I take the making of my salads and the eating of my salads very seriously. Just as seriously as I take the making of my daily coffee and the taking of that very first sip. It's important stuff. It can make or break my day.
When it comes to tabbouli - It needs to stuffed full of parsley and so full of lemon that it makes my cheeks draw in. No exceptions.
What I love about this salad.....no grain in sight.
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So I thought I'd give you a little long overdue update on the whole parasite situation going on in my gut ... along with my new plan of attack AND a little say "au revoir parasite" granola . . .
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Florentines. As a child, no other biscuit made me feel more like a gown up than this one did. Typically stuffed full of glace cherries, nuts, sugar and chocolate, they were my biscuit of choice when I wanted to impress (and I got to scoff all the leftovers). Win/win.
When I said goodbye to the white stuff a few years ago, I also tearfully said au revoir to the super sweet florentine.
And then the angels sang. As inside the pages of the I Quit Sugar Chocolate Cookbook Volume II, this little Superfood Florentine recipe jumped out and waved it's little muscly arms at me. Oh sweet Lord. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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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.
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Did you know that raw organic cacao is the highest plant-based source of iron?
Did you also know that it contains more calcium than cow’s milk?
Say what?!
However, as the iron found in raw organic cacao is non-heme (as is all plant-based iron), you’ll body will get maximum benefit if you combine eating it with vitamin C.
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Blackberries. I've not found them to be so plump, sweet and berry like in flavour than the one's I enjoy when in France.
Big, juicy blackberries where the little pips get stuck in your teeth and the juice dribbles down your chin, staining your lips.
So what to do with the extra basic raw chocolate you've just made?
You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know where I'm going with this....yep, add in a blackberry!
Read MoreSo no grains and legumes, huh!
No problemo. I've been off gluten for over a year now and kicked refined sugar to the curb over 2 years ago. Grains and legumes. Easy peasy.
And then I thought about it.
I thought about the brown rice I have cooked and frozen in my freezer for emergency meals. I thought about the simple mid-week meal I often whip up of roasted pumpkin and chickpeas. I thought about how I use white beans as a simple quick "mash" instead of cooking up potatoes. And I also thought about the lentil salads I loved, especially when using my favourite legume of all...du puy lentils.
Holy cow! To say I'm now overwhelmed is an understatement.
Read MoreChocoholic. Nope, not me.
In my past life I was what you’d call a lolly-oholic. I could inhale bags of jelly frogs and snakes in a heartbeat, and would you believe that I thought this was the healthier choice….because I wasn’t eating fat! Jeez Louise!
Now in my current life, I’ve turned to chocolate. But not just any chocolate. You’ll find none of those sugar laden supermarket brands in my trolley. No siree. All you’ll find are 4 simple, no-fuss, organic ingredients:
Read MoreI 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 MoreSuffering 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 MoreShould you quit sugar?
It’s a big, and somewhat daunting question.
Perhaps you could ask yourself this:
If you ticked yes to the above (I ticked yes to all!) then perhaps sugar is playing a bigger role in your health and your life than you thought.
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Pecans. Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, they can help decrease “bad cholesterol” and increases “good cholesterol” levels in the blood.
Seriously. A simple nut can help do this?!
They’re also a wonderful nut to consume for those of us suffering the effects of hypothyroidism, as they’re a rich source of manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.
Read MoreI mentioned the other day that one of the most frustrating issues with having Hashimotos is the constant, ever present game I play with my weight. It falls of me within a matter of days, and then what can feel like a matter of hours, be back with a vengeance. No signals, no warnings, no SMS messages.
Sugar (well, the removing of it) was one of the big factors I changed in my “diet”. The other; grains.
Ho hum.
Read MoreThe 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 MoreCookbooks, like men, come in and out of your life. Some excite you at first, but leave you totally underwhelmed within minutes. Some, those special few, can quite simply change your life.
The new cookbook by Lee Holmes, Eat Right for Your Shape , is just one such book.
This book takes a fresh look at the ancient Indian healing system of Ayurveda. A holistic approach to feeling well, balanced and living in harmony with yourself and your surroundings. A union of the mind, body, senses and soul to help achieve balance and good health.
Read MoreBreakfast.
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 MoreI’ve been contemplating the tough questions in life lately……
1. How will my body react when I re-introduce it to milk?
2. When is it respectable to put up your Christmas tree?
3. When did we start wearing caps into restaurants?
4. Can I eat sweet potato dip for my breakfast?
Read Moreou're gonna love this soup!
Correction. If you love corn, you're gonna love this soup. I promise.
It's fresh and creamy. It pops in your mouth yet still wonderfully soothing. It's a soup that makes you exhale in utter contentment.
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