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Spinach and Carrot Muffins

Carrot and Spinach Muffins

Photography by Kristy Plumridge

I love these muffins because not only do they taste delicious, they use the natural sweetness of carrots paired with the incredible antioxidant properties of lemon zest.  It's my second diabetic friendly recipe as part of the eftpos Giveback Campaign for Diabetes Australia.  If you have a favourite healthy recipe you'd like to share, you can submit yours here.

I’ve been using spinach in my dessert recipes a lot lately, remember THAT spinach ice cream?

Using spinach in dessert recipes offers up a healthy dose of iron just when you need it.  I’ve found that one of the best ways to keep on top of my auto immune disease is to make sure my iron levels are topped up and to follow an anti-inflammatory diet.

At the Inflammation Research Foundation, in Massachusetts, USA, Dr. Barry Sears is continuing his ongoing research into treating diabetes and believes that obesity and type 2 diabetes are strongly associated with increased inflammation. As the inflammation in adipose tissue increases, this becomes a strong driving force for the development of increased systemic inflammation that results in metabolic syndrome, eventually followed by the development of overt type 2. He believes that potential reversal of both conditions can be achieved by reducing the levels of inflammation through the use of an anti-inflammatory diet. You can watch him chatting about the realities of obesity and diabetes here(more…)

Cranberry and Walnut Granola

Cranberry and walnut granola low resNick off tooth challenging granola.  If you're tired of grinding your teeth on over-baked, processed, ready-made granola then you'll welcome this recipe from my forthcoming book Supercharged Food; Eat, Yourself Beautiful, because it not only tastes amazing, but will save you on dentist and doctor's bills too. 

It strikes me as odd that many packaged granolas have received health-food cult status considering the ingredients they contain.  Store-bought varieties are often laced with sugar and brimming with bad fats which you might like to give a wide birth to next time you're browsing the supermarket aisle.

Not only that, it's the front of the packets covered in bad marketing jargon that are teeth clenchingly horrifying.  Note to corporate advertising executives next time you say "Let's have a little pow wow before everyone heads out tonight" about your latest mumfluencial peace, love and granola campaign, please remove the following words from your vocabulary: Low fat, light and tasty, slow release, natural flavours, wholesome and naturally indulgent. 

Imagine if we actually spoke to people the way advertisements spoke to the general public?

 

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Special note to Sanitarium, your new byline "It's what's inside that counts" couldn't be more true. Well done on that one.  But, let's have a look at what is inside your Light ‘n’ Tasty Berry Granola which "provides a delicious combination of succulent sweetened cranberries, mixed berry fruity pieces and wholesome grains". (more…)

Warm Beetroot, Carrot and Pear Salad

Warm Beetroot, carrot and Pear Salad

A nourishing salad fit for a busy family is what I am going to share with you today.

Beetroots, carrots and fresh herbs appear to be the biggest culprits for left over fridge remnant veggies – anecdotal evidence I have managed to cultivate among many people I chat to about healthy eating and food waste. 

While the best part of my job is helping people take control of their kitchen choices, I’m not a big fan of wasting food and will do anything to save a veggie from the trash can.

And so this recipe, a delicious Carrot, Beetroot and Pear Salad is the perfect example of roasting on the edge vegetables and still getting a great result.

A sweet, satisfying medley of cooked veggies, roasted in the oven with an array of medicinal spices and offset with the crispness of a beautiful pear. Again, any chopped root veggie could be used here – my preference is for beetroot and carrot for their natural sweetness.

Apart from their innate sweetness, I love carrot and beetroot for their grounding properties. I believe in ayurvedic philosophy and their eating principles definitely ring true for me, especially when it comes to food and mood. (more…)

Chicken Pho with Raw Zucchini Noodles

chicken pho with raw zucchini noodlesChicken Pho with Raw Zucchini Noodles

192_12893568454_3641_nHere is a delicious recipe which reminds me of my time spent in Vietnam, where I visited the most amazing tea shop and spent a couple of weeks exploring the country and its wonderful food. 

This recipe which contains raw zucchini noodles or (zoodles) comes from a recipe book called A Nourishing Kitchen by Amy Crawford who I met recently in Melbourne and who I now have an affiliation with. 

What I love about this particular recipe is that it has a back to basics approach with real food yet still manages to capture the wonderful light fragrant flavours of Pho one of the Vietnamese's most beloved dishes. 

Amy’s philosophy on food fits into two short words which I identify with, simple and wholesome.  A grain and gluten free diet doesn’t mean you can’t partake in your favourite meals and flavours and she believes that no one should need to go without a tummy-warming Pho.

To grab a copy of Amy’s gluten, grain and refined sugar free  recipe book click here.

Chicken pho with raw zucchini noodles

Serves 2

the-holistic-ingredient-coverYOU ’ l l NEED

  • 200 grams of shredded, cooked chicken
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 small zucchini or 1/2 large
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 heaped tablespoon chopped coriander (root and stems)
  • plus leaves for sprinkling on top
  • 2 teaspoons ginger, finely grated
  • 1 large garlic clove, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce (I personally use my own home made fish sauce made from anchovies and filtered water)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/2 red chilli, finely chopped (or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil

 w h a t t o D O

  • Heat coconut oil in a saucepan over a low heat.
  • Sauté shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger and 1/4 of the chilli for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the stock, water, fish sauce and coriander. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, create your raw zucchini noodles by using a mandolin or spiralizer.
  • Place chicken and noodles into two large bowls and pour over stock mixture. Season if required.
  • Sprinkle with remaining chopped chilli, coriander leaves and a squeeze of lime.

 

Gluten Free Pita Pockets

Photo by The Whimsical Wife

Photo by The Whimsical Wife

Say goodbye to soggy bread.  Sometimes it's good to have a break from sandwiches and introduce new healthy bread options to kids' repertoires.  

Here's a breakfast,  lunch, or bulging snack  idea that kids can easily assemble themselves and have fun in the process. It comes from my book Supercharged Food for Kids which you can find here.

The pockets can be filled with bacon and eggs at breakfast time or veggies, avocado and tuna or leftover dinner meat and spring salad ingredients and topped with homemade mayo or ranch dressing.  

You can pretty much stuff in whatever you like or whatever you have available in the fridge.

The basic recipe can also be made as a flat crusty pizza and delivered to hungry mouths pretty quickly once your favorite toppings have been fixed.

Test these on your brood and let me know what you think?

Makes 4 pitas

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • 1 TBS almond or rice milk
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 1 TBS coconut flour
  • 1 TBS flaxseed meal
  • 1/4 cup blanched almond meal
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch Celtic Sea Salt
  • 1 TBS mixed herbs chopped fine (optional)

 Method

  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
  • Place baking paper on a baking tray
  • In a bowl whisk egg and add water, milk and olive oil
  • Add dry ingredients and stir well
  • Pour mixture onto baking paper in 2 medium sized circles about 12 cms across and spread evenly with a palette knife
  • Bake for 20 minutes until golden and crispy around the edge
  • Let cool and with a sharp knife slice along the centre so that a pocket is created
  • Stuff with favourite fillings

Happy Cooking

Lee xo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vegetable Fritters


Vegetable Fritters

My dog Cashew gets jealous when I eat these fritters.  I've never really known of a dog to get jealous of vegetables before.  But I think Cashew is an extraordinary dog and a bit of a culinary canine.  

For example, recently she was bitten by a paralytic tick which put her in intensive care for four days and whilst she was recovering the well-meaning vet was attempting everything to make her eat something, anything, so that she would show signs that she was improving and come home. But Cashew just kept on refusing, turning up her little snout at any scientifically produced, celebrity endorsed dog food, or bone shaped dog biscuits and looking at the vets like they were insane. (more…)

Curtis Stone and his new Pizza Stone!

CurtisThis week I chatted to the lovely Curtis Stone who is back in Australia to launch his cooking range into Coles stores.  One of the really exciting new cookware tools he has developed is a handy pizza stone, which is the perfect platform for making healthy gluten free pizzas. 

What’s interesting about using the stone is that it prevents you from getting a doughy result underneath and because you heat it up in the oven before-hand, it crisps up the base of the pizza by holding in and then dispersing the heat, making it crunchy on the bottom and giving you a melt in the mouth softness on top. It’s affordable too and for just over $20 you can make your own healthy wood-burning-oven like pizza without breaking the bank. 

pizzaSo how does it work?

-the pizza stone is pre-heated in the oven
-the dough gets a jolt of heat when it hits the stone
-the heat of the base helps the pizza cook quicker and cooks the dough through
-to get a crisp crust without a stone you need to cook the pizza longer, which usually means hard crust and overcooked toppings
-Pizza stones are also great for making homemade breads, heating up flatbreads and preparing pita!

I asked Curtis a few questions about what he’s been up to since he was last in Australia. 

How's your trip back to Oz been?

Fun so far, I’ve just spent the last couple of days acclimatizing my wife Lindsay and baby boy Hudson to the weather and the culture here.  It’s been so fantastic to be able to spend time with cousins and grandma! They’ve all been having such a great time getting to know each other.

What do you miss about being home?

I really miss my family and I also miss our Aussie sense of humour.  Sometimes in America I tell a joke and they don’t really get it or they think I’m being a bit strange, we’re used to a ribbing kind of humour in Oz and I like it so it’s great to be back and get a sense of that and have a laugh and a joke. 

What made you decide to become a chef?

From a really early age I‘ve always loved to eat and food is on my priority list. Ok so the truth is sometimes I like to eat off other peoples plates! That’s how much I love food. I feel so fortunate and lucky to have been able to follow my passion and work with food.

What’s the healthiest dish you like to cook?

Depends on the season really but at the moment we are in summer, so raw ingredients such as salad, kale, asparagus, grilled veggies, avocados with a bit of sherry vinaigrette is filling my plate right now.  The addition of avocado makes the dressing so creamy if you mush it up.  Granted it’s not the prettiest salad but it tastes amazing.

I’ve just released a kid’s recipe book and I know you have a little boy, do you make all of Hudson's food and what does he like to eat?

Lindsay and I both cook for him and he just loves seafood, he really enjoys eating proteins so when I watch him eat he likes to eat his salmon first and then he’ll eat his veggies afterwards.  It’s been a really interesting journey becoming a parent and trying to figure out his taste buds.

pizza c

What's the best thing about being a dad?

Watching the development of Hudson has been incredible.  I also enjoy seeing Lindsay interact with him too.

I read that you were instrumental in getting more ethical products onto the shelves in Coles, such as sow stall free pork and no added hormone beef  tell us a little bit about that and has it been a hard process?

Yes it has been a very big food project that I’m very passionate about and have been working with Coles for a long period of time to make positive changes.  We are working on continuing to have locally sourced seasonal fruit and vegetables in store and as much Australian produce as possible. Coles currently source 96% of their fruit and vegetables from Australian farmers.   We are also trying to educate consumers to eat and shop seasonally so for example there isn’t a demand for cherries out of season whereby they would need to be purchased from overseas.  The ethical and sustainable meat products that we have introduced has involved a massive restructure of the whole industry and we are working together to bring about big scale change.  It involves talking to farmers about different ways that they can build their infrastructure and put an animal’s welfare as a priority, but as you know, major change does take time to implement. 

So tell me a bit about your new pizza stone, why did you decide to create it?

I really want to empower people to cook at home and make it easy for them to do so.  I am also working with Coles to bring a new product each month into stores, there’s going to be a wok soon and a roasting dish which is easy to use and affordable.

What's your favourite pizza recipe and do you have a healthy version?

My favourite pizza is a homemade one which would have artichokes, olives, Portobello mushrooms, I made one this morning with ingredients that were on their last legs seasonally, may as well use them up whilst they are there!

The Curtis Stone Everyday Pizza Stone is available at Coles stores from September 18th, 2013 for $21.70.

For a deliciously healthy gluten free pizza try this one with a cauliflower crust.

cauliflower-pizza-2

Lee xo

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

This pizza is the perfect indulgence without the guilt – you may crinkle your nose up a little at the thought of substituting cauliflower for flour in this recipe but prevail it does, this cauliflower pizza crust delivers all the satisfaction of an original pizza but without the gnawing tummy pain that accompanies gluten filled pizzas.

Quick and easy to make, the base is crisp yet soft and light with subtle texture, with the herbs and garlic adding extra flavour throughout. The minimalist topping is the perfect balance with salty anchovies, beautiful fresh greens and herbs, finished the only way a pizza should be, with a generous sprinkle of Vitamin B rich nutritional yeast flakes.

Not only delicious this little white tree is packed with goodness; Cauliflower is nutrient rich and loaded with vitamin K, folate, fibre and antioxidants which maintains excellent blood flow for the heart and kidneys; reduces inflammation and strengthens the immune system.

This pizza will pass the test of any pizza connoisseur and is a worthy and healthy substitute for all.

Directions for consumption: Couch, favourite PJs, movie. Enjoy.

PS... You can add mozzarella if you are eating dairy.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower Pizza Crust:

  • 1 cup cooked, shredded cauliflower
  • 1 organic egg
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1 1/2 tsp organic Italian herbs
  • 2 tsp organic parsley
  • 1-2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • Pinch of caraway seeds
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes

Topping:

  • 3 TBS Tomato paste no additives
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes (You can substitute with mozzerella if you are eating dairy)
  • handful rocket
  • Spinach, onion, garlic, olives, anchovies

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 230 degrees Celsius
  • Brush a baking tray with EV olive oil
  • In a bowl, combine cauliflower, egg, almond meal, garlic, seeds and nutritional yeast flakes.  Scoop out the mixture with a spoon and then press evenly on the pan to make a square shape.
  • Sprinkle evenly with herbs.
  • Place in oven for 12-15 minutes
  • Remove and let cool slightly then, add sauce, toppings and cheese.
  • Place under a high heated grill for five minutes to warm toppings
  • Enjoy

For more in-depth gluten, wheat, dairy, yeast and sugar-free recipes you can visit supercharged.wpengine.com

Chia Coconut Pikelets

 Chia Coconut PikeletsPhoto by Pamela Mackertich

I'd love to share a wholesome and delicious recipe out of my Supercharged Food for Kids book.

Pikelets work well for children as they are smaller than a traditional pancake and become a practical and fun finger food for them.  They can also be used for dessert as well as breakfast or packed into a lunchbox for morning or afternoon tea.

I’ve used chia seeds in this recipe because they are a delicious super food, packed with Omega 3s and ridiculously high in antioxidants. They’re extremely versatile and easy to use too. Some great ways to include them in your child’s diet are by adding them to smoothies, sprinkling them on top of yoghurt or cereal, tossing them in your muffin mix or making these delicious pikelets.

Any time you can squeeze chia into your child’s diet, you’re boosting their nutritional profile. By including plain full fat yoghurt on top of these pikelets, you’ll be providing sustenance as well as essential protein, calcium, vitamin C, iron, potassium and Omega 3 essential fatty acids.

When mixed with water, chia seeds become gelatinous. In this form you can use them as an egg substitute in your baking recipes.

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 TBS chia seeds
  • 1 1/2 cup self-raising gluten free flour
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup filtered water
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 TBS coconut nectar or sweetener of your choice
  • 2 TBS butter

Method:

  •  In a bowl place chia, flour, coconut milk, water, eggs and sweetener and mix.
  • Heat a frying pan and melt some butter in the pan
  • Pour in mixture and cook on medium heat until bubbles start to form
  • Flip over using a spatula and cook until browned
  • Continue until finished

I hope your whole family enjoys these pikelets. Top with yoghurt, berries or topping of your choice. You can find more recipes for kids here.

 

Kids Recipes

SCF Kids Book Cover

You'll find plenty of delicious recipes the whole family can enjoy in my new e-book Supercharged Food for Kids.

When cooking for the family, it’s a good idea to cook meals that everyone can enjoy. When you really think about it, why cook a completely separate meal for your kids if they can get in on Mum and Dad’s. Plus it saves you alot of time in the kitchen, not to mention the preparation work and cleaning up too!

Roast dinners, soups, bolognaise and curries can be enjoyed by both kids and adults alike and can also be pureed in a blender for babies.

You'll find a whole lot of Supercharged for Kids' recipes if you look at the recipe book to the right of the screen or you'll also find them in the blog here.

Here are a few new recipes from my book to get you guys started. I would love to know what you think so be sure to leave a comment below or share your pics on my facebook, twitter or instagram pages...

You can also buy the book here.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Yoghurt and Cucumber Dip

Rocking Fried Rice

Mini Salmon Frittatas

Crepe Wraps

Yoghurt Berry Crunch Pot

Orange and Cranberry Muffins

Happy Cooking

Lee xo

Healthy Cookware for Your Real Food Kitchen

vintage_kitchenPhoto from Love Made Me Do It x

As more and more people come around to the benefits of eating healthily and from the source, it struck me recently that there’s little information surrounding the benefits of choosing the correct and healthiest cookware on the market today.

We all know that somewhere lurking in our kitchen is at least one old saucepan that perhaps had its heyday in the 90’s and is hanging in there, just by the skin of its teeth.

Although for many of us it can be a struggle to say goodbye to what is a reminder of a delicious meal created with a special person or a trusty rusty pan that has seen many a day, for a lot of us the time has now come for cookware update.

Not only do old cooking pots and pans often look battered and bruised, they can also be a source of leeching chemicals which infiltrate our food and negate the benefits of all of the wonderfully fresh, organic and healthy produce we are purchasing.

When choosing new cookware it’s important to look at a number of factors, the usability, the price and most importantly, the materials used.  (more…)

Cauliflower, Daikon Rice and Quinoa Pilaf

white riceIt’s time to get out those oversized salad bowls from the back of your kitchen cupboard. Today I’m going to give you lots of healthy options for replacing white rice in your meals.

You know those times when you’re looking for an alternative to stodgy, insulin spiking white rice and not sure where to turn? Well, why not try one of these more nutritious options for the perfect partnership or base to a meal. They make excellent replacements and you can whip them up just as easily.

When eaten regularly, research has shown that eating white rice can increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes.  Aside from its sky high glycemic index, another reason to give white rice the flick is its lack of nutrients after undergoing refinement and processing, stripping the grain of essential B-vitamins, iron, manganese and fibre and leaving you with zilcho nutrition.

Some of the best alternatives for you to try when replacing white rice are opting for wholesome brown rice, it still has the same consistency and texture but you’re ensuring yourself more vitamins, minerals and a serve of fibre.  Try using brown rice in risotto, sushi, stir fries and alongside dishes like this health promoting Eggplant and Green Bean Curry.  (more…)

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