Tag Archives: paleo recipe

Blueberry Muffins with Pecan Crumble Topping

23 Feb

grain free blueberry muffins with pecan crumble topping

I’m a firm believer that life should be delicious.  And with summer here it certainly is!  Colourful fruits and crisp fresh vegetables abound just waiting to adorn our plates.  One of my summertime favourites is berries, especially fresh blueberries; but I don’t discriminate. If I can get my hands on strawberries or raspberries at a reasonable price I put them in pretty much everything! I know the season won’t last for long so I make the most of them while I can.

Which brings me to this recipe…

Blueberries are the hero of this wholesome snack, which also includes the protein power of almond meal.  Topping the batter off with cinnamon scented pecans adds a great crunch to a treat that does not disappoint.  Even better still is knowing that these little beauties are also good for you! They are gluten, grain and dairy free and are suitable for those following a low FODMAP diet.

So get your baking pans out a whip up a batch for easy breakfasts on the run or a yummy snack.

Blueberry Muffins with Pecan Crumble

muffin 1

Ingredients 

Blueberry Muffins

  • 1½ cups blanched almond meal
  • 1 tsp cinnamon, ground
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup cooked sweet potato
  • ⅓ – ½ cup maple syrup (depends how sweet you like your treats)
  • ¼ cup silken tofu (substitute mashed avocado for soy-free)
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
  • Muffin liners

Pecan Crumble topping

  • ¼ cup pecans chopped
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (add more if you like)
  • 2 tsp coconut oil or butter

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
  2. Prepare crumble topping: Place  ingredients in a small bowl. Use your fingers to rub the coconut oil or butter in with the other ingredients until well combined. Set aside.
  3. Prepare muffins: Combine almond meal, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  4. In a food processor, combine sweet potato, maple syrup, tofu, almond butter, vanilla and egg yolks. Purée until combined and smooth.
  5. Gradually mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients, until just combined; do not over-mix.
  6. In a separate dry bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Then, using a rubber spatula, gently fold egg whites into batter.  Add blueberries and stir to combine
  7. Prepare muffin tin with liners.  Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin liners.
  8. Distribute crumble topping evenly among muffins and lightly press into batter.
  9. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 20 – 25 minutes.
  10. Cool completely before serving
  11. Leftovers may be kept refrigerated in a resealable container for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

For a printable version click here: Blueberry Muffins with Pecan Crumble

If you make these, send me a pic and let me know your thoughts!

-Sarah xox

What is your favourite summer fruit or vegetable?

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Motivational Monday: Green up your life

23 Jul

The other week I went to a wonderful presentation hosted by Green Villages (City of Sydney) on ways to green up your life, and in particular your home.  The panel of experts did a great job imparting their knowledge onto us eager green virgins.  By the end of the night I left with a wealth of information about sustainable living, and also how to become more involved with green projects in the community.  Today I wanted to share a few of the things I learned at the seminar, as well as some advice of my own (including recipes).

Here are my top three tips for living a cleaner, greener, and healthier life:

1.  Embrace second hand

I’m so surprised at the quality items that people often throw away.  In Australia, we have ‘hard waste’ days where you can dispose of unwanted items such as furniture or appliances, so keep an eye out for items that you are interested in (we managed to get a perfectly good flat screen tv once!).  Sometimes all they need is a bit of love to bring them back to life.

Another option is to check out thrift stores, garage sales, or auctions in your area.  You can find awesome vintage clothes, home appliances, or funky dish ware to cook up a storm. A few handy sites are:

2. Be a homemade hero

Store bought items are convenient, but come at a cost in terms of price and packaging.  I’ve personally made the switch from boxed chicken stock and almond milk to a homemade variety.  It may take a little longer to make, but the taste is far superior and I’m also saving lots of money!  Here are the recipes I use:

Homemade Almond Milk

(Low-FODMAP, gluten free, dairy free)

Makes about 2.5 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup raw almonds
  • Filtered water for soaking
  • 3 cups filtered water for blending
  • Optional add ins: pinch of sea salt, stevia, or natural vanilla
  • Tools: Blender or food processor; nut milk bag, clean stocking, or fine cheesecloth for straining.

Method:

  1. Place the almonds in a bowl and cover liberally with filtered water. Refrigerate almonds overnight or for at least 8 hours.
  2. Drain almonds and discard soaking water.
  3. Place almonds in blender with 3 cups of filtered water, and any optional add ins.
  4. Blend on high for 2 – 3 mins.
  5. Strain milk through a nut milk bag or clean stocking into a clean jug.  Squeeze the almond pulp to remove as much milk as possible.
  6. Store milk in the refrigerator and use within 4 – 5 days.  This silky smooth milk is beautiful on its own, but you can also use it in smoothies, oatmeal, tea, coffee, or to make ice cream!
  7. Almond pulp will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.  You can use the almond pulp in a variety of ways. Gina from Choosing Raw offers a few good ideas here: 3 creative uses for Almond Pulp.

Simple blueberry almond smoothie: 1 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1 tsp natural vanilla extract, sweetener to taste (optional)

Healthy Homemade Chicken Stock

(Low- FODMAP, gluten free, dairy free)

Ingredients:

  • 1.6 kg free range or organic chicken
  • Filtered water
  • 2 large carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 large stalks celery (including leafy parts), roughly chopped
  • 1 bunch spring onions (green part only) OR 1 bunch chives, roughly chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp mixed italian herbs
  • 6 – 10 peppercorns
  • Sea salt, to taste

Method:

  1. Remove chicken from packaging and gently rinse. Place in a large heavy bottom pan.
  2. Add vegetables and spices.
  3. Add enough filtered water to just cover the chicken and vegetables.
  4. Cover with lid and place over medium flame.
  5. When stock reaches a boil, turn flame down and gently simmer for 45 mins.
  6. After 45 mins, turn off heat and let stock cool.
  7. Remove chicken when cool enough to handle.  Carve chicken into pieces and enjoy beautifully poached chicken throughout the week. You can use it in sandwiches, salads, or even stir-fries.
  8. Strain stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Discard or compost vegetables.  Place stock in the fridge overnight.
  9. In the morning, skim off any fat that has formed at the top of your stock.  Use stock as desired, or divide mixture into 500ml portions and store in the freezer for future use.

Low FODMAP chicken noodle soup: Add chopped veggies, shredded poached chicken, and gluten free noodles to simmering stock. Cook until vegetables are tender and noodles are soft. Garnish with coriander and serve!

The best part about making things at home is knowing exactly what ingredients go in.  No added nasties, which makes for very happy tummies!

3. Support your local community

There are a number of ways you can support sustainability within your community, and meet great people at the same time. Consider joining a local community garden, which you through your local council or websites such as The Australian City Farms & Community Gardens Network.  This is the perfect way to increase your knowledge of food and agriculture, especially if you’re more of a black thumb than a green thumb like me (it’s sad…all the herbs I’ve bought have died).

You can also be green with your dollar by buying at local farmers markets, or joining a food co-op.  Locally grown produce is less taxing on our planet as the food travels a shorter distance to the market or shop.  It is also important to be aware of what produce is in season.  A good guide is to look at the price per kilo.  Fruits and vegetables that are in season are usually cheaper and higher in nutrients than those out of season, which may have to be imported from overseas.

Also take your own reusable shopping bags, and reuse plastic vegetable bags instead of taking new ones each time. Although these suggestions seem simple, they add up in the long run to reduce your footprint on the planet.  Remember small changes equal big results. 

Here are some useful sites to get you started:

If you live in Australia:

  • You can search Market Fresh to find out what’s in season, as well as what isn’t!
  • Buy the Seasons app for your smarty pants phone. It has loads of information about what’s in season, the length of the growing season, and what’s available year round.
  • Search for a Food Co-op near you
  • If you live in Sydney, head to Alfalfa house and raid the bulk bins (BYO containers)
  • If you want to go out for a bite to eat, then try these sustainable restaurants: Dank St Depot in Waterloo or Billy Kwong in Surry Hills (a personal favourite of mine!)

If you live in the US:

  • then head to Eat Local, where you can find produce in season and farmers markets near your area.
  • Buy the Seasons app for your smarty pants phone. It has loads of information about what’s in season, the length of the growing season, and what’s available year round.
  • Search the Food Co-op Directory to find one near you.
  • Buy reusable lunch boxes, shopping bags, or water bottles online at reuseit.com
  • Search the American Community Garden Association for a garden near you, or check out some of their useful resources.

I hope you find the links useful and take some action, great or small, to make your life just a little greener! Have a great monday and a fabulous week.

-Sarah xo

What is your best tip for living a greener life?
What do you make at home that saves you money at the store?

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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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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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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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