Posts tagged Paleo
Coco-Banana Pots

 

Bonjour mes amis!

 

If you’ve been following my adventures on Instagram, you’ll know I’ve been frolicking in France for the past month.  Spending my days walking for miles and eating my body weight in French food.

 

Now I’m back. 

 

Well, my physical body is anyway.

 

I set out on this latest holiday with an open mind (and heart), knowing that France does not lead the world in gluten, sugar and dairy free food options (baguettes, French butter and fromage…hello!).  Surprisingly, they are definitely growing in this area, something I had never noticed on my past visits.

 

 

Read More
Beets + Thyroid

I truly believe that healing your body requires more than simply taking a few pills or herbs.  I believe it requires a complete overhaul of your body, mind and spirit.  

 

When it was first discovered that I had a thyroid issue, I was automatically put on conventional pharmaceutical thyroid medication by my doctor, and at the time, I felt sooo much better.  The swelling in my thyroid went down and the symptoms disappeared.  To be honest with you, at the time, I thought that was it.  Done and dusted.  I was fine.

 

And then a year later the symptoms all came back.  Tenfold!

Read More
Nourishing Hot Chocolate

I don’t know the facts behind this little statement, but I’m assuming this was before we bastardised raw cacao and processed it into the cocoa we know and consume today.  I could be wrong!

 

What I DO know, however is that this quick, nourishing and clean hot chocolate recipe, IS super good for you and your body. 

 

Wanna know why?

Read More
HOW TO: Make Stock

In my past life when a recipe called for stock I would simply reach into the dark depths of my pantry and pull out a stock cube.  Often a nice organic one, but a dried up little stock cube all the same.    Occasionally when feeling a little posh I would reach for the box of liquid stock.  Oh la la.

 

Oh how times have changed.

 

Now my pantry door stays firmly shut and I simply reach into my freezer and pull out a freezer bag filled with homemade organic stock.  Filled to the brim with nutrition and none of those pesky other things like preservatives, MSG, sugar and salt.

 

It’s super cheap to make (as I keep the bones from any roast I’ve made stored in the freezer) and I utilise whatever veggies and spices I have in my lying around in my fridge at the time.  I never have to shop for ingredients to make stock which means no stock made in my kitchen is ever a repeat of the last, and I kinda like it like that.

Read More
3 Tips for a Healthy Thyroid

Suffering the horrible effects of thyroiditis?  I hear ya sista!

 

For me it varies, from a swollen/sore thyroid, a splitting headache and extreme lethargy to dry skin, mood swings and the desperate wanting to curl up in a ball and not interact with anyone!

 

Chatting about these symptoms with my everyday GP last year, I was told there was nothing I could do – this was just “how it was”.  Seriously????

 

So you guessed it, I started to research this fact for myself. 

 

 I turned to whole, organic foods and I listened to my body…very closely.  Straight away I implemented 3 simple everyday steps into my daily routine as an experiment.  So far, I haven’t looked back.  Perhaps you may also like to experiment with them?  I figure, anything is worth a shot when trying to support your healthy thyroid.

Read More
Vitamin A + Thyroid Health

 

Vitamin A.  A fat soluble vitamin, which means it MUST be consumed with fat in order to have optimal absorption.

 

A vitamin I am sadly deficient in, as revealed by my naturopath.

 

Vitamin A is essential for our vision, for boosting our immune function and for giving us healthy glowing skin.  It is also needed in the production of T3 (thyroid hormone) – which is just one of the many reasons I suffer hypothyroidism symptoms (and perhaps you too?)

 

Did you know that without this essential vitamin, our thyroid levels can suffer?

 

Did you also know that there is a strong connection between vitamin A deficiency and hypothyroidism?

Read More
COOKBOOK: The Naked Vegan

The Naked Vegan - a title that makes you take a second look and a cookbook recently delivered to me by the good people of Murdoch Books.

Maz Valcorza is a no-nensense and funny lady who had me at "I ate Spam from a can", as I too laughingly remember eating spam from a can when I was younger - it was my mum's staple ingredient in her light Summer ham salad.

This cookbook is filled with raw vegan recipes, free of refined sugars and nasty fillers.  It uses food grown from the ground, free from animal products and has not been heated to over 40-46 degrees.

I must state right here that I am in no way a vegan.  In fact I'm far from it.  Yes, I enjoy a green juice and a raw dairy-free cheesecake along with the next person, however give me a juice organic, grass fed steak smothered in a buttery bernaise sauce and I'm a very happy gal.  I never say never though.

Read More
HOW TO: Make Hollandaise

Breakfast.  I'm a fan.

My breakfast of choice.  Eggs.

When I'm wanting indulgence.  Only hollandaise will do, and this recipe is foolproof.

In my past life I would whip hollandaise up by hand, which if you've done this before, is a bloody effort.  Thank God for the invention of the blender, as this foolproof recipe creates hot, silky smooth and fluffy hollandaise, rich in protein, with a simple press of a button.  Seriously, why would you order potentially inferior hollandaise when eating out anymore.  I don't!

Read More
IN SEASON: Beetroot

Beetroot has long been hailed as a natural healer for their ability to help lower blood pressure.  However, did you know that they have also been traditionally used to treat fever, constipation, bloating and gas?   

Did you also know that the greens from beetroot are chock full of calcium, iron and vitamins A and C and should definitely not be overlooked.  Simply cook them up just like you would spinach.

Read More
Avocado + Sweet Potato

COOKBOOK: Nourish

December 30, 2015 

 CookbookRecipe

 

It's no secret that I'm a fan of the cookbook Love Bake Nourish by Amber Rose, so when she released her new book Nourish, in collaboration with 2 of her talented friends, I was first in line.

Nourish is not your typical cookbook as it's split into 3 sections.  The first section (I'm being honest) is my favourite as it's filled with gorgeous fresh recipes by Amber.  The other 2 sections cover health and nourishment for the mind, body and soul.  This book gives tips, tricks, solutions and answers for getting your health back into shape, stilling your mind and just simply maintaining a positive and happy outlook.  It's simply stunning.

 

Comment 0 Likes

Share

My Home For The Holidays !

December 27, 2015

 

Christmas + the countryside = one very happy girl!

It really is pretty simple.  A house surrounded by bushland (no neighbours please!), Bing Crosby, twinkling Christmas lights and a big bowl of fresh prawns.  That's all it takes to make me forget about the working year that's been, allowing my shoulders to drop and the biggest smile to appear permanently on my face.

This is my perfect Christmas, all wrapped up with a big red bow.

 

Comment 0 Likes

Share

My Christmas Tart !

December 23, 2015 

 Recipe

 

3 simple words that when said apart, make me smile, but when said together, make me swoon .... Fruit.  Mince.  Tart.

In my old life, these 3 simple little single syllable words would conjure up so many good memories, making me feel comforted, happy and oh so "Christmassy".

Now, having run away from gluten and sugar, these words when said together do (if I'm being honest) bring up a little feeling of deprivation, but more so bring up feelings of sugar highs and slumps, sleepiness and foggy brain.  Not to mention a swollen thyroid!  I’m not one to say “never”, but with the knowledge I now have of how sugar affects my body, I just can’t imaging EVER consuming these little tarts that I once held in such high esteem, again.

 

Comment 0 Likes

Share

Christmas Cake !

December 20, 2015 

 Recipe

 

Plump, boozy dried fruit, glace cherries and nuts.  All the things I loved in the Christmas cakes of my past.  The denser and the darker the better.  Cake that would (and could) last for months (if I didn't eat it sooner).  And cake that stayed moist without the need for refrigeration.

My body and taste buds may no longer be able to tolerate these sweet fruit cakes of my youth, but I still have a need (and a desperate want) for a boozy, spicy and dense sliver of cake to sit proudly and lovingly alongside my cup of tea on Christmas day.

 

2 Comments 0 Likes

Share

Avocado + Sweet Potato

December 16, 2015

Do you ever get a food fetish where all you think, dream and eat is a particular food? 

I get it ALL the time, and at the moment my fetish is avocado.

I’m eating it like a machine. 

Breakfast, lunch and dinner - there’s no stopping me, and my favourite way of eating it is in this most delightfully, fluffy, light and zingy way….

Read More
COOKBOOK: Love, Amiee x

This is seriously one gorgeous cookbook.  

No bullshit.  

When the lovely people of Murdoch Books sent me the cookbook Love, Aimee x by Aimee Twigger, I was hooked from the first turn of the page.  Oh who am I kidding, the cover alone had me reaching for my rolling pin and apron.   From the photos and home-crafted recipes, to the beautiful styling (and even the font used throughout), this book is feminine, pretty and utterly indulgent.

Aimee Twigger is the incredibly talented lady behind the blog Twigg Studios  and her first cookbook is not only filled with beautiful recipes it's filled with wonderful crafty tips for beautifully wrapping and presenting her creations to be given as edible gifts for any occasion.  Perfectly timed for Christmas!

Read More
Chocolate Granola !

Breakfast.  

Who the hell would ever knowingly miss eating it?  It's my favourite meal of the day and a meal I would NEVER miss.  

My usual breakfast of choice is savoury, based around eggs, avocado (which I can't get enough of lately) and veggies.  It's usually packed full of protein, fat and greens that keep me going right through until those first stirrings of hunger around midday.

Some days, not often, but occasionally, I crave something different.  A little crunchier.  A little sweeter.  Like this chocolate granola that I keep stashed in my freezer for such times.

Don't be fooled.  This breakfast cereal still packs a protein and fat punch and will keep you going through to your next meal....no need for mindless snacking between meals with a bowl of this baby in your tummy....

Read More
No dairy + Elixir !

I've been taken off dairy.  Crap!

I'll happily live my life without twirling wheat pasta, buttering bread with gluten and sucking on sugary lollies, but the thought of not being able to enjoy my daily, creamy, fluffy, life altering cafe latte is killing me.  

Yes, it may only be for the next 6 weeks, but it will be 6 weeks of hell for me and for everyone around me.  That's a promise.  Especially those little sh*ts who insist on drinking their lattes in front of me.  They will pay.  (See - me not drinking my latte could be a health hazard).

Read More
HOW TO: Poach Chicken

Chicken for breakfast.  Yep, you heard me right.  I've been doing it for a little while now and am loving myself sick....well, loving my breakfast anyway.

I poach organic chicken breasts on the weekend, slice them, batch them and pop them in the freezer.  

With some left over veggies and a big dollop of hummus...breakfast is ready my friend!

Read More