you are what you eat

flower power cake

Eating healthy definitely doesn't have to be boring. There are lots of alternatives to a wheat, grain, dairy and sugar based diet and so many amazing recipes out there that not only taste good, they make you feel good too. 

You might have gathered that I believe in a healthy diet. I think my sister's struggle and passing away with cancer at the age of 50 had a huge impact on me as well a few health issues of my own have led me down that path. 

My daughter is in her final year of nutrition studies, so I'm lucky to have a live in health coach :)

How good do these healthy ideas look? Click on the link below each photo to be taken to the recipes.

grilled beet burgers

kaniwa coconut pancakes

zucchini fritters


Happy Weekend.

winter weekend

An indoor kind of weekend with constant rain at the end of a wet few weeks in the depths of winter. 

Bella misses the sunshine.

Cosy chair - latest vintage find

Lots of home made vegetable soup and seed bread with coconut oil instead of butter

Good weather to be creative

The soup is one I made up myself. It keeps you warm and healthy in winter. Would you like the recipe?

This makes a large amount that will keep for several days in the fridge. Sometimes I add meatballs. 

Winter Soup

1 large onion
1 leek
3 carrots 
3 sticks of celery 
4 or 5 cloves garlic

Dice and fry together in a large heavy pot 
with Herbamere or salt

1 bunch Brocolli 
3 Zuchinni (courgettes)
Add to pot and fry off

2 medium sweet potatoes diced
Add to rest of ingredients.
Add water to just cover
Vegetable stock or more (quite a bit) Herbamere

Cook slowly until sweet potato is soft
Use a potato masher to blend the sweet potato

Add peas, lentils, chickpeas, baby spinach or kale, pepper and warm for a few minutes.

Enjoy!

simply healthy living

I've been finding some beautiful recipes on pinterest that I wanted to share with you today. Super healthy ideas, with all natural ingredients, that look delicious and sound simple to make. Most are sugar, dairy, gluten and grain free. The colour and photography are a feast for the eyes! 
Follow the links below the image for the recipes. 

The best guacomole you'll ever have..

via A Cup of Jo

Late summer oat milk smoothie

for a gluten free alternative try almond milk 
available at the supermarket

Golubka food that takes love

Chickpea Zataar Salad

via Green Kitchen Stories

Viva la Fiesta Taco Salad

via Yummy Mummy Kitchen

Blueberry Lemon Almond Cake

Green Kitchen Stories

What's your favourite?

roast vegetable quinoa

hello.. i've got a recipe for you today. something i made up one night and have practically been living on since. 
it's super healthy, super yummy and super easy.

quinoa is a highly nutritious food that looks like a grain but is actually a seed, which makes it high in protein. it's good for those avoiding gluten or grains. i now prefer it to rice.

• add 2 cups of water and 1 cup quinoa to a saucepan. 
• cover and bring to boil
• reduce heat to the lowest simmer
• cover and cook til no water remains
• keep an eye on it, stir occasionally. if it's not quite cooked add a small amount of water and cook a bit longer

•   roast about 1/2-1 sweet potato sprinkled with oil and salt
•   when 1/2 cooked add the rest of the vegetables      
•   4 zucchinis (courgettes) chopped  
•   1 red capsicum chopped 
•   1 onion chopped 
•   lots of cloves of garlic to taste (i add about 10)
•   when cooked add 1/2-1 can of chickpeas & 1/2-1 can lentils
•   mix in about half or more of the quinoa and add tamari 
•   for added protein top with shredded chicken
•   we also add tamari pepitas available at health food shops
•   cashews would also be nice

if you haven't used it tamari is a healthier version of soy sauce available in the health food aisle of the supermarket. i've been adding the remaining quinoa to salads.

      

hope you like it!

joining

savvy southern style
romantic home
funky junk interiors

natural cold relief

hi everyone..

i'm finally feeling slightly more alive after the flu followed by bronchitis. not much fun! spring can't come quickly enough.

we're really not very good at dealing with winter in this part of the world. winter is short, so we just grin (& groan) & bear it without a lot of heating.

this is something that can help relieve colds, flu & bronchial symptoms & boost immunity.  

it's been getting a workout here at our place.

juice of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons honey

about 2 cm piece of ginger grated

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

2 teaspoons honey

2 cups boiling water


adjust amounts to your taste

i make mine in this infuser teapot 

it can also be made in a saucepan
steep for at least 5 minutes

keep well!

joining

romantic home

juice bar

4 large carrots
1 large beetroot
2 celery stalks
1 lebanese cucumber
with or without 1-2 green apples
(depending how sweet you like it)
chunk of ginger
(roughly 3 x 2cm)

enough for 2 - 3 glasses

good for many things
liver
immunity
arthritis
skin

this is one my kids have always liked too :)

blueberry brunch

here's an easy brunch or dessert idea. like most things i make it's quick, simple and good for you. 
blueberries are in season in australia now so it's a great time to eat them. frozen are a good alternative if you're in the northern hemisphere. 
i was going to use my sister's yummy homemade granola for this but  it doesn't last too long at our place!

you will need:


thick plain greek yoghurt
a few teaspoons honey - yellow box honey is low GI
blueberry crunchola, granola or toasted muesli
1 punnet blueberries
for added protein add chopped nuts 

mix honey into yoghurt or leave plain. 
in a short wide glass layer ingredients starting with crunchola, yoghurt, then blueberries. repeat.


crunchola is sweetened with fruit juice, so it's better for you than many sugar laden cereals, oats for complex carbohydrates and fibre. yoghurt is good for digestion and a source of protein. blueberries are full of vitamins, antioxidants & fibre.

enjoy!


joining
funky junk interiors

  

frittata

hi..
this is my first attempt at food photography, not the greatest quality with the light fading on our deck.
a simple dinner, just the two of us. frittata..something i can almost make with my eyes closed, the ingredients i usually have in the fridge. i'm not a huge cook but i do like everything i eat & feed my family to be highly nutritious, quick and easy to make.
i've been very health conscious for most of my life & now with a daughter studying nutrition i'm learning more.
this is something i made up and the measurements don't need to be exact. it's gluten free, low carb, high protein & tastes pretty good too.

what you'll need : 
1 medium sweet potato peeled & chopped into chunks & steamed
about 8 free range eggs - even better organic
about 1 1/2 cups peas or baby spinach or both
about 1/4 cup milk
about 100 grams goats fetta
fresh basil
herbamere or salt


mix eggs with milk & herbamere or salt. heat a frying pan (medium heat) with small amount vegetable oil. pour eggs in, scatter sweet potato, peas & crumble goats fetta & torn basil over the top.
cook til bottom browns. move pan under griller til top is browned and fritatta is cooked through. cut into quarters and serve with a sprig of basil.
feeds 2, 3 or 4

we're loving eating outside every night, daylight savings is great for that. watching the sun go down and the light fade.. such a special time of day.

see you later!

c

x

today i'm linked at 
funky junk interiors