Welcome to 2017,

Yes we have past the first quarter and I have only just drawn breath.

The year of the Fire Rooster has begun so for those interested in this information, here is one of many web sites.

My year started off with a reboot in New Zealand where I took myself off to a retreat for 5 days, under the guidance of a very experienced practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and a number of other healing modalities under her belt, near 40 years of clinical experience. Heather Bruce certainly knows a lot about health and in particular fertility. Yes there are many specialists in fertility these days; Heather’s style is focused on bringing the whole person back to health not just for fertility, overall health and well being for both the male and female. I certainly felt a change within the time I was away. I spent the time receiving treatments and studying health and nutrition from a different frame work. The information is not new, it is presented in a way that made perfect sense and after putting the systems into place I have seen immediate results, both in myself and in clinic. The feedback has been most encouraging from clients and so the changes have stayed. Generally the treatment sessions are longer and the work deeper and less frequent, so it is a win win all the way round.

I have been busier than ever in clinic, which speaks volumes itself.

So if you would like to come in and try the different format I’d love to see you again, especially if I haven’t seen you in a while.

One of the styles that I touched on, while I was away, was the Avigo Therapy; I was impressed enough with this and so I invited a practitioner Elizabeth Stein to come over and run a self care workshop in May, please follow the link if you are interested. It is 2.5 days of invaluable training and well worth the investment. I look forward to seeing you there. Elizabeth will also be available for treatments too. Avigo Workshop

Hoping you have all had an enjoyable summer, I can’t believe it is actually over. I am most saddened that my local pool has closed for the season. I do notice the coolness in the early mornings and the late evenings, which I in fact enjoy.

So it is that time of year to consider the Metal element and protect the Lungs, (for more reading on this element please follow link metal

Remember to take an extra layer to work, or when you are out and about maybe a scarf, vest, or a lightweight jacket, so you don’t catch a chill when the temperature begins to drop.

Acupuncture clinics in China are always busy at this time of year as the people in the know come in for their preventative treatment sessions. Much easier to strengthen the immune system than get sick; any lung issues, asthma, allergies, reoccurring infections, can all be addressed with acupuncture and Chinese herbs. And of course to shorten the duration of a cold if you get one, come in and get a treatment.

Heather Bruce has just been in Melbourne to both give treatments and introduce the Mercier Training that will be available later in the year, this was another system that I was introduced to while in N.Z. and I found of benefit. Here is a link:

Both of these therapies are very complimentary to the Acupuncture system.

And for those of you that wait with baited breath or taste buds, for my recipes, this one came from my Christmas present Hemsley and Hemsley.

Bone Broth

For those that have asked: they have a simple recipe for stock, which the Americans call bone broth.

This is 101 in any restaurant kitchen that I have ever worked in and made once or twice every week by an apprentice.

3 kg of beef bones, lamb bones or chicken carcasses.

Method

Place bones in large stainless steel pot, slow cooker of pressure cooker and cover with cold water, the water should cover the bones by 5 cm while leaving room at the top of the pan.
Cover with lid and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid on for at least 12 hrs for beef or lamb and 6 hrs for chicken. If using a slow cooker, cook on high for at least 12 hours. If using a pressure cooker cook on high pressure for at least 3 hrs.
Strain the liquid, using a fine mesh for strainer for the chicken. Use immediately or leave to cool before storing. Bone broth will keep in the fridge or several days.

Optional extras: generous splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, onion, leek, carrot or celery, parsley stalks peppercorns and or bay leaves.

Spinach and Bacon Tart with nutty Almond case

Pastry case

375 g ground almonds (meal)

2 teas sea salt

½ teas bi carb soda

30 g butter at room temp

2 eggs

Filling

250g bacon or pancetta chopped

1 large onion halved and finely sliced

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

180 g fresh spinach chopped

5 eggs

250 mls full fat coconut milk

80 g cherry tomatoes

1 handful of fresh parsley leaves and stalks finely chopped

1 tabs fresh thyme leaves 1 teas if dried

Sea salt and black pepper

Method

Mix the pastry ingredients by hand to form a dough and then roll into 3 mm hick disc between 2 sheets of baking paper. Line a 24 cm diameter ceramic flan dish. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and chill in the fridge for 20 mins.
Preheat oven to 180
Put bean filled chilled tart case in the oven to bake for 10 mins, then remove the baking beans and paper and bake for a further 10 mins until lightly browned. Set aside and reduce oven temp to 170
For the filling fry the bacon or pancetta in a large dry frying pan over a medium heat for 4 minutes until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside.
Cook onion in the bacon fat over a low heat for about 12 minutes until caramelised adding a touch of ghee (clarified butter) if needed. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan as it will prevent the onion from caramelising. Add the garlic to cook for the final few minutes
Tip in the spinach and allow it to cook down until any excess liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and coconut milk. Add the cooked bacon bits with the onion and spinach mixture, then season with salt and pepper.
Pour the egg mixture into your pre-baked tart case. Top with halved cherry tomatoes cut side up and push them down slightly. Bake for 35 minutes until golden brown on top and just set in the middle, jiggly but not runny.
Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm with a sprinkle of chopped parsley. This is great for the school or office lunch.

For many more healthy recipes - click here

All the usual things are happening in clinic; great massages with Christina on Tuesdays.

Tania does more than live blood analysis when she is in once a month; these are very informative sessions about what goes on in your blood and the preventive markers that you can address before it gets more serious.

Sam has some great remedies for treating any number of ailments, emotionally and physically.

Ilse, as always, brings much calm and centeredness to thy self.

Look forward to see you all soon, and I’d love your feed back on the new look web site, much more mobile friendly too.

Team Utopia.