{Things I am learning not to miss}

For this year we decided to have a few friends around for New Years Eve. Most of us have kids and trekking into the city with overtired kiddlets in toe doesn't spell fun to us. AT ALL. So, amidst all of the festivities two weeks ago, it turned out that our microwave wasn't working. The part that heats up the food. I may have had a slight panic. Much to my surprise now (due to debating over repair vs replace debate) it has been sitting out of the kitchen and in the laundry. Awaiting the verdict on it's fate. The biggest surprise to me is that in the last 2 weeks, I haven't missed it. I know, I shocked myself as I was first thinking about I use this thing all the time. 

Another thing that I am not missing a lot of, is certain foods.   

As a lot of you know by now, I start every year with a 'Daniel fast' for 21 days. This is basically a plant based diet that I do for health benefits and a spiritual purpose {I have talked about this more here in the past}. 
So I started this year with the usual plan, but I am considering keeping the no-sugar rule slightly longer in a hopes to help me deal with a medical problem I have {I don't talk about it much but here, but it is something that I have been dealing with for ages - click here for more on that}. When I tell people about my fast and sugar free considerations...I am often met with looks of pity and sorrow. 
 
However, once you kick over the first few days which are notorious for lethargy, headaches etc...as your body cleanses itself, the benefits are amazing! I absolutley love the change in my energy, my clarity and I am starting to loose some cm's too! 

You could be forgiven thinking that giving up sugar and processed food {and for me meat - part time} means you are left with a plate of over steamed veggies or a bowl full of lettuce at every meal. But truth is, once you start, the variety is actually quite large. You just have to be creative and plan ahead. 

This year I think I will stick with this eating plan for a bit longer due to my newest cookbook to my collection for Christmas: 'I Quit Sugar' by Sarah Wilson {click here}. If you want to improve your health and do it in style, check her e-book bundle out and for under $30 you will not be sorry!

                                                            

Lauren x

Q: Have you made any changes to your eating so far this year? 

{VERY Healthy Dessert - Sweet Potato Pie}

Well, by now you obviously know I am fasting at the moment, and I had a brain wave for a 'dessert' the other night. I made version one last week, but burned the crust and therefore couldn't get a good idea of the taste and certainly wasn't going to take photos of it like that.

So, today I made version two.....and was SO happy with the result. This is a dairy free, wheat free and artificial sugar free Pie.

INGREDIENTS:
Crust
- 250g nuts (I used 100g cashews, 100g cashews & 50 g walnuts)
- 2 heaped dessert spoons of nut butter (you can buy all sorts of varieties in the health food isle)
- 2 dessert spoons of maple syrup (could use honey)

Filling
- 3 sweet potato (could substitute for pumpkin)
- 1 banana
- approx 80g apple sauce (the jar I had in the fridge had grown into a science experiment [eww] so I used a long life apple raspberry puree I had in the pantry which was 80g - about 1/2 cup)
- 1 dessert spoon of chia seeds (these are very healthy and act as a thickener - more info here)
- 1 dessert spoon cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 cup of natural maple syrup (not flavoured syrup or honey)





METHOD:
1. Peal, chop and steam the sweet potato
2. Preheat oven to 150'C
3. In your food processor, grind up the nuts until resembling crumbs. Add the nut butter and maple syrup until it rolls into a ball in the processor and combines nicely.
4. Press into a flan/ tart tin and press into the base and sides to make a pastry-like base.
5. Place in the oven for about 15 mins or until golden. Keep an eye on it, (because time got away from me the first time I made it).
6. Place the sweet potato (once cooked and soft) into the food processor a bit at a time until smooth (don't worry about rinsing it after making the base crust, the ingredients blend together well).
7. Add the other ingredients into the smooth sweet potato mixture and blend together.
8. Place the mixture into the nut crust base.
9. Turn the oven off and place the finished pie into the "dead oven" and allow to 'bake' for about 10 minutes or until filling is firm.



Slice up and serve with fresh berries, pear or other seasonal fruit.
For those fasting, on restrictive diets or those that love healthy food, this is a real treat!

I took it to a family dinner as a substitute for dessert for myself. One person loved the crust, but wasn't keen on the filling (would probably have to add brown sugar or something to the filling to satisfy that one). MANY loved it and I got a lot of positive comments about the attempt to make such a healthy and guilt free dessert. When you haven't had ANY sugar in 2 weeks, it is quite a nice treat!

Lauren x

{Cashew & Herb Crusted Salmon}

This is the most simple and delicious meal ad it was GOBBLED up by my hubby, 5 year old AND 2 year old boys! They loved it and it tasted so fancy which is a great trick since it was so simple!

INGREDIENTS:

4 salmon fillets
100g of cashews (could use other nuts also like almonds or macadamias)
A handful of fresh herbs (I used basil & parsley - they are fresh in the garden)
1/2 a lime
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

METHOD:
Pre-heat oven to 160'C
1. Place the nuts in a food processor and blitz up until sort of like bread crumbs.
2. Add the herbs and squeeze the lime in also.
3. While it's processing, drizzle olive oil in until it binds it together. I used about a few dessert spoonfuls, but just add a little and test as you go.
4. Season and then gently place onto the salmon in an oven proof dish.
Place in the oven for about 20 mins until cooked through.

SERVING SUGGESTION:
I stirfried some Asian greens (bok choy and pak choy) with 1/2 a red onion, 1/2 a chili, the other 1/2 of the lime from above, 1 tsp fresh ginger, 2 garlic cloves, corriander stems & 1 TBS sesame seeds.

Once cooked, serve alongside the salmon with fresh corriandar on top - SOOO GOOD!!!

{Chick Pea Patties & veggie stack}

If you are new to the blog you may not know that I have mentioned before about how each year I start January with a 21 day Daniel fast. It is for mainly spiritual reasons and also health reasons too. If you have never done this and are interested, see info here. The basic 'jist' is that I eat only plant based food for 21 days, ergo no meat, no diary, no sugars, no processed food, no alcohol and no caffeine (this is always hard to detox from).

I have shared recipes on here before that I usually eat at fast time in Jnaurary, like
- My ESSENTIAL homemade tomato sauce
- Falafel
- Hommus
- Baked Fish Parcels (fish is not strictly on the fast according to my research unless you need some extra protein for an active lifestyle. I choose to include some during the fast.

The next few posts will be Daniel Fast recipes that are delicious enough to eat all year round!

{CHICK PEA PATTIES}

1 can of Chick Peas
1 can of lentils
1 potato cooked (could also use sweet potato or carrot)
1 handful of mixed herbs (i used basil and parsley as I had plenty in the garden)
1 small onion and garlic clove cooked (not essential but i like the taste)
2 TBL pasta sauce (could use store bought if your not being as 'picky as me')


Method:
1. Mash the chick peas, lentils, potato (or similar).
2. Mix other ingredients into it and season with salt and pepper.
3. Form into patty shapes and fry gently.
**i would probably include bread crumbs and an egg when off the fast to help bind it together a bit more. But as long as you are gentle with them, they cook fine**

SERVING SUGGESTION:

My favourite way to eat these is in a stack with char-grilled eggplant, capsicum, avocado, the tomato sauce, avocado, hommus and fresh herbs and rocket. YUM!

Enjoy;
Lauren x

{Homemade Pasta Sauce}

This a very yummy way to be ultra healthy and eat with no preservatives and additives. Bake a tray or two of veggies like tomatoes (this is your base ingredient so i tend to add more and I like roasting the cherry or grape variety), garlic cloves, zucchini, capsicum, red onion, olives and a chilli. Then drizzle with olive oil and roast in oven.
Once its finished, try to resist eating the yummy roasted veggies (it smells amazing).
Using a food processor, stick or normal blender; blend till it makes a sauce.
Then add some freshly chopped herbs like parsley and basil, season and 'voila'!!!

Serving ideas:
1. On pasta
2. Over lentils instead of pasta
3. Spread as a Pizza sauce.
4. Top Cannelloni with it (see past blog)
5. Put sauce in oven proof dish and pop freshly made meatballs in it and bake in oven.

Enjoy;
Lauren x