Saturday, October 18

Getting Fresh

Happy New Year everyone! Today is the day we traditionally take down the Christmas tree. This last year has been full of surprises! Some good, some not my favourites. Here's to a New Year, full of good things, good relationships, new beginnings & new recipes of course.
If you overly partook of the good foods of Christmas, like I did, now's the time to jump back on that wagon & eat single ingredient foods.

 

I went to the doctor yesterday & was told my last cholesterol test came back great! That's a testimony to my eating choices over the last year! The only things I buy processed are coconut milk/cream, organic tomatoes in cans, hulled seeds, cocoa, dried beans or canned, tea bags, coconut oil, olive oil, tamari, and shampoo.
This year I plan to change over to cacao & buy more organic brands of those things.
Being financially challenged, that's difficult to achieve each week, but if I buy one product each week, I can do it...and so can you :0)

Here's to better food choices! Let's Show the traditional medical profession & other eaters the way to better health!

My daily breakfast all year. Wholegrain soaked cooked oats, nuts, seeds & fruit
 


Summer has well & truly arrived in New Zealand, yay!
Christmas has been, the holidays are upon us. Sitting in the sun listening to cicadas sing, jet skis on the water & children playing. Life is good! How are things with you right now?

Have a chocolate on me


Is anyone else having weird crazy weather? A beautiful blue sky very hot day today! And about time I have to say!



So what about this Summer we're not having...



This is the view from my flat at 3pm...sea fog & drizzly rain.
On the upside, its been a great day or few days for getting all the Christmas sewing & baking done. How are you doing with your prep?


Sorry about the lack of warning for changing the blog. Its been on my mind for sometime, to modernise it the way other blogs that appeal to me are. And the clean fresh feel of white, who can go past it!

Do you like it?

Makes the food pics pop, dont you think?



My fave easy dessert, a baked apple, stuffed with dates, coconut sugar & currants


Wednesday, October 15

Flour Substitutions

Hi again, I found this today. Its a keeper!

http://www.superhealthykids.com/blog-posts/the-essential-food-allergy-substitution-guide.php

More User Friendly?

Hi there, how frustrating it can be when you want to cook something from someones blog, & the font is too small to follow easily. 
I've just increased the size so its easier for you.

Let me know how that works for you please?





Are you eating your colours?

And please remember to go like the Facebook page, thanks.

Tuesday, October 14

Im getting pickled

Its that time again, time to make some more delicious fermented cabbage...aka sauerkraut.

I made a small jar expecting not to like it. Just the thought of soggy salty cabbage is enough to make me gag! But I persevered thinking about the free probiotics I would get with it. Thats always a win!


Boy was I wrong! The cabbage, carrot & ginger I made up was only slightly salty...I used the right amount of salt this time, & Crunchy! So I've just made a new batch, dare I say a huge batch! So easy to make too!




So you want to know how to make it? Ok here's the recipe:


Ingredients:


  • Enough cabbage, carrot, fresh ginger or any other veges you like, to fit into your jar, leaving enough room for liquid to cover it.
  • Water
  • 1 Tbs salt
Instructions:
  1. Cut up the cabbage, carrot & ginger as rough or finely as you like
  2. Put them in a bowl & bash them to release the juices
  3. Layer them into the jar, sprinkling a little salt on each layer.
  4. Fill the jar with water & use some kind of weight to hold the vegetables down under the water.
  5. Leave on the kitchen bench or counter for 24-48 hours until the liquid starts to taste fizzy. You will see bubbles coming up & popping.
  6. If you like the taste, push the veges back down, close the lid & put in the fridge. Job done!
  7. Drink 1 Tbs of the liquid before meals for the probiotics & eat the vegetables with meals or by itself. I'm hooked! Such a great way to use the other half of the cabbage before it spoils too!
It keeps for months by the way, win! Not that it'll last that long!

Thursday, October 9

Sweet Potatoes aka Kumara

Why do I keep adding weird recipes with vegetables in them? Simply because they are so much healthier than recipes without! Which means we can eat more treats right?
And kids can eat yummy snacks, so Moms/Mums dont have to worry about their nutrition so much, win!
Not to mention the fact that they will sustain us for longer.

So todays lesson is about sweet potatoes, grab a drink & have a read:


Chocolate Sludge (recipe on baking page)



Sweet potatoes are a powerhouse when it comes to nutrition.


They’re rich in beta carotene, Vitamin A and C, and act as an anti-inflammatory in the body. One large potato provides 4 grams protein, 6 grams of fiber, and just 162 calories

And if you'd like to read more of the nutrition info, go here:


Now go ahead & indulge yourself 

Wednesday, October 8

Go check out the Facebook page

Here: Feeding You Well

The Cooking Angel doesnt always cook healthy either ;)

Cooking with kids...Fun!



Especially when there is recipe testing involved!


Tuesday, October 7

Which Diet? Low Fodmap, GaPs, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers...

I've been doing some more thinking & research on diets.

My gut is pretty unhappy right now, because Ive been eating Way Too Many carbs lately!

Why do I do it? Its the only leverage I have in my budget, like many of you I"m sure. Also post menopause I crave them, bad I know.


One of the common patterns Im seeing in all of these diets, is to eat more veges & protein. For me that means eggs, nuts, meat, fish & chicken, as I"m dairy & gluten intolerant.


So how do we incorporate more veges & proteins into our food?


Here are some suggestions:


Roast Vege Salad - goes with everything, eat hot or cold, travels well & keeps for a week in the fridge.


Scrambled Eggs on Toast - Different versions include: with rocket, chilli, parsley (is a green vegetable), other herbs & spices you like. Get creative with it!


Quiche- A great way to hide veges, with cheese & milks, lots of eggs


Fish Pie- Made with veges in a white sauce as the second layer, under the fish. I always eat fresh fish 99% of the time now, to avoid the Massive amounts of salt used in tinned fish. 


Desserts- with eggs, seeds, veges & nuts: You can eat these at lunchtime too you know.



  • Pumpkin custards, it really is delicious, give it a try
  • Chia pudding w berry coulis (made with cashew milk)
  • Rice pudding, made with eggs & milks
  • Egg custard pies & tarts
  • Avocado chocolate mousse & ice cream
  • Pumpkin spice ice cream- by Minimalist Baker
Just some ideas for you to start with, even a meat & salad lunch or sandwich. Make sure you add some seeds for extra nutrition

And Snacks, mustnt forget them!



  • Chopped up raw veges in containers in the fridge
  • Pumpkin custards are great for that
  • Chocolate sludge too
  • Sunflower crackers, or thyme & garlic, cinnamon
  • Hummus & dips with raw veges or crackers
  • Cheese for those who can eat it
  • Yoghurt, not dairy food though
  • Dates, but only a few (sugar)
  • Protein bar, but don't go crazy (sugar) 



Saturday, October 4

Tightening Your Belt to use funds more efficiently?

In my opinion, the recession is still very much ON. I'm sure a lot of you would agree with me. When the  number 1 Shoes are closing their doors, thats enough proof for me!
I forget which store, but saw it on the news, 4000 jobs will be lost, dislike. 

Sad day, I walked to my mall today & saw that #1 Shoes is gone!


So how can we make our money go further?


Here's a couple of ways to have healthy inexpensive snacks that almost everyone will eat:



Kumara chips

  • Peel kumara (sweet potato) if not organic, Slice finely & toss in a bowl with a little olive oil. 
  • Bake until crisp, approx 30-45 mins on 375ºF (180ºC)



Organic Air Popped Popcorn (Bin Inn)


Friday, October 3

An Excellent Article to read over & over until we Get It. Take some time out to read this, its worth it I promise


Chef Pete Evans
 added 2 new photos.
8 hrs · Edited · 
I know it is a big read, but yesterdays post by Dietitian Caryn Zinn with her link to her teams 55 page document to have NZ dietary guidelines looked at is really compelling and if you get a chance to read it, please do. This mornings post is also an interesting one, and of course these are observations, they don't equal causation, but are pretty difficult to ignore. I'm sure the experts will agree. This article appeared inwww.preventdisease.com
Renown Heart Surgeon Speaks Out On What Really Causes Heart Disease.
We physicians with all our training, knowledge and authority often acquire a rather large ego that tends to make it difficult to admit we are wrong. So, here it is. I freely admit to being wrong.. As a heart surgeon with 25 years experience, having performed over 5,000 open-heart surgeries,today is my day to right the wrong with medical and scientific fact.