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Giftable Holiday Bath Soak for feeling restored
Last-minute gift. Hostess gift. Secret Santa gift. An under $5 gift… I feel like this one recipe has you covered! I don’t know anyone who doesn’t feel seriously depleted this time of year… So for this bath soak, I created a special aromatherapy blend to make that person on your gift list – feel totally restored.
Grab yourself a bag of Epsom salt on your next supermarket run – that way you have it ready for when you need a quick gift that your someone will love!

Here’s what makes this bath soak so extra special: oven-dried orange slices, tucked in with the salt. Oh my goodness.
The moment they pour the salts into the warm bath water and see fragrant, beautiful slices of orange floating on top, that’s it! They are on an endorphin high!
Stress? What stress? Did I still have 20 emails to answer? I don’t know. Do I need to buy cereal for the kids’ breakfast? Who cares. I’m bathing in punch and life is good…

Let’s talk about the ingredients:

Epsom Salt: Inexpensive, instant relaxation. Epsom salts make the water feel better. Silkier, smoother and even…. floatier. The extra buoyancy makes your aching body feel supported, totally relaxed.
Orange Slices: Eye candy, which is a good thing! The beauty of nature has a measurable effect on how we feel – so never discount the benefits of adding beauty into your life. The essential oils are captured in the rinds, adding little extra fragrance to your bath too!
Essential Oils: In my training to become certified for Topical Applications of Essential Oils – I learned that a blend should consider not just the physical therapeutics of essential oils, but also the emotional…
Here’s what I came up for “Feeling Restored during the Holidays”
- Sweet Orange Essential Oil: has an uplifting effect, often used for stress and depression. It lightens the mood and softens the edges, helping us to tackle whatever we’re facing, with a little more ease. I recommend this one.
- Palo Santo Essential Oil: has been used since ancient times. Palo Santo is considered a sacred wood, used in ceremonies to dispel negativity. Breathing in the aromatherapy, has a grounding and calming effect. Palo Santo is high in monoterpenes which studies show help the body to manage stress and inflammation, and build resilience. I recommend this one.
- Ginger Essential Oil: Ginger is a warming, oil, it promotes circulation in the body. This is so good when the body feels stiff, when its cold outside when you feel like you need to move through stuck energy. You’ll sleep so well after a ginger bath, totally relaxed and renewed. I recommend this one.
Important: when adding essential oils to the bath, always dilute it in a carrier oil before adding it to the salt. Otherwise, the oils will separate in the bath water and touch your skin directly, which is not adviced. Read more about essential oil safety in the bath from Robert Tisserand, a renowned educator in the science of essential oils. I always turn to him for his well researched, scientific approach to aromatherapy.

Giftable Holiday Bath Soak for feeling Restored

BATH SOAK
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Espom Salt
- 3-5 slices of dried orange
- 5 drops Sweet Orange Essential Oil
- 3 drops Palo Santo Essential Oil
- 2 drops Ginger Essential Oil
- 1/2 tsp sunflower oil, or any neutral smelling oil
Directions:
- Blend the essential oil and oil together
- Pour the oil into the epsom salt, mix well
- Pour the scented salt into jar, tucking in several orange slices throughout.
OVEN-DRIED ORANGE SLICES
- Set your oven to the lowest setting or 150 (my oven is 170)
- Sharpen your knife. Slice the oranges as thin as you can, about 1/2cm.
- Place the orange slices on a baking rack to allow for air flow. If you don’t have that, use a cookie tray with parchment paper so it won’t stick.
- That said, a dehydrator is much easier!! I love mine.
- Leave it drying in the oven for a few hours (depends on the thickness of the slices) every so often flipping them and checking on them. If you use a dehydrator, you don’t have to worry about them burning.
- Store in an airtight container, or in Epsom salt!
Happy gift-giving!!
December 7, 2018
Let’s Get Fresh Face Mask
One of my favorite things to do for a good stress reduction, comforting, happy inducing, skin loving moment – are face masks.

Do you want to know the secret to having a really good day – start with a face mask.

Wake up, blend yourself a mask (because that’s the kind of thing you do) paint it onto your face with a brush – and then go about your morning routine.

Fifteen minutes later – you wash it off, and…

It takes you from feeling ugh – to I’m glowing, my skin feels amazing, I’m amazing, I’m an actual goddess!

Why make it yourself, fresh!

Fresh food masks like this one, are just one of the best kinds of masks! All of the nutrients are in their most fresh and potent state – and you can really feel the difference right away.

Fruits and veggies have natural acids, that work wonders on your skin, eating up and clearing out dead skin cells – which is why the moment you wash off your mask – you notice that your skin feels smoother and looks brighter.

What’s in Banana and Avocado?

Bananas (especially green, unripe bananas) are rich in malic acids, which gently help to clean out pores. Avocados are high in salicylic acid, which help to loosen up blackheads and congestion.

The combination makes this mask really good for clearing up your skin – while packing in lots of hydration and moisture. It’s all bright and dewy from here….

And, for an added bonus – it’s actually delicious! You might want to make an extra large batch so that you can turn it into a Breakfast Smoothie Bowl, and eat while you wear your mask!
2 tbsp banana

2 tbsp avocado
In a bullet blender, add the banana and avocado

Blend until it forms a thick creamy consistency. No big pieces of food on your face!

If it’s not blending easily for you, add a little water, milk or almond milk to help the blender.

Apply it onto clean skin, all around your face and down your neck. Try to get it on thick. If you’re washing your hair – it’s a good idea to apply this mask up along your scalp and hair too!

Let it sit for 15 minutes, and then wash off. The mask will have slightly dried. Wet your fingertips and massage the mask off over the sink (less messy in the shower!)

Follow with a serum or light oil to lock in all the hydration!
September 13, 2017
Coffee Scrub + How to Make it Super Gentle
A Coffee Scrub is the kind of recipe that’s a total gem to have – especially on those days when you need it most! No matter how you feel stepping into the shower, a good coffee scrub sends you out feeling amazing – on the outside your skin feels lovely and soft – and it gives you a jolt of energy, that sometimes we need! ☕️ ☕️

This recipe came to me after a loooong week. I’m standing in my kitchen one morning – feeling like I just want to lie on my couch all day and watch clips of Saturday Night Live… You know when you wake up, and already start the day thinking “Breakfast? Dishes? Work? Maybe not….”

I felt like I needed something that would make me ridiculously happy. And for me, my brain immediately goes straight to food. The thought of coffee makes me happy…. but I’m more of a sit-in-a-cafe person, then a drink-coffee-at-home person. So, I made myself a coffee scrub, and then I brightened it up with oranges, and I squeezed the juice and I zested and I ate the orange and then I got in the shower and decided to have a really good day.

At it totally worked! I won’t make any claims that this scrub is life-changing, but I will make claims that it is day-changing. And since this whole life thing happens day by day…. that’s good enough!

How to Make a Gentle Coffee Scrub

Scrubs are hands-down my favorite recipe to teach – because you get that immediate gratification of softer skin. And it helps to remove build-up so that your lotions and products can penetrate and work better. But more importantly, it’s also really important for your overall wellness. A scrub is active skincare – exfoliating helps to stimulate your body, your lymphatic system and get your circulation flowing. It makes you feel good.

Now, coffee grains make for a really good exfoliant, but – if it’s not prepared properly – it can be too rough for your skin, especially around your face. So, let me show you two tips to make the perfect, face-loving scrub.

Grind it: Something that I’ve learned here in Bali, is to make powdery scrubs – they do the job of exfoliating, but without irritating your skin. So, even if you are using a fine grain coffee, I still suggest that you blitz it in the blender until it’s like powder fine, like a flour

Soak it: After you blitz the coffee grains, soak them in a liquid to soften it even more. It can be water, or it can be something fun and skin-brightening like a squeeze of fresh orange juice! Orange juice is packed with beautifying vitamin C that keeps your skin youthful, it’s amazing for hydrating and it has natural fruit acids that help to clean and clear your skin. But, also, it’s that “happy” scent that I can’t get enough of!

Any time you use citrus, its best to stay out of the sun for a few hours.

Let me leave you with one more quick tip. Normally, a scrub calls for oil – but try adding honey instead. It’s ah-mazing!! The honey will hydrate and soften your skin, without that oil-rich feeling… which isn’t a bad thing!! But options are nice.

And just like that… my exhausted friend – you have an instant remedy for “blah” days.

Gentle Coffee Scrub Recipe

ingredients:
- 1/4 cup fresh ground coffee
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1/2 orange juiced (about 1/8 cup)
- 2 tbs honey
directions:
- blitz the coffee until powder fine
- pour it into a bowl
- zest the orange first
- cut open and squeeze the juice of 1/2 orange into the coffee grains
- let it sit for about five minutes to soak up the liquid
- add honey – which is really nice as a facial scrub
- optional: 1 tsp your favorite oil, if you want extra moisture. Otherwise, moisturise after your scrub
Do you love using essential oils? Add a 5 drops of Sweet Orange to boost the aroma and skincare benefit.

Shelf Life: this is a fresh scrub, and because of the water content from the fruit – we want to use it up within 3 days. Store it in the fridge.

I hope this idea finds you exactly when you need it – to brighten you up 🙂

If you liked this recipe hit those share buttons below, it’s the single best way for other people to discover our recipes for natural self-care too! Here’s to a really good day ahead

Militza xx
February 21, 2017
How to have more energy
Has it hit you yet? That “I can’t believe it’s the end of the year” stress?

2016 is winding down and the countdown is on.

There’s a lot of pressure of time running out and yet so much still left to do… So much going on, so much to prepare and think about – it gets intense.

I feel it too, but I want you to know that we are going to end this year with our well-being and sanity intact! Let me tell you why…

Morning People finish strong

Earlier this year, we passed a milestone when the 50,000th student joined the How to Become a Morning Person course.

Wow — that’s huge.

I’ve been reading the hundreds of emails and comments that I’ve received from Morning Person students, and I can tell you that there is a clear trend:

You want CHANGE.

You want to work on your health, you want to be more focussed and productive, you want to feel more fulfilled and happy.

What are the levers for change?

There are basically two levers we can pull if we want to get more done in our day.

The first is the lever marked “Time”.

This is the core of the Morning Person course – how to find more time for the things that matter.

And you guys really get it – read some of the comments I’ve received from students:

“I think I’ve really learnt the value of taking more time in the morning – and the no consuming/electronics idea was great. I had time to do yoga, meditate and read a chapter of a book every morning and I never had to rush out of the door to catch my train.”

“It completely changed my life. I wake up much earlier than before, I do pilates 6 times a week, I changed my bedtime a little earlier so I can get my 8-9 hours of sleep and started drinking smoothies more often.” — Ioana

“It allowed me to relieve some of the stress of the day by taking time for myself, do exercises, meditation and inserting drawing time in the morning.” — Marion

“I learned to make time for the things that make me feel happy to be ALIVE.” — Bianca

But there’s another lever available to us.

And from speaking to my students, I’ve learned that this is the number one roadblock preventing people from experiencing the change they desire.

This is what’s holding you back from the change you desire

What’s holding people back from having more productive mornings, soaring into the day with ease, checking off todo’s and spending time on the things that make life feel meaningful?

It’s the lever marked “Energy”.

Because you can switch off the lights, set your alarm early, and wake up with the best intentions. But if you don’t have the energy in your body, getting through the day is going to be a struggle.

Does this sound like you?

“One roadblock for me is waking up with no energy. Feeling like a zombie.” — David

“I’ve always known that rising early is good. But I always fall back asleep after a couple of hours. Not to mention, when I do try to start the day early, the effort wouldn’t last more than a few days.” — Lyn

“I really need a nap after lunch!! On weekends I don’t have problems, but then, especially on Mondays… my energy goes down after 2pm…” — Alejandra

If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone. So don’t lose heart. You have the ability to wake up each morning and create the energy you need to get things done with ease.

And I’m here to help.

Before the next few weeks zoom past, here are some ideas for restoring and creating more energy, so that you can do the things that matter to you — and actually enjoy it!

How to have more energy

A couple of years back, I was in hospital with a compromised immune system. At that time, my nutritionist put me onto a diet of nutrient dense-soups and stews to restore my health and energy.

She didn’t restrict my diet – the goal was to give my body more. More calories, more nutrition, more nourishment. And these soups were like a natural supplement.

But I remember doing a double-take when she said to me “And I want you to rethink your breakfast – and eat these soups in the mornings too!”

Soup for breakfast? Minestrone at 8am?

But I listened – and it made me feel so much stronger and full of energy – that now, years later and fully recovered, eating soup for breakfast is a habit that I still keep up!

I’ll wake up, heat up some goji berry chicken soup or last nights veggie-loaded taco soup with extra shredded cheese on top – and I’m smiling before the day’s even gotten started.

Rethink breakfast

What you eat in the mornings is the fuel that will carry you through the day. Without the right food, it can feel like you’re running on fumes – underperforming when actually you’re capable of so much more.

Eating a better breakfast – one that gives your body more nourishment and more nutrition – can give you the missing energy you need.

So, in true Morning Person style, I have a little challenge for you.

I want you to think about one, simple thing that you can do tomorrow morning to give your body more.
- If breakfast for you is usually just toast and coffee, why not try upgrading to one of my Super Toast ideas.
- If you feel like you could use some fruit and vegetables to kickstart your day, try one of Lin’s amazing smoothie recipes.
- Or if you need more inspiration, check out the Little Green Dot archives for all of my posts on breakfast (it turns out, this is a regular theme for me 🙂 )
Whatever you choose, keep it simple! We’re going to take one small step and then see how it impacts our day.

Ok, ready?

If you’re up for this breakfast challenge with me, jump into the comments and complete this sentence:

I’m going to add MORE to my breakfast tomorrow by ________.

State your intention here.

I’ll check in with you tomorrow to see how your day went.
November 28, 2016
Bali’s Famous Bliss Balls – Food for Energy
Bali is all about the Bliss Ball. They’re everywhere! Walk into almost any cafe and you’ll find an assortment of flavors to pick from…

A lot of people come to Bali for the healthy lifestyle… to rejuvinate. But I’m thinking, why wait for Bali – there’s no reason why we can’t have bliss at home too.

Have you tried Bliss Balls before?

They’re these chewy, dense balls – often coated in coconut flakes or sesame seeds. In terms of ingredients, they’re basically like eating a handful of nuts and seeds – food that you might want to eat hiking up a mountain…. which, is very often what getting through the day feels like.

It’s funny because, I thought living in Bali – surrounded by all this incredible food – would automatically make me super healhty and full of energy all the time. Maybe by osmosis?

And for sure, I’ve had proper Bali moments of yoga at sunrise, green juice with friends, floating along the day – Bliss Ball in hand…

But then, there are those days where the kids are freaking out, I’m stuck in traffic for an eternity, my camera stops working, I can’t find the right words to write, I get a negative email comment… and I just want to stay in bed and eat an entire loaf of honey-oat bread, smothered in imported French butter.

Even in paradise, if I don’t stay aware of my triggers, I can easily fall into habits that don’t support the version of life that I want to live. Aka: nachos for dinner… three nights in a row.

I start to feel low energy, I start to feel bloated and tired. Uncomfortable in my body and I know that I need to get my groove back. And, I love that Bali is a place where I can walk into any cafe and order an “Energy Bliss Ball and a Green Goddess Smoothie bowl, please”

But what’s really inspiring is that we can create this same experience in our own home too.

And for me, I think that’s where the effort should go – because we can’t always depend on or change the outside environment, right?

I think the work really is at home.

When I’ve been feeling down for too many days in a row – I’ll go into the kitchen, give it a good de-cluttering and make some bliss balls. Because I know taking care of myself and eating well – makes me feel better.

Twenty minutes in the kitchen, can turn into an entire week’s worth of bliss balls sitting in the fridge – reminding us that we intend on feeling our best. You can grab one, eat it for breakfast or throw it your bag for a mid day snack – and smile at how clever you are for making them!

Making something good for yourself – changes how you feel.

And I’m a big believer in the power of taking those small, bite-size actions to feel our best. A bliss ball is nice place to start. The ingredients give you a lovely boost of energy, right when you need it.

I have two recipes for you, and I’m going to work on recreating some of the bliss balls that I’ve tried here in bali. Where should I start – lemon coconut?
- Raw Brownie Bites
- Granola Bars (but you can roll them into balls, if you want 🙂
Let me know if you have a favorite recipe!!
November 16, 2016
Holiday Guest Checklist
Do you have guests coming in during the holidays? I have a few tips for you to set things up with intention, stress free and feeling good!

My youngest loves decorating the house for guests! Since the first day we moved into our villa in Bali, we’ve had a constant stream of friends and family popping by, staying for a night or two.

And it’s been a crash course of learning for me.

We went from living in a tiny city apartment that couldn’t fit one other person – to having an open house policy where we’ve been ~~inviting~~ begging everyone to come.

Oh! You’re coming to Bali? You have to stay at ours!!

I’ve suddenly been doing this very adult-like thing called hosting – and what I’ve learned is that it feels incredibly good to see people happy, looked after, comfortable and well-fed in your own home.

And even though it can get stressful to think about all the planning involved for guests – I’ve found it’s even more stressful not to have those things planned out when they do arrive.

Here are a few hosting tips that I’ve picked up and found to be helpful.

So that when you have friends or family pop by, you feel all those good-feelings from being a well prepared, thoughtful host.

Holiday Guest Checklist

Design a cozy space

The entire house doesn’t need to be picture perfect – but where are the specific areas in your home where your guests will most likely be spending the most time in?

For me, there’s three spots to make as cozy as possible:
- By the pool
- In the open kitchen
- In the living room
In those spaces specifically, I’ll concentrate most of my efforts.
- I’ll lay out a picnic mat on the grass by the pool, a small table for drinks and a plate of bites to eat.
- By the kitchen, I’ll place some flowers where people gather and sit to talk.
- And I’ll make sure to have the living room tidied up and comfortable with toys for kids to play with.
Clean up for guests

A very good thing about having guest over is that it gives us an incentive to freshen things up!

I love putting fresh fragrant flowers in the guest bathroom (a tip I got from every cafe in Bali!) and it’s a good chance to tidy up and declutter the bathrooms as well as clear through the kitchen – so that cooking is simpler.

You’ll feel much lighter and less cluttered when your guests arrive!

And, definitely avoid chemical cleaners!! Let’s show people how we do things around here 🙂

Here are some very effective non-toxic recipes to make:
Food for Guests

What do we feed them?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to cook what you eat. I don’t normally cook a rack of lamb for dinner and baked alaskan for dessert – so it might be a mistake to try and make that on the day my guests are coming…

I made that mistake.

I do think it’s really smart to have a couple recipe ideas all planned out… recipes that you’re comfortable making and can “effortlessly” throw together.

Because no one wants a stressed out host!

If you have guests staying with you for a few nights, I love the idea of meal prepping for the freezer, because if you end up eating out one night, nothing get’s wasted. But if you eat at home, it will be easier for you to put something on the table.

Starting a week before they arrive, you might meal prep:
- Marinated chicken legs in the freezer, to thaw out on the day and throw into a hot oven.
- A few balls of frozen pizza dough, for fun DIY pizzas at dinner.
- A simple lasagna, ready for the oven…
- Also, if people are spending the night, stock up on pantry goods for your guest to make their own breakfasts or lunch: granola, yogurt, fruit, bread, cheeses… the basics.
Stock up on better essentials

For gatherings, we’re probably going to need extras – like napkins and even disposable plates and cups if you’ve got a big group and you don’t want to end up washing dishes all day long.

Avoid the last minute rush to buy plastic cups!

Plan to stock up on those essentials now, so that you can make thoughtful choices about what you do buy. Look for eco-friendly options made from biodegradable materials.

They’re beautiful and make a really nice statement about what matters to you.

If you do lay out disposable cups, set out some markers as well so that people can write their name on their cups and not use up more than they need to. We’re not being fancy around here, right?

Keep it simple

It’s lovely to have everything set up, but this isn’t a hotel – it’s a home! So it doesn’t need to be perfect. I think people feel more comfortable when they see their host happy and relaxed and no one wants to feel fussed over.

Well, no one that I know anyway 🙂

I hope these tips are useful for you and I’d love to know if you have any hosting tips, that you do for your guests?
Let us know in the comments below!
November 11, 2016
No Bake Granola Bar Recipe
I know that a lot of us are travelling this time of year – and basically running around all year long – so I’m excited to show you this no bake, on-the-go, Granola Bar Recipe!

I’ve been thinking about granola bars lately (and other important things :) and just how convenient they are. It’s this perfect little package of food that you can carry with you, because guaranteed, there will always be an occasion for one:

Because you’re too busy in the morning to sit and eat

Because you get hangry in the afternoon

Because if you don’t have a snack in your purse, you end up buying an overpriced granola bar.

Right? Me too!

This granola bar recipe is 100% inspired by Pinch of Yum. I love the chewiness and textures in it, rather than crack-your-tooth, hard granola bars.

And there are only three ingredients for the base: peanut butter, honey & oats. Plus of course whatever delicious toppings you sprinkle in.

It takes minutes to make and will keep us: fed, even-tempered and saving money all week. Brilliant!

After playing around with the granola bar recipe, I figured out a few little tweaks and tips that might help you to make the granola bar of your daytime dreams! So, let’s get started:

Start with your peanut butter, or almond butter.

Then measure out the honey. I love using maple syrup, but here in Bali, maple syrup costs a million dollars – so I’m sticking with honey. You can use coconut syrup or brown rice syrup too…

Mix it all up until it’s nice and creamy.

Taste for salt! Depending on your brand of peanut butter, you might need to add a pinch of salt, or not.
My peanut butter had almost no salt – and I think in a granola bar, that sweet-salty flavour is so nice!

I ended up adding 1/8 teaspoon of salt for a salty-caramel taste.

Now you’re ready for the oats…. and your toppings of choice.

I went with a classic trail mix combo…. But, let’s talk options here: pretzels, chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, coconut flakes, cinnamon spice, vanilla… you are the maker of your mix so do what you love.

I like to check out brands like Clif Bar for flavour combo inspiration… White Chocolate Granola Bar might be next! I’m already thinking – what if we use white chocolate peanut butter!!

Pulse it first! I made this recipe twice and I realised that it’s a better bar if the bits and pieces are small, that way the bar holds it shape.

Pulse the mix of oats and toppings to a smaller crumble… and then mix it in with the peanut-butter blend

Pour it all out onto a sheet of parchment paper…

And then flatten it out into a perfectly perfect square shape…

Ha! Mine turned out like a giant piece of toast… it will do

Wrap it up and pop it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to firm up. That way you can slice it more easily…

And now you’ve got a week’s worth of grab-and-go breakfast and snacks.

See, there’s no reason to feel hangry – just make some granola bars!

Chewy Granola Bar Recipe

ingredients:
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups toppings of choice
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey, or maple syrup or brown rice syrup
directions:
- start with the wet mixture
- mix peanut butter, honey and season to taste with salt
- mix until creamy
- blend together the oats + your favorite toppings
- pulse the dry mix to make the pieces smaller.
- pour the dry mix into the wet, in batches
- stir until it’s all combined
- pour the granola bar mix onto a sheet of parchment paper
- flatten to a square shape, wrap it up and put it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes
- cut into pieces
- enjoy!
Do you have a favorite granola bar recipe or flavour that you love? Let us know in the comments below! Let’s get some more ideas!

PS – if you’re more of a granola minus-the-bar kind of person, I happen to think this is the best granola recipe!

Militza Recommends
November 8, 2016
In Our Pantry – Sweet Brown Rice
I’ve been on this recent kick of bringing in a new ingredient into my pantry to play with, most recently: sweet brown rice!

I’ve also been on a rice pudding kick – so when I saw it in the supermarket – I had to try it out.

Today, I’ll show how to cook sweet brown rice and how to use it!

If you haven’t tried cooking with it yet, pick up a packet on your next supermarket run! It’s a great pantry item that adds something new to your everyday cooking. It’s a really neat ingredient and there’s so many ways to use it.

I don’t see myself using sweet brown rice as a replacement for regular brown rice – it’s kind of it’s own thing.

You’ll reach for sweet brown rice for it’s unique consistency – to give your recipe warmth, chewiness and creaminess!

What is sweet brown rice?

Sweet brown rice is a short grain variety of whole grain brown rice. Like all rice, it’s gluten free and a nutritious whole grain to add to your diet. It’s thick and short and cooks up completely different from normal rice….

It’s also called sticky or glutinous rice, which has nothing to with gluten… it describes the texture.

Once it’s cooked, the rice grains will hold their shape, but when they break open – the inside is thick and creamy. It’s really lovely!

What does sweet brown taste like?

It has a mild nutty flavour, like regular brown rice, but because of its texture it gives it an almost creamy flavour.

Despite the name, I don’t find that it’s sweet on its own, but the mild flavour of the rice does work really well in both sweet and savoury recipes.

How do you store sweet brown rice?

I like to have large mason jars to pour an entire packet of grains out all at once… that way you see what you have and it keeps weevils and moths out of your rice!

Brown rice has a shelf life of 6 months (the natural oils can go rancid and effect the flavour) If you want it to last longer, stash it in the freezer.

How do you use sweet brown rice?

Sticky rice is really popular in Asia, and it’s used in many ways. I’ve gotten a lot of inspiration from restaurants here in Bali and played around with different ideas.

Here are five uses that you might like to try at home:
- Sushi Rice:
  
  Sweet brown rice is just like sushi rice, in that it’s soft and sticky.Simply lay out a sheet of seaweed paper.. and on one side only add brown rice and thinly sliced veggies, avocado, mango or tuna fish and then roll tight.
  
  Slice in pieces – it’s a great portable lunch snack!
- Sweet Breakfast Bowls:
  
  If you love oatmeal, you’ll love a sweet brown rice bowl. Pre-cook a bowl of sticky brown rice, it will last in the fridge for 3-5 days.
  
  In the morning scoop out 1/4 cup of rice, and pour in your favorite milk (I love coconut milk for this!) , some sliced bananas, maple syrup and a tablespoon of nut butter. It’s delicious and fills you up. You can warm up the milk or serve it cold.
  
  Get inspiration here: Quinoa Breakfasts Bowls, Oatmeal Bowls – just substitute in the sweet brown rice.
- Soup filler:
  
  A great way to add bulk and creaminess to your soup. Try making a pot of veggie or chicken soup and add a couple handfuls of sweet brown rice. The flavour works well with sweet veggies like carrot, corn and sweet potato as well as coconut milk and spicier curried soups.
  
  You might also serve a scoop of sweet brown rice alongside a bowl of soup
- Rice Pudding:
  
  Sweet brown rice pudding is so comforting and delicious! It’s very popular here in Bali, and made with coconut milk – which, with the creaminess of sweet brown rice – it taste so decadent. I love it!
  
  To make it: 1/3 cups uncooked sweet brown rice, 3 cups water (or milk), 1 can coconut milk, 2-4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup. Add all the ingredient to a pot and bring to a boil and then simmer for 30-35 minutes. You might add cinnamon, raisins, chocolate chips, vanilla…
- Risotto:
  
  The creaminess of sweet brown rice makes the easiest, almost instant, risotto! I found that you can start a pot of sweet brown rice as normal, and just at the end add in a knob of butter, a splash of milk and grated parmesan. It’s amazing!
  
  You might want to start the rice with sautéed onions, and add in any veggies that you love too.
How do you cook sweet brown rice?

This is the same recipe that’s on the packet, it works every time and is really simple to make. Let me show you a step-by-step:

Step One: The proportions are one part sweet brown rice, two parts water (or stock) Easy!

Step 2: First of all rinse your rice well

Step 3: Then pour it all in a pot and add 1/4 teaspoon of salt

Step 4: Pour in the water. And we’re ready to cook it up…

Step 5: Set it to boil, and then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook covered for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, shut off the heat but don’t open the lid!
Let it sit for 10 minutes. No peeking! I peeked for you…

Now it’s ready for you to use in any way you want! It’s not light and fluffy – this rice is definitely chewy and creamy! Perfect for a warm, comforting bowl of something good!

I’d love to know: have you cooked sweet brown rice before? What’s your favorite way to eat it?

Militza recommends:
November 1, 2016
Podcasts that make early mornings more fun
For the last several months, I’ve had this little secret morning routine.

My alarm is set one hour before my kids and husband – so that I can slowly start the day listening to one (sometimes two) of my favorite podcasts.

No interruptions, no censoring with little ones around…

I’ll start the podcast in the bathroom as I get myself dressed and ready – and then I’ll finish listening to it in the kitchen as I setup breakfast and make peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches for school.

T.V doesn’t have the same effect, because it demands too much of your attention. It forces you to stop and watch. But with a podcast – you can get dressed, organized, you can pack lunches and do the dishes – all in one show!

There are five podcasts that I can’t seem to get enough of and highly recommend:
1. Criminal. Normally, I’m a big scaredy-cat, but these stories are not designed to scare. They are well told documentaries of criminals throughout time. There are horse thieves, prison escapes, lunatic nurses and bored bank robbers…Episode 47: Brownie Lady got me hooked
2. Heavyweight. Each episode follows an individual who wants to correct something that went wrong in their life. They’re followed around with a recorder and you get to hear them doing the thing they wished they had done a long time ago. It’s a brand new series, there are only three episodes so far and I’m desperate for the next one to come out!Episode 2: Gregor is so good.
3. Not by accident. This is one of the most beautiful podcasts – a mother began recording herself from the moment she decided that she would have a baby as a single parent. Its presented like a documentary – she narrates her story woven in with these recordings of the past, which has this way of drawing you in. You hear her footsteps walking into the insemination clinic, her phone calls with her mother, you hear her baby’s first cry… I’m already getting teary-eyed!This podcasts needs start from Episode 1
4. How I built this. For anyone who wants to build a business of their own – this podcast is pure motivation. You hear stories told by entrepreneurs – the process of creating a movement, their failures, their insights…I loved the story of Gary Erickson, creator Cliff Bar and Cathy Hughes who founded Radio One, the largest African American owned broadcasting company.
5. My Dad Wrote a Porno. An adult son discovers that his retired father has written a porno. So, he decides to read out loud a chapter of his dads book – to his best friends – and record it. They’re now joined by millions of listeners each week! It’s awkward, sometimes anatomically incorrect…. it’s hilarious!You’ll want to start from Episode 1
I think a good podcast can serve as an incentive to do something that you need a little motivation for… It’s like a treat that makes getting up out of bed, or going for a walk, even doing the dishes… a little more interesting.

Do you listen to podcasts? Let me know what’s on your radar!
October 11, 2016
One Mug Pancakes
I saw the bear pan, thought of my angel children – and before I knew it, I locked myself into making pancakes for breakfast for a whole month, every.single.day!

The good news is that they’ve moved on to french toast. The other good news is that with all that practice, I worked out how to make the easiest, quickest, most delicious pancakes ever.

And the recipe is completely versatile: whole meal, oat flour… with or without banana… I’ve even baked them into donuts!

If you’re thinking – pancakes from scratch, who has the time!? – then the first step, that you won’t find in a recipe, is to give yourself that time.

Create a morning routine that makes time for things that make you feel your most stunning best. Let that busy day know that you’re in charge around here!

For me, that means breakfast is a non-negotiable.

That said, I still need to keep things simple. I’m sure it’s no different for you!

So, I thought I’d pass along this simple breakfast tip. You’ll never need to spend time looking up a pancake recipe again – all you need to do is remember this:

One Mug Pancakes

To make this delicous bite come true – you grab one mug. Any mug. It’s early in the morning, you’re still a bit groggy – that’s ok. You’re also going to grab one spoon.

By the way – I’ve tried this recipe with a tablespoon and teaspoon, I don’t see a massive difference.

Start by filling the mug with your choice of flour(s). I like a fifty-fifty blend of unbleached and wholemeal. The pancake in the photo is all oat flour, it’s beautiful… choose your pleasure.

Then add one spoonful of baking powder to give your pancakes an airy lift and one pinch of salt to bring out the flavours.

I used two mugs in the photo so that you can see it side by side, but at home you’d save on cleanup by using the same single mug.

The dried ingredients go in a bowl.

Now for the liquids. You just need to fill up that mug with one egg, and then milk to top it up.

Here’s the part you won’t believe. You can add any other flavour you want in the mug: one mashed banana, one handful of blueberries, one scoop of ricotta…or leave it plain… it’s all good.

If you don’t add something sweet like banana, add one spoonful of honey.

I went with banana. You mash it up, crack in one egg and top it off with milk (or almond milk) to fill up the rest of the mug.

That’s it friend. You see, it’s just one mug full of dried ingredients, followed by one mug full of wet ingredients. One one one.

This took you exactly one minute. I’m just kidding – maybe three…

You give the ingredients a short mix in a bowl (clumpy is better!) And you’re ready to cook.

I’m a fan of butter. Coconut oil works too. More importantly, I’m a fan of using the little egg-frying pans to make pancakes (More than that impossible-to-flip bear pan!!)

A single-serve pan produces perfectly shaped, fluffy, thick, restaurant style pancakes. I have two kids, I have two pans.

If you’re feeding a bigger lot, then go for whatever cooking pan works for you!

Pour in your batter…

and cover the lid for two, three minutes…

give it a flip to reveal that gorgeous bronzed belly…. and cover the lid again for another two minutes.

Serve it up with honey or maple syrup. My husband and kids come from another world, they eat pancakes with sprinkle of sugar and a squeeze of lime or lemon. What do you like on yours?

One Mug Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 mug of flour (any single, or blend)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp honey (if you’re not using banana to sweeten)
- milk or almond milk
Directions:
- Fill your mug with the flour, baking powder and salt
- Pour it into a bowl
- Fill the same mug with one egg
- (optional: add one banana, one handful of blueberries or one scoop of ricotta)
- and then add milk to top it off
- Add one teaspoon of honey if you’re not using a sweet fruit like banana
- cook your pancakes over butter or coconut oil
- two – three minutes on each side
I hope this recipe inspires you to wake up and do the things that make you feel your most stunning best. And if it’s not pancakes that does it for you – how about a breakfast bowl?

Now I want to hear from you – what’s your go to breakfast? Let us know in the comments below!

Don’t forget to hit those share buttons and serve up a little inspiration to your friends! I’d be so grateful!!
March 28, 2016

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