The Healthiest Cookies EVER

If you're a fan of baking then we have an amazing recipe for you. Sarah Blackwood singer, baker and trainer at All About You has shared her fantastic recipe here. All ingredients are vegan and Paleo diet friendly and the end result tastes fantastic!...

The Recipe Makes 12 cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raw walnut halves
1 cup medjool dates, pitted (about 10-12)
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax or chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water mix and stand for 15 mins- I just used whole chia seeds)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips - I used Lindt 90% chocolate cut about 8 squares into little chunks 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F/175C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with an “S” blade, process the dates and walnuts together until a crumbly texture is formed. Add in the salt, baking soda, vanilla, and flax egg and process again until the batter is relatively smooth, a little stickier than traditional cookie dough. 

(I used a vitamix and just before adding the chia egg to the mix I stirred in the salt, bicarb and vanilla then added the whole lot into the date and walnut mix)

Mix in the chocolate chips 

Spoon the batter onto a lined baking sheet, and use your hands to gently flatten the cookie dough. (Tip: Wet your hands with water to prevent sticking!) Bake at 350F/175C for 12 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden. Allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve immediately, and store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer for best shelf life. These cookies should last a week in the fridge, and a month or more in the freezer.

Beat Stress With Reflexology

Our Reflexology and Acupuncture Team, Martine and Natalie Vegoda explain how the ancient art of reflexology can be used as an incredibly effectively treatment for stress...

STRESS CAN AFFECT ANYBODY.

[ WORRY, FRUSTRATION, SHAKING, INSOMNIA………

[ DEPENDING ON YOUR PERSONALITY, IT IS VERY MUCH AN INDIVIDUAL PERCEPTION.

[ IT IS HOW YOUR BODY REACTS TO EXTERNAL PRESSURES THAT YOU PERCEIVE TO BE DIFFICULT OR UNCOMFORTABLE AND IT CAN CREATE BOTH PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL CHANGES.

[ SOME STRESS IS HELPFUL IN HELPING YOU TO PERFORM AT YOUR BEST BUT STRESS BECOMES A PROBLEM WHEN INSTEAD OF HELPING YOU TO PERFORM, IT BECOMES COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.

[ STRESS OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME CAN DEVELOP INTO CHRONIC STRESS AND IT IS THIS THAT CAN MAKE US QUITE UNWELL.    

How you can use Reflexology to offset stress....     

[ REFLEXOLOGY CAN BE A NATURAL, NON-INVASIVE OPTION TO OFFSETTING THE EFFCTS OF STRESS ON YOUR HEART AND OVERALL HEALTH.

[TREATING THE BODY  MIND AND SPIRIT AS A COHESIVE SYSTEM, IT ENDEAVORS TO GET TO THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM NOT ITS SYMPTOMS.

[ WITH ITS ROOTS DATING BACK TO ANCIENT EGYPT, REFLEXOLOGY WORKS ON THE PREMISE THAT THE MAJOR ORGANS, NERVES AND GLANDS THAT MAKE UP THE BODY ARE CONNECTED TO REFLEX POINTS IN THE SOLES, TOPS AND SIDES OF THE FEET.

[ THROUGH THE SEQUENTIAL APPLICATION OF GENTLE COMPRESSION TECHNIQUES APPLIED TO SPECIFIC AREAS OVER THE FEET, REFLEXOLOGY POSSESSES THE CAPACITY TO CANCEL OUT THE EFFCTS OF STRESS WORKING TOWARDS STIMULATING YOUR BODY’S OWN HEALING PROCESSES WHILE HELPING YOUR BODY TO REACH A STATE OF DEEP RELAXATION IN A NATURAL WAY.

[THE TECHNIQUE OF REFLEXOLOGY IS OFTEN USED AS A TYPE OF PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE AND TODAY IT IS INCREASINGLY BEING INTEGRATED INTO TRADITIONAL MEDICAL PRACTICES.