October 2016 – Supercharged Food

Maca and Tahini Latte

I was fiddling around in the kitchen the other day and came up with a new drink that I believe should be on everybody's lips. Move over Golden Mylk (as much as I love you)! And make way for my Maca and Tahini Latte.

This creamy and warm concoction will support your immune system and revitalise your body, both mentally and physically. It’ll get your metabolism revving first thing in the morning, providing you with more get-up-and-go, reducing fatigue and ensuring your body is functioning at it’s best.

Today’s modern, hardworking men and women can often be seen multi-tasking in the centre of busy cities, hands clutching their morning caffeinated beverage, determined looks upon their faces. For decades caffeine has been viewed as a daily necessity to get you moving in the morning and to ‘switch on’ creativity.

But for many people, caffeine may be doing more harm than good. Overdoing caffeine can cause your blood pressure to swell, burdening your already hardworking heart!

Caffeine and other energy-enhancing supplements can also overload the endocrine system in the body. Since the endocrine system and the adrenal glands are responsible for the release of important hormones into the body, too much caffeine can result in an imbalance in hormones, such as oestrogen and testosterone. Plus I’m sure I don’t need to remind you about the relationship between hormone levels and mood swings. Eeek.

For someone aiming to maximise their gut health, caffeine can impede progress as it can cause indigestion and incontinence not ideal on a busy working day when you are trying your upmost to be fierce! Diuretics can hinder the absorption of vital nutrients by the gut and can lead to the unnecessary loss of healthy gut microbes.

What is maca powder?

Maca is grown in the Peruvian Andes and is packed with vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids and phytochemicals. It is the root of the Maca plant that is of the greatest nutritional value and it has been used by the Incas for centuries. Generally used to improve energy levels and revitalise the body it is nutrient dense and has a variety of beneficial uses. It can be ground into flour, added to smoothies and drinks and used in baking too.

What are the benefits of maca powder?

- It’s nutritious and is made up of protein, fibre, essential amino acids, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and D, iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, sodium, potassium and calcium – oh my!
- Helps to increase energy levels, without causing stress to the endocrine system and key organs in the body
- helps to reduce chronic fatigue
- balances hormones in men and women, as it contains amino acids which are the building blocks for hormones.
- Peps you up! Think elevated mood and a reduction in self perceived anxiety, stress and depression.

My Maca and Tahini latte contains no caffeine, no processed sugar and no pharmaceutical energy enhancers. And this frothy brew boosts energy levels in a balanced and sustainable way, with no stress on the body. Yay for that!

Recipe

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 cup coconut milk
2 tsp maca powder
1 tsp tahini sesame paste
1 tsp vanilla
To sweeten add 1 tsp rice malt syrup to taste (optional)

Method

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir, whisking until combined and just warm then pour into a heat proof blender and blend for a few seconds until frothy. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and a little cinnamon on top.

Enjoy!

Lee x

Spicy Lamb Koftas

kofta

In need of a little umph and energy?

These Spicy Lamb Koftas from my Ayurvedic bible Eat Right For Your Shape are the perfect energy building food.

Lamb's gamey taste will remind you of the strong blood building qualities of red meat which also helps you build internal heat; a serious requirement of the flighty vata, who tends to feel the cold and become destabilised physically and emotionally. Vatas out of balance caused by a lack of warmth, grounding and digestive fire will be prone to dry skin, poor circulation, muscular aches and pains and arthritis.

Koftas are such a comfort food; even their name is filled with an ultra-cosy vibe. Their hearty nature will warm up your metabolism, so you feel warm from the inside out but can be eaten any time of the year. Rosemary & cumin highlights add to the warmth and spiciness of this rustic and sturdy dish.

Where possible, it’s important to purchase organic and 100% grass fed and finished lamb, which will contain higher amounts of healthy fats including omega-3 fatty acids, bringing another level of wholesome nourishment to build energy and stamina.

Pastured meat’s EPA fatty acid components are also incredibly important for mental health, as EPA is directly linked to brain function and emotional stability.

The fat content in these lamb kofta’s will bring an increase in digestive fire, as will the inclusion of fiery spices like warming ginger and the grounding zing of fresh parsley.

Lamb's natural oily and warming qualities will make you feel capable and maybe even a little competitive. It’ll bring the bounce back to your step, and make you feel more focused and driven.

Enjoy these delightful ayurvedic kofta’s as a midweek meal that’ll be enjoyed by the whole family.

Kids will especially find them fun to eat on their little skewers, and they’re a great way to ground littlies as a trusty witching hour meal to bring them back down to earth!

For busy families, double the recipe for lunch the next day. You can even serve them minus the skewer as a great protein addition to a salad made with seasonal vegetables.

I hope you enjoy them 🙂 Let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Spicy Lamb Koftas

Serves 4 makes 8 koftas

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) lamb
1 small brown onion, chopped 
2 garlic cloves, crushed 
2.5 cm (1 inch) piece of ginger, peeled and grated 
1 tablespoon chopped mint 
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley 
1 teaspoon mild paprika 
1 teaspoon ground cumin 
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Celtic sea salt, to taste

Preheat a chargrill pan or barbecue hotplate to medium.  To make the koftas, mix all the ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Divide the mixture into eight portions and form each into a short sausage shape. Thread each onto a bamboo skewer and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Place the skewers on the prepared pan or hotplate and cook for 10 minutes, turning halfway through.

Serve with a garden salad in warmer months or roasted vegetables in winter.

Strawberry Teacakes

It’s hard to ignore the growing size of cupcakes and muffins at cafes, bakeries and supermarkets. It seems that many of us have adopted a ‘bigger is better’ attitude towards confectionary.

These monster muffins are often crammed with white flour, refined sugars and added preservatives. Processed carbohydrates and sugars are broken down quickly by the body, causing a rise and then sudden drop in sugar and insulin levels in the blood. This ultimately results in hunger pangs not too long after eating, and a massive drop in energy levels.

Let’s not forget that your gut microbiome isn’t the biggest fan of processing large amounts of sugar, and the outcome of your over-indulgence may linger with you longer than you anticipated.

Conventional sugar-laden treats are all too readily available, making it hard to avoid temptation when you’ve decided to embark on your journey to a healed gut and a zero muffin top.

So what makes my teacakes any different?

Well, I don’t want to burst your muffin bubble, but I do think it’s safe to assume that most muffin and cake recipes out there are more than likely recipes for weight gain! Think of my scrumptious teacakes as a gluten free, fructose free, tummy-loving alternative to those syrupy, lackluster store-bought muffins and ones that are gut health friendly.

Strawberry teacakes taste like the cross between a mini muffin and a scone and the strawberries give a beautiful "jammy" natural sweetness. And just a note, as we head into berry season, I would recommend using fresh strawberries to give the teacakes a little more moisture if you can.

As a substitute for glutinous white flour, I’ve used almond meal and buckwheat flour, which are released into the blood slowly as an energy source, preventing that sudden peak and then drop in blood glucose levels. You can mix and match whatever flours you have available in this recipe but if you're subbing with coconut flour be sure to add a little more coconut milk.

To make this recipe gut friendly, I’ve popped in my special dinosaur powder, AKA Love Your Gut powder which gently cleanses and sweeps away plaque built up in your gut over time, resulting in reduced bloating and the perfect environment for healthy microbes to flourish.

You'll notice I've included a touch of rice malt syrup as a subtle sweetener as it doesn’t have an overwhelming sugary taste, but you can omit this altogether if you prefer or just use stevia instead.

Coupled with a warm mug of tea, my teacakes are the perfect treat when you’re entertaining guests. It's time to replace stale, greasy treats from the biscuit tin with these. I guarantee that your friends and family won’t ever taste the difference.

Recipe
Makes 8

Ingredients

50g/ 3.5 tbsp organic butter, softened
2 eggs
4 tbsp rice malt syrup
Alcohol free vanilla
1 cup almond meal
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
2 TBS Love Your Gut powder
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1/2 cup coconut milk (or any milk)
1 cup Strawberries cut into quarters or eighths
180c for 18-20 mins

Method

Preheat oven to 180C
Whisk softened butter and rice malt syrup in a large bowl
Add eggs and vanilla and mix well
Add to the bowl almond meal, buckwheat flour, LYG powder, salt and baking powder and stir until just combined
Fold in coconut milk and strawberries, reserving some for toppings
Spoon into muffin pan that has been greased with butter or coconut oil, or use paper muffin liners
Add extra sliced strawberries on top
Bake for 18-20 mins
Serve with nut butter/ coconut cream/ yogurt and cup or peppermint tea!

Happy gut-healing!

Lee x

Two Ayurvedic Breakfast Bowls

bircher-muesli

Today I'm introducing to you, two of my favourite Ayurvedic inspired breakfasts.

Mornings are our greatest opportunity to flood our bodies with nutrients, satisfy our mind and set ourselves up for a balanced day.

Studying Ayurveda in India was a wonderful opportunity for me to learn not only what to eat for internal harmony, but also how and when. One of the key differences I discovered was that we should be leaning towards eating our heaviest meal in the middle of the day when our agni (digestive fire) is at it's peak.

Ayurveda also teaches us that breakfast is our first opportunity to bring ourselves into balance, and the foods that we choose can be targeted to bring harmony into our body which will increase our mental and physical capacity to achieve what the day requires of us.

If you're of the pitta (fire) dosha, you're likely an ambitious person who has leadership skills. You’ll have vision and drive for what you do; whether you’re a stay at home parent, focused on your career, or an enthusiastic student. However these skills have a downfall, as pitta’s fiery nature can destabilise itself when unbalanced. An unbalanced pitta may find that fiery emotions lead them to feel “burnt out” regularly.

If you’re a kapha, you're an amazing carer, and your day will lead you towards the care and nurturing of others. You love to pour into people through mentoring, teaching, words of encouragement and affirmation, and through quality time and friendship. Kaphas can also become imbalanced with signs of extreme introversion, depression, sluggishness and depression that will block your desire to help others and limits your potential to outwork your calling.

Pittas need to begin their day with soothing, cooling, sweet foods to pacify their fiery body and mind, whilst kapha’s should limit foods that are naturally oily, heavy, or foods that slow them down. You'll love my Bircher Muesli Bowl, as it's a naturally gorgeous way to start the day for pittas and kaphas, containing apples which offer sweetness for pitta and an abundance of fibre for the potentially sluggish digestion of kapha. Oats also speed up kapha’s metabolism and even ward of depression.

My Fig, Cardamom and Quinoa bowl is also a gorgeous way to set up the day for ambitious pittas, as well as vatas who are governed by the element of air, and whose days are filled with energetic and creative pursuits. Vatas make great teachers, artists and speakers. However with an imbalance they can be full of fear and anxiety which sabotages their ability to flow in creativity.

I'd love you to try this wholesome bowl which has a base of grounding quinoa, providing just the right amount of heaviness to bring vatas down to earth in the morning and to offer focus and the ability to prioritise and set goals. Warming and soothing cardamom and the sweet heaviness of almond milk are lovely pacifying ingredients for vatas delivering them straight into harmony.

Enjoy these breakfasts as wholesome and delicious bowls that will help your unique constitution to flourish and bring you a higher capacity for your day.

Fig, cardamom and quinoa bowl

Note: Pittas should use only a small quantity of salt

To balance kapha, replace the almond milk with rice milk and the figs with 1 diced peach

Serves 2

100 g (3 1/2 oz/1/2 cup) quinoa, rinsed and drained
185 ml (6 fl oz/3/4 cup) almond milk, plus extra to serve
125 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) filtered water
1/2 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2–3 ripe figs, diced
20 g (3/4 oz/1/3 cup) coconut flakes, toasted

Combine the quinoa, almond milk, water, vanilla, salt and cardamom in a small, heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15–20 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed the liquid.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, them fluff with a fork. Spoon into two bowls, top with figs and coconut, and serve with extra milk if desired.

Give these recipes a whirl and let me know how you go!

Happy Cooking 🙂

Lee xo

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