I started this blog because I wanted to chronicle my journey to a healthier, stronger, happier version of me and I needed a place to stash my recipes and musings. By no means has my journey been smooth sailing, nor have I reached my final destination in this process, I’m a self-proclaimed work in progress just like everyone else. The blog has evolved a little since I launched it in 2014 to encompass a more than just a recipe journal, just as my definition of what clean living means to me has evolved.
Clean living to me means choosing to put clean, un-processed food in your mouth and taking the time to move your body in a way that inspires you, which for me means crossfit running and yoga. Clean living also speaks to what you choose to fill the rest of your day with and making sure it’s fulfilling and inspiring with the aim of achieving a well-rounded approach to healthy living. I choose to fill my days working full-time as a business analyst, travelling to new and exciting places, being creative, hiking with my dogs, reading, watching endless amounts of movies and catching up with good friends and family over a fragrant cup of coffee.
My Foodie Story
I’ve always been fond of tinkering in the kitchen. My mom was an adventurous cook and I often think how silly it was that I didn’t appreciate some of the gourmet sandwiches with exotic ingredients she packed for school lunches when all I wanted was a plain old cheese sandwich. It bothered me back then that I had to suffer through her food experiments but in hindsight I’m so grateful… she taught me to be adventurous in pairing different flavours and ingredients to tantalize the palate. Fast forward a few years and I loved to cook and bake so much that when I got to high school I took home economics all the way to matric graduating with top marks which given it was my favourite subject wasn’t difficult (cooking delicious food and playing in the kitchen was far more exciting than math or history! Although some of that algebra has come in handy when halving recipes to make smaller batches).
From there cooking took a back seat for a few years while I studied and qualified to begin work as an IT professional. It wasn’t until I discovered a new way of eating called Paleo that my interest was piqued and I took up residence in the kitchen again experimenting and enjoying the creative process. I’ve tinkered with many similar eating plans to Paleo including, Banting, Low Carb High Fat (LCHF), Ketogenic and Primal and I’ve found them all to be wonderful in their own right. Through this journey of self-experimentation I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t prescribe to one specific eating plan like Paleo or Banting or Low Carb High Fat (why be all draconian and limit yourself like that [insert cheeky grin here]) but rather a mix of them all that I tailor to suite what my body needs at the time. In a nutshell I try to limit my overall carbohydrate intake and avoid all grains, pulses and processed sugar. When I need to trim down a little I cut the carbs significantly and when I feel like I need a treat I make something more Paleo(ish) and bake something using a natural sweetener like banana.
What I hope to share through the recipes I style and photograph for this blog, as well as foodie adventures around the world, is to encourage you to experiment for yourself. I truly believe that the movement to clean living is long overdue in this fast paced, processed convenience food laden world of ours and it’s time to move back to a simpler way of living.
The views and opinions on this website should not serve as medical advice. This website makes no attempt to set out any health benefits or risks for specific individuals of adopting a low or controlled carbohydrate high fat way of eating. These website pages do not provide medical advice or diagnosis. Any person considering making a significant change to their diet should obtain medical advice before doing so.
My nutritional panels are calculated using MyFitnessPal. Nutritional values may vary depending on which brand of food you buy. For accuracy, please calculate your own nutritional values.
Some of the links I share on Clean Living Chronicles are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small affiliate commission. The products I share are not ever influenced by advertisers – each item is handpicked by me, and always review them personally and recommend them based on my own opinion of what I think is awesome.
Image Use Policy
Feel free to re-blog my photos or work but please do link back to me. My photos may not be used for commercial purposes. I always try to credit the original source of work or artist I feature. If your work is featured here and you would like it removed, please email me and I will do so immediately. Thank you!