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Roast Chicken with Quinoa, Pistachio & Cranberry Stuffing, a recipe by Lola Berry

Roast-Chicken

As promised, today on the blog we share a recipe contributed by our inspirational March Guest of the Month, Lola Berry. This scrumptious Roast Chicken is a recipe from Lola’s beautiful new cook book, The 20/20 Diet Cookbook. As the weather cools here in the South, there’s no better time to be sharing a tummy and kitchen warming roast chook. Who doesn’t love a roast for goodness sake? Thank you Lola for sharing the love with us today, I’m so looking forward to a long roast lunch.

Serves 6.

You will need:
1 x 1.5kg chicken
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 thyme sprigs
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 brown onion
1 pear, cored, finely diced
1 lemon, quartered
1 red onion, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C. Place the quinoa in a saucepan with 2 cups of water, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until quinoa is cooked (it triples in size and sprouts little ‘tails’).

Heat 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes or until translucent. Add the pear and cook until it begins to soften (about 4-6 minutes). Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl place the pistachios, cranberries and cooked quinoa. Fold through the onion and pear combo and mix well. Spoon the mixture into the chicken cavity, pressing firming. Finally, pop the four lemon quarters and thyme sprigs in.

Place the carrots, celery and red onion in the baking dish (this will become the ‘trivet’, which elevates the chicken so it cooks evenly). Pop the stuffed chicken on top. Rub the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil into the chicken skin and give it a generous seasoning with salt and pepper (this will help it become crispy). Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees C and roast for 1-1&1/4 hours or until the skin is golden and the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh with a knife point. (If the juices are pink, roast for another 10 minutes).

Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with the trivet vegetables (or a side of your choosing) and some stuffing, and I promise you everyone will be coming back for seconds!

Follow Lola on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and find her 20/20 Diet Cookbook at your local bookstore.

Source: theholisticingredient.com

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My thoughts on protein powder (plus an apple tea cake recipe)

Protein-Cake

My thoughts are this – most protein powders are not our friends. The vast majority seem to be full of ingredients made in a laboratory, ingredients that are highly processed and full of synthetic ingredients (including artificial sweeteners) that are toxic to our bodies. If what you are putting on your fork is not actually adding value to your health in the long term, why would you eat it? By choosing whole foods, as close to nature as possible, you are nourishing your body with the goodness it needs and deserves. But there is indeed a ‘but’. Not all protein powders are created equal and my personal opinion is that there is a place for some high quality protein powders on the market today.

So why do I include a protein powder in my diet anyway?
Well mainly for variety. My body needs high quality protein in at least two out of three main meals each day (I couldn’t be vegan if I tried…and I have). My ‘high quality’ options are eggs, chicken, red meat and a little fish (I have had terrible trouble with heavy metals in my body so am cautious of eating too much fish) and occasionally I tire of these options. For that reason, I’ve always chosen 100% whey protein to throw into a smoothie and create a full meal for breakfast or lunch; until that is, I discovered an awesome new protein superfood range by Think Vitality Nutrition. These guys use protein blends that are whole foods, with a focus on natural nutrition (seemingly revolutionary in the protein powder market today). They use quality ingredients and combine them to create complete super food sources. It’d be remiss of me not share my find quite frankly!

A little about TVN and their protein sources.
TVN is the brainchild of Vicky and Tahi Reihana. Vicky is a certified holistic health coach, personal trainer, and Tahi a fitness industry lecturer, former international rugby player and strength and conditioning coach. Both have owned gyms in their time so their knowledge and experience equips them to devise a superior product within the health, wellness and fitness industry. TVN use both whey and pea protein within their superfood blends, and it is the quality of these ingredients (and those they combine them with) that sets this brand apart.

Whey Protein Isolate
The whey is sourced from New Zealand pasture fed, hormone free, raw cows milk. Free from chemicals, additives and artificial sweeteners. It is low allergen, therefore suitable for those with gluten and food intolerances. The whey is easy to digest, gentle on the stomach and promotes gut health.

Pea Protein Isolate
The pea protein is a 100% natural plant based protein derived from golden peas. It is easily absorbed because it has the most balanced amino acid profile of any plant based protein. Pea protein is ideal for vegetarians and vegans who are looking to incorporate quality protein into their diet.

What I love in particular about this range is the beautiful list of whole foods in their blends – jump onto their website and check out their coconut or cinnamon superfood protein powders, for example.  This range is perfect for quick to prepare and easy to devour meals or between meal snacks. And not only are they great to include in smoothies, but they’re also amazing to bake with. Check out our latest cake recipe, if you may.

Coconut & Apple Pro-TEA-n Cake with Cinnamon Glaze.

For the tea cake:
2 cups almond flour
1 cup TVN WPI coconut superfood blend
2/3 cup coconut nectar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
2 apples, peeled and cored
Juice of one lemon

For the cinnamon glaze:
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons coconut cream
2 tablespoons coconut nectar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius. Grease a round cake tin (approx 25cm diameter) with coconut oil, and line the base with baking paper.

Roughly dice the apples and place them in a bowl, cover them in the lemon juice, set aside. Combine the dry ingredients (almond meal, Think Vitality Nutrition Coconut Protein Blend, cinnamon, cardamom and baking soda) on one bowl, and the wet ingredients (coconut nectar, coconut oil and the eggs) in another. Whisk the wet ingredients. Add the wet mix to the dry and fold through the apples.

Spoon the cake batter into the baking tin and place in the oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

To make the glaze, simply combine the above listed ingredients and stir to remove any lumps. Drizzle over the slices of cake as you serve.

Note: You may substitute coconut flour for the WPI coconut protein blend.

Source : www.theholisticingredient.com

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Turmeric, Goats Curd – Onion Seeded Loaf

turmeric-goats-curd-onion-seed-loaf

If I could bake this loaf every day, I would. Laden with so much goddam goodness, it is seriously deeeeeeeLISH! This loaf made its first glorious appearance in my A Nourishing Morning eBook and it’s been a standard in my kitchen ever since. An all-round good guy in the nutritious and delicious stakes, it’s a dead-set winner. Need I go on?

Okay, I will. So where do I start? Well, firstly, there’s the hero of the loaf – turmeric. A powerful anti-inflammatory with a list-as-long-as-my-arm of benefits. Goats curd, high in calcium and great for anyone with a dairy intolerance. Onion, not often given much cred, but a wonderful immune-booster. And finally, those little nutritional powerhouses, seeds, including the little dynamo of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed.

Eat it on its own or top it off with some extra goats curd or my kale pesto and you have yourself a meal. Me thinks, sorry knows, you’ll love it!

Makes 1 loaf

1 2/3 cup white rice flour
1 ½ cup mixed seeds
150g goats curd, coarsely crumbled
4 eggs
2 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
1 brown onion, peeled, finely chopped
½ cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
½ cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
½ cup flaxseeds
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon turmeric, ground
½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda
¾ teaspoon sea salt
Black pepper to taste

Turmeric goats curd onion seed loaf

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and line a loaf tin.

In a large bowl place the white rice flour, turmeric, bicarbonate soda, salt, pepper and mixed seeds. Add the onion, garlic, goats curd and herbs, mixing gently to incorporate.

In a small bowl whisk the eggs until foamy then incorporate the coconut oil. Pour the egg mix over the dry mix and combine.

Scatter half the flaxseeds over the base of the loaf tin. Add the batter to the tin. Scatter the remaining flaxseeds on top. Cover the loaf with foil, place in oven and cook for 25 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another 15 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Turmeric goats curd onion seed loaf

For more turmeric love, try my golden turmeric milk – a great accompaniment to this recipe – or maybe these moorish Roasted Turmeric and Chilli Cashews.

Remember to let me know if you love this recipe as much as I do – any and all feedback is always welcome down below. Oh and and any topping combos you try – we love a little inspiration around here.

 

It’s giveaway time!

This week I am giving away THREE copies of my A Nourishing Morning eBook, full of super healthy, gluten and refined sugar-free delicious recipes, 75 of them in fact (for any time before noon).

All you need to do is share in the comments below one simple thing you do in your morning routine to boost your health or happiness, by COB Friday 2nd December. No more than 50 words (and don’t worry if it’s the same as anyone else’s, the winner will be chosen by random number generator). I’m rather looking forward to reading everyone’s tips!

Conditions of entry: you must be a THI subscriber. If you’re yet to join this tribe you can do so by popping your email address in towards the bottom right of this page. 

 

Source: theholisticingredient.com

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Ten minute Almond Meal, Flaxseed and Cinnamon Hot Cakes

Almond-meal-hotcakes

You know, I ummed and ahhed about sharing this recipe; I’ve done similar versions before and questioned whether I was bringing enough variety to your weekly menu. I also questioned its simplicity. Then I reconsidered, because it’s exactly what I am trying to do on this website – show you how easy it is to make real, simple, uncomplicated food; food that doesn’t require bells and whistles and knife skills training; food that still looks like real food when you eat it.

In any case, SIMPLE is where it needs to be in my kitchen or it just doesn’t get made.

It’s a very good thing I decided to take a couple of photos of my breakfast the day these babies came into the world isn’t it, because here we are.

Almond meal flaxseed hotcakes

Serves 2, makes 6-8 hot cakes.

1/2 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 eggs
1/4 – 1/2 cup milk of choice (I used coconut)
1 tablespoon maple or rice malt syrup (or sweetener of choice, to taste), optional
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
Coconut oil, for frying

Pop a frying pan on medium heat on the stove.

Whisk or beat your eggs until fluffy, then combine all other ingredients (start with 1/4 milk and add as necessary) and continue to whisk until well combined. Taste and add more sweetener if required. The mixture needs to be like pancake batter, just pourable.

Add a heaped teaspoon coconut oil to your hot pan. Pour or spoon pikelet sized hotcakes onto your pan and cook for approximately 3 minutes, until bubbles start appearing. Using an egg slice, gently flip them over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes or until golden either side.

They would be beautiful layered with banana and/or fresh berries. Here I’ve layered them with coconut yoghurt and paw paw. It’s worth mentioning that they are best devoured quickly because as you can see, mine are about to swim away..

ten minute hot cakes

Very soon I am going to share my other go-to vegan hot cake recipe, for those of who who prefer an egg free option.

I’m keen to know from you though, what’s your simple go to breakfast option (that isn’t out of a packet)?  Let’s create some inspiration for all. Personally I love my smoked salmon and avocado on toast. Takes no time at all and sustains me until lunch. 

Source: theholisticingredient.com

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Ten of the Best Purple Food Recipes.

berry-delicious-icecream

Nature got it right with purple food – delicious and wonderfully good for you. Full of antioxidants with amazing anti-inflammatory and other health benefits, there really isn’t anything not to like about them.

Purple foods have nutrients that just aren’t found in many other fruits and veggies, so next time you’re sitting down to ‘eat the rainbow’ you might want to add some for those wonderful health benefits we discussed last week. For now though, we’ve made it a little easier for you! Some of the cleverest wellness experts in the land have given us their favorite purple-inspired recipes for you to try. Time to pump up the purple!

Enjoy!

Berry Delicious ‘Ice-Cream’ with Macadamia Crunch

Berries have the ability to make every dish look super special with very little effort. I mean, look at this Berry ‘Ice-cream’! Five minutes to make and probably less time to devour. You’ll find the recipe (by Yours Truly) here.

Berry delicious icecream

Easy Grilled Pork Cutlets & Hazelnut Red Cabbage Slaw

This super simple slaw recipe is from the very lovely Irena of Eat Drink Paleo. It’s one of her go-to dinners and it might well become one of yours too.

Easy grilled paleo pork and slaw

Quick Red Cabbage with Cranberries, Almonds & Goat’s Cheese

Did someone say quick? Anything that is easy to make and super nutritious always grabs my attention. You won’t go wrong with this amazing recipe from Happy Body Formula.

Quick red cabbage salad

Anticancer Eastern Dragon Salad (picture top of page)

Dragons have superpowers and so does this Eastern Dragon Salad courtesy of the very clever Lauren of Ascension Kitchen.

Roast Beetroot, Onion and Macadamia Dip

Look at that colour! Thank you Becomingness for this gorgeous recipe.

Roast beetroot onion macadamia dip

Rustic Baba Ganoush

This recipe uses every last bit of eggplant (doesn’t get more wholefood than that!). Thank you Rachael Allanah for your delish Baba Ganoush recipe.

Rustic baba ganoush

Blueberry Smoothie

Three simple ingredients makes one powerful smoothie. Thanks to my special friend Zara D’Cotta from Oh My Goodness for this luscious recipe.

Oh my goodness blueberry smoothie

Sweet Eggplant & Pumpkin Indian Curry

Warm, aromatic and wonderfully nutritious is how I would describe this. Thank you The Whole Daily – this recipe is a standard in my kitchen.

Eggplant and pumpkin indian curry

Blueberry Cheesecake Bliss Balls

I’m fairly certain that if you put a plate of these in front of me, they won’t last long. Thank you Thermo Foodie and the Chef for these snowy delicacies.

Blueberry cheesecake balls

Blueberry Pancakes with Tahini Drizzle

Another Oh My Goodness delight. Love the combination of blueberries and tahini! You’ll find this recipe here.

Blueberry pancakes with tahini drizzle

Well, I’ve a feeling that will keep you busy for a little while won’t it! So tell me, what’s your favourite way to up the purple foods in your diet? I dare say we’ve a few berry fans in our midst! 

 

Source: theholisticingredient.com

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Wasabi and Tamari Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Wasabi-and-Tamari-Roasted-Brussels-Sprouts

One of the best things about eating only seasonal produce is the way it feels when their times comes around again – you get such a lovely suprise when they greet you in store, in the season for which they belong. Mangoes and raspberries in summer, figs towards the end of summer, mushrooms in autumn, and on it goes. It’s difficult to tire of such foods when you know you’ve got limited time together; it keeps things interesting and inspiring in the kitchen.

One of the most wonderful feelings for me each winter is the arrival of brussels sprouts and if I could be honest, by the time their season closes we are probably ready to part. The brussels sprout and I hang together a LOT.

Most of us, we’ve had our battles with these little bundles of goodness haven’t we. As a kid I sat up at the kitchen table until each cold and soggy sprout was forced down my reluctant throat. If my memory serves me correctly I’m pretty certain it was the way in which they were prepared that created such instant repulsion in my mouth.

I’ve decided that it’s my job today to INSIST that the brussels sprouts haters amongst you TRY THIS RECIPE. You hear me? Try this recipe and if you still can’t stand them you are hereby relieved from any further brussels sprouts consumption.

I’ll be honest though, I’ll be suprised to hear if their beautiful flavoursome, caramely burnty bits don’t win over your heart.. I’m that confident.

Wasabi and tamari roasted brussels sprouts

Serves 4 as a side.

500 grams brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1 heaped teaspoon wasabi paste
2 teaspoons tamari

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees celsius and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Rinse and dry your sprouts and trim their ends, removing any spoiled leaves from the sprout at the same time. Slice in half length ways.

In a large mixing bowl combine the coconut oil, wasabi and tamari. Adding your brussels sprouts to the bowl, toss until the sprouts are very well coated.

Spread out evenly onto your tray, cut side down and place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until their edges turn a rich golden brown. Don’t be worried if you get black bits like I have – burnt edges on a brussels sprout are nothing to be scoffed at! You may though like to turn your oven tray around during cooking if your oven temperature is uneven.

Remove and serve immediately. These are also gorgeous over the next couple of days in a salad.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Wasabi and Tamari

So tell me, what is your favourite way to eat brussels sprouts? And if you’re not a lover, PLEASE let me know if I actually do manage to convert you with this recipe!

Source: theholisticingredient.com

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Taco Salad

taco-salad

A super-quick blend of reduced-fat sour cream and salsa serves double duty as salad dressing and seasoning for the meat in our updated version of Tex-Mex taco salad. Depending on the type of salsa you use, the salad will vary in heat. We keep this version light with lean turkey, but lean ground beef (about 95%-lean) would also keep the nutrition marks reasonable. Just hold the deep-fried tortilla bowl and instead serve this salad with baked tortilla chips and wedges of fresh lime.

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Yogurt Love: A Dozen Favorite Recipes

yogurt-love

I thought I’d highlight one of the ingredients I reach for most often. Yogurt isn’t just for breakfast or a quick snack; it has limitless possibilities. If you wrap it in cheesecloth and let it drain, you’ll end up with creamy, delicious yogurt cheese (labneh), to which you can add herbs, spices, or citrus zest for a savory spread, or berries and honey if you’re after something sweeter. Unsweetened plain yogurt is the perfect base for many dips, and a favorite component in a wide range of soups and grain bowls. I’ve included a list of my favorite yogurt recipes below. Enjoy! xo – h

Lentils folded into Yogurt, Spinach, and Basil

Lentils folded into Yogurt, Spinach, and Basil: This recipe, from Lunch at the Shop: The Art and Practice of the Midday Meal was a big hit when I initially posted it. It’s great on many fronts, fast and easy!

Pomegranate Yogurt Bowl Recipe
Pomegranate Yogurt Bowl: We’re on the cusp of pomegranate season, so keep this in mind. A simple breakfast bowl made with Greek yogurt, fresh pomegranate juice, puffed quinoa cereal, toasted sunflower seeds, and honey.

Labneh Recipe
Labneh Recipe:How a package from Jaipur, India inspired lots of yogurt-straining, labneh-making.

Mast-o-Khiar Yogurt Dip
Mast-o-Khiar Yogurt Dip: The prettiest dip in my repertoire – my take on the Iranian preparation of Mast-o-Khiar (yogurt and cucumber). I use lots of fresh herbs, dried rose petals, toasted walnuts and a pop of added color and tartness from dried cranberries.

Fresh Mint Chip Frozen Yogurt
Fresh Mint Chip Frozen Yogurt: A luscious fresh mint frozen yogurt recipe from the wonderful Sprouted Kitchen cookbook.
Herbal Rice Salad with Peanuts & Yogurt

Herbal Rice Salad with Peanuts & Salted Garlic Yogurt: An herb-packed rice salad recipe with peanuts, toasted coconut, a strong boost of fresh lime, and salted garlic yogurt. A recipe to keep in your back pocket.

Mung Yoga Bowl
Mung Yoga Bowl: The kind of bowl that keeps you strong – herb-packed yogurt dolloped over a hearty bowl of mung beans and quinoa, finished with toasted nuts and a simple paprika oil.

Other yogurt recipe inspiration!

– Cantaloupe and Mint Yogurt Pops (Sprouted Kitchen)

– California Yogurt Bowl (Quitokeeto)

– Turkish Style Vegetables with Yogurt and Green Chile oil (Ottolenghi)

– Frying Pan Yogurt Flatbreads (Anna Jones)

– Naz’s Aash-e Reshteh for Norooz (A beautiful version of one of my favorite soups)

A few last thoughts: When it comes down to something as straightforward as purchasing or sourcing yogurt, the only thing that matters is finding a good source or brand. That slick-packaged, synthetically sweetened stuff at the supermarket isn’t what you’re after. Look for fresh organic yogurt rich in live active cultures, or if you’re more ambitious, try making your own. The live cultures in yogurt help maintain an optimum balance or microorganisms in the digestive tract. This supports healthy digestion, strengthens the immunes system, and provides a host of other benefits.

 

Source: 101cookbooks.com

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Grab – Go Chia Yogurt Parfait

chia-yogurt

This is a favorite grab-and-go breakfast. You stir a generous spoonful of chia seeds into vanilla-spiked yogurt, and then top everything off with smashed berries, and a bit of something crunchy – toasted nuts or popped quinoa are both great options. It takes two minutes tops. The chia seeds plump overnight in the refrigerator, and you have a delicious, creamy, (seemingly) decadent parfait at the ready in the morning. It’s perfect for days when you don’t have any time to sit for a proper breakfast, and still want something A+ for the road.

Chia Yogurt Parfait
Chia Yogurt Parfait

I also posted a dairy-free / vegan chia breakfast bowl a couple of years back, it’s posted here, for those of you who’d prefer the alternative. Enjoy!

Source: 101cookbooks.com