Tag Archives: downloads

Hawaiian BBQ Bacon Burgers

9 May

Aaaaare you achin’…Yup, Yup, Yup…Foooor some bacon?…Yup, Yup, Yup….Heeee’s a big pig…Yup, Yup….You can be a big pig too! Woo!

Pineapple. Bacon. Beef. BBQ Sauce.  Floral leis and grass hula skirts optional but highly recommended.  Add all these things together and you get one heck of a party in your mouth (feel free to shake it in your hula skirt as well…it only adds to the experience!).

I make no apologies for my dorkiness and I make no apologies for this outrageously good combination of flavours.  As you are probably aware, I had my first experience with bacon a few weeks ago.  I can’t say it was love at first bite, but these burgers have converted me.  The combination of smoky bacon with the sweetness of the pineapple and barbecue sauce works really well to create a truly satisfying burger.

Hawaiian BBQ Bacon Burgers

(Gluten free, Dairy free, Low-FODMAP)

To me a good burger is more than just a slab of meat.  I want them to be healthy, but also taste delicious.  This recipe sneaks in fibre and extra nutrients with the addition of mashed pumpkin and gluten free rolled oats, which also keep them lovely and moist.  Topped off with pineapple and a drizzle of barbecue sauce, these burgers are a sweet and savoury delight. 

Prep Time: 15 mins Cooking Time: 10 mins

Makes 6 Burgers

Ingredients:

  • 4 – 5 slices nitrate-free, free range bacon
  • 2 celery stalks or 1 small onion, finely diced (use celery for Low FODMAP)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ cup cooked mashed pumpkin
  • ¼ cup gluten free rolled oats or quinoa flakes, ground into flour
  • 2 tsp Worcester sauce
  • 2 tsp low sugar barbecue sauce
  • 1 tsp barbecue seasoning (no added salt)
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper, or to taste
  • 2 egg whites
  • 500g lean beef mince
  • To serve: pineapple slices and extra barbecue sauce

Method:

  1. Place bacon in cold non-stick frying pan.  Turn heat to medium to render the fat out of the bacon.  Continue to cook for several minutes until lightly brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Once cool, trim excess fat away if you wish, and dice bacon.
  2. Add olive oil to rendered fat in pan and sauté celery (or onion) for 5 – 10 minutes until caramelized.  Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl combine cooked celery, bacon, and remaining ingredients.  Mix thoroughly with clean hands and shape into 6 patties.
  4. Cook burgers on grill or in a non-stick pan for 4 – 5 minutes per side.
  5. Serve with pineapple slices and top with extra barbecue sauce.

To download a printable version click here: Hawaiian BBQ Bacon Burger

I actually ate this burger for breakfast along with a generous serving of steamed broccoli.  Nothing like a bit of protein to get you going for the day right!

Are you a fan of bacon?
What other sweet and savoury combinations do you like?

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Motivational Monday: Less is More

30 Apr

Haaaaaaappy Monday!!! Right now I’m feeling pretty darn excited because I just finished my last mid-semester exam! I can breathe again (well at least for a little while).  I’m also pretty darn excited for another reason…today’s post!!! Today the lovely Shira from In Pursuit of More will be taking over Motivational Monday and sharing a bit about herself along with an amazing recipe. Hope you guys enjoy!

Good Day Diva readers! So happy to be here and to be guest posting on Sarah’s awesome blog!

The blog world is so very full of amazing, driven, and passionate people – Sarah is no exception as she writes, stays fit, eats incredibly well all while studying hard to boot! Anyone that can successfully juggle all those things is an inspiration in my books, so with that, it’s a pleasure to be here, and a pleasure to meet you all!

When I started my blog in January, I was well underway with the much larger project which is the reason I am here today.

It was just over a year ago today that I took action to make changes in my own life that would help me heal from (what was becoming) a dangerous and un-fulfilling addiction to shopping. I was at a point in my life where I had everything I could ever want, but somehow was still struggling to be truly happy. If you like, feel free to read about it here at the IPOM site.

I set to work on setting up a non-profit organization called Not So Fast that would feed people who had less than me. And I started fasting. I thought if I could do it, perhaps others could too?

Since fasting simply means to abstain, I just called it ‘going without’.

One day a week I’d go without a store bought lunch. The next week I might skip a glass of wine with dinner. Other days I might fast for an entire day (if that was feeling good to me). The money I didn’t spend on food was donated to those who would otherwise go hungry.

Learning how to ‘live with less’ was something that was sorely needed in my life at that time, and it led me to start IPOM, a blog about ‘living with less’ and finding more while doing it!

Not So Fast has yet to officially launch, but while we set up (it’s quite a massive project), IPOM was started to start the celebration of the food we eat, and the blessings we have, knowing that not all are as fortunate as we. I’ve had so much fun so far and met so many wonderful inspiring people along the way – it’s been amazing to share in the journey!

Today I’ll share with you a wonderfully simple and tasty salad dressing recipe featuring extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil. Here in Canada, summer is about to start, and for those Diva readers in Australia, fresh basil is a wonderful last kick at the can for summer before the Autumn season moves in full force!

I hope you enjoy this little recipe as a simple, delicious way to get more greens into your life – perhaps just what we might need on this Monday! I’ll let you be the judge….now let’s get to it, shall we?

The Less:

Less bottled dressings for salad means fresher oils and ingredients all around. Less packaged goods means less waste and more fresh flavor. Less ingredients means a chance for ingredients to shine, so maybe you can shine (just a little) too :)

The More:

More fresh herbs means more fresh green summer flavor. More olive oil based dressings means more heart healthy meals. More delicious reasons to eat salad means more good feelings all around, so you might just eat salad everyday!

Easy Fresh Basil Salad Dressing:

  • (1/4) cup extra virgin olive oil
  • (2) tbsp red wine vinegar
  • (1) tbsp dijon mustard
  • (1) tsp salt (or to taste)
  • (1) tbsp sugar (or alternative sweetener)
  • 8 leaves of fresh basil
  • (1-2) tbsp water (optional)

Combine all ingredients (except water) in a blender, and blend on high until fully emulsified. Taste to correct seasonings, and add water to thin if desired.

Voila! The bountiful, sweet taste of summer is easily at hand to dress your greens, grains, or even on a cold noodle salad! I enjoyed it over the weekend with fresh bitter frisee, cubes of raw firm tofu, avocado and gomashio.

It was incredible!

No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted.

~ Aesop

Enjoy this recipe – and thanks so much for reading! Also, a huge thanks again to the Diva for the invite!

Wishing you all a wonderful Monday full of more!

Yours in Less,

Give us the less and more in your life.  Anything you wish to cut back on?  What would you add instead?

I’ll go first. Less food wasted at the end of the week, and more hearty soups to use up the odds and ends.  Also less paper towels for cleaning and more reusable washcloths instead!

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Adventurous April Goes for a Spin!

18 Apr

Today’s adventurous april post is brought to you by the letter S.

Sydney Writers Centre

So before I get started talking about this weeks adventures I wanted to do a little shameless self-promotion.  I’ve entered this little blog of mine into a competition! At the beginning of the year I did a writing course at the Sydney Writers Centre and absolutely loved it! I met some great people, learned some valuable writing skills, and as a result am even getting my articles published. I really love writing and so when they announced their Best Blog Awards I jumped at the chance to take part.  So if you enjoy reading these posts as much as I enjoy writing them, why not click the link below and vote for me! Your support is truly appreciated.

People's Choice Award

Adventurous April Take 2

adventurous april

Last week I decided to put my adventurous april pants on and try some new things.  And this week was no different. This week I challenged myself to continue to try new foods, but also mix things up in my fitness routine. I try and workout 3 – 4 times a week, and usually stick to weight training to keep building up my muscles.  And while there is nothing wrong with that, I find that I really neglect any form of cardio.  Other than like 5 – 10 minutes warming up on the treadmill…but that doesn’t count.  So I challenged myself to try a cardio class that I haven’t done in forever: Spin. 

I looked up the timetable at my local Fitness First, and settled for an early evening class on Tuesday figuring it wouldn’t be too crowded.  So yesterday after I got home from Uni I changed my clothes, put my adventurous pants on and headed out the door…

And then something truly unexpected happened…

I took a spill….

Not just a little trip and tumble either.  This was a full fledged feet slipping out from underneath you and sliding for several feet kinda spill.  It had been raining all day and our steep driveway was super slick.  When I went to walk down to the car I must have hit a particularly wet/mossy patch and I went splat.

It hurt.

Swear words may have even escaped from this Diva’s lips.

And tears definitely started to well up.  I quietly picked myself up, got in the car, and cried.  I thought about going right back upstairs and calling it a day.  I was nervous about doing this spin class and almost used my spill as an excuse to just give up.

But I didn’t.

I had my adventurous pants on (now slightly dirty and damp, but whatever) and I wasn’t about to let anything stop me.  So off I went.

The Spin

I got to the gym nice and early to set up my bike and do a quick warm-up on the treadmill before the class started.

I was nervous as anything, but I knew I could do it.  At 4:45pm sharp our instructor, Jackie, turned up the music and got our class underway.  For 45 minutes we sprinted, climbed hills, and practiced some speed work.  Jackie was a speed demon, and I did my best to keep up with the pace she set.

I’m not gonna lie, this class was hard.  I kind of felt like this:

But afterwards I was really proud of myself and felt a great sense of accomplishment.

Until I got home and collapsed in a heap.

The Skip

After picking myself up (for the second time that day) I got started on making dinner using an ingredient I enjoy but don’t buy very often: Kangaroo. The stats on this meat are pretty spectacular.  It’s 98% fat free, is high in protein, and contains iron and zinc as well as omega-3 fatty acids!

Continuing with the S theme I decided to use this skip in a stir-fry, and throw in some sesame seeds for good measure.  It turned out better than good. Some may even call it scrumptious.

Orange Sesame Stir-Fry

Prep Time: 10 mins               Cooking Time: 10 mins

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • 2 oranges
  • 2 tbsp gluten free tamari (reduced salt variety)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp gluten free corn starch mixed with 1 tbsp water
  • Cracked pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 500g lean meat of choice (kangaroo, beef or chicken would work best), cut into strips
  • ¼ cup coriander leaves to garnish (optional)
  • Steamed broccoli and brown rice to serve

Method:

  1. Finely grate the zest of one orange into a measuring cup.  Cut both oranges in half and squeeze the juice into the measuring cup.  Add the lemon juice, maple syrup, sesame oil, apple cider vinegar, cornstarch mixture and pepper.  Stir to combine and set aside.
  2. Place a non-stick fry pan or wok over medium heat.  Add sesame seeds and toast for several minutes, stirring often, until they turn a light golden colour.  Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. Spray pan with cooking oil and return to heat.  Add meat and cook for several minutes until browned on both sides.  (Tip: Work in batches to prevent meat from stewing in its own juices; this ensures even browning.) Remove meat from pan and set aside.
  4. Reduce flame to low and add sauce to pan, scraping up any bits of meat that may have stuck. When sauce starts to simmer, add meat back to pan.  Cook for 2 – 3 more minutes, stirring to coat.
  5. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over meat, and garnish with coriander. Serve with steamed broccoli and brown rice. Enjoy!
To download a printable version click here: Orange Sesame Stir-Fry

 

After dinner I decided it was probably time to have a shower, do a bit of study, and go to sleep.  Even though I took a nasty spill, all in all it was a swell day.  Ok enough with the S’s!

Now it’s you turn!
What adventures, great or small, have you been getting up to?
Can’t wait to hear about them!

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Adventurous April Takes a Bite!

11 Apr

Well hello there and welcome to Wednesday! This week I’m on break so have been playing catch-up on all my work from Uni.  Which means my days are super exciting.  I get to do things like take notes, spend hours photocopying textbooks, and study pictures of brain anatomy wishing I could learn the information by osmosis.  But in between shovelling information into my cranium I also find time to do some real fun stuff.  Stuff like working out, making yummy food, and trying new things for adventurous april.

adventurous april

Adventurous April was started by Janetha as a way for her to step outside of her comfort zone and try new things.  And this girl is awesome because she invited everyone else to do the same!  Your adventures can be anything great or small, but it has to be something new for you.  So today I’m posting about some of my recent culinary adventures in the kitchen.

1.  Breakfast

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day.  I could eat breakfast foods all day long if I could!  But the sensible part of me tells me I should eat a vegetable or two and maybe a hunk of meat to even out the massive bowls of cereal I would otherwise consume.  But when it comes to breakfast I tend to get stuck in a rut. I eat the same thing most days.  So I took adventurous april as a sign to step out of my comfort zone and create some new eats like this Banana Berry Oatmeal Soufflé…

Prep Time: 15 mins Cooking Time: 10 mins

Makes 1 large or 2 smaller portions

Ingredients

  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • 1 tsp vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • Spices to taste: ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves & cardamom
  • 1.5 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 ½ cups boiling water
  • ½ medium banana
  • ¼ cup berries of choice
  • 1 tbsp chopped nuts, and dried fruit (mix of walnuts, almonds, brazils and sultanas)
  • 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites (approx ½ cup total)

Method

  1. Combine first six ingredients in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Cover with lid and set aside for 10 – 15 minutes to soak.
  2. Meanwhile, place banana in a bowl and mash with a fork.  Add berries, nuts, and dried fruit.  In a small measuring cup, combine whole egg and egg whites and whisk with a fork to combine.
  3. After soaking the oats, place them over a medium heat and stir until oats begin to simmer.  Add in banana mixture and continue stirring.  If mixture is too thick add additional water (I normally add an extra ¼ to ½ cup).  Continue to simmer for 3 – 5 minutes.
  4. When oats have reached your desired consistency, slowly add in the eggs.  Whisk continuously for 2 – 3 minutes until oats have fluffed up and are a thick consistency.
  5. Transfer oats to bowl, garnish with additional berries or nuts if desired, and dig in!
Gather up your ingredients…

Whisk, whisk, whisk!

Grab a large bowl (Note: Our normal cereal bowls don’t accommodate my larger than life portions of oatmeal. I’ve had to resort to using our salad bowl…Don’t judge…)

Grab a spoon and dig in!

To download a printable version of the recipe click here: Banana Berry Oatmeal Soufflé

I’d always been a fan of protein powder with oats, but up until now haven’t added eggs into my oatmeal.  I was actually blown away at how delicious this turned out.  It was super creamy and thick and I didn’t detect any egg flavour at all.

Some of the new-to-me ingredients in this bowl were ground cardamom and chia seeds.  Cardamom is a beautiful wintery spice that pairs well with desserts and stewed fruit, and is wonderfully aromatic.  The chia seeds add healthy fats, fibre, and also act as a thickening agent in the oats. I know I’m a little late on the chia seed craze, but I’ve always been a fan of flax.  But seeing as this is adventurous april I decided it was time to try something new!  All in all this dish was a winner and will definitely be in the breakfast rotation.

2. Dinner

Having busted my breakfast rut, I decided to seek out a new-to-me vegetable I could try for dinner.  After perusing the fresh food market I found this gem.

 It was small and cute and looked like the perfect portion for my solo dinner that night.  When I got home with my baby gem, I googled to find out what this vegetable had to offer and how I should prepare it.  I found out that the gem squash is a cross between a small pumpkin and a zucchini, and they are best prepared by steaming on the stovetop.

I headed to the kitchen and gazed into the fridge for inspiration.  Since I was flying solo for dinner I did what any logical lazy girl would do: use up the leftovers. I spotted the spaghetti sauce from a few days before and immediately knew what to make – stuffed spaghetti squash!

I got to work deseeding and steaming the squash, and warmed up some of the leftover Low FODMAP spaghetti sauce in the microwave.

After about 12 minutes in the steamer this baby was done.  I carefully spooned crammed as much of the sauce as I could into my baby squash, and topped it with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.

Stuffed Gem Squash

This meal was so good! The flesh of the gem squash is similar to a spaghetti squash and creates small strands once cooked.  It was pleasantly sweet and was the perfect partner to my leftover sauce.  Another adventurous april win!

I hope my escapades in the kitchen will inspire you to try something new. Remember it doesn’t have to be anything huge, just something new for you!

Next up on my adventurous april schedule…New to me fitness fun!

What new thing have you tried or done lately?

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Everything Awesome Oatmeal Cookies

28 Mar

If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk…

except the mouse forgot to tell you that he’s vegan.  So he’ll ask for a glass of almond milk instead.

When you give him his glass of almond milk, he’ll probably ask ‘Are these cookies made with butter or eggs?’

To which you can happily reply: ‘No mouse. These cookies are kind to all creatures great and small.  Your cow friends will rejoice as they have no dairy, and your chicken friends will cluck with joy to know they have no eggs.  Even your bee buddies will buzz with bliss as they have no honey.’

The mighty mouse devours his cookie and smiles with glee, then asks ‘May I please have the recipe?’

Everything Awesome Oatmeal Cookies

Everything awesome includes: oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit and dark chocolate

But nothing nasty like: refined white sugar or flour

They are also suitable for those with special dietary requirements!

These cookies are vegan, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and Low FODMAP.

Prep Time: 30 minutes             Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • ¾ cup raw pecans
  • ¼ cup raw walnuts
  • ¾ cup natural almond meal
  • ¾ cup gluten free flour (such as brown rice, buckwheat, or gluten free oat flour)
  • 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
  • ½ cup coconut sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut or almond milk
  • 1 tsp natural vanilla paste
  • 3.5 tbsp coconut oil
  • ¼ cup brown rice syrup
  • ¼ cup maple syrup

Add ins

  • 1.25 cups fruit free muesli with nuts & seeds (GF if necessary)
  • ½ cup dairy free chocolate chips
  • ½ cup dried fruit (such as raisins, or dried cranberries)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
  2. Place walnuts and pecans on baking sheet and toast in preheated oven for 8 – 10 minutes, mixing once halfway through.  Remove nuts and let cool.
  3. In a large bowl, sift together the almond meal, flour, coconut sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Set aside.
  4. When nuts have cooled, place them in a food processor with the gluten free rolled oats.  Process until finely ground, about 1 minute.
  5. Add nut/oat mixture to bowl with flour and mix thoroughly to combine.
  6. In another bowl or large measuring cup, mix together the wet ingredients.  If coconut oil is solid, place in microwave for 20 – 30 seconds to melt.
  7. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix to combine.  Once combined fold in gluten free muesli, chocolate chips, and dried fruit.
  8. Cover dough with cling wrap and place in the fridge for 10 – 15 minutes to chill.  While mixture is chilling, line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
  9. When dough feels cool to touch, remove it from the fridge.  With damp hands, roll about 1 tbsp of dough into a ball, and place on cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Using your fingers, or the back of a spoon, lightly flatten each ball on the cookie sheet.
  10. Bake for 10 minutes in oven at 350°F (175°C).  Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 – 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
  11. Cookies will keep in a sealed container in a cool dry place for one week, or frozen for up to 3 months.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

To download a printable version click here: Everything Awesome Oatmeal Cookies

The particular batch I made are wheat free but not 100% gluten free.  I used a bag of the muesli I won in a competition, and the combination of nuts and seeds was sensational!  I baked these cookies on saturday and by sunday evening they had all ‘magically disappeared’.

Coincidence?

I think not.

What’s your favourite kind of muesli or granola? Have you ever tried baking with it?
What awesome food have you eaten or made lately?

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Paleo Peanut Butter Banana Blondies

21 Mar

The other day while perusing the fruit bowl in the kitchen I noticed our bunch of bananas was getting particularly brown.  Not wanting them to go to waste I quickly thought up what I could make.  I was in the mood for something sweet, but didn’t want to labour away making anything too complicated.  I thought about making another batch of my fabulous Paleo Banana Bread, but when I looked in the cupboard I realized I didn’t have any almond meal.  So I put my thinking cap on and what I came up with was nothing short of sensational.  This recipe is paleo, gluten free, dairy free, and can be made sugar free too.  But best of all it takes about 5 minutes to put together; just blend and bake!

Paleo Peanut Butter Banana Blondies

Prep Time: 5 mins Cooking time: 20 – 25 minutes

Serves 12

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe medium bananas
  • ½ cup natural peanut butter or other nut butter of choice
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup or 2 tbsp raisins (for sugar free option)
  • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 1 whole egg
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 325°F (165°C).  Grease and line an 8 x 8 inch brownie pan with baking paper.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until all ingredients are incorporated, about 1 minute.
  3. Pour batter into greased pan and bake in pre-heated oven for 20 – 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  4. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.  Will keep refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for up to 3 months.

To download a printable version click here: Paleo Peanut Butter Banana Blondies

Hope you guys enjoy!

What do you do with leftover ripe bananas?
What sugar free goodies have you been enjoying? Link up and share!

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Breakfast for Dinner

17 Mar

Have you ever walked into your kitchen, opened your fridge to look through what’s there and felt completely uninspired?  You’re hungry, you want food, there IS food in the fridge, but nothing really appeals to you? So you walk away and ponder for a few minutes, return to the fridge and have a look again.  Something inside you is hoping that maybe the ingredients on your shelves have changed, or perhaps dinner cooked itself and is just waiting to be reheated.  But no such luck.  So you close the fridge door, walk to the computer, and check Facebook for a few minutes (or hours depending on hunger levels).

Fridge full of food...nothing to eat

Eventually your stomach starts to grumble again, so you get up and go to the kitchen.  You open the fridge door and take a good look around again.  Your mind is going ‘What do I want? What should I make? Not chicken again please!’ But none of the ingredients you have on offer are calling out to you.  Just before you are about to throw in the towel and reach for a bowl of your favourite cereal, you spot the humble brown carton on the bottom shelf of your fridge.  You smile and shout ‘Eureka I’ve got it! It’s breakfast for dinner tonight!’

Breakfast for dinner is one of the great pleasures in life.  One of my fondest childhood dinner meals was French toast. I thought my mom was pretty awesome (and she is!) for letting us having eggy fried bread with maple syrup and fruit for dinner.  It always made my day.  Back then getting away with no veggies was always a plus.  My how times have changed!

When breakfast for dinner is on the menu, the options are endless.  You can make fluffy pancakes, or thin crepes and stuff them with sweet or savoury fillings.  And don’t forget about French toast or waffles either.  But sometimes you want something speedy, with minimal fuss, and that’s when eggs become the superstar!

Happy chickens lay happy eggs... Always choose free range or organic when possible!

A baked frittata, or simply scrambled are some of the fast fresh options that I enjoy.  It’s also a great way to use up leftover bits and pieces you have in the fridge. Toss in some leftover roast potatoes, the sausages you sizzled on the barbeque yesterday, or that bag of spinach you’ve been meaning to use all week.  Like I said, the options are endless!

If you want a quick delicious dinner, have a crack at making my easy Veggie Garden Scramble.  This basic recipe has a zesty little twist that I urge you to try.  If you are in the mood for a slightly more decadent dinner, I’ve included some links to a few other ideas I hope will inspire.  And if none of those appeal to you, then by all means go to the cupboard and make a deluxe bowl of your favourite cereal; the ultimate dinner of champions!

Veggie Garden Scramble

Prep Time: 10 minutes         Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Serves 1 – 2

Ingredients

  • 2 whole eggs (or a mix of whole eggs & egg whites)
  • 1 tbsp non-dairy milk, such as So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk
  • 1 cup chopped vegetables, such as mushrooms, zucchini, or broccoli
  • ½ – 1 cup washed baby spinach leaves
  • Zest of ½ a lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Olive oil cooking spray

Method

  1. Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and place over a medium high flame.
  2. Add chopped vegetables and sauté for 5 – 8 minutes, until lightly cooked.  Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together eggs and milk.  Add lemon zest, salt and pepper
  4. Lightly spray pan again and place back on heat.  Add egg mixture to pan and cook for 1 minute before adding sautéed vegetables and baby spinach.  Continue to cook until eggs reach your preferred consistency.
  5. Transfer eggs to plate and serve.

To download a printable version click here: Veggie Garden Scramble

And here are some other delicious breakfast for dinner ideas:

Strawberry Shortcake Stacked Pancakes by Angela from Oh She Glows

(Source)

Baked Coconut Cream French Toast from Leanne at Healthful Pursuit.  (P.S. It’s also Gluten free, Dairy free, Sugar free, and Yeast free!)

(Source)

Or maybe a Cinnamon Fruit Filled Omelet from Ashley at The Edible Perspective

(Source)

Then there are the savoury options! Like this Avocado Breakfast Sandwich by Matt at The Athlete’s Plate

(Source)

And lastly for a more filling option try this Fajita Frittata with Avocado Salsa from Mark’s Daily Apple

(Source)

Now stop staring at your fridge door and get cooking!

Have you ever made breakfast for dinner? What did you make?

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Low FODMAP Lunches & Simple Salmon Slice

8 Mar

‘Back to school… back to school to prove to Dad that I’m not a fool!!!

….I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, I hope I don’t get in a fight,

Oh, back to school…back to school….’

I’m currently in the midst of my first week back at university.  I study exercise and sports science and have just entered my second year of the degree.  The first week back at school is always a buzz.  While the early mornings are a bit of a shock (my first lecture on Monday was at 8am), I’m excited to see my friends and hit the ridiculously expensive books again.

Our campus is dedicated to health science disciplines only so it’s quite small, but has all the basics we need: Bookshop, Gym, Library, Computer Lab, and of course the ‘Food Court’.  I call it a ‘Food Court’ because it really is only one venue with 3 different options: Sandwich, Hot lunch option, or Salad.  Because of my dietary restrictions, I’m pretty much limited to the salad option if I wanted to buy my lunch.  So instead I pack my lunch.

By packing my lunch I avoid lines at the food court, save money, and get a lot more variety in my diet! But it also means being prepared at the beginning of the week with lots of ready-made items in the fridge.  I usually dedicate Sunday to food prep and meal planning.  My mom and I sit down and plan out dinners for the week, which gives me an idea of what leftovers I can take for lunch the next day.  On top of that I also prepare some basic staples, so I can pack everything up with minimal effort when I’m in a rush (which is most days).  Here is a basic rundown of what I prepare for Low FODMAP lunches:

One of my favourite new recipes is the simple salmon slice.  This delicious slice is dairy free, gluten free, and of course Low FODMAP.  It is full of protein from the salmon and eggs, but also has lots of fibre from the grated vegetables.  The beauty of this recipe is you can easily change up the ingredients depending on what you have in the fridge.  I’ve included the basic recipe below along with some suggestions for variations and options for vegetarians.

Simple Salmon Slice

Prep Time: 15 mins      Cooking Time: 25 – 30 mins

Makes 9 slices

Ingredients

  • 250g sweet potato, grated
  • 1 large carrot, grated
  • 1 medium zucchini, grated
  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • ½ cup coriander, roughly chopped
  • 1 bunch chives OR 5 spring onions (green part only), roughly chopped
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 3 eggs
  • 415g can pink salmon, in spring water, drained
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F).  Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Squeeze excess water out of grated sweet potato, carrot, and zucchini and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Add celery, chopped coriander, chives or spring onions, lemon zest, lemon juice and ground flaxseed.  Mix together thoroughly.
  3. In another bowl, roughly mash salmon with a fork. The salmon bones are a great source of calcium so leave them in, but be sure to crush them up.
  4. Transfer mashed salmon to vegetable mixture and mix thoroughly.
  5. Crack eggs into a measuring cup and season with salt and pepper.  Whisk eggs to break up yolks, then add to salmon vegetable mixture.  Mix everything together well.
  6. Press mixture into prepared cake tin.  Use the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to smooth the top of the slice.
  7. Bake in preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes, or until golden and firm.
  8. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before carefully turning out.  Cut into pieces and serve immediately, or pack away and refrigerate for later.  Slice can also be individually wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.

Simple lunch idea: 2 salmon slices, salad, fruit, and raw almonds

Nutrients per serve (1/9th of the recipe): Calories: 102, Total Fat: 3.9g, Total Carb: 7g, Sugars: 2.8g, Dietary Fibre: 1.3g, Protein: 9.8g 

Variations

Vegetarian Options

  • Full of Beans: Replace salmon with a can of Four Bean mix(or other legumes, such as chickpeas), drained and roughly mashed.  You may need to reduce the eggs to 2.
  • Tempting Tempeh Slice: Replace salmon with 300g grated tempeh.  Replace the lemon zest and juice with 1 tbsp sweet or hot chilli sauce (or finely chopped chilli to reduce sugar), 1 tbsp reduced salt tamari and 1 tbsp grated ginger.  You may need to reduce the eggs to 2 (add another if mixture appears too dry).

Other Variations

  • Tuna & Sweet Corn. Replace salmon with 415g can of tuna in spring water, drained.  Omit sweet potato and add 1 cup canned corn kernels and ½ cup mashed potato.
  • Chicken Fajita Slice. Replace salmon with 2 cups cooked shredded chicken.  Replace sweet potato, carrot and zucchini with 1 cup cooked brown rice, 1 chopped red and green capsicum.  Replace lemon juice and zest for lime juice and zest.  Add ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp chilli powder, and ¼ tsp smoked paprika.  Serve with salsa.

 To download a printable version of the recipe click here: Simple Salmon Slice

What are your lunchbox essentials?
Do you prefer hot or cold lunches?

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Motivational Monday: Beat cardio Boredom

5 Mar

Hey guys! Happy Monday. I’ve gotta say I really missed writing my normal motivational Monday post last week! But I’m back to help you kick it into high gear again.

This past week the weather has been terrible.  Literally raining non-stop! All I wanted to do was go for a nice long walk outside to stretch my legs, get some fresh air, and sunshine.  But mother nature had other ideas.  Being a ‘no excuses’ kind of gal I headed to the gym instead.

I’ve been following Jamie Eason’s Livefit Trainer and am currently in week 7.  I’m halfway through the program and really love the results I’m starting to see.  I’ve definitely put on muscle, but more than that I find my energy and strength have greatly increased. The workouts are tough, but I feel amazing afterwards.  The benefits are definitely worth all the hard work!

On top of the weight training, Phase 2 also introduces some cardio.  I’ve been including about 3 sessions of cardio a week, which is less than advised on the program, but plenty for me.  I have to admit I’m not a huge cardio fan.  I know it’s good for my heart and health, but I find it kind of boring.

How I feel as I watch the minutes tick by on the treadmill...

But then I had an epiphany; it doesn’t need to be boring!  To get my cardio groove back I decided to try a few new routines.  I flipped through some old copies of Oxygen Magazine and came across an article by fitness model Alicia Marie.  In this article she lists a few mini butt busting cardio workouts that are sure to light a fire under your feet.  I picked out a few that sounded interesting and decided to give them a try next time I hit the gym.

Fitness Model Alicia Marie

On a particularly dreary day, I headed to Fitness First for my normal workout session.  After I completed my weights, I tried one of the new routines, called ‘Run-Squat-Climb’ (detailed below).  The combination of cardio and strength moves definitely kept me on my toes and wanting more!

Over the next few days I road tested some of the other routines and found them just as invigorating.  Compared to my normal steady-state sessions, I noticed that the time flew by.  These routines are perfect to help you break through a plateau, or just shake things up.  Alicia Marie includes this type of training in her routine to burn fat and sculpt sexy legs.  Well judging by her figure it definitely works!

Here are a few of Alicia’s top routines:

For a printable version of these workouts click here: Butt Blasting Cardio Routines

I’m all about practicing what I preach, so you bet I’ll be including these routines in my workout plan.  The benefits I’ve felt and seen so far have been impressive, and I’m happily hooked back on cardio.

But don’t just take my word for it, I recommend you try them yourself.  Be prepared to work hard, but also reap the amazing benefits of a healthy heart, and slender legs.  Happy Training!

How do you beat workout boredom?
What’s your motivation to get moving this week?

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Guilt-free eating & Carrot Pineapple Protein Muffins

2 Mar

‘Cheat’ meals.  I cringe at the words.  To me it just has a really negative vibe.  If you eat a ‘cheat’ meal, can you really enjoy the food?  Or do you just end up feeling guilty.

Guilt is another one of those useless emotions, especially when it comes to food.  Food is meant to be enjoyed!  My personal mantra is that there is no such thing as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ food.  Labeling food like this just creates an unhealthy mindset:

‘Good’ food thought: Broccoli is good for me! I shall relish the mighty green trees. and worship all their benefits!!! The diet gods will look down on me in praise’

‘Bad’ food thought: Potato chips are bad for me and should be shunned for all time!  I feel like such a glutton for eating this salty sin filled with fat.

I know what you are thinking…this girl is crazy right?!?!? The Healthy Diva advocates eating potato chips? Yep I sure do!  And all treats for that matter.  Sure we should eat some foods, like broccoli, more than others, but there is no need to deny yourself of the things you love! The key is moderation and portion control. Life is too short to restrict yourself.

But the trick is to actually learn to enjoy the things you love.  First of all I want you to ditch the ‘cheat’ mentality.  It’s negative and unnecessary.  Instead put a positive spin on it.  For example, ‘I’m going to enjoy this sweet treat.  It’s delicious, made with love, and I want it.’

The next step is savour the flavour!  Put your chosen food on a plate, and sit down at the table while you eat it.  Notice the texture, aroma, and taste of the food.  I find this really enhances the experience.

The final step is to lick your lips, and rub your belly.  You can even add an ‘mmmmm that was good!’ for extra effect.

These three steps will help you master the art of satisfaction.  And you know what they say, practice makes perfect!  So I thought I’d help you out by sharing a recipe for one of my food favs; Carrot Cake.  This is seriously sinless recipe, so feel free to ‘practice’ as often as you want. Let’s all stop ‘cheating’, start ‘treating’, and live a guilt-free life. Why? Because The Healthy Diva said so!

Carrot Pineapple Protein Muffins

These marvellous muffins are gluten free, dairy free, high in protein, and FODMAP friendly.  Enjoy them plain of with a smear of cream cheese icing for extra decadence. **UPDATED RECIPE: I’ve removed the sugar from this recipe as I found them to be slightly too sweet. Enjoy this new improved sugar free version!**

Prep Time: 20 mins    Cooking Time: 25 mins

Makes 15 muffins

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour (ground almonds)
  • ½ cup vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 eggs, separated
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 225g can pineapple pieces in juice, drained and juice reserved
  • 3 tbsp reserved pineapple juice
  • 2 cups grated carrot (about 3 medium carrots)
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 2 tbsp raisins (optional)
  • 15 walnut or pecan halves (garnish)

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F) and line muffin tin with baking wrappers.
  2. Sift the dry ingredients together two to three times through a fine mesh sieve.  This will ensure a light texture when baked.  Transfer ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
  3. Place 2 egg whites into a stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile place egg yolks, vanilla, pineapple, pineapple juice and carrot into another bowl.  Mix to combine.
  5. Combine egg yolk mixture with dry ingredients and blend.
  6. Fold 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter.  Once incorporated, transfer remaining egg whites, walnuts or pecans and raisins (if using) into batter and mix to combine.  Do not over mix as this will knock the air from the beaten egg whites.
  7. Drop heaped tablespoons of batter into lined muffin tin and garnish with walnut/pecan halves.  Bake in preheated oven for about 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  8. Cool on a wire rack.  Once cool, store in a sealed container for up to 1 week in the fridge.  Muffins can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

To download a printable version of the recipe click here: Carrot Pineapple Protein Muffins

What goodies will you be treating yourself to this weekend?
Which of your favourite foods do you wish was calorie free?

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