The Wholistic Project

Unconventional bookworm 📚

I’ve never been much of a reader, like at all! However there is something about books that I find so beautiful. Around my house I have little piles of them which cover a whole range of topics, mostly health and cooking.

I always live by the saying “Know better, do better”. I am passionate about health, oils, cooking and low tox because I have researched and learnt about how these certain things can completely change your whole being, how with a few tweaks you and your family can thrive with less toxins in your home, have healthier food on your plate and a better understanding of your own body.

We are all at different stages in our journey. It’s powerful because we can always look for better if we choose to do so. Life is always filled with choice.

I choose to lead a low tox home, I choose to tune into the energy of crystals like a weird hippy, I choose to pull angel cards everyday for guidance but that is my journey and I really bloody love it!

What books would be in your pile?? 📚

A forever floofer 💁🏻‍♀️

Because I am physically unable to sit on my butt and do nothing when I’m told to, I needed a little project. My house to be fair, is my forever project. I love redecorating, more than I care to admit. It annoys the crap out of my husband because when he comes home from work something has moved or has been brought 🤦🏻‍♀️ I can’t help it! Call it an illness if you must. (I remember as a child/teenager redoing my room over and over again)

I’m not unhappy, but I find things I like better. It serves a purpose and makes me happy until I find a style I like better, and then old items get donated to make someone else happy.

Things will frequently change, but you will always find in our home diffusers, oils, photos and plants.

In saying all of that, material things are ultimately a bonus that we are very fortunate and grateful to have. I will forever be grateful of our home. The important thing is, The Garwood house will always be filled with love, a hug and food. (Unless it’s a Sunday, good luck on the food front) 😉

Hey Friends,

Its been a while. 2020 hey! What a year! When I started The Wholistic Project it was all about inspiring and an outlet to share gorgeous food, and how I try to live a non-toxic life as well as sharing my journey with my health in hopes it can help some of you. Well I am going to be honest. This year I have not felt inspired, motivated or even content with how life is going. I have merely just been surviving this crazy world we are currently living in like I feel so many of you also have been doing.

A lot of changes have happened in the process however, and I feel like its really important to acknowledge those changes because good or bad they are ultimately going to have an impact on our life. Firstly like many, I was faced with unemployment for most of the year. We always dream about not having to go to work, but after seven months.. trust me, you actually crave social interactions!!!
Then of course, the fact we are unable to come home to visit our family (I am dying to hug my mum!) or not even the option to go to Melbourne and meet our new Nephew (Who is the best thing since sliced gluten free bread) I am seriously the proudest Aunty!

The year has been full of challenges, disappointment and tears. However its taught me to go slower, appreciate the good, and hold onto the people who are important in our life. But it’s been no picnic!

I am going to slowly return to The Wholistic Project, when I feel called too, and try not fit this perfect expectation I created for myself, but what I want to know first, what are you grateful for in 2020? because we can all agree, its mostly been a sh***er of a year, but lets put a positive spin on it.

What are you grateful for?
A x

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE 🍫
Husband has stopped buying treats, something about getting chunky... I don’t know... so I made some. HA! 😂
It’s the good kind of treat though, clean, whole food and easy. My kinda thang!
1 cup cacao butter
3/4 cup of cocoa or cacao
Few drops of stevia or 1/4 cup of maple syrup (May have to adjust sweetness levels to your liking)
Vanilla powder
1-2 drops Young living essential oil (peppermint or orange are my faves)
Double boil, lay on a baking sheet and put in the freezer.
You are welcome. I feel like W***y Wonka, but the less creepy version. .

It’s not the prettiest picture, however I just made homemade tomato and basil sauce with freshly made gluten free gnocchi from the farmers market, with organic beet leaves and fresh gluten free garlic bread. 😯
And let me inform you.....perfection 😍

CLEANING ✨
I didn’t really see a huge difference in my health until I started using non toxic products. It sounds so strange to think, but it’s not just what we put in our bodies that makes us feel a certain way. There are so many environmental factors that contribute to our health aswell. I used to use EcoProducts thinking I was doing the best for myself and my family, however I learnt the term “green washing” and found out that what I thought was best, was actually just very clever marketing and had just as many chemicals as standard products.
We now have one product. It cleans our whole home, without nasty chemicals, without toxins and actually has immune boosting ingredients that support our health. We all know I love cleaning, and trust me. It works. It’s safe for kiddies and fur babies and doesn’t fill your home with endocrine disrupting chemicals. I also love the fact I don’t get a killer headache and go for a 3 hour nap after I clean the bathroom now (true story) 🙌🏻
Know better, do better. 🌱

Hashimoto’s disease.
I remember the day so clearly. I was at work and my doctor sent me a txt message saying that my test results have come back and I have progressive hashimoto’s disease (Seriously... who breaks the news of a lifelong chronic illness over txt message) I immediately started crying. I knew what it meant. I had watched my mum battle it for years (she is seriously my super hero) I then went into a dark hole that was very hard to get out of. What I didn’t understand was that they caught it early. I get symptoms. It makes other health issues worse. They are hard. I get checked every six months and coming up at the end of the year it will be two years of staying progressive. 🙌🏻
People think I’m crazy when I talk about oils and why I’m so obsessed with them. I do it for me. Supporting my body naturally is my way. My choice. This beautiful oil Endoflex is in my natural tool kit for supporting my thyroid as much as I can. It supports my endocrine system as well as boosting energy levels (which is so needed) and balancing my metabolism.
There will never be a cure. It’s with me for life but I have so many things to support me and to help me in the journey that I’m thankful for. I will kick it’s stupid ass! ✨

VEGAN MAC-NO-CHEESE 🌱
Creamy vegan and gluten free Mac-no-cheese with a crunchy garlic and rosemary top. 🤤
Inspired by

OATMEAL COOKIES

I had the biggest craving for oatmeal raisin cookies yesterday and since i absolutely hate raisins i decided to come up with a delicious oatmeal cookie base that you can adapt to what you have and what you feel like. This is of course, gluten free and vegan and is perfect out of the oven with a hot cup of tea.

Oatmeal cookies:

In a bowl you want to mix your wet ingredients and in another bowl mix your dries.

1 1/2 cups of Oats
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 Gluten free flour
1 cup of desiccated coconut
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp of cinnamon or 3 drops of Young Living Cinnamon oil
1/2 cup of coconut sugar

3/4 cup of melted coconut oil
4 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 tsp of vanilla
2 tbsp of plant based milk (I used coconut you can also use soy)

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and give a good mix. Keep in mind if the mix is too flaky and doesn't mold in your add you may want to add a touch more milk or coconut milk. It is not a typical cookie batter, as long as it molds into a cookie shape in your hands its good.

Bake for 10-12 minutes and enjoy warm with a cuppa.

ADD INS: (These are great add ins if you are feeling fancy)
Raisins
Choc chips
Pecans
Walnuts
Dried Fruit (Be careful of the sugar content)

xx

Sitting here by myself with a coffee, homemade breakfast and music playing while admiring our beautiful clean house.
Through this madness, a moment of stillness is remarkably perfect. 💫

VEGAN LASAGNA 🌿
Seriously though, once this is all over, someone gonna have to roll me to the gym! 😂

As we watch this crazy world go by, the storm will pass. 🌪

DIY FACE MASK ✨
I will be the first to admit it, I don’t do face masks nearly enough as I should! Probably out of pure laziness, however I have one currently on my face and I can feel it pulling all the nastiness out of my skin.
I probably haven’t brought a face mask since the days I worked at lush (To be honest, after research I wish I didn’t... download the app think dirty then you’ll know what I mean) but there is something so lovely about doing a face mask and to make one is so easy and not to mention, chemical free 🙌🏻
This one is super simple but effective. I start with a bowl with natural Organic bentonite clay and activated charcoal. These two ingredients are whats going to draw all the dirt out of your skin. Then I go ahead with my oils, I change it every time depending on what my skin needs but lavender, geranium and Frank is always a good combination. Add a touch of filtered water and mix until desired consistency. Leave on until you can no longer smile and you are good to go! ❣️

Happy New year, The Wholistic project family,

I have been a bit quiet on here in the New Year, to be honest I’m ready to just skip past January and start fresh in February.

I watched something a few days ago that really resonated with me and I wanted to share. It was all about joy and incorporating joy into our daily routine.

I think we get so caught up in day to day life that quite often we skip past the ‘fun stuff’ until we feel ‘stuck’ or ‘bored’. When in actual fact, if we all just started adding one thing into our day that brings us joy, we may find a shift in our mental and spiritual selves. For example, I hadn’t picked up a paintbrush in about 10 years. It used to be something that I loved and that was a way to relax my mind and my thoughts. This weekend I brought a $15 art kit with a canvas and just painted. I was a bit rusty but something that I used to do quite often had disappeared to the point where my husband who I’ve been with for 8 years didn’t even know I could paint.

Another example is, this page. The Wholistic Project. I started this page as a way to inspire and give ideas to you all about healthy living and my oily life. Starting it brought me Joy. I haven’t posted nearly enough as I would like to because ‘life’ got in the way, so I might not be posting as much as I would like however I know this page and you all have my back if I post seven days a week, or once a month.

So my question is, what brings you joy? What could you start doing in your daily life to bring you a little bit of joy? It could be as simple or as big as you like. And remember, life is too short to do the same old every day, lets all bring some happiness and joy into our lives one step at a time. x

Frankincense.

My best friend Frank has been used for thousands of years for its healing and spiritual powers. It has made my skin glow, boosted my immune and inflammatory responses as well as letting my body get to a grounded state.

When i first got my premium starter kit, this beautiful oil was tossed to the side as the smell brought me back to a distressing time in my life and i wasn't quite ready to unlock and release the emotions that was associated with this oil.

When i was ready, i started investigating why i could not have this oil anywhere near me. I purchased a book called 'Releasing emotional patterns with essential oils' and DAMN GIRLFRIEND! I never realized how powerful our emotions are and how essential oils can help us deal with and unblock certain emotions.

Frankincense: The feelings of Worthlessness.
Hello! No wonder i couldn't smell the oil! I started working on it, and day by day i slowly got there and now i slap in on my face every day, i put it in the diffuser and now i'm even making frankincense water to drink.

Its amazing to think that one starter kit oil was the key to unlocking emotions i didn't even know i had.

😯😯😯

▪️Did you know that in Europe most foods with food dye in them are labeled with a warning?

▪️Did you know that these dyes have been known to cause cancers, behavioral issues, lack of attention, hyperactivity ans weight gain in children?

▪️Did you know these so called “foods” aren’t foods at all, but just a bunch of toxic chemicals?

✨Every food you eat brings you closer to HEALTH or closer to DISEASE. It’s YOUR choice 🍎🥦🥬🍅🍓🥕🥒

Thanks Gali Horesh Riddle

INSTAGRAM ✨
I do love Instagram and I post ALOT of food snaps on my stories daily, if you arnt following me, go check it out for more food and wellness tips and tricks!

I made crispy fried tofu today and it was DELISH! X

Hello my beautiful Wholistic Project family,

Its been a while, to be honest i took a bit of a break because we have been lucky enough to have some pretty special people visit the past few weeks and i wanted to spend as much time with them as i could. And too be honest, life is crazy! Does anyone else feel that way?

Anyway i am back and i'm excited to share a recipe with you that has been a firm favourite in the Garwood household for the past few weeks.

Now i always get the question, Are you Vegan? And the answer is No, I am not, However i do eat a plant based diet 95% of the time. I choose not to give myself a label purely for the fact that a lot of my life i was searching to give myself a label or to find the correct diet for me which led me down a very dangerous path (That's a story for another time) I eat mostly plant based however we do eat fish occasionally and I am most likely never going to turn down a piece of chocolate. When i do i make sure it is quality and that it is something i will enjoy.

This is my Red Curry. Its delightful! The key is to find a really good quality red curry paste. Avoid the ones with numbers and sugars and the dreaded Canola Oil, i have found one at Woolies that i feel comfortable using, and I'm okay with that.

RED CURRY
3 garlic cloves
A chunk of Ginger
Fresh chilli (Add as much as you can handle)
3x tablespoons of Red curry Paste.
Saute these ingredients in oil of your choice (I use Organic Olive) and stir until it starts bubbling and getting fragrant.
Then add 1x can of coconut cream and stir. Add a tablespoon of sesame oil, half a fresh lime, salt/pepper and two tablespoons of vegetable stock (I use a good quality powder) and optional is some fish sauce (You can now get vegan fish sauce that tastes like the real deal)
Then add your veges of choice and let it simmer away until ready. I bake a piece of Salmon to place on top however you could also do tofu or roasted sweet potato.
Serve with Rice, coriander, cashew seeds and extra lime.

Delish! x

HEALTHY ANZAC COOKIES 🌿

Raw Vegan Pizza 🌿
The Seeds of Life
Bali ❣️

If you told me a year ago, I would be posting my bare, no makeup face I would of told you where to stick it 😂
This is me. No makeup. No filter.
How you ask? NATURAL skincare. No chemicals, no nasties and 100% pure and one very important oil. Rose 🌹
I have used pure Rose oil for TWO DAYS and oh my god, my skin is glowing! I have never had major issues with my skin (thank goodness) but I can’t believe how HEALTHY my skin looks 😍 Thank you Rose, I can officially never live without you! 🌹
If anyone wants to see my natural skincare routine, let ya girl know!

You are exactly where you need to be ❣️

Pizza.
Probably one of my favourite foods. Give me a good pizza and I’m one happy gal! 🙌🏻

This place was amazing! This my friends, is a vegan roasted pumpkin and caramelised onion gluten free pizza with a cashew aioli 😍 ‘Yeah boy’ in Geelong Victoria, had the best food and cocktails! As soon as I’m back in Melbourne, this is where I will be going! 🌿

Melbourne.
The first stop in our travels.
The place of insanely good food.

This beautiful papaya salad was from ‘sister of soul’ in St Kilda. Beautiful fresh plant based food options and delicious healthy smoothies. I have to admit, this wasn’t the first time I had been here and definitely won’t be the last! 🌿

February 2019. The month we packed up our belongings and left New Zealand to see what life would bring us in the Gold Coast.

No jobs and no home meant only one thing to us. Time to Travel.

Two months, fourteen flights and six cities later we enjoyed reunions with our nearest and dearest, lifelong experiences, happy memories and few extra kilos on the hips. Of course, one of the joys of travelling for me is the FOOD.
I love seeing what different parts of the world have to offer in terms of healthy eating, gluten free/plant-based feasts and of course treats!

I feel like when you are on holiday you can enjoy the balance of eating healthy but also letting go the expectations of being perfect. I drunk a lot on this holiday and ate my fair share of sweets however I also made sure I had a green juice and a big serving of veges a day. It was the first time I didn’t feel guilty and it was so FREEING!

Over the next week, I will be sharing my favourite meals from our travels and what I loved about them. Sit back and probably grab a snack because it will make you HUNGRY!

PS, this is me in Spain enjoying a Sangria in the sun. My favourite time of the day. x

Gooey chocolate and banana loaf 🍌
This recipe is definitely a favourite in the Garwood household, it’s gluten free, vegan and DELICIOUS!
I love taking the recipe and putting my own twist on it. This one I’ve added pecans and coconut for a bit of texture.

You can find the recipe on From My Bowl website ❤️

We are definitely a food family! Always have been, always will be! 🌿
Some family are in town at the end of the week and I’m so ready for cuddles and yummy food! 😍
How good does this bowl from look! It tasted AMAZE too! ❤️

Powerfulplants! 🌿

PERFUME.
We all remember our first bottle of Perfume. Mine, Britney Spears. I was obsessed, anything with vanilla undertones I was there! We use perfume every day, every time we leave the house. We associate smells with people, experiences and feelings. It’s what have done for years.
What is in there you ask? Acetone, benzaldehyde, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, camphor, ethanol, ethyl acetate, methylene chloride, linalool, limonene and more can all be found in our perfumes and paired with the dreaded fragrance. Endocrine system disrupting, synthetic estrogen containing, nervous system and kidney damaging, respiratory system harming, coordination impairing, cancer causing toxic chemicals. These ingredients can cause dizziness, allergies, coughing, abdominal pain, chronic fatigue, nausea, The dreaded C word and that is just scratching the surface. 😓
A substance on the skin can enter the blood stream within minutes with no acess to the liver and kidney to help filter the nasties. We are spraying ourselves with poison. 🤦🏻‍♀️
A year ago I threw every perfume I owned in the bin weather it was brand new or now. Now I use essential oils. The fun part, I literally get to create my perfumes and know that is is doing great things for my body. This one is my fave at the moment! It’s filled with uplifting yet calming oils and I get compliments all the time! 🌿

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE SLICE 🍓
Raw, gluten free, vegan and refined sugar free but SO good! 🌿
I always love having treats in the freezer for in case I’m needing something sweet (9 times out of 10). This recipe came from a Bali cooking class we took in April and I’ve customised it to make it even better!
AMAZING! 😍

Will be popping on here tomorrow to chat all things essential oils! See you there! ✨

FRESH AND LOCAL 🌿
One thing I LOVE is a farmers markets on a Saturday morning. Even though it was small, I do miss my good ol Oratia farmers market in the depths of Glen Eden (me trying to make it sound fancy) but today we went to a beautiful one in Burleigh and I suddenly went into my happy place ✨
Fresh and local. Green veges, fresh sugarcane juice, flowers, fruit and beautiful homemade pasta sauce from my gorgeous hairdressers husband .burleigh.
There is nothing better than buying fresh, local and from small businesses ❤️

When it’s thunder and lightning outside it’s only right to have a beautiful warming curry ❤️

Over the last week there has been a lot of posts about mental health with people sharing their stories. Firstly, I want to say. I’m proud of you. I’m proud of having the courage to share. I’m proud that you are here and I’m proud that even though I know days can be a challenge, I’m proud you do the best you can.

I’ve been trying to write this post for 3 days. Not because I’m scared, but because it’s impossible to put into words.

I have depression and anxiety.
And I have had it for a long time. Did I accept that I had it, no. It took me years and a lot of breakdowns to accept. My first sign that anxiety was looming was when me and my best friend were going to a taping of dancing with the stars and I started having a panic attack because I couldn’t figure out what to wear. I couldn’t breathe and this immense panic went through my body.

My biggest battle is my depression.
There are no words to explain how you feel. Balling your eyes out because you physically can’t get out of bed and go to work but going anyway because you didn’t want to let anyone down.
Struggling to get through a day because you just want to go to bed and shut the world out. Missing SO many social events and celebrations because you “can’t deal with it”.
Crying in the shower for no reason, other than you feel like the world is coming down on you.
Everything feels huge. Everything feels hard and everything feels out of your control.

To those who I have let down, I’m sorry.
To those whose plans I’ve cancelled at the last minute, I’m sorry.
To those who don’t always get a flowing convosation with me, I’m sorry.
To those who I’ve stared blankly at, I’m sorry.
I’m sorry because this isnt my intention but this is my reality. I try, and I try really fu***ng hard.

I am strong, and so are you!
I know I can get through it, I have the best family and friends in the world. Some days are hard, but I’m here, and s**t! I’m going to make the most of it! For anyone dealing with mental health issues. It’s okay. You’ve got this.

Happy Saturday! ✨
Who would you devour this platter with this weekend?

MORNINGS 🌻

My whole life has been filled with rushed mornings, whether I was rushing to get to school or rushing to get to work, mornings were never a breeze and would usually consist of me leaving a half drunk cup of tea on the bench or eating a piece of toast (if you were lucky)

Since being in the Gold Coasts I CAN NOT rush my mornings. I need time, I need my breakfast and I need to do my angel cards and lather myself in oils before I even think about leaving the house. I have to confess, it is SO NICE! I love my mornings at home, I feel calm, I feel productive and I’m not starting my day with chaos! ✨

How does everyone choose to spend their mornings? 🌞

Exercise. That word that you either love or you hate. 🏃🏻‍♀️

Who has ever caught themselves saying ‘I can’t be bothered’ or ‘’mm yeah, tomorrow’. That is basically my vocabulary when it comes to exercise. I LOVE walking, but it is so hard sometimes to actually get out and do it, I think I’ve come up with every excuse in the book! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Today, I had a nap, I was tired so I let myself sleep. I woke up NOT wanting to move, but I dragged myself into my active wear and after an hour of hyping myself up, I did it.

It is so important to MOVE OUR BODIES! Whether it’s walking, running, yoga, going to the gym, it’s so detrimental to our health, physically and mentally if we do not move! Even for 15 minutes. Sometimes it’s bloody hard! I get it! But this is your daily reminder to try. Move! 🙌🏻

Who has moved their bodies today?