~ little bites ~
People who love to eat are always the
best people.
- Julia Child
Am I right in saying that so many "healthy" recipes these days are sweetening their cakes/muffins with applesauce?
So what to do when getting your hands on organic apple sauce with NOTHING ELSE ADDED is harder than you think . . .
Today is all about the final fat-soluble vitamin in my little series - Vitamin K.
Want to know more about why you should get more of this vitamin into your life?
Today it's all about fat-soluble vitamin No. 3
Vitamin E
Along with a quick, simple and absolutely delicious tapenade recipe filled with vitamin E and good fats!
Are you starting, or thinking about starting the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) yourself?
Or perhaps on the lookout for a dairy free milk substitute?
Look no further my lovely friend.
I truly believe that healing your body requires more than simply taking a few pills or herbs. I believe it requires a complete overhaul of your body, mind and spirit.
When it was first discovered that I had a thyroid issue, I was automatically put on conventional pharmaceutical thyroid medication by my doctor, and at the time, I felt sooo much better. The swelling in my thyroid went down and the symptoms disappeared. To be honest with you, at the time, I thought that was it. Done and dusted. I was fine.
And then a year later the symptoms all came back. Tenfold!
It's not a new concept, and it's definitely not my concept, but I'm a lover and wanted to share how mind-blowingly easy and delicious Cauliflower Rice is.
Whilst I'm currently off grains while my tummy heals (yep, even the gluten free grains), and whilst it's at its peak and in season, cauliflower rice has been a staple in my home. Not only is it sooo good for our bodies (see here) it's been a wonderful addition to mid-week stir-frys or served alongside a slow cooked casserole made on the weekend.
However you want to eat it, it takes only two steps.
Yep, just 2!
I don’t know the facts behind this little statement, but I’m assuming this was before we bastardised raw cacao and processed it into the cocoa we know and consume today. I could be wrong!
What I DO know, however is that this quick, nourishing and clean hot chocolate recipe, IS super good for you and your body.
Wanna know why?
In my past life when a recipe called for stock I would simply reach into the dark depths of my pantry and pull out a stock cube. Often a nice organic one, but a dried up little stock cube all the same. Occasionally when feeling a little posh I would reach for the box of liquid stock. Oh la la.
Oh how times have changed.
Now my pantry door stays firmly shut and I simply reach into my freezer and pull out a freezer bag filled with homemade organic stock. Filled to the brim with nutrition and none of those pesky other things like preservatives, MSG, sugar and salt.
It’s super cheap to make (as I keep the bones from any roast I’ve made stored in the freezer) and I utilise whatever veggies and spices I have in my lying around in my fridge at the time. I never have to shop for ingredients to make stock which means no stock made in my kitchen is ever a repeat of the last, and I kinda like it like that.
Did you know that eating gluten is the number one cause of a leaky gut?
We all know that gluten is a trigger for Celiac disease, but I never knew its connection with a leaky gut. Even in a person without any gluten sensitivity, this difficult to digest protein can still cause leaky gut.
Apart from gluten, other inflammatory foods leading to leaky gut can also include dairy, sugar and processed foods as well as an over consumption of alcohol.
I discovered this information whilst trying to figure out my own underlying triggers for Hashimoto’s, as I, like a large number of you, have been suffering constant bloating and irritable bowel syndrome.
So what is a leaky gut, I hear you ask?
Vitamin A. A fat soluble vitamin, which means it MUST be consumed with fat in order to have optimal absorption.
A vitamin I am sadly deficient in, as revealed by my naturopath.
Vitamin A is essential for our vision, for boosting our immune function and for giving us healthy glowing skin. It is also needed in the production of T3 (thyroid hormone) – which is just one of the many reasons I suffer hypothyroidism symptoms (and perhaps you too?)
Did you know that without this essential vitamin, our thyroid levels can suffer?
Did you also know that there is a strong connection between vitamin A deficiency and hypothyroidism?
Simplicious.
The word pretty much sums up it, don’t you think? Simple recipes and delicious food. Really, how could you go wrong?
However, this book is so much more than an everyday cookbook as it is also filled with sustainable practices from how to shop, cook and eat with ease and without waste whilst still nourishing our bodies. It includes tips on how to buy in bulk, freeze, preserve and use up any and all leftovers. An ultimate cooking guide for anyone wanting sugar out of their lives and planet-saving real food to eat.
One of my favourite ideas from this cookbook are the “Yoghurt Pots”.
The Naked Vegan - a title that makes you take a second look and a cookbook recently delivered to me by the good people of Murdoch Books.
Maz Valcorza is a no-nensense and funny lady who had me at "I ate Spam from a can", as I too laughingly remember eating spam from a can when I was younger - it was my mum's staple ingredient in her light Summer ham salad.
This cookbook is filled with raw vegan recipes, free of refined sugars and nasty fillers. It uses food grown from the ground, free from animal products and has not been heated to over 40-46 degrees.
I must state right here that I am in no way a vegan. In fact I'm far from it. Yes, I enjoy a green juice and a raw dairy-free cheesecake along with the next person, however give me a juice organic, grass fed steak smothered in a buttery bernaise sauce and I'm a very happy gal. I never say never though.
Breakfast. I'm a fan.
My breakfast of choice. Eggs.
When I'm wanting indulgence. Only hollandaise will do, and this recipe is foolproof.
In my past life I would whip hollandaise up by hand, which if you've done this before, is a bloody effort. Thank God for the invention of the blender, as this foolproof recipe creates hot, silky smooth and fluffy hollandaise, rich in protein, with a simple press of a button. Seriously, why would you order potentially inferior hollandaise when eating out anymore. I don't!
Beetroot has long been hailed as a natural healer for their ability to help lower blood pressure. However, did you know that they have also been traditionally used to treat fever, constipation, bloating and gas?
Did you also know that the greens from beetroot are chock full of calcium, iron and vitamins A and C and should definitely not be overlooked. Simply cook them up just like you would spinach.
I've been taken off dairy. Crap!
I'll happily live my life without twirling wheat pasta, buttering bread with gluten and sucking on sugary lollies, but the thought of not being able to enjoy my daily, creamy, fluffy, life altering cafe latte is killing me.
Yes, it may only be for the next 6 weeks, but it will be 6 weeks of hell for me and for everyone around me. That's a promise. Especially those little sh*ts who insist on drinking their lattes in front of me. They will pay. (See - me not drinking my latte could be a health hazard).
Dairy. Good or bad?
I've been researching this topic A LOT lately in connection with my thyroid issues. I'm still not sure how I feel. Anxious, scared, relieved, curious?
I have, however chosen to ignore all the research when it comes to my daily latte (for now).
It's my new favourite thing to do.
Make pastry from ground up nuts.
No gluten in sight.
Just buttery, crunchy and oh so tasty pastry that adds the jua de vivre to a yummy but otherwise simple vegetable tart.
There is no looking back for this little duck.
COOKBOOK: Nourish
It's no secret that I'm a fan of the cookbook Love Bake Nourish by Amber Rose, so when she released her new book Nourish, in collaboration with 2 of her talented friends, I was first in line.
Nourish is not your typical cookbook as it's split into 3 sections. The first section (I'm being honest) is my favourite as it's filled with gorgeous fresh recipes by Amber. The other 2 sections cover health and nourishment for the mind, body and soul. This book gives tips, tricks, solutions and answers for getting your health back into shape, stilling your mind and just simply maintaining a positive and happy outlook. It's simply stunning.
Comment 0 Likes
Share
My Home For The Holidays !
Christmas + the countryside = one very happy girl!
It really is pretty simple. A house surrounded by bushland (no neighbours please!), Bing Crosby, twinkling Christmas lights and a big bowl of fresh prawns. That's all it takes to make me forget about the working year that's been, allowing my shoulders to drop and the biggest smile to appear permanently on my face.
This is my perfect Christmas, all wrapped up with a big red bow.
Comment 0 Likes
Share
My Christmas Tart !
3 simple words that when said apart, make me smile, but when said together, make me swoon .... Fruit. Mince. Tart.
In my old life, these 3 simple little single syllable words would conjure up so many good memories, making me feel comforted, happy and oh so "Christmassy".
Now, having run away from gluten and sugar, these words when said together do (if I'm being honest) bring up a little feeling of deprivation, but more so bring up feelings of sugar highs and slumps, sleepiness and foggy brain. Not to mention a swollen thyroid! I’m not one to say “never”, but with the knowledge I now have of how sugar affects my body, I just can’t imaging EVER consuming these little tarts that I once held in such high esteem, again.
Comment 0 Likes
Share
Christmas Cake !
Plump, boozy dried fruit, glace cherries and nuts. All the things I loved in the Christmas cakes of my past. The denser and the darker the better. Cake that would (and could) last for months (if I didn't eat it sooner). And cake that stayed moist without the need for refrigeration.
My body and taste buds may no longer be able to tolerate these sweet fruit cakes of my youth, but I still have a need (and a desperate want) for a boozy, spicy and dense sliver of cake to sit proudly and lovingly alongside my cup of tea on Christmas day.
2 Comments 0 Likes
Share
Avocado + Sweet Potato
Do you ever get a food fetish where all you think, dream and eat is a particular food?
I get it ALL the time, and at the moment my fetish is avocado.
I’m eating it like a machine.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner - there’s no stopping me, and my favourite way of eating it is in this most delightfully, fluffy, light and zingy way….
I’ve been contemplating the tough questions in life lately……
1. How will my body react when I re-introduce it to milk?
2. When is it respectable to put up your Christmas tree?
3. When did we start wearing caps into restaurants?
4. Can I eat sweet potato dip for my breakfast?
I have a tip for you - you can't fry soggy mash!
Hmmm...maybe not such an exciting tip, but a good one nevertheless if you plan on making fish patties. I'm not only talking about potato mash, but mashed food in general. It's a tip I've kinda known for a long time, but not often put into practice.....unfortunately.
If you use this tip with these patties (by making sure you allow to firm up in the fridge before frying), you'll love me forever.
Is that weird?
In Winter, root vegetables are indispensable for those of us that love to cook. As the weather cools and the days get shorter, our thoughts turn to long, slow cooking. Cooking that warms our kitchens and fills our homes with comforting aromas.
These are the days when I cook with a cup of tea in hand and my book not too far away.
My weekly organic veggie box from Ceres is filled to the brim with these delicious vegetables for a reason, they're in season. This is their time to shine, and these little fritters, I think (and so do my family) make them sing from the roof tops.
These purple balls of joy may have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, but they're also packed full of some amazing things, including immune boosting Vitamin C, Fiber, Potassium (for healthy nerve and muscle function) and Manganese (good for your bones, liver kidneys and pancreas).
Beetroot helps to lower blood pressure, boost stamina and fight inflammation (due to their unique source of betaine).
When buying beetroot, you want them to be firm with a smooth, undamaged surface and they'll last in the fridge, stored in an unsealed plastic bag, for a couple of weeks.
To get the most nutrients out of your beetroots, rinse and brush them clean, but do not remove the skin or root until after cooking.
I'm always torn between being on holidays and my home. I love both. I love the freedom of not setting an alarm, of forgetting what day of the week it is, and not having to rush back to work after lunch.
On the other hand, I love my kitchen. My pots, my wine glasses, my sharp knife. It's the little things.
Watercress: Did you know that fresh cress has a higher concentration of vitamin C than oranges, more vitamin E than broccoli, more calcium than whole milk and more iron than spinach?
And if that doesn't make you want to jump on your bike and pedal to your local farmers market, then how about the fact that it contains high levels of Beta-carotene, which when converted into vitamin A in our body, helps improve our vision, hair, skin, nails, bones and teeth.
It's also a hell of a lot cheaper than going to a beauty spa!
Did you know you can buy bread mixes in a box at the supermarket? Apparently, they're made for our convenience.
Seriously?!
A box filed with fake ingredients and loads of sugar, designed to make us feel like we're bakers. That we're filling our bodies with goodness just because we've switched the oven on. I like to think we're a little smarter than they give us credit for. I like to think I am.....well, at least occasionally.
Okey dokey, I've had my rant, so now to a quick bread recipe THAT IS packed full of nutrition and nothing fake in sight.
Heather is the gardening and cooking guru behind the blog The Tasty Gardener which just happens to be my secret blog for this month's Secret Recipe Club.
One of the things I loved about wandering through Heather's blog was all the amazing tips and tricks she offers regarding both gardening and cooking from building a veggie patch through to cooking suckling pig. I was gobsmacked!
Well, the holiday is well and truly over..sob..sob.
As much as I love the freedom of travelling (especially in France), a small part of me always loves coming home to my own bed, my own shower and my everyday eating routine. Are you the same?
So this little lady has decided to go back to basics. I'm back off fructose, gluten and basically anything processed to try and be good to this poor little tummy of mine. Giving my body a chance to get back to neutral. I'm giving it a big love-filled hug by filling it full of highly nutritious plant food, protein and good fats. It's thanking me for it.
So in ode to "getting back on track", my oven was switched on and this little treasure came popping out.
How often is it that you find a recipe that does exactly what it promises? If you haven't found one of those for a while then your luck has changed right here and now with this gorgeous little recipe.
Basically, it's a bread stuffed full of all those yummy toppings you would normally pop into your sandwich. It's pretty much idiot proof and a full meal in every one slice. How good is that?
.