Tag Archives: Healthy

Sensational Seed and Nut bars

May 24, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

Healthy, easy to make seed and nuts bars, or just seed bars if you leave the nuts out as the ones above. This recipe is very flexible and l know there are heaps of other bar recipes on the web but this one suits me, my lifestyle, tastes and food choices. The ingredients are all wonderful and you can add more or less of each seed and it wont matter. To be adventurous you could add herbs, raw cacao, cinnamon or garlic and l may start experimenting a bit now l have this basic recipe worked out. The ones in the picture above do not have nuts or coconut, but l prefer the batch l made today which included them. I use organic and activated ingredients but it is up to you and your preferences. Regular nuts and seeds will work well, but l need to support my digestion and overall health as much as possible so use the best ingredients l can.

Ingredients:

1 cup activated organic sunflower seeds

1 cup activated organic pumpkin seeds

1 cup organic sesame seeds

1 cup black chia seeds

1 cup activated mixed nuts (I used walnut, almond and brazil)

A generous 1/2 cup organic shredded coconut

8 Medjool Dates seeded and chopped (roughly chop just to make it easier for the food processor)

A good 1/2 cup raw organic honey (use organic or regular honey if that is what you have or even rice malt syrup)

A good 1/2 cup organic coconut oil

Place the nuts, seeds, shredded coconut and dates in the food processor and chop until roughly chopped. Tip this into a good sized glass bowl. I used the same measuring cup for the organic coconut oil and raw organic honey and with both in there it should look really full. Put the coconut oil in the cup first so it is easier to remove.

Melt the coconut oil and honey in a saucepan on very low heat. You don’t want it too hot so remove from the heat just before it is all melted. Give it a stir and then pour it into the seed, nut, date and shredded coconut mix. Stir well and taste test. It should be delicious and sweet.

Place a sheet of grease proof paper over a baking tray and run your finger around the edge to make a crease. Pour the mix onto the tray and flatten with a soft spatula or the back of a spoon. Make sure it is quite even across the whole tray and give special attention to the corners.

I have tried a few different oven temperatures and times but basically you don’t want the oven too hot as you will burn the seeds and lose lots of nutrients, and you want to just cook it until the edges are going golden. I cooked mine today in a Fan Forced Convection Oven at 170 Degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. You will be able to check this after your first batch.

Remove the tray from the oven and let cool until cold. I left mine for about 1.5 hours.

Use the edges of the baking paper to carefully remove the bars as a whole from the tray and lay it on a flat bench. Cut the bars while still on the baking paper into whatever size suits you using a very sharp knife and wiping clean after cutting a row. I think it is better to have the bars quite small as then you have more of a choice over serving size.

Carefully lift each bar into the container for freezing unless you are going to eat them all fresh. If they are a bit crumbly you can place the whole lot into the freezer with a cutting board underneath so they harden a bit before placing in the tub.

The best part of the whole cooking experience is eating the crumbs. Scrape them off the baking paper and into a bowl. Enjoy! You could dip something into these crumbs such as a banana or use them as a topping.

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Wellness

The Joy of Cos Lettuce

April 10, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

You can’t go wrong with this versatile and healthy vegetable.

Cos lettuce or alternatively known as Romaine lettuce is my new favourite lettuce. After spending years eating Iceberg lettuce and then sorting through the many new varieties on the market, l have now settled on Cos lettuce as my new favourite. I have seen short stemmed and long stemmed varieties, but prefer the long stemmed ones for the versatility of their leaves. I really like that the leaves are so big and soft and then the lower part is really crunchy. You can just pick off one leaf as you need it, especially if you are growing your own, or cut the bottom off the whole bunch and watch the leaves just move apart. I used to battle with the Iceberg lettuce trying to make lettuce cups as the pieces were hard to pull away in tact, and it was so difficult to store as it was a big round shape. The Cos lettuce can be laid flat and fits nicely in lots of small places in the fridge.

Grow your own.

It is so easy and handy!. Not sure about the cost saving but definately a healthier option for you and fun for the whole family.

The leaves are so versatile

The challenge for me lately has been to find a suitable lettuce, not to put in salads as those are plentiful, but to use as an alternative to wraps. Removing grains from the diet does pose a meal planning challenge to those who like to have wraps as a meal and the Cos Lettuce is marvelous for this purpose. The first photos show the larger leaves laid out to use as wraps, while the second photo uses a smaller Cos lettuce where the leaves have a natural cup shape to them and are perfect to fill with your favourite ingredients.

2014-04-02 19.22.16 — All laid out for self-serve. Looks nice. Salad, free-range roasted chicken and roasted sweet potato.

2014-04-02 19.27.57 — Larger leaves used as wraps.

2014-03-31 19.25.55 — Lettuce wraps filled- chick peas, egg, snow peas, carrot, avocado and tomato with a small piece of fish

Nutrition Facts:

Low Calorie and great taste
High in Vitamin A(Beta-Carotene), Calcium, Vitamin C, Iron, B Vitamins and a good source of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids
A complete protein so that it has all 8 essential amino acids
Composed of 17 % Protein
Is heat tolerant so great on top of those home made pizzas just out of the oven
Excellent to use in smoothies
Low in the anti-nutrient Oxalic Acid
Rich in the minerals Selenium, Zinc, Copper, Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium and Phosphorous

What’s not to love! Do yourself a favour and add this delicious and nutritious food to your daily diet.

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Wellness

Snack bars-all natural

April 10, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

Another lunch box filler or sweet snack to fill in the holes that are left by following a restricted diet. These snack bars are crunchy and sweet eaten straight from the freezer which is how l prefer them, but if l pack them in my lunch box for work l use a cool block so they stay cool. The raw organic honey, medjool dates and organic coconut oil provide the elements of sweetness and stickiness that helps to hold the bars together. Everything in these bars is healthy and natural and the best part is scraping the bits off the tray and eating them while still warm. See if you can resist!

I like to make things in bulk and freeze them but if this doesn’t suit you then just halve the recipe. If you halve it just use one baking tray instead of two. It can be good to start with a smaller quantity as it often takes a few goes to get a recipe right or to make adaptations to it that suit you.

Ingredients:

1 cup Almond Meal (I keep mine in the fridge)

1 cup organic shredded coconut

1 cup organic sesame seeds (I also keep all of my seeds and nuts in the fridge)

1 cup of Pepitas

1 cup of Sunflower Seeds

1 cup of Chia Seeds

2 cups of chopped nuts (I used walnuts almonds and macadamias)

2 teaspoons organic cinnamon

12 medjool dates seeded and chopped

4 generous tablespoons raw organic honey (or organic honey)-warm so it is just a liquid

1 good cup of organic coconut oil-warm so it is a liquid

Method:

Place the nuts and dates in the food processor and pulse. Add all of the other dry ingredients and mix well. Place in a bowl and mix through the liquid honey and coconut oil. This is the time for a taste test. Yum!

Grease the two trays well with coconut oil (one if halving the recipe) and place half of the mixture on each tray. Spread the mixture evenly over the tray and using an egg flipper push the mix down so it is flattened and compacted. Focus on the corners and edges also. Place the trays in a pre-heated 160 degree celcius oven and bake until the edges are quite golden. Around 30 minutes but it will depend on the oven.

Let the trays cool for about five minutes and then run a sharp knife around the edge of the tray and carefully cut lines into the mix as shown in the picture. When the trays are completely cool, cover with cling wrap and place into the freezer for about one hour. Take the trays out of the oven and use a cake server to go around the edge of the tray and loosen the bars. Bend the tray slightly until you can see the bars lifting off the tray. Use the cake slicer to carefully lift each piece out of the tray. Place into a container and put in the freezer. This is the time to scrape the leftover pieces off the tray and enjoy. So yummy!

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Wellness

Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Casserole

April 10, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

A very warming and tasty casserole which will stimulate your taste buds.

I surprised myself by making such a spicy dish. I was originally going to make apricot chicken but the apricots have vanished from the shops so l had to make some adjustments to my thinking. I also didn’t have time to use the hot pot so just used a saucepan on the stove top. The result was really warm with the mix of spices just right. Of course, spiciness is very personal so feel free to add more or less of the spices depending on your tastes. I served this casserole with some lovely brown rice that l put in a ramekin to get the nice shape. The kids think it is funny when l serve the rice this way rather than just spooning it on to the plate.

Ingredients:

A pack of free range or organic chicken thighs (approximately 6) chopped into small pieces

1 medium sweet potato peeled and diced

1 tablespoon of Millet flour (or any other flour you like)

1 tablespoon organic tomato paste

Herbs- I used chives, parsley and mint because that is what l had in the garden. Just a small amount of each.

Spices- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, a generous 1/4 teaspoon each of ginger, cumin, turmeric and a pinch of paprika

Juice of half a lemon

1 tablespoon black chia seeds

Sea salt and ground black pepper to season

1.5 cups approximately of stock or filtered water. Use your judgement here. Add a cup and see if you think it needs more. The chia seeds will soak up some of the water but you don’t want it to be too runny.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In to a saucepan place some Olive Oil, the diced chicken, sweet potato and flour. Place on the heat and lightly brown. Give it a good mix as it is cooking so the flour coats all of the surfaces. Now add the tomato paste and let it cook for a minute. Add all of the spices, lemon juice and smell the aroma. Mix well. Add the stock, herbs, chia seeds, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then let simmer for several hours. Mine simmered for around 6 hours and this was a good amount of time for the flavours to really develop. Serve with steamed vegetables or rice. You can freeze the left overs or take it to work for lunch the next day.

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Wellness

Vegetable Soup

April 8, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

There is so much comfort in sitting down to a lovely bowl of vegetable soup, especially on a cold day.

It might seem kind of basic to be writing about how to make vegetable soup but if you haven’t had a go at it these tips might help. I like to make up big batches of soup and keep them in the freezer in small containers so l can use them as needed. The soup freezes well and if l don’t have time to let the soup defrost overnight l place the frozen tub in a small amount of hot water so it loosens from the container, then put it in a saucepan with a small amount of water. This method works very well as l do not use a microwave oven so need to find other ways of managing.

First step:

The whole base of the soup is a good stock. I have a recipe on my website for making a stock from a chicken base but you can use beef or lamb shanks. My mother used to put the lamb shank into the soup and let it all cook for several days and if you can find some grass fed lamb shanks this would be very nice. I don’t eat red meat now due to my lack of a gall bladder but my Dad was a sheep farmer and we had some lovely lamb meals when we were growing up. Although l don’t eat the red meat l could still put the beef or lamb bones into my stock mix but at this stage l am in the habit of using free range chicken as we often have a roast chicken for dinner and it is economical to then use the bones, skin and leftover meat in the stock.

The pictures above show the cooked stock, draining out the bones and meat and finally the delicious stock which is the base of the soup. At this stage you can place small amounts of the stock in containers and freeze to use in casseroles or bolognese as examples depending on the quantity of soup you wish to make.

Decide which vegetables you would like in your soup. I chose sweet potato, celery, pumpkin, carrot and cauliflower this time. You can add anything that you like such as cabbage and some onion if you can tolerate it. My mother used to add split peas and soup mix but l have found these can create digestive issues so avoid them now. Make sure your vegetables are washed well then cut into small pieces. Vegetables such as the carrots and celery will be there in the diced form in the final soup, but the softer vegetables such as sweet potato and carrot will dissolve and thicken the soup. Place all of your chopped vegetables in the pot with the broth and let simmer all day. Get a potato masher and mash some of the softer vegetables such as the pumpkin so they break up and thicken the soup. Serve in a bowl or mug and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. You can add a clove of crushed garlic or some sliced spring onion tops at serving as a garnish and extra flavour. Let the soup left over cool and place into the fridge or freezer for later use. Another handy idea is to take the soup hot to work in a thermos so you can enjoy a lovely lunch or have it in a mug for morning tea.

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Wellness

The omelette: A meal you can always count on

March 15, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

Quick to cook, healthy and simple.

The omelette has become the meal l use when l need to make something quick for lunch, or we have arrived home late from sports training and l haven’t organised dinner. It is so easy to individualise an omelette as they can be filled with ingredients which each family member likes, or you can have it plain just as my young son does. I buy some nice free range eggs and keep them in the fridge. We go through a lot of eggs in our home so l don’t need to check the use by dates, but l always rotate the boxes of eggs in the fridge so l am using my oldest ones first. I like to fill my omelettes with lots of fresh ingredients such as spinach, snow peas, grated carrot, tomato and a meat of some kind which is usually free range chicken, tuna or salmon. I often add some pumpkin or chia seeds for added crunch and when cooked will sprinkle some Kapai Puku seed mix over the top.

When l make my omelettes l place some extra virgin olive oil into a hot pan and pour the beaten eggs into it. I like to use a small pan so that the omelette is as big as the pan as this gives a nice shape. If l use a big pan l give the pan a bit of a lift as the egg spreads to try and get a nice shape. As the egg is cooking l add the ingredients to half of the egg with foods such as spinach added last as l don’t want it to cook very much. When the egg looks cooked and firm l use a spatula to lift the plain side of the egg over the filling and press the top with the spatula. I let it cook for about another minute and then carefully lift with the spatula and place on a plate. I can quickly cook the five omelettes required to feed my family if l have all of the ingredients prepared before l start cooking. Omelettes can be eaten at any time of the day and can be added to with a nice salad or steamed vegetables. I don’t eat dairy but if you do, cheese can also be added to the omelette. It can be seasoned with some nice sea salt and ground black pepper. Enjoy!

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Recipes, Wellness

Rosemary and Sea Salt seed bars

March 12, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

These were really nice on their own but l can imagine having them with a nut butter or avocado with tuna or salmon on top. I cut them quite small so they are more like a cracker biscuit and have placed them in the freezer to pack in my lunch when working.

Ingredients:

1 cup of organic sesame seeds

1 cup of organic pumpkin seeds

1 cup of organic sunflower seeds

1 generous tablespoon organic coconut oil

1 generous tablespoon raw organic honey

1 heaped tablespoon fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup filtered water

Place all of the ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth.

Spoon the mix into a well greased biscuit tray (mine was 24cm x 34cm) and spread out smoothly with a spatula until even across the pan. I greased the pan with organic coconut oil and it is very important to grease the base well. The mixture should be about 1/2 cm thick across the tray. Bake in a 180 degree celsius oven until golden on top. Remove from the oven and while still in the tray cut the mix into slices. A tip is to run a knife around the edge of the tray to loosen the bars slightly. I cut mine into small squares as it had slightly stuck to the tray and they were easy to get out with a spatula. Carefully lift each piece out of the tray and place carefully with space between each piece onto two clean and greased trays. Return to the oven and bake for about another ten minutes or until they are looking golden. Remove from the tray with a spatula and place on the cooling rack. You can eat these bars fresh or place in the freezer to use later on.

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Recipes

A healthy stir fry with lots of greens

January 4, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

Chicken and assorted greens stir fry.

A stir fry can be a wonderful tasty, quick and healthy meal. The ingredients are cooked for a short time and therefore will retain their nutrients and flavour. I have used ingredients that are simple and natural as l find this supports healthy digestion and l try to have a light meal at night to encourage a good sleep.

This dish was created for my family in record time as there was a lot going on. The key to its success was that l had the ingredients on hand and l cut up all of my ingredients before cooking started. I often use a variety of coloured vegetables in my stir fry dishes but decided that using a selection of fresh green vegetables would be a nice change from my usual additions.

Ingredients:

2 free range chicken breasts

2 fresh garlic cloves

A small piece of fresh ginger

Tamari sauce

Fish sauce

Selection of fresh greens ( I used: the green part of two shallots, a bunch of broccolini, snow peas, beans and a variety of different kales and spinach picked fresh from my garden)

Method:

Wash all of the vegetables in filtered water to remove any chemicals or dirt and I also rinse the chicken breasts in filtered water. Chop and dice all of your ingredients and place them on a tray or in bowls next to your stove ready for cooking. This preparation is important as the cooking time for the stir fry is very quick. Place your wok or pan on the stove top and pour a small amount of extra virgin olive oil into the pan. When hot add the diced/sliced chicken breasts along with the crushed garlic and chopped ginger. The smell will be amazing! Keep cooking the chicken until nicely browned as the greens will only require a short time in the pan. Add all of the greens along with a few dashes of Tamari and Fish sauce depending on your personal preferences. Use your wooden spoon to mix the vegetables through the chicken and cook until the vegetables are just beginning to soften. Serve immediately by placing in individual bowls or place in one large bowl so people can serve themselves. This dish makes enough for approximately four adults.

Recipes, Wellness

A healthy Christmas lunch

December 25, 2013 holisticwellnessforlife 1 Comment

I was determined not to get sick from Christmas lunch this year so l kept it simple and healthy and it was really delicious. On the menu was a free range turkey which l roasted in the oven, roasted carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin and potatoes. This was accompanied by red quinoa tabouli, roast pumpkin hummus and a nice green salad. I made some stuffing for the turkey in a separate baking dish using a low gluten bread which the kids loved but l did not eat. For the dressing l made a healthy salad dressing (in the recipe section) and topped it all with Kapai Puku. I normally only drink filtered water but tried some sparkling mineral water which came in a glass bottle. This probably all sounds really boring to those of you who can eat what you like with minimal consequences, but last year l was sick for days after consuming some Lindt balls and too much fruit, so today’s lunch was a wonderful success as l feel great and the leftovers were delicious.

Recipes, Wellness

Roast beetroot and chickpea hummus dip

November 27, 2013 holisticwellnessforlife 18 Comments

This beetroot dip is really delicious and the colour is so enticing! It can be a lovely addition to a meal or used as a dip. Either way it is a healthy option for snacking and very easy to make. Most Paleo and Primal followers do not eat chickpeas but if they are a food you consume now and again then this recipe is ideal.

2013-11-14 18.52.04 — A beautiful colour.

I have made this dip with both steamed and roasted beetroot and have found that roasting the beetroot enhances the flavour of the hummus. The recipe is adapted from one in my favourite cookbook ‘eat well, be well’ from the Gawler Foundation.

2013-11-25 19.08.11 — A major part of this meal.

2014-01-23 19.00.31 — The hummus adds colour and texture to this meal.

Chick peas are a legume and need to be prepared before consuming so as to reduce unwanted digestive discomfort. I would advice to use organic ones in a packet where possible and to soak them for 24 hours in filtered water with one tablespoon of sea salt before rinsing and boiling for around 40 minutes. Once cooled they are ready to be used in the recipe.

Place all of the ingredients in the blender:

2 cups of soaked and cooked chickpeas

1 large beetroot that has been diced and roasted in the oven.

2 small cloves of garlic (more or less depending on your preference)

Cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste

Half a cup of fresh lime juice

At least two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (maybe more)

Mix it all up and have a taste. Adjust as per your preferences and if it is a bit dry you can add more oil or lemon juice. The dip can be enjoyed straight away or if left overnight in the fridge the flavours will develop.

Recipes, Wellness

Apple, cinnamon and almond pancakes-gluten, sugar and dairy free.

October 24, 2013 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

These pancakes are a taste sensation for someone who has been on a very restricted diet. In my past life l used to love food that had a cinnamon and sugar flavour and would often purchase an apple and cinnamon muffin if eating out. In an attempt to move away from having only berry based pancakes l have created these delicious apple, cinnamon and almond pancakes, drizzled in organic maple syrup and extra flaked almonds. I blended the mix well so everything was combined, but this recipe would also be nice with some chunkier bits of apple and almond in it which can be achieved with a shorter blending time. I was able to make these pancakes a good size as the mix held together well. This mix makes quite a few and will keep for a day or so in the fridge.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa flakes

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

2 eggs

1/4 cup flaked almonds

1 heaped teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 small green apple chopped up with the skin on

2 cups of filtered water.

Method:

Place all ingredients in the blender with the wet ingredients going in first. Blend until you are happy with the mix.

Place half a teaspoon of organic coconut oil in the non-stick fry pan and place a few spoonfuls of mix into the pan and flatten slightly with the spoon as the mix is quite thick. Cook until quite brown before turning to help the pancake hold together, When cooked top with your favourite ingredients. I used organic maple syrup and extra flaked almonds. The smell in the kitchen as they are cooking is wonderful!

Recipes

Mixed berry pancakes-gluten, dairy and sugar free

October 17, 2013 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

2013-10-06 08.40.20

If l am not having some kind of egg dish for breakfast then l have these delicious pancakes.

In a blender place the following:

A generous 1/2 cup of frozen mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries and raspberries)

1 cup of filtered water (or cold tap water) or a little more depending on the flour used.

Two eggs

1 cup of flour such as (1/2 cup buckwheat flour and 1/2 cup coconut flour)

1/4 cup quinoa flakes

Blend well. If the mix is too thick just add some more water. The quinoa flakes will slowly make the mixture thicker as they absorb the water so it is best to let it sit for a while then add more water.

Cook on a non stick fry pan with a little extra virgin olive oil or organic coconut oil. It is better to have a few small pancakes rather than one big one as the larger ones don’t hold together. A pancake the size of an egg ring is ideal and the mixture is best used within about two days.

Serve drizzled with maple syrup! (not maple flavoured syrup) and more fresh berries if you love them.

Holistic Wellness for Life

Tag Archives: Healthy

Sensational Seed and Nut bars

The Joy of Cos Lettuce

Snack bars-all natural

Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Casserole

Vegetable Soup

The omelette: A meal you can always count on

Rosemary and Sea Salt seed bars

A healthy stir fry with lots of greens

A healthy Christmas lunch

Roast beetroot and chickpea hummus dip

Apple, cinnamon and almond pancakes-gluten, sugar and dairy free.

Mixed berry pancakes-gluten, dairy and sugar free

Live & eat mindfully. Gluten & dairy free recipes.