Tag Archives: high protein

Protein pancakes two ways: sweet or savoury

12 Jul

Hey guys,

How’s your week going? So I just got back from a lovely trip visiting my friends. It was so much fun seeing them again! But time flew by and before I knew it I had to board the plane and jet-set back home.

Usually when I’m away I try and keep up with posting and reading blogs, but this trip I barely opened my computer.  It was nice having a bit of a break from technology and just enjoying my time with friends.  I think it’s really important to just be where you are.  What I mean is that when you are with friend, relative, or your significant other, truly be there with them.  Don’t think about work, or tomorrow’s outing, or what’s on TV later.  Instead be present with that person, listen closely, and the moments you are spending together. It really makes life much more enjoyable!

Being on holiday also meant long leisurely breakfasts.  Like so many of you, I really really enjoy breakfast! So much so, that I often have it for dinner sometimes too.  I’ve recently been experimenting with my paleo protein pancake recipe, and have come up with two new mouth watering recipes that I’m sharing with you today.

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

(Paleo, Gluten free, Dairy free, Grain free, Low-FODMAP)

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup cooked mashed pumpkin
  • 1 tbsp (20 grams) raw mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts & cashews), ground into flour
  • 1 scoop Sunwarrior vanilla protein powder (equivalent to 17g protein)
  • 1 tsp ground flaxseed
  • 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened almond or coconut milk
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
  • Dash of sea salt
  • Stevia or other sweetener, to taste (optional)
  • Coconut oil or organic butter
  • Mixed berry syrup: 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries microwaved for 2 – 3 mins
Method
  1. Combine all ingredients, except coconut oil in a blender.  Process until smooth.
  2. Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat and grease with coconut oil.
  3. Make several pancakes by pour 1/4 cup of batter into different sections of the pan. Cook until bubbles form on top, then carefully flip and cook for a further 2-3 mins.
  4. Transfer to a plate and cover with lid to keep warm
  5. Repeat with remaining batter.
  6. Serve pancakes with warm berry syrup.
Nutrition per serve (using 20g raw almonds, not including toppings): Calories: 325, Total fat: 16.8g, Total carbs: 15.5g, Fibre: 6.6g, Sugars: 3.5g, Protein: 35.8g
I’ve made these a few times and have had fun trying different toppings.  My favourite so far is blueberry syrup, cashew cream, and a drizzle of maple syrup.  These pancakes really satisfy on those mornings when I crave something slightly sweet, but also power me through until lunch from a hearty hit of protein.  And on the mornings I crave something savoury, I make these instead…

Savoury Sweet Potato Pancakes & Fried Egg

(Paleo, Gluten free, Dairy free, Grain free, Low-FODMAP)

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 medium zucchini, grated
  • 1/4 cup cooked mashed sweet potato (about 1 small potato)
  • 1 whole egg + 1 egg white
  • 1/2 tsp dried chives
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • 1 whole egg, for frying

Method:

  1. Combine grated zucchini, sweet potato, whole egg, egg white, chives, salt and pepper in a small measuring jug. Whisk with a fork to combine.
  2. Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat and grease with olive oil spray.
  3. Make several pancakes by pour 1/4 cup of batter into different sections of the pan. Cook until edges are set, then carefully flip and cook for a further 1 – 2 mins.
  4. Transfer to a plate and cover with lid to keep warm.
  5. Repeat with remaining batter.
  6. To make fried egg: lightly grease pan again with cooking oil.  Carefully crack egg into a small ramekin.  When pan is hot, carefully pour egg into the pan.  Cook for several minutes, until the egg white becomes set, but yolk is still soft.
  7. Top pancakes with fried egg and serve.
Nutrition per serve: Calories: 220, Total fat: 10.1g, Total carbs: 14.8g, Fibre: 2.8g, Sugars: 6.1g, Protein: 18g

 

I absolutely adore these pancakes! The trick is to break the soft yolk and let it drizzle over the pancakes.  It really is the ultimate savoury syrup!  I love starting my day with protein and healthy fats as I find it keeps my blood sugar stable throughout the day.

Here’s to starting your day the right way

-Sarah xo

Do you prefer sweet or savoury breakfasts?
Any current food obsessions you would like to share (link welcome!)?

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Lemon Caper Snapper en papillote

12 Jun

I’m so glad many of you enjoyed yesterday’s post about the impact of mercury on your health.  As promised, today I’ll be sharing one of the two fish recipes I’ve recently made.  This snapper dish is a cinch to put together, has mimimal clean up, making it a perfect midweek meal.  The capers provide a nice salty burst, which offsets the flavours of mellow white wine and lemon.

Lemon Caper Snapper En Papillote

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cooking Time: 12 – 16 mins

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 4 Snapper fillets (about 600g)
  • 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
  • 4 tbsp white wine
  • 1 tbsp baby capers
  • Zest and juice of one lemon
  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
  2. Cut out 4 large pieces of tin foil or parchment paper.
  3. Place each fillet in the centre of parchment paper.
  4. Divide butter  (or olive oil), capers, white wine, lemon zest and juice evenly among the fillets.
  5. Season with salt and pepper, and top with parsley.
  6. Fold parchment tightly in a half moon shape, crimping the edges as you go.  You need to create a tight seal to steam the fish.  (You can also place each parchment inside tin foil and crimp the foil; it is sometimes easier to manage).
  7. Cook in pre-heated oven for 12 – 16 minutes, or until fish flakes easily.  Serve with extra lemon, steamed new potatoes and green beans for a complete meal.

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Motivational Monday: Change your Tuna

11 Jun

Hey all! I honestly can’t believe Monday has rolled around so fast! The last week of lectures just wrapped up and now it’s study time as exams start next week. Eeek! So as you can probably imagine I’m slightly stressed, definitely tired, but still very much pumped for today’s post :)

Today I wanted to talk tuna with all you, so I suggest we start at the very beginning…

If you are a fitness fanatic like me, canned tuna is probably in your repertoire of foods that you eat quite often.  It’s cheap, convenient, low in fat, and even comes in yummy flavours.  For a good year I’d say I had a can a day habit.  Whether it be on a salad at lunch, or with some crackers as a snack, tins of tuna always made a regular appearance on my plate.  And I thought nothing of it.  I was in the mindset of fish being a healthy addition to my diet, but I was unaware of the hidden dangers lurking in those tins – Mercury.

Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and tends to accumulate in the aquatic food chain, as methylmercury. This is because mercury from the ocean sediment is transformed into methylmercury by microorganisms.  The mercury is then absorbed by fish through their gills as they swim, and digestive tract as they eat.  So it’s not just Tuna that is affected! All fish will have some level of mercury in them, but the exact amount can vary between species and regions.  As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the fish, the more mercury it is likely to have.

But what does methylmercury actually do and why is it harmful to us?

When ingested, methylmercury is completely and readily absorbed in the gut.  From here it binds strongly to proteins, and amino acids, such as cysteine.  The body mistakes this methylmercury and cysteine complex to be the familiar essential amino acid, methionine.  Because of this, the molecule is freely transported across the body, and even goes through the blood-brain barrier, and can lead to damaging effects.  Mercury also takes a long time to break down in the body (it has a half life of about 50 days), so accumulation and toxicity is possible.

Symptoms of toxicity are often hard to differentiate from other disease states, but some signs include:

  • impairment of the peripheral vision;
  • disturbances in sensations (“pins and needles” feelings, usually in the hands, feet, and around the mouth);
  • lack of coordination of movements;
  • impairment of speech, hearing, and walking;
  • and muscle weakness
Ok so before you start freaking out and throwing all your cans of fish in my face, know this: You can still enjoy your favourite seafood fare in moderation!  A balanced diet with 2 – 3 serves of fish per week is considered a safe and beneficial intake, according to the Food Authority of NSW.  Furthermore, fish such as wild salmon or sardines, are packed with healthy omega-3 fats, iodine, and are a great protein source.
I have personally kicked my can a day habit of tuna and opt for fresh fish instead. Sure it takes a little extra time to prepare, but  it also means more variety in my diet and the fun of trying different recipes!  And for those days when I need a quick meal or snack, I now turn to canned sardines, which are perfect mixed in salad or mashed and spread onto gluten free toast.
If you are in need of some meal ideas, stayed tuned! This week I’ll be posting the recipes for my Lemon Caper Snapper en papillote and Crispy Seared Salmon with Dill.
And for those who are interested, here is a list of the mercury levels of different fish.
Here’s to a happy and healthy week ahead.
-Sarah xo
How often do you eat fish?
What is your favourite fish recipe?

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Fun Facts & Fiesta Fried Rice

3 Jun

Hey guys, how is your weekend going??? I spent yesterday successfully writing up notes for some of my subjects and also procrastinating like crazy by spending too much time on Pinterest. That website just sucks me in every time!!!

Today I’d like to take a little time to respond to the many generous awards I’ve received from fellow bloggers.  I know I’m probably a little late getting back to everyone, but better late then never right?  So a big thank you to the following blogs for my nomination (and if I missed you I’m sorry!!!):

inspiring and healthy running in london, Whit Likes Fit, and barefootbeing for the Liebster Blog Award

madisoncary for the One lovely blog award

The Burned Hand and Run. Dog. Cat. Me. for the Kreativ Blogger Award

Building This Nest for the Versatile Blogger Award

Andrea Drugay for the Versatile Blogger AND Very Inspiring Blogger Award

and I’ve also been tagged by Cats London Marathon and will respond to her question below.

I am humbled and honoured! Now on to the second part: facts about me.  From the number of awards listed above I think I need to list about 387 different facts about me, but that’s just not going to happen.  So here are a few fun facts as well as my response to Cat’s question:

1.  My favourite TV show at the moment is Revenge.  I love all the twists and turns it takes…plus Joshua Bowman is kinda hot.

2.  I like my food to be ridiculously hot! If it’s not steaming it’s not hot enough.  I’m also that crazy person that boils the kettle, makes a hot drink, then sticks it in the microwave.

3.  I don’t like cheese.  Growing up I think I realised cheese didn’t agree with me that well so I just steered clear.  I don’t miss it because well….I can’t quite remember what it tastes like!

4.  I love Kitchen appliances!!! If I had room/could afford a dehydrator, vitamix, cuisinart, or kitchenaid I would have them.  But for now my stick blender and mini food processor will suffice.

5.  I still haven’t finished my chocolate easter bunny.  I like chocolate, but just in small doses. Very small doses apparently.

6.  Peter Alexander pyjamas own my heart.  They are super cute and comfy.  Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to get out of bed in the morning.

So comfy!

7.  Lately I’m loving circuit training!  I mix up my moves swapping between dumbbell/barbell exercises, the TRX, kettlebells, the fitball, and plyometric exercises.  I just mastered the one leg stability ball hamstring curl.  This exercise is amazing for your hamstrings and butt!

8.  My favourite number is 15.  Maybe it’s because I was born on the 15th.  Second to that is number 8.

9.  These fashion faux pas kind of bug me: socks and sandals, crocs (they are not shoes, I don’t care how comfortable they are!), and guys who wear skinny jeans but kind of way too low down.

10.  I’d love to write a book one day.  I’m not quite sure what about, but it’s gonna happen.

And now on to answering Cat’s question: I’m frequently lacking inspiration for healthy quick lunches, and often end up with a tin of mackerel (good oils and protein), some microwave Basmati (low GI carbs), and a bit of lettuce (fibre and water, and one of my ’5-a-day’). Can you help with a simple, tasty suggestion (that doesn’t include banana or avocado, as I’m allergic!).

I’m all about quick and healthy lunches which use up leftovers.  Here’s one of my favourites that I pack and just quickly heat up in the microwave before eating.

Fiesta Fried Rice

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cooking Time: 15 mins

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp garlic infused olive oil
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, finely diced (remove seeds to reduce heat
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup reduced salt chicken stock
  • 1 large chicken breast, cooked & chopped
  • 1.25 cups cooked brown rice
  • 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
  • 1 cup iceburg lettuce, shredded
  • Salt & pepper, to taste

Method:

  1. Heat oil in non-stick fry pan over medium heat.  Add the carrot, celery, tomato, jalapeno and ground cumin. Saute for 5 – 10 mins, or until vegetables soften.
  2. Add chicken stock, cooked chicken, and brown rice to pan.  Cover pan and let ingredients heat through for 5 mins.
  3. Turn off heat and mix through chopped coriander and lettuce.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can customise it according to your preferences.  Feel free to use a variety of different vegetables.  Red capsicum or corn would be a great addition!  I love taking the remainders for lunch the next day, and it’s just as good cold as reheated.

Now for the nominees! Instead of bestowing a particular award on other fellow bloggers I thought I’d just share a few of my favourite blogs with you.  Go check them out and see what you think!

Fitness Loving Mom - Fab recipes, workout videos, and tons more health related articles

Abz ‘n’ Oats - Inspiring journey of a fitness lover and recently graduated RN!

The Camel Life – BreezyK is sarcastic, whitty, and always good for a laugh.

Peace Love Nutrition – If you Love yoga, travel, and food, you’ll love Jocelyn

Just Eat Love – met this lovely gal at my photography workshop.  Go check out her great recipes (her blueberry and cucumber crumble is one of my favs!) and she has some great recipes!

Well thanks for listening to my rambles today, and thank you to all who nominated me for the awards.  Wishing you all a fantastic finish to your weekend.

-Sarah xo

What fashion faux pas really bug you?
Do you have a favourite or lucky number?

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Tasty not sexy recipe #1: Mediterranean Meatballs

31 May

Like a lot of health food bloggers, I really enjoy cooking, and sharing the fruits of my labour with my lovely readers.  For me it is a creative  and therapeutic outlet (and baking up a batch of healthy cookies is also way cheaper than seeing a therapist too!). Whether I’m experimenting with new-to-me ingredients, putting a healthy spin on a classic dish, or just baking some comforting cookies, the kitchen is my ‘zen’ zone.

My dream kitchen

But to be honest, a lot of the stuff I cook doesn’t get to grace the pages of my blog.  Half of the time I will make something really yummy, only to realise halfway through eating that I never took a picture!  Pretty sure nobody wants to see a half eaten plate of food, so I usually just continue chowing down instead.  The other half of the time, I make something really yummy and take a picture only to realise….it doesn’t look all that sexy.  Which brings me to this post: Tasty not sexy.

I think seeing so much media around food photography and food styling has made me really critical of my abilities as a home cook.  Sure I want my food to look good, but the more important thing is how it tastes!!!  So I decided to stop being Miss Judgy Pants about the quality of my photography and just share the recipe instead.

Tasty not Sexy Recipe #1: Mediterranean Meatballs

Gluten free (Grain free option), dairy free, Low FODMAP

Seriously how do you make a ball of meat in tomato sauce look appetising?  But who cares anyway.  These balls are filled with the goodness from shredded broccoli, chopped celery, baby eggplant, and even pureed parnsips!   My brother is like the ultimate vegetable hater, so I take every opportunity to sneak in extra veggie nutrition where I can.  He didn’t detect any flecks of green so gobbled them down happily (and then proceeded to eat the leftovers too).  I made close to 50 meatballs from this recipe so feel free to freeze the leftovers for a quick dinner mid-week.  

Prep time: 25 mins        Cooking time: 45 mins

Makes about 45 meatballs

 Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp garlic infused olive oil, divided
  • 1 large stalk celery, finely diced
  • 1 stalk of broccoli, grated
  • 2 finger eggplant, finely diced
  • 1 medium parnsip, peeled, boiled & pureed (about 1/4 cup puree)
  • 1/4 cup gluten free rolled oats, ground into flour**
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried chives
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, cut chiffonade
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Worcester sauce
  • 1 whole egg + 1 egg white
  • 500g lean beef mince
  • 250g lean pork mince
  • 500ml tomato & basil pasta sauce

To serve

Method:
  1. Heat 1 tbsp garlic oil in non-stick pan.  Saute celery, shredded broccoli, and eggplant for 8 – 10 mins until soft.  Add water one tablespoon at a time to prevent vegetables from sticking to pan.
  2. Combine cooked celery mixture with remaining ingredients, excluding tomato sauce. Mix thoroughly using clean hands.
  3. Using your measuring spoons, scoop out a tablespoon of meat mixture and form into a balls.  Mixture should make about 40 – 50 meatballs.
  4. Cover meatballs loosely with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 10 mins to firm up.
  5. Heat remaining 1 tbsp garlic oil in non-stick pan.  Saute meatballs in batches, for several minutes until browned on both sides.  Once all meatballs are browned return them to the pan and add tomato pasta sauce. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
  6. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 25 – 30 mins.
  7. Serve with gluten free pasta, vegetable spaghetti and a green salad.
**Substitutions: To make this grain free omit the oats and use 1/4 cup walnuts or almonds ground into flour.

You will probably see a few more entries in the tasty not sexy series over the coming weeks and I do hope that you try some of the recipes.  While they might not look as appealing as pictures from a magazine I can assure you they taste terrific.  And if you are being super judgemental about your own abilities I urge you to stop! You are only human and don’t need to do everything perfectly.  So make your food tasty and nutritious, snap a quick pic and eat!

What’s your favourite dish that’s really tasty but not so sexy?

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Paleo Protein Pancakes!

27 May

Yesterday morning I woke up and lay in bed, pondering what to make for breakfast.  Oats? Nah….Scrambled eggs? hmmm maybe…or Pancakes??? Ding ding ding we have a winner!!!

By the time I finally peeled myself out of bed I was pretty darn hungry. I wanted pancakes like 5 minutes ago.  So I threw some ingredients in my blender, hoping for the best.  A few minutes later I had silver dollar pancakes sizzling in my skillet.  While my pancakes were a sizzling I decided to make a quick blueberry syrup to go on top.  I simply took some frozen blueberries and nuked them in the microwave for a couple of minutes, stirring a few times until they reduced down.

I hadn’t made pancakes in forever and a day, so you can imagine my excitement when I sat down and dove in.  I took my first bite, and quite literally did a happy dance in my chair.  Oh pancakes how I’ve missed you so.

Paleo Protein Pancakes!

Prep Time: 5 mins          Cooking Time: 10 – 15 mins         Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 medium banana, mashed
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut or almond milk
  • 1 heaping tsp protein powder (I used brown rice protein)
  • 1 heaping tsp coconut flour
  • t heaping tsp ground flaxseed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Coconut oil
  • Blueberry syrup: 1/2 cup frozen blueberries microwaved for 2 – 3 mins

Method:

  1. Combine all ingredients, except coconut oil in a blender.  Process until smooth.
  2. Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat and grease with coconut oil
  3. Make several pancakes by pour 1/4 cup of batter into different sections of the pan. Cook until bubbles form on top, then carefully flip and cook for a further 2-3 mins.
  4. Transfer to a plate and cover with lid to keep warm
  5. Repeat with remaining batter.
  6. Serve pancakes with warm blueberry syrup.
What is your favourite pancake topping?

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Thursday Things

24 May

Hey guys, how’s your week going? Today’s post is a little bit of everything, and a whole lot of nothing at the same time.  Sometimes I have lots to say about one thing, and other times I have a little to say about lots of things.  Today is the latter so let’s get started shall we?

Things I’m loving:

Organic Activated Walnuts from loving earth

I actually bought these by accident the other day when I was at the health food store. I just wanted a small snack before yoga started so quickly grabbed these off the shelf without paying too much attention. Best. mistake. ever! They are super crunchy and delicious, and the activation process also makes them easy to digest. Win!

So Delicious Coconut Milk

This is a great alternative for those who can’t have dairy, soy, and need to avoid nuts as well. I use it to my hot chocolate at night and it adds a lovely creaminess.  I like the unsweetened variety, but original and vanilla varieties are also available. Look out for it at your local health food store.

Crossfit workouts

Like way better than Kool Aid

Being mad busy at uni means I have little brain power left at the end of the day to think up an exercise routine. Enter Crossfit. I’ve been doing the workout of the day from the website, making modifications where necessary. I’m totally loving the variety, and the workouts are short and sweet. Today’s workout:

  • 500m row, 30 pushups
  • 1000m row, 20 pushups
  • 2000m row, 10 pushups
  • Followed up with some weight training: DB bicep curls, DB chest press (on stability ball), and BB biceps curls (21s); 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps for each exercise

The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss

If you want to become more effective, cut out some of the crap in your life, and start living your dreams then read this book. I think this book made me realise what’s important in life (e.g. doing things, not having things), and how to focus my energy towards reaching my goals.  The book is written in a very colloquial manner, with resources, tips, and challenges throughout to help you embrace independence and ultimately ‘Live anywhere, do anything’.

Recipes I’m keen to try:

If you are anything like me, you probably spend way too long perusing websites, blogs, and magazines looking for interesting recipes you want to try.  Here are a few I’ve bookmarked to make soon:

Coconut flour protein waffles by pure2raw for breakfast (or anytime really!)

Copyright pure2raw.com

This Balsamic Grilled Vegetable  & Basil Quinoa salad for a lovely weekend lunch

Copyright veggiebelly.com

And for dinner I’m thinking these Lemon-Ginger Roasted Chicken Thighs from Clean Eating Magazine

Well that’s all for now folks! I’m going to go rest my weary eyes now and get ready for Friday. Speaking of eyes, I’m having my vision tested tomorrow so I can get new glasses.  I’m excited to choose new frames, but nervous to find out how blind I am.

Ok enough of my rambling! Now it’s your turn:

What’s one ‘thing’ your loving lately?

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Motivational Monday: Going Meatless

21 May

Happy Monday guys!  How was your weekend?

Mine was action packed with fun and not-so-fun events.  But let’s focus on the fun ones shall we?

On Saturday I attended a food photography and styling workshop with Dario Milano.  It was an intimate setting in his workshop, with 5 other lovely ladies attending.  Most of them had food blogs, loved to cook, and of course take lots of pictures.  You can imagine we all got along swimmingly!

Being a group of mostly novice photographers, Dario took the time to go over the basics of adjusting the settings, and helping each person with their camera.  I don’t own a DSLR, so was lucky enough to borrow one of Dario’s for the duration of the class.  It was great fun seeing what a really good camera can do!

Over the next few hours we played with light and shadows to make the piece of food look appetising and natural.  Dario had been to the farmers market that morning, and picked up some beautiful produce to photograph including tri-colour carrots, baby fennel, oranges, red apples, and some baby potatoes that had a beautiful pink hue. Unfortunately I don’t have any photos from the day as I was borrowing the camera, but I will be sure to post some up as soon as they are sent through to me.  I was just eager to tell you all about the exciting day!

Seeing and photographing all that beautiful produce on saturday got me thinking about the great simplicity of eating meatless.  To be honest, I actually quite enjoy eating vegetables and fruit. I’m the kind of gal who will dig into a big plate of steamed veggies  and revel in their deliciousness.  Especially broccoli.  So today I thought I’d do a little recipe round-up of some meat free meals.

Eating a meatless meal is not only beneficial for your health, it is also kind to the environment.  A few advantages to eating meat free include:

  • Reduced risk of cancer
  • Reduced risk of heart disease
  • Reduced risk of becoming overweight or obese
  • Reduction in your carbon foot print
  • Reducted water usage
  • Reduced fossil fuel dependence

The great thing about meatless meals is they are also kind to your wallet.  Seriously, what’s not to love?  (Ok maybe brussel sprouts, but that’s just a personal dislike).

To get you started I’ve rounded up a few yummy looking dishes for inspiration, but feel free to create your own.  Let your fresh produce be your guide! Try a lovely fresh salad at the beginning of the week, and make some soup on the weekend when you have extra time.  Balance it out by adding some beans, lentils, or a handful of nuts for a hit of protein that is sure to keep you satisfied!

Meatless Meal Ideas

Try this Eggplant and Arugula Wraps with Tomato Basil Cashew Cheese by Gena @ Choosing Raw for lunch

Copyright Gena @ Choosing Raw

Or maybe a Mango Basil Personal-Sized Tortilla Pizza by Averie @ Averie Cooks

Copyright Averie @ Averie Cooks

Or even a big juicy Veggie Burger by Angela @ Oh She Glows

Copyright Angela @ Oh She Glows

As you can see meatless meals are just as enticing and delicious.  So put that bacon back in the fridge and veg out!

What is your favourite meat free meal or snack?

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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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Adventurous April: The Final Countdown

28 Apr

Hey guys! How are you all??? So first of all I’d like to apologise for being a little m.i.a. this week.  As you probably know, I’ve been madly studying for mid-semester exams.  Well I’ve completed two, and have one left on Monday.  I’m feeling quite worn out mentally, but I’m pushing through.

Even though I’ve been a busy bee studying, I still managed to find some time for a few adventures. This is officially the last week of adventurous april, and I wasn’t about to let exams get in the way of having just a wee bit of fun!  Here’s a recap of this week’s adventures:

1. Pomegranate

Before this week I don’t think I’ve ever tried a pomegranate.  But when I saw that they were on special at the store, I decided to pick one up and try it out.  After removing the arils from the fruit, I quickly got to work for recipes to try with this new-to-me ingredient.  I came across a tropical inspired oatmeal recipe that sounded right up my alley, and used it as inspiration for this great protein packed breakfast.  I give you Pomegranate Power Porridge!!! It’s just a simple variation of my Banana Berry Oatmeal Soufflé, but tastes very light and fresh.  I especially love the burst of flavour when you bite into one of the pomegranate arils!

From this...

To this!

The close up...oooohhhhh

Click here for the recipe: Pomegranate Power Porridge

2. Bacon

Yes you read that right! I also tried bacon for the first time.  Growing up I was never a fan of bacon OR eggs.  Well last year I made the leap and started eating eggs, so naturally bacon is the next step to the equation.  Part of the reason I avoided trying bacon was the fact that I thought fat was bad, but now that I’m over that whole saga, I decided to give it a go.  I cooked it up and added it to a nice big salad with some corn and leftover chicken.  I’d love to show you exactly what it looked like, but sadly hunger got the best of me.  But you all know what a salad looks like right??? In case you don’t it was pretty similar to this:

3. Fancy Pants

I have a confession to make: I’m fairly slack when it comes to dressing up for uni.  I would live in workout gear if it were socially acceptable to do so.  But do you ever notice how good you feel when you put in that extra effort?  Your confidence radiates, you have a bit more spring in your step, and feel dead sexy. Ok ok let’s not get carried away here…

With exams on, putting in that extra effort was definitely a challenge.  But I really felt the confidence in my appearance would translate into confidence that I was going to ace my exam!  Positivity feeds off itself right?

Red seems to be my colour!

4.  Photography

Since starting this little blog of mine, I’ve taken a keen interest in photography.  I currently use a point and shoot to take most of my shots, but get frustrated with how they turn out sometimes.  To be honest, my Dad’s iPhone takes better pictures!  So I’m saving up to buy a camera, and have also decided to some money into improving my skills.  First on the agenda is a food styling and photography workshop in a few weeks time (adventurous april is being extended in my books).  The guy who runs it, Dario, said he would be happy to lend me one of his cameras for the class. I’m super excited and can’t wait to learn some tricks of the trade!

Rhubarb Crumble. Photo Courtesy of Food Pixels.

5. Meeting my fitness idols!

This weekend the Australian Health and Fitness Expo was on at the Sydney Convention Centre.  Being a pilates instructor, I got free entry into the event, so there wasn’t any way I was going to miss it.  Especially because some of my fitness idols would be there!!! Specifically Lindy Olsen and Alicia Marie.  I got to meet them in person, and even had my photo taken.  Really made my day.  That and all the free samples.  Who doesn’t love free stuff right!

Alicia Marie, Me, and Lindy Olsen

Phew, what a week!!! Anyway tomorrow is back to studying for my final test on Monday.  And speaking of Monday, I’ve got a special treat coming up for you, so stay tuned! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Who are your idols? Have you ever met them in person?
Do you have any foods that you like now, but hated growing up?

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