Water, a vital nutrient and it’s free… well almost!

I have been meaning to write something on this topic for some time. Now, before you roll your eyes and say 'here’s just another article on the importance of hydration…' Listen up!

As you know, I am a bit of a greenie and this puts another spin on things. I’d like to talk about bottled water and how wasteful it is. Not only does it cost us, as you’ll read, it has significant negative impact on our environment. In fact, bottled water is a downright environmental disaster! Here are some facts from The Water Project for you to consider:

Fact 1.  Bottles used to package water take over 1,000 years to biodegrade, and if incinerated, they produce toxic fumes. It is estimated that over 80% of all single-use water bottles used simply become "litter". 

Fact 2.  Recycling is only feasible in limited circumstances because only PET bottles can be recycled. All other bottles are discarded. Only 1 out of 5 bottles are sent to the recycle bin.

Fact 3.  In developed economies, landfills are overflowing with millions of tons of discarded water bottles alone. 

Fact 4.   It is estimated that actually 3 litres of water is used to package 1 litre of bottled water. (Ridiculous, right?)

We are so lucky here in Australia - We have access to clean and safe drinking water, it flows straight out of our taps and into our homes. We don’t even need to boil it before we drink. Not to mention that we have already paid for it through our water rates or rent! According to The Water Project, 1 in 9 people worldwide do not have access to safe and clean drinking water. In developing countries, as much as 80% of illnesses are linked to poor water and sanitation conditions. See? We are lucky.

I read an article recently, which stated that unsuspecting Australian consumers are buying filtered tap water or boiled rainwater at massive mark-ups of more than 180,000%. Yep, you read that right, one hundred and eighty thousand percent! Apparently, customers are happy to pay for the convenience! But what could be more convenient than water from the tap, drinking fountains or free water at a restaurant or café? 

So why do I make a big song and dance as a health professional about ensuring you drink enough water? It’s because:

• The human body can last weeks without food, but only days without water.
• Our bodies are made up of 50 to 75 per cent water.
• Water forms the basis of blood, digestive juices, urine and perspiration, and is contained in lean muscle, fat and bones.
• As the body can’t store water, we need fresh supplies every day to make up for losses from the lungs, skin, urine and stools (poo).

OK, here’s the million-dollar question, how much should you drink?

• Always pay attention to how much water your body actually needs, as the amount we need depends on our body size, metabolism, the weather, the food we eat and our activity levels.
• I find it is very common for my new clients to either be drinking too little or too much water (yes - this is possible). I know I say this time and time again, but each and every individual is unique and would require different levels of hydration. 

Symptoms you might have if you’re not drinking enough water include: Being thirsty, suffering headaches, tiredness and weakness, mood changes and slow responses, dry nostrils, dry or cracked lips, dark-coloured and smelly urine, and in extreme cases, confusion and hallucinations.

Let’s spice things up. Water can taste great too!

Some easy water recipes:

If you're someone who thinks water is boring and prefers a little fizz, then invest in a Soda Stream – easy to use and inexpensive. In fact, this will save you $$$ as you won’t be buying bottled soda water anymore.

Your choice:

Water from your tap, filtered or unfiltered, fizzed with your Soda Stream - up to you.

Option 1: Squeeze fresh lemon or lime with an addition of fresh mint leaves.

Option 2: Immune booster

Grate 1 tsp. of ginger, ½ tsp. of honey (or maple syrup for any fructose intolerances) and a squeeze of fresh lemon and orange.

Option 3: Mixed berries – either blended or whole.

Super easy, delicious and refreshing - Without any nasties.

By the way, you have my permission to go out there and buy some trendy reusable BPA-free water bottles that suit your personality! The options are endless these days, we just need to keep them clean! Keep one chilling in the fridge so you always have fresh cool water when you need it!

Google Quiz

Now, just so that I know that you have read my blog all the way to the end, here is a little quiz... I’d like to hear your answers. So get Googling and e-mail me your best answers for a mystery prize! (OK, there’s no prize, we’re all grown-ups!)

Q1: Is body water content higher in males or female? Or the same?

Q2: How many litres of water do adults lose a day excluding hot weather and exercise?

Q3: How many litres of water do we lose over a 3-hour period when traveling by plane?

Love, CR xx

My seasonal & reasonable Buddha Bowls

Now, if you haven’t already been acquainted, I would like to introduce you and your tastebuds and stomach to the Buddha Bowl! Some have described them as multiple downward dogs and soul rectifying therapy in a few mere mouthfuls! (Just setting your expectations here!)

So what is a Buddha bowl you might ask, well… it is a bowl so packed full of food that it has a rounded bump or “belly” on the top much like the swollen belly of a Buddha. Oh, and did I mention that they are full of nutrients and damn tasty!

Now, before I get into recipes, how-toos and whys, I am going to put a Candice spin on things! What I am going to give you is a different Buddha Bowl recipe for each season that makes best use of the produce that is freshest in that season. The reasons being that you can easily get your hands on the ingredients, they will be better for you as they haven’t been in storage etc. and better on the hip pocket to boot!

So here goes, two Summer Buddha Bellies to choose from… I mean Buddha Bowls!

Biotic Plus Buddha

Ingredients:

• Chili
• Carrot
• Saurkraght  
• Radicchio
• 1 zucchini
• 1/2 fennel bulb
• 1 avocado
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. lemon juice1 pinch sea salt and black pepper
• 4 tbsp. sauerkraut
• 1 Soft boiled egg

Making the Buddha: Grate the carrots and zucchini. Slice the chili, then just scoop the avocado out of its bed or slice it up and chop up some spring onions. Place all prepared ingredients onto the bed of lettuce. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and give it a good toss with your hands. Divide the salad in two bowls, place a generous tablespoon of sauerkraut in each bowl. Finally, top each bowl with a fried or boiled egg, sprinkle with sesame seeds and maybe even a drizzle of sesame oil. Serve immediately.

Green belly Buddha

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sweet peas or frozen  
• 2 eggs – scrambled
• 1 zucchini
• 4 asparagus sticks
• 1 Avocado
• ¼ of a bunch of broccoli heads
• ½ bulb of Fennel
• 1 tablespoon of tahini
• ½ lemon
• Drizzle of olive oil

Making the Buddha: Grate or thinly slice the zucchini and fennel, break off mini broccoli trees from the broccoli head, dice or slice the avocado, in a separate bowl crack open two eggs mix together with salt and pepper in add your zucchini and broccoli then add it all into your frying pan with a dollop of coconut oil. Mix for 3-4 minutes then assemble all ingredients together in your Buddha bowl till it’s over flowing with goodness. To finish drizzle over tahini, olive oil and squeeze of lemon.

Nutritional benefits of these recipes

The seasons are a source of natural diversity, and this is why changes in growing conditions from spring to summer or fall to winter are considered essential for balance for both the earth's resources and its life forms.

Once upon a time, people ate certain foods only when they were readily available, accessible and in season. These days, however, it is extremely easy for us to forget about seasons when we eat. Thanks to modern food processing techniques and worldwide distribution of resources, most foods remain available year-round. Grocery store shelves look the exact same in December as they do mid July, and we are able to buy any type of food we want irrespective of its seasonal availability.

Just because technology makes it possible for us to have oranges in winter, however, doesn't mean we should eat all foods whenever we please. The disadvantages of living in a technologically advanced period with modern day food practices have revealed themselves among us in the form of an increasing number of food intolerances and allergies, higher levels of obesity, modern chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes and much more.

Why use these ingredients

• They are sourced locally which in turn is better for environment as less fuel is used to transport, organic, better for you, when in season.
• They can be found at the markets and it is way cheaper to shop within seasons.
• All these ingredients contain in both Buddha bowls are full of antioxidants, fibre and good to boost immunity and prepare your body for the seasons changes.
• They contain liver-cleansing greens.
• Pre and probiotic properties to line your bellies with rid of those nasty bacteria from all the silly season’s party drinks!
• Yummy combinations!
• #eatwithyoureyesfirst.

Enjoy!

CR xx

Spring fling!

Have you had a spring fling? If not, you still have time!

Yeah you heard me! Now, get your mind out of the gutter I'm talking about… I mean a spring fling with yourself!

It seems that every garden in Melbourne is full of flowers at the moment. Gorgeous! Now these blooms just didn’t happen, these plants were carefully tended during the cooler months so that they would bloom for us now. This riot of colour has got me to thinking what we can do for ourselves (like the gardeners and their plants) to ensure that we not only bloom, but also keep blooming!  

I’ve listed below 5 simple ways that we can tend to ourselves. (Sometimes it’s not all about the big things right?)

My challenge to you is to pick one of the things below and tell me about it!!!

1.  Get dolled up (yes even the fellas) and use your wardrobe, don’t put your stylish outfits away until next year’s racing season! And, there are those clothes we have in our wardrobe that are our favourites yet we never seem to wear them. Dress up for a reason or no reason at all, you don’t really need one! However, as in yoga there's a balancing action... Let go of clothes that you haven’t worn for the last two years. Don’t let them clutter your wardrobe (or your life for that matter!) Send them on to a thrift shop or sell them to generate some unexpected cash – who knows they may become someone else’s favourites!

2.  Go native, plant your feet on the bare earth! Yep, I know that it sounds, well, a bit hippy alternative. But heaps of research now suggests that direct daily contact with the earth for at least 30 little minutes can help improve many health-related issues such as stress, sleep disorders and headaches to name a few. That’s why if feels so good to lie on the grass or one of our beautiful beaches looking up at the clouds. Have you ever slept under the stars? Wow. Go on, set some time aside to walk barefoot and enjoy the free healing benefits offered by our amazing planet!

3.  Swap it! Often we are all-consumed by the big health stuff. But, I am here to remind you that making small changes is the healthiest and most achievable way to look after ourselves. Making small changes to what we eat and deliver huge benefits. Now, I am not saying that there aren’t any rules… A good starting place is to eat less high-calorie, fatty, salty and sugary foods. Swap them for something healthier like, nuts, fruit and veg. These little changes can make a big difference in the long run, I promise! It doesn’t take long for these changes to become your ‘normal’, so here are some ideas to get you started:

• Substitute alcohol, concentrated juices, soft drinks, and energy drinks for water with a twist (berries perhaps) or lemon in mineral water for something fizzy.
•  One less sugar in your daily grind (I mean coffee!)
• Takeaway chips for home cooked roasted veggies rubbed in coconut oil, salt and cayenne
• Instead of having that entire chocolate bar share it with a friend
• Swap the bad fat with the good i.e. guacamole instead of mayo, chai instead of that hot chocolate, nuts instead of that packet of chips I’d love to say sugar free Sunday, but let’s be honest that’s not going to happen. You chose a day in the week to limit all refined sugar and replace with more fresh ingredients 

4.  Pay it forward! Do something for someone else without any expectations of return. Now I am not preaching, in fact far from it! And, I am not saying that you don’t do this already, but have a go at doing a good deed for someone you either know or don’t know without expecting anything in return. It might not seem much, but together we can make a difference! (Or at least someone’s day!) Some ideas to get you started are: donate a coffee by paying for a second cup for another customer of the coffee stop / stand, if it’s raining give your brolly to someone else (you might need a spare!), genuinely thank and acknowledge the ‘little people’ at work for their contributions, or spend time with an elderly person. Or you could just be the first to smile when passing someone!

While I am on the topic of paying it forward, you might have seen my last blog about the nutrition workshop at Pepper Tree Place last Saturday (stay tunned for a recap of the event in my next post). For the paying it forward, giving back event come along and Invite someone you care about or you think might benefit from a 1.5 hour yoga flow to live music outdoors amongst nature and like-minded people. 

5.  Spend time with someone who nourishes your soul! These people may challenge your mind, body or spirit, or be a one-in-a-million friend, lover or even simply you! I’m not going to say too much about this one because you know who this person or people are for you.  

I have done all the talking now it's your turn, tell me what you did why and how it felt... Email me! 

Love CR xx

Peppertree Place round 2!

Come one, come all!!!!

Come join me at Pepper Tree Place for a 40 minute nutrition workshop as part of the Garden Fiesta!

During this workshop you will learn:

• The importance and value of seasonal and local produce.
• Live demonstration showing you how to create 10 minutes easy, delicious and nutritious meals and snacks using only what is available from the peppertree gardens.  

Also, at the end of the workshop there will be 10 minutes Q&A for any thing nutrition related.

My times are 1:20 – 2pm Saturday, see below for everything else.

Peppertree Place is a community garden and place in Coburg where families and communities can come together to learn about growing and preparing fresh food, improving health and enhancing community links.

Click here for more information about Pepper Tree Place 

Love

CR xx

New Project!!!

Savasana This… Paying it forward, Giving back 

Hey, listen up! I’ve been thinking…

Uh oh… I might hear you say - but seriously. I have been thinking.

I've been thinking WHY and WHAT made the launch of the very first Paying it Forward Giving it Back project event such a glowing success. The WHY is important to guide our planning and to ensure the events continue to be a success and bring people together.

The thought that has stuck with me is that it was all about making positive connections while trying to make a difference to the world (no matter how big or small.) Thinking about these positive connections three things jumped out at me:

1. We all came together with a shared goal.
2. We understood that each of us started from different places.
3. We respected and appreciated our differences.

While these ingredients are great by themselves, they're even better when mixed together and especially in large amounts as they were on Sunday - And what a success together we managed to raise $1,980 big ones for our first charity the International Women’s Youth!!!

This new project is not all about raising money (though that is huge!), its about the change we can create through positive connections.

Too give you a little bit of a back story to Paying it Forward Giving it back...The idea had been simmering away in my mind for sometime, but it really took off when I connected with the lovely Katie MacDonald.

Katie and I had lived in the same city for most of our lives and even attended the same yoga studio but hadn’t connected. In fact, it wasn't until we travel 8,863km to attend yoga teacher training in Hawaii that our paths finally connected. Yep, we sure went a long way for that.

But, it was worth it. When I look at the success of my relationship with Katie and our positive connection I can see it's also due to the three earlier mentioned elements.

The bonus here for you is that you don’t quite need to go all the way to Hawaii to positively connect with other like-minded people!!! Get down to the next event, get connecting, be a part of some positive change in the community and help out charity.

The events has a nominal compulsory donation of $5, that will get you a hour session of yoga flow once a month, live music and a great positive environment. 

Speaking of live music, I’d like to give a big shout out to the wonderfully talented musicians Archie and Jonathan Max who will be supporting the project’s upcoming events with their awesome tunes.

Stay tuned for details for upcoming events. Our next event will be at the Peppertree Place sat 7th of November at 1pm. Lock it in!

Check out the mini show reel created by the talented Luke. In the meantime, know that we truly are grateful for your support as we put a spotlight on charities that otherwise would only have a little voice or no voice.

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~ Gandhi
(I told you I’d been thinking!)

Namaste!

Take a sneak peak at what was our first event ‘Spring Forward Flow’ to launch this bad boy!

Thank you to all who sponsored us, donated, attended and kindly donated products and services which added a little more magic to the day.

Love

CR xx

SELF CARE

Have you... been feeling short of breath, had an elevated heart rate, found yourself constantly worrying or just felt stressed or fatigued?

Recently I have been talking about practicing the discipline of yoga and mindfulness through colouring in, not just in the literal sense. There is however a broader topic in which these sit that I as a healthcare professional think it is critical we address.

That is self-care. The World Health Organization (WHO) explains that: “Self Care in health refers to the activities individuals, families and communities undertake with the intention of enhancing health, preventing disease, limiting illness, and restoring health.”

If you don’t know where to start after reading this then let’s talk. 

Love CR xx

Why yoga? Why practice self-care?

It may be because of all my travelling around of late, but when I think about self-care, I think of an oxygen mask on a plane. What do I mean by this? Well, the attendant always reminds us in the unlikely event of an emergency, to put our oxygen mask on before we help those around us. So if we are not looking after ourselves, or not being kindto ourselves…you guessed it…we cannot help others. This applies particularly when it comes to long-term health!

What has self-care got to do with yoga? Well, yoga is my all-encompassingself-care strategy. Could it be yours?

My dream in life is to be, as my yogi mentor would say my ‘big S self’. The goal is to be my best self in order to make a difference in the world - one nutrition, yoga or PT consult at a time. Eventually I hope that my voice reaches out wide enough to make a difference, beyond my clients and local community.

My first step is to give back…by paying it forward!

This is what I will be focusing my main yogic energy on for right now. I will berunning a charity class each month at different locations around Melbourne. I am welcoming you to come along and enjoy the classes.

Donations from each class will be going to a different charity of choice each month.

The first event is a little different as we are kicking it off with a big bang and joining forces with SoulSista to support Tash in raising $15,000 for the Obede Community Hospital in Kenya (more information below).

Future classes will be donation only (with a minimum $5); Yogi’s of all abilities are welcome!

I hope you can come along, make a difference for yourselves, and maybe we can make a difference together.

THE FIRST EVENT

What’s it all about?

Yoga is about loving yourself unconditionally and extending that love to others – so get ready because we aregoing to be spreading the love BIG TIME!!!

Me and one of my beautiful partners in crime Katie will be hosting this event. For the launch of our first ‘Community Yoga Fundraisers’ we have partnered up with the founder of SoulSista and put our ‘paying it forward’ and passionate heads together to create a fun and unique yoga experience for you all.

On behalf of Candice Rubin, Unique Yourself and SoulSista we would like to officially invite you to:

SPRING FORWARD FLOW A fun, flowing, reawakening, forward moving practice to play and share with like-minded yogis in the honour of opening ourselves up to the seasonal shift of springtime, while capturing and nurturing compassion internally to radiate outwards

WHEN • Sunday 4th October

TIME • 3pm-5pm

WHERE • South Melbourne

To book your spot just click here and get excited for the crazy fun agenda of afternoon yoga bliss  

You can learn more about World Youth International here and the amazing success stories the Odede Hospital here. If you would like to get to know Tash better and her mission to support then check this out here.

So for now save the date for:   

SPRING FORWARD FLOW – Sunday 4th October 3-5pm             

CR xx

Singapore Sling! Part 2

What an opportunity, what a city, what an adventure!

I feel like one of the luckiest girls in the world to have been given the opportunity to explore a new city, meet inspirational people, create delicious treats and host nutrition workshops for a studio hub of health. Also to have been able to ride side-by-side with the enthusiastic, fit and energetic clients of 7cycle was amazing.

This last week in Singapore has been a whirlwind of hard work and play, averaging close to 50km back-to-back days of riding, with a bonus 95km ride thrown right in to the middle of the week!

As you can imagine, my priority was to ensure I was consuming the right fuel in order for my body to recover and reboot for the next day’s ride.

So, I thought that I would share my quick and easy top 5 tips for recovery, replenishing and nurturing your body when training for long periods of time:

1.     Go Green! (Seriously!)

MyMaha; an all-in-one greens powder, saved me after my intense rides.

This super greens powder is…

Made of 11 organic nutrient-dense ingredients designed to gently cleanse the body of unwanted toxins, boost energy levels and promote healthy digestion.
It is made to support the body’s natural metabolic systems promoting general health and well-being.

MyMaha is one of the essential ingredients added into my green smoothie recipe created especially for the 7cycle menu. ‘Greenie goodness,’ the perfect combination of fats, protein, antioxidants and digestive enzymes to help boost your metabolism, energy and refuel the body before any workout.

2.     Mining for Minerals

At the beginning and end of almost every Singaporean street are food stalls and restaurants selling homemade nutrient dense broths, which cost next to nothing. If you haven’t heard me rant about how nutritious bone broths are, then get ready for it because here it goes…

Here's the deal - bone broth is a bowl of dressed-up stock. You can make it with any animal bones preferably organic beef, chicken, fish. These bones are roasted and then simmered in water with vegetables for over 28 hours. It's not exactly a new rave, as grandmothers have been making it for generations.

Those who swear by it (myself included) stress the fact that it is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals that are leached out of the broken down bones. These vitamins and minerals have powerful healing properties to help alleviate muscle and joint pain; repair the gut; boost your immune system; brighten and tighten skin as well as repair collagen damage; fight against disease and contains anti-aging properties… just to name a few of the benefits! (stay tuned for more benefits of bone broth and recipe in my next post)

3.     Stretch, breath and repeat

I was lucky enough to be working at a studio where I met an inspirational and soulful yoga teacher named Ni.

Her gentle and radiant energy brightened up my day. Her dynamic Vinyasa and restorative Yin yoga flows were exactly what my body was yearning for after my high intensity and endurance classes.

Yoga, another passion of mine, (and soon to be next adventure in the tropics of Hawaii!) is extremely important and is the perfect activity for the whole body and mind. It is great before and after, or instead of intense workouts. It gets the blood pumping, increases circulation and relaxes the mind and body simultaneously.

4.     Sweat it out

I was lucky enough to be put up in the beautiful M hotel where I had a pool, sauna and Jacuzzi at my disposal. I made use of these facilities in between rides, and when I wasn’t conducting a workshop or playing around in the kitchen with the amazing 7 cycle team. I used the pool for recovery and would jump into the Jacuzzi for a minimum 20 min and then soak up some Vitamin D. Bliss!

Jacuzzi jets are great for muscle recovery by:

1.     Giving yourself a reflexology massage by placing your feet directly in front of the water jets. Your feet contain thousands of nerve endings, and their stimulation can improve your overall well-being and mood.

2.     The water jets inside the tub allow for a high-pressure hydro massage that you direct to specific parts of your body simply by moving around and adjusting your body to receive the full force of the water. When running at full intensity, the jets can provide something akin to a deep-tissue massage, soothing aches and pains. Sitting in a Jacuzzi can help heal sports injuries, as the heat can soothe muscle spasms and speed up recovery time.

5.     Snack attack

Literally it’s all about attacking those markets, grocery stores and stocking up on nuts, fruits, veggies, oats and avocado…my absolute saviours! If you came into my hotel room you would have found nuts, fruits, oats and peanut butter. Then if you opened my mini fridge, you’d have discovered cottage cheese, carrots, avocado, and raw balls (check out my previous blog post for protein ball recipes including a FOD MAP friendly version) I had made for clients who attended my nutrition work-shops at 7 cycle.

One of the most common questions I was asked during the nutrition workshops was “What is the best pre and post snack for energy, recovery and weight maintenance?”

My answer was 4 simple ingredients: dates, nuts, raw cacao powder and coconuts.

These ingredients can be blended together to make delicious treats or consumed on their own take your pick.

It is the perfect balance of healthy fats, magnesium and protein needed for muscle repair amino acid breakdown, glycogen syntheses (kick start your body into a fat burning state) and electrolyte balance.

Below are some photos from my workshops, spinning classes, yoga flows and foodie adventures whilst abroad my Singapore working adventures!

Lastly, I would love to thank the amazing health studio 7cycle for having me and allowing me to expand their health horizons, create recipes, conduct workshops, teach spinning classes and be a part of their fitness haven.  What an incredible team to be a part of!

Good news is they want me back, but before then I will be heading off to Hawaii to complete my 200 hours and journey to becoming a qualified yoga instructor. So sit tight for my next adventure and travel updates.

Love

CR

xx

Amazonia Promotion

Hey Guys,

I love experimenting with different products to enhance nutrients within my recipes. 

Raw Protein powders by Amazonia www.amazonia.com.au is a great addition to my pantry. It easily enables me to increase protein in my diet and refuels my muscles after an intense workout. 

Why is protein so important you ask, well it assists in:

• Maintaining muscle mass
• Increasing lean muscle mass
• Aiding in muscle recovery
• Increasing digestion and metabolism Helping with glycogen synthase = fat burning 
• Increasing energy

RAW Protein Isolate by Amazonia is the first global prebiotic protein, created to feed good digestive bacteria, which helps increase the breakdown of protein in the body.

I have recently been mixing things up with RAW protein vegan products by creating tasty and nutritious snacks free from sugar, dairy and gluten. This product is great for FODMAP and gluten-free options for clients and online followers with food intolerances.

Amazonia’s Raw, live protein contains no whey, making it a powerful, dairy-free option with high levels of readily-absorbed nutrients. It is the rawest form of natural protein to come onto the market.

Amazonia is generously offering my clients a 10% discount, accessible via consultation. 

I always tell my clients to replenish essential nutrients shortly after a workout, when the body’s supplies have been depleted or exhausted.

The recipe below using RAW protein is the perfect pre and post workout snack. It is best-enjoyed 30 minutes before your workout, or straight afterwards, to help with muscle growth, reduce fat stores, and optimize recovery.

Below I have included a recipe for delicious protein balls using Amazonian's RAW protein.

Step 1:   

Blend in food processor: 1/2 cup of raw almonds, and a small handful of raw walnuts.

Optional: use your preferred nut of choice. 

Blend until you have reached a chunky consistency.

Step 2:

Add other ingredients. Blend until ingredients come together into a dough-like texture (should still be a bit rough with little chunks of nuts/coconut through it).

.Step 3:

Using your hands, shape into balls and roll in protein powder or sesame seeds to coat. 

Berry protein balls:

1 tbls of RAW energy berry flavoured 
1 tbls of Loving Earth cacao powder
4 dates
A small handful of cacao nibs
Optional: shredded coconut

Sesame protein balls:

1 tbls RAW isolate natural protein powder unflavoured (or chocolate flavour)
4 dates 
1 tbls of black tahini
1 tsp of cinnamon powder

If the consistency of the mixture is too wet then add some more blended nuts or almond meal. Once the balls are formed, roll in sesame seeds to coat. 

Chocolate protein balls:

4 dates  
1 tbls RAW isolate cacao and coconut protein powder 
1 tbls of loving earth cacao powder
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
¼ cup of shredded coconut 
A pinch cayenne pepper to taste (optional if you like a bit of spice) 
1 tbls of grated ginger (optional)

To finish, roll balls in coconut flour or shredded coconut 

FODMAP option: 

Replace almonds with pecans/walnuts 

Replace dates with 1 tbls of coconut oil and 1 tbls of tahini or nut butter

Additional ingredients, if desired:

Goji berries
Grated fresh ginger 
Grated fresh turmeric 
Cayenne pepper for an extra zing…..trust me! It’s the perfect combination in the chocolate protein balls

Stored in the fridge, these delights will last up to 7 days – if they haven’t been eaten by then!

Love

CR xx