Quick and Delicious Home-Made Hummus

This hummus is so delicious and so simple!!

Ingredients

1 x tin of chickpeas, drained

1/3 x cup of light unsweetened Greek yoghurt

1 x tsp ground cumin seed

1 x tsp grated lemon rind

1 x tbsp fresh lemon juice

Method

Put all ingredients into a food processor and BLEND!!  (until desired consistency)

Serve with vege sticks, on wraps, or as a delicious side to a yummy dinner!!

Pumpkin, Lentil, Rocket and Beef Salad

This recipe has been adapted from the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet:  Fast and Fresh Recipes, another one of my favourite healthy cookbooks!

Ingredients

1 kg pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces

400 g extra lean beef steak

1 x 400 g tin of lentils, drained

2 large handfuls of rocket and baby spinach mix

1/4 spanish onion, sliced thinly

100 g cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1/4 kalamata olives

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and cracked pepper to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C.  Spray a roasting tin with olive oil, toss the pumpkin pieces and roast for approximately 30 minutes, or until cooked through and starting to brown on the edges.  Set aside to cool slightly.

2.  Heat a chargrill plate or heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat.  Spray the steaks lightly with olive oil and then cook for 3 minutes each side for medium rare, or until cooked to your liking.  Remove from the heat and leave to rest, covered, for 5 minutes before slicing thickly.

3.  Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently to combine well.  Divide among bowls or plates then serve immediately. 

My Delicious, Super Versatile Tomato Sauce

My delicious and super versatile tomato sauce!

Ingredients

1 x brown onion, finely chopped

2 x large cloves of garlic, very finely chopped

1 x large zucchini, grated

1 x large carrot, grated

1 x tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 x 400 g tin of crushed tomatoes

15 (about) x salt-reduced kalamata olives

2 x tbsp sun-dried tomato strips in oil, drained and squashed in paper towels to get rid of as much oil as possible

2 x tsp dried basil

1 x tsp dried oregano

1/2 x tsp chicken stock (optional)

Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Method

Place the grated carrot, zucchini, onion, garlic and olive oil in a large saucepan and heat, covered, over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and vegetables are cooked through and soft.

Add the tinned tomatoes, olives and semi-dried tomatoes and cook until heated through.

Remove from the heat and use a bar mix to puree the mixture.  Don't puree it too much, you still want it to have some texture.  If you don't have a bar mix you can put it into a food processor or just use it as is.

Put the mixture in the saucepan back on the stove and add the basil, oregano, stock, salt and pepper to taste.

Use the sauce however you desire!

Notes

This sauce is SUPER versatile.  Tonight I added a tin of drained brown lentils and made a lentil, mountain bread and ricotta lasagne.  

Other ideas include:  Using the sauce as a base for a bolognaise sauce.  Simply cook the mince and then stir in the sauce!

You can use the sauce as a topping for chicken breast with some parmesan cheese - as in a parmigiana. 

It can be used as a pizza sauce… Or, um, anything else you like and it is DELICIOUS!

The best thing about this sauce (and many others) is that the flavours develop over time, so if you make it the day before, it will be even more delicious!

A good tip is to make a lot at once, pop it into containers in the freezer and then you can just grab some out when you need it!

Enjoy! 

xx Bec

Chilli Chicken and Cashew Salad

Adapted from Cool Food

Ingredients (serves 4):

3 tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons olive oil

600 g chicken breast fillets

100 g mixed baby salad leaves

250 g cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 avocado, diced

100 g lebanese cucumber, cut into bite-sized chunks

50 g snow pea sprouts, trimmed

80 g cashew nuts

Method:

Combine the chilli sauce, lime juice, fish sauce, coriander, garlic, chilli, ginger and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large bowl.

Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan or BBQ char grill over medium heat until hot and cook the chicken for 5-8 minutes each side.  For tender chicken, remove after browned on both sides (about 5 minutes cooking time) and wrap immediately in foil and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes.  While still hot, slice each breast widthways into 1 cm slices and toss in the bowl with the dressing.  Leave to cool slightly.

Combine salad leaves, cherry tomatoes, cucumber chunks, snow pea sprouts and avocado in a large salad bowl.  Red capsicum also goes great in this salad!

Add the chicken and all of the dressing and toss until the leaves are lightly coated.  Scatter with chopped cashews and serve.

Nutriton Information:

NOTE:  If you are attempting to lose weight and are sticking to around 350 Cal per meal, either omit the cashew nuts, or omit the avocado and use half the cashew nuts in this recipe.

With cashew nuts:

Without cashew nuts:

Enjoy! xx Bec

How to make that New Year's Resolution Stick!

So.. Have you made your New Year’s resolution????  New Year.  New You!  Right? 

So many of us make New Year’s resolutions that involve living a healthier lifestyle/eating better/losing weight etc., but how many of us actually achieve our goals???

We all know what we WANT to achieve in the New Year, but how can we make this year THE YEAR.  How can we make sure we actually stick to the resolution this time and why is achieving that goal so hard???

If you want to make sure you achieve your goals this year, read on….. There are some things you need to think about!

Making a change is HARD.  Why is it so hard?

Have a good think about the behaviour you are trying to change, for example, eating habits, smoking, not exercising regularly.  Why is this behaviour the way it is in your life???  Does it serve a purpose?  Is it a consequence of another behaviour that you have?  Because, if you think about the causes of these behaviours, it makes sense that they are difficult to change, unless you first try to change their cause.

For example:  You binge eat as a stress release mechanism.  If you attempt to go straight on a strict diet, but do not address the cause of your binge eating, you are destined to fail, because you have just given up your stress release/coping mechanism.  The stress is still there.  What are you going to do to cope without binge eating???   To be successful in reaching your goal of eating better, you need to first work on the cause of your stress so you will have less need for your coping mechanism and also work at developing new and different coping strategies to prevent you falling back into old habits when stressful situations do arise.

Example 2:  You have trouble fitting in exercise because you work excessive hours; have no-body to watch the kids to allow time for exercise, or both!  If you promise yourself you are going to fit in exercise ON TOP of your already demanding schedule, you will last a little while, but will then probably wind up sick due to lowered immune status from lack of rest AND exhausted.  You may end up giving up your exercise because it is more stressful and tiring than it is worth.

You know where I’m coming from.  We’ve all been there!

So… Here are the steps that I recommended in order to make LONG TERM changes to habits. 

DO NO HARM – Do not do things excessively or spontaneously.  Do not go cold turkey without planning and assistance.  This could do more harm to your physical health and emotional health than good.

SEEK AND REMOVE THE EXTERNAL CAUSES – This is a big one and takes time.  As frustrating as this can be, it is better to take a long time to affect a permanent change than do something quickly and “fail” as we like to say.   This is where you need to look at why you have the behaviour you are wanting to change and start to work through it.  Many behaviours are deep seated and you may need to work this through with your practitioner, be it your GP if you have a good one, your naturopath, your personal trainer, your psychologist or even your best friend. 

Are you in a toxic relationship?

Do you hate your job?

Are you bored or under stimulated?

Do you have too much responsibility?

Are you taking on too much?

Are you always putting yourself last?

Why?  Tackle it and work on change for the better!

ATTEND TO YOUR HABIT - When you and your chosen practitioner feel you are strong and ready to let go of your habit, formulate a plan.  It is a good idea to schedule some time out, wherever possible, to begin this change.  Changing deep seated habits can be stressful and tiring and can result in physical symptoms, which when attempted whilst simultaneously trying to cope with our unbalanced and stressful lives, could wind up driving you right back to your old habit.  For example, have you ever tried giving up your one or two daily coffees???  The splitting headache is like death!  The same goes for trying to give up refined sugars or cigarettes!!  The side effects can be horrifying.  Get plenty of rest, listen to your body and surround yourself only with positive and supportive people.  Make sure you take time away from the contributors to your habit.

Make sure you schedule regular “follow ups” as part of your plan, in order to help keep you on track.

LET YOUR BODY DETOXIFY – If you are able to set aside time for yourself to make this change, it is best to let your body detoxify naturally.  For example, if you give up coffee, you may need to just sleep for days to address the built up exhaustion you have been suppressing with your coffee intake.  Giving up sugar can leave you fatigued for the same reasons.  The physical symptoms you experience are your body undertaking the adjustment process.  Let it run its course.  The more deep seated your habit is, the longer this “detoxification” process may take and the more rest/time out you may need.

CORRECT ANY FURTHER SYMPTOMS THAT ARISE – Often, as you start to work through and release one of your problems/illnesses, others resurface.  It is important to take these as they arise also, in the same steps as previously described. 

EDUCATE yourself of the best ways to maintain your new found health and prevent the recurrence of old disease or development of new disease.

Be patient.  Long-term change takes time, but it is well worth it in the end!

Good luck with your New Year’s resolution and remember: “Life is a Journey, Not a Destination…. Enjoy the Ride!”

Xxxx

Bec

Wehll.

Mini Chocolate Craving Crushers

These little parcels of yumminess are delicious and nutritious!!  With no added sugar, egg or flour they are good for sensitive tummies too!

Remember to note though, that although these babies are nutritious, their high nut content means they quite calorie dense!  The difference between these and your average chocolate - these are full of fibre, vitamins and minerals and actually fill you up, making them a much wiser choice to fill those choccie cravings!!  One or two is enough though… Don't devour the whole batch!

Enjoy!!

1. Mash 3 whole bananas in a large bowl.
2. Mash in 2 tbsp of ABC (Almonds, brazil nut and cashew) spread.
3. Stir in 1 cup of almond meal - I use Woolworths Macro - whole ground almonds (including skin).
4. Stir in 1 cup of desiccated coconut.
5. Stir in 2 tbsp of cocoa.
6. Spoon into 20 mini muffin pans - I used silicon muffin moulds as they make it easy to remove muffins. Sprinkle with a little shredded coconut if you like.
7. Pop into freezer for a couple of hours. Eat frozen as a little treat. Delicious!! 

Chickpea, vege and coriander burgers

Chickpea, Vegie and Coriander Burgers

Ingredients

2 x 400 g tins of no-added-salt chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Cooking oil spray

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tsp cumin 

1 tsp coriander

2 tbsp no added salt and no added sugar crunchy peanut butter

250 g sweet potato, grated

1 large carrot, grated

2/3 cup quick oats, plus extra to coat

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1 egg, lightly beaten

Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

Beetroot, lettuce, reduced fat cheese, cherry tomatoes and low-fat Greek yoghurt or hummus to serve

Method

1. Place chickpeas into a food processor and process until they resemble breadcrumbs.

2. Spray a large frying pan with oil and place over medium heat.  Cook onion, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened.  Add curry paste (if using curry paste) and cook, stirring for one minute, or until fragrant.  Add sweet potato and carrot.  Cook for three more minutes.

3.  Place onion mixture into a large bowl with chickpeas, oats, coriander, cumin, peanut butter, fresh coriander, salt, pepper and egg.  Using clean hands, mix until all ingredients are well-combined, adding a little more oats if the mixture is too wet.  Wet your hands and shape the mixture into patties about the size of your palm.  Chill for 30 minutes to firm.  If freezing to have later, do this now.

4.  Heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat.  Add patties and cook for 3-4 minutes each side, or until golden.  Remove and drain on absorbent paper.

5.  Serve with salad and cheese.  Yum Yum Yum..

Recipe originally from The Australian Healthy Food Guide, Issue 89, March, 2013.

Adapted by Me!

Enjoy