Cinnamon.
A powerful and magical little spice that has been used medicinally around the world for thousands of years.
It’s a spice a adore during the Winter months and thankfully, an approved food on the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP).
Seriously. What can’t this little gem of spice do!
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What contains magnesium, zinc, iron and manganese, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B9, C and E, contains essential heart-healthy fat, protein AND fibre?
My Easter present to you does silly.
Read MoreDid you know that our thyroids cannot function without magnesium? It’s something I’m learning a lot about at the moment.
It’s actually responsible for converting the inactive T4 thyroid hormone into the active form of T3, which is extremely important for those of us out there with hypothyroidism. This is what affects our metabolism and is something I’m working on with my naturopath at this very moment, as it’s a depressing sight when you see your weight increasing as if by magic in such a short amount of time.
Read MoreA punch of lemon, the crunch of nuts and a soft, sticky texture - these little cakes are pure Summer in a white paper wrapper, waiting impatiently to be de-robed and gobbled greedily.
They stick to the wrappers a little, giving you total permission to indulge in the lady like ritual of "licking the paper". A favourite past time of mine, normally completed behind closed doors, but when taken to a picnic on a hot Summers day.....bring it on, is all I'm sayin'.
Read MoreFrench chefs have been cooking with chocolate since the early 17th century, and the delectable dessert “mousse au chocolat” (meaning chocolate foam) seems to have showed up in France around the 18th century.
Now this particular Mousse au Chocolat may not be the traditional French version, and in fact, the French may shrug their louis vuitton shoulders “pfft” me and my mousse, but I simply just don’t care. I LOVE this version and so does my tummy.
Read MoreCoconut Butter.
I'm a "singing from the rafters" convert for this white stuff.
Simply the ground up dried flesh of the coconut made into a fine silky smooth butter, it contains both natural oils from the coconut oil as well as fiber from the flesh. Though it doesn’t have quite as many uses as coconut oil, it’s still a brilliant addition to my diet, as it is:
AND
Read MoreIt'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.
Read MoreThe cat is well and truly out of the bag.
In just over a months time, I'll be packing my bags, pocketing my passport and flying off to a little town called New York City.
A snowy Winter wonderland awaits me in the Big Apple where I plan to ice-skate, walk aimlessly for hours discovering the best food places this town has to offer and perhaps indulge in a little New York Cheesecake....or two.
In ode to this up coming adventure and inspired by my utter love of all things French, I present to you a combination of some of my favourite ingredients and flavours in life - my petite "no-cheese" cheesecake.
Read MoreFar far away in a little town called Paris lives a pretty, yet unassuming restaurant called Yard.
This little Parisian gem is not interested in being amongst the hustle and bustle, but can be discovered hiding down a little back cobbled lane, away from prying tourist eyes. An hours walk from our apartment brings us inside this oasis where you'll find me...hungrily and impatiently waiting for the seasonal (albeit limited) menu to be placed in front of me.
And each year I walk away having indulged in and subsequently voted for "the dish of the trip"
Read MoreCookies.
A word my bro despises (preferring ‘biscuits’).
A word that conjures up sugar and gluten laden treats.
A word that brings back memories of New York (interested in why, see here).
However, these cookies are different. They’re part of my religion as they’re mixed, rolled and baked so often in my house. Containing only the smallest amount of sweetener, they’re refined sugar, fructose, gluten AND dairy free. They’re crunchy and delicate, and they’re addictive. Trust me.
Yesterday, I tweaked them with macadamias.
Read MoreThe Challenge.
~
A three course lunch menu taking into account a non-seafood eater, a non-meat or chicken eater and for moi, a non-gluten and refined sugar eater (and at the moment, a non-cow milk dairy eater). Holy smoke. Talk about a challenge.
Read MoreYes I’m a girl. Yes I like to shop... for shoes. Yes I think Matt Damon is hot. But no, I’m not a chocolate lover. That is until raw cacao come walking into my life.
It’s slightly bitter, it’s rich and it’s not sweet. Mix with berries, nuts and rose petals and I’ll be swooning like Scarlett O’Hara:
“How fickle is woman” - Rhett Butler
Read More2 simple things I'm trialing, embracing and LOVING these days due to my hypothyroidism:
1. Increasing my protein intake; and
2. EATING MORE fat!
Why, I hear you ask?
Read MoreYou take one orange - it doesn't even have to be a juicy one - boil it for an hour and then let it cool.
That's the longest (and hardest) step of this recipe.
The rest is a cinch. Even the eating part, because these cakes (not sure they can even be called a cake) are so fluffy, light and mousse like in texture, that you'll devour each and every one of them quicker than it takes to do the first step above.
Trust me.
I'm experienced!
Read MoreI may be a blogger, but working full-time in the corporate world leaves little time for my own cooking, photography and blogging, let alone the chance to peruse all the beautiful inspirational blogs out there.
Petite Kitchen is an exception.
I've been following Eleanor's adventures for quite some time and was a BIG fan of her first hugely successful cookbook My Petite Kitchen. So when Murdoch Books had Eleanor's second cookbook up for review, I jumped at the chance.
Read MoreFour random facts about me.
1. I use to sleep in my tap shoes so I would be ready for dance class the next morning - I didn't want to miss a minute.
2. My shameful food secret is my utter love for the little fake milk pots they serve on planes (I probably shouldn't call it "milk", should I?)
3. I can waste hours of my life taking random photos of the same thing over and over and over again (as you'll see below, the poor Parisians must be sick of me blocking their walkways so I can satisfy this need).
4. I use to be addicted to cherry ripe bars...seriously addicted.
Now I have a new chocolate addiction.
Read MoreMmmmm....butter. I'm licking my lips as I write the word.
It's probably my favourite food word.....oh who am I kidding, it's one of my favourite words. Full stop!
It is a completely natural food which is essential to your health (especially when you eat organic), providing your body with essential fatty acids for hormone balance, heart health, glowing skin and energy. It's also the most easily absorbable source of vitamin A, which supports the thyroid and adrenal glands - something very close to my heart.
Margarine, on the other hand, is a processed product, created chemically from refined polyunsaturated oils. It's not a real food.
Read MoreBecause it's raining in Melbourne, because I'm not feeling well, and because I'm being a little "sooki la la", I thought I'd whip us up a bunch of my favourite cookies.
Yep, you've seen them before here , but having made these ones with almond meal instead of almond flour, the texture and flavour changed immensely - I thought I'd share with you.
Not only darker to look at, these cookies came out a lot crumblier in texture with a stronger almond flavour.
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