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Welcome to my kitchen, let’s pour some wine, cook some wholesome food and talk about this beautiful thing called life.

-Kiah

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kiahmcfarlane

We lived in the gaps between the stories 📚
@kiahskitchenblog
Find my most recent blog post here ⬇️

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Walks with my favourite pupperoo and the bump...getting a little slower doing our 5km loop but loving this spring sunshine🤰🏽☀️🐶
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#Kelpie #KelpiesOfInstagram #RescueDog #AdoptDontShop #Harley #32weeks #Pregnant #Walks #Spring #CountryLiving #YarraValley #YarraGlen #LoveWhereYouLive #Sunshine #32weekspregnant #GoodForTheSoul #HappyDays #SimpleLiving #SlowLiving #LittleThings

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Farm chores before work 🌱watering the veggies ☀️💦
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#HappyPlace #VeggieGarden #VegetableGarden #HomeGrown #GrowYourOwn #Lemon #Apples #Capsicum #Chilli #Eggplant #Tomato #Radish #Zucchini #Silverbeet #Cucumber #SpringOnion #Spinach #Lettuce #AllTheVeggies #CountryLiving #SimpleLiving #YarraValley #YarraGlen

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The Golden Month ✨ According to traditional Chinese Medicine, the first four weeks after a woman gives birth is an important time of transition where she not only needs appropriate support and rest to recover, but also has an opportunity to go on and heal existing health issues and set herself up for even better health in the future than before the baby. This is due to the release of toxins (along with a hell of a lot of energy) during the birthing process. Proper care and support during the Golden Month is also important for minimising the potential for post natal depression and anxiety. I found this book to be a really interesting read, although it is based around traditional Chinese medicine, it explores postpartum experiences in other traditional cultures such as Ayurveda (a traditional Indian medical system) and African, Samoan, Colombian, Mali and Maori cultures. What’s really interesting, is that most of the traditional beliefs for postpartum healing and support in these cultures contain really similar advice and practices. They all focus on the four pillars of Rest, Massage & Warmth, Mother Warming and Nourishing Food (specific traditional foods and teas that promote postpartum healing). In Western Society there is such a big focus on ‘bouncing back’ immediately to our old self physically, mentally and energetically not only is this unrealistic but can be harmful to our health at a time when we are depleted and vulnerable. This book has given me some great ideas for postpartum and how I want to go about things to ensure I am at my strongest and healthiest for baby boy, I definitely recommend it for any expectant mothers who are open to a more holistic approach 👶🏼🌱🙌🏽✨
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#TraditionalChineseMedicine #TCM #HolisticHealth #NaturalHealth #Ayurveda #Yoga #Acupuncture #Healing #Postpartum #TheFourthTrimester #TraditionalMedicine #HolisticMedicine #PostpartumPrep #Pregnancy #Pregnant #ThirdTrimester #NaturalHealth #BookReview #Bookstagram #GoldenMonth #Mothering

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Spring is here 🙌🏽 loving our fresh lemons and feeling very thankful for my amazing husband who so kindly set up my veggie garden ready for me to plant 🌱 .
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#Grateful #SlowLiving #VeggieGarden #HomeGrown #CountryLife #HappyDays #Springtime #ThisBabyIsGoingToLoveVeggies

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All you need is love… and a sister. Happy birthday to you @pricilla.addams I love you forever and always, wishing you all of the happiness in the world today 💕 #SistersAreTheBest #WhatWouldIDoWithoutYou #BestFriend #HappyBirthday #CountryMouseCityMouse

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Delicious Mandarin, Almond and Honey muffins 🍯🍊🤤 the recipe for these babies is now on my blog (link in bio). I originally came up with this recipe as a had a tonne of mandarins that were getting to the point they needed to be eaten or would go bad. In 2019 I have really been focusing on reducing waste and especially food waste so I decided to scrounge around in my pantry and see what I could come up with to use these mandarins. The result? Healthy but tasty mandarin muffins! Nath and I took them to work every day as part of our lunch and they worked perfectly as a 3pm pick me up! .
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#Muffins #Baking #HealthyMuffins #Blog #KiahsKitchen #Mandarins #WinterBaking #SweetTreat #SugarCravings #Pregnancy #Wholefood #RealFood #ZeroFoodWaste #Healthy #Happy #Nourishing #FrugalMeals #NoFoodWaste #LunchboxIdeas #Homemade

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Let’s talk about lentils! These beautiful little legumes are packed with protein, iron, folate and fibre, they’re low in calories, they help to lower blood cholesterol and stabilise blood sugar! They are also incredibly versatile to use and cheap to buy. Whist there are so many options when cooking with lentils, one of my absolute favourites is a good Dahl! This creamy coconut and tomato red lentil Dahl is packed with delicious spices and fresh ginger to create a flavourful, nourishing and warming meal option that won’t break the bank. Link is in my bio if you’d like to give it a go 🌱
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#PlantBased #Lentils #KiahsKitchen #EasyDinnerRecipe #WholeFoods #RealFood #DairyFree #Dahl #Vegan #WhatVegansEat #VeganFoodShare #VeganRecipe #HealingWithWholefoods #Health #Nourishing #SayNoToDiets #EatRealFood #SeasonalEating #VegansOfMelbourne #DinnerIdeas #EasyRecipes #DinnerOnABudget #CheapMealIdeas #RedLentilDahl #BlogPost #Blogger #JERF #Warming #TCM #HormonalBalance

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Let’s talk about hormones! For the past few years I have struggled with imbalanced hormones leading to a multitude of issues such as irregular menstrual cycles (anywhere from 30 to 45 days), troublesome skin, difficulty sleeping and hot flushes to name a few. During this time I have not been on hormonal birth control and I have for the most part followed a very very healthy diet. Unfortunately no matter what I tried on my own, none of these issues resolved. I started seeing a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner in October last year to help with these issues. She prescribed acupuncture, Chinese herbs and diet and lifestyle changes in line with Chinese Medicine. My past three cycles have consistently been 31 days long, my skin has cleared, my sleep is better and I’m no longer getting hot flushes. I can feel the rise and fall of my hormones in line with my cycle and my body is doing what it is supposed to when it is supposed to. It’s like night and day to where I was six months ago! Did you know, according to Chinese Medicine, your kidneys are closely related to your reproductive/endocrine system? Weakness in your kidneys will therefore impact hormone levels and menstruation. There are many ways you can support your kidneys and one of them is to consume foods that will boost kidney qi. Beans in general (and especially kidney beans) are great for this! That’s why I created this delicious coconut kidney bean curry with steamed beans as a delicious kidney boosting meal! The link to my blog post which contains this recipe and some more information on kidney health in Chinese Medicine is in my bio! 🌱
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#ChineseMedicine #ChineseMedicineDiet #Acupuncture #Vegan #PlantBased #WholeFood #RealFood #Healthy #Balance #HealingWithWholefoods #FoodAsMedicine #Hormones #HormoneBalance #Acne #JustEatRealFood #WhatVegansEat #VeganFoodShare #EasyRecipe #VeganRecipe #DinnerInspo #KiahsKitchen #Blog #TCM #HolisticHealth

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So recently I have really been enjoying learning about the nutrition aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I have been seeing a TCM practitioner since October last year on a fortnightly basis, receiving acupuncture, cupping, herbal supplements and making dietary changes based on their advice. I have found this to be immensely helpful in addressing my health concerns, it is so interesting the difference between Western and Eastern views of health and well-being. For Christmas my mum gifted me a book on food for the seasons according to TCM, it was such an interesting read and helped to further cement some of the advice my practitioner has been giving me. According to TCM, autumn is the time to nourish and build your organs, blood and energy to ensure your body and health is supported through winter. It is the time to consume more warming foods that are easy to digest and nourish your body. I created this slow cooker Mushroom and Barley stew to do just that. It was absolutely delicious, so easy to make and includes some key ingredients that should be consumed during autumn according to TCM. The link to this recipe is in my bio and I include a little information on the elements that make this meal so nourishing 🍂💕
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#TCM #TraditionalChineseMedicine #Vegan #PlantBased #DairyFree #CrueltyFree #Nourishing #Supportive #HolisticHealth #EasternMedicine #ChineseMedicine #WhatVeganEat #VeganFoodShare #Health #Nutrition #Healthy #Wellbeing #Wholefoods #RealFood #KiahsKitchen #BlogPost #DinnerInspo #SlowCookerRecipes #Autumn #EatSeasonally

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Just shared my Banana Apple Bread recipe to kiahskitchen.com (link is in bio) 🌱 this sweet treat is 100% dairy free, egg free, refined sugar free and vegan! Makes for a delicious afternoon snack with a cup of tea or coffee, perfect for the cooler Autumn weather ☕️🍌🍎✨
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#DairyFree #EggFree #RefinedSugarFree #Vegan #PlantBased #WholeFood #RealFood #HealthyBaking #VeganBaking #VeganBananaBread #BananaBread #KiahsKitchen #WhatVegansEat #VeganFoodShare #VegansOfMelbourne #Autumn #AutumnBaking #Baking #JustEatRealFood #Homemade #Organic #BananaAppleBread

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New recipe on kiahskitchen.com 🥳 today I am sharing my Pesto Pasta Salad, which is 100% dairy free and vegan, super easy, full of fresh flavours and the perfect dish to take along to a BBQ! If you’d like to check it out, the link is in my bio! .
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#Vegan #PlantBased #DairyFree #CrueltyFree #WholeFood #PastaSalad #PestoPasta #Homemade #Natural #KiahsKitchen #VeganRecipes #Blog #Blogger #Foodie #BBQ #Summer #MealIdeas #EasyRecipes #JustEatRealFood #Healthy #Wholesome #Nourishing #Summer #Salad #WhatVegansEat #VeganFoodShare #VegansOfMelbourne #VegansOfIG

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Nathan and Lenni 💕 what an absolute pleasure it was meeting Lennon for the first time yesterday 🌻 @sarahwuelfert and @woolly3 you have created a beautiful little human and you are already such amazing parents! .
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#Lennon #LittleLenni #BabyGirl #NewParents #EarthSide #FiveDaysOld #Proud #Happy #Baby #Newborn #Husband #Practicing #BestFriends #SoMuchLove

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#Take3ForTheSea for those of you that haven’t heard of it, #Take3ForTheSea is a social/environmental initiative started by the @take3forthesea organisation to clean up the plastic pollution currently affecting the worlds marine environments. The concept? Each time you go to the beach (or any waterway) collect three pieces of rubbish and remove it from that environment, disposing of it appropriately! Share a post on social media to spread the word and get others involved. Plastic is literally killing our oceans 💔 With 8 million tonnes of it dumped into our oceans each year it is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in our marine environments. That’s in our lifetime!! Not heading to the beach but still want to help? Reduce your plastic consumption, use reusable water bottles, coffee cups, cutlery sets and buy fresh fruit and veggies using reusable bags! Every bit counts 🐠🌊☀️
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#Sustainability #SayNoToPlastic #ReuseRecycle #EcoFriendly #ProtectOurOceans #CleanUpOurOceans #Summer #BeachLife #PortseaBackBeach #Melbourne #Happy #VitaminD #SoulShine #HappyDays #PlantBased #Vegan #CrueltyFree #DairyFree #BeKind

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Salty skin and sandy toes 🌊 perfect way to end the weekend 👌🏽
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#MountMartha #Mornington #Ocean #Refreshed #Reset #Happy #Summer #SunKissed #Melbourne #Reconnecting #Reenergising #SaltySkin #SandyToes #Love #Adventures #Husband #VitaminSea #Wellbeing #GoodForTheSoul

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✨ New blog post on kiahskitchen.com sharing my favourite @reesesbookclubxhellosunshine book club picks by @reesewitherspoon for 2018 📚 the link is in my bio if you’d like to check it out and don’t forget to check out the book club for some new reads in 2019! .
Given the January book pick is about libraries, I thought I’d share a photo from my trip to Oxford, this is the Radcliffe Camera, one of the most famous library buildings in the world! #HappyPlace
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#BookClub #RBCXHS #ReesesBookClub #BlogPost #Blogger #Bookstagram #AmReading #TBR #BookReview #BookRecommendations #BooksOfInstagram #Library #LibrariesOfInstagram #Oxford #UK #Travel #RadcliffeCamera #KiahsKitchen #Writing #Happy #BookNerd #BookLover #BookWorm #Wanderlust #BookBlogger

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Wishing @nathan516 the happiest of birthdays today! Thank you for being the most wonderful life partner I could ever ask for. I hope you have enjoyed your weekend of celebrations, love you always ❤️🎉
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#Husband #Birthday #Rome #Tourist #Adventures #Europe #Summer #TakeUsBack #Pantheon #Wanderlust #TimeForTheNextAdventure #TwentySeven #Bestfriend #LoveYou

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Paid a little visit to my favourite local bookstore @verso.books in Healesville this afternoon and picked up the @reesesbookclubxhellosunshine January book pick 👌🏽☀️
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#BookClub #BookWorm #AvidReader #Bookstagram #BookRecommendations #TBR #TheLibraryBook #SusanOrlean #ReesesBookClubXHelloSunshine #RBCXHS #ForTheLoveOfReading #SundayFunday #Bibliophile #BookNerd #Adventures #YarraValley #HappyDays #SupportLocal #IndependentBookStore #AppleTree

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I made myself a macrame crystal necklace 🧙🏼‍♀️✨this is Lepidolite crystal, well known for its calming properties, helping with anxiety, mood stabilisation and supporting change/transition! This stone stimulates all chakras and helps to remove any energy blocks, promoting peace, calm and happiness. It caught my attention, so I feel like it might be what I need in my life at the moment moving into 2019 ☀️
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#DIY #Macrame #Crystal #CrystalMacrame #Sustainability #Crafty #Happy #Holidays #Wellbeing #Health #Lepidolite #InnerPeace #MentalHealth #Anxiety #MoodStabilisation #KiahsKitchen #KiahsCrafts #CrystalHealing #Vegan #PlantBased #Wholesome #Balance #NaturalHealing #HippyLife

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Soulful Sunday ✌🏽spent hiking in the Cathedral Ranges, drinking coffee in Healesville, eating a nutritious lunch at home and doing some reflection/goal setting for the new year! Not a bad second last day of 2018 🌱
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#Hiking #CathedralRanges #Adventures #Melbourne #Summer #Family #SoulSunday #SundayFunday #NewYear #Goals #Vegan #PlantBased #Nature #Hippy #GoodVibesOnly

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My kinda donut 🍩 eat whole foods, your body will thank you for it 🍑🌱👌🏽
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#Vegan #PlantBased #DairyFree #CrueltyFree #DonutPeach #SummerFruit #NaturesCandy #WholeFood #RealFood #Peachy #Summer #Nourish #WholeFoodPlantBased #WhatVegansEat #VeganFoodShare

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