Foodie Friday…It’s Winter Now

Porridge kinda weather here in Brisbane right now.

That time of year when winter has arrived and the body is often seeking a different form of nourishment.

Here is my almond meal porridge…it’s truly delicious and with a little prep, it’s ready in no time at all.  I love it with berries on top.  When they’re not in season I keep some of the organic ones in the freezer.  Or, when in season I steam some fresh rhubarb which is equally delicious.  You choose, Enjoy 🙂

Almond Meal Porridge

Fruit & Nut Slice

It’s a classic…this is one of the very first recipes I created myself.  Out of a desire to eat healthier and yet still enjoy a little treat.

Whether you see it as a weakness or not, I still love to sit and enjoy a coffee (long black is my fav!) and share in a little sweety treat.  Eating clean and healthy and following great lifestyle choices that enhance my everyday living, doesn’t mean it’s boring and doesn’t mean I go without.  I honestly believe this is why I’ve been able to continue to live this healthier lifestyle.

I know I’ve shared this recipe previously and if you’re over it, then please just delete it.  What I do hope for, is that this reaches someone who really enjoys and gets just as much enjoyment and inspiration in the kitchen as I do – when I first created it and for every occasion I’ve made it since – it always gets lots of compliments when sharing with others and for me that’s part of the joy in creating delicious, nourishing foods.

Of course, with all my recipes just adjust it to your own tastes and likings.  This is a great one for also using what you already have in the pantry.  It’s that no stress, no fuss approach I enjoy in my own kitchen.  You don’t have pistachios…no problem, just replace it with another type of nut!  Have fun with it 🙂

Another Passionfruit Recipe!

Passionfruit, Pistachio & Cranberry…Muffins

Just to keep you inspired in the kitchen, the family well nourished…or even better the kiddies can get in the kitchen and create their own nourishment. Have fun 🙂

Passionfruit Pistachio & Cranberry Muffins

 

 

Muffins…Yes Please!

Our passionfruit vine is definitely on the grow…Click on the link below for a delicious recipe for using your passionfruit this season.

Choc Chia & Passionfruit Muffins

Other great uses for passionfruit…

• Smoothies
• Chia Porridge
• Stand and eat…like, they’re so delicious, sometimes you don’t need to do anything with them, but just enjoy 🙂

Share your passionfruit ideas here with us.  Happy Baking!

Spring has arrived…

Hooray!!!  Who else is doing the happy dance now that Spring has arrived here in Australia?

It’s such a beautiful time of year, on so many levels.  From the change to warmer temperatures, the different times of sunrise and sunset, not so challenging getting out of bed in the cold, I start to eat more salads, the BBQ gets used more, new seasonal foods arrive at the markets, everything is greener and usually blossoming…it sure does have such a different energy.

And all of this, also means ‘Smoothie Time’!!

So many creations, options are endless, using new seasonal ingredients.  This one was all about Kale, Banana, Blueberries, Avocado and a splash of coconut water and almond milk = yum.  With smoothies, it’s usually the ‘less is more’ approach.

Feel welcome to share with us, what it is you love about this time of year or what’s one of your favourite smoothies to create.

Happy Spring Time, Lovelies 🙂

Curry…

For me, curry is that ‘anytime’ of year kinda meal.  I can eat a great curry in both winter and summer.

Well, I made one just recently and guess what…totally forgot to take photos and share with you all!!  It was delicious though, so I’ve put together a few of the ingredients I used and I’ll try and articulate a kinda recipe for you 🙂  You know my style right? I do love creating in the kitchen on the fly, so I am relying upon my memory.  So, as with all my kinda recipes – use your intuition, preferences and tastebuds. Oh and be sure to taste test!!

I usually make my own curry paste, it’s super, super easy to do.  Throw all the ingredients in the blender, adjust the liquid and magic, you’re done in about 2 minutes!!

So, for this one I threw into the blender, roughly chopped

• Lemongrass
• Fresh Garlic
• Bit of red chilli…I didn’t use all of this, about a quarter
• Knob of Ginger
• Fresh Lime Juice and Zest
• And adjusted the liquid consistency with a splash of coconut milk
• Oh and a good handful of the Himalayan salt

Good thing is, if you make more than you need…you can freeze the leftovers ready for your next curry 🙂

I used red lentils and boiled them in my homemade bone broth.  In a separate pan I sautéed the curry paste, added a whole stack of veggies – this time I used some baby kipfler potatoes, onion and honestly I can’t remember what other veggies I threw in there.  But you get the idea…they just slowly simmered away til cooked.  And towards the end I added the red lentils and at the very end I added a fillet of fresh fish, diced.

Talk about a hearty, nourishing meal. And I find this meal is easy on my digestion and even better there were leftovers, big thumbs up 🙂

D E S S E R T N I G H T

If you live in Brisbane and would love to come along to a yummy dessert night, bring your girlie friends, sister, mum, daughter – for laughter, chats and a relaxing evening then grab the details from the flyer below, send me your rsvp.  See you on July 7.

Soup

Need I say anymore!!

Well, I finished making the first batch of homemade bone broth yesterday…it simmered away all day on the stove top.  Right now, I have packaged it into serving-size portions and popped about 4 portions of it in the freezer.

So, what better use for homemade broth than homemade soup.  Here is one of my favourite winter soups.

Carrot, Coconut & Coriander Soup.  Once again, keeping it easy to make – less is more! Great to make in larger batches and freeze.  Have on hand for those occasions when your time may be a little shortened.

If you’re following the recipe, just replace the quantity of water with the bone broth/stock.  Click on the link below and create your magic, enjoy 🙂

Carrot Coconut & Coriander Soup

That ‘No Excuses’ Approach

And so, we’re underway…with the first batch of my homemade bone broth.  All in preparation for these upcoming cooler winter months here in Brisbane.

My kitchen was the place to be earlier this morning, as the ginger, chilli, bones, celery, peppercorns, garlic, carrot and onion got covered with water and began the slow simmer on the stove top for the many hours to come.  Right now, the smell is covering the whole house!

The cooler months for me are NOT a time of year that I love.  I have worked out, over a period of time that I actually don’t thrive in the cold weather.  After losing my weight I realised the feeling of cold was not only unfamiliar but a bit like feeling unsafe.  When I carried all that excess weight I never felt the cold.  As my trainer said to me, it’s like shedding your doona, Kylie!!  Having learned this about myself, now helps me deal with the change of seasons a little better.

I realised I need to implement that ‘no excuses’ approach even more in winter.  Don’t let winter be an excuse for eating poorly…remember, our nourishment is all about harmony, conscious eating choices that nourish for YOUR body.  No eating plan will ever be sustainable if you feel deprived.  So, enjoy it all…when you’re in the moment eating that raw treat, just love it.  Love it as much as you would a piece of dark chocolate, a green smoothie, a cup of herbal tea, a green salad or a piece of salmon.

I do adjust my schedule entirely when it starts to get cold. If you find yourself not flourishing in the cold, then here are a few strategies I use, that may also help you too:

• My alarm goes off 1 hour later in winter (I start this around Easter time);
• I’m even more conscious of ‘comfort eating’!  It can be easy to fall into a trap of warm winter desserts on the couch!
• I tend to exercise around mid-late afternoon, as opposed to the early mornings;
• Layering…I find it works really well in helping to keep me warm;
• I definitely add soup to the regular menu and having batches of things like the bone broth on hand helps with this.  It’s easy to freeze in portion sizes;
• Another thing to consider is the type of exercise you are doing.  For example does your body need more yoga and less running when it’s cold?  Invite a conversation with yourself around this;
• Are you getting enough vitamin d?  My regular morning ritual is to sit in the early morning sun for approx. 20 minutes…I do this most days.  I find it rejuvenating and sets me up for a great day ahead;
• Have you considered what you are nourishing on?  Look at the different and seasonal fresh foods available.  Seasonal foods usually equal great value and quality.

I’m fortunate that my lifestyle facilitates these adjustments.  Remember, do what you can with your lifestyle.  We ALL have the power to change our choices to improve our lifestyle.

There are so many lifestyle choices and changes we can all make to flourish to our best throughout the entire year.  I’m sharing mine with you here.  Feel welcome to share your ideas with us and play with what best works for you 🙂

Mmmm, Warming Porridge

Are you noticing the change in seasons now that autumn is here in Brisbane and surrounds?  Mornings sure are a little fresher!  I’ve even starting to grab some clothes from my ‘winter wardrobe’.

Do you start to look for a different level of nutrition using different sources of  ingredients? Do you change your eating styles with the change of seasons?  Have you noticed a change in supply of fresh produce at your local markets?

Does your body send you messages?  And, more importantly, do you listen?  I’m not just talking about food here, I’m referring to things you may not have considered? Like,

• Do you start to feel you need more sleep?
• Do you find yourself exercising in the afternoon rather than the morning?
• Is your skin dry/extra dry?
• Are you drinking less water?  Perhaps you prefer to drink it at room temperature?

My body sends me messages, for sure!  The biggest indicator for me about the change of seasons is from my skin.  It becomes super thirsty for a daily dose of natures vitamin d, aka sunshine and extra moisturiser.  My skin drinks up the moisturiser in the cooler months and mostly at this time of year, I actually change my moisturiser to a richer, thicker style especially for the cold.

In fact, since regaining my health and losing all my weight I have worked out that I really don’t thrive when it’s cold and so each year I learn new things about myself.  Ultimately, when it’s cold here, I think I should just pack my suitcase and hang out over on the beaches of Spain or somewhere equally stunning!!

Well, seeing as I just can’t fit this into my schedule or budget right now, I’ll have to just keep nourishing, learning and listening to my body.

For me, an enjoyable way to spend a cool winter morning is, sitting on the front deck in the sunshine, soaking up the vitamin d and enjoying a warming bowl of porridge.  Here is one of my favourite breakfast recipes – Almond Meal Porridge.  As you know with all my recipes you can adjust it to suit your own needs and likes.  Hazelnut Meal adds a yummy variation to this.  You could even use oats – have fun getting creative 🙂

Warm, nourishing, fuels the body for hours and follows my usual style of clean eating – gluten and dairy free. It’s not something I eat every morning, but when I do, I really enjoy it.  Click on the link below for the recipe…

Almond Meal Porridge