Happy Monday everyone and
YAY it's school holidays, I don't know about you but I
LOVE school holidays....Mondays bring you my
"Super Mum" interview of the week and this week is another Mum who I KNOW is also a fan of school holidays, spending extra quality time with her kids, PJ days and all that fun stuff! This lady is a "new" friend of mine, who I quickly have taken on as a "great" friend (and those that know me, know I don't give my heart out lightly!)....the proof is there when we catch up in person or on the phone and neither of us come up for a breath! She called me the other night for a "quick" chat and an hour later we hung up! Woops! We are both learning so much off each other and share the EXACT SAME passion of healthy, tasty, additive free cooking (
and eating!) and inspiring others to embark on this same amazing, life changing journey....this "Super Mum" is a wife, mum of 3, public speaker, Author, Business woman, friend and so much more.......a HUGE welcome to.....
“Tanya Winfield”
Tell
us a little bit about you and your family?
I am a mother of three. Kelsea is my eldest who is 19 years old. She
moved to London last August for a gap year working in a boarding school in
country England, while travelling all over Europe on her holiday breaks...half
her luck I say! Kelsea is due home at
the end of July where she will start working for my brother in his new business
venture. Kade is my second eldest who is 10. Kade was diagnosed with asthma
when we moved to the Hunter Valley 8 years ago. He is the reason I started my home based
business. Kade is quiet and a little shy until he gets comfortable and then the
wrestling takes over. Then there is Fletcher, my youngest at 7. He will be 8 in
July; we are at the counting down the days stage, till the big day. Fletcher is
my “character” child. I had my daughter at a very young age of just 18 (not
recommended, though would not change a thing), I was a single mum 7 months
later and raiser her on my own until I met my wonderful husband 6 years later.
We married when Kelsea was 7 and welcomed Kade into our family when she was 8
years old. The rest is history as they say. Just over four years ago I removed
all harmful food additives from our diet and decided to create a business to
inspire and empower parents to make an informed choice when it came to feeding
their families....Additive Free Pantry was born. I work from home which is
great though also a challenge as I have trouble staying focussed at times I love what I do.. My children’s health has
improved beyond a doubt. Kade rarely has any signs of asthma and is not on any preventative
medication...just good wholesome foods. Fletcher’s behaviour has been the
biggest change. He is such a delightful child when he is fuelled with good
food, fill him up on additives and wait for the storm...my god he goes off. I
much more prefer my additive free version of Fletcher any day.
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| Tanyas gorgeous 3 children.....a few years ago now....they grow up so quick! |
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| Tanya and Kade - 2010 - homemade 'additive free' Pizza! YUM! |
What one ingredient can you not live without and why?
Chai Tea....I LOVE it. Milk and a teaspoon of organic maple syrup. I
have never liked the taste of coffee so this is my go to cuppa. I have one cup
a day, normally mid morning when I am home. It is so relaxing; just the right
amount of sweet and it smells divine. This little beverage is what I crave most
mornings. I use Nerada Organic Chai. I drink it out of my same mug everyday
that one of my kids got me for Mothers Day. Simple pleasures really.
·
If
you had half an hour to cook dinner and realized you didn’t have anything
planned, what would you cook?
Tuna pasta or some type of risotto in my Thermomix. They are so quick
and easy and most times the ingredients are what I always have on hand. These
are also my husband’s go to meals when he has the odd job of cooking dinner
when I am away
·
What
is once piece of advice you can pass on to other busy mums?
NOBODY has it all! We all manage, get by or wing it ever
day. I used to think that the grass always looked greener on the other
side...not true. Every mother has good and bad days. We all feel the good old
mother guilt throughout our parenting life, I know I certainly have. Instead of
looking at what someone else has, does or creates...take a good long look at
what YOU have. Being grateful makes my life rich. Simple things like; health,
two working legs (unshaven ATM), sunshine, dancing, laughter, my slippers,
fresh cut flowers, good sports bra (this is essential), organic foundation,
crazy girlfriends that make me smile, music, chick flicks and chai tea....I
take the time EVERYDAY to be thankful for what I have. I no longer wish I had
someone else’s life as mine is pretty awesome.
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| Such a lovely photo - "Super Mum" Tanya and her 3 children |
· If
you could have dinner with any 3 people in the world, who would it be and why?
Michael Buble....hot, humorous and has the talent to sing
a good tune. Whenever I hear Michael sing I go to my happy place, so having him
over for dinner would be my BEST DAY EVER! Anyone who knows me knows how much I
love Oprah.....I have listened and grown up with all that woman has offered on
her show. Oprah is inspirational, loving, truthful and honest. She is real and
makes me want to be the best version of me I can be. The final guest would be
Jamie Oliver....he can cook, we’ll just relax and enjoy...also then we can chat
about how appalling the approved menu for NSW
school canteens really are and get cracking on removing these harmful
food additives for the benefit of out children’s health..... So I would have someone hot sing to me, while Oprah inspires me some more
and eat food that was prepared by the world’s best known chef...HAPPY DAYS!!
· I
am a huge fan of your business “Additive Free Pantry” and your “Additive Free
Shopping Guide”. I would love to know how you started this journey, how you
became an “expert” in this area, why you feel additive free is important and
dare I ask, your plans for the future......
Creating and compiling my Additive-Free Shopping Guide was a task and a
triumph all at once. So many hours spent in many supermarkets reading labels
and then contacting manufacturers to ensure what I was reading was true. To be
able to spread awareness and make life a little easier for someone looking at
the overwhelming task of eliminating food additives is a wonderful feeling.
Seeing the difference in my children and the children of the families that are
now additive-free because I cleaned out their pantries is the BEST feeling. It
makes my heart sing to see change and watch a little local boy grow who was
once labelled autistic, while now he engages, writes his name, gets to feel
alive, and express himself easily and is about to start kindergarten next year.
Does it get any better than that?
The future.....the sky is the limit. I have a not for profit
organisation under construction with a little help from a mother of 4 who has a
passionate message to share...stay tuned for that in a few months. I believe
wonderfully big things can happen when we dream big.......it’s pure
imagination!!!! While ever there is breath in me I will continue on my journey
to rid school canteens of any harmful food additives........because our
children are worth it!!!
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| This says it all...... |
I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed chatting with Tanya and interviewing her. You can find "Additive Free Pantry" on Facebook and keep your eyes and ears open for the new exciting journey she speaks of.....
Take Care of You,
Coll x
