by Sally | Feb 10, 2014 | Blog, foods
It’s all to easy to get stuck in a rut with breakfasts and it deserves a little love and attention being the most important meal of the day. Whilst you sleep your body carries out myriad detoxification and organising processes; your liver works steadily to filter toxins and assimilate nutrients and your brain is sorting through all the information you’ve gathered during the day, so by morning you are very much in need of an energy boost!
Liven up your breakfast options with these tasty ideas, all of which have gluten, egg and dairy free options:
Fresh Vegetable Juices
A concentrated way to get easy to digest nutrients, juices are ideal for breakfast. Try apple, spinach and parsley; carrot orange and ginger or beetroot, apple and mint for a zingy start to your day!
Smoothie
Great for when you’re short of time or can’t face food. Blend fruit, dairy or non-dairy milk and ground seeds for a filling fruity drink.
Buckwheat Blinis
Whisk together 2-3 tablespoons buckwheat flour with 1 egg (or egg replacer) and 3 tablespoons dairy or non-dairy milk to make a batter mixture (add more or less milk as needed). Heat 1/2 a teaspoon of coconut oil or butter in a skillet. Add spoonfuls of the mixture to form small blinis and cook until golden brown. Enjoy with yoghurt and fresh blueberries.
Debs Morning Millety Glow
This recipe for a gluten-free Ready Brek alternative is from a culinary-inspiring client; gently cook 2-3 tablespoons of millet flakes in water or non-dairy milk. Add dessicated coconut, a teaspoon of cacao powder and a drizzle of agave nectar to taste. Delicious!
Nutty Avocado
Spread oatcakes, rice cakes or gluten-free toast with a nut butter of your choice; almond, cashew, hazel, brazil nut or plain peanut butter. Top with sliced avocado and raspberries.
by Sally | Jan 7, 2014 | Recipes
wheat-free, dairy-free, gluten-free option
This recipe works well with chicken, turkey or any firm white fish too.
Serves 4
450g skinless and boneless salmon fillets
80g gluten-free or regular oatcakes – crumbled up
60g dessicated coconut
2 eggs, beaten
40g rice flour
Dip of your choice; guacamole, houmous or a mix of avocado and mayonnaise
Slice the salmon into thick strips. Mix together the crumbled oatcakes, coconut and rice flour. Dip the salmon in the beaten egg then coat thoroughly in the dry mixture. Grill until cooked through. Serve with dips and vegetable crudites.
Enjoy!
by Sally | Jan 7, 2014 | Recipes
The spectrum of colours in this salad highlight the range of powerful antioxidant nutrients in the foods. Great for immune health and energy levels it makes a tasty accompaniment to grilled chicken, fish or lentil bake 🙂
In a large bowl mix together chopped cooked beetroot, sliced mango, pomegranate seeds, 2 handfuls of mixed leaves (rocket, watercress, lambs lettuce, pea shoots, spinach – any green leaves); sliced avocado and a tablespoon of pine nuts.
Dress with a blend of flax oil, wholegrain mustard and lemon juice.
Enjoy!
by Sally | Jan 7, 2014 | Recipes
These fantastic juice ideas are from the ‘Innocent Little Book of Drinks’. Simple, tasty and guaranteed to wake you up!
#1 – Spinach and Spice
2-3 big handfuls of fresh spinach
2 large apples (preferably Royal Gala if you can get them)
1/2 lemon
Grated nutmeg
Remove the stalk from the spinach and put the leaves through the juicer. Put the juice in a jug. Cut the apples into wedges, juice and add to the jug. Add the lemon juice and grated nutmeg, stir well and serve.
#2 – Carrot & Pink Grapefruit
5 carrots
2 pink grapferuits
Top and tail the carrots, put through the juicer and pour into a jug. Squeeze the grapefruits and add the juice to the jug. Mix and drink.
#3 – Peach and Redcurrant
1 apple (Royal Gala if possible)
1 large juicy peach
1 orange
2-3 handfuls of redcurrants or raspberries (fresh or frozen)
Cut the apple into wedges, put through the juicer and pour the juice into a blender. Halve the peach, remove the stone and place the halves in the blender. Squeeze the orange into the blender. Add the redcurrants/raspberries and whizz everything until smoth.
by Sally | Dec 5, 2013 | Blog
Winter is upon us and whilst snowflakes, mistletoe and bright frosty mornings are full of seasonal beauty, the next few months can play havoc with your moods, energy levels and immune system!
These top tips will help you through till Spring…
- Low moods & cravings: changes in light levels at this time of year mean your brain can struggle to maintain its uplifting mood hormones. Seasonal Affective Disorder is characterised by mood swings, depression, fatigue and cravings.
Your brain is craving sugary foods because insulin (released from your pancreas in response to sugar) helps both sugar utilisation and the delivery of an amino acid called tryptophan into your brain. Tryptophan is converted into serotonin – a crucial mood elevating hormone – and melatonin which regulates sleep. Aim to eat regular small meals and snacks containing good quality protein such as nuts, turkey, seeds or oily fish and complex carbohydrates (oats, oatcakes, wholemeal pasta, buckwheat) to give your brain both the building blocks of mood hormones and some slow releasing sugars to gently stimulate insulin release.
- Dry skin: central heating and freezing winds suck the life out of skin and hair in winter. Top up with plenty of essential fats from nuts, seeds, oily fish, flax seed oil and walnut oil to help your skin retain its natural moisture. Antioxidant rich kiwi fruits, pomegranates, cherries and berries provide vitamin C for skin healing and repair.
- Bloating: very common after a big christmas meal! Take a digestive enzyme supplement or use bitter herbs to stimulate and support your digestive system.
- Zero energy: dark cold days leave you feeling drained and exhausted. Whenever possible get out in the natural sunlight for a brisk walk as exercise oxygenates every cell and stimulates serotonin release which lifts your mood. Stay hydrated with warm water, fresh fruit juices and herb teas as dehydration causes fatigue.
- Colds & flu: not what you want during your Christmas holiday! Take a probiotic supplement and extra vitamin D to keep your immune cells working efficiently and at the first sign of a cold, use a specific immune booster such as echinacea drops, black elderberry extract, manuka honey or propolis.
