how to quit sugar in the New Year

Perhaps you’re playing with the idea of quitting sugar for 2013. To get well. And bright. And happy. Yes?

Diptic
Some of the treats I invite you to eat when you quit sugar. Clockwise from top left: bacon and egg cupcakes, avocado and coconut water popsicles, almond butter bark, crunchy nut cheesecake, berry pie, coco nutty granola.

Look, I’m not one to to sell in things with fanfare. I will simply say: quitting sugar works. And then I will gently invite you: to try it for yourself. How does it work? What will it take? How do you do it?

1. Eat fat. And wine.

Yes, my I Quit Sugar program requires you to eat more haloumi cheese and meat (if you’re not vegan or vego), macadamia nuts, homemade chocolate, coconut, and avocado popsicles. And, yes, you can still drink wine and beer and some spirits (in case you’re worried).

2. Don’t diet.

I hate diets. Quitting sugar is not a diet. It’s not miserable, you eat more, you eat without guilt. And it’s not a fad; I don’t do fads either.

It’s about cutting out processed food and eating like our grandmother’s used to. Simple. Non-faddish.

3. Know that you will lose weight.

Some people lose 2kg. Some lose 55kg. By eating more. Weight loss is not the focus, though. Because watching your weight

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Merry Christmas my friends!

Just a little note. To say Merry Christmas to you all. And to share some thoughts that bubbled forth while I was driving from Sydney to Canberra yesterday, through two massive hail storms and with temperatures bouncing from 37C to 14C and everywhere in between. It was Big Stuff. I watched as lightening struck and, … Read more

take a flanerie

This is a wonderful French word. And it’s very Parisienne in nature. Flanerie: to take a wander around a city just to look and smell and absorb.

in love with the city take a flanerie
Photo via Vogue Japan

I’ve JUST today settled on my first apartment. The keys are sitting here on my table. It’s big. For me. The purchase is part of my latest experiment: getting anchored…so that I have a sturdier base from which to flit and fly. Which is what I like doing best.

You might find this odd. My apartment – in stark contrast to where I’ve been the past two years – is in the middle of the most densely populated suburb in Sydney (and, for that matter, Australia). It ain’t no tin shed in the forest!

I’m nervous about being around so much humanity and humming and freneticness and smell. But I feel it’s time for me to get cool with humanity and to be truly in and amongst it. Can’t go over it, can’t go around it, must go through it.

Which brings me to the beauty of flanerie. The French do this on a Saturday afternoon in Paris. They don’t wander around shops and buy shit they don’t need. The French have simple tastes. Excess is deemed vulgar. Instead, they wander the streets, dropping in for a coffee or an aperitif at cafes. Cafes, where the chairs face outwards

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14 things to do with fermented cream cheese

Crikey I love curd. And blimey it’s the easiest way to get some probiotic love into your guts. A few weeks back I outlined 5 ways to use whey. Today I’m going to share what you can do with the other half of the equation: the curds. Because as you know, you make these two wonder stuffs by simply draining some yoghurt for a few days…for those of you who missed it,  here’s how to make cream cheese.

ENDIVE SARDINE 076 14 things to do with fermented cream cheese

Today, I’m going to share a few more things to do with cream cheese. Like whey, the curd, or cream cheese that you’re left with, is a fermented product teaming with life. Sally Fallon, who is the Dame of Fermented Goodness, says this: “These friendly creatures and their by-products keep pathogens at bay, guard against infectious illness, and aid in the fullest possible digestion of all food we consume. Perhaps this is why so many traditional societies value fermented milk products for their health-promoting properties and insist on giving them to the sick, the aged and nursing mothers.”

Fermentation with lactic acid bacteria increases the nutritive value of foods because of improved bioavailability and can enhance the absorption of protein and minerals, particularly calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and copper. Lactic acid bacteria can synthesize the vitamins folic acid, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and vitamin B12.

Empirical research has identified a long list of health conditions that may be helped by consuming foods containing lactic acid bacteria, including colitis, constipation, diarrhea, gas, gastric reflux, heartburn, Crohn’s disease, gum disease and high cholesterol. Recent studies have shown a positive effect of probiotics on autism and obesity.

But to a few ideas I’ve been playing with…

1. Spread on crackers with Vegemite spread over the top.

2. Make some sardine and endive boats. The recipe is in my I Quit Sugar Cookbook.

3. A simple dip: Blend some cream cheese with garlic, finely shopped shallots, fresh herbs (I like thyme),  olive oil.

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My 12 days of Christmas giveaway!

It’s exactly twelve days to Christmas. And so: a twelve days of Christmas giveaway seems entirely appropriate. Also, I’ve had a great year with everyone here. And it would be nice to share around a bunch of special prizes as a thank you. Feel free to spread them around as Christmas gifts for your friends … Read more

stay

During my recent travels I visited Moustier St Marie in Provence. There I did a meditation on a hill overlooking the town and a crackin’ storm blew in. Now I realise this sounds very faux atmospherique, but I’m trusting that  you know I don’t drop such deus ex machina stunts into my stories very often. Anyway, as lightening flashed and warm raindrops thudded the earth, I suddenly got overwhelmed with the idea of “stay”.

photo2 stay

Which was funny, because I was about to take off again for another town, another country the next day. But, for some reason, on that hot afternoon in Provence, stay meant something else. I’ve been pondering it since. Playing with it.

Stay means to stick with exactly what I’m doing right at that moment, even if in that moment I’m moving onwards and upwards and outwards.

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three summer quinoa recipes…from the gorgeous Cannelle et Vanille

I’ve mentioned before how Aran Goyoaga, the beautiful writer and chef behind blog Cannelle et Vanille, and I met online. We connected via our shared issues with thyroid disease. We’ve never met – she lives in Florida – but we write to each other on Twitter and emal. A modern pen pal kind of thing.

Zucchini Tart three summer quinoa recipes...from the gorgeous Cannelle et Vanille
Zucchini, Quinoa & Goat Cheese Tart (recipe below)

A while back Aran went gluten-free. Which made me happy, not just for her health, but for the planet. It meant some pretty special recipes were going to come our way.

And they did. Aran sent me her cookbook last week and I’ve shown it to a few people. Like me, they’ve been floored by just how creative her recipes are. And how pretty she can make the simplest of dishes look. It’s not lavish, nor holier-than-though food. It’s elegant and nutritious and you’re left wanting to have what she’s having. It was all good timing: Small Plates and Sweet Treats is out this week in Australia, with Hachette.

Many of her sweet treats contain sugar…but I reckon they’re easily able to be converted to sugar-free by substituting with stevia or rice malt syrup. Just watch me try…and I’ve almost convinced Aran to quit sugar, too! For now, I’m going to share three of her summery quinoa recipes, so you can get a feel for her style and flavour.

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We’re moving onwards…and I’d love your thoughts

I have a Little Announcement on a Monday. In the New Year, you’ll notice a few changes to this site. They’re being made, partly in response to feedback you’ve given me over the year. I listen! I do!

22highway We're moving onwards...and I'd love your thoughts
Image by Christoph Niemann

In a snappy statement: the I Quit Sugar adventure, which has taken on a life of it’s own over 2012, will be launched in a fresh, bold, new direction in early 2013. It’s been estimated more than 60,000 people have done my 8-Week Program. Eleven months ago, when I first launched the program, I never expected it to penetrate so far. I put out that first ebook because YOU asked me to. Jo and I got repeated requests to have the tips and techniques set out in an all-in-one package. So that’s what I did.

A year ago I told those around me I’d be happy if I  could affect change in the health of a few hundred people. How rad would that be?! Well, it all got far more radder than I could ever have hoped for.

So I Quit Sugar will be branching out on its own adventure.

And I will continue to share all manner of other stuff here on this blog: my spiritual stuff, my political musings, my life detox efforts, my travel adventures and, well, whatever I get into next. While the new IQS adventure will see further support programs, meal plans and recipes to help more people quit sugar and realise real wellness. Again, YOU asked for it.

Speaking of Jo: I’ve assembled a little team who will be riding the train(s) with me. As of this week,

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