The Best Guacamole

Why has avocado has been called the world's most perfect food?

Avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fibre; are rich in good fats, such as omega 3 fatty acids; vitamins A,C,D,E, K and the B vitamins; and potassium. Foods naturally rich in omega 3's, such as avocados, are widely acknowledged as the secret to a healthy heart, brilliant brain and eagle eyes. Avocados are a great source of free radical fighting antioxidants that provide significant protection for your skin from environmental damage and helps to build collagen and elastin, which bind your skin cells together and maintain their firmness and structure.Guacamole is such a wonderful way to showcase and share the love that avocado brings to the table. Other than an accompaniment to mexican inspired food, I like to serve guacamole on a piece of dark rye toast topped with an oozing poached egg, or with a rainbow selection of raw veggies for dipping as a snack or light lunch.

              

The trick to perfect guacamole is using ripe avocados, but no too ripe either! You still want that lovely vibrant green colour come the finished product. This recipe is light and tangy, excluding the often included sour cream. In my opinion, avocado's best friends are salt and lime. Smashing avocado together with only those two would be guacamole enough for me, but including the onion and coriander really round out the flavours nicely.

2 large avocados

1/4 red onion, finely diced

1 lime or 1/2 a lemon

2 tablespoons coriander, leaves and stalks chopped

1 red chilli, optional

salt and pepper

Halve and stone the avocados and use a spoon to scoop out the fresh into a bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and mash with the back of fork until you're happy with the consistency. Season to taste.

             

Kombucha: The Tea of Immortality

What is kombucha?

Kombucha is an effervescent fermentation of sweetened tea using a "mushroom" or "scoby" (symbiotic culture of binary yeasts) as the mother culture. It is an ancient healing tonic and a very potent and medicinal drink.

What are the health benefits of drinking kombucha?

Detoxification: Helps to bind toxins in the body, making them easier to eliminate. Supports liver function- one of the main organs of detoxification.

Joint Care: Contains glucosamines which helps to lubricate the joints and protect tissues from oxidative damage. Glucosamines increase synovial hyaluronic acid production which functions to aid preservation of cartilage structure and prevent arthritic pain.

Aids Digestion: Coats the stomach with digestive enzymes and live probiotic organisms. Strengthens the wall of the gut and so protects against parasites and yeast infections such as candida. Is anti-inflammatory, which aids the healing of the gut.

Immunity: Antibacterial and antiviral. Contains potent free radical scavengers that stimulate and maintain the immune response. Rich in antioxidants.

How to Make

This delicious, healing and detoxifying drink is so easy to make yourself and the cost is insignificant, especially in comparison to the store bought variety. 

For the first brewing, boil 1 litre spring water, add 1/3 cup white sugar and 1-2 tea black tea bags or 2-3 teaspoons loose tea and allow to steep until tea is cool. Strain if using loose tea and pour into a glass jar. Add your kombucha mother with the starter tea, give a stir to settle her in, then cover with a muslin cloth or loose lid so the mixture can breathe. Store out of the way, at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks. The kombucha culture feeds on the sugar, and in exchange, produces other valuable substances. Longer culturing time will make the tea more sour as it will have eaten up more of the sugar. 

After leaving the tea to work it's magic, carefully pour the kombucha liquid into a jug, leaving the kombucha mother behind with roughly 1/2 a cup kombucha liquid. Refill the jar with the same sweet tea mixture as previously done and leave another week or so until the next brew is ready.

The kombucha that you have poured into a jug can either be put in the fridge and enjoyed as is, or you can implement a second brewing. To do this pour you kombucha into a bottle or jar, add fruit, juices or spices for flavour, and seal it tightly. Leave at room temperature for 2-3 days, then transfer it to the fridge.

Second Brew Flavouring

Now this is the fun part! You are only limited to what you add at this stage by your imagination. I like to play around with adding different fruit juices, tea leaves, herbs, and spices. Some flavourings, such as lemon and pineapple juice, tend to make the kombucha extra fizzy, whereas flavouring with herbal teas gives you less of a fizz. Play around, see what works, and enjoy! Some of my favourite combinations so far are:

Apple juice, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, cardamom

Lemon, ginger, turmeric, honey

Strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, cranberry

Mint, tusli, damiana

Happy culturing!!

Living and Raw Food: Sprouting

What is sprouting and why should we sprout?

Sprouting not only increases digestibility but also greatly enhances the seeds’ nutritional profile. Sprouting is essentially germinating the plant, creating a “living food”. This leads to a rapid increase in the vitamin content, as well as making the protein, carbohydrates and fats in the food easier to digest and assimilate. In addition, these living foods are packed with energising and health promoting enzymes. Try to include them regularly in your diet to boost your intake of essential nutrients and antioxidants as well as helping to support your digestive system.

How to sprout at home

Both grains and seeds can easily be sprouted.  Simply use a mason jar with a screen insert on the screw on top.  Fill the mason jar 1/3 full of grain or seed, and SOAK for ONE night.  Pour off the water and rinse the seeds well.  Invert the jar and let it sit at an angle so it can drain.  Contents should be rinsed twice per day until sprouts appear, within one to four days depending on the grain or seed.

                            

From Nourishing Traditions-

‘The process of germination not only produces vitamin C but also changes the composition of grain and seeds in numerous beneficial ways.  Sprouting increases vitamin B content, especially B2, B5, and B6.  Carotene increases dramatically – sometimes eightfold.  Even more important, sprouting neutralizes phytic acid, a substance present in the bran of all grains that inhibits absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc; sprouting also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors present in all seeds.  These inhibitors can neutralize our own precious enzymes in the digestive tract.  Complex sugars responsible for intestinal gas are broken down during sprouting, and a portion of the starch in grain is transformed into sugar.  Sprouting inactivates aflatoxins, potent carcinogens found in grains.  Finally, numerous enzymes that help digestion are produced during the sprouting process.’

Iron for a Plant Based Diet

Iron is a mineral that is essential to red blood cells transporting oxygen and nutrients to every cell in our body, connecting us directly to the land we live on. Iron helps to ensue proper wound healing, maintain energy levels and support immune function.

Are you getting enough iron?

If you’re low in iron, it is common to suffer tiredness, have a pale complexion, thin dry hair, feel cold, and experience problems concentrating. Your immune system may be weak and you may be prone to getting colds and infections. Disorders associated with this type of deficiency are anaemia, nervousness, lower back pain, headache, and menses that are lacking or painful.

There are two types of iron - heme iron, which is found in animal foods, and non-heme, which is from plants. Heme iron (the kind from animals) is more easily absorbed than non-heme iron.

What does this mean for a plant based eater?

Don’t worry! Many good sources of iron are distributed widely among plant foods, including vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds. Firstly, make sure you’re eating enough of these iron rich foods. But here’s the secret: its not how much iron you consume, but rather how well you absorb it.

To get the most blood building nutrition out of non-heme iron foods it is important to be aware of food combining. In order to absorb iron, one needs adequate B vitamins and vitamin C. By implementing some clever combinations, it is possible to increase your iron absorption by up to five times! By pairing iron rich foods with foods high in vitamin C, you’re giving your body a massive convenience and supporting a better rate of nutrient absorption.

This juice combines foods rich in both iron and vitamin C, which work synergistically to give your body a boost of energy when feeling down.

Handful collard greens

Handful beetroot greens

Handful parsley

2 kiwifruit

2 pieces pineapple

Half a lemon with skin on

Thumb sized piece ginger

Thumb sized piece turmeric

1 teaspoon spirulina

½ cup frozen berries

Juice greens, kiwi, pineapple, lemon, ginger and turmeric. Add the spirulina and berries and blend.

Make sure to avoid coffee and tea for at least two hours either side of an iron rich meal, as they contain tannins that inhibit iron absorption.

Immune Boosting Carrot Salad

 

The day before my weekly market shop, the fridge is looking a little drab and unloved. After standing with the fridge door open for far too long than I’d like to admit, waiting for a plate of food to miraculously appear, I accept that all I have to work with are some carrots, a jar of sauerkraut and half a lemon. Suddenly inspired, I grab a few things from the pantry and in less than 5 minutes, this vibrant little salad came to life.

1 carrot, grated
¼ apple, grated
2 tablespoons sauerkraut
1 teaspoon flaxseeds
1 teaspoon sultanas
walnuts
juice of half a lemon
olive oil or flaxseed oil
salt

Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Dress with lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil or flaxseed oil and salt. Sprinkle with walnuts.

The humble carrot…

                                 

With all the superfoods that seem to dominate the health scene, sometimes it’s easy to forget the old carrot. Orange, purple, yellow, white and red, all varieties of carrots contain valuable amounts of antioxidant nutrients. Given their antioxidant richness, carrots help to support a healthy immune system as well as promoting cardiovascular health and improved vision.

Sauerkraut is one of my favourite things. As you may know, I’m a little culture crazy. I adore fermented foods and the health benefits they bestow. Ripe with probiotic power, sauerkraut can be kept in the fridge ready for moments like this or for when you need a quick savoury snack. As cabbage ferments to produce sauerkraut, it produces a diverse population of live bacteria. These probiotics replenish the good bacteria in your gut and help inhibit the growth of bad bacteria. Our intestinal flora informs and influences our immune system, so having a healthy gut means a stronger immune system! Sauerkraut is also a great source of vitamin C.

The Easiest Orange and Almond Cake

This gluten free cake is incredibly easy to make; even if you're stressed out, it won't topple you over into nervous collapse. It’s the easiest cake recipe I know, and is sure to please both the gluten free and the classic cake consuming crowds.

375 grams oranges (approx. 3 medium-sized ones)
6 large eggs
220 grams white sugar
250 grams ground almonds
1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder

Place the oranges in a pot, covered in cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 hours. The kitchen will be delightfully fragrant with the scent of oranges! Drain, and when cool, cut the oranges in half to remove the seeds. Put the whole oranges -skin and all- in the food processor and blitz quickly. Add all the other ingredients to the food processer and mix to combine. Pour the mixture into a prepared spring form cake tin and bake on 190 degrees Celsius for about an hour, or until a skewer comes out clean. You may have to cover he top of the cake with foil after about 40 minutes to stop the top burning.

Green Smoothie Bowl

I love smoothies. They’re just such a fantastic way to pack so many essential nutrients into one tasty meal. Serving it in a bowl rather than a glass allows the colours, textures and flavours to really be on display, and eating a smoothie with a spoon, rather than gulping it down, for some reason tricks my brain into feeling fuller for longer! 

Smoothie bowls are a complete nutrient dense makeover of the less than exciting bowl of cereal. The combinations you create are limited only by your imagination! When designing your smoothie bowl, think 2 parts greens, 1 part fruit, 1 part protein, 1 part healthy fat, superfoods and liquid. This recipe is great to have for breakfast, a post-workout snack or quick lunch. 

Handful of any greens you have/ spoon of green powder
1 banana
½ cup almond milk
1 tablespoon coconut cream
1 tablespoon each of chia, psyllium, oats, almond meal
1 tablespoon vanilla vegan protein powder
Sprinkling of hemp seeds, shredded coconut, slivered almonds to decorate

If using fresh greens, juice them straight into the blender. Add all other ingredients and blend. If the consistency is too thick, add more milk or a little water. Similarly, if it is too runny, add a little more of one of the dry ingredients. Get a little arty and decorate this bowl of goodness any way you wish. I like to top mine with hemp seeds, almonds and shredded coconut.

Hemp seeds are packed with essential fats, amino acids and protein. They are one of the few plant foods that provide all the amino acids that make a complete protein and with this quality, they do an awesome job at helping to build and repair the cells of the body as well as increasing energy levels and metabolic rate.

The Importance of B Vitamins

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Importance:  Plays a key role in the body's metabolic cycle for generating energy; aids in the digestion of carbohydrates; essential for the normal functioning of the nervous system, muscles & heart; stabilises the appetite; promotes growth & good muscle tone.

Deficiency Symptoms: May lead to mental depression & constipation; weakness & feeling tired; nervous irritability; insomnia; the loss of appetite; paralysis &  loss of weight; vague aches & pains; heart & gastrointestinal problems.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Importance:  Necessary for carbohydrate, fat & protein metabolism; aids in the formation of antibodies and red blood cells; maintains cell respiration; necessary for the maintenance of good vision, skin, nails & hair; alleviates eye fatigue; promotes general health.

Deficiency Symptoms: May result in sluggishness; itching and burning eyes; cracks and sores in the mouth & lips; bloodshot eyes; purplish tongue; dermatitis; retarded growth; digestive disturbances; trembling; oily skin. 

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)

Importance: Improves circulation and reduces the cholesterol level in the blood; maintains the nervous system; helps metabolize protein, sugar, & fat; reduces high blood pressure; increases energy through proper utilization of food; prevents pellagra; helps maintain a healthy skin, tongue & digestive system

Deficiency Symptoms: May result in mental depression, nervousness, irritability,  fatigue, insomnia, pellagra, gastrointestinal disturbance, headaches, vague aches & pains, loss of appetite, skin disorders, muscular weakness, indigestion, bad breath, canker sores

Pantothenic Acid  (Vitamin B5)

Importance: Participates in the release of energy from carbohydrates, fats & protein, aids in the utilization of vitamins; improves the body's resistance to stress; helps in cell building & the development of the central nervous system; helps the adrenal glands, fights infections by building antibodies

Deficiency Symptoms: May lead to restlessness, painful & burning feet, skin abnormalities, retarded growth, dizzy spells, digestive disturbances, vomiting, stomach stress, muscle cramps

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

Importance:  Necessary for synthesis & breakdown of amino acids, the building blocks of protein; aids in fat and carbohydrate metabolism; aids in the formation of antibodies; maintains the central nervous system; aids in the removal of excess fluid of premenstrual women; promotes health skin; reduces muscle spasms, leg cramps, hand numbness, nausea & stiffness of hands; helps maintain a proper balance of sodium & phosphorous in the body. 

Deficiency Symptoms: May result in nervousness, insomnia, skin eruptions, loss of muscular control, anemia, mouth disorders, muscular weakness, dermatitis, arm & leg cramps, loss of hair, slow learning, and water retention.

Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)

Importance:  Necessary for DNA & RNA synthesis, which is essential for the growth and reproduction of all body cells; essential to the formation of red blood cells by its action on the bone marrow; aids in amino acid metabolism

Deficiency Symptoms: May result in gastrointestinal disorders, anemia, Vitamin B-12 deficiency, pre-mature gray hair.

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Importance:  Helps in the formation & regeneration of red blood cells, thus helping prevent anemia; necessary for carbohydrate, fat & protein metabolism; maintains a healthy nervous system; promotes growth in children; increase energy; needed for Calcium absorption.

Deficiency Symptoms: May lead to depression, tiredness, nervousness, pernicious anemia, poor appetite, growth failure in children, brain damage, neuritis, degeneration of spinal cord,  lack of balance.

Biotin

Importance:  Aids in the utilization of protein, folic acid, Pantothenic acid, and Vitamin B-12, promotes healthy hair.

Deficiency Symptoms: May lead to depression, extreme exhaustion, drowsiness, loss of appetite, muscle pain,  grayish skin color.

PABA (Para Amino Benzoic Acid)

Importance: Aids healthy bacteria in producing folic acid; aids in the formation of red blood cells; contains sun screening properties; aids in the assimilation of Pantothenic acids; returns hair to its natural color.

Deficiency Symptoms: May cause depression, nervousness, extreme fatigue, irritability, eczema, constipation , headaches, digestive disorders, hair turning prematurely gray. 

Finding the Right B Complex

To get the most benefits from any of the B's, you need all of them, so start with a B-complex supplement that contains all 11. With the right B complex as a foundation, you can add larger amounts of individual B's depending on your health concerns.

The B's are best taken with food and early in the day, as they can cause nausea when taken on an empty stomach. (Vitamin B6 increases neurotransmitter activity; when taken late in the day, it can lead to increased dreaming, resulting in a restless night's sleep.)

There are striking differences in potencies among different brands of B-complex supplements. Labelling  methods vary, so read the fine print to know what you're getting. 

Good food sources include sunflower seeds and wheat germ (vitamin B6); fish and eggs (vitamin B6 and B12); cheese (B12); beans and walnuts (vitamin B6 and folate); leafy dark green vegetables; asparagus, almonds, and whole grains (folate); and liver (all three).

Spinach and Lentil Soup with Paleo Pumpkin Bread

This soup takes less than 1/2 an hour from start to finish, so is perfect for when you're running home late from work and in need of some comfort food. Lentils are rich in protein and fibre, so whether you choose to eat this soup on its own or with bread, you'll be feeling satisfied. If you include the pumpkin bread, which uses almond meal to replace the flour, you'll be adding even more protein, which lends to nourish and repair your body an immune system. The perfect rainy day meal!

1 onion, finely diced

2 cups dry red lentils

1/4 cup rice

3 litres vegetable stock

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 bunch spinach or silver beet

Lemon juice

Coconut oil (or butter for a richer soup)

Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Add the onions and stir until soft. Add the lentils and rice, coating them in the onions. Pour in the stock and allow soup to come to the boil. Turn down to a simmer, adding the spices, salt and pepper and the shredded spinach. Cook for another 15 minutes or until the lentils and rice have become a part of the broth. Don't be shy with the lemon, it really does make the soup so much tastier as well as assisting the body in absorbing the iron from the greens.

Serve with paleo pumpkin bread.

Paleo Pumpkin Bread

450 g grated raw pumpkin 

4 free range eggs

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

pinch nutmeg

1/4 cup olive or coconut oil

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 cups fine almond meal 

Pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top 

Preheat your over to 180 degrees, a little less if you have fan forced. Combine the pumpkin, eggs, almond meal, baking powder, lemon juice, salt and nutmeg in a bowl and mix well. Line a loaf tin with baking paper and spoon in the mixture. Sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and bake for around 1 1/2 hours. Test at around 1 hour as timing may vary according to your oven. I like to un-paleo mine by adding crumbed goat's milk feta through the mix before baking...

Vegan San Choy Bau

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cm piece of ginger, grated

4 king oyster mushrooms, finely diced

15 fresh shitake mushrooms, finely diced

1 packet firm organic tofu, crumbled

3 spring onions, finely sliced

100g water chestnuts, finely diced

1 bunch coriander

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Juice of 1 lime

1 hot chilli

1/2 cup bean sprouts

1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

Iceberg or butter lettuce leaves

Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a large pan or wok. Fry the garlic and ginger, then add in the crumbled tofu (I blitzed mine in the food processor for a second to create a kind if minced texture), mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Once this has colour slightly, add in the sauces, lime juice, chilli, sesame seeds, spring onion and half the coriander. Once cooked, separate into individual lettuce cups and top with bean sprouts, peanuts and the remaining coriander.