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.

berry coconut parfaits

If you're after a super-fast, low sugar, delicious dessert, these Berry Coconut Parfaits are a winner. Using just four ingredients, you can whip them up in a few minutes and then store them in the fridge for later (useful if you're doing a dinner party and want to get dessert out of the way).

I made them with boysenberries, which were given to my boyfriend by a work colleague (thanks Kris!). They were picked fresh from her parent's garden and then frozen. This is a great way to keep berries fresh if you find yourself with more than you need. Once defrosted, the berries won't look quite as pretty and they will be a little 'wet', but they will still work really well in this recipe (thanks to the use of coconut flour to soak up excess juice).

You can use any berries for this recipe. Blueberries would also work really well. Berries are usually ranked as having high pesticide residue, so get organic ones if you can. Most health food shops stock organic frozen berries, which are much more affordable than fresh ones. I used coconut yogurt to layer with the berries because I love it. If you're ok with dairy, you could use a natural Greek yoghurt or whip up some good quality cream instead. Whatever floats your boat.

I haven't given exact quantities in my recipe, as it will largely depend on the 'wetness' of your berries and the size of your serving glasses or jars. They key is to create a few, even layers. 

ingredients

• 2 large handfuls of frozen berries (or fresh ones if you have them!)
• 1 handful of unsweetened, desiccated coconut
• Coconut flour
• Coconut yoghurt (or natural Greek yoghurt or whipped cream)

preparation

1. If you're using frozen berries, defrost them. I do this quickly by placing them in a large bowl and then partially submerging the bowl in hot water in the sink. As berries are small, they don't take too long to defrost this way.

2. Mash the berries with a fork, leaving a few chunky bits. Stir through the desiccated coconut. If the mixture is still quite wet, stir through a little coconut flour. I do this one teaspoon at a time, because coconut flour is very absorbent and you don't want to end up with a mixture that is too dry. 

3. Taste the berry mixture. The coconut and coconut flour add sweetness, but if it's still too tart or sour, you could add a little rice malt syrup, raw honey or pure maple syrup to sweeten the mixture.

4. Once you're happy with the berry mixture, layer it up with the coconut yogurt in little jars or glasses.

Serves 2.

pantry staples for healthy baking

New to the whole grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, fructose-free, low sugar baking scene? This post is for you! A few of you have asked for some information about the health food ingredients that I use in my recipes, so here we go.  

Before I start, I just want to reiterate my position on 'healthy baking'. It's no secret that I love to bake healthier treats. However, I have two points to make. First, there's nothing wrong with indulging in a 'normal' dessert or treat every now and then. I do, I just don't make a habit of it. Some of us need to be careful not to develop a weird relationship with food where we go into meltdown if we eat a bit of processed sugar. Second, I try and keep 'healthy treats' as treats. It's not a great idea to live on them (however tempting!). I still make sure I eat my meat and vegetables first.   

So. On to the post...

I haven't included sources for the following information - it's my basic understanding accumulated over the years, largely from reading food labels and picking the brains of staff at various health food stores. If you're after more detail, Google is your friend! 

Raw cacao powder: This is one of my favourite things. When cacao beans are cold-pressed, the fat is removed (cacao butter), leaving raw cacao powder. When people talk about the anti-oxidant benefits of 'chocolate' they are referring to the benefits of raw cacao. Standard cocoa powder has usually been roasted (destroying the anti-oxidants) and sugar or sweeteners are often added (always read the label!). I add raw cacao powder to my raw chocolate recipes, like my Raw Hazelnut Chocolates or my Raw Chocolate Mousse Tarts.

Raw cacao butter: The fat component of the cacao bean. You can melt it down and blend it with raw cacao powder to make raw chocolate. It has a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. I buy it in little buttons from the health food store for easy melting (place in a bowl, partially submerge the bowl in hot water and stir occasionally until melted). If you buy it in a large block, shave it into little pieces with a knife to speed up the melting time. You can also microwave it to melt, but this isn't ideal. I use it in my Unsweetened Bliss Balls or in Lana Jankovic's White Chocolate & Raspberry Cups. 

Raw cacao nibs: These just shelled and crushed cacao beans. I use them as a substitute for chocolate chips or to add chocolate-y crunch. I also just eat them by themselves, but they are quite bitter, like a very dark chocolate. They won't melt like normal chocolate chips.

Dark (85% cocoa or higher) chocolate: I often use this in my recipes if I can't be bothered making raw chocolate. I always go for 85% cocoa or higher to keep the sugar low. If the ingredients list says "85% cocoa solids", the bar will contain about 15% sugar or sweetener. So a 70% cocoa chocolate will contain about 30% sugar or sweetener, which is getting high. I use an 85% cocoa chocolate to coat my Chocolate Almond Truffles.

Raw virgin (or extra virgin) coconut oil: Great to use when baking treats as it has a naturally sweet flavour. It's also a good alternative to butter if you're dairy-free. Different brands often taste quite different. Some that I've tried have tasted weird and made me feel sick. My favourite brand is INDAH, which I think has the best flavour and it's pure white (a sign that it has been made with fresh coconuts). �Raw� means that it has been cold-pressed to preserve it's health benefits. I asked INDAH's founder Teisha Lowry to give us a run down on coconut oil here.

Extra virgin olive oil (cold-pressed): This is probably familiar to most people. I think it�s important to buy extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil as many of the health benefits are destroyed during the heat-processing of cheaper olive oils. It also tastes way better (in my opinion). I use it mainly for dressing salads or vegetables and for cooking at low-medium temperatures.

Nut butter: (i.e. almond butter, hazelnut butter, peanut butter). Nut butters are made by grinding nuts until they form a paste. When buying nut butters, always check the ingredients label to make sure no sugar or vegetable oils have been added (particularly for peanut butter). Health food stores often have machines loaded with nuts that grind them down on the spot to give you fresh nut butter (and it's usually cheaper). Baking with it adds creaminess and great flavour. I personally have to limit how often I buy nut butters because I tend to dip the spoon in too many times and go thought it WAY too quickly. I use it in my Chocolate Protein Cookies.

Nut flours, nut meals or ground nuts: (i.e. almond meal, ground hazelnuts). These are just nuts ground to a 'flour' consistency. You can make your own by whizzing whole nuts in a food processor. They're a useful substitute for wheat flour in baking. They also keep things nice and moist (ahh! sorry I hate that word). I use ground almonds in my Coconut, Almond & Flax Loaf.

Tahini: Similar to nut butters but made from ground sesame seeds. I usually use hulled tahini (made from hulled sesame seeds) because unhulled tahini has a more bitter flavour. I use it to make my Carrot & Tahini Balls.

Coconut flour: Coconut flour is made by removing the fat from dried coconut. It is high in fibre and a useful substitute for wheat flour or nut flours (for people who can�t tolerate nuts). You have to go easy with it though; it�s very absorbent so a little goes a long way. When baking, you need to make sure you add enough liquid and/or eggs to bind it together and keep it from going too dry. It�s great for soaking up excess moisture in batters. It has a sweet flavour, so I mainly use it to bake sweet food. I use it to make my popular Banana Bread.  

A word of caution: DO NOT eat coconut flour by itself (anyone else had this unfortunate experience?). I did this once, thinking "ooh it smells so nice, perhaps I'll try a spoonful" and it stuck to the back of my throat and I nearly choked.

Chia seeds: You can get black or white chia seeds. People say they taste the same, but I prefer the white ones. They absorb moisture (leave them in some liquid for a few minutes and they swell), so great to add to baking if a mixture is too wet. They give a nice crunch. I use them in my Chia Fish Cakes.

Shredded or desiccated coconut: This is dried coconut flesh that has been shredded or processed into a powder. It adds great flavour and moist-ness (ahh!) to baking. When buying it, always check the ingredient list to make sure it doesn�t contain preservatives or added sugar. The only ingredient should be coconut.

Rice malt syrup: This is made from fermented cooked rice. It has a mild, caramel-y flavour. I prefer it to other sweeteners, such as dates, agave and maple syrup, because it's fructose-free. I talk about why I limit fructose here.

Himalayan crystal salt: A less processed form of salt that contains beneficial minerals. I buy it finely ground from the heath food store. Adding a pinch of salt to recipes (including sweet recipes) brings out the flavours in the ingredients. Sea salt is a good alternative if you can't find Himalayan crystal salt.

Vanilla Extract: You've probably seen vanilla extract (or essence) in the supermarket. Vanilla essence is artificial vanilla flavour. I don't like it's flavour. Vanilla extract is made from vanilla beans, but sugar (or glucose syrup) is often added. I buy a pure vanilla extract from the health food store that doesn't contain sugar. But using a vanilla extract with sugar added isn't the end of the world (you'd usually only use a small amount).

Vanilla Powder: This is made by grinding up vanilla pods. It's amazing, but hard to find and expensive. I use it in my Vanilla & Coconut Balls, but you could always substitute vanilla extract.

Pure Peppermint Oil: This is great for digestion and adds an intense minty flavour. You can buy it at health food shops. Just make sure it�s therapeutic grade peppermint oil that can be ingested (and not an essential oil made for aromatherapy or external use). If you can�t find it, you could use peppermint extract or essence instead (available at most supermarkets). I use it in my Peppermint & Cacao Balls and my Raw Choc-Mint Protein Slice.

unsweetened bliss balls...

...because you're sweet enough already (or have a parasite that feeds on sugars).

I recently found out that I have a parasite. It has set up shop in my intestines and has been causing me grief. I may have picked it up while travelling overseas, or I may have had it for 10 years, it's hard to tell. What I do know is that I was experiencing a range of symptoms that are often linked to parasites (bloating, cramps, acid reflux, nightmares and night sweats). So I did a stool test and it came back positive for a common parasite called blastocystis hominis. 

Before I get to the recipe for the bliss balls (if you still feel like eating), I'll give you a quick run down on how I'm proceeding to treat the parasite and what I have learnt so far.

Antibiotics are often prescribed to treat blastocystis hominis, but from what I have read, they have a relatively high failure rate in treating this parasite and they also kill your good gut bacteria, which can lead to more problems. As the symptoms I'm experiencing aren't debilitating (although they certainly aren't nice), I've decided at this stage to try a cleansing protocol involving dietary changes (e.g. avoid sugars, sweeteners, alcohol, caffeine) and a range of herbs and supplements to kill the parasite and heal my gut. I'm hoping to avoid antibiotics, but I never say never.

I've been on the cleansing protocol for a month now (and I'm starting to feel better). What have I learnt so far?

• DO NOT google "parasite photos". I did and regret it. You want to be informed and understand what's going on, but some images are best left unseen.
• Same goes for googling "what to expect from parasite cleanse". Perusing forums on this topic is not advisable. I have an overactive imagination and there's some crazy sh*t out there that I wish never entered my head.
• Speak to people who have researched and dealt with parasites. I've been working with Darren at Total Reformation. He recommended the parasite cleansing protocol that I'm currently doing.
• Drink LOTS of (filtered) water. As the parasites start to die, they release toxins which make you feel crap. Drinking water helps flush out the toxins and encourages elimination. I bought a simple filter jug to filter my water. 
• I've found that I feel better after some sweaty exercise. [I've recently had to stop CrossFit due to some neck/back issues. I've been doing kickboxing and Muay Thai for the past 3 months, which has become my new love/obsession and my body has been responding really well.]
• Try to relax and reduce stress. For me, the key thing has been to do what I need to do to get rid of the parasite, whilst not focusing too much on it. Some great advice given to me by Lana Jankovic was to "focus on cultivating space for relaxation and enjoyment, rather than worrying too much about 'fighting' the stress". Love this.

Now to the recipe. One of the key things that feeds a parasite is sugar (including natural sweeteners, fruit or anything high starch). So I created these Unsweetened Bliss Balls for emergency snacking and to lift my energy if I'm feeling a bit low. If parasites aren't an issue, you could add a dash of your preferred natural sweetener, but the coconut does provide natural sweetness. If you can't eat nuts, you could use tahini or sunflower seed butter in place of the almond butter. Anything goes with this recipe, I created it by chucking in whatever I had in my pantry and hoping for the best.

ingredients

• � cup organic coconut cream *
• � cup almond butter, sunflower seed butter or tahini
• � cup raw cacao butter, melted **
• � cup raw virgin coconut oil, melted
• � cup coconut flour
• 1 cup desiccated coconut (watch out for sweetened varieties and preservatives - the ingredients should just list coconut)
• � cup natural protein powder (optional)
• 1-2 tsp pure vanilla powder or extract
• Pinch of salt
• Extra desiccated coconut for rolling

preparation

1. Stir the coconut cream and almond butter together in a large bowl. Then stir through the melted cacao butter and coconut oil until well combined.

2. Stir through the coconut flour, desiccated coconut, protein powder (if using), vanilla and salt until everything is well combined. If the mixture is still a bit too wet, add a little more coconut flour (it absorbs a lot of moisture, so go slowly).

3. Roll the mixture into balls and roll in the extra coconut. Place the balls in the fridge to firm up.

4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Canned coconut cream usually needs to be eaten within 3-4 days of opening the can, so I wouldn't leave the balls around for too long. (They never last that long anyway when I'm around).

Makes 12 large balls.

* Use the creamy part of the coconut cream (not the watery part). If you let a can of coconut cream sit still for a while, the creamy part rises to the top. Scoop it off the top and save the watery part for smoothies or to thin sauces or batters. You should get about � cup of the creamy part from a 400ml can of coconut cream. Go for an organic brand in a BPA-free can if possible. 

** Raw cacao butter is the solid that's left over when cacao powder is extracted from the cacao bean. It gives these balls a delicious, creamy texture. You can melt it by placing it in a bowl, partially submerging the bowl in hot water and stirring occasionally until melted. I buy raw cacao butter in little buttons from the health food store for easy melting. If you have it in a block, shave it into little pieces with a knife to speed up the melting time. You can also microwave it to melt, but this isn't ideal. If you can't find raw cacao butter, you could try using some extra coconut oil instead (although this will mean the balls will be more prone to melting). 

raw choc-mint protein slice

If you�re a fan of my Peppermint & Cacao Balls, try this slice! It provides a nice dose of protein, good fats and an antioxidant hit from the raw cacao powder. I slice it up and store it in the fridge for quick snacks (i.e. when you get home from work and are starving, haven�t made dinner yet and need something to prevent inhaling whatever is closest). It tastes best straight from the fridge.

In terms of protein powder, I�ve been using Amazonia's raw protein powder (the �natural� one), which is a raw, vegan, pea and brown rice protein with added digestive enzymes. I�m not 100% raw or vegan, but I find that I digest this protein powder well. You can easily substitute another natural (i.e. not flavoured or sweetened) protein powder if you prefer.

If you're not a fan of brazil nuts, you could substitute another �creamy� nut like raw cashews or macadamias. Or if you can't eat nuts, sunflower seeds would work well instead. If you�re having trouble finding a pure peppermint oil that can be ingested (check health food shops), I�ve been using the Obbekjaers brand, which I picked up in London. You can buy it online here. Otherwise, you could substitute peppermint essence or extract (available in supermarkets).

ingredients

• 2 cups raw brazil nuts (or cashews, macadamias or sunflower seeds)
• � cup Amazonia raw protein powder
• ? cup raw cacao powder
• ? cup coconut flour
• � cup raw virgin coconut oil, softened
• 1 tbsp rice malt syrup (or raw honey)
• 2 drops pure peppermint oil
• water and apple cider vinegar (if you're soaking the nuts)

preparation

1. Place the nuts in a bowl and cover with water and a dash of apple cider vinegar. Leave to soak for at least 4 hours (I leave them in the fridge to soak overnight). This helps to break down the enzyme inhibitors inherent in nuts so that they are easier to digest. But you can skip this step if you prefer.

2. Drain the nuts and rinse well (if you soaked them). Process the nuts in a food processor until you get fine crumbs that are starting to clump together. Stir through the protein powder, cacao powder and coconut flour.

3. Stir through the coconut oil, rice malt syrup and peppermint oil until everything is well combined. Now is a good time to taste the mixture - you may prefer to add a little extra rice malt syrup if you like things sweeter (but don't go crazy!).

4. Line a loaf tin with non-stick baking paper (I use a 23 x 7 cm loaf tin). Press the mixture into the tin and leave it in the fridge or freezer to set. Once it has set, remove it from the tin and cut into squares. Store it in the fridge.

NB: I use a 20ml tbsp. If you have a 15ml tbsp (if you're in the US or UK), you can measure out 4 tsp in place of each tbsp.