Muesli Bar

Instead of buying heavily processed muesli bars make you own. They are so easy and you can add all sorts of nuts and dried fruit into the mix. This one is high in protein and essential fatty acids keeping you full.

All the ingredients are bound together by a mixture of butter and honey. The muesli bars can be kept in an airtight container for at least a week

Ingredients

1 cup of rolled oats/ Quinoa flakes

1 cup of unsweetened desiccated coconut

1/4 cup of sesame seeds

1/2 cup of sunflower seeds

1/2 cup of raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup of dried, unsweetened cranberries or sultanas

1/4 of flax seeds

2 tbs chia seeds

100 grams of butter (just under 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup of honey or agave syrup

Baking paper

Method

   Grease and line a 3cm deep, 16cm x 28cm (base) baking pan with baking paper. Cook oats, coconut, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a bowl. Set aside to cool. Stir in sultanas and linseeds

Cook butter, honey in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, without stirring, for 7 minutes or until mixture forms a soft ball when a little is dropped into ice-cold water. Add to dry ingredients. Stir until combined.

  Spoon the mixture into pan. Use a large metal spoon to press down firmly. Allow to cool. Cut into squares. Store in a foil-lined airtight container for up to 7 days.

Raw Asian Cabbage Salad

For the salad:

1/4 cabbage

1 bock choy

Alfalfa Sprouts

For the dressing:

1/4 tamari sause

1/2 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup sesame oil

Salt and pepper

Sesame Seeds

2 tsp raw organic honey

Squeeze of lime juice

2 clove sof garlic

Mix in jar together. This will keep for a couple of weeks.

Thailand

On my recent trip to thailand I fell in love with all the street stalls and fresh food markets. The food in Thailand is so fresh and beautiful and I love looking all the weird and wonderful thing they have to offer. Thought I would share a few pictures.

Enzyme Boost slushie

Papaya contain a lot of enzymes that are terrific for your skin. It contains high amounts of calcium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C as well as many other healing properties.Pineapple is another beautiful fruit that contain high amounts of enzymes and are amazing at this time of year.

Ingredients

1 cup of diced pineapple

1 cup of diced papaya 

1 1/2 cups of coconut water

1 tablespoon agave nectar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

squeeze of lime juice

 Blend until smooth

Lemon and herb Roast Chicken

This dish is great for any occasion. I often make this as hits the spot in any season. It is important to include meat in the diet as a means of getting protein, magnesium and iron. Without these essential nutrients you will feel tired and run down. As I previously mentioned, magnesium is involved almost every metabolic process in the body. A deficiency can cause serious problems. When cooking a whole chicken you keep all the fat on which is one of the most nutrient dense food sources! This may come as a shock but it is important to eat all the fat (from organic meat), as this actually help you to loose body fat! Your body is programed to look at fat soluble vitamins in foods and lets you know that you are full when it gets it. If fat is lacking in the diet your body breaks down the lean protein in a similar way to the way it breaks down carbohydrates. This leaves you hungry and unsatisfied.  

1 whole chicken

Fresh rosemary

1 clove of garlic

Fresh basil

Sprinkle of paprika

1 lemon cut into two

Fresh oregano 

Method

Preheat the oven to 220c and coat chicken with the herbs.

Cut the chicken an place half a lemon inside and squeeze the other half over the chicken.

Bake in a baking dish with the breast side down to let all the juices to run.Cook for 30 mins and turn chicken over.

Cook the other side for another hour and then let it sit for 10 mins before you serve.

Dairy free Anzac Cookies

Oats are another quick meal option that is beneficial because it lower blood cholesterol and regulates blood sugar levels. Oats also have a laxative affect, which can lead to weight loss.I substitute regular flour for spelt flour and sugar with agave syrup this way it does not have a damaging effect on your blood sugar levels.Anzac cookies are always a crowd pleaser you can't go wrong!

Ingredients

1 cup of rolled oats

1 cup of wholemeal spelt flour

A pinch of sea salt

1 cup of shredded coconut 

1 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp agave syrup 

1/4 cup olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.

Mix oats, flour, coconut, salt in a mixing bowl 

In a small pan heat the wet ingredients until agave has disolved.

Combine wet and dry ingredients until it forms a ball.

Roll the biscuit mixture into walnut sized balls and place in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Hummus

Chickpeas are great source of protein and phytonutrients. They are a good source of folate, phosphorus, iron and manganese. Chickpeas are also high in dietary fiber and thus a healthy food source especially with people with insulin sensitivity. 

Ingredients:

600g Chickpeas

2 cloves of garlic

1 lemon juiced

100ml of olive oil

2 tbs tahini  paste

1 tbs ground cumin

Method:

To make chickpeas easier to digest you need to soak them over night. This is done by rinsing them and removing any damaged beans. Rinse a few times until the water is clear.

For every cup of chickpeas add 3 cups of water and soak overnight this allows some of the phytase enzymes in the beans to become activated and help to transform some of the phytic acid found in the beans. When phytic acid gets converted it is less likely to bind together with other nutrients and reduce their absorption.

Wash again and add one tablespoon of baking soda and cook until they are soft for about 1 hour.

Put all ingredients in a food processor and process until well combined and some water if it is to thick.

Spring Salad

This spring salad is extremely easy and healthy; perfect for a hot spring day (like today). Quinoa is one of those amazing things that has so many benefits. It is high in protein and contains no gluten making it a great thing to have in the kitchen pantry. Quinoa contains high amounts of magnesium. Magnesium is involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It is particularly good for heart health and especially beneficial for your bones as well as muscle and nerve function.

What you will need

1 cup of quinoa

1 avocado

1 bunch of cherry tomatoes

1 bunch of mint

1/2 cup of sunflower seeds

1/2 Lemon and olive oil

 Method

Soak sunflower seeds overnight for better digestion

Boil quinoa for ten minutes

Add all ingredients into a bowel

Breakfast of champions

I recently invited my friends over breakfast and here is what I whipped up! A breakfast high in protein is essential to rejuvenate all your cells after "fasting" all night. Eggs are natures perfect food, being a complete protein and is a great way to start the day. Breakfast should always include a high quality protein and include nourishing fats and a vegetable source.Always choose organic or biodynamic free range eggs.

Spanish baked eggs

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil

2 red onions

1 red chillies

I garlic clove

1 yellow capsicum

Bunch of coriander

Punnet of cherry tomatoes

5 eggs

Method

Heat the oil in a frying pan, then soften the onions, chilli, garlic and coriander stalks for 5 mins until soft. Stir in the tomatoes, then bubble for 8-10 mins until thick.

Make 5 dips in the sause then crack the eggs into each one. Cook on a low heat for 10 mins until the eggs are done the way you like it.

Mushrooms are a valuable source of dietary fiber and contain high levels of B vitamins. They also contain Iron, zinc and magnesium.

To cook put onions and mushrooms in a small pot and sauté until golden brown. Add water and  pepper, do not salt till the end thats when they go soggy and black.

Sourdough toast... YUM!

Avocado are rich in vitamin C and are rich in saturated fat due to their mono and polyunsaturated fat content. They contain high levels of antioxidants and are perfect for your skin.

Sprinkle with some olive and Himalayan sea salt and pepper to serve.

And there you have it a perfect breakfast packed with nutrients and essential fats.And excellent and healthy way to start your day.