tea please.

My herbal tea loving has being going strong lately and so you can only imagine what I was like when I discovered a Tea Club. Yes, there are book clubs and sporting clubs and fan clubs... why not tea clubs!? Now it's not any old Tea Club, it's owned by a naturopath, which I could only presume would result in the best quality teas, that not only taste delicious but are good for you too.

So on my wishlist it went. I even told people to buy it for my husband's birthday (so I didn't have to wait so long). But then Laura, from Burton Health (and TEA CLUB) contacted me about trialling it and reviewing it. Excited? Yes!

So, I thought, how about we get to know her too (as I love supporting small business) and we can learn a bit about naturopathy and her tea too! 

In a nutshell, what is naturopathy and who is it for? 

Naturopathy is natural health care that incorporates herbal medicine, nutrition and healthy lifestyle practices to help people achieve increased vitality and wellness. It is perfect for anyone who wants to get sound, evidence-based advice to help them improve their health. We work with anyone from newborns to great-grandparents.

We're in the middle of winter, aka cold and flu season, why should someone visit a naturopath instead of their doctor? 

Naturopathic medicine can be used to boost the immune system to help prevent catching a cold or flu. It's great as the first line of defence. I also find that herbs are amazing for clearing up annoying coughs that linger long after the cold/flu has gone.

What started your love for tea? 

I was born in England so I think that pretty much means I was born with a tea cup in my hand! I can’t remember a time that I didn’t drink tea. As I got older, I realised that the traditional black tea didn’t suit my body and I slowly transitioned into herbal tea. I didn’t really start loving herbal tea until I started making my own. I’m definitely a tea snob now.

What makes your tea "noice, different, unusual"? 

I use only organic herbs in my tea blends. I never add flavouring, sugar or artificial ingredients, instead I let the beautiful natural ingredients speak for themselves. And I use my herbal medicine training to develop blends that not only taste great, but also nourish the body. Ohh and of course, I hand make each blend with love. Love is the secret ingredient.

How do you brew the perfect cup of tea? 

Three vital ingredients: 1. Amazing organic herbal tea 2. A nice teapot 3. A pretty tea cup. 

I add my herbs to the pot, pour in boiling water (you can use boiling water for herbal tea without damaging the brew), let it steep for 5-15 minutes, sit down and enjoy cup after cup. I leave my herbs in the pot so that more of the constituents are drawn out of the herbs the longer it steeps.

MEET THE MAKER:

5 words to describe you: 

Image from here

Noice, different, unusual... Kidding! Tea obsessed, recovering chocoholic, realist.

Favourite:

• flower: Primrose, Snapdragon, Lavender

• breakfast: chia pudding in summer, oat bran breakfast bowl (a.k.a the best organic breakfast bowl in the world) in winter, healthy pancakes on weekends and healthy muffins when I’m not in a breakfast mood.

• colour scheme: white and wood with splashes of colour

• location: Any beach. I love to be near the water. Favourite holiday destination is Tokoriki island resort in Fiji. Favourite city is Sydney. I feel so lucky to live here!

• thing in your home: My bath tub. Such a great way to unwind.

• outfit: My Peter Alexander Booo ghost PJ’s.

• day of the week: Sunday – we call it alarm free Sunday. It’s the only day of the week that I get to wake up naturally and I also get to spend the day with my love.

For more info on her Tea Club, tune back in here shortly for my review, or if you're just too excited to wait, visit here. Visit her online shop here to buy a one-off bag (that will keep you coming back for more).

#thearlegirlpearls: bananas.

Do you go bananas for bananas like I go bananas for bananas? I love bananas however, I am very fussy about when I eat them; they need to be only just ripe. But something changes when I know I'm going to freeze them; I buy all the black ones I can find. They're overripe and cheap and so good for so many things.

Love ice cream? Want a healthy alternative? Blend a frozen banana (with whatever mix ins you like) and you have the most delicious treat.
Craving banana bread? Always have bananas on hand. So many good recipes around.
Smoothies? Frozen bananas are the best – they add sweetness, thickness, coldness, deliciousness.
Pancakes? Yes, pancakes!!! I love pancakes and my favourite type (because they're so quick and easy) are 2 ingredient pancakes: bananas and eggs. Breakfast sorted... every day!

So go on, freeze some bananas – how could you not!? But don't forget to take their skin off first!


Do you have any questions, a problem that needs solving, or your own pearl to share? Write to me at thearlegirl@gmail.com, comment below, or post on my Facebook or Instagram page – can't wait to hear from you!

#thearlegirlpearls: plants as medicine

Plants are nature's medicine in so many ways. What problem do you have? There is probably a plant to help.
Got a skin condition, like a burn, psoriasis, eczema? Use aloe vera.
Have difficulty relaxing and getting to sleep? Use lavender.
Got digestion issues? Use lemon.
Got a sore throat? Use lemon.
Got an upset stomach? Use mint.
And not only do help you get well, they clean the air and look great too! So go on, grow your own and take advantage of all they have to offer.


Do you have any questions, a problem that needs solving, or your own pearl to share? Write to me at thearlegirl@gmail.com, comment below, or post on my Facebook or Instagram page – can't wait to hear from you!

#thearlegirlpearls: bed.

Now I don't mean to be a party-pooper nor sound like your mother, but getting enough sleep is so important, and good sleep as well! Sleeping between 10pm and 2am is when the most deep and restorative sleep occurs. Our bodies have a natural rhythm and during this time is when our hormones heal and repair ready for the next day. If you stay up later, you will probably get a burst of energy. Preparing for bed is also super important: think about what you're doing, the light, and what you're eating and drinking – they all affect our sleep.

Do you have any questions, a problem that needs solving, or your own pearl to share? Write to me at thearlegirl@gmail.com, comment below, or post on my Facebook or Instagram page – can't wait to hear from you!

top 5 school lunches.

School's been back a week (or so) and I bet you're wondering what to pack in the lunchboxes: healthy and delicious, cheap and easy, filling and nut-free.

Now, I'm not a mum, nor do I have to pack anyone's lunchbox, but I was approached by Rebecca from My Resolve (who also happens to be my sister – check out her website and Instagram page for heaps of healthy living ideas and tips) in need of some lunchbox ideas. Her eldest daughter has just started school and her son has started pre school:

"Ok Thearle Girl, I have a challenge for you. I want your top 5:

1. breakfasts
2. easy things to bake
3. lunches that can be packed for school
4. snacks
5. dinners
6. while we're at it, let's do dessert too.

I'm trying to put together a list that I can easily refer to for what to cook. ... BTW, GF and DF please. ... Ready. Set. Go."

So, to start with, here are my top 5 school lunch ideas: gluten free, dairy free, nut free, refined sugar free. The other "top 5" requests will appear over the next five weeks.

1. MEATBALLS or CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS or SAUSAGES or ...
As you're making dinner, cook a few extras ready for lunches. This way you can beat the morning panic by packing the lunchbox while dishing up dinner. It's easy to buy and cook a couple of extras. If you don't want sausages or meatballs every week, cook a few more and freeze them, then you'll have them good to go.

Leftover chicken drumsticks are great for the lunchbox!

2. "FRIED RICE"
Make a super easy "fried rice" by mixing some leftover rice with a tin of tuna (or cut up some ham) and some frozen peas and corn. They will have defrosted by lunchtime and will be a delicious lunch. Obviously, you can add in whatever veggies you like.

3. RICE PAPER ROLLS
Once again, you can make these for dinner and give your kids the leftovers, or make a big batch for lunches – I wouldn't complain having these more than once a week. Get a production line going (I'd suggest the night before) and add in whatever meat and veg you've got. I'd suggest chicken with raw carrot and cucumber and some rice noodles, or a fave in my house is turkey mince cooked with garlic and veggies (grated or cut small), lime juice and fish sauce then rolled with baby spinach and coriander. But anything will work. Let your kids decide what they like, then they might eat it ;)

One I prepared earlier: chicken mince cooked with veggies, plus raw carrot, cucumber, spinach, capsicum, mint, rice noodles and sweet chili sauce.

Easy idea: buy a BBQ chicken (or cook one yourself – it's really not hard) and give the kids the drumsticks one day and use the meat for the rice paper rolls another two days. And then you could even make bone broth and put that in a little thermos for another day... 

4. EGG MUFFINS
Rebecca makes awesome egg muffins, so this isn't really helping her, but I thought others might be interested in this as a great idea. Basically, make an omelette in muffin tins: mix eggs and veggies (I use whatever I have in the fridge) together and bake in the oven. But this is what she suggests:

"I think these are the TASTIEST ones I've made. So here's the recipe: first grate veges (or blitz them in a food processor like I do) 1 carrot, 1 zucchini, and 1 big handful of kale. Add 6 eggs, 2/3C uncooked polenta, 1 185g tin of tuna and bit of pink salt. Mix together. Pour mixture into muffin trays. Bake for around 30mins on 180-200 degrees Celsius. This made around 10 big muffins (2/3 full) and 12 mini muffins. The polenta makes them really fluffy and helps the mixture go further. These are perfect for lunch boxes!"

Image: @myresolve_rebecca Instagram

Another idea, is a hard boiled egg. Make a batch and add to the lunchbox. Easy!

5. DIPS AND VEGGIES
My go-to savoury thing to make is dips: hummus, pumpkin dip, pesto, beetroot dip, carrot dip... what veggies do you want to use up? I bet there's a dip to make!
They're so easy, very cheap and delicious, and don't have any of the nasty preservatives that go with the store bought ones. They keep in the fridge for a while too! Add a tub to the lunchbox with some carrot, celery and cucumber sticks.

Homemade hummus and pumpkin dips with carrot and cucumber.

Google to your heart's content. So many great recipes out there. And they are usually quite forgiving if you want to leave out (or substitute) cheese or nuts to make them dairy and nut free!

If you're allowed nuts at your school, you could always make some nut butter (whizz nuts in your food processor) and serve with celery sticks or pieces of apple. If you want to buy nut butter, I'd suggest Mayver's or another brand with nothing additional added – read the ingredients list, it should only contain nuts (or maybe a bit of salt).

Other lunchbox ideas: 

Add in fruit, veggies (cherry tomatoes, corn on the cob), snacks and baked goods (ideas coming soon). And a big bottle of water. If your kids aren't into water, don't give in, but add some fresh lemon and lime, strawberries and mint, or orange slices to flavour the water. They'll learn to love it (I have!).

Don't feed the plastic monster! Use reusable containers and get a lunchbox with segments. There shouldn't be a need for cling wrap or plastic bags. And don't forget to add an ice pack into the lunchbox to keep everything fresh and cool.

If you have some great lunchbox ideas, PLEASE share them below – we'd love to hear and help each other out!

Stay tuned for next week: top 5 easy to bake.

the block elimination rooms.

So last year I went a little crazy on blogging The Block. This year, I'm not going to watch it or blog it as religiously... some of you are probably very thankful!

But I can't help give some thoughts and record some of the rooms I love. My posts will showcase some of my favourite parts; be it a whole room, a piece of furniture or a colour. As I don't know what I'll love I don't know how often these posts will occur, but I'm sure The Block will still be a feature of Thearle Girl.

In case you're not up with The Block Triple Threat, six couples were placed in the elimination rounds to end up with three couples who will actually go through to the show. This meant there have been three elimination rounds. Round 1: bedroom (24 hours). Round 2: living and dining (48 hours). Round 3: bathroom (72 hours).

Here are a couple of things I have loved so far.

Brooke and Aimee's bedroom definitely wasn't my favourite but I fell in love with their soft blue wall and bed.

I like some of the details of Luke and Ebony's room, like the timber skirts and frame, the built-in headboard, and mint features. Also impressed with the blue wall, the same colours as our bedroom!

They say first impressions count, and that is true of Josh and Charlotte. I could see they would be good from when we first met them in Scotty's HQ. They didn't let me down with their living and dining room. My favourite features are definitely the exposed brick wall and timber shelves. I think I'm in love... again. That cascading plant on the shelves just puts the icing on the cake. That wall is a winner... and that proved to be true with the judge's as well.

I am so impressed with the use of colour by Ebony and Luke. I LOVE the pink wall. This photo looks a little overwhelmingly pastel but with slightly different styling, I think the pink would sing even more! I have requested a pink wall in our living room but unfortunately was turned back by my husband. Disappointing.

I wasn't totally in love with Tim and Anastasia's room but it was good! My fave part was the rug though. Often I don't like rugs or am impartial to them, but I actually really like this one.

I love Jess and Ayden's beautiful storage area, using the height of the room and lovely timber, but was a little worried by the candle next to the towels!

Josh and Charlotte's bathroom was very simple, and I liked it. I especially like their large format tiles and custom shaving cabinet which was recessed into the wall.

I'm very impressed with the elimination rooms and am looking forward to seeing what they create in their actual apartments. Good luck to Charlotte and Josho (for the win), Tim and Anastasia, and Jess and Ayden (for the lols!).

#thearlegirlpearls: flowers

So i'm starting this thing on Instagram but i didn't want you guys to miss out... I'm sharing pearls of wisdom from Thearle Girl: #ThearleGirlPearls.

Each week i will post a photo with a piece of advice to share... Something I do which makes my life easier, more productive, healthy, happy, cost effective, etc.

Hope you enjoy. I sure enjoyed my "photoshoot"!

Look, I know we don't all get flowers all the time, but with Valentines Day coming up, we can hope, right!? So if you're like me, when you occasionally get flowers, you want them to last as long as possible. It's easy to see some dead flowers in a bunch, get sad and chuck them all in the bin. But in reality, only a couple are probably dead. Learn the art of editing: throw out the dead, clean the water, get another vase and you'll give them new life! Even if they are looking happy, change their water every 3 days – they like that! Now your yearly bunch of flowers can last a little longer. Hooray!


Do you have a problem that needs solving or your own pearl to share? Write to me at thearlegirl@gmail.com, comment below or post on my Facebook or Instagram page – can't wait to hear from you!