Quirky Cooking Chats

Having a curious mindset is of major importance in all areas of life, and is especially crucial in the area of health and wellbeing. If you find yourself shutting down anyone who challenges your thinking around health and diet, you may be shutting down opportunities to learn and grow, and prolonging your health struggles. In this podcast I talk about the difference between having a curious mindset and a conclusive mindset: – Looking at the world around you with open eyes vs shutting off anything that goes against what you “know” – Learning to look at health as principles to apply to your unique situation, rather than a set of black & white rules – How curiosity helps us grow, and how our health can flourish when we consider the principles of a traditional, whole food diet rather than relying on ‘diet rules and regulations’ and a ‘one size fits all’ approach. I also discuss the question, “Is this food/product/supplement good for me?” Learn to work out the answer to this question for yourself, simply by asking yourself some questions relating to a traditional, “whole food” way of thinking. (See resources below for the list of questions I mention in the video.) If you have a question you’d love for me to answer, email me at help@quirkycooking.com.au with the subject line, “Ask Me a Question”. HELPFUL RESOURCES: Article: “Principles of a Whole-Food Diet” and questions to ask yourself when trying to decide if something is healthy or not – see my “Beginner’s Guide” here Article: Is Dairy Bad for You? “What Have We Done to Dairy?” Podcast: Curiosity and Regenerative Farming – “Dave Westbrook, The Farm Business Coach Giving Life Lessons to Help Farmers Achieve Their Goals” Help with Gut Healing: The Gut Health Formula, 8 Week Program Watch the YouTube video of this Podcast here! The post QCC 166: Be Curious! The importance of having a curious mindset appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

“Q&A and Dairy-Free Nacho Cheese Sauce” Watch the video here! This week I answer listener’s questions which include: – When will your new cookbook be available? – What kind of things you can make with meat stock? – How many hours a day do you cook? – How can I heal my toddler’s gut? She’s a very fussy eater! – Where do you buy your almond meal/almond flour? – How much almond meal is too much in our diet? – Will you share your Dairy-Free Nacho Cheese Sauce recipe? … and the answer to the cheese sauce recipe question is YES! You will find the how-to instructions at the end of this Q&A, and the recipe is available here!: Link to the instructional Youtube video, Here! RESOURCES – “A Taster” ebook: 12 delicious, gut-healing recipes from my upcoming cookbook “Simple, Healing Food”. This ebook costs $10 and you will receive a $10 discount voucher for my new cookbook once it is released! Find it here! – The extra special chocolate cake mentioned in this video will be in my new cookbook, but if you’re dying to try a decadent chocolate cake right NOW, try this one from my blog here – How to make and use meat stocks, and the difference between meat stocks and bone broths – The last cookbook published by Quirky Cooking, Life-Changing Food – Our 8 week program for improved gut health, The Gut Health Formula Watch the video here! If you have a question you’d love for me to answer, email me at help@quirkycooking.com.au with the subject line, “Ask Me a Question”. The post QCC 165: Q&A and Dairy-Free Nacho Cheese Sauce appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

“Activating Nuts & Seeds – Why, How and When?” Watch the video Here! This week I answer listener’s questions about activating nuts & seeds, such as: – Why activate nuts & seeds, and do you always do it? – Are some nuts harder on the digestive system than others? – What is the difference between activating, soaking and fermenting? – Can you use an oven for dehydrating soaked nuts & seeds? – How do you avoid activated nuts/seeds from going mouldy? – If I blanch and remove almond skins is that same as activating? – What do you do with the pulp from nut milk? – Can you activate nut meal or does it have to be whole nuts? Learn the reasons behind soaking, fermenting and activating and what the best options are for those on a gut-healing diet! RESOURCES: – Soaking & Activating Nuts & Seeds – ratios & times: see page 23 in my Life-Changing Food Cookbook: – Program: If you need support, recipes and professional health advice to help you on your gut-healing journey, consider joining The Gut Health Formula, an 8 week program I run with Elyse Comerford, Integrative Nutritionist and GAPS Practitioner: Find Her Here! RECIPES: – Blender Batter Pancakes/Waffles – Blender Batter Muffins Watch the video Here! If you have a question you’d love for me to answer, email me at help@quirkycooking.com.au with the subject line, “Ask Me a Question”. The post QCC 164: Activating Nuts & Seeds – Why, How & When appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

“Gut health – Where do I start??” Watch the video Here! This week I answer the question of where to begin when you want to work on improving your gut health, but feel like it’s all too overwhelming. I share simple steps for a gentle approach to healing: 1) Start slowly! 2) Add in before taking out. Healing foods to focus on adding in: – meat stocks – good fats – eggs, especially yolks – organ meats – bone marrow – fermented foods 3) Transition to a whole food diet 4) Remove hard-to-digest sugars and starches from your diet while healing 5) Eat nutrient-dense meals to reduce the need for snacking If you need support, recipes and professional health advice to help you on your gut-healing journey, consider joining The Gut Health Formula, an 8 week program I run with Elyse Comerford, Integrative Nutritionist and GAPS Practitioner: Find Her Here! You will also find plenty of gut-friendly recipes on my blog Quirky Cooking, and in our Life-Changing Food cookbook Watch the video Here! If you have a question you’d love for me to answer in my podcast videos, email me at help@quirkycooking.com.au with the subject line, “Ask Me a Question”. The post QCC 163: Gut Health – Where Do I Start? appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

In this episode I share some tips for keeping up with the cooking when you have young kids & work full time. Most parents struggle to keep up with cooking healthy, balanced meals for the family as well as working full time, taking kids to school and other activities, and finding some time for themselves. Listen in for some time-saving tips for meal prep, and how to plan ahead so that everyone is well fed without lots of stress. Watch the youtube video here! USEFUL RESOURCES: – Meal planners, and some sample meal plans: Here! – Past newsletters with sample meal plans: Here! – Subscribe to my email for more meal plans and recipes for simple, family meals: Here! Watch the youtube video here! The post QCC 162: Saving Time with Meal Prep appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

Learn how to make a delicious lamb, leek, lentil and lemon soup, and get some tips for starting on your gut-healing journey! Elyse Comerford, nutritionist and GAPS practitioner, joins me on the show to talk about healing the gut without getting bogged down by stress and overwhelm. We also give an overview of our gut health coaching program, “The Gut Health Formula”. You can watch the video here on my YouTube channel! Subjects covered in this podcast: – what are the symptoms of poor gut health? – should I get testing done to see if I have leaky gut? – what are the first steps for healing the gut? – what impact does stress have on gut health, and how can I better respond to stress that I can’t control? – how do I begin to change my diet without feeling overwhelmed? – what resources can I access to help me learn more about healing naturally? www.quirkycooking.com.au How to Make Meat Stocks, video here! NOTEWORTHY QUOTES: “Improving your health and having a healthy diet is not about willpower. It’s not about shame, blame, guilt and deprivation. If that is the approach you’re taking… *spoiler alert * …It’s not going to work!. It’s never going to work.” – Elyse Comerford WATCH THIS PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: Here! The post QCC 161: Lamb, Leek, Lentil, Lemon Soup + Gut Health Q&A appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

Every day I receive many questions via emails, messages and comments. Sometimes the questions relate to food and healthy eating, sometimes family and homeschooling, sometimes business and personal development. Each week I’ll be choosing a few of these questions to answer in a video/podcast, and I’ll share further resources, recipes, tips and links as well to help you delve further and find the information you need. If you have a question you’d love for me to answer, email me at help@quirkycooking.com.au with the subject line, “Ask Me a Question”. How do I get the family on board with healthy eating? Health changes can be difficult to implement, especially when your partner is not on the same page, your kids refuse to eat new foods, and your friends laugh at your ‘weird’ way of eating! Here’s my tips for getting the family on board with improving the diet, and showing your friends that healthy eating can be delicious and fun! WATCH THIS VIDEO ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/P6CmYx0OaDw USEFUL RESOURCES – Help for those overwhelmed with health issues and needing guidance with diet changes: https://www.wellbellyhealth.com.au/the-gut-health-formula – Interview with Isaac Whitton (19 yrs old) sharing his experience of changing his diet (from 13 yrs old), and how he learnt to take responsibility for his own health: https://youtu.be/GSivfEhWCvA – Family Favourites – recipes we love: https://www.quirkycooking.com.au/category/favourites/ – Fussy Eaters – podcasts to help you turn things around: * Fussy Eaters & How to Have Peaceful Mealtimes (with Beth Bonfiglio of Little Fusspot): http://thewellnesscouch.com/aqj/aqj-137-fussy-eaters-how-to-have-peaceful-mealtimes * Play Therapy for Fussy Eaters (with Crystal Poggioli, occupational therapist & GAPS practitioner): http://thewellnesscouch.com/aqj/aqj-133-play-therapy-for-fussy-eaters-with-crystel-poggioli-ot The post QCC 160: Getting the Family on Board with Healthy Eating appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

Beginning on a health journey can be overwhelming. As expenses mount up, so do stress levels! Listen in as I share some of my tips for reducing the money stress while you are working towards a healthier diet and lifestyle and trying to heal your family. I also demonstrate how I make a simple, inexpensive, nutrient dense dinner that my family loves. (Scroll down for ingredients list.) In this episode you’ll learn about: – why unrealistic expectations and comparing yourself to others can sabotage your efforts to heal – ways to improve your health that don’t cost money – reducing stress by reducing the busyness and lifestyle ‘clutter’ – the long term approach to improving your health – the importance of nature therapy – reducing food waste – buying in bulk to save money on groceries – how to store bulk ingredients – how to reduce the meat in your meals – how to bulk out meals to make them cheaper and more filling, without using starchy fillers – how to ‘do what you can, where you are, with what you’ve got’! If you haven’t already listened to my last podcast you might also find it helpful, as we discuss the importance of letting go of a ‘perfectionist’ mindset, and beginning where you are when working on health changes: “Spicy Cabbage Rolls + Done Is Better Than Perfect!” Watch this video on my YouTube channel! Ingredients for “Toad in the Hole”: – 8 beef or pork sausages (preservative free) – 200g soft ghee or tallow (melt if hard) – 140g almond meal or pepita meal – 100g water – 5 eggs – 1/4 tsp salt Useful Links: The Gut Health Formula – 8 week group coaching program: This program is run by myself and Elyse Comerford (nutritionist and gut health specialist) and is especially helpful for beginners to gut health. It is a gentle, sustainable approach to health which includes reducing food and lifestyle stress, working out health priorities, learning to organise and plan ahead so that healthy choices are easier to make, and slowly adjusting the diet to include more nutritious, healing foods. You will work towards a diet similar to the Full GAPS diet, using these healing food principles in a flexible way that suits YOU. Our coaching program is like a health retreat you can do at home… Slow down, let go of the stress, be gentle with yourself, nourish yourself with delicious, healing foods, and learn to build the foundations of good health one step at a time. The next round begins 15th October, 2020, and runs for 8 weeks, then is accessible for 12 months. The post QCC 159: ‘Toad in the Hole’ + How to Save Money on Your Health Journey appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT! This episode is all about letting go of perfectionism and just jumping in and giving it a go… whether ‘it’ is cooking, starting a new project, business tasks you’ve been putting off, exercising, or anything else in life that is making you feel overwhelmed and ‘stuck’! I have a bit of fun trying out a recipe I’ve never tried before, while swapping around ingredients to use what I have, swapping rice for cauliflower, adjusting for a double batch on the fly, overflowing the pot in the oven, and running late for dinner… My good friend Helen Marshall of Primal Alternative then joins me on the show to chat about why “Done is Better Than Perfect”! We talk about what we do when we feel ‘stuck’, and many of the things we’ve learnt over the years that have helped us ditch perfectionism and move forward with our health and in our businesses. GUEST INFORMATION Helen Marshall is the founder of Primal Alternative – a range of nourishing, grain free foods, produced by individual licensees in their homes, and sold in stores, markets, and online throughout Australia, USA and the UK. Find out more about the business here. RECIPE: SPICY CABBAGE ROLLS You can watch this video here on my Quirky Cooking YouTube channel and cook along with me if you like! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode and leave me a comment at the bottom of the video. I’d love to know what you think. The original recipe is ‘Spicy Stuffed Cabbage’ from the cookbook Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, by Sally Fallon. In my video I’ve tweaked this recipe to make it grain free, and doubled the filling. If you’d like to try it, here are the ingredients for a single batch: – 1 large cabbage – 2 Tbsp olive oil or ghee – 2 brown onions – 3 garlic cloves – 500g beef mince – 500g cauliflower florets – 1/2 cup raisins – 1/4 cup fresh dill, or 1 tsp dried dill – 2 tsp ground cumin – 1 tsp cinnamon – 1/8 tsp ground cloves – sea salt & pepper – 1/2 cup almonds – 1 egg – 4 cups chicken stock – 2 fresh tomatoes or 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes – 2 Tbsp tapioca or arrowroot starch Enjoy! The post QCC 158: Spicy Cabbage Rolls + Done is Better Than Perfect! appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

My son Isaac was diagnosed with severe OCD and anxiety in 2014 (when he was 13 years old), and so began our journey into healing the gut and working to improve his mental health. For the first half hour of this episode I talk to parents of young people who need to move towards a healing diet and are not really keen to make changes, or are struggling to keep on track and focus on the long-term goals. Isaac (now 19 years old) joins me for the next hour to answer questions from listeners. Isaac shares: Cooking segment! We didn’t manage to cook on this episode as it was already so long, so here is a link to a video of my boys cooking together that your teenagers may enjoy. 🙂 Isaac & Simi cook Sweet ‘n’ Sour Pork Useful links: listen to this podcast with Elyse Comerfordlisten to this podcast with Beth Bonfiglio of Little Fusspotlisten to this podcast with Crystal Poggioli (OT) on Play Therapyread this article on the ABA method for little ones needing to do GAPSread this articleReduce the stress in your home and help your kids to heal. “It’s about creating an atmosphere of joy and peacefulness and calm, as much as creating healthy food.” – Jo Whitton The post QCC 157: Helping Teens to Heal – Q&A with Isaac Whitton appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

Welcome to the first episode of “Quirky Cooking Chats”! 2020 has been a year of changes, and as Jo nestled in to her home during lockdown and shared her everyday cooking via videos on social media, she found that her listeners were excited to have practical help with cooking for good health – not just the science and nutrition information, but how to put it all into practice in everyday life. So “A Quirky Journey” has become “Quirky Cooking Chats“, where you can listen (and watch!) as Jo cooks in her kitchen and chats about ‘real life’ nutrition and healthy living with her friends and guests. Watch this episode on the Quirky Cooking YouTube Channel, and cook along! Recipes & Useful Links: Our Program: “The Gut Health Formula”Jo WhittonElyse ComerfordRecipes: Meat Stocks & Bone BrothsArticle: The difference between stocks & broths, and which is best for gut healingVideo: How to make the best roast chicken & chicken stock from one chickenVideo: Chicken pilafCookbook: Life-Changing Food Ingredients & Products I use: Aussie Pink Lake SaltCeltic Sea SaltAussie PepperBone Broth ConcentrateSolidteknics stainless steel 6L rondeau potSolidteknics formed iron skillets The post QCC 156: Meat Stocks & Bone Broths – How & Why appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

Join Jo and Fouad for a lighthearted chat about food, family, and life during lockdown! They discuss ‘quarantine cuisine’, what they’re cooking, how they’re coping, and ways they are finding the positives in the current situation. Jo and Fouad answer readers questions about: Note: Readers sent in so many questions on this topic that they couldn’t all be answered in one podcast, so Jo will be answering many of them in her Instagram and Facebook stories, and in an upcoming blog post on Quirky Cooking. If you’d like to add your questions, send them to help@quirkycooking.com.au. Useful Links: Preparing Your Pantry to “Stay at Home” – article by Jo Livestream Webinars with Jo & Elyse Comerford, “Nourishing Your Family” Life-Changing Food cookbook or iOS app, for delicious, whole food recipes! Fouad’s hummus recipe – visit his instagram to watch him making it! Fermented foods to make at home (recipes for beginners) Willow & Sage Mushroom Teas & other immune support Contact Fouad about web design at @fookassab on Instagram! The post AQJ 155: Quarantine Cuisine, with Jo and Fouad appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

Kriben Govender, Food Scientist, Registered Nutritionist and founder of Nourishme Organics, says kefir changed his life. Kriben’s story began 8 years ago, when crippled with anxiety and depression, overweight, and lacking energy, he was told by his psychiatrist that antidepressants were the only option. But being a Food Scientist, he began to look at alternative ways including numerous research studies to treat his ill health. He attributes his health transformation largely to the GAPS diet and the ‘miracle food’ Kefir! With more than 20 years of experience in the food industry (working in research and development and quality assurance), an honours degree in Applied Science (Food Science and Technology), and as a member of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology and Nutrition Society of Australia, Kriben knows what he’s talking about when he talks about the healing power of food. Cultured foods like Kefir, Kombucha and Fermented Vegetables are some of the most beneficial foods for digestive health. And it’s super easy to make for your family every day. Kriben’s aim through Nourishme Organics is to guide people through the process of making their own traditional cultured foods, step by step, sharing the gift of digestive health and vitality which he has found so powerful for his own health. Here’s a few of the benefits of milk kefir: Learn lots more in this podcast! Useful Links: Nourishme Organics Website, Instagram, Facebook Gut Health Gurus Podcast, Instagram, Facebook The post AQJ 154: How Kefir & Cultured Foods Can Help With Weight Loss & Mental Health – with Kriben Govender appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

Lucie McCullough, international interior designer and building biologist, aims to show the world that it IS possible to have beautifully designed homes that are also healthy sanctuaries from the world! In part 2 of “Designing a Healthy Home,” Lucie discusses questions that arise when we consider the bombardment of toxins in our homes and the environment around us, such as: As Lucie says, “Yes we live in a scary world, but all we can do is what we can do”. Technology has brought many changes to our lives, and it all seems to be gallivanting along at a rate that’s totally out of control, with minimal testing, so parents need to be proactive and make sure we are boosting our children’s immune systems as much as possible. Lucie talks about the importance of teaching our kids to “fall in love with living a healthy life”, so they can go off into the world and look after themselves, and have the best chance for a healthy future. Jo, Elyse and Lucie end the podcast with a discussion about Lucie’s 350 year old luxury chalet in the Italian alps, Baita 1697, and the traditional, clean methods used in its building and design. “Baita 1697” is the ultimate in luxury, as it combines beauty, elegant design, and health – a true sanctuary from the world! Come stay at Lucie’s beautiful chalet with us during our Luxury Health Retreat, and learn about healing from the inside out (gut health, reducing stress, slowing down and taking time to rest), and from the outside in (reducing the toxic load in your home and environment). EARLYBIRD PRICE: Book in to this Luxury Health Retreat by Monday 17th February, 2o20, for 10% off! All the details here. —– Useful Links: Lucie McCullough Interiors Website and Instagram Lucie’s chalet in the Italian alps, Baita 1697 and on Instagram Finding a Building Biologist in Australia, UK, or USA Nourishing Your Family Events, with Jo Whitton and Elyse Comerford The post AQJ 153: Designing a Healthy Home, with Building Biologist & Interior Designer Lucie McCullough – Part 2 appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

In the next two episodes of A Quirky Journey, Jo Whitton and Elyse Comerford interview Lucie McCullough, a successful, international interior designer who ‘developed an environmental and health conscience’ and altered her career to become a building biologist specialising in creating beautiful homes that are sanctuaries from the world. Her ideal of ‘living in nature, and building houses out of nature’ grew out of her own need for a naturally, healthy home. Lucie had a rocky start in life with poor health from a young age. Her health issues grew worse as a young woman working in the fashion industry in Europe (for Valentino, Ralph Lauren and Vogue!), due to lifestyle stress, poor diet, and genetics that meant she didn’t detox well. She began suffering from anxiety, was told she had Parkinson’s Disease and mental health issues, then suffered through repeated miscarriages while trying to begin a family with her husband Ronan. During her second full-term pregnancy, Lucie learnt that she and the family had been affected by mould in their home in Hong Kong and they needed to leave. They bought a 350 year old home in the Italian alps which they renovated as a holiday home; and the family moved to the USA where Lucie studied building biology. Lucie shares her thoughts on dealing with illnesses exacerbated by environmental toxins like mould and poor air quality, discusses electro-magnetic fields, wifi and other possible health hazards in the home, and she offers a wealth of practical advice for building or renovating homes in the healthiest way possible. Her beautifully calm way of approaching issues that can be quite overwhelming give hope that with a few small changes, great health benefits can be achieved. EXCITING NEWS! This summer, Lucie will begin hosting gut health retreats at her luxury ski lodge in the Italian alps, with the help of Jo and Elyse! This is your chance to hit the pause button and hide away from the world in a charming hamlet in the heart of the Italian alps. Take the time to rest, destress, and heal, with the help of an experienced team of nutrition, exercise, and culinary medicine experts, a traditional whole food chef, and a building biologist and interior designer with a vision for creating homes that are sanctuaries from the world. Learn more about the Luxury Gut Health Retreat here. Dates for 2020 are June 8-11, and June 15-19. Read about Lucie’s chalet, Baita 1697, in this Forbes Magazine article. Learn more about Lucie and her interior design and building biology business on her website, Lucie McCullough, and on Instagram at @luciemcculloughinteriors. The post AQJ 152: Designing a Healthy Home, with Building Biologist & Interior Designer Lucie McCullough – Part 1 appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

In our first episode for 2020, we (Jo and Fouad) chat about how we are working to begin the year with positivity, in the midst of a national crisis and all the stress that involves. In Australia, we are struggling to cope with high temperatures and drought in many parts of the country, which have contributed to the worst and most wide-spread bushfires on record. Fouad’s family have evacuated their home six times so far this season. We are feeling the stress of the constant barrage of bad news everywhere we look – social media, tv, newspapers, online news – and we know we are not the only ones suffering from feelings of overwhelm, anxiety and helplessness. What can we do to help our families and communities through this difficult time? Listen in as we talk about: If you love our recipes and would like to buy our Life-Changing Food cookbook app (for iOS), we are donating 10% of sales to the NSW Rural Fire Service for all of December and January. We are also offering to replace Life-Changing Food cookbooks that have been lost in bushfires – please contact us at help@quirkycooking.com.au with your details if you would like to apply for a replacement copy. [Photo: Our friend Elyse and her son at the beach, surrounded by smoky skies] Useful Links: News stories are like sugar – a limitless amount will never nourish youways to support your health when being exposed to bushfire smokeAsthma and Respiratory Supportshowing kindness to one another The post AQJ 151: Finding Positivity in the Midst of Crisis appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

In the last podcast for the year, Jo is on the other side of the microphone! Dr Natalie Challis (neuro-psychotherapist) and Leigh Shinde (neuro-nutritionist) recently interviewed Jo for their program, “Love Your Anxious Child“, on her experiences of supporting and parenting an anxious child. They discuss the importance of building connection with your children, spending the time to understand what they’re going through and what helps, and really being an advocate for your children in a world that can be very harsh and overwhelming for those with anxiety or developmental disorders. Dr Nat says, “I really wanted the mums in our program to hear from another mum who’s been through the hard yards, that they CAN do this, and that life does turn out great, and you can enjoy the teenage years! Don’t listen to all the critics, everything turns out for the best, these children were given to us for a reason. Mums really appreciate hearing from someone who’s done it, who’s been there, and has come out the other side – still smiling!” (Photo above: Jo and her son Isaac celebrating his graduation from grade 12 this year!) Listen in as Jo talks about: For more one on one help with your anxious child, we recommend Dr Nat and Leigh’s program, “Love Your Anxious Child“. As a special offer for our listeners, use the code “Love100” to receive the Love Phase for only $97! Over 50% off! Learn more about Dr Nat and Leigh and the work they do, here. The post AQJ 150: Supporting Your Anxious Child appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

If there’s anything I love, it’s a special treat that’s not only delicious, it’s NOURISHING! So I’m excited to share with you one of my favourite producers of fine, quality, healthy treats – Nourishing Bites. Today I interview Shelley about her health journey and how it led her to a career of producing amazing, whole food deliciousness! After struggling for many years with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Shelley Grainger made the life-changing discovery that she could manage her condition through changes to her diet and lifestyle. As she worked towards a gluten free, dairy free, grain free diet, her body found its natural rhythm and her wellbeing significantly improved. Shelley and her husband Daniel were overjoyed when she fell pregnant naturally with their son Pacey-James—a result they had previously been told by doctors would be very difficult. While Shelley was thrilled with her new way of eating, it was hard to find options for eating out that met her dietary requirements —especially delicious snacks and treats. So she began experimenting with making treats and carefully refined her recipes until they were not only full of super nutritious ingredients, but tasted great too! At this point, Daniel and Shelley saw an opportunity to combine her passion for creating healthy treats with their business backgrounds to offer treat options to others, and they founded Nourishing Bites in 2013 as a market stall. These days, they have a small, passionate team working in their custom-built commercial kitchen in Townsville, North Queensland. They are always working on new ideas to create delicious, healthy treats and love sharing them with their customers. HAVE YOURSELF A NOURISHING (BITES) CHRISTMAS! “Nourishing Bites Christmas treats and gifts are hand-crafted in small batches with great care in North Qld by our family-owed, Indigenous business. We use only the highest quality, wholesome ingredients available to us so that you can enjoy your treats while also nourishing your body. All of our gift options are luscious and delicious and are also gluten, dairy and refined sugar free, and vegan. With everything from beautifully packaged packs of Gingerbread Cookies or Chocolate Bark, or jars of Heavenly Hazel with a wooden spoon for $10 (perfect for teacher or colleague gifts), to gorgeously decorated mixed Christmas Treat boxes for $80, we have something to suit everyone. Australia-wide delivery is available with free postage on orders over $100 or for a flat rate of $8.” Find Out More: Website: https://www.nourishingbites.com.au Christmas Shop: https://www.nourishingbites.com.au/christmasshop/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NourishingbitesAU/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nourishingbites/ Support Small Aussie Businesses via “Buy From the Bush”: https://www.facebook.com/buyfromthebush/ The post AQJ 149: Recovering from PCOS, Healing Food, and Healthy Treats – with Shelley from Nourishing Bites appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

In this episode, Jo chats with Elyse Comerford, Integrative Nutritionist and GAPS Practitioner, about where to begin on your gut healing journey when you suspect metal toxicity, parasites and/or candida are an issue. This is a question that comes up a lot in the Quirky Cooking for Gut Health chat group… Do you start with blasting the parasites to get them out of your system? Do you start with a gung-ho metal detox? Do you start with strong anti-fungal medications for candida? It is very tempting to take a ‘hard-core’ approach in the hopes of quickly removing these issues… but is this the best way forward? Listen as Elyse explains how these issues develop, and why it is absolutely crucial to take a gentler, step by step approach on your healing journey by focusing on healing the gut first, and how damaging it can be when we take drastic approaches to health. If you want to heal more quickly and cause less damage to your body, then this is a must hear! Useful Links: Upcoming “Nourishing Your Family” Seminars & Cooking Classes Layers of Healing, episode 98 with Elyse Comerford (start at 20 mins for main interview) Elyse’s blog post about meat stocks and bone broths Podcast with Becky Plotner discussing meat stocks (and lots of other interesting things!) Contact Elyse Comerford, and Elyse’s Facebook and Instagram The post AQJ 148: Navigating Parasites, Metals and Candida When Healing appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

Dan and Leanne Cordner are the owners of Bellasato Farm, where they raise naturally grown, heritage breed chickens on chemical free pasture in North Queensland. The couple, along with their two young girls began farming life just four years ago, leaving their career jobs – Dan was an engineer and Leanne a microbiologist – in favour of working the land. Leanne struggled with chemical sensitivities in the big city, and Dan felt like he didn’t see his family enough due to long work hours. Driven by a desire for a better lifestyle and improved health, they decided to take their passion for food and knowing how it was grown to another level. This is the story of a family farm where things are done differently. Dan and Leanne are farmers who are working for a ‘new normal’ in agriculture that is fair to soil, water, animals, and people. On Bellasato farm, the chickens live a happy life – running around in grassy fields, scratching in the dirt and chasing bugs, nibbling edible plants grown just for them, and playing their part in regenerating the soil on the farm. The family’s maremma dogs keep an eye on the chickens 24/7, and are also an invaluable part of the team. Small farm life sounds idyllic, but it’s not without challenges… flooding, snakes, hard work, and long days are all part of life for the Cordners. But they feel the lifestyle changes they’ve made are totally worth it. They get to spend much more time together as a family, Leanne has completely healed from her chemical sensitivities, and their chicken has won the state-wide Delicious produce awards twice! Listen in and be inspired by this couple whose major lifestyle changes resulted in the healing of a chronic illness, a better life for their family, and a career that gives back to the land and community around them. Useful Links: Bellasato Farm on Instagram and Facebook Article on Bellasato Farm by “Will Work For Food” “Farming Democracy”, by Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (the book mentioned in the podcast that includes the Cordner’s story) Episode 94: Joel Salatin – Regenerative wisdom from the world’s most famous farmer Photo credit: Honey Atkinson The post AQJ 147: From City Careers to Farming Life – The Story of Bellasato Farm appeared first on The Wellness Couch.