Comforting Quinoa and Root Vegetable Bake

Tasty, fresh and just good old goodness.

Use as a side for meals, or the base of your lunch or dinner meal with an added protein source on top.

Perfect for those ladies in their luteal phase for it’s help with detoxing excess estrogen to reduce PMS symptoms or just good all month round!

Ingredients: (Double ingredients for double the recipe)

  • 1 Red onion sliced

  • 2 large Kumara or a bunch of potatoes peeled and sliced into small peices

  • 1 carrot

  • 100g of quinoa (white or red)

  • Two handfuls of rocket or spinach

Dressing:

  • 1 tsp of honey or maple

  • 1 juice of lemon

  • 2 heaped tsp of wholegrain mustard

  • 2 tsp of hulled tahini

  • dash of water

  • pepper

  • drizzle of olive oil

Recipe:

  • Bake the roast veges until soft and golden - add the red onion about 10 minutes before its cooked

  • Cook Quinoa while the veges roast

  • Once both are cooked, add in rocket and the dressing - mix together

Optional toppings:

  • Meat

  • Feta

  • Pumpkin seeds

  • Cranberries

Tasty, Light Summer Salad

This delicious salad is a great side addition to a meal. You could also top with feta, some pumpkin seeds or whatever takes your fancy!

Ingredients:

  • 1x punnet Strawberries

  • 1 1/2 cup of almonds

  • Bag of rocket, spinach or lettuce whatever you have

  • 1x cucumber

  • Pomegranate molasses

We had ours with some roasted Kumara and a delicious steak. BBQ season is upon us!

Enjoy.

Home Made Pickled Onions

Pickled onions can be a great addition to your main meals or snack platter, condiments or an addition to your burgers or tacos. I love it on top of avocado on toast with feta!

Not only does the vinegar assist in managing insulin and blood sugar control, it is good for our gut health as due to the natural fermentation of the onions, they contain beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, that can help improve gut health. Probiotics aid in digestion and enhance the immune system. Pickling transforms your red onion from strong to tangy and crunchy.

Recipe:

  • One red onion (two if you have a large jar)

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (with “the mother”)

  • 1/4 cup white vinegar

  • if you aren’t a fan of the vinegar taste, add a dash of honey to your recipe.

  • 1/2 cup of filtered water

Thinly slice the red onion into circles then place in a jar. Add water and both of the vinegars

plus a dash of salt. Stir into the jar, add some more water if the onion isn’t full covered in liquid.

Best stored in the fridge and keeps for approximately 3 weeks.

Home made Muesli (GF, RSF)

Giving you cereal lovers your fix without the added refined sugar and artificial sweeteners! This recipe is close to my heart as my mum has always made her own home made muesli with oats, and I have just modified hers a little to be gluten free x

What you’ll need:

  • Quinoa Puffs (I bought mine bulk from Binn Inn

  • Cranberries

  • Coconut flakes

  • Almonds (or any nut of your preference)

  • Pumpkin seeds

  • Chia seeds

  • Honey

  • Coconut Oil

  • Cinnamon

Place some baking paper down on a large oven tray. Spread the Quinoa puffs across the tray, add the pumpkin seeds and almonds to the tray. Melt 1/2 a cup of coconut oil and 1/2 a cup of honey together in the microwave or stove top and pour over the tray - stir through then place in the oven at 180 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. It should be slightly brown and if not, put back in the oven for a little longer.

Add cinnamon, coconut flakes, chia seeds and cranberries to the tray and mix it through with some more coconut oil.

Bake until golden brown for another 15minutes. Let it cool then store in a large container.

Use as your cereal base or as topping on yoghurt, with protein powder and fruit!

Sunday Morning Protein Pancakes

These pancakes are a more filling, blood sugar supporting option if you’ve got some protein powder on hand. Higher in protein and fibre, lower in refined flour and sugars.

To make 5 thin pancakes I add:

  • Two scoops protein powder, I use Prana on

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 3 eggs

  • A decent sprinkle of oats

  • Half a cup of your choice of milk

Blend in the blender and cook with olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil or butter (it is best to avoid inflammatory oils such as canola, rapeseed and sunflower).

Top with your choice of topping!

We love blueberries, kiwifruit, cinnamon and greek yoghurt.

Protein Bliss Ball Recipe

These yummy bliss balls are super handy for an on the go snack or a pre or post workout snack.

  • 3 spoonfuls of seeds mix (I blend up sunflower, linseeds and pumpkin in the nutra bullet but you could use any!

  • Two scoops of your choice of protein powder (I used chocolate)

  • 3 Tbsp smooth peanut butter

  • tsp vanilla essence

  • 1 heaped tsp maca powder (leave this out if you don’t like the taste)

Mix up together into a bowl and add melted coconut oil slowly until you reach your desired blend. Roll into balls and put in the fridge to keep.

Ingredients you could add:

  • Coffee

  • Alternative nut butters

  • Almonds

  • Honey for sweetness

  • Coconut

Would love to know how you go! x

Lentil, Avocado, Tofu spring salad

This versatile salad is a go to! Great for a quick dinner or a shared plate to take to a BBQ.

  • 2 cups lentils

  • 1 avocado

  • Half a cucumber

  • 1 large tomato

  • Bunch of asparagus

  • Half a packet of goats feta

  • Half a packet of tofu

Wrap some paper towels around your tofu to soak up most of the water. While this is taking place, cook the lentils in a pot with water until soft. Cut all the veges up into desired sizes. Pan fry, bake or air fry (I pan fry), your tofu in a oyster and tamari soy sauce mix for flavour). Once cooked, add all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. I mixed a table spoon of rice wine vinegar and House of Dumplings garlic chilli oil through it.

Some alternatives/additions you could add:

  • Olives

  • Herbs

  • Balsamic vinegar

  • Chicken

  • Capsicum, chickpeas, spring onion, salad dressing of choice

  • Nuts or seeds

I like this because its fresh, light and filling! Enjoy team x

Cacao nibs granola

You choose your amounts of ingredients dependent on what you prefer! Easy.

  • Wholegrain oats

  • Goji Berries

  • Seeds of your choice (I use pumpkin, sunflower & linseed)

  • Cut up nuts of your choice

  • Cacao Nibs or/and small bits of Dark Chocolate

  • Cacao Powder

  • Coconut oil & Honey (if desired)

  • Cinnamon

Spread out oats in baking tray and pour melted coconut oil over top. Let this bake in the oven for approx. 10 min then add the nuts, seeds, some more coconut oil, honey and cinnamon. Let that bake for another approx. 10min and stir all the ingredients around, sprinkling the cacao powder and some more melted coconut oil in. Add Goji berries and cacao nibs right at the end in the last couple of minutes as they burn easily!

ENJOY with coconut yoghurt or peanut butter - YUM

Seed cycling mix

What is seed cycling?

The practice of eating or rotating seeds at certain phases throughout the menstrual cycle.

The whole food, nutrient-dense quality of seeds can provide us with the specific nutrients we need to promote the dominating hormone at its time of need (oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) to create a healthier cycle.

Seed cycling can support promotion of balanced cycles for those who experience irregular cycles as the seeds work to match a healthy hormonal flow. It also supports healthy liver and hormonal detoxification, reducing the chances of hormonal disturbances/PMS.

If you wish to learn more, Floliving and Russh explains further.

First half of cycle - days 1-14 until ovulation: Flax & Pumpkin 

Full of Omega 3, Zinc, Tryptophan - which promotes melatonin and serotonin 

Second half of cycle - days 15-28 until your period: Sesame and Sunflower 

Full of Vitamin E, Lignans, Zinc, Selenium to support liver and hormone detoxification, 

I blend mine up in the Nutra Bullet then store in a glass jar in the fridge to keep them fresh. 

If seed cycling is too much to remember, just simply eat seeds anyway! you will still reap the benefits of getting the good fats, vitamins and minerals in your diet.

Add them to anything! 

Delicious hydrating kidney/colon cleansing smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 1x green spray-free (if possible) apple (otherwise rinse with ACV)

  • A handful or two of spinach

  • Squeeze 1/2 a lemon or lime

  • Grated ginger

  • 1/4 cucumber

  • As much liquid as desired (coconut water is great)

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