Comfortably Yum - A Giveaway

When my husband and I decided that we wanted to try out a vegan diet, we did so for a month and as it turns out, we loved how we felt both with what we were putting into our bodies and our impact on the environment as well as all the animals we'd be saving, that we never looked back.  I've had so much fun over the last two and a half years playing around with recipes and my excitement and love of cooking has grown exponentially. And then every now and then something comes along and solidifies how I feel even further. 

One of the things I love doing is showing others that you don't have to have meat or dairy in your diet to have FANTASTIC meals. There are so many incredible recipes out there that even the more diehard carnivore will love. 

I'm excited to share this new eCookbook, Comfortably Yum,  that my lovely and very talented friend, Allison from Allison's Gourmet has created. And guess what? She is giving away a copy to one of YOU!

ComfortablyYum

Allison is a trained vegan chef with over 20 years of plant-based cooking experience and this labor of love is her first eCookbook and I'm happy to share it with all of you. 

I met Allison at IIN (Institute of Integrative Nutrition) and we instantly clicked. Actually, she sought me out because I was vegan and developed an instant friendship from there. 

Comfortably Yum is a recipe book of ten of your old favorite comfort meals but made plant-based including, Mac and Cheese, Tuna Melt, Vegan Egg Salad and my personal favorite, the Salted Caramel Pudding Parfait (quite possibly one of the best desserts I've ever had!)

ComfortablyYumRecipes

I've had the pleasure of trying almost all of these recipes because I was a recipe tester for her and I will say, in my honest opinion, they are incredibly delicious, hearty and very satisfying.

So what do you have to do to enter? It's easy, just like me on Facebook and leave a comment here telling me which recipe you really want to try! The winner will be picked at random on February 18th. 

This giveaway is open to all, 18 years or older and will be live from Monday, February 10th to Monday, February 17th, 11:59pm.

If you're as excited about this book as I am and you want your copy of Comfortably Yum right away, here's a code to get $5 off for this week only: SSA14. (If you win, Allison's will give you a refund.)

In health and happiness,

Guest Post: Radiate your passion – it’s good for you, and everyone else by Natalia Chouklina

Birthday month is coming closer to an end and there is only one more Monday guest post after this. I truly hope you have enjoyed reading the inspiring, honest and brilliant words of the women who have shared already. Today's post is from a sweet and dear lovely, Natalia. I met Natalia back over the summer and we've been budding a little friendship through email back and forth. She is truly an inspiring individual on so many levels but specifically because she really walks the walk.

Her post today is all about radiating your passion and embracing and shining your enthusiasm for the world to absorb, something that we both feel deeply about.

She is also giving away something so amazing so make sure you read all the way to the bottom of the post to see what it is. And if you missed the other three giveaways, make sure you check them out as well:

One-month 'Build Your Best Life Coaching' with Amanda from The Savoury Soul

A Vegetable Spiralizer from Heather at Raw and Not Alone

Rock Your Body Now Strategy Session with Elizabeth from Your Highest Self

All giveaways are featured at the bottom of the post and will be open for a limited time so if one looks appealing just follow the instructions to be qualified and please share if you think others would be interested!

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Guest Post by Natalia from Achieve the Impossible

A while back I found myself sharing a glass of vino with a group of amazing women and chatting about everything under the sun. Introductions out of the way, one of the ladies asked me:

'‘What kind of a life coach are you?’

I LOVE answering this question and could talk about life coaching for hours with anyone who’d listen.

‘I’m in business of helping people make their dreams come true!’ – I responded enthusiastically. (Getting goose bumps and teary eyed as I type this!)

I glanced around the table with a happy grin on my face and noticed a couple women sporting a look I knew all too well.

It was a look of a person who’s been hardened by time, disappointments and setbacks. It was a look of person whose passionate enthusiasm had been replaced with hard-wired pragmatism, and it said:

‘You are so young and full of dreams; give it a few years and it will change.”

The conversation died shortly after I shared my age and my excitement was chalked up to a young-and-hopeful syndrome.

I was sad. Not because nobody shared my enthusiasm, but I was reminded what it was like to live a life sans excitement and uncontained dreaming.

It’s no fun at all.

Not so long ago I was the one looking exactly same way at the eager sales executives, and I smirking at their ambitions of changing the world one sale at a time.

Enthusiasm irritated me and brought on a wave of sarcastic comments. I felt tired and resentful most days. This persistent lack of enthusiasm for life and my job eventually led me to exit the industry altogether to search for something different.

“If it doesn’t light you up, you are the wrong person for a job.” – Danielle LaPorte

There was nothing wrong with the job – it simply wasn’t for me. Despite my sarcasm, I saw that enthusiastic people looked alive and attractive. I wanted me some of that!

Here’s what I’ve learned about enthusiastic people:

1. They are magnetic. Enthusiastic people radiate light from inside out, and this in itself is enrolling, compelling and moving!

2. When you discover what lights you up, someone’s display of enthusiasm no longer annoys you – you ride the wave together! You seek out different ways to combine your ideas and energy instead of hating and judging.

Brene Brown says that ‘vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation’. I would like to add enthusiasm to this mix. Being authentically enthusiastic about anything calls on you to show up and to practice courage like you wouldn’t believe!

It’s a lot easier to stick with the crowd and blend in especially when your ideas are unique and untested!

When writing my website copy the first time around, I decided to stick with the tried-and-true coaching lingo instead of writing about what made me go ga-ga with excitement, a message centered on listening and trusting our inner wisdom.

I researched other successful coaches, borrowed an idea here, a structure there, massaged it, changed a few words and posted that.

Now I had a professional looking website with a very proper message. Except that it felt meh. It was another boring website with no personality, like the world needs any more of those.

A re-do was in order and this time I told myself that I will not a post anything unless I absolutely loved it. It mattered not if it wasn’t professional, eloquent or didn’t meet the industry standard. The words had to make my heart burn with excitement when I read them, otherwise – bye-bye!

Enthusiasm is indispensable in the creation process. It’s what makes your uniquity rise to the surface! It’s a key ingredient in invigorating others and enrolling them into your possibility!

‘Most amazing people are a tad obsessive and eccentric. Driven. Devoted.’ – Danielle Laporte

This brings me to my main point – the world needs your enthusiasm, your passion and your excitement. Witnessing enthusiastic people in action reminded what I was missing out on, and inspired me to search for what made my heart shine and eyes sparkle!

Allow yourself to get giddy with excitement, dream big, show your enthusiasm and share your awesome ideas with the whole wide world!

Your dreams are not for everyone; however, eventually you will meet people who will eagerly share the road with you. The road that fills your heart with love, your soul with passion and your body with life force and will inspire others to do the same.

Isn’t this the most awesome way to heal the world, don’t you think?

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GIVEAWAY

Natalia is launching her first e-course, Unravel Yourself Circle beginning on October 23, 2013. Only 15 spots are available and she is graciously giving one of YOU a chance to win one of the precious places.

What do you have to do to enter? Just leave a comment on either her facebook or mine (The Savoury Soul) and tell us, "What does Unraveling mean to you?"

It's that easy! Also, please feel free to share this post. The more the merrier!

pic 1 aboutNatalia wants to live in the world where everyone wakes up feeling 100% alive, ‘Thank You’ notes are written by hand, and kindness and generosity are default responses to everything.

A wildly passionate life coach + thought-provoking writer, she’s been spotlighted on Kind Over Matter, Wellness Warrior, Wild Sister Magazine, In Spaces Between and Sprout Magazine.

Her first signature e-courseUnravel Yourself Circle - launches at the end of October 2013.

When she’s not coaching up a storm, she can be found walking in Stanley Park, testing a new Bon Appetite recipe with her man and watching 70s cop shows.

Find out how to shine with passion + take magnificent strides towards making your dreams come true in life & in business at Achieve the Impossible.

Guest Post: Being You (and not just snippets of you) by Elizabeth McKenzie

Hey loves! How was your weekend? Mine was quite relaxing. We finished up the last few days of summer on Saturday with sunny blue skies and highs in the 80's and Sunday was cloudy, cooler and rainy. The perfect day to curl up with a good book, a cup of warm tea and get cozy for the day. It's also the start of football session which brings back so many memories from my youth. I personally have a hard time watching it but I love having it in the background as lose myself in the kitchen or a good book.

What do you love about the transition from summer to fall?

To continue this exciting month of amazing women and giveaways, today I have a lady who embodies authenticity and strength. She is, in my humble opinion, a queen of magnificence, a firer starter and a champion for helping women find their voice. She's a gem.

Elizabeth from Your Higher Self is here today to talk about a subject that I think is SO important; Being YOU and to offer one of you a special little treat. Read on to see what it is.

Don't forget about the other awesome gifts from the two previous weeks. My birthday may be long over but the fun around here is not!

+ One-Month 'Build Your Best Life' Personalized Coaching with ME

+ An A-MAZ-ZING Veggie Pasta Spiralizer for some healthy alternatives to your traditional pastas

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E.McKenzie

How hard is it to be you these days? You let one little fuck out and you become the girl who swears. You wear kicks instead of high heels and you’re not a lady and then you write something profound and deep and you’re the spiritual hippy. Someone sees you got a few tattoos and now you’re the badass.

Okay so my little rant was probably more related to me then to you because I’ve felt it lately. Ya know, the labels, the fitting people into neat categories, the teeny snippets of me. And it’s not just other people doing it. I do it too. To myself.  When I started my blog in 2012 I labelled myself a spiritual seeker. Period. That was it. For ages I thought that since that was the person I put out there, that was the only way I was allowed to be. I wasn’t allowed to swear or talk about rad shoes ever. And heaven forbid I told anyone I was obsessed with tracking down boyfriend jeans.

I had reduced my whole entire self to just one teeny aspect – being the spiritual seeker. Which wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the entire truth either. And after months living only a snippet of me, I got tired. It was boring, restrictive and not fun because it wasn’t me. And so there came a point where I couldn’t contain my true self any more. It was a gradual shift, in hope that people wouldn’t notice. But people noticed, and started complimenting me on doing my thing. On being real. Whole. My true self.

In the spirit of this post and being 100% me, here’s some things about me that just don’t make sense:

I love Nike shoes and hi tops/ I also love to dress up and wear dresses and heels/ I listen to heavy metal (one of my favorite bands is in flames)/ I also listen to Britney Spears and hip hop/ I’m studying speech pathology/ I’m going to study kinesiology/ I love greasy pizza and ice cream/ I love green smoothies/ I talk to my angels/ I love evidence based practice in proving therapy works in speech pathology/ I swear / I have an awesome sweet voice that makes kids love me/ I love tattoos/ I use crystals/ I yell and scream at the footy and guess what? I’m so totally happy sharing all those aspects that make me whole.

Your turn:

How to be 100% you.

+ It’ll take time

Mostly because as you start to be more open to being you, you start discovering what you like and what you don’t and what you’re willing to do and what you’re not. Essentially the more you start being you, the more you’ll understand who you are. And this will change over time.

+ It’ll scare the shit out of you

The first time you share something you’ve never shared before will scare you. Don’t let that stop you. Even if you only share the teeniest bit of information, stand your ground. You’ll feel amazing once you do and guess what? 99.99% of people are pretty awesome and open to knowing the real you!

+ You’ll try to sabotage yourself to protect yourself

You’ll try and stop yourself from being completely whole by trying to convince yourself that this isn’t actually you. Try to zoom out the focus and look at yourself as a whole. Like me, you’re probably a whole bunch of contradictions and that’s okay.

+ You’ll feel free and light and uplifted and inspired by YOURSELF

When you’re brave enough to share the real you, you’ll feel energised. You’ll smile uncontrollably, you’ll feel love, you’ll feel light and supported. Your life will change, and you’ll question why you were terrified to begin with.

+ People will notice and be cool with all of you

That’s right. Even if you don’t directly share information, by just being you people’ll start to notice and they’ll ask if you got a new haircut or new moisturizer because you look amazing and it’s true - you do, because you’re 100% you.

+ You’ll gain confidence

The more you practice being you, the better you get. The better you get the more confident you are.  It’s that whole practice makes perfect thang.

+ You’ll discover what you want to do in life

The best thing about being 100% you, besides feeling incredibly happy is that you’ll be able to actually live the life you’re meant to be living this lifetime. By being 100% who you are, you’ll discover what you’re ultimate dreams are, and with that confidence you’ll be able to go out and actually achieve them.

And if you’re still not convinced here’s your permission slip:  You are allowed to be all of you, not just snippets of you.

Elizabeth McKenzie

Hey yo! I’m Elizabeth, I’m a speech pathologist, kinesiologist and life coach in training and the creator of Bringing Sexy Back Bootcamp. I help women rock their life with confidence, passion and purpose. I show them how to make that seemingly impossible life possible.

Women come to me because they feel stuck, insecure and afraid of their future. I give them a mojo injection, a permission slip to speak their truth and the skills and habits to create and maintain a life they’ve chosen for themselves. As a result, my clients own their destiny, and their sexy selves.

Grab my free ebook ‘Me, my highest self and I: 20 ways to skyrocket your relationship with yourself’ HERE .  And say hello on facebook.

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Wanna win a Rock Your Body Now Strategy Session with Elizabeth? 

Simply share this post on facebook and tag me at The Savoury Soul and Elizabeth at Your Highest Self and come back and leave a comment telling us your favorite thing about YOU! (OR, just leave a comment)

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