Featured Friend Interview: Georgia Harding – Well Nourished
16 Feb

Featured Friend Interview: Georgia Harding – Well Nourished

Meet Georgia Harding, a Naturopath, Author, mother and passionate health educator. Georgia shares through her website Well Nourished, fad-free health advice and intolerance/allergy friendly recipes to inspire people to live happy, healthy lives and create delicious food memories. Georgia is committed to supporting the health of this generation and especially loves to help parents feed their children ‘well’. She endeavours to simplify nutrition and make cooking nourishing meals achievable for everyone.

Georgia, what does creating ‘A Healthy Mix for Life’ mean to you?

I really love that you have asked about a ‘healthy mix’ as life is so fluid. So for me, accepting that the ‘mix’ is always in motion is really important. Having kids has really forced this truth upon me and any rigid routine I once had, are long gone. So I try to control the things I can control and accept and welcome the things I can’t control (but this is a work in progress). My healthy mix therefore is a bit like my cooking – an exercise in free-styling. It’s a lifestyle (not a ‘diet’) – I do my best to create delicious, nourishing food memories for my family, exercise and relax a little. I share my passion for health and cooking on my blog and try to stay present through it all. Holidaying with my family is also critical to my wellbeing.

Georgia and kids quote

So what does your day on a plate look like and why do you eat this way?

Every day is completely different for me. The only constant is probably salad – every day at either breakfast, lunch, dinner (or all three) I eat some type of leafy green salad. I have a lot of variety in my diet because I just love food and the endless possibilities of creating something delicious and nourishing. My food focus in a nutshell is to eat a low human intervention (low HI) diet, including a variety of seasonal, local, organic (if available to me), whole foods. I do the best I can with what’s available to me and I have long abandoned the food stress I have suffered in the past.

Living well doesn’t just mean eating healthy … how do you keep your mind and body healthy?

What, there’s more to life than food? Ha ha, no I agree, eating well is ever so important, but there is certainly more to living a healthy life than that. I am a pretty active person and really don’t like to sit for long periods of time. I work standing at my kitchen bench and the only formal exercise I do is Iyenga Yoga as often as possible, boxing once a week and I ‘walk and talk to catch up with girl friends where possible. I love to practice mindful meditation, even if I only manage 10 minutes a day. This I feel has the most profound effect on my mental state of wellbeing. I also think drinking lots of water can’t be underestimated. Just think of what a plant looks like if it hasn’t had enough water!

georgia quote 1

Who is your health, wellness or fitness guru and why?

I would have to say my mum and my nan who shared in raising me. My Nan developed my passion for cooking and my mum introduced me to holistic health and Naturopathy. I also have to add I have a soft spot for Jamie Oliver – I love his passion for food and work educating and improving the health of this generation of kids. I share his vision that all kids will learn about food, how to source it and how to prepare delicious, nourishing whole food meals (and then pass this passion and knowledge on to their own kids).

What is your ONE Super Hero Food that you cannot live without?

This question is like torture for me – one, really? I think all whole foods are super. But if I have to pick one, I’ll choose eggs. They are such a wonderful, nutrient dense food and so versatile.

If you could share with the Raw Blend Family one piece or your wisdom what would it be?

Eating well is about creating a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, it is not a ‘diet’. Build habits and routines into your week – for me, one not-negotiable routine is to shop at my farmers market once a week. This saves me time, money and I always have the foods that serve my body best in the fridge.

The intricacies of what to eat seems to have become a source of stress for so many (which really defeats the purpose of eating well). Try not to get hung-up on all of those little things you “should” be eating. If you’re simply able to enjoy delicious home cooked meals made from fresh, seasonal and local produce (and largely avoid processed foods) I think you’re in a pretty good place.

Georgia recipe image

We are lucky enough to have you share one of your favourite recipes with us today, why do you love this recipe?

The one meal that most of my patients failed miserably with was the most important meal of the day – breakfast. A good breakfast sets you up physically, mentally and emotionally. People who eat an unprocessed breakfast have more energy, are more motivated, focused and generally make healthier food choices throughout the day too.

Seeing as I’ve just bought a beautiful Sedona Dehydrator from you, I thought I’d share one of my favourite pantry staples (though you can also make this in the oven if you don’t have a dehydrator).

This is a grain free, gluten and dairy-free, protein packed breakfast pantry staple. It’s always nice to have a little variety, nutritionally and also so you don’t get fed up with the same breakfast day after day.

The selection of nuts and seeds provide a fibre and protein dense host of vitamins and minerals. The coconut and coconut oil provide fibre and immune boosting fats. The cacao is a wonderful source of antioxidants. It’s also, a great nutritious snack that the kids will love.

Coco-nut -chocs

Makes:  4-5 cups

Ingredients Dry

  • 1/2 cup of raw almonds
  • 1/2 cup of raw macadamia nuts
  • 1/2 cup of raw hazelnuts
  • 1/2 cup of raw cashew nuts
  • 1/2 cup of raw walnuts
  • 1/2 cup of raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • 1/2 cup of raw sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup of sesame seeds
  • 1/2 cup of shredded or desiccated coconut

Ingredients Syrup

  •  1/2 cup sweetener (rice malt syrup, real maple syrup or honey)
  • 1 Tbsp of coconut oil or macadamia nut oil
  • 1 Tbsp of raw cacao powder
  • 1 Tbsp of cinnamon powder
  • 1 Tbsp of vanilla powder (or paste)

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 120 degrees Celsius or your dehydrator to 55 degrees Celsius. If you’d like to soak your nuts and seeds, please do for the recommended times. Rinse and drain well.
  2. Line a large biscuit tray with baking paper (or dehydrator tray with silicone mat). Place all of the nuts, seeds and coconut on the tray. You are after more or less a single layer across the tray.
  3. For the syrup, mix together all of the ingredients into a glass jug or bowl. If the syrup is too thick or the coconut oil solid, heat for 5 minutes or so in the oven. Drizzle the syrup as evenly as possible over the nuts and seeds.
  4. Place in the preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes to make sure all of the nuts and seeds are evenly coated in the delicious syrup. If you are using a dehydrator, dehydrate for 12 hours (stir after the first hour only) or until the nuts and seeds are dry and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Serving Options

  • With full fat natural, unsweetened Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt and fruit.
  • Over pancakes or french toast (to increase the protein content).
  • In a little cup as a snack.

Variations

  • Nut-free
  • Omit the nuts and increase the seeds.
  • Fructose friendly
  • Choose rice malt syrup as your sweetener

Store

Once completely cooled in a large jar or airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

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