A trail mix is a fantastic snack for any time of day. You can sprinkle it on your cereal, have it as morning or afternoon tea or something to nibble on before you go to bed. Nuts and seeds are full of great nutrients such as protein, zinc and magnesium. The best part about making a trail mix is that you can tailor it specifically to your taste adding your own choice of nuts, seeds and dried fruit.
Fruit free trail mix:
Soak and roast
-Almond
- Brazil nuts
-Cashew nuts
-Hazelnuts
-Pumpkin seeds
-Pepitas
-Sesame seeds
-Sunflower seeds
Then add some dried coconut pieces and some cacao nibs.
High antioxidant trail mix:
Mix together
-Almonds
-Brazil nuts
-Hazelnuts
-Cashew nuts
-Walnuts
-Pumpkin seeds
-Sunflower seeds
-Chia seeds
-Raw cacoa nibs
-Goji berries
-Cranberries (sugar free)
-Sour cherries
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Healthy home made chocolate
I have been attempting to make my own health raw chocolate
all week with many failures. The first time there was not enough cocoa leaving
just the flavour of cocoa butter. The second was edible but still not great as
I used xylitol to sweeten the chocolate and it did not melt. This resulted in
unsweetened chocolate with clumps of sweet xylitol scattered throughout.
For my third attempt I tried something different, which so
far has worked best. It still requires some refining but you can play around
with the recipe and decide the proportions that you like best.
What you will need:
chocolate
-1 ½ cups raw organic cocoa butter
-1/4 cup raw cocoa powder
-1/8 cup raw cocoa nibs (optional)
-3 teaspoons cocnut sugar
-6 drops liquid stevia
-vanilla, cinnamon, orange or mint (optional)
filling
-1/4 cup coconut oil
-1/8cup hazelnut butter
-1/4 cup maple syrup
-1/8 cup cocoa powder
First melt the cocoa butter and coconut sugar in a double
boiler. Don’t worry if the coconut sugar
remains grainy and does not completely melt. Once melted add the cocoa, cocoa
nibs (if you want a bit of extra crunch and like your chocolate bitter) and
stevia.
Pour half of the mixture onto a plate or into moulds. Stick
in the freezer to harden while making filling.
Whisk the coconut oil and hazelnut butter until combined.
Add the maple syrup and continue mixing. Then add the cocoa powder and mix
until a consistent smooth mixture forms.
Take the chocolate out of the freezer and add the chocolate
hazelnut filling spreading it all over the top. Then pop it back into the freezer
for about 5-10 minutes.
Once it has hardened pour over the remaining chocolate to
cover the entire filling. Place in the fridge until hard and enjoy.
Any left over choc/hazelnut filling can be eaten as a treat
on its own or spread on toast as a healthier version of nutella.
You can leave out the filling if you just want the chocolate
on its own or add anything of your choice such as nuts or dried fruit.
Sunday, 9 September 2012
Rosemary and Garlic infused Olive Oil
This recipe is so simple yet so useful and tastes wonderful too.
All you will need is:
1. A good quality virgin olive oil.
2. A clove of garlic
3. A sprig of fresh rosemary
Slightly crush the garlic clove and place in salad dressing jar (any glass jar will do). Brake off and wash a sprig of rosemary and add to the jar. Then pour in the olive oil until the jar is full and both the rosemary and garlic have been submerged in oil. Stick in the fridge and leave for 3-4 days. In this time the oil will become infused with the aromatic flavoures of the rosemary and the garlic. You can add more or less depending on how strong a flavour you like. You could also add any other herbs of your choice such as thyme or pepper.
This delicious oil can then be drizzled over salads, used as a marinade or put on toast instead of butter or margarine.
All you will need is:
1. A good quality virgin olive oil.
2. A clove of garlic
3. A sprig of fresh rosemary
Slightly crush the garlic clove and place in salad dressing jar (any glass jar will do). Brake off and wash a sprig of rosemary and add to the jar. Then pour in the olive oil until the jar is full and both the rosemary and garlic have been submerged in oil. Stick in the fridge and leave for 3-4 days. In this time the oil will become infused with the aromatic flavoures of the rosemary and the garlic. You can add more or less depending on how strong a flavour you like. You could also add any other herbs of your choice such as thyme or pepper.
This delicious oil can then be drizzled over salads, used as a marinade or put on toast instead of butter or margarine.
Salty Sesame Tamari Almonds
Nuts are always a great snack suggestion. They are high in protein, good fats and are full of minerals. One thing to keep in mind when having nuts is that they have certain substances in their skin that are hard for our bodies to digest. That's why it is a good idea to soak them before eating. Just like with legumes, soaking nuts helps break down these undigested substances in their skin making them easier for our digestive system. This way you will be able to absorb more of their great nutrition! All you have to do is put them in a bowl, cover them with water and leave them overnight. By morning you will have soft and delicious nuts ready for eating.
These tamari and sesame almonds give an extra bit of taste to normal almonds. All you have to do it pour tamari (or any soy sauce of your choice) over the almonds, then sprinkle over a bit of sesame oil and mix through so the sauce is evenly distributed over all the nuts. Pop them on a tray and into the oven on a low heat for approximately 1.5 hours.
Once they are ready let them cool and enjoy this salt tasty snack :)
These tamari and sesame almonds give an extra bit of taste to normal almonds. All you have to do it pour tamari (or any soy sauce of your choice) over the almonds, then sprinkle over a bit of sesame oil and mix through so the sauce is evenly distributed over all the nuts. Pop them on a tray and into the oven on a low heat for approximately 1.5 hours.
Once they are ready let them cool and enjoy this salt tasty snack :)
Sunday, 2 September 2012
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Paleo bread
With the Paleo diet all the rage at the moment I thought I would give Gwyneths Paleo bread a try. The bread is completely grain free, meaning it is perfect for gluten intolerant individuals or just people trying to cut down on carbs. The bread is very high in protein and fibre so it is very filling and will keep you satiated for quite a while. Its great for breakfast, with soup for dinner or just as a snack. I have been taking a piece to work as a mid morning snack to tide me over until lunch. It will keep for a week if you store it in the fridge.
Recipe:
1 ½ cups almod flour/meal
2 tablespoons coconut flour
¼ cup flaxeed meal
¼ teasponn sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
5 eggs
¼ cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
·
Mix almond flour, coconut flour, flax, salt and
baking soda in a food processor on pulse (I used a mix master and it turned out
perfectly).
·
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 40
minutes.
I used LSA instead of flax and maple syrup instead of honey
just because its what I had in the house and it was fine. I also added 2
tablespoons of chia seeds just too boost the fibre content a bit more and give
the break more texture. Once the mixture was in the pan I glazed it with a
whole egg and sprinkled sesame seeds over the top just to add to the
appearance.
Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Naturally Nourishing Buckwheat Porridge
This morning I headed down to the kitchen but just could not
decide what to have for breakfast. What I could decide was that I needed
something warm and nourishing on this chilly morning. Luckily I spotted a
packet of buckwheat porridge hidden in the corner of the pantry and immediately
knew it would hit the spot.
Buckwheat porridge is a great alternative for those gluten
intolerant people who can’t eat oats, or for anyone who just wants to try
something different. You can buy it from the healthfood store or make it from
scratch using buckwheat kernels. This
morning I was too hungry to make it from scratch so I used the packeted
version.
I placed 1 cup of water on the stove and brought it to the
boil. Once boiling I added 1/3 cup of buckwheat, turned down the heat and
covered it letting it cook for about 10 minutes or until all the water had dissolved
and there were little pock marks at the top of the buckwheat. Once the water
had dissolved I added 2 teaspoons of coconut oil and some almond milk to add
more of a creamy texture. I stirred until the milk had dissolved and I had the
not too runny porridge that I prefer.
In my bowl I also added a tablespoon of LSA meal for extra protein
and fibre, a sprinkle of cinnamon, some sliced banana and honey. There you have it a highly nutritious, gluten
free porridge that will definitely warm up your insides.
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Quirky Quinoa Sushi
This is simply an alternative to the usual sushi made with
rice. Instead I decided to try making it with quinoa due to the many wonderful
health benefits it contains. I didn’t use any sugar or rice vinegar which made
it healthier but also less sticky so cutting the roll had to be done with extra
gentleness. You can always add the rice vinegar and sugar if you wish.
What you will need:
ANYTHING YOU WISH! The great thing about sushi is you really
can use anything and make any variety of rolls you like. I made mine with
cucumber, carrot, capsicum, avocado, egg and some tuna dip that I already had
in the fridge from yesterday’s lunch.
First thing you will need to do is cook the quinoa. Place 1
cup quinoa with 2 cups of water in a saucepan and cook like rice for about 20
minutes. Don’t let it get to dry as you want it a bit mushy so its sticks to
the seaweed. Once it is ready transfer it to a bowl to cool.
You will need to cut up the veggies of your choice finely
which you can prepare while your quinoa is cooking.
I also added an omelette to my rolls which tastes great,
adds some extra protein and looks pretty too with the waves of different colours. To
make the omelette I simply beat 2 eggs with a pinch of salt. I then fried it in
a large fry pan so it was nice and thin. Cook for a minute then flip so it is
dry on both sides. I then took it off the heat and cut it into a square shape.
I then put a piece of seaweed onto the sushi mat, lay then
omelette on top and covered with quinoa, once it had cooled down. I put a fairly
thin layer of quinoa and patted it down so it was flat. Make sure the qunioa
goes right to the edges so you can stick the edge down when rolling. I then
added then veggies in the centre and put down a layer of the tuna dip (which
was just canned tuna, bit of mayonnaise and salt). Finishing off by drizzling a bit of sesame oil over the veggies as I just love the flavour!
Then you are ready to roll. Roll the bottom of the seaweed
up over the filling and press down. Then continue rolling so it looks like a
log.
Once it is in the shape of a roll you can cut it into piece and serve!
Monday, 11 June 2012
Fabulous Frittata
This frittata is wonderful for a cold winters night and leftovers can be taken to work for lunch. It is also a great vegetarian option!
Ingredients:
1 zucchini
100g frozen peas
8 eggs
4 tbsp milk (of your choice, I used rice milk)
½ cup grated hard goats cheese
Sea salt and pepper
400g cooked sweet potato cut into slices
200g Swiss brown mushrooms
1 clove garlic
Cook sweet potato then zucchini in a steamer until soft but not mushy. Boil peas in water for 5 minutes or until no longer frozen.
Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
Beat eggs with milk, cheese, salt and pepper
Pour egg mixture into frittata dish. Decorate with the vegetables. Place in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes or until it is no longer runny.
In a frypan, fry the garlic until soft, then add mushrooms. Sautee these until soft aswell.
Once the frittata is ready top with mushrooms and serve. You can also add some slices of buffalo mozzarella on to the hot frittata and allow to melt to make it extra delicious!
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
Berrylicous Breakfast Smoothie!
If you are on the run in the morning or don’t have time for
a proper sit down breakfast this smoothie is packed with goodness, quick and
easy to make and will keep you full and energised until you have your next
meal.
The smoothie has a great combination of fibre, protein,
essential fatty acids vitamins and minerals and antioxidants to make sure your
body is smiling.
The fruit, LSA meal and chia seeds all provide fibre which
is sooo important for your body’s functioning. Not only is fibre necessary for
healthy digestion, it helps your liver excrete excess hormones and cholesterol.
It also helps keep you full for longer and maintains your blood sugar levels so
you wont be tempted to snack on junk food during the morning hours.
A good portion of protein is a must in every meal but
especially breakfast! That is why it is important to incorporate the protein
powder and the LSA (this is a mixture of ground linseed, almond and sunflower
seeds and can be purchased from your health food store). Protein is important
for energy, tissue repair, mental functioning, to balance blood sugar and keep
you full. Protein is needed for almost every process going on in your body.
The essential fatty acids found in the chia seeds and
linseeds are an added bonus of nutrition in the smoothie. They will help reduce
inflammation in your body, keep your hair and skin healthy and help with your
mental functioning.
The coconut oil needs a whole page to itself to go through
all its health benefits. I like it in my smoothie because it adds a delicious
coconuty flavour. Just to mention of few of its health benefits is helps with
weight loss, is anti fungal, provides your body with energy and helps mental
functioning.
Ingredients:
1.
1 banana
2.
Handful Berries (frozen or fresh)
3.
Scoop of a good quality protein powder
4.
2 tablespoons LSA meal
5.
1 tablespoon chia seeds
6.
2 teaspoons coconut oil
7.
Teaspoon cinnamon powder
8.
Milk of your choice (I use almond)
Throw all the ingredients into a blender and blend until
smooth. Enjoy while relaxing at home or on your way to work!
Winter Warmers
I can definitely tell that winter has well and truly arrived
as I sit at home rugged up in my warm woolen poncho that my wonderful
boyfriend so kindly brought me from his trip to Turkey. The sky is grey, the
air is crisp and I can see the trees rustling in the wind through my window. I
get caught up in the beauty of the season until a trumpet like sound coming
from the other room brings me back to reality. Yes for the 100th
time today my brother is blowing his nose (so hard I’m surprised it hasn’t
fallen off!).
Although there is sometimes nothing nicer than being all
rugged up at home with a cup of hot chocolate while the winter weather goes on
outside or than watching the leaves turn the magical red, orange and yellow
that they do during autumn getting ready
to be shed for the winter months, this autumn/winter time is also the time when
people are most prone to getting sick.
As much as we might like to stay indoors and avoid the cold,
rain and howling wind it is definitely not a possibility in these busy times
and we must brave the weather and continue on with our daily lives. Not only do
we not have time to stay indoors but we most certainly do not have time to get
sick!
That is why I thought it was important to share my favorite
immune boosting tips to stay strong during the winter months (and all year
round too).
Tea
This is the tea recipe I use when I feel like I am getting
sick. The great thing about tea is that it will help you stay hydrated
counteracting the drying effect of the heating and will also help flush out any
toxins.
To hot water or tea of your choice (preferably caffeine free
as caffeine is dehydrating) I add 2 slices of fresh ginger, a squeeze of lemon
juice and a teaspoon on Manuka honey.
The ginger promotes circulation and is anti-inflammatory,
the lemon juice is high in vitamin C to boost your immune system and helps
digestion and the honey is antimicrobial so will help fight any nasties in your
system as well as soothing a sore throat.
It that simple! And because its all fresh foods you can have
as many cups as you like with no side effects. I find having 4 cups of this a
day on the first day I start to feel sick knocks it on the head so I’m all
better by the next day.
Garlic
Garlic is known to kill anything it comes in contact with so
it’s great for killing of any bugs, fungus, parasites, viruses or bacteria.
However, eating too much of it will also kill off your social life!
Studies have shown that eating a clove of garlic a day has
the potential to strengthen your immune system and prevent you from getting
sick in the winter months.
Garlic’s properties are strongest when eaten raw so ways to
incorporate it into you diet include throwing it into your cooking at the end
so all its volatile oils don’t get cooked out, chopping it up and adding it to
salads or salad dressings or adding it to dips such as hummus.
A tip for not getting those horrible garlic smelling hands
is to wash your hands using cold water and soap instead of warm water. The warm
water actually opens the pores in your hands allowing the garlic smell to
permeate inside so it is harder to wash away.
Vitamin C
Eating lots of fruit and veggies high in Vitamin C can also
help boost your immune system so it can fight off infections.
Now how do you know which fruits and veg are high in vitamin
C? It’s easy its the red, orange and yellow ones just like the colours of the
autumn leaves. So make sure to be eating plenty of these colours such as
capsicum, pumpkin, beetroot, sweet potato, red onions, chillies, oranges and
berries. Although not in these colours kiwi fruit and feijoa are also
exceptionally high in vitamin C.
Warm nourishing foods
During these cold months your body craves warmth. The best
way to stay warm is from the inside out! When you eat cold foods your body is
required to use energy to warm it up as it enters your digestive tract. To
conserve energy so that your body can stay strong eat mainly warm foods. Winter is the best time to for delicious
stews, soups, casseroles and curries. You can make these in bulk and freeze in
individual portions so you don’t have to worry about cooking at the end of a
busy day.
Adding spices to your dishes have many medicinal benefits (see
Herbs and Spices for your tastebuds and tummys). I will be adding some great
winter recipes to this blog soon!
Chicken soup is known as the Jewish penicillin as it has
been used for centuries to help fight infections. It contains many vitamins and
minerals and is fantastic for when you are feeling unwell. Simply boiling a
whole chicken in water with plenty of vegies can create a delicious and
nutritious soup perfect for these cold winter days!
Herbs and supplements
There are of course many herbs and supplements you can take
to help boost your immune system but I prefer opting for food as medicine as a
first port of call.
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