Roasted Tomato Soup is one of my favourite winter recipes. Roasting the tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness and enhances the flavour. You don’t have to add the wholegrain sourdough/ciabatta into the soup although that does make it more filling. I usually double or triple the recipe and stock up the freezer with it so it’s easy to take out the night before for a very quick dinner the following day (all you have to do is pop it on the stove to reheat and it’s ready in minutes) 😊
Serves 6
Ingredients
½ bulb of garlic
2 kgs of ripe tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Litre of vegetable stock
4-5 sprigs of fresh basil + additional leaves for garnish
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Break the garlic up into cloves and slice the tomatoes in half. Lay out the tomatoes (cut-side up) on a roasting tray and scatter over the garlic cloves (unpeeled). Sprinkle over the oregano, salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 50-60mins until the tomatoes are soft and sticky.
Remove the tray from the oven and pick out the garlic cloves. Tip all contents of the tray into a large saucepan. Squeeze the sticky insides of the garlic cloves into the saucepan and throw away the skins.
Add stock and roughly chopped basil (including stalks). Tear the bread into pieces and add to saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 10 mins.
Add the red wine vinegar and then blitz in a blender until smooth.
Serve in bowls, drizzle with olive oil and remaining basil leaves.
Enjoy your delicious and nutritious Roasted Tomato Soup.
You are never presented with a situation you are not ready for. If this situation has taught us anything it has taught us how deeply connected we all are with each other and how our actions have a massive effect on everyone around us. We have had to create distance and we feel the strain of that as a society and as a world.
But you know what? We could flip this perception. We could choose to view our current circumstances in a light that serves us rather than feel victim to it. So much of the world pulls us out of ourselves, out of our bodies. Our attention is easily often scattered in all directions except within. Now that we have the space and distance from the outer distractions you can choose to bring your attention back within to really find that deep connection with yourself, to know what is really happening for you and within you.
Are you resisting?
Most of us are fighting this. Resisting the need to go within because “I didn’t sign up for this self development class, thank you very much world!! I will decide when I am ready to look within and make the changes.” Well I say life never presents you with a situation you are not ready for. Why not take this opportunity, these moments of separation to really feel into who you are, where you start and where the outer world begins. It’s from this place that you can really hear your desires, discover your capacity to soar through massive change, and become inspired about what action to take next. And you know what I’ve noticed in my life – when we are ready for change but do not take action to support it, life will intervene and make our situations so uncomfortable that we have no choice but to change, grow, let go.
How to start?
Your desires sit within your heart, and your heart speaks to your mind. Take a moment now, take a deep breath.
Follow your breath down to your heart.
Keep following your breath for a few minutes.
You may like to place your hands over your heart. Now be still. Notice what comes up. What feelings, what thoughts. Allow it all to come and go, and see where the flow takes you. It’s not until we bring our awareness to our hearts that we can hear what it is truly saying.
I recommend doing this practice every morning on waking. Take the time to find deep connection with yourself.
This process is similar to when you receive a massage. Massage helps you to connect to your body. When you are in your body you are out of your thinking mind. Think back to your last massage. Do you remember when the massage started and your awareness went to your body. Did you think “wow, I didn’t realise how tight that was….. or how sore that was!” Awareness was brought to these areas. If you want to know what it is that is making you feel how you are feeling right now I recommend you bring your awareness to your heart, listen, and really hone in on that deep connection with yourself.
The world is in a period of transition, which means we are all in a period of transition.
Just like a boat on a river, life flows. It’s your choice if you use your energy to try and fight the current, or to surrender to the flow. We can’t always control the situation surrounding us but we can use our paddle to navigate down the river of life.
We are incredibly grateful for everyone who was involved in making our book launch such a special night. Our book baby has been birthed into the world!
Some people were asking about whether you can still join our private community Facebook group for Create A Fertile Life, as well as sign up for the FREE miniseries we created to celebrate the launch of the book. The answer is YES YES you may join both the facebook group as well as sign up for the miniseries. You can also purchase your copy of the book here Create a Fertile Life.
P.S. If you are a practitioner and want to join us on 2nd October for our practitioner only launch event, please sign up here. We know as soon as we announce the special guests for this one, spots will be snapped up in a flash. Make sure you are also signed up to our practitioner list for futurecollaborative events and opportunities too.
Thank you to all of our beautiful friends who took photos xx.
Mother Nature provides so many healing gifts to us, one of which is Clary Sage, botanical name Salvia Scarea. The gorgeous purple flowers that cascade down the stem of the plant hold the most special gift. It is in the flowers and foliage of the plant that contains its essential oil which is steam-distilled and extracted. This precious oil can then be used to assist women in so many ways. Here are some of the primary benefits.
Mind
Euphoric and uplifting in action it is beneficial for treating anxiety, stress, nervous tension and depression.
A balancing oil it is strengthening yet relaxing.
Assists with nervous fatigue
Effective for calming the mind and easing tension
Body
Antispasmodic and Analgesic – brings relief to menstrual cramps, assists during labour
Uterine Tonic – can cause contractions of the uterus, which can assist in toning and improving the effectiveness of contractions in labour
Emmenagogue and uterine stimulant – promotes menstruation when it is delayed, scanty or completely absent.
Lowers blood pressure
Oestrogenic action – meaning it mimics oestrogen which can be beneficial to balance hormones and during menopause. For menopause it can help reduce hot flushes, night sweats, palpitations, irritability, as well as headaches and dizziness.
Spirit
Stimulating and balancing the sacral and third eye chakras. The sacral chakra being connected to your sexual organs and third eye to your intuition.
How can I use Clary Sage?
You can use Clary Sage in applications such as:
Massage – add 12 drops of Clary Sage to 30mls of carrier oil. Carrier oils can include jojoba, rosehip, coconut, olive, almond, macadamia, any vegetable oils that are scrumptious and you adore to lather yourself in.
Hot/cold compress – add 4-6 drops to a bowl of hot/cold water and immerse your compress in the water. Repeat soaking of compress as desired.
Bath/foot bath – add 4 -6 drops
Skin care – add 2 drops to a 50 cent piece size of your daily body moisturiser. Avoid adding to facial moisturizer.
Inhalations – add 2-4 drops to a bowl of boiling water and use a towel to cover your head over the bowl and breath normally until steam dissipates.
Oil diffuser or vaporiser – add 4-6 drops
Massage is such a luscious way to absorb the benefits of Clary Sage. For that reason, and all the other benefits stated above, is why at Fertile Ground Health Group we use this essential oil in our birth preparation/induction massages.
Contraindications
Although Clary Sage is a wonderful oil to use when preparing for and during childbirth, as well for menstruation and menopause. It is advised not to use during pregnancy before 37 weeks. Not to be consumed internally.
Nicole McCowan is an experienced remedial and pregnancy massage therapist. as well as a feminine embodiment yoga teacher. She finds both yoga and massage are wonderful ways to help women drop into their body (and out of the mind) and nourish their body, mind and spirit. Nicole has deep respect for where each woman is on her journey and will honour this as she helps facilitate healing and wellbeing through her divinely releaxing and therapeutic massage.
We field a lot of questions about super foods (fertility foods) at FGHG with lots of people wondering if they will be the miracle missing ingredient for their fertility challenges. We thought it would be great to get one of our naturopaths to talk about what superfoods are really the best fertility foods. And we were surprised by the outcome of our discussion – though of course on reflection, it makes complete sense! It seems that while some foods are indeed more super than others, there is no such thing as a miracle food. Getting the basics right, day to day, is the most important step and there are some ‘superfood’ basics that are still commonly over looked by many people.
You’ll see a great example of this at any big shopping centre when trying to find something decent to eat (not an easy task!). You’ll see fast food retailers offering things like “superfood” kebabs which might include acai, goji, quinoa and other additions (probably in trace amounts – a token gesture). Notice this same retailer also sells chips and soft drinks, fatty meat, fried foods and kebabs! This feels like such gimmicky and cynical marketing and certainly not the way that superfoods are best utilized. It gives superfoods a bad name and as well as an undeserved reputation!
There is a lot of talk about superfoods and all the amazing things they have to offer for just about every conceivable human ailment and worry. From Cacao to Gubinge, Maca to Goji and Acai the promises include increased fertility, cures for cancer, recovery from all sorts of disease, anxiety and woe. Certainly these foods have so much to offer and definitely can be considered to be powerful, nutrient dense foods with super qualities.
However, they fall short of being miracle foods. No amount of goji berries is going to make up for the 2 or 3 coffees or cokes you might drink in a day or if you gorge on junk food week after week. If you haven’t got the basics covered, superfoods are not your miracle cure-all for a modern-day poor lifestyle.
While super foods can be fantastic, they are often sold in packed and highly processed ways – packaged, refined, dehydrated, powdered so their nutrient content and/or vitality can be affected to some extent – not to mention the cost! If your super foods come in a chocolate bar with a whole lot of sugar – forget it! It is much better to eat whole live food, preferably locally grown or even better straight from your garden!
Superfoods are a useful and highly beneficial addition to your already amazing diet. But of course, as always, there is no quick fix and no way around eating the basic superfoods every meal, every day for ultimate health! Every meal matters! Without this basis the other stuff is little more than a gimmick.
Here are our Naturopath Tina Jenkins top tips for the daily essential top super and fertility foods for fertility and health!
Green leafy vegetables! This bunch of vegies pack a punch full of fibre, folic acid, Vitamins C and K. Due to their folic acid content they are essential for women who are trying to conceive as well those already pregnant. However, they are equally as important for healthy sperm as folic acid helps in the turnover of DNA (our genetic material). Green vegies include silverbeet, spinach, various types of lettuce, parsley, bok choy, kai lan, choy sum, kale etc. They are wonderful to throw into a soup or stirfry or to make into a green smoothie.
NB: Raw greens such as Kale are best avoided by those with thyroid problems, however, if they are fine if cooked.
Salmon – The king/queen of the sea! Salmon is one of the richest sources of anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids. It’s a wonderful source of protein, selenium and B vitamins, especially B12. If you cook it well and eat the bones then you will also give your calcium levels a boost! Most of the salmon in Australia is farmed but the best source is Huon Tasmanian salmon. Go to http://www.huonaqua.com.au/locator/ to find your nearest stockist.
Blueberries – Packed full of antioxidants! Blueberries are low in fruit sugar and are thus considered a “low GI” fruit, great for women with PCOS or people trying to lose weight. They make a great snack on their own or can be added to some plain yoghurt for a more filling treat. They are a good source of fibre, vitamin C, manganese and Vitamin K. And they taste delicious!
Eggs – Free range, organic eggs are one of our best sources of protein, vitamin D, B12, zinc, phosphorus and selenium. Yes, they contain cholesterol, so speak to your naturopath if it is a problem for you however, as part of a healthy diet that is low in saturated fat and high in healthy fats, a little cholesterol is required in the diet. From a fertility point of view, we need cholesterol as this is what all of our hormones are made from (that includes both oestrogen and testosterone).
A boiled/poached egg is a great addition to a meal and it is also great made into a thin omelette “wrap” rolled up around a variety of fillings (e.g. asparagus, salmon etc).
LSA – ground up linseeds, sunflower seeds and almonds make up this wonderful mix of nutrients (especially magnesium and zinc) and fibre. Sprinkle it over yoghurt, fruit or cereals or pop it into a smoothie.
Yoghurt – a great source of “friendly bacteria” which is essential for optimal absorption of nutrients in the gut and has the added benefit of keeping your immune system strong. It’s also a great source of calcium. Choose organic, full-fat unflavoured yoghurt. A favourite snack of mine is yoghurt and blueberries topped with a tablespoon of “LSA” (available in the healthfood section of your supermarket).
Pumpkin seeds – These little seeds are often forgotten amongst some of their more well-known cousins, however, they are a great source of zinc. Zinc is especially important for both men and women trying to conceive as it is an essential nutrient for sperm health and also for a baby’s growth and development. Have pumpkin seeds raw and untoasted to receive optimal nutrients and add them to salads or have them as a snack.
Quinoa – Quinoa is the only grain (well it’s technically a seed) which is a complete protein i.e. it contains the 9 essential amino acids. It is a great source of fibre, is rich in essential fatty acids, iron, lysine (great if you suffer from cold sores), magnesium, B2 and manganese. Quinoa is also gluten free. Nutritionally it is superior to pasta and is a great accompaniment to a curry or stew/casserole. Quinoa can also be made into a porridge which is lovely topped with some of our other superfoods: blueberries, LSA and yoghurt!
Brown rice – A lovely nutritious grain that contains so many goodies: fibre, B vitamins, Magnesium, Zinc etc. It is far more filling than white rice which means you need to eat less to feel full. B vitamins and Magnesium are nutrients that are used up a lot during periods of stress (and trying to get pregnant can be a stressful time for many couples). Brown rice is also wonderful made up into a porridge or a congee (either with a water or stock base); either sweet (with cinnamon, stewed fruit etc) or savoury (with chicken stock, shitake or reishi mushrooms, green leafy vegies).
Rolled Oats – A great source of fibre, B vitamins, Selenium, Zinc and Magnesium. So many wonderful nutrients for fertility! They also have the added bonus of helping lower cholesterol as well as improving bowel function. Traditionally oats have a long history of use in herbal medicine where they are used for their nourishing action on the nervous system and to help restore energy.
It is in the flowers and foliage of the plant that contains its essential oil which is steam-distilled and extracted. This precious oil can then be used to assist women in so many ways. Here are some of the primary benefits.
