Friday, July 18, 2014

Dry Needling now at sanctum

Dry Needling now available at sanctum
What is this you ask (perhaps somewhat anxiously)?
Dry Needling uses a single needle at a time to release tender trigger points on the body.
The needles themselves are ultrafine (about the width of a human hair) and though folks rarely believe us when we say this - you generally don't feel them actually going in - they are so small and it is so quickly done.
A trigger point is an area that is not only tender to touch, but refers a sensation to another area of the body. By working these points a better response is created by the body in terms of benefits and tension release.
We use this treatment for chronic pain and stiffness and those tricky problems that just don't seem to want to get better.
For more information chat to Annie today.
P: 6333 8833
E: retreat@sanctumbody.com.au

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Raw 'Coconut' Icecream.....

Recently discovered and now a firm favourite in our household.
This is such a simple recipe which leaves room for a multitude of variations - but oh so very tasty!


This is the same texture as 'normal' icecream but minus the chemical emulsifiers and guar gum.

Raw Coconut Icecream
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup filtered water
1/3 cup agave syrup (or maple syrup)
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup coconut oil - melted

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor
Blend till smooth
Scoop in to a container and either freeze for 3-4 hours (mixing well every hour or so) then place back in the freezer to chill completely overnight or if you have an icecream maker, chilll for 1-2 hours to firm the mixture then put through the machine.

What we loved: Taste!!!
Texture
Ease of making

What we didn't love as much: Not realising just how rich this dessert was till perhaps 3-4 spoonfuls too late!
Our blender is not the most powerful so we did have portions of uncrushed cashews in our icecream - so if you prefer a smoother texture use a better quality blender or food processor

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Beautiful Sola Diffusers now in stock!


New in Store now!


Beautiful fragrant diffusers with handmade Sola Flowers.
'Sola' is sliced sola stalk (a short tree native to Thailand). These are often used in wedding bouquets as well.
The wick draws the fragrance up into the flower - leaving a delicate scent throughout your space.



Months of fragrance for just $16.50 each.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

This week we've played with Dressings and condiments - it's been quite fun playing with flavours and textures!

Turmeric Dressing

1/4 cup raw tahini
1/4 cup water
2 tsp miso
1 tsp turmeric

Blend all ingredients together till smooth - pour into jar and refrigerate for an hour before use.
Great to use over your favourite green salad or as a dipping sauce for veggies!

Homemade Mustard with fresh herbs

⅔ cup (120gr) yellow mustard seeds
½ cup apple cider vinegar
⅔ cup water
-
2 TBSP fresh thyme
1.5 TBSP fresh rosemary
½ tsp chili flakes (depending on how hot you want the mustard you can use mild chili flakes or hot ones)
⅓ tsp sea salt
1 tsp raw honey or maple syrup
¼ cup water at room temperature

Mix apple cider vinegar with water and add mustard seeds.
Leave to soak for 2 to 3 days. The mustard seeds will absorb almost all the liquid and will start to smell like you’re about to make the best mustard on the planet.
Add mustard mix to a blender, together with the rest of the ingredients, and blitz until you get a smooth consistency. If you think it’s too thick, add 2 TBSP of water at a time and continue to blend until you get it smooth.
Spoon into jars, leaving no air bubbles if you can, and keep covered in the fridge.
Mustard should keep well in the fridge, for up to few months. Though it’s best to consume it as fresh as possible. Start making those delicious honey&mustard salad dressings!

recipes from rawfoodrecipes.com

Monday, March 31, 2014

coming soon....

Coming to sanctum soon....

Cellulite Reduction
Circumference Reduction
Increased Tone and Elasticity

Thursday, March 27, 2014

coming soon....

Coming Soon.....

Fine Line Reduction
Increased Collagen Production
Increased Tone and Elasticity

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Cheers!

This time around we were keen to play with the beverage side of things.
We've been getting such great feedback from our posts with recipes - we thought...let's play with something new!
These are two of our new favourites with the cider being one we'll keep in mind as the weather conitues to cool.
Fresh mint out of our garden went especially well with the ginger ale too.
Campai!!


Ginger Ale
* 1/4 cup Ginger Juice (wash and peel fresh ginger then grate as finely as possible.  Wrap in cheesecloth and squeeze out fresh juice)  * 1 apple juice (we used Spreytons 100% Apple Juice)  * 1/4 cup lemon juice  * 1/4 cup honey or agave liquid  * 1 lt sparkling mineral water  * fresh mint (optional)  * fresh lemon sliced (optional)

Add all juices and honey/agave together in a screw top jar - shake well.
Fill glasses to approx half full (amend for personal taste)
Top with mineral water with mint and slice of lemon


Apple Cider
* 2 cups apple juice (we used Spreytons 100% Apple Juice)  * 1/4 cup honey or agave liquid  * 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar  * 1 tsp cinnamon  * 1/4 tsp nutmeg  * pinch cayenne pepper

Blend all ingredients together
Store in sealable bottle
Serve chilled over ice or warm slightly

What we loved: the really fresh taste of both these drinks - though we caution anyone daring to drink the raw ginger juice neat (whew!!!)
How helpful both drinks were for both before and after meals - great for digestion!
How the spices really came out in the Cider when warmed

What we didn't love as much: next time we might use a little less nutmeg in the cider - but that's simply a person preference

Recipes courtesy of Everyday Raw Express by Mathew Kenney

Monday, March 24, 2014

lifestyle over age....




New in store at sanctum.
(we are very excited!!)

Australian made and owned Sin-Care Booster Lifestyle Serums!

In a beauty industry first, SIN-CARE has developed a line of skin care products specifically customised to fight Lifestyle Ageing.
Not all ageing is caused by genes or age; in fact, lifestyle factors can cause significant ageing to the skin.

Customised Lifestyle Serums are a paradigm shifting, important new concept. Most anti-ageing products address age alone – products are directly related to what your age is – not what your lifestyle is like.

Product creator Kimberley Pearson says “The formulators of even the most expensive creams do not know if you are a smoker, if you are going through a divorce, if you run every day or if you are a new mother not getting enough sleep.”

Unlike other skin care brands, SIN-CARE is not directed at AGE or SKIN type – rather SIN type - allowing women to customise their skin care type to the cause of ageing – not just the symptom.
You can even 'layer' the serums to address a variety of concerns with one easy step.

In store now: Sun Goddess (UV Damage); Line Rewind (fine lines); Sleep Doctor (fatigue and sleep deprivation); Urban Renewal (environmental pollutants, lack of oxygen) & Smokers Secret (enough said!).

Only $80 for huge 50ml!

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

bittersweet....we don't think so!

OK... we've shared some amazing recipes of late... all good (and good for you!) and all very tasty!
This has to be one of the best however!!
Taste, texture it's got the lot!!
We took some of the leftover filling into sanctum a few weeks back and some of our Clients got to taste for themselves - let's just say there wasn't a lot left on the plate afterwards!!
Enough said.... enjoy!


Bittersweet Raw Chocolate Orange Tart

Base:
* 1 cup Dates (soaked for 4hrs if dried)  * 1 1/2 cup raw Macadamia or Brazil Nuts (we used Brazil)  * 1 cup dessicated Coconut
Filling:
* 1 cup raw Cashews  * 1 1/3 cup freshly squeezed Orange Juice  * 1/2 cup raw Honey  * 5 drops Orange Essential Oil (optional - we used a teaspoon of orange rind instead)  * 1 cup organic Coconut Oil  * 1 cup raw Cacao Powder  * 1/4 cup Cacao Nibs for topping (optional)

Process dates and nuts till fine and starting to bind together - add coconut and process again till well combined
Press into a 27cm pie dish and set aside
Process cashews and juice till smooth
Add all other ingredients (except the cacao powder) and blend
Add cacao powder and blend again til silky smooth
Pour into prepared base and spinkle with cacao nibs if desired
Refrigerate to set and serve

What we loved: the ease of making this dish
The taste and silky smooth texture - it truly was a decadent chocolate treat!
The 'clean' taste left in our mouths after eating - no greasy film!
How long it lasted in the frigdge - as there is no diary, we found this lasted much longer than an ordinary chocolate tart - which was great becase a little slice goes a long way!!

What we didn't love as much: Ummmmm.....?

recipe couresy of Model Chocolate by Abigail O'Neill

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

vanilla bean almond butter fudge....

What a mouthful!!
In every sense of the word!
A dairy, refined sugar, animal fat free fudge, guaranteed to be choc full of 'melt in the mouth' goodness.
We've been using this as a very welcome handmade gift of late - no complaints yet!!!


Vanilla Bean, Almond Butter Fudge
* 1/2 cup Almond Butter (from health food stores, like peanut butter but made with almonds)  * 1/2 cup coconut butter (we made our own like here)  * 1/4 cup coconut sugar (from health food stores - although we have made one batch with dark brown sugar as well)  * 1/4 cup agave syrup  * 1/2 tsp vanilla powder or paste  *  extra vanilla powder or raw carob to dust

Line a brownie pan with baking paper
Using the double boiler method, gently melt all ingredients (except the dusting powder) till smooth - stirring regularly
Pour mixture into prepared pan, dust with powder and refrigerate

What we loved: despite having no dairy in this recipe, we loved the creamy texture and smooth taste
The looks on peoples faces after their first bite
The requests for the recipe after their last bite

What we didn't love as much: Just a little extra fiddling around to make the coconut butter and source the coconut sugar and almond butter

recipe courtesy of rawfoodrecipes.com

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

layer apon layer.....

With the warmer weather slowly leaving us, at home we are hanging onto what's left as much as we can!
Still aiming to keep meals as light as we can before the hearty, heavier fare of winter meals becomes the norm.

Mexican Layered Salad
Top:  * 3 cups fresh corn kernals  * 1 red capsicum  * 1/2 cup chopped coriander or parsley  * 1 tblsp lemon juice *  1 tblspn lime juice  * 1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil  * 2 tsp cumin  
* salt and pepper to taste
Middle:  * 2 large avodaoes  * 1/2 cup chopped coriander or parsley  * 2 tblspn lemon juice (approx)  * pinch cayenne pepper  * salt to taste
Bottom:  * 1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes  * 2 tblsp finely diced leek or red onion  * 1 tblspn diced chilli (optional)  * 2 tblspn chopped coriander or parsley  * 2 tblspn lime juice  
* salt and pepper to taste

Top Layer - combine all ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper - marinate for several minutes in refrigerator before assembling
Middle Layer - mash all ingredients together with a fork until semi-smooth and fluffy - season to taste
Bottom Layer - combine all ingredients together and season with salt and pepper - marinate 10-20 minutes before assembling
Best served in a sturdy glass - can add a dollop of natural yoghurt underneath the guacamole if desired

What we loved: fresh, zingy and tasty!! 
Easy to make and way too easy to eat!

What we didn't love as much - a little heavy on the coriander for this recipe for our tastes, but will try substituting parsley more next time!
We also think a nut/seed layer could go nicely with this as well

recipe courtesy of ' Everyday Raw Express' by Mathew Kenney

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

when is a chocolate mousse not a chocolate mousse...?

When there's no chocolate!!!!!
We whipped this up a few weeks back for a dinner party and not one of our guests was the wiser (until we spilled the beans afterwards) that this was anything other than a homemade chocolate treat!
Good times....


Sneaky 'Chocolate' Mousse
*1/4 cup fresh Dates (or dried Dates soaked for 3 hours in water)  * 1/4-1/2 cup water  
*2 tblspn Raw Honey  *1/2 tsp Vanilla Paste or Vanilla Powder  *3/4 cup Avocado (approx 1 medium sized Avocado)  *1/4 cup Carob Powder

Blend dates and 1/4 cup water, honey and vanilla till soft and smooth
Add avocado and carob - blend til creamy - stopping every now and then to scrape the sides 
Add more water if need a thinner consistency
Serve with fresh berries.
Lasts around 3 days in the fridge or up to 2 weeks in the freezer

What we loved: how quick this was to put together (other than soaking the dried dates)
The texture was a true luscious 'mousse' and the flavour very rich
Knowing there was no dairy or refined sugars involved

What we didn't love as much: ours turned out just a little too sweet for our taste - next time we will try halving the honey or adding more carob

recipe courtesy of: 'Raw Food - a complete guide for every meal of the day' by Erika Palmcrantz and Irmela Lilja

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

belly full of burrito!!

Who says a burrito has to involve a flour based tortilla?  Choc full of fresh veg and flavour, a burrito can be a very healthy dinner time choice!
Raw Food Burrito's
* 1 Avocado, mashed  * 3 Radishes  * 1/2 Capsicum  *1 Tomato  * 2 Sundried Tomatoes  * 1 inch Leek * Sprig of Parsley  *1 tsp Tamari or Soy Sauce  *pinch Dried Chilli Flakes  *juice from 1 Lime  *2 tbslp Sunflower Seeds  * 1/2 cup Alfalfa Sprouts  *Baby Cos Lettuce Leaves

Finely chop all vegetgables and herbs
Add radishes, capsicum, tomatoes, leek and parsely to the mashed avocado
Season with tamari/soy sauce, lime juice and chilli flakes
Rinse cos lettuce and place large spoonful of mixture onto each leaf
Top with alfalfa sprouts and seeds and roll into burrito

What we loved:  the freshness and flavour
How light but filling a meal this was
How easy it was to tailor the recipe and add our favourite vegies and herbs (we added corn kernal and lentils for ours)

What we didn't love as much: nothing!!

Recipe courtesy of 'Raw Food: a complete guide to every meal of the day' by Erika Palmcantz and Irmela Lilja



Friday, February 14, 2014

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day!


We'll be closed today and tomorrow (Fri/Sat) as we are off to Sydney for a Valentines/Annie's Birthday weekend!
Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend ahead and will look forward to seeing you in the new week!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Cashew Cream

This is something we whipped up to go along with our new favourite Chia Seed Pudding.  The creaminess balanced out the richness of the pudding beautifully.
Also, not bad over fresh fruit as well!!!

Cashew Cream

*1 cup raw Cashew nuts   *1/4 cup water  * 1 handful raw Almonds  * 1 Vanilla Bean or tsp Vanilla paste  * 3 tblspn Flaxseed or Canola oil

Blend cashews to a flour-like consistency
Add 2 tblspn water and the almonds and blend again
Add vanilla and the oil and blend well
Add more water as needed to reach the desired consistency



What we loved: the taste!  Creamy, slightly nutty and Oh So Yummy!
The ease of substituting this for normal dairy cream 
Thinking of more uses for it so we had an excuse to make more!!

What we didn't love as much: Our blender struggled with getting the mixture as smooth as we'd like (though there were never any complaints!).  We found it had a hard time after blending the cashews to then blend the almonds and water - it bogged down the bottom of the blender - next time we'll separate the two steps and tip out the cashews before blending the almond and see how that goes.

recipe courtesy of Raw Food - a complete guide for every meal of the day by Erika Palmcrantz and Irmela Lilja

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Pudding anyone?

It's no secret that Annie is a certifed sweet tooth!
So looking for a sweet treat that tastes great, is easy for the body to process and is actually good for you.......what a dream come true!!!

After tasting Garden of Vegan's gorgeous desserts, we found and tried this little recipe and it's proven popular for when we go to friends homes for dinner parties!
Once the ingredients are all together, it a snap to create with just a little time to set in the fridge. Use more seeds for a thicker pudding.
Enjoy!



Chia Seed Pudding
*1/2 cup filtered Water   *1 tablespoon Raw Honey   *1/4-1/3 cup Chia Seeds  
*2 tablespoons Raw Cacao Powder  *1 Cup Almond Milk (see our previous post for this recipe)

Mix Chia Seeds with the Water - whisk with a fork and leave stand for a minute or so
Add Honey and Cacao Powder and mix together well
Add Milk and stir to combine
Pour into cups or small bowls and allow to set for at least 2-3 hours or overnight
Can top with dried/fresh fruit, nuts and seeds or even carob or cacao nibs for an even better chocolatey hit!

What we loved: The ease of making
The flavour and the amazing texture of the chia seeds that almost magically plump up 
That there is no dairy or refined sugar anywhere near this dish
How self righteous we felt after 'having our cake and eating it too'! 
We were a little naughty and used just a dollop of Elgaar Double Cream once with this dessert - the cream really balanced out the Cacao and made this extra luscious!

What we didn't love: We prefer a thicker pudding texture so the second time we made this we used a half cup of seeds

*recipe courtesy of 'Model Chocolate' by Abigail O'Neill

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

mylk....almond mylk.....

Something new in our household this week.
Almond Milk (or 'mylk' as we've seen it written).
No dairy, no preservatives and a brilliant alternative for anyone with lactose or gluten sensitivities.
Use it in lieu of milk, pretty much wherever you like!  We've been using it on breakfast cereals, in desserts and even drinking by the glass!
This is a 'Raw' food that is alkaline for the body (dairy increases acidity in the body during digestion) and extremely nutritious and, other than a little bit of time, super easy to make as well!

Almond Milk
*1 1/2 cups organic raw almonds  *6 Cups filtered Water  *1-2 tablespoons raw Agave (can substitute Honey if preferred  *1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Powder or Paste  
*1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder  *pinch Salt

Rinse almonds and soak in 3 cups of the water for at least 4 hours (or overnight) - this activates the enzymes in the almonds making them more nutritious and easier to digest)
Blend until creamy
Add remaining water and blend till fine and milky
Strain through muslin or a fine sieve over a jug or bowl
Keep in sealable glass bottle in fridge (we used an Elgaar 1 lt milk bottle)
Best consumed within 4 days - may separate so stir or shake before use


What we loved: the taste!  Slightly nutty, creamy and a hint of the cinnamon that just got better over a few days
The ease of substituting for cow or soy milk wherever needed
The power and glory or creating our very own milk!!!
What we didn't love: slight grainy texture when drinking by itself - we strained ours through a metal sieve, next time we will use muslin to prevent this happening again
We actually used 5 cups of water instead of the 6 stated in the recipe and found that a perfect consistency and creaminess

*recipe courtesty of 'Model Chocolate' by Abigail O'Neill

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Tempting Tahini ......

Following on from our last Food for Life post - this is another recent dip into the Raw Food recipe banks....
Enjoy!


Tahini Balls
You will need:
*2 Tablespoons organic Tahini    *1 Tablespoon raw Honey    *2 Teaspoons Carob Powder
* Pinch Salt    *Sesame Seeds for rolling
Mix all ingredients (except the Carob Powder) together in a bowl by hand
Add Carob Powder and mix well.
Roll in Sesame Seeds
Will keep in Fridge for up to a week

What we loved: the nutty taste and texture
The savoury hit of salt blending with the sweetness of the honey
How you can eat more than one and still feel righteous!
What we didn't love: our Tahini was quite runny so the balls didn't come together as well as we'd like - so we added a small amount of organic almond meal to thicken enough to roll

recipe courtesy of 'Raw Food - a complete guide for every meal of the day' by Erica Palmcrantz and Irmela Lilja


Sunday, January 5, 2014

Food for Life

One of the challenges we've set ourselves for the new year is to be more conscious of what we put into our bodies.
As they say 'good in...good out'.
A food movement that has piqued our interest these past few months is that of Raw Food.
Basically, the premise behind a Raw Food diet is to eat fresh, uncooked meals consisting of things such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, spouts and cold processed oils.  
The belief is that when we heat foods over 40-49 degrees celsius, we can destroy valuable nutrients and enzymes (that help digestion).
Whether you choose to embrace this fully or, like us, simply imcorporate Raw Food meals into your days - we don't think you can go wrong in giving your body the freshest, easiest to digest food possible!

We 'cooked' these little guys up last week.....YUM!

Every Occasion Balls
You'll need:
*Food Processor or Blender
*1 1/2 cup raw Walnuts    *3/4 cup organic Raisins    *1 tablespoon raw Honey
*1 1/2 tablespoon Carob Powder   *pinch Salt    *Coconut Flakes for rolling (optional)

Pop Walnuts into a Food Processor or Blender and pulse till finely chopped
Add Raisins and blend further till well combined
Add Honey, Carob Powder and Salt - mix well
Keep mixing till forms a dough - roll into balls and coat in Coconut Flakes
Keep in fridge for up to a week (if they last that long!!)

What we loved: the taste (especially the hint of salt amongst the sweetness)
How they made for a filling snack during a busy work day
That there was NO processed sugar!
What we didn't love: walnuts aren't our favourite nut so next time we're going to try almond or hazelnuts!
Since we love chocolate we'll also add a little more Carob Powder next time too

While some of the ingredients may not be in your pantry, we found them easily at places like Wholesome House, The Grain Grocer and Eumarrah here in Launceston.
 
*recipe courtesy of 'Raw Food - a complete guide for every meal of the day' by Erica Palmcrantz and Irmela Lilja