I hope my winter seasoned friends are currently enjoying the cold and those of you lucky enough to be having summer are soaking up every bit of Vitamin D that you can! There are so many exciting things coming from Kenkō which I can't wait to share with you all and bring forward to the community. As of October I will be holding cooking workshops in Melbourne and I am currently working on bringing some videos and giveaways to the website for you all to enjoy! I've also been working on something VERY big which I am bursting to share with you but unfortunately my lips still have to be sealed for a little bit longer! All will be revealed soon I promise!

Alongside these goodies (after many requests), the time has come for Kenkō to return to it's roots with new 'old school style Kenkō' recipes and reviews! Each week from now on I will be posting two recipes on the website and a review of something I'm totally digging! For this week I have decided to compact the review and second recipe into the one post and I hope you enjoy it. This week I am looking at my ever faithful kitchen friend, my Vitamix, and also a delicious recipe for a creamy dreamy Vanilla Matcha Protein Frappe!

Have a beautiful weekend and get in the kitchen! xx

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Vitamix 'Total Nutrition Center' Review

Vitamix Total Nutrition Center. Photographed by Elisa Watson.

Vitamix Total Nutrition Center. Photographed by Elisa Watson.

Recently I have been getting some emails from different subscribers about what blender and kitchen gadgets I recommend and so I thought it was time to do another website review! One of my favourite gadgets, and something I find both helpful and rewarding every single day in the kitchen is my Vitamix 'Total Nutrition Center'. I've been very lucky to have used this gadget for around four or five years now and I'm still just as in love with it today as I was the day I got it. 

The Vitamix is a great tool for sweet and savoury dishes as well as both hot and cold dishes. I can whip up gorgeous raw desserts in seconds, or make a smooth hot soup in a minute or two! It really is a miracle worker! Although the machine looks quite simple, it has been engineered and designed so that it can undertake so many complex tasks without any trouble at all.

The Vitamix 'Total Nutrition Center' has two main switches - one to take it to maximum power on the right of the machine, and the on switch on the left which allows you to choose your speed easily and smoothly using the dial in the middle. Each time you gently move the dial around you build up the speed of the blade and give it more power! The start is great for chopping vegetables or nuts or you can move up to be able to make banana ice cream within a minute on the last setting or create nut butters quickly and simply!

I would definitely recommend the Vitamix to anyone who was interested in getting a high speed blender as though they are an expensive tool, they come with seven years warranty and will definitely live on past that without being out of date! I have watched friends buy cheap blenders and viewed on as the motor blows as it struggles to blend a simple smoothie or nut butter. As a result I've seen countless machines thrown into bins and be replaced with another cheap blender just to have the same thing happen again! My Vitamix works and looks just as brilliant as it did when I first got it in the kitchen, it's stylish, it's practical and it really is a kitchen luxury.

The team at Vitamix are friendly and if you ever have any worries they are helping you without hesitation in a prompt and kind manner. I know that you definitely have to save up a bit extra to afford a Vitamix machine but in my eyes it's worth every penny for everything it can make and all the time it saves!

You can check out more information on the Vitamix on their website or Facebook page.

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Matcha Protein Frappe

Photography by Elisa Watson.

This is a very very simple recipe but one of my absolute favourites after a work out. It's energising, full of protein and ridiculously delicious plus it only takes about 30 seconds to create in a Vitamix or high speed blender. Matcha powder has so many great benefits for the metabolism, immune system, skin and body and adds such a great flavour when paired with the vanilla protein. It's a must try drink and for any of you who love hitting the gym like me this is a great way to recover and much more satisfying than a boring protein shake on it's own! 

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Ingredients
400ml filtered water or unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop vanilla flavoured protein powder (I use a vegan alkaline protein)
1 cup ice
1-2 tsp matcha powder

Method
Add all ingredients into your high speed blender and blitz until combined.
Pour into a glass or bottle and enjoy after a workout or as a delicious, creamy and energising snack!

You can also add in fresh kale, greens powder, a frozen banana, maca powder, magnesium or any other favourites you may have! If not enjoy on it's own in all it's simpleness!

On Instagram this week to celebrate my new Kuvings juicer from Alkaline World I decided to do a trial of a week of daily juice recipes! You can check out my Instagram here to see the delicious juice recipes and photos!

I landed on a Kuvings juicer after doing a lot of research in various cold press juicers. Before my Kuvings Wide Mouth juicer I had a Breville standard juicer. Don't get me wrong, the Breville saw me through many years, but I knew nutritionally I could be getting more from my fruit and vegetables. The Kuvings juicer is a silent juicer, it's got an extremely powerful motor and it works like an absolute dream (plus it's super easy to clean!!!). From my first juice made in this machine I fell in love. It really is the best kitchen investment. I can throw in anything from my garden or from the markets and it juices so easily. I don't have to worry about blades destroying any of the nutrition of the food as it's all pressed not chopped! I have also found since using this juicer compared to my old juicer I am getting more from my fruit and vegetables in terms of the yield of juice. The pulp is also a lot dryer and I am getting a lot less than the waste I was getting from the other juicer. I have been using the pulp in my cooking to still get the fibre from the fruits and vegetables and it's working so well! Throw it in muffins, burger patties, stir frys or whatever you fancy!! It's perfect!! The amazing thing about this juicer is you can also make nut milks with it, and you can even juice bananas and avocados (MIND BLOWN!!!). 

At the moment if you go to Alkaline World where I got my juicer from, they have said they will throw in something extra for you and give you some extra love if you tell them that Kate from Kenko sent you! So if it will push you over the edge why not get some extra loving! When I met Richard from Alkaline World I couldn't believe what a beautiful human he was. So inspiring and passionate about healthy food. This man really is amazing so if you ever get to deal with Richard or find yourself crossing paths with him you are very lucky! 

I love juicing. My skin glows, you get to pack in nutrients and it's just a delicious snack to have on the go. This week I have felt a lot better. Putting on the juicer first thing in the morning to make up some sort of concoction to give my family and for me to enjoy. It then gets turned on again in the middle of the day, and in the afternoon as a pick me up. I just love them and the combinations and flavours are endless! 
 

My Kuvings Wide Mouth juicer, AKA the best thing I own.

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So here goes my Week #1 of Daily Juice recipes! I hope you guys enjoy these combinations as much as I did this week!

Monday - Green Garden
1 cucumber
1 green apple
1 pear
1 kiwi fruit
1 stick celery
3 big kale leaves
4 cos lettuce leaves
1 lime
handful mint
handful parsley

Tuesday - Super Mellow Yellow
2 carrots
1 orange
1/4-1/3 pineapple
1/2 cucumber
1 lime
thumb size piece fresh turmeric

Wednesday - Summer Red
1/2 small beetroot
1/2 punnet strawberries
1/4 small watermelon
1/2 cucumber
2-3 cos lettuce leaves
1 lime
handful of mint

Thursday - Super Power Greens
1 green apple
1 kiwi fruit
1/4 pineapple
1 lemon
1/2 cucumber
1/2 green capsicum
1 stick celery
couple broccoli florets
handful parsley
handful mint
knob ginger
couple kale leaves
couple cos lettuce leaves

Friday - Yellow Sunset
2 mango cheeks
2 oranges
1/4 pineapple
handful mint
1/2 lime
1 tbsp lucuma
water from one young coconut

Feed mango cheeks, oranges, pineapple, mint and lime through your juicer. Mix in the lucuma and coconut water and serve over ice!

Saturday - Almond Milk Espresso
1 L homemade almond milk (made in Kuvings)
1/3-1/2 cup cold brew coffee
1/4 cup medjool dates
1/4 tsp pink lake sea salt

Whiz all ingredients in a high speed blender and enjoy! Any left overs keep in a glass bottle in the fridge to enjoy later!

Sunday - Simply Red
1/2 beetroot
1 carrot
1 lemon
1 stick celery
1 green apple
1/2 cucumber
knob ginger

So there we have it, my first week of juice recipes! Remember to check out Alkaline World for all your juicing needs! Hope you guys enjoy! x

Photography by Elisa Watson.

At the beginning of the year I really promised myself I would try my best to get myself back feeling 100% again. I needed to cut out any shit that I had let slip into my diet that I knew my body didn't like, and I needed to up my fitness. It's not a great feeling going from running 10km every day to feeling like an absolute slug! But I can now say half way through February that I have successfully done what I wanted to do, and I plan on keeping on going for as long as I can! I have a bit of weight since December last year by actually fully practising what I preached (my aim was not to lose weight for the record), I have been eating delicious whole foods and I now back to running in the mornings, swimming and riding my bike when I can. Although I was not unhealthy towards the end of last year, I certainly felt very uncomfortable in my own skin. I had stressed myself out so much and as a result my clothes had become tighter and my mind didn't feel balanced. Some people lose weight when they get stressed, where as my body holds on to every little bit of fat and sugar that goes into it, allowing me to put on a heap of weight in a very short amount of time, even if the fat and sugars I am eating are very healthy and minimal!

So although I have been going so well this year, I knew I could take my health high even further. I decided it was time to really kick some of the lingering toxins in my body out and get me feeling great. I have done some homemade juice cleanses in the past, however I decided it was time to try an actual cleanse, and after much research I landed on Orchard St! There seems to have been A LOT of juice cleanse companies popping up in the past year, but these guys really are the stand outs. Kirsten the creator of Orchard St which runs out of Sydney, is a certified nutritionist, naturopath and herbalist. This girl has knowledge which completely dominates over other companies. Her combinations and very beautifully designed cleanses have been so well thought out and each and every juice ingredient has a purpose. 

Cleanse, Heal, Nourish and Grow is what Orchard St focus on. The cleanses are all chemical free, alkaline, raw and vegan made using local, fair-trade and sustainable produce. The juices are all organic and cold pressed ensuring optimum nutrients in each bottle. They deliver to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane at this stage. For my cleanse as I did a 5 day cleanse, they delivered my first lot of juices on the Wednesday ready for me to start on Thursday and then the remaining juices on Friday ready for the weekend and Monday. The boxes are so beautiful even from the outer wrapper. They are packed brilliantly and you get a cute little bag and biodegradable straws to go with your cleanse so you can carry your juices in style and sip them to not damage your teeth with the lemon in some of the juices! There is also a little guidebook to take you through the cleanse and have you feeling supported. Then underneath those goodies is the rainbow of beautifully glass bottled juices. You really feel so amazing opening one of these boxes.

After speaking to Kirsten herself, and explaining to her my situation I decided to do a little bit of each cleanse offered. 1 Day on the signature cleanse to get me eased in, 2 Days on the Pure Cleanse to really give my toxins a kick in the butt and 2 days on the Green cleanse to give me a nice ending. Kirsten has to of been one of the most loveliest women I have ever had the pleasure of speaking too, she is caring, knowledgable and just amazing. 

On the cleanse program you can choose to do 1 day, 3 days or 5 days. You get a lovely email sitting in your inbox when you wake up from the day before the cleanse, everyday throughout the cleanse an even an email post cleanse. Running you through feelings you may be having, and also going through exactly what will be happening to your body on that day. It gives you suggestions, support and motivation to keep going. It's also like getting a hug from a friend saying "I know you feel shit today, but it's OK, tomorrow you will feel better".

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Here is my daily run through of how I felt on the cleanse, I am not going to pretend it was all easy and wonderful as it's not. A cleanse is not the most wonderful experience (well in the beginning it is not), but I do believe Orchard St make you feel the most comfortable and supported that you could feel whilst doing one.


Day 1 (Signature Cleanse):
Thursday
In the morning I am l-o-v-i-n-g life! Juices are beyond delicious, I am feeling good, super excited about the next 5 days. I am productive, get work done and take the dogs for a big walk. Hits about one o'clock and the headache begins. Melbourne is extremely glarey and cloudy so I blame it on that and keep chugging along. Hits 4'o'clock and the headache has gotten much, much worse. Gross. This is gross is all I can think. I try and make myself feel better by doing a bentonite clay mask. Face ends up bright red and burning! Toxins are well and truly beginning to surface and it's obvious through the headache and the face mask leaving me feeling like I've had a chemical peel. 7'o'clock and I am already in bed and am tucking into my last drink the Cashew Chai. As someone who normally sleeps about 6 hours at night this is a big deal for me to be in bed this early. My body needs to rest so I listen to it and try and sleep, hoping that head ache will disappear. I wake up a couple of times in the night but all in all sleep like a little baby until the dogs wake me up at my regular wake up call 6AM.
Favourite juice pick of the day: Rosella Elixir - This drink is absolutely amazing!!!!!!!

Day 2 (Pure Cleanse):
Friday
Wake up feeling amazing. No headache, I have slept a lot and the Melbourne morning weather is beautiful. I know today is going to be hard, but I am totally prepared (or so I think). I am now moving from the signature cleanse (easiest cleanse for beginners) to the pure cleanse (the hardest cleanse). This cleanse has little to no fructose with no fruit what so ever just medicinal herbs and vegetables so my body is getting withdrawals fighting off the sweet cravings built up inside of it. I have my first drink, and take the dogs for a walk. Headache begins again but it doesn't last for too long as I just distract myself. Have to remind myself even though I am drinking 3L of juices I still need a lot of water too! Day 2 I seem to be fine, until it reaches the afternoon and that pounding headache is back. I have enjoyed my first few juices but my sweet tooth is finding some of the combinations hard to get through. These are not for the faint hearted or fruit lovers like me on this cleanse! I can imagine myself loving this juice on any other day, but today it just seems hard as my body wants that sweetness. I continue to drink lots of water and put myself into bed early again.
Favourite juice pick of the day: Cashew Chai (I literally want this drink to be in my fridge always, it is so so so delicious!!!)

Day 3 (Pure Cleanse):
Saturday
Wake up, vomit. The toxins well and truly want to leave my body. After feeling sorry for myself for an hour or two I suck it up and get going. Have my first juice for the day and begin to feel better. Not much of a headache today however am dangerously emotional, but I am also aware that is apart of the cleanse that toxic thoughts will also come out. I get busy with some cooking, not the most ideal thing to do when you're strictly on juices. Only get through about 3 drinks on this day, my body just cannot seem to stomach it. I know my body craves those nutrients and needs them but I physically cannot drink them all. Get through the day feeling pretty lousy. Pick up at the end of the day and decide to take it easy. I can tell I am putting too much pressure on myself on this cleanse for not handling it as well as I thought. But that is normal, and it's OK, my body is healing, and my body is thankful for everything that is happening.
Favourite juice pick of the day: Myrtle Elixir.. mmmmmmm think a really really delicious iced tea, and then even better!

Day 4 (Green Cleanse):
Sunday
Wake up feeling good! No headache, no nausea. Thinking I am actually over the hump! I drink my Green Guru and feel amazing. Got a huge day of cooking, styling and photographing and feel totally fine the whole day. I feel light and I feel good. I may be slightly more emotional than normal but that's OK as I have good people around me. Getting tempted by the 10 dishes I have had to prepare but just sip on my juices and feel OK. The juices today are particularly good - the Green Cleanse seems to be my favourite so far in terms of juice combinations. Still cannot quite get through every juice but try my best. Gets to the end of the day and I have not caved to any food and I still don't have a headache. I rest at night and try and just be still.
Favourite juice picks of the day: Green Wilderness (mmmm this is a really good refreshing and just nice subtle green juice. Love love love it!)

Day 5 (Green Cleanse):
Monday
Have to pick up my boyfriend from the airport today and continue my last day of cleanse despite him buying me a suitcase (no joke) of Wholefoods items from America, and even treats from Tartine Bakery in San Francisco!!!! This is temptation at it's highest!!!!! I resist all temptations and keep going with my juices. I feel good. He is supportive of me although keeps letting slip "what should we eat?". I am feeling good today. I don't have a headache, I feel even lighter than before, I feel like I could do anything despite only having liquid in my tummy. Really savour each juice today and try and take it slow. Enjoy every single mouthful and just appreciate everything. My mind is feeling clearer and I can feel stress coming off my body. Definitely don't want to open the fridge tomorrow and find that I have no juices. Not looking forward to that. How quickly until I can order some more Cashew Chai and Green Guru... Now understand why there is a 6 pack of these two juices available!!!
Favourite juice picks of the day: Green Garden & Green Guru (I really just want a whole heap of these to drink every single day!!!!!)

Summary
This cleanse is not for the faint hearted, but it sure is a real wake up call to the body and will definitely do what it says and it will help rid your body of unwanted toxins. Although the first three days were much harder than what I thought they would be, and I am not going to pretend it was a walk in the park - as it certainly wasn't. There were moments where I wanted to open the fridge and shove whatever I could in my mouth. There were moments I questioned whether it was worth it continuing. But I knew it was just my body fighting off healing and I had to push through it, and I am really very glad I did. I felt lighter, happier and healthier at the end of the five days. The last two days were much better than the beginning three. I knew my skin was clearer, my mind was clearer and I was motivated. The daily morning emails from Orchard St made the cleanse a lot easier as you felt support and assured that you were OK and what you were feeling is OK. The Pure Cleanse I would definitely only recommend if you've done a few cleanses before and can handle the hardcore. The Green Cleanse would be my first recommendation to anyone who was interested in going on a juice cleanse, followed by The Signature Cleanse. However if you plan on doing an Orchard St cleanse, I do recommend you send Kirsten or the team an email and ask them which cleanse may suit you best. I think doing a 1 or 3 day cleanse is more sensible to start on, but the 5 day was definitely worth it in the end. I am very grateful for Kirsten and the team at Orchard St for creating this program and their dispensary and juices. These are some really beautiful and pure hearted people, and you can feel that love from them whilst on the cleanse. Don't go into the cleanse feeling like it will be easy as it will not, just don't walk away when it is hard as it's just your body healing and in the end you will feel great. 

I think for me going on a juice cleanse will be like the equivalent of an athlete eating McDonalds - once in a blue moon!! I cannot however wait to visit the dispensary in person when I get up to Sydney so I can grab a whole heap of my favourites again to sip and enjoy. I also do want to add that I am encouraging people to go on a cleanse, nor am I saying it is right for everyone, as I definitely know it is not. This was just my experience and if it sounds like something that interests you, I encourage you to do your own research and work out if it is appropriate or not for your own body. We are all on different journeys and we are all at different stages, what is right for one person is not necessarily right for another and this is something we all have to be mindful of. We need to make our own informed decisions as we know our bodies better than anyone!

For more information on the cleanses or just to check Orchard St out you can do so here.