Tag Archives: Wellness

Recipes, Wellness

Green smoothies: A masterpiece every time!

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A few hashtags to describe a green smoothie!

#nutritious #fibre #filling #colourful #healthy #fun #vegetables #fruit #raw #vitamins #minerals #antioxidants #tastesamazing #healthychoice #green

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Filled with green goodness.

Mental and practical roadblocks people use to not have a green smoothie in their life.

It it scary to drink a green smoothie

I don’t want to drink vegetables, especially green ones

There are things in there l won’t like

I’ve never had a chia seed

I don’t have a blender

The ingredients are expensive

It will taste awful

I’d rather have a normal fruit smoothie

Do any of these sound familiar? They can all be overcome if you can think out side of your comfort zone. If you don’t have a blender they can be purchased very cheaply or you can borrow one, and if you grow your own green leafy vegetables that is another one crossed off the list.

Take the plunge and try a simple recipe for your first smoothie that is guaranteed to be delicious. You can even leave the chia seeds out.

Cos lettuce (fill up half the blender with this, but make sure it is well washed), one small banana, one navel orange, 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional), some fresh mint and enough plain coconut water to give a good consistency to drink or you can eat it with a spoon.

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Just pile all of the ingredients into the blender and process. Pour it into a glass and enjoy!

 

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An amazing colour with a wonderful sweet flavour.

A green smoothie is different to a green juice. A juice has most of the fibre removed and is much lighter to drink and digest. When l was very unwell last year l loved having a green juice as the nutrients were quickly and easily broken down and absorbed for use in the body, whereas a smoothie was too heavy for me and l just couldn’t digest them.

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A green juice made with the Cold Pressed juicer.

Part of the joy of drinking a green smoothie is that it is green!

A green smoothie can quickly turn a not so nice colour if you add certain ingredients to it such as raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. It could go a brown colour and will taste great, but won’t look so appetising.

Choosing your ingredients:

1. Start by picking your choice of greens. You can have just the one such as cos lettuce, kale, spinach or silverbeet or a mixture. Cos lettuce is so sweet and lovely and l love the smaller green spinach leaves.

2. What liquid are you going to have in your juice? I would advise either plain coconut water or filtered water.

3. Choose the fruit you are going to add. This could be banana, apple, peach, apricot, pear, mango, pineapple, orange and mandarin as examples. Citrus is wonderful as it will help your body absorb the iron from the greens.

4. Add a few interesting things to your smoothie. Limes and lemon’s with the skin on will give the smoothie a kick, while fresh ginger and herbs such as parsley and mint will help to enhance the flavour.

5. Add additional nutrients such as chia seeds, green powders or nuts.

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This smoothie has lots of greens, a few strawberries, chia seeds, activated almonds, orange and filtered water.
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This was such a filling smoothie and there are speckles of red through it from the strawberries.

A way to combine a green smoothie with a more colourful ingredients and still have it looking good is to have some fun putting it together as in the one below. Both the green and pink sections tasted wonderful, but when mixed together were a not so nice brown colour.

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A green smoothie with a dash of colour!

The green section is cos lettuce, banana, green apple and coconut water. The pink layer is strawberries, blueberries, acai berry powder, chia seeds, banana and coconut water. I make the green part first and pour it into two glasses and wash the blender, then make the pink part. The decorative pointy bits l do with a stainless steel straw and it looks nice to drink!

A smoothie can easily be a meal if you add in good sources of protein such as chia seeds and nuts. I drink them slowly as it is a lot of liquid going into the stomach all at once and adding the nuts and chia seeds make it a bit heavier and thicker as well as slowing down the digestion of the sugars in the drink. Sometimes l have a handful of nuts with the smoothie if it has a lot of fruit in it and this balances out the snack.

The best way to get started on your smoothie adventure is to fill up your fridge with lots of healthy fresh food. Here is a quick snapshot of my fridge as it looks most of the time.

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I really need a bigger fridge!

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Recipes, Wellness

Rustic Apple Crumble

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Something sweet! My favourite flavours combined!

#apple #coconut #honey #almond #cinnamon #yum

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A sweet and comforting dessert.

I have never been a lover of apple crumble or of cooked apple in general but l do like to eat something sweet once in a while. I have seen a few apple and berry crumble dishes on Instagram recently and they have been sitting in the back of my mind as l have been contemplating how to make a healthy version that would appeal to me. I literally got my favourite ingredients out of the pantry and layered them on top of one another with a wonderful result. The whole family pounced on this dish as soon as it came out of the oven and the flavours mixed together beautifully.

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Once you have peeled and sliced the apples this dish takes just a minute to put together.

Ingredients/Method: Everything organic if possible.

Apples- I used four small apples but if they are very large just two might do. It really depends on the size of the dish and your family. I peel the apples because of the horrible waxy coating but you could leave the skin on if they are from your own tree as an example. Core and slice the apples and place randomly in a baking dish. I used a smallish oval ceramic dish.

Coconut flour Sprinkle 1 tablespoon over the apples.

Coconut flakes- Add 1 generous tablespoon over the apples.

Cinnamon- I didn’t measure this as l just sprinkled a really generous layer over the whole dish.

Almond meal- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons over the apples (you could rub in the coconut oil here if you want)

Flaked almonds- I didn’t measure this either but just sprinkled a generous hand full over the dish. There really isn’t a limit as to how much you can put on as they go a lovely brown colour and add some crunch.

Coconut oil- I placed one generous teaspoon over the entire dish. I just put little bits all over the top and you can use more if you want an extra coconut flavour or you could rub it into the almond meal before you add it.

Honey- I used a raw organic honey and drizzled 1 generous teaspoon over the whole dish.

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Ready for the oven. Just layer all the ingredients on top of each other.

Cooking instructions:

I covered the dish with aluminium foil and placed in a 180 degree pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes and then took the foil off and cooked it until the whole top was golden and looking delicious.

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I had this plain but you could top it with a healthy ice-cream or fresh fruit.

The serving looks quite small in the photo but it is a sweet dish and l was completely satisfied after eating this. The recipe could easily be adapted by using different fruits such as peach or adding some berries to the apple.

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Recipes, Wellness

Sensational seed and nut bars!

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A delicious healthy snack bar that will add some sweetness to your day!

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Eat them straight from the freezer or pack them into the lunch box.

Having healthy snacks on hand is vital if you are going to avoid making poor food choices. Being on a restricted diet is hard enough without feeling hungry or as though you are missing out. These bars are healthy, sweet, paleo, gluten, dairy and processed sugar free. They are filled with natural goodness and are a favourite snack of mine. The recipe is flexible and you can change them to suit your own preferences such as leaving out the nuts, using different seeds or changing some of the quantities. All of the ingredients l use are organic and the nuts and larger seeds are activated which means l have soaked them in filtered water and sea salt for a day, rinsed them well and then dehydrated. This process helps to remove the anti-nutrients and support good digestion.

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 (e.g almond, walnut, 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)

A good 1/2 cup organic coconut oil

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These ingredients add a delicious flavour to the bars.

Place the nuts, seeds, shredded coconut and dates in the food processor and chop until roughly chopped. Gently warm the honey and coconut oil in a saucepan and pour into the food processor. Pulse until all there is a good consistency and all the nuts and seeds have been broken up.

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Be careful of the very sharp blade.

Have a tray ready which is lined with baking paper. Run your finger around the edge of the tray so there is a crease in the paper. Pour the ingredients onto a tray lined with baking paper. Now is a good time to have a taste test. The mix should be sweet and delicious.

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The mix is ready to be flattened.

Use a spatula to flatten the mix and make sure it is quite even across the whole tray and give special attention to the corners.

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Ready for the oven

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.

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Remove the tray from the oven and let cool until cold. Another option is when it is slightly cool to place it in the freezer for an hour whilst still on the tray. This is what l do now as l don’t like to wait.

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Remove from the freezer and cut.

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.  Another option is to use a pizza cutter and it helps to give it or the knife a wipe after each row. I think it is better to have the bars quite small as then you have more of a choice over serving size.

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Carefully lift each bar into the container for freezing unless you are going to eat them all fresh, but they are very nice eaten when they are just out of the freezer and such a handy snack to take to work or when you are out.

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Store in an airtight container in the freezer

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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I love this part!

Something to be aware of when eating these bars is that the chia seeds can get stuck in your teeth. This is really a cosmetic issue, so it is best to do a quick tooth check after you have eaten them and you may need a tooth pick to remove them as they can be a bit stubborn.

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Wellness

Golden rissoles with a colourful mash

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A healthy twist on some old favourites in a recipe which is gluten, dairy and processed sugar-free. There are so many wonderful ingredients in this meal and the cooking methods of almost dry baking and steaming are very healthy and help to retain the nutrients in the food. I have used quinoa flakes in this recipe and if you are a strict Paleo follower you can leave them out, but l don’t mind having them now and again.

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There is so much goodness in this meal.

These golden rissoles were so crunchy and delicious. I made them early in the day and had them ready on the tray so that when dinner time came l just had to place them in the oven and steam the vegetables for the mash. I didn’t coat the rissoles in anything such as a flour before baking as is normally the custom and just drizzled a tiny amount of olive oil on them. They turned the most beautiful golden colour when cooked and had a delightful flavour from the spices, herbs, nuts, seeds and vegetables. The mixed vegetable mash is a new favourite of mine and had some crunch from the addition of pumpkin seeds and a lovely spicy taste as well.

Golden rissoles:

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The processed mixture should look like this. It sticks together well, but isn’t overly wet or dry.

Feel free to add or delete any ingredients that you don’t have as rissoles are very flexible in what can be used in the mix. You can also make them spicier or use more meat than l have depending on your tastes. This particular mixture was amazing in that it stuck together, and when cooking, the rissoles held their shape and didn’t split in half or have bits breaking off which is often the case with rissoles, especially ones that don’t have a lot of meat in them. The spices used in this recipe are all the dry ground versions and try to use organic versions if you have them. I also used activated almonds which are quite moist, and if you use raw almonds you may need to add another egg to compensate.

Place the following into the food processor (this mixture made 12 rissoles)

1 washed and roughly chopped free range chicken breast

1/4 teaspoon organic curry powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon ginger

A pinch of paprika

1/4 teaspoon pink rock salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 finely grated carrots

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley

1/4 cup quinoa flakes

1 tablespoon black chia seeds

2 free range eggs

2 spring onions roughly chopped (I don’t use the white parts)

1 cup of activated almonds.

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The mixture was just sticky on my hands, but l was able to roll each rissole easily.

Once the mixture is processed, form into small balls using your hands and flatten slightly as you place them on a tray lined with baking paper.

Drizzle a tiny amount of olive oil onto each rissole and cover the whole tray with Aluminium foil. I let mine set in the fridge for a few hours and this may have contributed to them staying in shape so well. Place in a pre-heated 200 degree celsius oven until the tops look golden, then turn over and give them a few more minutes.

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These will be amazing cold the next day.

Making the vegetable mash:

While the rissoles were in the oven cooking l steamed the vegetables for the mash. Into the steamer l placed roughly diced sweet potato (1 medium), beetroot (1/2 of one large or a whole small one) and carrots (2 medium carrots). Steam the vegetables until just done to preserve nutrients and them place into the food processor with a cup of activated pumpkin seeds, pink rock salt, black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon organic cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon organic curry powder (or similar). Process until it all looks blended but not smooth as this is a rustic mash with lots of texture.

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I served the meal with steamed brussel sprouts but you could have any vegetable on the side. The green is a nice contrast to the colours in the mash though.

This is a lovely family meal and l love it when there are left overs for the next day. I used to always think a mash had to be potato and then on the Paleo diet l switched to sweet potato mash, and now l just think the possibilities are endless and that l can have a rainbow of vegetable mash!

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Wellness

Eat a fresh rainbow everyday!

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Better than medication
Let nutrition be the focus of our eating habits.

There are so many ways to add colour to your meals, but the best way is to include a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables in your daily diet. The health benefits of eating a diet filled with a rainbow of colours is well known, but as l have tried to incorporate more vegetables into every meal, l have discovered the joy of eating food that is a range of bright colours. Not only are the range of flavours so amazing, but eating fresh colourful food is exciting, motivating and makes me feel happy.

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A green pancake for breakfast. Paleo recipe, gluten, dairy and sugar free filled with loads of parsley, bok choy, spinach and kale. Topped with activated almonds, organic coconut flakes and organic maple syrup. Served with fresh avocado and a daily magnesium drink.
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Breakfast pancake topped with fresh fruit, activated walnuts, coconut flakes and organic maple syrup.

A food as Medicine approach underpins my nutritional motivation, and everything l eat has a purpose and a high nutritional value. Eating a rainbow of fresh, healthy food will ensure you are consuming healthy vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and fibre that will help you on your wellness journey.

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Lunch: A beautiful fresh raw salad.

If your daily rainbow consists of peas, carrots and corn then it is time for a change. Our taste buds can get a bit lazy and are a victim of our comfort zone just like the rest of our habits are. Trying new foods can be challenging and it can take a number of goes at eating a food, or preparing it in a variety of ways before we become accustomed to its taste, texture and how it feels in our mouth when eating. There is also the challenge of learning how to prepare new foods, but if you add one in at a time then it can be exciting and an adventure.

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Lunch: Spiced beetroot & vegetable cauliflower rice, with tuna, avocado, tomato and seeds.
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Lunch: Poached free range eggs & bacon with fresh avocado and carrot strips.

The first step after deciding you want more colour in your food is to buy a selection so it is available for you when preparing meals. If you need guidance, use a recipe that appeals to you as a starting point. I have found Instagram to be an amazing source of inspiration as l can visually see what other people are cooking and eating which helps my motivation to try new foods.

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Cold pressed green juice made from bok choy, celery, green apple, lime and ginger.
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Amazing red juice of beetroot, celery, pear, carrot & fresh ginger.

Take ownership of your food intake and start experimenting with new ingredients. It can be fun and rewarding to sit down to a meal that you have lovingly prepared for yourself and family, especially if it has an array of lovely stimulating colours that gets the family talking about what you have made.

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Dinner: Baked fish on a bed of beetroot noodles with a vegetable stir fry.
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Dessert: Banana, apple & mandarin ice-cream made with the cold pressed juicer and an avocado based chocolate mousse.

I try to make my meals interesting, flavoursome, paleo friendly and highly nutritious. It takes planning, thought, time, motivation and a strong commitment to staying on track when life inevitably throws a few challenges into the mix. I live in a busy household with a husband and three children who are mostly non-paleo. This is a major challenge for me and l am educating them, but this nutritional and lifestyle path that l am following is not without its challenges.

Top tips:

  • Take an interest in what you are eating. Help with the shopping and cooking and plan your meals.
  • Be prepared. Have a plentiful supply of fresh fruit and vegetables in the house.
  • Try to incorporate colour into every meal, ideally by using mostly vegetables and some fruit with a focus on raw or lightly cooked where possible.
  • Have a positive attitude to trying something new and do some research by looking at magazines, online or speak to a friend who inspires you. Better still, study Nutrition as l have done!
  • Take it slowly. Change is difficult and our old habits are comfortable and easy to fall back into when a challenge comes our way. Slowly form new habits and incorporate them into your daily life.
  • Have fun with it! Go to local markets and explore. Experiment in the kitchen with the fresh ingredients.
  • Have a good attitude. See it as a diet of abundance rather than a diet of deprivation.
  • Think of your short and long term goals and make every bite you take a nutritious one.
  • Eat because you are hungry! Cut out the emotional, social, bored or habitual eating.

Follow these tips and you will be on the road to a healthier you!

If you have enjoyed this post please share it with a friend. I post daily on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook with pictures of the food l prepare and eat, as well as a few wellness tips and healthy resources. Thank you Carolyn

Recipes, Wellness

Sesame snaps with poppy seeds and cinnamon

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A lovely snack and easy to make!

A favourite snack that you can make at home! This is a twist on the popular sesame snap but the recipe is easily modified to have a more traditional flavour. The original recipe is from ‘The Merrymaker Sisters” website and l have modified it by adding in poppy seeds and cinnamon.

This is a very quick and easy snack to make and they can be kept in the freezer to add to lunch boxes.

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups of organic sesame seeds

1 cup of organic almond meal

1/2 cup raw organic honey

1/4 cup organic coconut oil

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 generous teaspoon cinnamon

Note: If you want a traditional sesame snap leave the poppy seeds and cinnamon out and use 2 cups of sesame seeds. 

Method:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Place half of the mixture onto a piece of baking paper and cover with another piece of baking paper. Roll out carefully to flatten.

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Gently roll the mixture so it is even.

Roll the mix to about 1/2 a centimetre. Remove the top paper and use a knife to straighten the edges and then re-roll. Do this for the other half of the mixture.

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Life the baking paper and flattened mixture onto the baking tray

Bake the sesame snaps in a 180 degree celsius oven for approximately 10 minutes or until golden.

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Golden cooked sesame snaps.

Let the sesame snaps cool for a short time and then lift off the tray by grabbing the edges of the baking paper. Place on a flat surface and using a sharp knife cut the edges off and then cut into rows and then smaller pieces.

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Use the edges to taste test your cooking.
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These are the plain sesame snaps. Once cooled they can easily be stored in the freezer and are a handy snack.

It is a good idea to make your own snacks if you can as this ensures that you know exactly what is in the food you are eating. There are no nasty additives, colours or flavours in these bars, and this is a great way to eat healthier.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe. I post daily on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and the links are on the bottom of the website. Thank you Carolyn

Wellness

Cauliflower rice: A healthy alternative

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Cauliflower rice is a great alternative to real rice, and you will be amazed at how similar it looks and tastes.

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A beautiful fresh cauliflower.

Why would you want to eat cauliflower rice when you can eat actual rice!

Following the Paleo diet does mean that grains in general are excluded from the diet as they contain a nutritional profile that we are not genetically designed for which can wreak havoc on our digestive systems and overall health. For me the main reasons why cauliflower rice is a better choice than white or brown rice focus on: 1/Gut health -for those of us with issues such as a leaky gut, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, irritable bowel syndrome and food intolerances, 2/Nutrition-more readily available nutrients and no anti-nutrients, 3/Weight management-lower in kilojoules, 4/Balancing blood sugar levels-rice is a very concentrated form of carbohydrate.

Cauliflower is an amazingly nutritious vegetable that is low in fat and carbohydrates and has some wonderful vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C and the B complex vitamins which can help to keep you healthy, protect against certain cancers, boost your immune system as well as lots of wonderful minerals such as manganese, copper, iron, calcium and potassium.

Cauliflower has a glycaemic index (GI) of just 15 making it a very low GI food which helps to slow down its digestion and maintain healthy blood sugar levels. The GI is from 1 to 100 and white rice is on the high end of the scale with a GI of 65 and brown rice slightly lower at 55. Rice, especially white rice is a high starch food and will break down and covert to glucose very quickly in the body causing blood sugar peaks unless it is used immediately as an energy source as for example in very active people. For everyone else this can be a problem as the body needs to deal with the influx of glucose into the bloodstream.

Brown rice has an outer casing of bran and husk which takes longer to break down but this can in itself cause problems in the digestive tract as the brown rice is hard to digest and irritating to the gut lining. The outer layer of the brown rice contains anti-nutrients called phytates and lectins which bind to minerals such as copper, zinc, iron, magnesium and calcium so that they are unable to be absorbed. This can therefore reduce the nutritional value of the brown rice and impact the absorption of other nutrients being consumed.

Cauliflower is also lower in kilojoules than rice, with one cup of cauliflower having just 104 kilojoules compared to one cup of cooked rice which has 804 kilojoules. Cauliflower is also much quicker to cook than rice, especially brown rice and is very versatile in how it can be used.

All of the reasons l have discussed are important to me as my health issues are centered around my gut health and issues regarding malabsorption of nutrients. Cauliflower rice is a good choice for me as a healing diet is one which enhances health and wellbeing and over the past two years l have slowly been adapting my diet to support my wellness goals. I take a lot of nutritional supplements daily as well which are very costly and l do not want to be eating any foods which would impact the absorption of these vital nutrients.

How to make cauliflower rice!

My favourite way to make cauliflower rice is to cut the fresh cauliflower into smallish pieces and then blend it in the food processor.

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Wash the raw cauliflower and cut it into pieces that will fit into the food processor.
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Process the cauliflower until it resembles rice and is an even consistency. The rice is now ready to use in your favourite dishes.

The cauliflower rice can now be added to a pan and lightly cooked such as in a stir fry.

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Place fresh vegetables into the pan with the cauliflower rice. The whole dish will be ready in minutes.

The cauliflower will soak up any spices that are added and change colour.

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Add spices to the pan such as cumin and tumeric and watch the rice change colour.

Another method is to steam the cauliflower pieces first and them process them in the food processor and then you can have it plain or just give it a quick cook in the pan with the fresh ingredients.

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The cauliflower is in the steamer. It can also be mashed with a fork using this method if you don’t have a food processor.

Some lovely colours can be created with the cauliflower as it soaks up the juices and spices. Below is a dish l cooked with the first photo showing the raw ingredients and then the development of the colour once the dish is cooked in the second photo.

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The uncooked cauliflower with the raw vegetables including beetroot

 

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A beautiful colour has developed from the combination of the tumeric and beetroot.

Sometimes the cost of cauliflowers can be quite high but when in season this cruciferous vegetable can be purchased very cheaply which is a good time to experiment with this dish. It is very easy to use a whole cauliflower if you are making enough for the family, or if you want to take some for lunch the next day. The smell of just cooked cauliflower is so delicious, and this is especially true when steaming it. I hope that you give the cauliflower rice a try and think about whether rice as a staple food in your life is a good idea, or that maybe it is a sometimes food and best eaten with lots of healthy vegetables as part of a balanced meal.

If you have enjoyed this post please share with a friend. I am on Instagram at holistic_paleo and Twitter at Holistic Paleo@carolynlgray

Recipes, Wellness

Beetroot and pumpkin cake (gluten and dairy free)

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The smell of a cake baking in the oven is really lovely and the anticipation builds as the cake is almost cooked. This recipe has a lovely combination of fresh beetroot and pumpkin in a paleo friendly, gluten and dairy free recipe.

An afternoon delight!

Ingredients:

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Fresh beetroot and pumpkin

Fresh beetroot and pumpkin as shown in the picture. I used one medium sized beetroot. Grate them in the food processor using a fine grating disk or hand grate if you don’t have a food processor.

1/4 cup coconut flour

2 cups almond meal

6 free range eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

1/4 cup organic coconut oil (gently melted)

1/4 cup (generous) raw organic honey (gently melted)

Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. 

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Mix the ingredients well ensuring there are no clumps of beetroot or pumpkin.

Place the mix into a greased and lined loaf dish.

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Use a spatula to ensure the top is smooth and even.

Decorate with pumpkin seeds.

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The pumpkin seeds add a lovely crunch to the top of the cake.

Bake in a pre-heated 180 degree celsius oven until well done. It is quite a heavy cake so will have a very golden brown appearance when cooked. Remove from the baking dish and let cool on a cooling rack. Slice and eat. Freeze any leftovers for the lunch box.

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A lovely moist cake with an interesting sweet flavour!

If you have enjoyed this post please share with a friend. Thankyou Carolyn

Instagram: holistic_paleo and Twitter: Holistic Paleo@carolynlgray

Recipes, Wellness

Raw lime and cinnamon bars

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My first raw bar and the flavours are lovely!

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A perfect snack!

The lime and cinnamon infuse through the bars which are firm, wholesome and delicious. I eat these straight from the freezer and they are a real treat.

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You will be able to stock up the freezer and pack these in the lunch box.

Ingredients:

2 cups of nuts (I used raw activated walnuts and brazil nuts)

2 cups of seeds (I used 1/2 cup each of pepitas, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and chia seeds)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

10 medjool dates that have been deseeded and soaked in warm water for 15 minutes then drained

The juice and zest of one large or two small limes.

1/2 cup raw organic honey (slightly warmed)

1/2 cup organic coconut oil (gently melted)

Extra pepitas to put on top of the mixture 

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Everything goes into the food processor.

Place everything into the food processor and pulse to the desired consistency. The soft dates, coconut oil and honey should be blended in well and the nuts broken into small pieces.

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Everything is blended well.

Press the mix into a baking dish lined with baking paper. Mine was approximately 22cm and was a glass dish. Use the spare pumpkin seeds (pepitas) to decorate the top of the mix.

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Push the pumpkin seeds into the top of the mix to decorate.

Place the mixture into the freezer for about an hour.

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This is the fun part!

Lift the slab out of the dish by grabbing the edges of the baking paper. Using a sharp knife cut the mix into long bars and then squares. After you have had a taste test, place the rest of the bars into a container and store in the freezer.

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Ready for the freezer

I have found that the lovely lime flavour is enhanced over time, and the bars l have eaten from the freezer have had a very enticing hint of lime, which reminds me of the feeling l get when l am drinking a beautiful herbal tea.

If you have enjoyed this post please share with a friend. Thankyou carolyn

You can follow me on Instagram: holistic_paleo and Twitter; holistic paleo@carolynlgray

Recipes, Wellness

Chocolate mousse extreme!

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   Oh, what a decadent treat this is! Except it is made from all healthy ingredients!

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Strawberries and chocolate. What a combination!

This mouse will last a few days and is better after it has set, although a taste as soon as it is made is definitely advised as it is so delicious! This recipe is taken from the latest edition of ‘Wellbeing’ magazine but mine looks a lot darker and richer probably because l added a bit more raw cacao.

In the top picture l used the mousse to top a chocolate tart (see recipe in dessert section) and added in a chocolate ball also (see recipe section). The strawberries add so much colour to the dish and l topped it all with some finely sliced Loving Earth Organic Raw Chocolate.

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Chocolate and berry pancake.

In this picture l added the mousse to my morning berry pancake which was made using Buckwheat & Coconut flours, eggs, water, chia seeds and berries.

The ingredients for the Mousse are:

2 ripe avocados, peeled and stone removed

40g raw organic cacao powder (I used a generous tablespoon as l couldn’t wait to measure it)

2 tablespoons raw organic honey

85g medjool dates, pitted & soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, then drained (I couldn’t wait the 20 minutes as l was desperate to taste the mousse, so l just used the pitted dates without soaking and draining).

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 vanilla pod, split lengthways & seeds scraped (I used organic vanilla essence-1/2 a teaspoon)

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. That’s it. Now taste test!

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Pure chocolate mousse!

I have called this chocolate mousse extreme because for me this is an extreme taste sensation and indulgence. Living with food intolerances, sensitivities and a limited diet is a daily challenge and a dish like this can brighten up my whole world.

If you have enjoyed this post please share with a friend. I am on Twitter at Holistic Paleo@carolynlgray and Instagram @Holistic_Paleo. Thanks Carolyn

Recipes, Wellness

A simple Sweet Potato soup

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2014-06-26 12.34.46
A light and sweet soup.

This is a very light and comforting sweet potato soup with a chicken broth base. It was really quick to make as the broth was in the freezer and was ready within a couple of hours. The recipe for making the broth is in another post on the website but home made broth is best and you will be rewarded with a lovely flavour and lots of added nutrients.

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Home made chicken stock

In a medium sized saucepan l placed the stock (about 3 cups), 2 medium to large peeled and chopped sweet potatoes, 1 cup of diced pumpkin, 1 cup of diced cauliflower and 2 diced carrots. I brought this to the boil and then let it simmer for a couple of hours. I blended the hot soup in the pot with my hand blender and served. I like to season my soup at the table and l used ground black pepper and sea salt which really brought out the flavours in the soup.

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Piping hot just out of the pot!

When reheating the soup the next day l use a saucepan which only takes a couple of minutes. As soon as it gets to the boil reduce the heat and let it simmer for about a minute and it will be delicious. I am on a healing and wellness diet and don’t cook or heat any food in the microwave oven as l believe it damages the structure of the food and reduces the vitamin and mineral content.

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Reheat your soup on the stove and dont use the microwave oven.

I wasn’t feeling well from a Winter virus when l made this soup and it is just the right consistency for a delicate stomach to handle. It is both soothing and comforting with a lovely flavour.

If you have enjoyed this post please share it with a friend. I place photos daily on Instagram and share recipes and wellness tips also through Facebook and Twitter. Thank you Carolyn

 

Recipes, Wellness

Banana, Coconut, Lemon and Poppy seed cake (gluten, dairy and processed sugar free)

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2014-06-20 19.15.00
A piece or two for morning tea!

This cake is made with real ingredients and as a result each of the flavours can be tasted when enjoying this cake. The fresh banana, lemon juice, lemon zest, organic shredded coconut and poppy seeds give this cake a lovely balance and depth of flavour which is extremely satisfying. When making this cake l used the base recipe that l have for all of my Paleo cakes and l was heading in the direction of a banana or lemon cake, when the idea came to combine them. I couldn’t resist adding poppy seeds as they go so well with lemon, and l adore coconut and the flavour is already in the cake from the organic coconut oil.

Place all of the dry ingredients  into a bowl and mix with a spoon:

2 cups of almond meal

1/4 cup of organic coconut flour

1/2 cup poppy seeds

1/2 cup organic shredded coconut

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

 Place all of the wet ingredients into another bowl and mix gently until combined:

6 free range eggs

1/4 cup organic coconut oil gently melted

1/4 cup raw organic honey gently melted (organic honey is fine).

2 large bananas mashed with a fork

Lemon zest and juice. I used 4 small lemons but you could use 2 large ones. Grate the zest into the mix and add the lemon juice.

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The dry and wet ingredients combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl containing the dry ingredients and mix gently but thoroughly with a spoon.

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Ready for the oven!

Place the mix into a greased and lined loaf pan and cook in a 180 degree celsius oven until golden. Use your own visuals and experience with your oven to determine if your cake is cooked and when done gently turn onto a cake rack.

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Just out of the oven!

I have tried this cake warm, just out of the oven and cold the next day. The banana flavour is more intense in the cake when hot and l preferred it cold the next day for that reason. It is quite a dense cake and held together very well. You could ice it with your favourite mix if desired but l just left it plain as there was so much flavour already and it is a very moist cake.

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I cut this cake as soon as it was out of the oven and the smell was lovely.

If you enjoyed this post please share it with a friend. I am also on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter daily where l share recipes, wellness tips and reflections. I would love you to follow me. Thanks Carolyn