Vegan and vegetarian friends – this post comes with a warning!

Even if you’re seriously dedicated to your plant-loving life, I suggest you look away. This recipe could convert even the hippiest of vegans. It’s absolutely, positively delicious.

Now that we’ve got that in order, It’s time to talk business. If you’re looking for a seriously good fiesta that won’t make you feel like you’re in need of a siesta, do I have the perfect recipe stewing for you.

I don’t know what it is about Mexican food, but I absolutely adore it. Maybe it’s the fact that they love their chilli's hot or that they share my deep love for avocados. Whatever it is, Mexican food and I go together like avocado and… well… everything.

My Taco Beef Stew with Guacamole from Supercharge your Gut is life-changing. If you’re a fan of Mexican food, like myself, but always feel sluggish after eating it, this stew is for you. You’ve guac to try it!

If you don't believe me, I cooked it this morning on Channel 10's Studio 10 and everybody loved it! Watch how to make it here.

Before you give me strange looks, telling me that Mexican food can’t possibly be good for you, keep reading! Cooking your own home-made Mexican stew is a great way to supercharge your gut as the stewing process enables the cell wall of our foods to be broken down, releasing maximum nutrition in an easy-to-digest  and oh-so-delicious form. 

If you’re ready to fulfil your Mexican dreams, while still feeling like you’re ready to take over the world, just like that dancing lady in the red dress emoji, you’ve got to keep your gut in mind!  

Whilst the exotic flavours of Mexico are delicious, typical Mexican food filled with creams, refined carbohydrates and those chemically-filled packet mixes and sauces (seriously… would you like some meat with that oil?!) which can harm the gut, leaving us tired, lethargic, bloated and running to the bathroom. Instead, this recipe will take you on a journey of authentic Mexican food, loaded with delicious flavours and plenty of vitamins and minerals like vitamin B3, B6 and B12, as well as zinc, selenium and iron. Let’s dive a little deeper in, shall we?

We wouldn’t have a Taco Beef Stew without beef. Beef is an excellent source of muscle-nourishing protein. It’s extremely high in Vitamin B5 which helps produce energy in the body by breaking down the carbohydrates in our body into fuel for us to use, known as glucose. Vitamin B5, part of the energy-providing B-vitamins, also assist our bodies in utilising fat and protein properly. Beef is full of protein which we need to build and maintain lean muscle mass. After all, you can’t hit that Sombrero-shaped piñata without your biceps! Eating an adequate amount of protein can help discourage food cravings too.

Another ingredient which totally supercharges this recipe is garlic. Did you know that garlic was originally thought of as medicinal, not as a food source? While some people absolutely love garlic and put it with everything (hellooooo garlic bread), some people can be a bit hesitant because of the smell. If you’re a hater, be ready to be converted. Garlic is anti-microbial, anti-viral and anti-fungal, helping fight infection and disease. Yay for the garlic fan-club… just no kissing or use parsley for fresh breath!

Another supercharged ingredient in this recipe is coconut oil! Similar to garlic, coconut oil is anti-fungal and anti-microbial, helping boost our immune system and show our guts some much-needed TLC.

No Mexican recipe is complete without guacamole. Seriously, it’s about time we give thanks to the holy avocado. Avocado is surprisingly high in prebiotic-rich fibre, helping move things along in the gut and acting as a natural detoxifier. Avo's are also known to help reduce our likelihood of developing heart disease and obesity!

This recipe is seriously Mexican food: The Supercharged edition! If you’re ready to put a supercharged spin on your next fiesta, you’ve got to try it out for yourself. I love to serve it with zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice to add some bulk without the refined carbohydrates, but you do you!

Live that Mexican fantasy.

Taco Beef Stew with Guacomole

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs coconut oil
• 2 red onions
• 1 red capsicum
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground chili
• 700 gms stewing beef (chuck/rump /shin)
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups beef or chicken stock
  
  Guacamole
• 2 avocados ripe
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 2 tomatoes diced
• 1 tbs lime juice

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F).
  Melt the coconut oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over medium–high
  heat.
• Sauté the onion, capsicum and garlic for 3–4 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the spices and beef and cook, stirring, for 5–7 minutes, or until the beef is browned on the outside and thoroughly coated in the spices.
• Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes and stock.
• Put the lid on, transfer to the oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours, or until the beef
  is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork. The time will vary depending on the cut of meat you’re using.
• To make the guacamole, scoop the flesh from the avocados into a large bowl. Sprinkle with the cumin, add the remaining ingredients and roughly mash together using a fork. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Serve the stew topped with the guacamole and your choice of accompaniment.

After an amazing trip to the UK I've hit the ground running and fallen straight into the arms of my trusted soup pot. Today I'm back into the kitchen and whipping up one of my favourite soups.  There’s something about chicken soup that feels like coming home. Chicken soup has a way of bringing comfort and warmth to even the coolest of autumn nights. I’m convinced that chicken soup has the power to heal anything - from the worst colds and flus to the winter blues and even jet lag. 

Not only is soup extremely nourishing, it's also the perfect way to sneak in a few extra veggies, increase your fibre and water intake! Soups are an extremely popular choice for cooler nights but they’re equally as delicious, and sometimes even better, the next day for lunch. This Chicken and Vegetable Anti-Inflammatory Soup is super satisfying and is extra special because it's home-made. Seriously. There’s nothing better. It can cure anything; it’s your new autumn staple. Please give it a try.

One supercharged feature of this soup, which deserves a lot more credit than I am giving it, is my favourite ingredient garlic. There’s a lot more to garlic than being a great flavour booster and toast companion. Garlic is a strong detoxifier which reduces inflammation and boosts the immune system. The compound within garlic known as Allicin is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, fighting off infections as the seasons change! It fights off colds, flus and first kisses (you’re welcome, parents)! I love garlic so much. In fact, I’d say it’s an essential ingredient in a Supercharged Kitchen.

Zucchini may be low in calories but it's extremely high in nutrients. This antioxidant-rich veg is rich in Vitamin C, lowering inflammation and oxidative stress. It's also high in the mineral potassium, which improves heart health and may naturally lower blood pressure. I've added it to the soup to up the green quota. 

Chicken soup is truly nourishing for your insides, particularly your digestive system. It's what I like to call Soul Food. Even Oscar likes it! He has impeccable table manners by the way.

Another green veg featured in this supercharged soup is broccoli. Broccoli is high in antioxidants and is actually a natural liver detoxifier! Even if you're not much of a drinker, your liver health can become compromised by the chemicals you ingest and medicines you take. Consuming broccoli is a great way to help your body naturally detoxify and get your liver working at it's prime!  Broccoli is also high in fibre, soothing the gut lining and preventing bacterial overgrowth. 

Another year-long essential that features in this soup is my Golden Gut Blend. It provides a dose of gut-loving golden spice that is rich in minerals, great for anti-bloating and creating an alkaline environment within the body. It’s also high in absorbable iron, boosting energy and brain function, so you can kick those cold weather blues for good! Golden Gut Blend is also a metabolism booster and can soothe the gut after eating too. 

You can make this soup in batches and keep it in the freezer for those nights when you can't think of anything worse than yawning while standing over the stove-top waiting for the water to start bubbling... been there, done that, bought the wooly jumper. This soup will stay good for about three months in the freezer and a week in the fridge. If you’re looking for a meat-free soup, swap out the chicken stock for vegetable stock – it really is that simple. Vegetarians I've got your back!

Supercharge your health tonight with my scrumptious Chicken and Vegetable Anti-inflammatory Soup.

Chicken and Vegetable Anti-Inflammatory Soup

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 4 large garlic cloves sliced 
• 2 large carrots cubed
• 4 zucchini cubed
• 1 head broccoli chopped small 
• 500 mls chicken stock
• 1 lemon squeezed
• 3 tbs wheat free tamari
• 1 TBS golden gut blend 
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Warm 1 tbs oil in heavy based saucepan on medium heat 
2. Pan fry garlic slices then remove and set aside
3. Add 1 tbs oil and all veg and cook on medium until softened and browned 
4. Add remaining ingredients and bring to the boil stirring then turn down heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes
5. Remove from heat and let cool slightly so that you can blend all ingredients in a processor or blender
6. Season to taste

Let’s talk about stress, baby. Let's talk about you and me...

While I know stress isn’t one of the sexiest topics out there, in our modern-day world, it’s become a major issue because we've all become super busy! While we praise busy-ness and love to talk about how busy we are (seriously, it's like a competition these days!), the stress that comes with it isn't always a good thing. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I always try to remember to listen to my own gut instinct; by that I mean to take things slower when I'm feeling like everything is becoming a little too much and I try to reduce stress as much as possible by slowing down. 

Stress plays a huge role in gut health, altering the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiota and likewise, an unhealthy diversity of bacteria can impact emotional behaviour and exacerbate our stress response. While we all try to find balance by going to work, spending time with family, seeing friends, exercising, cooking healthy meals, and the list goes on, this kind of busy lifestyle can lead us down stress street! 

If an adult hasn’t inherited healthy lifestyle and eating habits from their family or community when young, it becomes increasingly harder to develop and implement them in later stages of life. We all know it’s a lot easier and more convenient to choose processed, take-away food over home-made food but really, in the long run it's not always the best choice for long term health. The thing with processed and instant foods are that they can be difficult to digest, really slow down our digestive systems and take a huge toll on the health of our gut micro biome.

If you’re looking to make ‘adulting’ at work a little more easeful, I'm sharing a few tips and tricks from my book Supercharge Your Gut to get you on the right track, because you know what - adulting is stressful enough. 

I recommend waking up early with the sun, drinking a large glass of warm filtered water with the juice of half a lemon or apple cider vinegar to kick-start that digestive system and liver into full gear. I love getting up and moving first thing in the morning. Not only does getting out into nature help start the day off on the right foot, it also resets the circadian rhythms which stimulates the pituitary gland, releasing feel-good hormones. Now you have no excuse to not be a morning person!

Once you’re home from your morning exercise, try dry body brushing with a long handled brush. Then shower and switch between bursts of hot and cold water to get the lymphatic system pumping. While you’re in the shower, try oil-pulling. Place 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin coconut oil or sesame oil in your mouth upon rising, before you’ve eaten or drunk anything. Swish the oil around your mouth for 10 minutes, then spit it out. Never swallow the oil, which will be full of bacteria.

Brush your teeth and tongue thoroughly afterwards, to remove any excess oil, or invest in a tongue scraper. Including this simple ritual in your day will offer benefits such as whiter teeth, clearer skin, healthier gums, fresher breath, clearer sinuses, an improved lymphatic system, better sleep and increased energy, and for pre-menopausal women better regulated menstrual cycles. 

When you’re ready and dressed, make yourself some Love Your Gut Powder in a glass with water. If you're low on time in the morning, I recommend preparing breakfast the night before. Recently, I've been loving my Golden Gut Nice Cream, Mocha and Banana Smoothie Bowl, Golden Gut Granola Clusters or Smashed Avo on Golden Gut Loaf for breakfast. They're all seriously delicious and can be prepared before-hand for ultimate convenience. 

Throughout the day, be sure to hydrate! Sip on ginger, lemongrass, fennel and fresh mint teas, and flask it. You can also stash pre-made tea mixes in your desk drawer at work to enjoy throughout the day.

And now, for lunch! If you can, use your lunch time as a break in your day. Try to enjoy lunch away from your desk, instead of doing that half-eating, half-typing or writing thing – not good! Go for a walk during your break, do some yoga poses or stretches and remember to breath!

If you've got a meeting after lunch, try warrior pose for strength and firm foundations.  It takes just a few minutes and you'll be surprised how different you feel afterwards. Find an empty meeting room or do it in the bathroom! Avoiding being sedentary can reduce stress and increase focus and productivity.

If you’re keen for an absolutely delicious lunch; one that’ll take your whole office to the streets of North Vietnam with its fragrant smell, you have to try out my Beef Pho Broth. Pho originated in the early 20^th century and was sold at dawn and dusk by roaming street vendors, shouldering mobile kitchens. Don’t be put off by the list of ingredients, as this wonderfully fragrant broth is very simple to prepare. My advice is to make the broth beforehand on a weekend and freeze it.  That way you'll have it on hand when you need it. It also works beautifully in a slow cooker. Pho is as comforting as it is delicious – it’s like a mid-day hug for your insides.

If you’re prone to snacking, you may want to pack some snacks so you’re well prepared and not munching down on the packet of stale crisps that has been sitting at the bottom of your desk drawer for three weeks too long. Try vegetable sticks with hummus, tuna dip and/or an avocado. If you're feeling extra zesty, why not pop half a lemon in your bag for a citrus squeeze? 

Once you've finished work and got home, it's usually the time to start thinking about dinner. I know how hard it can be to motivate yourself to cook something after a long day of work, but it's so worth it! For me, I like to use cooking as a time to de-stress and reconnect. After a long day, I recommend choosing a meal with protein such as my Asian Kelp Noodle Salad,  Supercharged Savoury Mince or Vegan Caesar Salad!  They're quick and easy to prepare and so Yum.

Make sure you’ve had enough to eat by indulging in a gut-soothing dessert. Try some Turmeric Fudge (which can be pre-made on the weekend and frozen) and, if you’re still hungry, finish the night with a Maca and Tahini Latte.

For ultimate stress-busting benefits, be sure to try out my beautiful broth below! I promise you won't be disappointed. To make it easy for you, don't forget to make the broth on the weekend then it's so easy to heat up for mid-week dinners and lunches, just by adding the extra ingredients.

Beef Pho Broth

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil
• 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) beef bones — shin, knuckles, marrow and gelatinous cuts are good
• 6 star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cardamom pods
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 litres (68 fl oz/8 cups) filtered water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 brown onion, thinly sliced
• 7.5 cm (3 inch) knob of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) beef sirloin, thinly sliced
• 3 zucchini (courgettes), spiralised
• 1 handful of bean sprouts
• 1 large handful of mixed fresh basil, mint and coriander (cilantro)
• 2 limes, cut into wedges or cheeks

Directions:

To make the broth...

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Melt the coconut oil in a flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the bones and stir to coat.
• Put the lid on, transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the bones are browned. Place the casserole dish back on the stovetop.
• In a dry frying pan, toast the spices over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add them to the casserole dish with the filtered water and vinegar.
• Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, then simmer for 1 and 1/2 hours, adding a little more filtered water from time to time if necessary.
• Using tongs, carefully remove and discard the bones. Allow the broth to cool, refrigerate or freeze, then scrape off any congealed fat on top (keep it for cooking with).

To make the soup

• Add a bit of the stock fat to a frying pan and lightly sauté the onion and ginger. Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish.
• Bring back to the boil, stir in the tamari and season to taste.
• To serve, arrange the beef and zucchini in bowls. Pour in the boiling broth and top with the bean sprouts and herbs. (The boiling broth will book the meat. If you prefer the beef to be cooked longer then add it to the casserole dish when bringing to the boil). Serve with lime wedges.

It’s incredibly easy to get lost in the crazy world of social media and completely lose sight when it comes to healthy eating. While celebrities and supermodels promote insane diets, unhealthy skinny teas, sugar-laden ‘protein’ bars and more, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for us to navigate a reliable source of information and the best way to achieve a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

If you want my opinion, the best way to do that is to eat real food and love your gut.

Which brings me to my next point – protein.

While some people rave on and on about how you need "x" amount of protein to build muscles, become lean, pick up buildings, etc. it’s important to note that you don’t need to eat meat for every single meal to get enough protein. There are plenty of sources of plant-based protein that can be enjoyed by everyone, not just your hippie vegan friends.

So, without further ado, it’s time to pass the spotlight onto the product of the moment – hemp seeds.

Before I go on, I think it’s important to clarify a few things about our hemp-y friends. Hemp seeds aren’t the smelly stuff your neighbours have been smoking and it won’t impair your state of mind either. Basically, what I’m trying to say is that hemp isn’t the same. Hemp seeds are the fruit of the hemp plant, and only contains trace (<.5%) amounts of the psychoactive element THC so it won’t affect your state of mind.

The Thompson’s Hemp Range contains proteins full of amino acids, including the essential amino acids that our bodies are unable to produce. They’re also high in essential fatty acids, dietary fibre and boost energy. Plus, they’ve got a delicious nutty taste and super satisfying crunch.  I love that they’re a low allergy food and suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

If you’re loving the idea of hemp but unsure where to begin, as always, I’ve got a delicious recipe up my sleeve! I’ve created crispy salmon cutlets with hemped-up protein and a rocket salad with a hemp and lemon dressing. It’s super simple but sure to satisfy every single one of your cravings. I love the sweetness of the pumpkin, the crunch of the hemp seeds and the zing of the lemon & hemp oil dressing.

Pumpkin’s aren’t just good for Halloween! Pumpkins are packed full of fibre, antioxidants and minerals. They can also help boost our immunity and reduce inflammation. Undoubtedly, the best way to enjoy pumpkin is baked in the oven. I love when it comes out sweet, toasty and ultimately, delicious.

Of course, this dish wouldn’t be complete without some salmon. Salmon is a serious wonder-fish. It’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins for energy and protein. It’s one of the most nutritious foods on the planet - it can even promote eye, skin and heart health!

I’ve combined these three wonderful ingredients, pumpkin, salmon and hemp, to create the ultimate dinner or lunch to impress. Make it for yourself, your family, your friends or even your special someone and they’ll be blown away with your cooking abilities and new-found knowledge on all things hemp!

Are you ready to get hemp-y?

You can find the new Thompson’s range at pharmacies and health food stores across Australia.

Crispy Salmon Cutlets with Hemped-up Pumpkin and rocket salad with a hemp and lemon dressing

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 2 salmon cutlets

For salad:

• 1/4 pumpkin chopped into squares
• 1 tbs olive oil 
• 2 cups rocket leaves
• 1 cucumber peeled and slices
• 2 tbs Thompson's hemp seeds
• 2 tbs pine nuts

Method:

• Heat oven to 175 degrees Celsius
• Lay pumpkin on a baking tray and cover with olive oil then bake for about 30 mins till crispy 
• Five minutes before the pumpkin is roasted warm oil in heavy frying pan and add salmon, cooking until crispy then turning over to crisp up the other side
• Once cooked set aside and arrange salad ingredients between two plates, make dressing and drizzle salad with dressing. 
• Top salad with Thompson hemp seeds and pine nuts. 

For Dressing:

• 2 tbs Thompson’s hemp oil
• Juice of one lemon squeezed

Method:

• In a small bowl mix dressing ingredients with a fork until combined 
• Pour over salad and enjoy

Forget avocado and toast, Harry and Meghan and every female's love-affair with Hugh Jackman after seeing the Greatest Showman, and say hello to another power couple; my 2-day Supercharge Your Gut Program and Supercharge Your Gut book. I know this is a big statement to make but I'm making it: they're bound to be your favourite conscious coupling for 2018 (book-pun totally intended). 

I'm so excited to be officially launching my 2-day Supercharge Your Gut Program alongside my brand new Supercharge Your Gut Book and can't wait to bring you along for the adventure.

Hey Lee, what’s your Supercharge Your Gut Program?

I thought you’d never ask!

My 2-day SYG Program is an uncomplicated online gut health program that's designed specifically for you – yes, you! It'll help restore and maintain your inner health so that you can experience complete wellness from head-to-toe, gain more energy and vitality, lose weight and feel healthier. Plus you'll have alot less of any uncomfortable gut symptoms.

The great part about it is that you only need to commit two days a week to maintain a healthy gut. It’s not time-consuming or a complicated drawn out program, just a super easy couple of days a week to implement into your weekly routine.

The SYG program provides step-by-step guidance on how to improve and maintain a healthy gut with delicious food to achieve enduring results. An the good news is that it's really affordable. For just $10 a week or $35 a month you can have your tumeric scrambled eggs and cancel anytime!

If you're not yet convinced, here are just two of the many testimonials we've received: 

Danielle C says: It's been an eventful body ride with ups and downs to which 8.6 kilo was dropped 1.8% body fat lost, many new habits have formed and a clearer happy tummy is proven for no tummy aces YAY!  It's the longest I've gone without booze for over a year! 
Natural foods taste incredibly sweet to me now. What a relief to cut out sugar!! It's encouraged at least 3-4 people around me to improve their diet. I can now know the correct way to fast for two days a week. So many delicious recipes that will stay in my food regime! 

Kaaren says: I realised that although my family do have a good diet (whole foods, grains fruit, veggies, not much junk food) we weren't having "enough" of  the good stuff. I started your program in September this year, my 11 year old daughter even asking me what was different about this diet. My reply was "this is how I grew up, eating all these foods  (the ratatouille reminded me of what my mum used to make) and this is how we are supposed to be eating",  however with our busy life I had forgotten what to do. I now feel fantastic and have reignited my passion for food and rarely have any side effects. 

When you sign up you’ll receive a welcome pack, two days of recipes and meal ideas delivered to your inbox, additional gut-loving recipes adapted to meet your specific needs, web videos and daily expert advice to keep you on track and encouraged.

You’ll also receive guided mediations that can be listened to where and whenever you need them. These are great to help you unwind and relax. I like to listen to them before I go to sleep as they send me into a very deep sleep. They truly instil positive, constructive messages to help relax and unwind your body and mind. Speaking of the body, I’ve also included a whole lot of yoga poses that are key for digestion. These will help alleviate symptoms such as bloating and constipation.

Oh, that does sound great... and what's this book you speak of?

Well, if you're ready to further your insight into all things gut health, this is the book for you. Supercharge Your Gut, the follow-up to the best-selling book Heal Your Gut is here, and it’s going to change your life forever. Get ready to sink your teeth into the latest gut research, over 100 gut-loving recipes and explore the ins and outs of our most influential body part.  Supercharge Your Gut offers a two day a week maintenance program that’ll set your gut health up for life.

Prebiotic Baked Tray from Supercharge Your Gut

Mocha and Banana Smoothie Bowl from Supercharge Your Gut

In a really easy-to-digest format, you'll discover just how to care for and improve your immune system, hormones, sleep, nervous system and more! Learn all about SIBO, histamines and that FODMAP diet that Claire is constantly going on about at work.

If you're ready to totally transform the way you feel from head-to-gut-to-toe, these two tools are exactly what you need.

And just incase you need more convincing, I'm going to share with you a delicious recipe from my latest and greatest, Supercharge Your Gut.

My turmeric scrambled eggs are perfect for easy breakfasts, late summer dinners and everything in between. Plus, if this recipe is anything to go by, you’ll find that the recipes in both the program and the book are equally nourishing, tasty, simple to make and easily digestible. All recipes are gluten, wheat, dairy, yeast and sugar-free and include wholefood ingredients that can be found in your local supermarket or healthy grocer. I've included recipes for delicious, nutritious, easily digestible meals like nutrient-packed smoothies, soothing soups, healing broths, comforting mashes, bowls, crockpot meals and stews, easy to digest dinner dishes and desserts that'll nourish your body and leave you satiated.

Make a two-day commitment to the health of your gut and you'll be surprised at how good you can feel.  I hope you will join me in making your gut healthy and happy today via the program or grab a copy of Supercharge Your Gut.

If you're not yet convinced, you'll have to give my delicious Turmeric Scrambled Eggs a whirl, they're scrumdidiliumptious.

Turmeric Scrambled Eggs

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 TBS olive oil or coconut oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small brown onion, chopped
• 4 eggs whisked
• 1 TBS wheat-free tamari
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsps turmeric or to taste
• 2 TBS nutritonal yeast flakes
• Fresh Basil to serve

Method:

Sauté garlic and onion in frying pan until translucent.
Add in eggs, and stir and then add tamari and spices.
Cook for about 5-7 minutes continuously stirring.
Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and torn basil to serve.

It’s beginning to look a lot like summer,

Everywhere you go! 

Imagine your ideal holiday period.

Are you cuddled up by the fire with your special someone, or perhaps caravanning by the beach with family, tripping overseas in a foreign kitchen, or maybe even camping in the bush?  You may even be lying on the grass at your annual picnic?

Wherever you are, there’s one thing we all can agree on – it’s spending time with your special ones that matters the most… and the food. Okay, maybe two things we can all agree on then.

While festive feasting in Australia may not look like steaming hot chocolates, roads studded with fairy lights and snowflakes, stuffed chooks and bellies filled with pudding, holiday season is still holiday season! While it’s a little too hot for full roasts and mashed potatoes here in Australia, we can still celebrate the season with fresh produce and delicious salads – what could be better?

I’ve created four delicious salad recipes you can make wherever your festivities may take you. Just make sure that when you do enjoy these beauties, you’re enjoying them with your special people.

The only Kale and Strawberry and Avocado Salad you'll need this holiday season.

What do you get when you combine sweetness, bitterness and bright colours?

My Kale and Strawberry Salad, of course!

This totally good-for-you salad is filled with veggies, berries and healthy fats which make a nutrient-dense meal suitable for anyone.

Our forest friend, kale, delivers protein, fibre and impressive amounts of vitamin A and C, making it a powerful antioxidant.

Kale’s dynamic partner in crime (and by crime, I mean tasting good because there’s literally nothing harmful about this salad!), strawberries, are full of vitamin C that’ll help boost immunity and even keep wrinkles at bay! 

The combination of the green and the pink make this salad almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

Seeing as this salad is simple and easy to make, it means you’ll have more time to spend with your friends and family this holiday season. You’re welcome.

This welcoming dish brings a touch of summer to your table. and right down to the dressing is a total knockout that'll blow your mind!

Who knew healthy could taste so good?

Kale, Strawberry and Avocado Salad with Speedy Jam Jar Dressing

Serves 2-3


Ingredients:

• 1 bunch kale, chopped into slices
• 1 whole lemon

• 2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt
• 1 Avocado Pitted
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 1 cup strawberries washed and quartered

Speedy Jam Jar Dressing


• ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1 tsp. sugar free mustard

• ½ shallot, diced

• Pinch Celtic Sea Salt

• 1 TBS wheat-free tamari

Method

• In a large bowl place lemon juice and olive oil and stir then massage it into kale leaves adding a pinch or two of sea salt. Keep massaging until leaves are soft and dark green
• Add remaining ingredients and toss
• To make the dressing whisk all ingredients together

Fig and Goats Cheese (Yum!)

Get ready for an ultimate platter that’ll make you forget all about your run-of-the-mill, sad garden salad.

This Fig and Goats Cheese Platter will wow your guests and make you change the way you think about cooking altogether. This throw-together salad is so simple that it just might work!

I can’t believe it when I hear people say they dislike the taste of figs! Who can possibly deny themselves the pleasure of lusciously sweet and summery figs that have a chewy flesh, smooth skin and crunchy seeded centre? My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Figs are high in potassium that’ll help lower blood pressure. They’re also high in fibre to get things moving on your insides, which is essential with all the over-eating we tend to do around the holiday season! Or you can always try my Love Your Gut powder to remove the junk from your trunk.

Another summer fruit that’s ready to finally get in the spotlight, peaches, are tantalizing for our tastebuds and high in antioxidants which help reduce our disease risk.

Now that we’ve got our fruit sorted, we need to find an edge. This is where Goat’s cheese comes in. Goat’s cheese is high in calcium and essential fatty acids and can be much easier to digest than other cheeses. It’s also known to cause less inflammation in the body than regular dairy and helps aid nutrient absorption. Goat to love that!

Combine these three ingredients with antioxidant-rich greens and one delicious dressing and you’ve got one heck of a platter! Grab the recipe here. 

 Teacup Watermelon Salad

As a foodie, there’s something about the changing of season that always brings me joy. I love to see what each season provides me and, form recipes that celebrate produce of the season. While in winter we tend to crave soups and stews, summer provides us with a need for hydrating and fresh produce. Namely, watermelon.

To me, summer just yells watermelon. There’s nothing that adds more bliss to a hot summer day than eating the right piece of sweet and juicy watermelon. While you can enjoy watermelon just on its own, I love putting it into a good watermelon salad. If you’ve never tried watermelon in a salad, you’re in for a treat with this recipe! This salad comes from my book Fast Your Way to Wellness which is full of summer recipes that are as good for your waistline as they are for your soul! It’s perfect for sustaining abounding energy and a healthy weight year-round. 

I’m not sure which genius thought it would be a good idea to combine watermelon with cheese and mint, but whoever it was, I owe them! This interesting collaboration knocks your socks off and keeps you coming back for seconds every time.

While the sweet juiciness of watermelon comes through, it’s balanced by the bite of the crumbled Goat's cheese and cooling zing of fresh mint.

Watermelons are about 92 percent water, making every bite perfectly hydrating! They're also rich in vitamin A, B6 and C, as well as beauty-boosting antioxidants that’ll keep your skin glowing all summer long.

This dainty teacup salad can bring joy on warm days as a refreshing snack, light meal or even dessert.

I’ve dressed this bad-boy with a zesty mixture of lemon and lime, with floral notes of coriander of course, creamy sheep’s milk yoghurt.

Check out the recipe here.

Vegan Caesar Salad

I've taken an alternative approach to your summer menus and created a #meatlessmonday extravaganza! If you’re looking to cater for vegetarians, flexitarians or vegans, you’re definitely going to want to try this one!

While meatless meals are great for our digestion and can make us feel lighter than other ones, often times, meat-free dishes, like faux soy meats, are full of processed ingredients and chemicals that make the whole vegetarian thing not so good after all!

When cooking without meat, be sure to use fresh and natural ingredients. Also remember to include a source of protein, such as beans, seeds, tofu or tempeh.

What’s tempeh, you ask?

Tempeh is made of fermented, cooked soybeans, meaning it’s less processed than tofu and high in protein and fibre. This makes it easier for us to digest and richer in probiotics which are key to increasing our gut microflora; an aspect of health that tends to go out the window in holiday season. Probiotics help break down sugars, control harmful bacteria and improve our immune system so we can enjoy summer and the holidays sniffle-free.

Tempeh has a slightly earthy and sweet taste and is firm and chewy in texture.

My Vegan Caesar salad, made with tofu’s lesser known tempeh, is the perfect Christmas dish. This delicious Caesar salad is so good, you’ll be looking forward to Mondays from now on!

Check it out here.

Enjoy these four seasonal salads and let me know what you think in the comments below.

Lee xo 

All you little Christmas elves, welcome aboard my sleigh! Today we're going to explore the best way to prepare and budget for Christmas, how to enjoy it mindfully, the most delicious things to cook and what to do with all those darn left-overs!

Preparing for Christmas

• Be organised Start buying things that you need now so you’re not panicking when you’ve only got a few days left to figure everything out
• Plan your menu and figure out what everyone’s bringing to the table
• You may want to make a dessert you can freeze and use on the day
• Figure out your budget properly – factor in food, cutlery, presents, decorations and everything else you may need
• Set the table a few days before the big day so it’s one less thing to worry about

Budgeting – time and money

• Cooking for Christmas on a budget may seem like an impossible feat, but it’s totally possible . be a scrooge online.
• Buy things in bulk from bulk food stores, online shops or get fresh produce delivered to you if you don’t have time!
• Plan what you’re making before you go Christmas grocery shopping go with a purpose don’t spend unnecessarily, Make a list and check it twice
• Use herbs and spices to pack a flavour punch to dishes – buying spices doesn’t need to be expensive but adds a whole other element to your dishes
• Personalise your wrapping- kitchen or brown paper and twine and rosemary from the garden

A mindful Christmas

• Don’t buy for the sake of buying – look around your house and see if you have any leftover decorations or even try going DIY, it can be much more fun and less wasteful that way . My Christmas tree branches or real tree. Upcycle.
• Use Christmas as a time to disconnect from your phone and re-connect with special people. Maybe consider a social media switch-off
• Give to those less fortunate

How to avoid a Santa Belly

• Eating mindfully is a great way to refrain from overeating and overindulging in this period
• Really pay attention to the flavours and textures of what you’re eating. Instead of mindlessly gorging on food, try to slow down and enjoy every bite of every meal.
• Don’t deprive yourself – enjoy treats in moderation

What to cook

• Balance is key
• Roasted lamb is delicious
• Chicken cooked in rosemary and lots of spices like garlic and turmeric
• Can’t go wrong with roasted vegetables – roasted root vegetables, Brussel sprouts and more scream Christmas! You can even stuff them with nuts, seeds, rice or anything else you please.
• Lots of delicious salads
• Healthy desserts - I have a delicious healthy Supercharged Christmas Fruit Cake on my blog or a great Studded Pumpkin Pie recipe 

Dealing with leftovers

• If you’ve made a roasted lamb for dinner, you can enjoy it in a salad, curry or soup over the next few days
• You can use roasted vegetables in a quiche, an omelette or a salad
• Leftover healthy desserts make for delicious snacks
• You can freeze some items for up to 3 months and use them for those nights where you can’t stand the thought of cooking

This Christmas I've created three new recipes - a main of spiced leg of lamb roast and two sides, a tray of roasted root vegetables and pan-fried toasted greens which you can start salivating over here.

These dishes look delightfully festive and taste super scrumptious…even Scrooge wouldn’t be able to help but smile! I like to marinate a leg of lamb overnight so it really soaks up all the flavours of herbs and spices. But also, so the only thing I have to do on Christmas day is just pop it in the oven #sneaky. I do the same thing with the veggies too. Wash, chop and prepare everything the previous day or night, then just place it under meat when ready.

That's it! If you guys have any Supercharged Christmas tips, be sure to leave them below! 

Happy holidays everyone 🙂

Lee xo

With Christmas just around the corner, I can hear the sleigh bells ringing, the summer barbeques sizzling and the Christmas crackers snapping! It truly is the season to be jolly, indulge and celebrate with family, friends and loved ones. But, one sound we don’t want to hear as we head into summer is the popping of our jean buttons!

So how can we indulge without overdoing it? Is it really possible to have healthy Christmas meals that are fulfilling and still kind to our bodies? Well, you can probably guess my answer to that question is a big fat yes! While some people can’t wait to get stuck into that huge roast ham or enjoy a plateful of prawns, others have mixed emotions about sitting at the family dinner table or heading to the office parties at Christmas. For some, holiday seasons can cause feelings of fear and guilt around food. But, the good news is, it doesn’t have to be that way!
With the right ingredients, scrumptious recipes and a mindful approach to food, Christmas can be enjoyably satisfying and guilt free!

Here are a few tips to Supercharge your food this Christmas:

• Don’t be afraid to get extra spicy this Christmas. Rather than turning up the heat, create a sizzle by using flavoursome and fragrant spices like cumin, turmeric and ginger. These have an abundance of anti-inflammatory properties and help to ease digestion.
• Skip those white potatoes and reach for root vegetables like sweet potato, parsnips and turnips instead. These have more nutritional value as they are loaded with vitamins and have fewer calories per serve!
• Opt for natural, organic, wholefood ingredients. Instead of buying pre-made desserts or packaged chocolates, try baking your own treats from scratch.
• Recipes like my pumpkin pie or fudge brownies are simple to make and better for our bodies than any of the store bought stuff!
• Eating mindfully is a great way to refrain from overeating and overindulging. Really pay attention to the flavours and textures of what you’re eating. Instead of mindlessly gorging on food, try to slow down and enjoy every bite of every meal. Focusing on the look, smell, taste and feel of your food will help you to listen to your body more. So, you can let go of any anxiety or guilt around eating and really celebrate the food and the people you’re with!

This Christmas I've created three recipes - a main of spiced leg of lamb roast and two sides, a tray of roasted root vegetables and pan-fried toasted greens. These dishes look delightfully festive and taste super scrumptious…even Scrooge wouldn’t be able to help but smile! Whilst they are full of nutrient-rich ingredients, these recipes are simple and straightforward to put together. You won’t need a Christmas miracle or any elves to help this year!

The great thing about these recipes is you can do a lot of the preparation the day before. So when your friends and family are over you’ll have more time to spend with them, instead of prancing and dashing around in the kitchen.

I like to marinate a leg of lamb overnight so it really soaks up all the flavours of herbs and spices. But also, to ensure the only thing I have to do on Christmas day is just pop it in the oven #sneaky. I do the same thing with the veggies too. Wash, chop and prepare everything the previous day or night, then just place it under meat when ready. This makes for a super simple and stress-free Christmas lunch!

Leg of Lamb Roast with Spiced Marinade
This leg of lamb recipe is packed with a variety of herbs and spices that will have your taste buds singing and your insides glowing. Combining lamb with aromatic sprigs of fresh rosemary adds flavor and fragrance to the meat, whilst also offering numerous health benefits to your digestive system. Since it's rich in antioxidants and contains anti-inflammatory properties, rosemary eases indigestion and naturally relieves tummy pains that often accompany festive fare.

What I love about the spice marinade is that it doesn’t just season the lamb and enrich the taste, but it also combines nutrient dense ingredients like garlic, ginger, turmeric and cumin that boost the immune system and help your overall well being. These herbs and spices smooth the ingestion of food by lowering inflammation in the intestinal tract and stimulating the activity of digestive processes. This makes it easier for our bodies to digest and absorb the iron, protein and other vital nutrients in the lamb. It’s like a match made in Santa’s workshop…after just one bite, everyone will be oohh-ing, ahh-ing and tra-la-la-la-la-ing!

Ingredients:
Lamb

• 2kg leg of lamb with bone
• 4 garlic cloves, whole
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, chopped
• 1 fresh chili, seeded and chopped
• 150g of truss vined berry tomatoes
• Sea salt and black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Spiced Marinade

• 2 tablespoons sheep’s milk yoghurt
• 3cm piece of ginger, grated finely
• 4 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons of cumin, ground
• 2 tablespoons of paprika, ground
• 1 tablespoons of tumeric, ground
• 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds, ground
• 2 lemons, squeezed to juice

Method:

• Start with the marinade, mixing all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
• With a sharp knife, make some deep cuts evenly across both sides of the lamb leg.
• Rub a generous amount of salt and pepper into the meat. Then spoon the marinade over it, and massage in making sure it gets deep into the incisions.
• Scatter half of the chopped rosemary and chili over the meat, pushing them into the cuts. Place the lamb in a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Leave overnight to marinate and let the meat soak up all the flavours and spices!
• Remove the lamb from the fridge and leave in room temperature for at least 30 mins before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the lamb, left over rosemary, tomatoes and garlic cloves into a tray lined with foil and roast for 20mins.
• Turn the heat down to 150C and cook for a further 1hr and 40mins for lamb that is pink in the middle.
• Halfway through roasting or once the lamb is crisp and golden on the outside, shake the tray, cover with foil then rotate and return to oven the opposite way.
• Remove from the oven, leave foil on loosely and let it rest on a lamb rack for at least 15mins.
• Slice and Serve!

Roasted Root Vegetables
While that creamy, cheesy potato bake might seem like a good idea at first. It usually leaves us feeling bloated and sluggish. Substituting white potatoes for roasted root vegetables is a great and delicious way to make Christmas that little bit more nourishing.

Root veggies like sweet potato, carrots, turnips, and parsnips are loaded with antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin B, beta-carotene and iron. These nutrient rich veggies work to cleanse our system and lower inflammation, increasing the absorption of vital nutrients in our digestive tract. 

While white potatoes and other grains tend to cause digestive or inflammatory issues. Root veggies offer complex carbohydrates and fibre that can stay in the digestive system longer, so our bodies have more energy and can maintain a feeling of fullness. With fewer calories and more essential nutrients, these simple vegetables sure do have loads of power. They slow down digestion, help control our appetite and reduce cravings...exactly what we need when we’re faced with mountains of feasts at Christmas time!

Pairing these veggies with herbs and spices like rosemary, garlic and cumin not only gives them more depth of flavour, but also further enhances the health benefits. 

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of dutch baby carrots w skin on, whole if small or halved
• 2 parsnips, peeled roughly and cut into wedges
• 1 turnip, peeled roughly and cut into wedges
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled roughly and cut across to make round pieces
  about 1cm thick
• 4 baby radish, some whole some halved
• 2 baby fennel bulbs, cut into small wedges
• 6 garlic gloves, whole
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of cumin, ground
• Sea salt and black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C.
• Add all the vegetables to a baking tray lined with baking paper.
• Toss them with cumin, half the olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper.
• Roast for 30mins, shaking and rotating the tray halfway through.
• Add rosemary sprigs and left over olive oil and turn up the heat to 200C.
• Roast for a further 20 - 30mins or until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.

Tips:

• Make sure your veggies are all cut to similar sizes to ensure they bake evenly.
• If you're cooking the veggies at the same time as the lamb leg, place them above the meat once it has about 45 mins of cooking time left.
• Then once the lamb is ready and removed from the oven, turn the temperature up to 200C and roast for a further 15 mins or until tender.

Pan-fried Toasted Greens with Pomegranate and Cauliflower Rice Salad

This middle-eastern inspired salad is a healthy take on the classic tabbouleh. It’s a perfect compliment to the lamb or a filling vegetarian option! Not only is this recipe super healthy, it looks like Christmas in a bowl and tastes like a flavor party in your mouth…even the not-so- health-conscious eaters will be drawn back for seconds (probably even thirds!). 

Substituting white rice or cous cous for cauliflower is a great way of sneaking in that little bit of extra veg, whilst also offering fewer calories and a higher intake of essential nutrients like protein, vitamin C, and vitamin k. These help to support various functions in our body like the formation and repair of muscles, bones and skin cells.

Loaded with green veggies like asparagus, green beans and spinach, this salad is full of vitamins and minerals that can regulate our digestive processes and protect our bodies from toxins, especially in the gut. Whilst being low in calories, these greens are high in fiber and provide a good source of protein for the non-meat eaters!

Supercharged Tip:

• Serve with goat’s cheese on the side and substitute butter for extra virgin olive oil for a substantial vegan option!

Ingredients:

• 200g of green beans, halved
• 100g of asparagus, halved
• 1/2 large cauliflower head, chopped roughly
• 1 cup of baby spinach, chopped
• 1 pomegranate, seeds
• 1 cup fresh herbs - parsley, coriander and mint
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 2 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 lemon, squeezed to juice
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tablespoon of goats cheese, chopped

Method:

• In a large bowl mix the spinach, herbs, tomato, onion and pomegranate.
• Place cauliflower in a food processor and blitz until the consistency resembles rice. Briefly steam over boiling water for a couple minutes just to soften and warm the cauliflower rice
• Heat a frying pan over a medium high heat. Add butter and garlic, stirring continuously. Once browned, add the green beans and asparagus, toasting them for about 3-5 minutes. Squeeze half the lemon juice over the veggies while cooking. You want them to be cooked but still crunchy and green.
• Stir the cauliflower rice into the salad adding the rest of the lemon juice and tossing together.
• Place the green beans and asparagus on top of the salad and crumble the goat’s cheese across.
• Sprinkle sea salt and black pepper generously across the dish and serve!

You know that old saying: ‘happy life, happy wife’? If you want my personal opinion, I think it should be changed to ‘happy tummy, happy mummy’.  As many of you know, the gut is the cornerstone to health and linked to many other bodily systems and parts. It can affect your hormones, immune system, your emotions and mental capacity and of course the way that you absorb and digest food. If your gut isn’t happy, there’s a fairly good chance that you won’t be happy either.

Today I’m sharing six of my favourite tips to improve your gut health, so you can get on with life!

Include Fibre

When considering the health of your gut, consider fibre! Getting the right type of fibre into your diet will help you to create a healthy and diverse community of gut bacteria and regulate your digestion. There are two types of fibre. Insoluble fibre this is the one that doesn’t dissolve in water and helps speed up the passage of food and keep you regular, like some grains, nuts, seeds, beans, fruit and vegetables. The other type of fibre, soluble fibre, dissolves in water and helps form a gel in the body. Foods rich in soluble fibre include oatmeal, psyllium husks, berries, lentils, fruit and vegetables. Insoluble fibres are wonderful for flushing out the body but an excess of these fibres can be irritating. Soluble fibres on the other hand, are the ones you can also focus on for improved gut health.

When you eat the soluble fibres from whole plant foods, your gut bacteria ferment these fibres into short chain fatty acids which act as prebiotics to feed the good bacteria in your gut. When you eat adequate levels of soluble fibre, they pass through the stomach and small intestine and land up in the large intestine where they help grow your probiotic bacteria.  This helps maintain the lining of the gut, improves digestion, increases absorption of minerals and can even increase immune system function.  You can read more about probiotics and prebiotics here or learn abut it in my new book Supercharge Your Gut.

Some foods rich in soluble-fibre include sweet potatoes, carrots and root vegetables, green leafy vegetables, berries, nuts and seeds, grass fed, organic butter and ghee. Some of these delicious prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods can be found in my Marrakesh Casserole below!

Glowing skin is an inside (and outside) job

The skin is the largest and arguably, one of the most important organs in your body, it’s the barometer to measure and notice what is really going on inside. Dry skin brushing is an easy and calming technique that looks after your skin, stimulates the digestive and lymphatic systems, liver and adrenal glands, and assists these organs in decongesting. It also helps to give the body a gentle internal massage to stimulate circulation. Whenever I suggest dry skin brushing to someone when they’re suffering from gut health issues, they often look at me as if I’m crazy – how does brushing my skin make my stomach work properly? Well, by performing this technique you’ll actually be assisting the gut, by stimulating the digestive system, nutrient absorption and detoxification!

All you need to do is invest in a long-handled bath brush which contains natural bristles. Use long strokes, in a circular motion towards the heart. Before you dive straight in to brushing, ensure both your skin and your brush are dry. Begin with the soles of your feet and continue brushing upwards on both sides of your legs, then move to your back, then around to your abdomen where you can work in a clockwise direction following the direction of your colon and then head up towards your heart being careful with the chest region. Then, have a shower to remove debris and dead skin cells. Turns out you CAN brush your way to good gut health – who knew? 

Keeping stress levels at bay

Coming into one of the most frantic seasons this time of year, stress can be at a high. Long-term stress lingers for weeks and can be incredibly damaging to the gut. Evidence shows that our gut bacteria respond in a damaging way to negative emotions and stress out our bodies! When you’re stressed, your body produces hormones that can contribute to the proliferation of bad bacteria in the gut, sending it off kilter and this can lead to cravings, skin disruptions, fatigue and weight gain. In order to keep our guts happy and humming, keeping stress at bay is key. Obviously, decreasing stress can look a little bit different to everybody, so find out what works best for you. A few good stress-busting techniques include calming yoga, walks, ocean swims, meditation, spending time out in the sun, good talks with friends and connecting with nature. I guess it’s time to get your ‘om’ on!

Goodbye sugar-free sweeteners

Of course, there’s more to gut health than the practices we do – it’s also important to look at what you’re feeding your gut. Unfortunately for some of you, this may mean saying sayonara to sugar-free sweeteners. Sugar-free sweets, snacks and diet soft drinks can aggravate the gut and cause bloating because of all the artificial chemicals they contain. These chemicals, that our DNA doesn’t recognise or can’t digest properly, get completely swept up in the digestive tract and end-up in the colon, which is not what you want to happen when healing the gut! Large amounts of these additives can also cause flatulence; definitely another reason to stay away. There are far better ways to blow someone away.

Hydration

I know what you’re thinking, if I hear another nutritionist talk about hydration being the key to good health, I’ll roll my eyes so far backwards they won’t come back to place! But, the simple technique of staying hydrated helps flush out negative bacteria within the gut and balance out the digestive system. This helps your body undergo all the complicated biochemical mechanisms to keep your gut happy and functioning. So yes, drinking water may be simple, but it does remarkable things for your gut health.  I usually stir a tablespoon of my Love Your Gut powder in the mornings into a cup of warm water.  It helps to clean the debris and keep my insides happy.  If you want to stay hydrated throughout the day, my Golden Gut Blend is a great way to mix it up- just add a tablespoon to warm milk of choice; it makes a gorgeous and tasty golden latte!

Stop gulping!

Eating is not a race. And yet, we all tend to scoff down our food so quickly you’d think we were going for gold at the Olympics! Our modern lack of mindful, slow eating and our forever on-the-go approach has a definite link to our gut heath issues. Gulping down food, guzzling down drinks and moving while eating inhibits your body’s ability to digest nutrients properly. Chewing more thoroughly while sitting down to a meal mindfully helps you tune into your body more and send your body into rest and digest mode. You’ll be less likely to overeat when you know you’re full! Plus, when you chew properly, your food is able to mix with saliva and increase the ease of digestibility before it reaches the stomach. This means it’s less hard work for your gut and less chance of that food-baby feeling. 

Getting hungry? Enjoy this prebiotic-rich Marrakesh Casserole, from my book Eat Clean, Green and Vegetarian, slowly and mindfully. If done correctly, it'll nourish your gut, your body and your soul! 

Marrakesh Casserole

Ingredients:

• 60 ml (2 fl oz/1/4 cup) cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cm (3/4 inch) piece of ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 2–3 teaspoons dried harissa
• 400 g (14 oz) tin diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon rice malt syrup
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1 small pumpkin (winter squash), peeled and cut into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces 
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces
• 1 zucchini (courgette), cut into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces
• 400 g (14 oz) tin chickpeas
• cooked quinoa, to serve
• coriander (cilantro) sprigs, to serve
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, to serve
• mint leaves, to serve
• 80 g (23/4 oz/1/2 cup) almonds, to serve

Directions:

• Heat the olive oil in a flame-proof tagine pot or casserole dish over medium heat and sauté the onion for 5 minutes, or until translucent.
• Add the garlic, ginger and spices and stir well to combine.
• Add the harissa, tomatoes, rice malt syrup, lemon juice, coriander and mint, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat.
• Add the pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot and zucchini, stir well so they are all well covered in the sauce and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
• Add the chickpeas and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Serve on a bed of quinoa topped with the coriander, lemon zest, mint and roasted almonds.

When I started living a healthier lifestyle, I wanted to find quick staple meals that were easy enough to swap-out with my older, less healthy and more traditional recipes. Being the full-time, mum that I was, I wanted recipes I could make once and use again… and again… and again. It was just SO HARD to find anything that was both easy and healthy. It seemed like an impossible feat; a tale of two star-crossed lovers who were never meant to meet.

I was stuck.

Cook, they said.

It’ll be fun, they said 😐

I just wanted something simple that was nourishing for my body and versatile. How hard could that be?! You know what I mean – the patty for burgers night that could be re-made into the topping for your salad at lunch, the fillings for your lettuce-cup, an easy fridge snack on it’s own and then the base for a Shepherd’s pie. The filling. I wanted the filling. Because let’s be real, who has time or energy to cook for hours on end just for one small meal?

Nobody. Absolutely nobody.

And this is something that still rings true today for many people. Whenever I cook, I like everything I make to be versatile. I only ever cook something that I can eat for the next week. A Renewable Table as I like to call it (and yes, that was a cheeky plug to The Renewable Table eBook which you can check out here). I'm not trying to say I'm a big deal or anything but, I guess you could say I was into meal prep long before it was cool.

If you’re looking for a healthy swap for your burger patty, a substitution for your meat-balls or a dish to just enjoy on its own – you’ve come to the right place. My savoury mince makes for an easy weeknight meal or weekend communal dinner and delivers a flavour-packed dish that's not only big on taste, but also great for the family and able to be modified into any of your favourite meals down the line.

While the regular ground beef you find at the supermarket is typically low grade, my mince is high and mighty in taste. My savoury mince is a healthy alternative that's filled with only good-for-you ingredients that's ground up into a convenient form. If you’re a lover of all things burger, spaghetti or lettuce cups – I’ve found your perfect filler. It’s comfort food without the pressure of stodgy ingredients.

To add to the meatiness of this mince recipe, I’ve added some mushrooms. Not only are mushrooms high in copper which helps look after heart health, they’re also high in vitamin D. There's been a huge rise in vitamin D deficiency simply because we don’t spend enough time outside (helloooo indoor gym sessions, 9-5 desk jobs and Netflix). Vitamin D deficiency can cause both bone and muscle pain as well as a whole other list of other symptoms. It’s good to try and get at least twenty minutes of sun exposure every day. But, I have a little trick for you. If you want to up your vitamin D intake, leave your mushrooms outside in the sun for 15 minutes before cooking them. I know, it sounds a little bit crazy BUT similar to own bodies, exposing mushrooms to UV rays helps increase the vitamin D. Mushroom magic!

This mince is almost like the cold meat of every salad, sandwich, snack and sushi recipe you can find at the petrol/gas station. Except this time, it's enjoyable for both you and your tummy. 

Supercharged Savoury (Mighty) Mince recipe

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks sliced
• 200g button mushrooms, quartered
• 500g beef or lamb mince (grass fed is good)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch nutmeg 
• Pinch chilli flakes
• 2 tbs wheat free tamari
• Squeeze of lemon juice 
• 1 cup spinach (optional)
• 1 cup frozen peas  
• Fresh coriander to serve

Method

1. Place olive oil, garlic, onion, in heavy based saucepan over medium heat and cook until softened.
2. Add celery, carrot and mushrooms and cook
3. Stir until cooked through.
4. Add mince and break apart with wooden spoon and stir to cook until browned.
5. Season with spices and add tamari and lemon stirring well. Letting spices infuse and turn heat to low.
6. Add peas and spinach and cook on low until cooked through
7. Spoon into bowls and enjoy
8. Serve with fresh coriander 

Whether you’re a vegetarian, flexterian, #meatlessmonday follower, vegan or just trying to cut down on your overall meat intake, everyone can benefit from eating meatless meals. Sometimes it's just hard to know the best way to go about this. Is it okay to eat soy? How good are those faux soy meats? Why is my tofu forever-soggy and tasteless?

Ever had a friend that you dig but everyone seems to misunderstand them?

This friend only ever has good intentions; they're always kind and caring. Yet, people seem to create rumours about them and demonise them.

This, my friends, is how I feel about soy.

I think it’s fair to say that as a society, we’ve created a fair bit of fear around soy. I’ve heard some crazy rumours about soy in the past - like that it'll make men grow man-boobs, ruin female hormones and be harmful to heart health.

While I do agree there are soy products that aren’t so good for us, like non-traditional, GMO soy cereals, soy thickeners used to emulsify products or plastic-tasting fake meats, there are good quality and traditional sources of soy that can be beneficial to your wellbeing in moderation.

Organic and non-GMO soy products such as miso, tempeh, natto and tofu are all great sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. Consuming non-GMO soy products is a great way to get a tasty source of protein and minerals in while cutting down on your meat intake. 

There’s a little-known community of people known as the Okinawans in Japan. They follow a plant-based diet which involves low levels of dairy and grains, and a plethora of colourful vegetables and soy products. They have one of the lowest risks of atherosclerosis, hormone issues and hypertension in the world. They’re one of the healthiest communities on the planet and they regularly consume healthy versions of soy - something must be up here!

Tofu's less popular, but definitely better-looking older cousin, tempeh, is also made of soybeans. However, tempeh is made of fermented, cooked soybeans,  meaning it's less processed than tofu and higher in both protein and fibre. This fermentation process makes it easier for us to digest and makes it rich  in probiotics which are key to healthy gut microflora. Probiotics help us break down sugars, control harmful bacteria, fight diarrhoea, relieve indigestion, resist against chronic inflammation and boost immune system function.

Tempeh is also rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that can help protect blood vessels from oxidative and inflammatory damage. Tempeh is also high in protein so it can be a beneficial addition to your diet if you're trying to lose weight and/or build muscle.  While soy may not contain as much calcium as regular milk, it does contain triple the amount of magnesium which is a great mineral for maintaining bone and muscle health. 

For those of you who've never tried tempeh before, it has a slightly earthy and sweet taste and is firm and chewy in texture.

If you want more vegetarian and vegan recipes, my cookbook Eat, Clean Green and Vegetarian has over 120 delicious and nutritious plant-based recipes. They're seriously good. 

I've spiced up this tempeh and placed it into a delicious caesar salad and let me tell you, your meat-inclined friends won't even know the difference!

 I'd love to know what you guys think! Leave a comment below 🙂

Vegan Caesar Salad

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 block of tempeh, chopped into (1/4 inch) cubes
• 3 tablespoons wheat-free tamari
• 1 Cos lettuce, washed, dried and torn
• 1 small bunch shallots, roughly chopped

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons almond butter
• 2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 2 tablespoons wheat-free tamari
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons sugar-free Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons water 
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed oil
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the tempeh for five to ten minutes, or until golden. Add the tamari and heat until warm. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• To make the dressing, mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
• Place the Cos and shallots in a bowl and spoon over the dressing, tossing to ensure the salad is evenly coated. Sprinkle the cooled tempeh over the top and serve.

Tis the season to be in the kitchen!

Tra la la la la la la la la.

It’s Summer here in Australia and you know what that means – long days spent at the beach (followed by a slathering of aloe vera on all those burns!), wiping grass off everywhere after lying down in the park, golden tans, endless road trips, arriving too early at the airport for your plane-ride out of here and of course, plenty of holiday feasting.

After months of being wrapped up in blankets and layered in our wooliest jumpers, it can be hard to switch out of hibernation mode. How are we supposed to go from tracksuit pants to bikini bottoms or board shorts within a week?! It seems impossible!

Well, I’m sharing some of my summer tips to help ease you into summer and the holiday season!

It’s so important to give yourself much needed you time. We sometimes get so caught up in our routine - whether it's work, schlepping the kids around, cooking, cleaning or running errands, that we sometimes forget to breathe. Whether it’s a bath, your favourite yoga class or even a massage, I’m giving you permission to slow down. I recommend trying earthing, a natural phenomenon that involves planting your feet on the ground. While this may sound silly, multiple tests have shown that this has proven to lessen stress and make you feel more grounded; go figure! Not only is this so good for our minds, it also enables our bodies time to rest and digest; key to a healthy gut, body and life.

If you’re trying to shed a kilo or two, I recommend increasing your intake of fibre-rich veggies and looking into intermittent fasting, my book Fast Your Way to Wellness has 90 great recipes that can help to keep you trim, supercharge your energy and feel great. I know what you may be thinking – should you be increasing anything when trying to lose weight? Yes! Not only do vegetables keep us full, they’re also high in fibre to help keep things moving in our bodies so we’re less prone to overindulging and unnecessary snacking. Eating veggies doesn't need to be boring. I like experimenting with a range of vegetables to keep me interested. Try out pairing them with different things, like kelp noodles, which are bursting with vitamins and nutrients.

Everyone knows how good it is for us to exercise so I won’t hit you with the hardcore facts but, I just want to send out a little reminder that exercise should be fun! If you hate the gym, try out something else. Maybe sign up with a friend for a new gym class or go for morning walks. Coming into summer it’s also a great time to take advantage of the ocean or to try out something new, I've recently taken up a body balance class which is just that; great for body balancing.

With summer comes an array of beautifully fresh produce and delicious opportunities for all your favourite meals and snacks. Check out some of my latest summer recipes below with staple ingredients from Sprout Market!

Goat’s Cheese, Fig and Peach summer platter

Does anything scream summer louder than a fruit and cheese platter?

I think not.

I’m so excited to see two of my favourite fruits back on shelves - figs and peaches.

Ahhh figs. There’s nothing quite like biting into a lusciously sweet fig that has a chewy flesh, smooth skin and a crunchy seeded centre. While dried figs are delicious and widely available, they’re much higher in sugar and lower in water than their fresher counterparts. Both dried and fresh figs are super high in fiber and a great source of potassium to help lower blood pressure. Plus, they’re so beautiful – an Instagrammer’s dream fruit!

Do you know what makes me extra peachy? Peaches! They’re high in antioxidants which means they help combat free radicals to reduce our disease risk and oxidative damage. They’re also great for supporting the gut and helping move things along the digestive tract.

I’ve featured goat's cheese in this platter, because it's delicious and much easier to digest than many other cheeses. Goat's cheese is known to causes less inflammation in the body than regular cheese and is high in calcium and fatty acids! It also helps us absorb nutrients better than regular cow’s milk. I guess you could say it’s the big cheese.

Combining these three fresh ingredients, alongside a delicious dressing filled with gut-friendly apple cider vinegar, heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil and mouth-watering rice malt syrup makes for one heck of a platter!

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 4 cups mixed leaves
• 1/2 cup rocket
• 1 bunch Basil, leaves
• Bunch fresh mint, leaves
• 8 figs, washed stems removed and halved
• 2 peaches, pitted and sliced
• ½ cup walnuts
• Pimp my salad superseeded sprinkle mix
• 1 packet Goat’s cheese sliced

Dressing

• 4 TBS EV olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp rice malt syrup or honey
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper
• Celtic Sea Salt to taste

Method 

Grab your serving bowl or platter

Lay a bed of mixed leaves and rocket

Top with figs, peaches, walnuts, goats cheese and super seeded sprinkle mix.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk

Dress the salad and serve!

Baked apple with prune, cinnamon and cardamom

I was going to say I loved apples but then I realized, I don’t think anyone dislikes apples. Seriously, try to find me someone who hates apples... I’ll wait.

Apples don’t need to just be a lunchbox-regular, they have the potential to be so much more! Apples are so versatile and will love their new makeover with this comforting summer dish. It’s a mix of sweet, spice and everything nice.

I’ve also added prunes to this mix for an extra dose of fibre. They help keep the digestive system squeaky clean and free from toxic build-up.

These baked apples are delicious on their own but could be enjoyed with some Golden Gut-time Soft Serve, coconut yoghurt or regular yoghurt. The options are endless.

Serves 1

• 1 small apple, cored but left whole
• 1–2 tablespoons filtered water

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 prunes, chopped
• Stevia, to taste, optional

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Put the apple in a small baking dish with the water. Combine the cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, prunes and stevia in a small bowl, then spoon into the centre of the apple.

Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until soft. To test, pierce the apple with a sharp knife; it should slide through easily.

Note: The apple can be cooked up to a day ahead. It can be eaten cold or warmed in the oven before eating.

Asian Kelp Noodle Salad

Before I became the gut-loving, health-nerd I am today, I was a takeaway-junkie. Being a single mum and working full-time I found it so hard to manage cooking, working and mumming (I’m not sure if that's a verb but it very-well should be!). I had a special place in my heart for Pad Thai. It was an expensive habit but one that I didn’t feel I could change.The noodles, the oily sauces, the sweet and salty tastes – it was perfect.

It was, however, not so perfect for my gut. Regular Pad Thai is filled with a number of not-so-good sauces with more numbers in them than a phone book! They're often full of MSG, high in sugar and way too hot for summer anyway.

Ever since I started my supercharged journey, I’ve always wanted to enjoy that noodle feeling, just without that post-pad thai feeling (you know what I’m talking about).

My Asian Kelp Noodle Salad is a summer-friendly supercharged version of pad thai that will save you money and heal your body. It’s perfect for an outdoor picnic or BBQ.

This salad is absolutely bursting with flavor and goodness; the crispy cucumber, the iodine-rich kelp noodles and obviously, the delicious sauce. Unlike your regular Thai place, this dressing is made with real and wholesome ingredients. While Sesame oil contains essential vitamins and minerals for our whole bodies, tamari is especially rich in mood-enhancing tryptophan. I've also included limes because of their citrusy taste and ability to improve digestion and rejuvenate skin.

My Asian Kelp Noodle Salad requires less effort, time and money than calling your local Thai place and getting takeaway. Trust me. It’s also great and super adaptable for my vegans, gluten-free and dairy-free friends.

If you do want to make this salad more of a meal, you can add a protein source, like tofu or chicken, of your choice. Or just enjoy it on its own.

How can something so simple, so easy and so minimal be so tasty?

Crazy world, kids.

Serves 3

• 340 g (12 oz) kelp noodles
• 150 g (5 1/2 oz) bean sprouts, trimmed

• 3 medium spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
• 1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks

• 1 medium Lebanese (short) cucumber, cut into matchsticks

• 1/2 large red capsicum (pepper), cut into thin strips
• 2 tablespoons chopped almonds
• 2tablespoons chopped coriander (cilantro)
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint

DRESSING

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari
• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes

• 1 teaspoon grated ginger (optional)
• stevia, or honey to taste

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Rinse and drain

Mushroom and Cacao Dessert Drink

You know how there are some foods you can eat in any weather? Let's take ice-cream for example. Even if it’s freezing outside and you need to layer up with blankets, while next to the fire, with all the windows shut, ice-cream is always worth it.

That’s me and hot chocolate. I can have hot chocolate any time of any day, no matter the weather.

When I found out about the medicinal mushroom craze, I thought it was pretty cool... not cool enough to ruin my hot chocolate, but you know, pretty cool. But now, I can officially say I'm a convert! I’m a proud mushroom hot cacao advocate. You must make some shROOM for this hot chocolate.  

This unique hot chocolate blend combines spices and reishi mushrooms to help relieve stress and improve sleep. Reishi is great for balancing our adrenal system to calm us down. The cinnamon and cardamom in this mix can even help combat sweet cravings! It’s also full of cacao which is full of antioxidants and has a high source of plant-based iron. 

A hot chocolate that's perfectly creamy, delicious and somehow super healthy. It’s the ideal treat to satisfy chocolate cravings and help you beat the 3pm energy slump.

It can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone. It’s organic, vegan, paleo and doesn’t contain any additives, gluten, lactose, white sugar or soy.

Ingredients

• 1 packet of Mushroom Hot Cacao
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk of choice

Method

Dissolve one packet into a saucepan with warm water, and milk of choice. Beat with a whisk until frothy and serve.