This week I introduce you to my mate Leah; wife, mother and blogger at Life’s Pantry. Leah sees food as medicine and loves nothing more than getting creative in the kitchen to sustain her three energetic and little ladies.

Allow me to introduce you to this grounded Mamma Bear.

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I am 33 years old, wife and mum of three little girls. I have always worked in administration roles and currently I run our electrical business with my husband – he’s the qualified sparky and I do all the books.

Outside of my girls, hubby and business, I spend most of my time cooking, reading about nutrition, listening to podcasts about health and nutrition, talking about health and nutrition and thinking about healthy and nutrition!

A few years ago I decided I wasn’t happy with the ingredients and additives I was seeing in the foods my girls were eating and since then have made many changes surrounding how we eat and live. In doing this I have discovered my passion – clean, whole, real food and living a simple life, close to nature, focusing on the important things like family, friends, dreams and goals.

I have recently started a blog, Life’s Pantry, in order to share my passion. I love to write and am really enjoying the learning curve of the joining the blogging world!

My next step is to do some study in the nutrition field and ultimately begin a health coaching type business where I can help people to regain their health and quality of life by cleaning up their diets and their lifestyles. We are a very sick species these days and my dream is to see us heal ourselves by eating, moving and thinking right – getting back to basics and honouring our revolutionary bodies.

Where did your open-minded adventure begin? Was there a significant event that shifted you into gear, or did your outlook on life simply shift over time?

 Definitely gradual. One of my good friends had started looking into cleaner eating and I’d noticed some of the delicious and nutritious food she was making. It intrigued me and I began picking her brain about what she was doing and why etc. It just grew gradually from there into what is now a way of life for me and my family and something that really lights me up and drives me.

What motivates you to live your most optimal life?

My girls. They deserve the best from me and I am determined to give it to them. I know that when I eat, sleep, move, think and dream in a way that serves me best, I am able to serve them best. I guess beyond my girls as inspiration, I don’t want to look back on my life and regret that I didn’t make the most of the time I have on this earth. Life is to be lived to the full and I am determined to do that!

What keeps you goofy and ‘down to earth’?

I try to remind myself of where I have come from and who I truly am. If I ever feel I am not being myself I am disappointed in me. My husband Adam is also a good grounder for me as he is a no-fuss type who appreciates the simple things in life. I really admire his authenticity and commitment to his family and his work. Our girls are also very grounding with their uncomplicated views of the world. They teach me a lot about authenticity.

How do you keep exercise FUN?

I have always been a very keen netballer. I love the game. It’s been a big part of my life. I have also always struggled with back pain which began in my childhood, possibly due to having meningitis as a baby. In recent months, my post-30, post-baby body got to a point where netball was just too much for my back and I had to give it up. So now, a good walk is my favourite way to move. We live rurally and there is something very relaxing and refreshing about a walk alone through the quiet countryside. It’s great for both the body and the mind. I don’t walk as often as I’d like to but I’d say as the kids get older, I’ll walk more and more. Hopefully when my back calms down a bit, I’ll be able to do regular yoga also. I find it very relaxing.

When it comes to nutrition, what is your philosophy?

Very simply, eat REAL food.

Most of what is found in our supermarkets and consequently, in people’s pantries these days, isn’t real food. It is so over processed and filled with additives that it no longer resembles actual nourishing food. We have moved away from seasonal, natural, fresh foods to highly processed and refined foods that are laced with chemicals, preservatives and all kind of additives. We simply haven’t evolved to eat like this. Our bodies struggle to recognise these products as food and it is causing us to become a very overweight and ill society.

A favourite saying of mine is: Real food doesn’t have ingredients, real food IS ingredients.

Let’s get back into our kitchens and value the privilege of cooking for ourselves and our families. We are deserving of beautiful nutritious meals and snacks made from scratch. The importance we place on things in life such as work, money, fashion, holidays, fun etc. is all futile if we don’t have our health. Looking after the nutrition of ourselves and our families has got to become a priority.

How do you overcome limiting thoughts and rationalize negativity?

Mindset has been a huge component of my health and wellness journey. It is so easy to let the negative, self-pitying thoughts take over. It has taken me a long time to learn that finding the good in every moment and approaching things from a place of love is essential if I don’t want to descend into a place of negativity.

These days I try to allow myself to feel anything bad or sad but to also make sure I process it and move past it. It is very normal to experience negative emotions but it’s important that they aren’t permitted to rule us.

When I am having a particularly flat day, I try to o something that lights me up like a walk in the sunshine, listening to a podcast I enjoy or having a good chat with a friend. In addition to this, practicing self care and taking time out helps to prevent the negative thoughts arising to begin with.

Think fast, what are you grateful for right now?

1. My girls. I have 3 beautiful, crazy, healthy, loving little girls who both challenge and delight me every day. They are just the best and I am blessed to be their mummy.

2. My husband and his family. Adam is a kind, gentle man who works very hard to provide us with everything we need. He’s a great dad and loves me even when I would be hard to like. I’m lucky to have him. I’m also very blessed to have all of my in-laws. They do a lot for us and I love them dearly.

3. My sisters – I am 5 and 9 years old than my sisters and when I was younger I didn’t feel we were very connected due to our age gaps. But now, as we’re all getting older, the gaps seem to be closing and I don’t know what I’d do without them. They’re my best friends.

4. The life we have. We love in the best country in the world. We have beautiful clean country air and live on a 2 acre property. We have all the room we could want and have the means to do and buy the things we want and need in life. There are so many people suffering in this world and we live like kings in comparison.

5. My tribe. I have learned some valuable lessons in recent years about who to surround myself with and who to trust. I have met some wonderful people along the way and am very grateful for the right people entering my life at the right time.

Make me drool!

This is one of my favourite recipes ever – everyone who tries these crackers loves them!

Inspired by Kim Morrison from Twenty8 and Like Chocolate for Women, these seed crackers have become a staple in our house. Theyr’e everything a cracker should be; crunchy, flavoursome, moreish and salty! What I love most about them is what they aren’t – which is full of processed grains, sugars, hydrogenated vegetable oils, colours, flavours and preservatives. Just pure, delicious crunchiness! And they take only a few minutes to prepare!

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• 1/2 cup almond meal (sub this for a seed meal if allergic to nuts)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup flax seeds
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 cup water
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 2 tbs fresh chopped basil (or herb of choice)
• 1 tsp salt

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Method
Preheat oven to 150C. Combine almond meal and seeds in a bowl. In a jug, mix the remaining ingredients, then add to the dry ingredients.  Leave the mixture to sit for 10-15 mins to absorb the water. Spread onto two lined baking trays as thinly as you like – a piece of baking paper on top and a rolling pin makes this very easy. Bake for 30-35 mins. Remove from oven. Using an egg flip, carefully turn the now firm seed sheet over. Cut into biscuits and return to oven to bake for another 30-35 mins. Once all moisture is gone from the crackers (you can tell this by snapping one in half – should be completely brittle), remove from oven and cool completely before transferring to airtight container. Will keep for up to 2 weeks. Delicious served with dips, cheese, soup, meat, eggs and my favourite – topped with avocado and seaweed salt!

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Check out Leah’s blog here

A few months back, Leah interviewed me on her blog, if you missed it here’s the link

Leah also has a Facebook page

and Instagram account