chocolate protein mousse

I recently bought some Bare Blends Organic Cacao WPI Native Whey Protein, which seems to be all the rage at the moment (it's delicious and relatively clean as far as protein powders go). It's all over Instagram in people's smoothies. However, I love to eat things. So I've been trying out ways to 'eat' it. 

This is my favourite way so far: a super-creamy chocolate mousse. 

As usual, the mousse is refined sugar-free and provides satisfying good fats (from the avocado) and antioxidants (from the raw cacao powder). Before you lose your hat about the addition of avocado, don't worry, you can't taste it. It just adds a smooth and creamy texture, which the whey protein further enhances.

ingredients

1 small avocado (or half a large one)
2 tbsp Bare Blends Organic Cacao WPI Native Whey Protein *
2 - 3 tbsp raw cacao powder **
1 - 2 tbsp rice malt syrup, raw honey or pure maple syrup

preparation

1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Serve with raw cacao nibs or crushed nuts sprinkled on top for crunch.


* You could use a different whey-based protein powder, but watch out for ones with preservatives and artificial sweeteners. Plant-based vegan protein powders may not give the same creamy texture, but could still be used.

** Adjust the amount of cacao powder to suit your taste (keeping in mind that the more cacao you add, the less likely you will be able to taste the avocado).

curried chicken meatballs + yoghurt dipping sauce

I am not a patient person. So I'm often deterred from rolling things into little balls (unless it's bliss balls or a dessert, in which case I suck it up). So why the meatball recipe? Well, these are baked. You roll them into balls, place on a tray, then it's into the oven and that's it. No fiddling around trying to turn them in a frypan without breaking them (which usually leaves me cursing).

The meatballs are nice warm or cold, so handy as a starter dish if you're having a dinner party. I also pick at them from the fridge as a snack or post-workout protein source. Leftovers are also good thrown into a roast vegetable salad, with some of the yoghurt sauce drizzled on top. If you can't do dairy, you could use tahini in place of the yoghurt.

To make the meatballs, I use free-range chicken thigh mince (from Cannings Free Range Butchers) and Ayam Curry Powder. I'm a fan of Ayam Curry Powder because it doesn't contain any fillers, preservatives, sugar or MSG (which can often be found in off-the-shelf spice mixes). It just contains coriander seed, dried chilli, aniseed, cumin seed, turmeric, cinnamon, star anise, white pepper, fenugreek, nutmeg and cardamom. I keep a tin of it in my pantry for times when I can't be bothered concocting my own mix of spices.

ingredients

For the meatballs

• 500g free-range chicken mince
• 2 tsp curry powder or spice mix
• 1 egg
• pinch of sea salt

For the yoghurt sauce

• 1/2 cup thick Greek or natural yoghurt, organic if possible
• 1/4 - 1/2 clove of garlic
• squeeze of lemon juice
• sea salt

preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 200�C and line a baking tray with baking paper.  

2. To make the meatballs, mix the mince, curry powder, egg and sea salt in a large bowl until everything is well combined. I start off with a spoon and then get my hands in there to really massage it all together. Wet your hands first so they don't get too sticky. 

3. Roll the mixture into balls (about a tablespoon of mixture per ball) and place on the tray. I wet my hands after rolling every couple of balls to stop the mixture from sticking to my hands.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until browned.

5. To make the yogurt sauce, tip the yoghurt into a bowl and grate or crush about a 1/4 clove of garlic into the bowl. Go easy on the garlic to start with, as it can sneak up on you. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and pinch of sea salt and stir together. Taste and add more garlic, lemon juice and sea salt if needed. 

cumin roasted cauliflower + tahini + herbs

This is one of those flavour combinations that just works. I'm not a huge cauliflower fan but when it's charred under the grill and combined with big flavours like cumin and tahini, something special happens (in my opinion). Add some fresh herbs, and you've got a winner.

This recipe works well as a side dish alongside grilled meat, chicken or fish. You can serve it warm or cold. If you're vegetarian or vegan, it could be a good lunch option with some raw nuts and seeds tossed through for added nutrition. The tahini adds creaminess without any dairy and it's full of flavour. All good things.

I haven't given exact quantities in the recipe below, as it doesn't really matter. You just chop up as much cauliflower as you want and then dress with the other ingredients accordingly. If you're not familiar with tahini, it's a paste made from ground sesame seeds.  You can buy it at most supermarkets and at health food stores. I prefer hulled tahini (made from hulled sesame seeds) because unhulled tahini has a slightly more bitter flavour.

ingredients

• cauliflower
• ground cumin
• sea salt
• tahini
• fresh parsley 
• extra virgin olive oil (optional)

preparation

1. Preheat the grill in your oven to a high heat.

2. Chop the cauliflower into florets and lightly steam until just tender.*

3. Tip the cauliflower onto a large baking tray and sprinkle generously with cumin and a good pinch of sea salt (I use a couple of teaspoons of cumin and one teaspoon of fine sea salt for one large head of cauliflower). Toss well so that all the florets are nicely coated. Spread the florets out on the tray so that they form one layer.

4. Place the tray under the grill (making sure that the tray is on the rack closest to the grill element). Once the cauliflower florets are starting to char, take the tray out of the oven, flip the florets over and return to the oven to char the other side.

5. Once the florets are nicely charred, tip them into a bowl, toss in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional) and then drizzle over some tahini and top with chopped parsley to serve.

* You could skip steaming the cauliflower and just char it under the grill, but I prefer to steam it first as cauliflower is a goitrogenic vegetable that may interfere with thyroid function when eaten raw. Steaming or boiling goitrogenic vegetables apparently reduces the the goitrogens (and will also make the vegetables easier to digest).

how to eat organic berries on a budget

Who loves berries? Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, boysenberries�they are my personal fruit of choice. They provide antioxidants, vitamins, fibre and are low fructose; all good things for your body and your health.

However, there are two initial problems. First, non-organic berries have some of the highest levels of pesticide residue and second, you practically have to take a loan out to buy fresh organic berries. 

My solution?

I buy frozen organic berries (usually blueberries or raspberries), which I pick up from my local organic grocery store. The brand I buy gives me 350g for about $8, whereas your typical 100g punnet of organic blueberries or raspberries is about the same price. Freezing the berries keeps them fresh, you can keep them on standby in your freezer and from what I have read, most of the nutrients are retained. 

However, there is a third problem. Once frozen berries are defrosted, they are wet. And sometimes a bit slimy. We shouldn't judge food by its cover, but the mouthfeel of slimy berries is not enticing.

My solution?

Coconut flour. If you're familiar with this stuff you'll know that it absorbs moisture like nobody's business (i.e. do not attempt to eat it by itself as it will dry up the back of your throat and choke you - I learnt this the hard way). It also has a lovely sweet flavour that works well with naturally tart berries. 

This is how I do it (image above):

1. Tip some frozen berries into a bowl. (Blueberries work best in my opinion). 

2. Defrost the berries by sitting the bowl in some hot water (or microwaving it if you're super short on time, but this isn't ideal). 

3. Lightly mash the defrosted berries with a fork to encourage some of the juices out, then stir through some coconut flour about half a teaspoon at a time. The coconut flour will soak up the excess moisture and coat the berries, but go slowly as you don't want to dry things out. 

4. Top with coconut flakes or shaved dark chocolate.

I also use this technique to make my Berry Coconut Parfaits. 

Enjoy!

I would just like to congratulate myself for getting through this post without any "berry nice" puns. It was tempting, but I resisted.

what's new?...KOJA superfood mixes

You may have noticed KOJA's range of superfood mixes in your local health food store: they are specially formulated combinations of superfoods, nuts, seeds and berries which you can sprinkle on your breakfast, blend into smoothies or add to raw desserts and treats (which is what I did to create the above slice�more info below).

In the interests of full disclosure, I was sent a free sample of KOJA's Daily superfood mix to try. Because I fell in love with it, I'm reviewing it here. I often get sent products to try for free, but my reviews will always be my own opinion. If I'm not so keen on a product, I may simply choose not to write about it.

Why do I love the KOJA mixes? 

Because, as they say themselves, they are a real food alternative to supplements and pills. They are packed with vitamins and minerals and taste great. I always prefer whole foods over supplements wherever possible: why take a pill when you could eat something instead? (I like eating). 

KOJA Daily superfood mix.
Good enough to eat by itself with a spoon (which I did).

Add it to raw treats, like my Chewy KOJA Slice

The mixes are the perfect addition to raw treats. They add crunch, flavour and extra nutrients. I used the KOJA Daily mix to make the Chewy KOJA Slice pictured above. The slice is a chewy, raw, gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free treat packed with healthy fats, protein and antioxidants. You can find the recipe on the KOJA website here (thank you KOJA for publishing it!). 

I was also lucky enough to be interviewed by the lovely team at KOJA about how I maintain a healthy lifestyle and deal with criticism about my choices, which you can read here.

Verdict

The KOJA mixes are a delicious way to add a nutrient boost to your breakfast, smoothies or treats.

You can find out more about the range here.

spiced carrot mug-cake...with a collagen hit

I've been making this in the mornings when I feel like something warm and spiced for breakfast (instead of my standard leftover-dinner-meat-and-veg). I just chuck all the ingredients into a ramekin or mug, whisk together with a fork, microwave for a minute or so and then cover it with some baking paper or foil and take it with me to work. By the time I'm at my desk, it's cooled just enough to be ready to eat: warm and delicious. I know microwaving isn't ideal, but sometimes that's all I have time for. You could bake it in the oven instead if you have more time.

The "collagen hit" comes from the addition of Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate. It's a concentrated combination of amino acids in powder form (derived from beef) which apparetly supports the re-production of blood cells and repair of connective tissue. I've been doing a fair bit of sparring recently at Muay Thai so I've been copping a bit of a bashing, but I feel like the collagen has been helping with my recovery. I take a tablespoon or so each day, either dissolved in water or in a mug-cake like this one. It's flavourless and blends well into hot or cold liquids. A good friend of mine got me onto it (thanks Tristan!) and I buy it from Cannings in Melbourne (where I get all my free-range meat and eggs). You can also buy it online. 

I don't add any sweetener to the recipe as the carrot provides sweetness, but you could add a teaspoon or so of your preferred sweetener if you like. Once it's cooked, I take a spoonful from the top and then fill the hole with some shredded coconut. It's also delicious eaten with some thick Greek yogurt or coconut yoghurt.

ingredients

1 free-range egg

1 tbsp Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate (optional)

1 large carrot, or 2 small ones, finely grated *

� tsp vanilla powder or extract

� tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut

1 tbsp coconut flour

Splash of water, coconut milk or nut milk

Extra unsweetened desiccated coconut or yoghurt to serve

preparation

1. Crack the egg into a ramekin or large mug. Add the Great Lakes Collagen (if using) and whisk well with a fork. Whisk in the grated carrot, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut and coconut flour. You may need to add a few splashes of water (or coconut milk or nut milk) to thin the mixture. You want it to be about the consistency of thick cream.

2. Microwave for about 1 minute, then check on it. You may need to do another couple of 20 second intervals to cook it through. Just make sure you don't overcook it, otherwise it will dry out. I usually take it out when the centre of the top is still slightly gooey.

3. Serve with extra coconut or yoghurt.

* I use a microplane grater to finely grate the carrot. Having it finely grated means the carrot is more evenly distributed throughout the mixture to keep it nice and moist (aah! I hate that word).

blonde protein cookies

So these are basically a 'blonde' version of my Chocolate Protein Cookies for anyone who can't handle cacao (the caffeine can be too much for some) or wants to mix things up a bit! I make them for my boyfriend regularly, so I've made a few adjustments to the recipe over time. This is actually my favourite version.

 

As I've said before, these cookies make a great breakfast on the run. The addition of good fats and protein makes them really satisfying. Also a good post-workout snack. 

I use Amazonia's raw natural protein powder in the cookies, but you could substitute another natural protein powder. When buying protein powders, just watch out for added sweeteners and fillers. I recommend always reading the ingredients list - if you're not familiar with an ingredient, ask someone at the store or Google it! (I have a slight obsession with reading ingredients lists and if there's something on there that I haven't heard of, it's straight to Google to find out; often whilst still standing in the store).

 

ingredients

 

� cup natural peanut butter

� cup raw virgin coconut oil, softened

� cup rice malt syrup (or raw honey)

1 egg

2 cups raw cashews

2 cups unsweetened desiccated coconut

� cup plain protein powder

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

 

preparation

 

1. Preheat your oven to 170�C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Pulse the cashews in a food processor until you get fine crumbs.

3. Combine the peanut butter, coconut oil and rice malt syrup in a large bowl, then beat in the egg until well combined.

4. Stir through the cashews and desiccated coconut, protein powder and vanilla.

5. Roll the mixture into balls and press into cookie shapes, then place on the lined tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until slightly browned around the edges.

Makes about 25 cookies.

meet Dr Hannah...

Dr Hannah Pickford is a former All-Australian Basketball player, chiropractor, martial artist and is currently completing a Masters in Human Nutrition (just a bit of an all-rounder!). When she isn�t seeing patients, kicking bags or lifting weights, she�s researching the current medical literature or recording episodes with the Vitality Hackers�a free podcast that is released weekly on iTunes (check it out here). 

One topic that has been on my mind recently is leaky gut. Sorry, what now? Yes. Your gut may be �leaking� and causing you a range of ailments. I asked Dr Hannah to explain.

Over to Dr H...


Have you noticed the rising incidence of chronic disease surrounding you and ever wondered�. What are we doing wrong?

Why are the disease rates rising�..? Why are we the most infertile, overweight and chronically ill humans to walk the earth? Why do conditions such as allergies, depression and auto-immunity seem to increase in incidence year after year?

Why will 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women be diagnosed with cancer this year? And why, in the last decade have heart disease rates increased over 18 precent (2)? Even more alarming is that depression affects over 2.1 million people in Australia and the numbers just keep on rising (1). So� What is driving it?

There is emerging evidence that the dramatic rise of these diseases is not due to genetics or random chance but instead might be due to changes within our current environment. One HUGE element to consider is the health of your gut: your internal environment.

Leading researchers are now suggesting that maintaining the integrity of the gut lining is instrumental for preventing the onset of several chronic conditions. The following is a brief list of conditions that are linked to poor gut health (there are over 600!!):

- Infertility

- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Fatigue
- Acne
- Celiac Disease
- Type 1 diabetes
- Multiple sclerosis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Lupus
- Narcolepsy
- Schizophrenia
- Autism
- Depression
- Huntington�s
- Non-Hodgkin�s lymphoma
- Hypothyroidism

For an extended period of time, within alternative medicine, �leaky gut� has been considered the main culprit for a wide range of human ailments, a theory that has been largely ignored by the western medical fraternity. However, the tide has turned with a recent explosion within the literature regarding �intestinal permeability� (fancy name for leaky gut) and its association with disease, and in particular auto-immunity.

Dr Alessio Fasano published some ground-breaking research that suggested autoimmune disease could have intestinal permeability as a PRE-CONDITION and that, in fact without it, the disease might not even manifest (5). Interesting stuff. Even more interesting is that it was found through rat research that any increase in permeability led to a DIRECT increase of auto-immune disease symptoms.

This explosion in gut research is compelling, however this concept is not actually new, after all it was Hippocrates himself who said some 2000 years ago that

                                  �� all disease begins in the gut.�

Well that�s awkward.

Anyway now that we have finally caught up� lets get down to business.

So leaky gut�. The what, the why and the how�.

1) What is Leaky Gut?

You are a big donut. Just a body, around a hollow tube, that runs all the way from your mouth to your butt. Now the lining of this tube separates you from the outside world and this is crucial because there is stuff that you definitely WANT to keep out, like pathogens, toxins, large proteins and, of course there is stuff you WANT to come in, like�. nutrients.

Now 75% of your immune system is comprised within this tube lining and this is your main defence from the outside world. Leaky gut is when the intestinal cell junctions become compromised, and the normally restricted net is loosened, thus allowing greater access of undesirable particles straight into your blood stream (3)!   

2) Why do you get it? 

There are many lifestyle factors at play but the main culprits are emotional stress and food, with grains playing a leading role. There is a protein called zonulin which when activated increases the �leakiness� of your gut, basically telling your intestinal cells to open up and let stuff in. Now this is works just fine until our friend GLIADIN comes into the body and activates zonulin release � artificially triggering your gut to OPEN UP. Gliadin makes up part of the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, barely, and rye, a substance that is highly intolerable to people with celiac disease. Dr Fasano found that the rats with the highest permeability, meaning most �leakiest� also had the highest rates of intestinal levels of zonulin, all of which resulted from exposure to gliadin (5). In short, if you are eating lots of gluten containing grains, you have compromised this normally tightly regulated system!  

3) How to fix it!

So this gets a little more complicated but here is the dumbed down, abbreviated version�. (Please listen to the podcast here for more info).

- Stop eating gluten containing grains

- Identify other food triggers unique to you
- Reduce emotional stress
- Remove infections like parasites, bad bacteria, candida
- Put good bacteria back in � fermented foods, probiotics
- Consume a nutrient dense diet � vegetables, meats, good fats
- Increase Omega 3 fats intake � fish oils (anti-inflammatory)
- Decrease Omega 6 fat intake � Vegetable oils, Grains � (pro-inflammatory)
- Repair the Gut lining � bone broth, glutamine supplementation

Now if you are really broken, you might need to consider a GAPS style approach whereby you avoid any products that will further inflame your gut lining. Now this includes avoiding raw vegetables, fruits, nightshades and especially the non-starchy, fibrous vegies like broccoli and cabbage. This is trickier, so I would seek out a health care provider that is well versed in repairing your insides like an integrative general practitioner! I would also encourage you to read GAPS by Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride which you can get here!

In summary, your gut is where you digest and absorb your nutrients, and the bacteria that reside within your body can determine your health status. The lining of your gut is your main immune defence from the outside world, so make sure you look after it with proper stress management, adequate sleep, a reduced or gluten-free diet and a high consumption of nutrient dense foods like fermented vegetables, liver and bone broths.

Remember, changing your lifestyle will always be the only way to avoid chronic disease, so keep informed, eat well, move often and live long.

Until next time,

Keep that gut plugged!

Dr H

www.themodernamazon.com

Podcast: Vitality Hackers

1) www.abs.gov.au

2) http://www.cancer.org.au/about-cancer/what-is-cancer/facts-and-figures.html
3) www.chriskresser.com
4) http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/021313p38.shtml
5) A. Fasano : Zonulin, a newly discovered modulator of intestinal permeability and its expression in coeliac disease THE LANCET � Vol 355 � April 29, 2000 1519


Thank you Dr Hannah for breaking it down for us (no pun intended). You can find more from Hannah at themodernamazon.com, vitalityhackers.com and you can follow her on Instagram.

middle eastern spiced cauli-rice

Have you tried cauliflower 'rice'? I know I'm a bit late to the party (it's been a long-time favourite in the paleo community), but it's so good! It's made by whizzing cauliflower in a food processor to break it up into little rice-like pieces. If you cook it up in some coconut oil and spices, it's delicious. And great for soaking up juices from curries or stews. 

It's is a nice low starch alternative to normal rice. It also provides more nutrients. I'm happy to eat normal rice when I feel like it, but I'm just as happy with this spiced cauli-rice. And who's going to complain about getting some more vegetables into their diet?

As a side note, I'm careful not to go too low carb with my eating. I make sure I get enough starchy carbs from vegetables like sweet potato, peas, carrots and butternut squash (particularly when I'm exercising a lot). I don't mind a bit of quinoa or oats on occasion either.

In the recipe below, I've given approximate measurements for the spices and salt. The amount will depend on the size of your cauliflower (some are small, others are enormous). I would recommend starting with the lower measurement and then tasting and adjusting accordingly.

Turning the cauliflower florets into 'rice'.

ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 tbsp raw virgin coconut oil
• �-1 tsp ground cinnamon
• �-1 tsp ground cumin
• 1-2 tsp fine Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt
• Fresh parsley or coriander to serve

preparation

1. Wash cauliflower and break it into florets. Throw the florets into a food processor and whiz until it resembles rice. You may have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your food processor. If you have one of those killer fancy food processors, you can probably get away with leaving the florets pretty large. I only have a little stab mixer, so I chop the florets into slices before whizzing and do it in a few batches (see photo above).

2. Heat the coconut oil in a large frypan over a medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the spices and stir into the oil. Tip the cauliflower into the pan and move it around in the oil and spices until evenly coated. Season with the salt and stir again. I then leave it for about a minute, then come back and stir again, repeating this until the cauliflower has softened and lightly browned. Taste for seasoning (being careful not to burn your mouth) and add more salt or spices if needed.

3. Tip the cauliflower into a bowl and top with fresh herbs, such as parsley or coriander, to serve. It would also be nice with some chopped, toasted almonds stirred through for crunch. I store it covered in the fridge for a couple of days to add to my meals.