back in 10 days

Hi my Lovelies,

I am Leaving for Germany for a few days so will be out of action. But report back soon
Much love,
Nadja

cooking pans traded for mascara

Upon entering the prestige chef school premises. I knew this one would be tough. Real long hours would only be my smallest ‘problem’. My impulsive decision (like most of my career choices) , of enrolling into one of the country’s finest  Culinary school would soon be tested to the uttermost.

I did not have the foggiest idea of what I got myself into. Being a stubborn, headstrong person …chef school was bound to sauté that personality fault right in the hot kitchen frying pan.

Being one of the country’s 30 handpicked future junior Michel Roux  wanna-be’s , I thought it fit to wear some mascara , in a place where make-up is considered  a swear word . My pastry Lecturer saw right through my imminent make-up artist canniness and told me to go wash my face. I decided I wanted out of this gastronomic prison that was making ‘gastro’ very pictorial. Every day I thought of ways to get out of this custodial place. .. literally

Until the dreaded experience happened… I started loving it. Little by little my once strict anti-mascara Pasty Lecture became the culinary Mozart or Beethoven in my eyes, being the personification of artistic dexterity meeting culinary skillfulness. It was glorious.

On my practical term, I had the privilege of meeting yet another gastronomic Leonardo da Vinci in her own right, Susan Esterhuizen .Making cooking not only a form of art but also such a fun experience.

My pastry lecture Lorainne Meaney  ( one of South Africa’s finest Pastry Chefs , Head Pastry chef at Cape Grace Hotel, Cape Town. Being featured in MASTERCHEF SA), became my biggest inspiration. She alongside my dear friend Susan, ‘stirred’ up in me a passion that I never knew existed. I graduated with a love for something that I never knew I had…. Plus I ditched the mascara, for atleast 30 more mascara tubes, studying make-up artistry a few months later, applying make-up for South Africa’s Masterchef judges, the irony of it all. 

The beauty of people that change your life forever because of their passion…passion is contagious... never loose it.

Herb for Depression

So during the infamous ‘Fall’ I had some time to put my mind to good use it to further another career that I had always been interested in. Herbal medicine. So I decided that I had the backing of my chef education I would specialize in this sub-section that intrigues me at this new section of my life.

So I enrolled in a Centre for Herbal medicine in England and got in… and currently studying the value of Herbal medicine. The only problem is I find myself going to bed way too late because every section of information is so interesting and captivating to me and I get addicted to reading all the amazing information.

So I have really exhausted myself now talking way too much of myself and actually wanted to share that during my new studies, I would love to just share any great information that I am learning. So everything is going to be natural and organic. Not that I have a problem with today’s pharmaceutical medicine, to the contrary I think it is such a main reason for healing some sickness. But maybe with more knowledge in natural remedy we can help prevent sickness before serious medical stages are needed. So here goes.

Interesting new fact today is that unlike orthodox medicines, herbal medicines are used to treat the

whole person. They are therefore synergistically holistic.After taking herbal remedies, a person will have a

greater feeling of personal well-being. 

Ok so first things first I am always a fan of herbal medicine contributing to serotonin going up…up…up so here’s one that’s new  for me because I always knew of St.John’s Wort.

Rhodiola rosea  (feel good herb + energy)

Rhodiola rosea (Crassulaceae) is a perennial plant that grows in cold, alpine regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Its roots contain a sap that has long been used to improve physical and mental endurance, relieve symptoms of anxiety and stress, and even lift mood and alleviate depression symptoms. This is why it is considered to be an adaptogen, a natural substance that helps normalize the body's response to stress, and maintain optimal homeostasis by balancing the immune system and endocrine hormones

Numerous scientific studies, including research conducted and compiled by Dr. Zakir Ramazanov, a former Soviet soldier-turned-doctor, has revealed that rhodiola rosea can be safely used to reduce recovery time after workouts, improve attention span and memory, improve physical fitness and performance, enhance psychomotor function, and alleviate depression and anxiety

Lekker! 

the fall

Hi everyone, I am back in ‘action’ (my version of action which means I can walk , whoo hoo) and miraculously healed thanks to the Lord Jesus. I just quickly want to share a personal testimony during my healing of these past weeks.

As I mentioned in the last post I had been in a pretty serious accident hurting many parts of my body including scaring my face pretty bad. The Lord is so merciful and from the word go, He gave me so much peace about the situation I found myself in. If someone had told me : ‘lady, in a week you are going to fall pretty bad , have a face scarred for weeks and not be able to walk’, I would immediately freak out and be pretty depressed. Well during these 6 weeks of healing I had only maximum two days of ‘downess’ , because of the fact that I felt sorry for myself, which is such a no-no.

Anyway it was a huge honor to go through this and I am thankful for it. I had so much time to be thankful for everyday things that I took for granted. I realized that I (unconsciously) became so caught up in the rat race of live, including work, self-gratification and just a clotted thought pattern in general, that can ruin a human being, especially because society made it ‘ok’ and the norm. Well during this time I know the Lord wrought something in me, and I thank Him for every situation in our lives, positive and negative that allow us to become shaped in a useful vessel for His glory not ours.

The story in Daniel 1-3 stuck so deep in my heart during this time. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were put into the fiery furnance, but found Christ there. Most of the time we cannot avoid bad things that happen… so to speak, Christ allows us to be put into the fiery furnance, but in the blazing flames we meet our Lord and Creator.

Be encouraged that everything works out for good for those who loves the Lord. During the difficult times that comes our way , we are filled with a surpassing peace. 

My friend Amy brought me the coolest movies to watch in this time. I really could relate to the movie 'the Fall' and here is a few stills out of this awesome film. 

accident...

So last week i was in a pretty serious accident and i am so blessed to be here to tell the story. I have to admit when telling it over i cannot help but laugh. But i also see the hand of the Lord Jesus over me . So here’s the story.

I have always been pretty big on skateboarding and decided to buy a new setup for myself. The day i actually decided to buy one i saw a second hand skateboard at a thrift store with an awesome deck for a fraction of the price of a normal one. So i was uber excited! I rode a few times and was addicted...until last Saturday came. I went down a super steep road and all of a sudden the setup of the skateboard started falling apart.

I hit the ground super hard and almost crushed my face, broke my pelvic bone front and back close to the femur (the strongest bone in the body) read here.I was unconscious for 20minutes and the ambulance came to pick me up. The paramedic staff was sure that i had brain damage due to my head bleeding so much and that i had broken my neck but, luckily thanks to the Lord Jesus it was ok.

So i am not allowed to walk for 6 weeks and can only lie down. I decided i need to stay positive in this time because i actually could  have been in a worst case scenario . Although this is new for me because i cannot (at this stage) do anything for myself. My mom needs to bath me and there is a few things that had taken me out of my comfort zone. But praise the Lord He has a plan for everything.

I will document my everyday through the healing with you all and please keep me in your prayers for fast healing and positive thinking

Much love

hope in earthen vessels

I was thinking about the importance of giving people hope. We all know that following the Lord’s way can be daunting at times. Assurance of things you once viewed as important fades away and you get to live by a thing called ‘faith’. Sometimes i find myself in introspection that never result in the best outcome. I realize that in my flesh i am so empty and almost always find a way to mess things up. 

But then i remember that somehow, for a reason i cannot understand so i know it is only Grace, the God of the universe chose to deposit this Life giving Spirit inside of me/us. I cannot understand why, but then i realize that i won’t fully understand ever. 

So i hear about ‘hope’ and i wonder what it really means. The only hope that is eternal is the hope that is in Spirit. 2 Corinthians 4:7 says: But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the surpassingness of the power may be of God, and not from us. 

The treasure is just the indwelling consummate Spirit.

How that gives me hope... so the ultimate hope is just presenting God. I am glad that the power is not of me because i so often fail major in myself.