I needed to test that the terracotta pizza dish from Jamie's homewares line, Jamie at Home, could become the new cooking and serving plate of choice (because no matter how delicious, a black tin fresh and smokin'from the oven just doesn't serve up pretty.)

Before the girls arrived, I prepped two fresh pizzas. Toppings of homemade tomato passata, sliced green pepper and chorizo; just like Guiseppe at Brindisi of Stirling taught my husband, and husband taught me (don't worry! I streeeetched out the learning process! YUM.) ... topped with a mixture of cheddar + mozzarella, doused in fresh black pepper and drizzled with our own chilli oil.

It's not warm here, so both rested on the bench for about half an hour while we warmed into the Jamie party, ooohed and ahhed over the goodies, and gossiped about his cooking.
I explained the challenge, then at 220C for 16 minutes into the oven the pizzas went. Terracotta plate on top shelf... I somehow felt I had to give it a hand!

When the pizzas came out we poured another glass of wine each, and speculated for another ten minutes before the final test!

QU's for YOU:

Did the pizza cooked in the terracotta Jamie dish brown on the underside at all?
Which pizza was crispier/drier at the sides?
Which seemed to have more moisture evaporated?
Which was tastier?
Which would make a gorgeous dish to make or bring; armed only with your Jamie Oliver pizza wheel & spatula, no extra serving dish required?

To find the answers, have a Jamie Party on the Isle of Man!!! only kidding!; you just do that to get the recipe :) (email me here)

So, honestly.if you aswered:

Yes- slightly
The pizza cooked in the tin
The pizza cooked in the tin
Equally tasty
The Jamie Oliver terracotta dish- so stylish, definitely deserves a gorgeous pizza wheel on it's arm!

then you really and truly didn't need to read this- except- did you know- Jamie Oliver has a tin pizza tray in his homewares selection as well! can't wait for the next test!

In sum, even though I am a Jamie at Home consultant; I was initially skeptical. But the beautiful way the terracotta presents really did take the cake- ahem, pizza- over the tin.

as a little tip, for a browned base all the way through, I'll make the terracotta plate REALLY hot in the heated oven first before gently placing my pre-prepared pizza on it, next time.

Loving the recipes in Jamie's Great Britain- new number 1 bestseller (interesting review here) if you believe I can give you a copy at £24 off the rrp... please get in touch or leave a comment below!

What to bring to a Jamie Oliver Party

2011-10-28T21:29:00.001+01:00

A few new friends & I enjoyed the most delicious Jamie at Home Party last night.

When you host a Jamie At Home, it's not compulsory you're a dynamite DIY cook- a bag of crisps and some cut up carrots would be enough! Guests that don't bring their own wine are after a glass of water or cup of tea- easy!- and the conversation is aways. So. Good.

I'm experimenting with food these days. The experiment is to take the tastes we love; the tastes we may be secretly addicted to; and ease us ourselves out of it gently. So I home-made these muffin-tin quiches for the party. Aren't they cute? Leek & cheese, salt n pepper the only filling.

Yes, I used ready-roll puff pastry. But it's a really healthy take on any store-bought alternative filled with g-knows-what.

They are lacto-ovo vegetarian (check your pastry to make sure it doesn't contain animal fats) and low sugar, too.

See the crispy bottoms?
So simple.

Here's how!

I used 2/3 block "just-rol" or enough thin refrigerated puff-pastry discs to fill 18 regular muffin-pan holes.

Pre-heat the oven to 200/380
Lightly grease & flour a muffin baking tray. Using a large mug (Jamie's Mug in a Tin works perfect!) or pastry cutter, place pastry discs in the muffin tray. The pastry discs need only to come up a quarter or half of the sides of the muffin space as it puffs up and protects/forms remarkably!
Pierce the bottoms of the "muffins" with a fork and pre-bake in your oven for 10 mins. Meanwhile...
Bring a small fry-pan to medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon butter with a tiny bit of olive oil (prevents the butter burning) Slice 1 large leek up to the darker green bit, and sautee in the butter/oil, gently, for 10 mins. We want the leeks softly brown.
Whisk 4 large eggs with a fork or egg whisk in a jug. Season with salt n pepper. Grate 100g cheddar cheese into the mixture and stir to combine.
Pull the muffin tray from the oven. Add about a teaspoon of leeks to each pastry, and top with a tablespoon or more of the egg n cheese mixture.
Pop back in the oven for 15-20 minutes until pastry is brown around the edges... now, you'll have a delightful mini-quiche bubbling with melted cheese! delicious served with a green salad and fresh tomato salsa.

I really enjoy sharing with you healthy inexpensive dishes for entertaining! We were just 4 ladies and hostess Anna got to order £40 of goodies at no charge from the Jamie Oliver catalogue. Hope to share a party with you soon! send me a message here to get one before Christmas!

What do you take, or make, for a party that's inexpensive with a healthy twist? Do share with us, as party season begins! Pop your comments below!

How to cook Quinoa- with a little help from my friends

2011-10-23T10:53:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I was blessed to meet some lovely health-conscious souls at Holland & Barrett health foods. We had lots in common- a desire for a delicious dairy alternative (I use Kara Coconut milk), quest to perfect our Gluten-free baking (Karina's Kitchen is my go to for this; so much information for gluten-free living!) and a LOVE of Quinoa. But the question kept on popping up- how to cook quinoa?

When I came home the hubs had chopped up some organic chicken and was at a loss on what to cook it with. I felt like some fresh corn tortillas with lots of spicy vegetables, but he was hunting in the pantry for couscous, as he felt like "something light and not doughy" to go with the chicken. As I've been slowly ousting the wheat and gluten from our diets there wasn't any couscous to be found; but we did have a great supply of quinoa, and dinner just fell into place after what I'd been chatting to others about all day!

yum. thanks to the Dinner Mom for this Curried chicken quinoa pic!

How to cook Quinoa

Store-bought quinoa has usually been washed and air dried but always rinse the grain to get rid of any chaff or mold (uncommon if you buy pre-packaged quinoa, but best to take precautions as we do with any grains). Quinoa isn't a grain in actual fact; it's a complete protein from the family of spinach. This family contains saponin which can taste bitter; soaking the quinoa for 5 minutes before cooking, then rinsing once more further minimises the saponin effect.

I cook quinoa easily using the "absorption method"; the traditional (and in my experience, easiest) way to cook rice. Here's how:

Oil a saucepan and heat it on high.
Add 1 cup of quinoa and toast it on high for half a minute in the saucepan
Add enough boiling water (I pour it straight from the kettle) to cover the quinoa + 1 centimetre. Stir the pot, turn the heat down to low, and pop on the lid. Your quinoa will be ready in 9-12 minutes!

You can tweak this basic recipe so easily:

to make a tasty savoury quinoa, add a teaspoon of vegetable bouillon or half a stock cube when adding the hot water. A dab of butter at this time really amplifies the taste.
to make a porridge-type breakfast or sweet dessert quinoa, use milk, single cream or your favourite dairy substitute instead of the boiling water. Bring up to near-boiling point before lowering the heat and popping on the lid of the pot.

I always use my nutrition school's concept of "cook once, eat twice" with wholegrains, so as we watch the Rugby World Cup final this morning we'll have a beautiful bowl of Breakfast Quinoa; adapted from the Savvy Vegetarian , to fuel us for the day.

Many thanks to Chris and Mandy at Holland & Barrett Douglas for the chance to meet your customers to share my passion for healthy living and the transformative power of Health Coaching. It was a lovely experience. And welcome to a healthy circle, all new friends!

Secret Carrot Cake (& Healthy Delicious Frosting for Dummies)

2011-10-21T16:41:00.000+01:00

When you have people over there is SO much to do, isn't there? It's not just "Get-the-vacuum and those-shoes-out-of-the-hallway". It's rubbing off those smears down the wall that we actually don't mind unless someone else is looking; the fresh flowers to be brought in, cut and arranged which we really should do every week regardless of visitors or not!; improvements to the general scent about the place and shininess of the bathroom that needs attending to. Who has time to bake a fresh cake, leaving the home in a fuggy scent of warmth and spice, and present it frosted and freshly cut to guests?

Me. And You! with this recipe.
The most discerning of my foodie friends and acquaintances (chef, naturopath, bakery-owner, primary teacher who gets lots of free baked goodies brought to her, tv crew of Come Dine With Me) just adore this cake. The secret? it's prepped in 5 minutes, has three ingredients and is fool-proof delicious- especially with my Healthy Frosting for Dummies.

The 3 ingredients are:
1 packet of Wrights baking Carrot Cake mix
1 cup of chopped dates
1 cup hot water.

On the pack it suggests you'll need the packet, oil and water. I'm sorry this recipe contains gluten; and I do feel a little guilty that it's basically a packet mix with a wholesome twist- hence the secret! But I'm not sorry that we can swap the 1/4 cup vegetable oil for a cup of dates soaked in hot water.
Have your cake- and don't feel so bad about eating it, too!

how to...

Boil the kettle and in a heat proof bowl, cover the dates with a cup of hot water.
Leave for 10-15 mins until lukewarm, then add the packet mix and whisk for 1 min with an electric beater or 3 mins by hand. If the mixture isn't sloppy enough to pour, add warm water whilst mixing to loosen. Don't over mix or the cake will become tough and lose it's dense muffin-type chewiness.
Leave to cook in a pre-heated oven at 170 degrees/300F for approx 50 minutes in a lined loaf tin until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

(Visitors coming? You need a game plan. I love to:
clean the house,
make the cake
pop it in the oven
make myself ready
bring it out of the oven
set up the drinks display, ice and lemon
make the icing
receive my guests
after they've warmed up a bit with a drink and some chat, I go back into the kitchen to ice the cake

lovely photo from fussfreefood.com

then serve it
in that order :)

My Healthy Delicious Frosting for Dummies is thick greek yoghurt with just a bit of honey stirred through it. Spread over the cake thickly, and sprinkle generously with dessicated coconut.

I hope you try it! No matter how rustic it looks sliced into thick chunks...

(I believe... ) our guests don't remember whether there was a black mark on the wall.
They remember the lovely warm smell of baking when coming into a home, enjoying refreshing cup of tea with cake, and how they got to take a big chunk of it home!

What's your secret recipe confession? Do share, below!

Why exercise?

2011-10-08T16:22:00.002+01:00

Happy Saturday, Beautifuls! what's on your agenda this weekend? What's on your must-do list? Is exercise?

Lately I've become really passionate about exercise. Surprise! As a personal trainer, massage therapist & health coach I'm not always inspired, it's true! Here are the top 4 things that dampen my desire to work out:

the weather. Wind & rain, namely here.

high tide. sounds crazy but most of my fitness involves the beach. when I look out the window and there's hardly any sand; I delay and delay, not wanting to pound the pavement

"rest days". Rest days are so important for hard trainers. But a 20 minute run a day does not neccessarily entitle us to a rest day. In my book.

Summer sun & crowds. I know. there I was just complaining about the rain (maybe I am truly turning British!) But I hate dodging dogs on leads, kids with balls and teenagers licking icecreams, walking hand in hand. Maybe that's a little bah-humbug- but it's just no fun for me.

What are your big exercise turn-offs?

Lucky no matter how many reasons I have NOT to exercise, I have a bigger YES inside of me.

I run for freedom.

I exercise to be stronger, more agile, more aware.

I run to stay younger, longer

I run to read the weather, to look for changes in my environment, to feel the energy of the day.

I run because I can.

And because I know too many people who can't.

I run because I love to eat "treat" foods, and I want to "keep" my figure (the figure exercise has given me!)

I run so I can always run.

I cartwheel so I can always cartwheel.

I want to bounce back from anything life's going to sling at me.

I want to keep feeling good.

hardly scientific.

But that's why I exercise.

What's your excuse? :)

push past the pain. inspire yourself. even a little...

Oprah: Do you think you are stronger than you need to be?

Martha Stewart: I'm even physically stronger than I have to be.

What do you cook for the "Cosy" feeling? Free recipe book!

2011-10-07T11:11:00.003+01:00

www.samanthahoney.com

We all need inspiration when the seasons change and our regular go-to meals just don't satisfy us anymore. So here it is, Angels! My nutrition school has published a free Healthy Autumn Recipe eBook with 25 easy, seasonal dishes!

You can use this eBook for inspiration during the cooler fall months so you can cosy up with delicious, grounding foods that are nourishing and satisfying.

Graduates of Integrative Nutrition have been taught how to make healthy food taste great; making the most of vitamin packed local, seasonal body and life- enriching foods. Now you can, too!

Download your free recipe book here. It’s only available for a short time! When you fill out the form to grab your free book, pop "samantha honey-pollock" in the name of who sent it to you! This will help me attend a school event- thank you so much, Angels!

a few of the recipes you’ll get are:

Baked Cilantro (Coriander) Salmon
Tuscan Beans & Green Soup
Babaghanous ~ Eggplant, anyone? YUM!
Butternut Fries
Thyme-Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Lemon Power Bites

Delicious, no? Get the free book and cook up some cosy feeling!

Have you cooked a recipe from the recipe book yet? Do share, below!

Simply delicious. for when the nights & purse-strings draw in...

2011-10-04T15:11:00.002+01:00

hello beautiful health angels... do you love, as I do, to pounce on the pulses as the nights draw in?

Isn't life's tapestry so beautiful, as it weaves itself? This morning husby & I focused on our household spendings, and were shocked by our cost of living. We don't consider ourselves to live luxuriously; our usual treats are dinner out once a week; a couple of meals here at home when we spoil each other by cooking with the finest ingredients and match it with a lovely wine; a weekend away every season. We live very well- feel super blessed!-, but hardly living it large...

Still, we were not pleasantly surprised at the cost! And so we have decided to have a simple season here on our cold British Isle. And so to lunch... where we discovered, quite by accident, en route to a split pea soup with leftover ham, the most delicious dish that's going to be one of my autumn and winter staples. Check out the vital statistics and tell me if you're not in love, too!

Can feed a family of four for under £3.
Vegetarian & deliciously balanced in proteins,
Filling and wholesome
Low carbon footprint
Ready in just over half an hour (you don't even have to stand watching it!)
Prepared in 3 steps
Uses 4 ingredients; and 1 of them is water

I like to call it Yellow Split Peas with Creme Fraiche.

It's not a soup. It's what happens when you rinse and cover 2 cups of spilt Yellow Peas with cool water, bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes with a shake or two of salt. Then add a cup more water, and simmer another 15 minutes. The peas won't be mushy; still nicely formed; soft yet chewy. A la risotto, all the water will have been absorbed.

Scoop up a big bowlful each and add a dollop of creme fraiche. If you like to get fancy, snip some chives or sprinkle a few fresh parsley leaves on top!; but you will not believe the simple sublime dish that is just a sunny bowl of split peas.

Did you know? Eating an animal protein, such as cheese, yoghurt, eggs or milk, with legumes and pulses acts to "unlock" the essential amino acids the body cannot digest in pure vegetables alone, and so creates a complete protein.

~*~

And here's the price: 1 bag Dried yellow split peas from Waitrose £1.49

Local creme frache £1.62

salt & water... £0.20

~*~

warm fuzzies this Autumn to you!

What's your favourite low-cost, feel good feed? Share your thoughts, below!

Get your Vitamin L here! (exciting guest post!)

2011-10-01T09:45:00.000+01:00

Happy weekend, beautifuls! It's my delicious joy to bring you a guest post here by one of the brightest well-beans on the web ~ the fabulous Erin from Well in LA.

After reading her love list I'm sure you'll feel the Vitamin L oozing from her words and be inspired to make a LOVE list of your own! Do check out her lovely links and sign up for your daily dose of Well- Erin's is a world of helping others bring out the best in themselves, and is always happy to share her cheery sunshine. Over to you, Erin!

"Today’s post is brought to you by VITAMIN L! What is Vitamin L, you ask? Is it in my daily multi-vitamin? Can I buy it from my local health foods store? Or is it available next to the flax seed oil at the store? The answer is "no", but I hope it's a part of your daily intake! Vitamin L is necessary to survival – as necessary as air – we all need it to live, to thrive and be well. It's difficult to overdose on Vitamin L and there's no threshold for how much you should have daily.

Vitamin L… is Love. I hope that each of you have love in your lives. Giving and receiving love. It is vital to our existence, our health and our futures. Celebrate the abundance of Vitamin L in your life! It spans continents, seas and the entire planet. Can you feel it? Better yet, can you acknowledge its sources in your life and how BLESSED you are to have it filling all the nooks and crannies of your being?

I encourage you to take on a little exercise and make a list of the places you find and receive Vitamin L in your life. Write your VITAMIN L list in the comments below or share them on Facebook or Twitter - wherever you feel like sharing. Celebrate all the love you have in your life and the things that bring you joy!

To get this party started, I'm sharing my LOVE list:

The first and last strawberries of the season, so I can make my favorite treat (hence the photos!)
Connecting with old friends and making new ones (like the incredible Samantha!!)
Long phone conversations with my parents
Farmers’ Markets
Beaches, Oceans & bodies of water
Animals that like to snuggle
Learning, learning, learning & reading, reading, reading
Fresh fruits & veggies that nourish my body and soul
Movement, yoga and riding a bicycle vs. driving my car
Watching a movie or play that draws you in and makes you forget where you are
My person, my partner and one of my best friends – life with you is amazing
Humanity and kindness applied
My niece – I know she's going to be incredible in every way
My family, my extended family and friends who have become family to me
Sunshine, except for a few glorious rainy days
My garden
A glass of wine
Laughter
Music
Sharing my passion for life as a wellness coach and making it my career!

Thank you so much, Erin, for your inspiration!
LOVE your love list!

What's on your love list this weekend?
Share with us on facebook: Erin at Well in LA ;
me at Angels by the Sea ;
or below!

Beautiful Goose-day

2011-09-29T10:03:00.001+01:00

Hello beautifuls! blessings from Archangel Michael and All Angels on their celebration day today! Here's a link back to his healing for Healers.

Remember that a Goose is the traditional way to celebrate on Michaelmas? But we don't have to eat these beautiful creatures... just contemplating their meaning will bring us purpose & prosperity these coming winter months.

When the goose appears in your life, it is a reminder of your life's quest.
We often follow the same stories since our childhood... stories woven into the tapestry of our lives which replay themselves, over and over...
What were the favourite fairytales from when you were small?
Do they play out in the drama of your life today?
Do they remind you of your sacred quest or journey your life calls you to travel on?

(thank you to the absurdly fantastic Sarah Bamford Seidelmann for an introduction to the Beasties that change our life~ do visit her website for an extraordinary glimpse of another earthly dimension!)

To celebrate to-day, I have a lovely angelic gift for everyone who shares a sacred healing story with me. Have you been touched by the angels or know someone who has? Please add your comment here!

"Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting--
over and over, announcing your place
in the family of things."
~mary oliver, wild geese

Calling all angels to add your comment here...

Archangel Michael's Day & how it can help you.

2011-09-28T08:56:00.002+01:00

Calling all Angels! Tomorrow marks the feast of Archangel Michael & all Angels ~ celebrating the day Michael triumphed Lucifer in heaven, banishing him to earth, and leading to Michael's role as Chief Angelic Protector and dispeller of Darkness.

Here's how it works for you: Call upon Michael either silently or aloud tomorrow to protect you and all you love from negativity in any of it's forms in the coming months. Have you been suffering any anxiety, fear, sadness, anger or resentment now the warmer sunnier days are fewer? Tomorrow, especially, is an opportunity for us to ask Archangel Michael to protect the beauty we have in our life we treasure so dearly.

Did you know that as a healer or health professional, Archangel Michael can assist with protection against draining people (my hairdresser calls them "Energy Vampires"!) ? A technique Doreen Virtue teaches is at the end of the day, closing one's eyes and asking AAMichael to, with silver scissors, "cut the psychic cords" these individuals have plugged in to us to drain off our positive energy.

Angel blessing and beautiful good health to you!

P.S An old saying goes that to eat a goose on Michaelmas (tomorrow, feast of Michael & All angels) and you'll be prosperous all winter through. We have some beautiful semi-wild geese living near our home, and I love the strength and beauty of these creatures- we won't be eating one. However, the GOOSE has amazing messages for us when it appears in our life (like, when we spot one) as an animal totem. Tomorrow I'll share just what it means and why meditating on the image of a goose is a powerful way to divine your own future.

Your life by the Sea... Raquel "Wildflower" Jajeda

2011-09-23T13:46:00.003+01:00

I believe this came from the very cool Karey M

Happy Friday, beautifuls! and happy first day of Autumn! Images of falling leaves whooshed around by darting winds are in my mind, and here I'd love to share with you the very personal and special journey of a fellow classmate at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, Raquel Wolf-Jajeda. In reading Raquel's lovely words I get a sense that her life never stands still for very long! Not only is she working full-time in the field of emergency management in New York, but she is devoted to spending quality time with her family, learning more everyday about holistic nutrition and health studies, and nurtures her dream to help underpriviledged children and their mothers in India.

I love Raquels story and am deeply grateful for her generosity in sharing it. Do check out her website , where she urges us to Dare to Dream and Connect within. On her facebook page often shares interesting international links and thoughts. So, here's her life by the sea- Manhattan is an island, after all!- Raquel W. Jadeja – Happy & Healthy Naturally

1.What have been the highlights of your career so far?

I am fortunate to have an extensive and varied professional background yet this is still a very hard question to answer! First and foremost, a major highlight for me was starting my own business at the age of 22. At that time, my husband and I opened our first restaurant in NYC called WildFlower. This 45 seat bistro and wine bar taught us countless life lessons, shaped our characters and gave us a community – truly the experience of a lifetime! I am honored to say that even though we sold WildFlower 5 years ago, we still maintain many of the friendships born out of that restaurant and are reminded by those friends (once fans) how special that time was.

A Magnolia Bakery cupcake thanks to k. Raquel's "moment in time" bistro, Wildflower, was also in Greenwich Village NYC

Fast forwarding, I had the privilege recently of sitting on a speaker’s panel at a conference organized by Columbia University School of Public Health confronting what Day 3 following a Hurricane in our region would look like. The other panelists included heath officials from Long Island and Connecticut!

2. What are you looking forward to having happen next?
I am most looking forward to unraveling the many layers of being a Holistic Health Coach and the many lives I have begun touching. Our planet is experiencing a shift in energy right now; creation is happening all around us. Holistic health, nutrition – this thought process – is all a part and I’m thrilled to play a role in that!

3. Have you ever experienced an interaction with the spirit world? What was this like for you?
YES. The first and most brilliant was following the death of my grandfather when I was 5 years old. While spending the night with my grandmother, I went down the stairs before anyone else in the house was awake. When I reached the bottom, my grandfather’s spirit was sitting in a chair looking at me – a second later he smiled. Frightened, I turned around and ran back upstairs! For several years after that, I felt my grandfather with me, watching over me – serving as an invisible friend.

4. Describe your dream day... tomorrow; and 5 years from now

Tomorrows goals include:

traveling with my family
finding greater time management balance

When looking ahead five years, I see myself fulfilling my dream of working to feed malnourished children and women in India.

India is a place that is home to the richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor with a great acceptance for the hand life has dealt you. Child labor laws do not exist and millions go hungry. I hope to make a difference one community at a time and create change that will affect future generations. So when I look ahead, I see myself with these children and their mothers - helping, celebrating one another and rejoicing.

How does Raquel's time line of past accomplishments, present challenges and future dreams help you consider your own journey? I'd love to know!

Do you have any words for Raquel?
... please share, below!

Are you an Angel, too? Join FREE for regular doses of Light!

Natural ways to heal your aching back

2011-09-22T07:59:00.004+01:00

www.samanthahoney.com

Dear beautifuls ~

Are your Wings too heavy?
.
Back-ache is one of the common issues that I'm asked to help with in my six month health coaching programme. If you've ever experienced its debilitating effect, take a little comfort in knowing you are not alone. Through my experience as a fitness trainer and massage therapist, I see common traits- as all illnesses carry common traits- in the sufferers of back ache. Here's help.

1. The sufferers of backache- especially pain of the lower back- have, like most of us, under-developed core and abdominal muscles. The abdominal muscles are helper muscles for the back, absorbing strain and giving strength as the body lifts, pulls and turns. When the abdominal muscles aren't toned, the weaker muscles of the back have no support to do a job too strenuous. Over time this will lead to damage and pain.

2. At best, your doctor will provide a prescription for strong pain relief and the unhelpful assurance that your back ache will disappear as quickly as it arrives. This is true. I encourage my clients to turn to nature's painkiller which has no side effects and is deeply nourishing and relaxing for the muscles- Heat.

EXTERNALLY: in the form of a hot water bottle, hot baths
INTERNALLY: sips of hot water & hot tea regularly, and foods which warm the body such as curries, baked root vegetables, soups, stews and spices such as ginger, turmeric, nutmeg & cinnamon.

3. The benefits of massage are huge at this time. Massaging the lower back, buttocks and the deep gluteal muscles brings fresh oxygen to these areas which speeds the healing process. Natural oils like Bergamot, which is a mood-enhancer as well as warming, or Eucalyptus, with it's properties as a game-changer, add to the effectiveness.

4. Finally for now, Creative visualisation to replace worry is recommended. I've noticed many lower back pain sufferers have fear or nervousness about the future, specifically fear concerning income, sustainability, and career. This observation is supported by Louise Hay's discoveries in You Can Heal Your Life. Finding peace with your plans and your path is a vital step to minimise back-pain attacks long term. I help my clients with positive visualisation and dream-building.

Depending on your personal needs, herbs and supplements can also be helpful.
When you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders and desperately are seeking relief, may the above recommendations help you find it.

Be well,
with love,

Get in touch with me here to book massage or a free trial health coaching session
Tel 07624 455666

At home, abroad.

2011-09-21T16:57:00.001+01:00

You know you're an expat when...

And it's not just ex-pats. Us in LDRs (long distance relationships); who work away on contract or those-oh-so-lucky-ones- MHFJ's (multiple-homes-frequent-jetsetters) will feel some synergy here too.

There are many more funny and well-thought out expat posts than this, but on this grey, cold, summers-end day when our minds and conversation turn to sunnier climes, here's what springs to mind...

You know you're an expat when..

You see a familiar face on the street and struggle to remember which country you last saw it in...
You know what time it is Right Now in three or more time-zones...
Your cravings never get the better of you... because they don't make that in the country you're now in! (gettin' personal... from the middle east I crave moutabel and paper-soft pita bread, real tabbouli, & omm ali... From the caribbean; "Doubles"- that's channa in a chickpea flour pancake; the world's best crab cakes, and carib beer... From Australia, mangoes the colour of sunset and ginger gummy bears... which expat food do you miss the most?)

Your expatriated home phone still has on speed-dial restaurants and pizza delivery you may never eat from again...
When you get a lovely email message to pass on to your most treasured female friends, your list spans the globe...

this post was prompted by a bathroom cabinet clear out and finding the same brand of sunscreen with different price labels: from Blue Bayou pharmacy, 14 .... Trinidad & Tobago dollars? US dollars? Pounds sterling?
from (no name) QR41 (qatar riyal)
from Pattisons The Corso, $8.95 (aussie dollars)...
blessings on your journey!

Are you a frequent traveller with far-spanning Wings?
Do you often feel expat in your own home?

If you're in the mood, please share your favourite foods and funny feelings about being "at home, abroad", below!

Autumn Equinox: Celebrating the harvest

2011-09-20T12:08:00.001+01:00

via www.cocodot.com

Join me dear friends, to celebrate the abundance we've enjoyed this summer on a powerful day of the year: Autumn Equinox. The Autumn, or September equinox ; marks the changing of the season from Summer to Autumn here in the northern hemisphere, and from Winter to Spring in the southern.

When does it occur?

On Friday, September 23, at 10.04am in London and all British Summertime zones;

19.04pm Australia East coast time

5.04am US East coast time

2.04am US West coast time

1.04pm Middle East time

Why is it so especially powerful?

At this time, the length of night and day are equal in the world. It's also reputed that an egg can stand balance upright, unsupported, for an hour each side of the Equinox.

I'm making a fuss of this day because I'm an advocate that life is easier when the universe is supporting us. When your kitchen pantry is full of staples with which you can whip a delicious meal up so simply if friends drop by unexpectedly; and your home is relatively clean and arranged with the touch of feng shui; you're more able to adopt opportunities as they arise and re-discover inner balance when outside effects rock your boat. Awareness of the moon and it's cycles, and the energy of the seasons, guides you towards spontaneous right action.

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun." Ecclesiates 3:1

How to celebrate

This day- and perhaps Thursday evening, if it is happening very early Friday morning for you, is a time for psychically "taking stock" of all you've gathered this season. Think back to June. What have been the changes of place, mood, the ebbs and flows of people in your life? Pull out your journal, diary or calendar, and just look at the important occasions and milestones you've experienced since then! Consider how the season has led you further along your path.

Whichever hemisphere you're in, the Equinox calls us to welcome the new into our life. It's a time for beginning a project that will inspire and nourish us in the months ahead. Here in the northern hemisphere it may be a nurturing past-time enjoyed indoors in the warmth. In the Southern hemisphere, arranging a regular outside picnic in the park with friends could become a way to lead you on a joyous path of growth.

More traditional ways to celebrate include Feasting with friends and family on local, seasonal foods, or weaving or purchasing a basket to use in the coming season instead of shopping bags (this is a nod to the Goddess Demeter, whom the Ancient Greeks believed blessed their crops and harvest with health and abundance). You could light a candle, fill your basket with fresh picked local flowers, fruit and veg, and ask Demeter, any divine Goddess, the Angels or Spirit to gift it with abundance for the coming season. It would be beautifully auspicious to keep this basket at your workplace for others to share, or to gift it to a friend who struggles to make ends meet. Giving thanks with a gratitude list, meditation or day-dream session are also powerful activities.

One more thing I wanted to share with you; whether you choose candlelight, feasting or gratitude; prayers and the identification of new desires and dreams is essential.

Do you feel the need to connect a share in beauty and love at this time? Wherever we are in the world, as we experience an equal length of day, you and I are closer than ever in our collective experience. Below is a channelling of St Germain by Alexandra Mahlimay; I will be including it in my prayers for our collective harmony, this Friday, and you may like to, too!

"Enough of you value harmony and flow now, that you will find it easy to come together. You have reached a critical mass. Soon, this will allow you to build a world that is supportive of your needs, without having to struggle to do it. But first there is a clearing away of that which no longer serves you, and this can be disconcerting. When this happens, don’t be fooled. Be patient, instead.

Whenever you fall into doubt, remember the orchestra and ask yourself this: When one musician meets another who values harmony as much as the first – is it not natural for them to unite in their love of music and create something together that neither could do separately?If your answer to this question is “yes,” then know that this response will serve you well – for this is the spirit that will build your New World. "

Do you have a "Seasons change" ritual?

What special offering will you make to bless & honour your journey in the months to come?

Do share below!

The Heart Breathes ~ a visualisation to stop negativity in it's tracks

2011-09-16T13:29:00.001+01:00

I am a big fan of Jena La Flamme, director of Jena's welless centre in New York City and founder of Pleasureable Weight Loss. Just recently on her site here, I found an inspiring visualisation I'm so looking forward to sharing with you.

When could you use this?

Jena and her mother-in-love talk here about using this visualisation en-route to the refrigerator to stop cravings in their tracks. I'd like to ask you to use this anytime you feel drawn to your negative habit, whether it's physical or emotional.

If we could, in the split second before getting upset, yelling, closing down, or slamming that door... turn inwards, towards our heart.

Perhaps adding the beautiful colour in nature of green, in any or all of it's healing hues, feeding & feeling the heart chakra...

We will connect once more to the gentle wisom and infinite love that supports us all, and guides us to better choices.

I wish you love today.

Have you ever experienced an open-heart moment that completely melted anxiousness, fear or negativity for you? Do share, below!

Lighten Up Whisper: Choose your "Big Yes"

2011-09-15T16:08:00.001+01:00

You can. Say no. via Kate Spade

Here's your Lighten up whisper this Wednesday, beautifuls! (what, it's Thursday already? oh but I know you'll find this worth waiting for...)

Have you heard the saying, “it’s easy to say No when there’s a bigger Yes inside of you”? Really absorbing this gorgeous truism means you will never, ever be tempted by a food you really don’t want, again. Because what's your bigger yes? A body you love.

It's like the saying, "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels". Someone offers you chocolate cake. Or a fudge-y, steaming sticky toffee pudding covered in double cream. Or a lick of Rum'n'raisin/Banoffee/Strawberry cheesecake icecream. Or a cream-filled profiterole. Or a mini hot-dog. Or french fries. “No, thanks,” you say, instantly. Your host pouts. It’s a personal rejection for them. You smile, reach over, and give them a big hug. “Looks delicious, though,” you say.

Feels good? This is where you’re choosing your big Yes. And it’s easy to say no. Why? I’ve always got a million reasons, if I'm put under pressure. You can have any number of excuses, too. My very favourite is, “Well, doesn’t that look delicious. But not for me.”

When we say, nothing tastes as good as thin feels; I'm not saying one must be thin to be happy. I'm saying, nothing on earth can possibly masquerade anymore as the one thing you truly desire. So substitute the “thin” for whatever it is you truly want when faced with temptation. Choose your “Big Yes”.

How does connecting with your big Yes help you say "No" where you need to? Try it and share, below!

Autumn's healing prediction~ lemongrass

2011-09-13T11:46:00.002+01:00

Following the path; this morning I want to share with you inspiration stemming ;) from a fresh Crate & Barrel newsletter which announces the 'colour of the season' as Lemongrass. There's something important here regarding the way we are thinking in the world right now.

from Designer's Guild

Remember back, when we discovered- ages ago now! here- that the colours of a season reflect mood, feelings and thoughts from our collective unconscious?

How wonderful that the 'colour of the season' is also herbal remedy, a grass for healing.

In traditional medicine, lemongrass is used for relief of headaches and migraines and staving off colds & flu; one study shows when taken as a herbal tea - wonderful on these blustery days- it's as effective as aspirin.

Lemongrass aromatherapy oil soothes muscular aches and pains, and is an antidote for boredom, overwork, nervous exhaustion and sulkiness.
Mummies and mommies, sounds like just the tonic after storms and fretful school holidays!

In feng shui,the dull chartreuse resonates to the North-East, knowledge direction, promising that this autumn could bring hard work, as well as few learning curves, but health and communication are strengthened by it's positive, grounded energy.

What emotion or feelings does the colour Lemongrass stir in you?

to me... it cheers no end, and promises that the cooler months ahead can be fun, too. This autumn, I'm going to make it a touchstone of my cooking, in fragrant curries, creamy chicken & fish stews and bracing vegetable stirfries. Not naturally local to this chilly British Isle, I'll call up the lovely Dot Price, treasurer of our Farmer's Market, on 470 507; who grows most everything one could wish for, here.

What can the energy of Lemongrass help you with, this Autumn?

Sunday share: the 3 Spice Friends that saved me from Sugar

2011-09-11T16:33:00.003+01:00

Happy Sunday, beautifuls! I hope you are somewhere the sun is shining, or you are enjoying being cosy. Today, this is the view from my window~ of a stormy Irish Sea; it's greedy teeth snapping to take a bite of the Lifeboat station.

On the way to see a client, I watched the mist rolling over the hills and down to meet that wild ocean...

Is it any wonder we crave warm and creamy things to make us feel safe and soothed this time of year? Yet the weather's not so cold that it seems appropriate for roast meats and pureed root vegetables just yet...

Sunday lunch today: fresh local prawns, garlic and onion, tomatoes, broccoli and red pepper in what started out as a stirfry...

I love to serve sliced cucumber with spicy or creamy dishes, it's not as fiddly as a salad to make, looks so pretty, lightens the palate and is so much healthier to munch on as a side dish, instead of pappadoms or bread!

and part 2 of this sunday share (because the above paragraph I hope you will find as helpful in practise, as I do!) is the secret sauce recipe to the juicy, soupy texture of pictured dish- it's more a laksa or asian-inspired stew than a stir-fry, and just the texture our bodies are nourished by in Autumn.

Here's how it came to be. Wanting to add peanut butter to the stirfry, I noticed n the jar there was only a tablespoon or so left. So I made a cup of stock using hot water and vegetable bouillon, and added it to the peanut butter jar. To jazz it up, I also added 1/2 a teaspoon of curry powder. Then, we all danced around the kitchen shaking it. Tipping it over the sizzling pan, it became a fragrant stew-y business. YUMMO.

But here's the thing- so many asian foods use sugar in their cooking. Sweet chilli sauce, for example, is 95% sugar. Laksas and curries in thai and malay dishes are sweetened with brown sugar, and the dish above just didn't take any good without... WAIT. I reached for the honey, and decide to pull out a carrot instead. I added it, grated, and although it now looked more like an Asian curry- it didn't seem any sweeter. Sigh. So I reached for the honey (wait...) and my hands rustled over the spice rack. Turmeric, it's rich gold beckoned me. So did Cayenne pepper... and it I was going to go all Ayurvedic then hey- the Cinnamon wanted in, too.

Turmeric added richness and thickness. A woody density that made me forget to think that the dish needed sugar. There was something else going on now, and I didn't want to miss the taste.

Cayenne Pepper added brightness. Often now when it's a dark or gloomy day, I'll add cayenne pepper to a cup of soup. It's lift is positively amazing.

Cinnamon added fragrance. And in a world where we wolf down our food without any thought to it's subleties, I am so glad my three spice friends sat up and asked to be included. The honey stayed on the shelf (for now :).

wherever you come from

however you are here enjoying this with me

I wish you a warm healthy body and too many hugs to handle today, and everyday this coming week.

Do You have favourite spices you use instead of sugar or salt? Please share, by leaving a comment, below!

Now We Are Free.

2011-09-10T15:06:00.012+01:00

now we are free.

Now we have a Clean bathroom, a few dust-free pretty trinkets, quality products and nothing.we.don't.need (except more toilet paper).

Now the shower is scrubbed to an inch of it's life, the plug-hole is de-icked, a towel system is in place. Mini-toiletries from luxury hotels line up like little soldiers in the orderly vanity, all ready for the fight against personal grime. And I. Have structure. And a cleaning schedule. And fresh, unstreaky mirrors and polished tiles. Reed diffusers filled to the brim and only one fresh soap gracing the bath edge.

Now we are free.

Free from that big dark cloud hanging over my head. The little voice that said I could never expect to succeed working from home because I wasn't organised enough. I couldn't even keep my bathroom clean, for goodness sake! Well, I showed her! Now, how you going to make me feel I'm not good enough? (The little voice is clever. It'll be that my oven's not sparkly enough next.)

One day soon- perhaps instead of fighting the fight over and over in your own mind, "I don't need to do (X) to be (Y)!" I hope you get tired of feeling stupid shame as I did, and by doing X, you discover your Y is just asking what took you so long.

happy weekend, beautifuls
with love,
Samantha.

p.s if you are inspired by Hannah Marcotti and her brilliant personal programs... i hope you like her share here, celebrating my journey with the Joytribe.

What's a "simple" you could do today, that once completed, will free you up no end?

Autumn Inspiration- oh, the places you could go! (events!)

2011-09-10T11:51:00.000+01:00

What's new and good with you this weekend?

here... I'm watching the Rugby World Cup as Summer's gone and the sky won't be comforted. Sloppy wet velvet ribbons from the heavens... such a lovely day to be indoors...
and, a little later, bracing the beach for the benefits of barefoot running!

Feeling in need of some autumn inspiration, yourself? You could be with amazing people and places to join hearts and entrepreneurial, healing spirit with. Yes, you could.

For energy that could shift NYC to a new level, hang out at the Jarvitz Center on Manhattan the weekend of 17 & 18 September. FallIINto action, the beautiful Institute of Integrative Nutrition School conference is taking place, with our guru leader Joshua Rosenthal and the eternal Deepak Chopra in residence.
and in the same building the same days (SPOOKY): ICANDOIT New York, offered by the beautiful Louise Hay and earth angels Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson and Doreen Virtue to name a few.

October 23 sees something, amazing I would love to attend: Rich Happy & Hot with Marie Forleo. These women! Want to be there! Even if just to experience Danielle LaPorte holding court with her white hot truth... because self-realisation rocks.

For all of this, living on the other side of the pond and wishing I could flit like a butterfly across the Atlantic to meet all my heroes, and sit cross-legged in front of them for even just 20 minutes... I WILL be rocking it with the girls at Holistic MBA in Philidelphia November 3. A knock-your socks off opportunity to Step Into Your Spotlight. World, is that you a knockin' on my door? I'm... almost... ready!

Inspired by these crazysexy opportunities (oh, btw, the magic Kris Carr will be at RHH with Marie and Danielle too!) I thought any of us, any at all, with an interest in holistic health and healing should meet. This side of the Atlantic.

So... Our autumn event... It's London, IINit? Are you a student, graduate or business-owner in the UK from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition? We'll be hanging out on a Saturday afternoon in October at Wholefoods Kensingtons raw food bar, Saf. You could be with amazing people and places to join hearts and entrepreneurial, healing spirit with. Yes, you could. Come meet up in London! Details, RSVP and please add a comment on our facebook page, here!

love,
Samantha
xo

shhh... a midnight snack.

2011-09-06T00:24:00.001+01:00

Shhh, shhh. Such a calming noise. It's the sound of waves lapping the salty sand, reminding us that gentleness is our home. Hush now.

Hush now. It's a midnight feast. I eat too much when Husby's not here, filing the empty space that can never be satisfied a-lonesome by wine, food or heartfelt telephone calls. I want to cook for you, and let us eat together.

egg white smoked salmon, greek yoghurt,shallot on cucumber. with pepper. 12am ~s.

This, earlier. we have a tiny health food store in port erin, and it's not pretty, but it's yields can be glorious: local tomatoes, gomasaio (is that how you spell it, Andrea Beaman? gobsmacked to find it here!) and laksa paste- in a commercial, processed way yes; oh but how long has it been between laksas?- too long, it was never time ago, in Neutral Bay, was that authentic deliciousness.

not wanting to tempt fate. never do I do this. I created a Chicken Quinoa Laksa. You don't want the recipe.

she wasn't Laksa. ~s.

Laksa should be smooth. velvety. languishing over a bed of noodles like a supermodel drenched in creamy, lengthy asian sunshine. This beauty was an isle of man bit o'pretty trying to soak up the last of the summer rays. I did admire her gentle warmth. Her hope and sustenance. But she wasn't Laksa.

Yet oh. midnight and a feast of leftover bits-on-cucumber discs. At midnight, alone, fork in hand, I like to pretend I'm sophisticated, oh so thin, and that a properly glamorous life is still just softly, gently, waiting in the wings.

Sunday Share & recipe- Being Gwyneth

2011-09-04T15:40:00.001+01:00

So we had a beautiful walk and took this gorgeous pic- who would know it is only 16 degreesC? sure looks tropical!

Then I, with basket on arm, in floaty skirt went to the market to recreate, for a delicious, end-of-summer Sunday lunch, this: Gwyneth Paltrow's Lobster Club Salad.

Gwyneth's Lobster Club Salad, recipe and picture from Red

Tiger Prawn Club- Samantha Honey-Pollock :)

I don't have Gwyn's gorgeous children but I do have some gorgeous ways to improv. (that's improvise, darlings!) on her recipe. The pic above, from Red magazine, doesn't look to contain bacon. It does in Gwyn's recipe. Do you see any up there? it's not that dark purple stuff, is it?

In my version here --> and I know, yes, of the delicious marriage which is soft white seafood and crispy, salty bacon, but you know it's not really a recipe until you make it your own, is it?- I've ditched Gwyn's bacon and onions and instead completed my salad with sliced beets and grilled fennel.

I like to think that the crunchy astringent taste of the fennel and the soft sweet bitterness of the beets gives a main-course like feeling to a very prettily arranged salad... but it doesn't. The show-stopper here is the bite of lobster (or tiger prawn, flash-fried- sorry, but the lobsters all looked sad today at the store) and avocado. Both spritzed with lemon juice, and there's definitely the hint of garlic about it...these two bits were chased right off the plate, leaving the char grilled fennel, beets- and probably bacon, if we'd gone that way- behind.

What do you think about Gwyneth Paltrow's identity as a lifestyle maven? Here's a nice piece and a sarky piece with their views. Do you think lobster is an extravagant food? And did you know if you're not eating lobster two or three times a week, you should make sure your salt contains iodine... iodine deficiency is becoming more common and can lead to thyroid issues. Sea vegetables are another good source in our diets.

Be well!
with love,
Samantha.

Lighten Up! Whisper this week-- leave all that's inauthentic, behind.

2011-09-01T12:14:00.002+01:00

"We are who we are, because of what we believe to be true for ourselves."

pic on file- if it's yours, please get in touch

This week, I'm guided by time spent with the book "A return to Love" by Marianne Williamson. She maintains that when we focus our energy on being real, of giving of ourself to our true purpose in the world, all that is inauthentic in our lives, including weight, drops away.

This might seem like the long way to get to your ideal weight and body shape, but in fact it could be quicker than you think. In your own life, have you ever picked up a new hobby or begun a new job that completely absorbs you, to the point where you realise, perhaps weeks or months later, you've not spoken to certain people or been certain places a big part of your life before? And when this happened, were you surprised that you hadn't even missed them?

This is how you will feel when your authentic self takes over the part of yourself absorbed in the frustration of overeating, overweight & poor self-image. Aren't you "over" yourself, already? This week, I invite you to do one thing that is authentically you. Maybe you get a sense already of what it will be ... something that makes your heart sing... Go for it.

Happy September! Peace is irresistible.

2011-09-01T11:12:00.001+01:00

Once we have tasted it's joyful simplicity, Peace is the irresistible choice.

Happy Healthy Hair- naturally

2011-08-29T14:52:00.002+01:00

hi beautifuls! I wanted to share with you a healthy tip that has made SUCH a difference to my life. You see, I've often suffered a flakey scalp as I tend to scratch my head when I'm perplexed! It sounds trivial but can result in major snowiness, embarrassment and discomfort...

As antidandruff shampoos are SO unhealthy, and often dangerous, I tried tea-tree varieties; hairdresser-prescribed hair washes (Keratase); a non-chemical scalp-rub; and the home-remedies of a hair-mask of olive oil, and rinsing with apple cider vinegar. I also upped my intake of EFAs in the form of a fish oil supplement and women's multi-vitamin ~ feeling great.

But... although I'm sure none of these remedies harmed the condition, it didn't improve. I am lucky to have straight, fine hair and alot of it! And I wanted this embarrassing problem AWAY!

Solution: massage flaxseed oil into your hair before washing it your regular way. This morning, after a first treatment, I am amazed that there are zero flakes, revealing slightly pink splotches on my scalp. But, must repeat here: No flakes. And No itchiness!

If any of you have suffered as I have, I do urge you to try flaxseed oil. I wish you happy, healthy hair- naturally.

Sunday Share~ Happy Anniversary

2011-08-28T12:29:00.001+01:00

This man.

...who helps me
Listens to me
Bends to me til breaking point...

Takes me to Tiffany when it's closed
(But arranges home-delivery)

Real life-~ and my~ hero

Happy 4 years anniversary!

On the menu: Fisherman's lunch & Strawberries with greek yoghurt drizzled with raw honey.

Thank you for sharing our special day!

Summer by the Sea 1 ~recipe

2011-08-26T11:14:00.002+01:00

We are so lucky to live by the ocean and these pale summery days are perfect for finding new picnic places around the cliffs and on the shore by the Bay. Husby, when he's not in a helicopter, is enjoying a new hobby: fishing. Yesterday he caught mackerel. Poor darlings!

adapted from Channel 4's cook it!

But oh- how deiciously yum they were, simply grilled back at home after D'd taken the insides out, and I rubbed them with butter and salt.

I'd never buy mackerel by choice really; am I a fish snob? It's not really an elegant fish: quite small, boney, with a strip of dark meat running through which is stronger tasting than the delicious white meat- but it's nutritious and environmental qualities are outstanding. Rich in Essential Fatty Acids; an excellent source of protein, of course; a sustainable fish caught locally... and it is always such an adventure to cook & eat something you've caught yourself- from blackberries to fish!

Been fishin'? Do try this delicious simple recipe,

Griddled Mackerel with Fennel.

1 mackerel per person, gutted and filleted (so easy to do yourself!)

1 small bunch fat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 fennel

Juice of half a lemon, the other half cut into wedges to squeeze over the fish

2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt

Butter (optional)

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

How to...

In a glass bowl, mix by hand the parsley, juice of half a lemon and mashed garlic. (Now you've got "gremolata"- an italian herb combination deliciously zesty which freshens up any rich dish!)
Rub the fish with butter and sprinkle with sat.
Heat a griddle pan, or (as I do) a george foreman/electric grill, on high for half a minute. Sprinkle the pan or griddle with olive oil, add the fennel and grill until soft and juicy, about 1 min. Remove and set aside.
Add the fish to the pan or gril and cook for 3 minutes or until fish softly flakes when poked by a fork.
Serve the mackerel atop the fennel, sprinkled with the gremoata (parsley mix).

Roast sweet potatoes and onions are a lovely accompaniment- recipe for Gorgeous Sweet potato wedges here!

Maybe you've done it before, but it is really a new experience to have pulled abundance straight from the sea for our dinner! I wish you a beautifully healthy & abundant end of August.