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.

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.

guest recipe...Nicole Swanell's 'coco not pops'

Meet Nicole Swanell. Nutritionist, health coach, founder of getrealliving.com.au and creator of these kick-arse grain-free Coco Not Pops...just like a chocolate milkshake only crunchy (and WAY better for you than the original version)!  

I first met Nicole at a CrossFit gym in Melbourne and was mightly impressed by her athleticism and passion for all things health and fitness. She is now based in Adelaide and is on a mission to revolutionise the way women value their health.

Nicole has just launched the next round of her 12 Week Get Real Living Transformation program. It's an individualised nutrition program (she only takes on 20 women at a time) that focuses on building healthy habits through simple weekly goals and healing the body from the inside. It's about nourishing the body, rather than dieting and following restrictive eating plans. You can watch the video program outline here.

The program is open for registration now and Nicole is kindly offering my readers 20% off if you get a friend to join you in the program. If you'd like to register and claim your buddy up discount, express your interest here.

Now on to Nicole's Coco Not Pops!

This chocolately, grain-free granola would make a totally indulgent and nourishing breakfast. I can't wait to make it myself and pair it with some coconut yoghurt!

ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• ? cup chia seeds
• 2 cups mixed nuts, roughly chopped (Nicole uses 1 cup macadamias, � cup walnuts, � cup almonds)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ? cup honey or rice malt syrup
• 1 cup shredded coconut or coconut flakes, unsweetened
• ? cup cacao powder
• ? cup mixed seeds (such as pepitas, flaxseeds)

preparation

1. Mix ingredients.

2. Place on a tray and spread out flat.

3. Bake in a preheated oven at 170�C for 10 - 12 minutes.

4. Remove, cool, store in air tight container.

5. Serve with Greek full fat yoghurt or eat on its own. You can store it for a couple of weeks.

Makes 10 serves.

A huge thank you to Nicole for sharing her recipe and offering a special discount for her program!

For more recipes by Nicole, check out getrealliving.com.au. You can also follow Nicole on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

sweet potato pancakes

Got leftover sweet potato? Make these! I came up with them one afternoon when I had some leftover roasted sweet potato from the night before. They�re naturally gluten-free and don�t contain any sugar or sweetener. They�re also a great alternative to the grain-free pancakes made with nut meals for people who can't tolerate nuts.

Make them sweet, topped with coconut, dark chocolate and mixed berries. Or have them savoury, topped with poached eggs, avocado and fresh herbs.

Hot tip: make them small so they�re easier to flip (I make mine about 3cm wide). And use roasted sweet potato (not boiled), otherwise they can turn out too �wet�. To roast sweet potato, I just put the sweet potatoes in a hot oven on a piece of foil (whole, with skins on) and bake until soft inside. Then all you have to do is peel off the skin and scoop out the insides (and eat any leftovers warm with a little organic butter and sea salt � heaven).

ingredients

• 1 cup mashed roasted sweet potato
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (for sweet pancakes)
• Pinch of salt (for savoury pancakes)
• Coconut oil or butter for frying

preparation

1. Heat a little coconut oil or butter in a fry pan over a medium heat.

2. Place the sweet potato and eggs in a bowl and beat until well combined and smooth (you could also whiz it in a food processor). Stir through the cinnamon or salt.

3. Drop small spoonfuls of the batter into the pan, spreading out into discs with the back of a spoon (the mixture will be quite thick). Once set on the bottom, carefully flip with a spatula and cook on the second side for another minute or so. If you keep them small, they will be easier to flip. If you�re having trouble getting the spatula under the pancakes to flip them, use a second spatula or spoon to push the pancake onto the flipping spatula.

frittata with greens + lemon

The combination of green vegetables and lemon (zest and juice) in this frittata gives a light, summery vibe. It�s quick and easy and generates leftovers for breakfast or lunch the next day.

I used zucchini and green beans here, and served it with a simple salad. But you could easily substitute whatever greens you have on hand. Once it�s cooled, I cut the leftovers up into wedges and store in the fridge.

ingredients

• 1 red onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 zucchini
• Large handful of green beans
• 1 lemon
• 12 eggs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil 

preparation

1. Preheat the grill in your oven to high. 

2. Heat a 26cm ovenproof frypan* on a medium heat. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Use a vegetable peeler to finely slice the zucchini lengthways. Top and tail the green beans and chop in half. Grate the zest off the lemon and set aside (keeping the lemon for its juice later). Crack the eggs into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and whisk with a fork to combine.

3. Add a drizzle of oil to the pan and fry the onion until starting to soften. Add the garlic, then the green beans and fry for a few minutes. Add the zucchini, lemon zest and squeeze the juice of the lemon into the pan. Stir everything around for about a minute.

4. Pour the whisked eggs into the pan over the vegetables and turn the heat up to high. Keep pulling the egg mixture from the sides of the pan into the centre, moving it around the pan until the bottom of the frittata starts to set.

5. Once the bottom and sides of the frittata are set, place the pan in the oven for a few minutes until the top is set.

6. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil over the top.

Serves 4-6.

* You can use a difference sized pan - it will just vary the thickness and cooking time of the frittata (i.e. if you have a larger frypan, the frittata will be thinner and will cook slightly faster).

chocolate protein cookies

These chocolate protein cookies are packed with protein and good fats, so they make a great quick breakfast or snack. My boyfriend eats a few of them for breakfast most weekdays because he never has much time in the mornings. Ideally, we would all make the time to sit down to a nice relaxed breakfast, but this isn't always possible. That's why I keep some of these cookies on hand: I think a couple of these is better than no breakfast at all (which, for some, can lead to overeating later in the day). 

I use Mayvers Hazelnut & Cacao Spread (which is just hazelnuts blended with cacao powder) to make these, and I add a few extra tablespoons of cacao powder to make the cookies a bit more chocolatey. But adjust the amount of cacao powder to suit your taste. 

ingredients

• 2 cups raw cashews
• 2 cups shredded coconut
• ? cup Mayvers Hazelnut & Cacao Spread (or plain hazelnut butter or another nut butter)
• � cup raw virgin coconut oil, softened
• � cup rice malt syrup *
• 1 egg
• � cup plain protein powder
• 2-3 tbsp raw cacao powder (or more if you like things quite chocolatey) **
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• Pinch of salt 

preparation

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

2. Pulse the cashews and shredded coconut in a food processor until you get fine crumbs. If you don't have a food processor, you can place the nuts and coconut in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin or other object until nicely smashed. I sometimes take this option if I've had a bad day and want to release some anger (seriously).

3. Combine the Hazelnut & Cacao Spread (or nut 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 coconut, protein powder, cacao powder, chia seeds and salt.

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.

I store the cookies in a sealed jar in the fridge. They are fine at room temperature, but I think they stay fresher in the fridge. They have a harder texture straight from the fridge, so if you'd like them softer, let them come to room temperature before eating.

* I use rice malt syrup because it's fructose-free. You could substitute raw honey if you prefer.

** If you're using plain nut butter instead of the Hazelnut & Cacao Spread, you'll need to add at least 2 to 3 tablespoons of cacao powder to get a chocolate flavour.

banana bread

Everyone seems to love banana bread (including me, although I cannot stand bananas by themselves). There are a lot of grain-free, refined sugar-free versions out there. But most still end up being quite high in sugar as they often use quite a few bananas, added sweetener (i.e. honey) and sometimes dried fruit as well (i.e. dates). There�s nothing wrong with this if you�re just having it now and then, but I personally find that high sugar banana bread just leaves me craving more (and liable to eat the whole loaf).

So I developed this low sugar version, which harnesses the natural sweetness of coconut oil, coconut flour, desiccated coconut and two bananas across the whole loaf. I don�t use any further sweeteners. The coconut oil adds a good dose of healthy fats and the coconut flour provides fibre, which makes this bread all the more satisfying.

You could add some of your favourite sweetener to the recipe if you want to make it sweeter. But maybe try it without at first and see what you think. My boyfriend has a massive sweet tooth, but loves this recipe as it is. I think it tastes best once it�s cooled or the next day (rather than straight out of the oven), after the flavours have had time to develop.

ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas
• ? cup raw virgin coconut oil, melted
• 4 eggs
• � cup coconut flour
• � cup desiccated coconut
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• � tsp baking powder
• � tsp salt

preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 160�C and line a loaf tin with baking paper (I use a 23 x 7 cm loaf tin).

2. Mash the bananas in a large bowl, then beat in the coconut oil and eggs.

3. Stir through the remaining dry ingredients until well combined (if your coconut flour is quite lumpy, it�s worth sifting it into the bowl).

4. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 � 45 minutes.

coconut, almond + flax loaf

This grain-free loaf was born out of a need to use up some coconut flour. It has a subtle sweetness and dense texture that reminds me a bit of corn bread. It's delicious warm with some really good quality butter,* or you could just have it by itself alongside a big salad.

It's incredibly quick and easy to make. I had it on the table in 30 minutes (including baking time). Perfect for the days when you feel like something bready but don't want the gluten and grains. It's not a light loaf: coconut flour gives a dense texture and requires quite a few eggs to hold it together. But it's nutrient dense and very filling, so a little goes a long way. I like to use an extra virgin olive oil in the loaf to give it a savoury flavour, but you could substitute coconut oil.

ingredients

• 1� cups coconut flour
• 1 cup ground almonds
• � cup ground flaxseed
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 6 eggs
• � cup olive oil    

preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 180�C and line a loaf tin with baking paper (I use a 23 x 7 cm loaf tin).

2. Combine the coconut flour, ground almonds, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, baking power and salt in a bowl.

3. Lightly beat the eggs and olive oil together to combine, then stir through the dry ingredients until everything is well combined.

4. Press the mixture into the loaf tin and bake in the preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before cutting. 

* I go for organic, grass-fed butter. 

salmon cakes with smashed broccoli

I love these salmon cakes for dinner, breakfast, lunch...pretty much at all times. I get three meals out of them: I have them hot for dinner with broccoli, cold with avocado for breakfast, then crumbled up over a salad for lunch. Win, win, win.

I usually use canned salmon to make the cakes. I buy Fish4Ever brand wild Alaskan red salmon, which includes the skin and the bones (the bones are really soft so you don't notice them at all and they are a great source of calcium). But if you have leftover salmon steaks, they would work well too.

ingredients

for the salmon cakes:

• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 x 213g tins of salmon (or equivalent weight of cooked salmon steaks)
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp coconut flour
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt
• Pepper
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Coconut oil for frying

for the smashed broccoli:

• 1 head of broccoli
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

preparation

1. Separate the broccoli head into florets, then roughly chop the green tops and finely slice the stalks. Boil or steam until just tender and set aside.

 

2. Heat about half a teaspoon of coconut oil in a fry-pan and finely chop the onion and garlic. Saut� the onion in the coconut oil until it starts to soften, then add the garlic and saut� for a further minute or so.

3. Tip the salmon into a large bowl and break it up with a spoon. Stir through the cooked onion and garlic, eggs, parsley, coconut flour and paprika. Season with a good pinch of salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. If the mixture is too runny at this stage, add a little more coconut flour.

4. Heat some more coconut oil in the frypan. Form the salmon mixture into patties and fry on both sides until browned. You will need to do this in a few batches (depending on the size of your fry-pan).

5. Dress the broccoli in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and serve on top of the salmon cakes.

Makes 10 salmon cakes.

nutty protein cookies

These cookies make a great portable breakfast when you don't have time to eat at home. They also do well as a snack. I like to sandwich some nut butter between two of them for a healthy macaron-ish experience. They're packed with protein and good fats, so they'll keep you going for a while.

The cookies are an adapted version of Get Real Living's coconut & flax protein bars, available here. I made them fructose-free, changed up the nuts and seeds to suit what I had on hand, and made them in cookie format because I didn't have the baking dish necessary to make bars. So have a play with what you've got.

ingredients

• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1� tbsp water
• ? cup raw virgin coconut oil
• � cup nut butter made with 100% nuts (I like peanut or almond butter)
• � cup rice malt syrup *
• 1 egg
• 2 cups desiccated coconut
• 1� cups finely chopped almonds
• ? cup raw sunflower seeds
• � cup plain protein powder
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

preparation

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

2. Stir the flaxseed and water together in the bottom of a large bowl.

3. Place the bowl in some hot water in the sink, then stir in the coconut oil, peanut butter and rice malt syrup until all melted together. (If your coconut oil is liquid, you won't need to place the bowl in hot water).

4. Take the bowl out of the sink and beat in the egg.

5. Stir through the desiccated coconut, chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, protein powder, chia seeds, cinnamon and salt.

6. Press the mixture into little patties and place on the tray. They won't spread when baking, so you can place them quite close together. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until slightly browned. 

Makes about 30 cookies.

* I use rice malt syrup because it's fructose-free. You could substitute raw honey or pure maple syrup.

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.

green eggs

 

My version of green eggs is scrambled eggs pimped with greens and served with a fresh green salad for added textural interest. It's a great way to add extra nutrients to eggs in the morning. I also often eat it for a quick lunch or dinner.

It's so simple it barely needs a recipe. If you have any leftover vegetables in the fridge, throw them into the scramble too. Kale is a great addition. Or spinach that is starting to pass its prime. Just chop it up and saut� with the zucchini before adding the eggs.

ingredients

for the scramble:

• 1 tsp raw virgin coconut oil
• 2-3 eggs
• 1 zucchini
• Salt *
• Pepper
• Fresh parsley, roughly chopped

for the green salad:

• Large handful of leafy greens, such as baby spinach, rocket or valeriana
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt *

 

preparation

 

1. Heat the coconut oil in a frypan over a low heat.

 

2. While the frypan is warming up, beat the eggs together in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Grate the zucchini.

 

3. Throw the grated zucchini into the pan and saut� in the oil until it starts to soften and the moisture starts to evaporate.

 

4. Pour the beaten eggs into the pan and stir into the zucchini. Keep moving the egg and zucchini mixture around the pan until the eggs are just cooked through. I usually take the pan off the heat just before the eggs are done and finish them off with the residual heat in the pan. This way you're less likely to overcook the eggs.

 

5. For the salad, simply toss the leafy greens in a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt.

 

6. Serve the scramble on a plate with the salad, and top with the fresh parsley.

 

Serves 1.

 

* I use Himalayan crystal salt because it's high in minerals.