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Cleansing Winter Ginger & Pear Smoothie

in Cleanse, Drinks, gf, Gut Health, Recipes 0

This is a powerhouse smoothie for winter. With the ski season upon us and the cold, cold days, it is important to be gentle to our digestive system and also keep our energy levels up. This smoothie is also great to support our immune system and ensure our fibre intake is adequate to keep things ‘regular’. It really does tick every box for a fully balanced meal in a cup. Enjoy!

Note: Do not add ice. It is important to keep your smoothies tepid as colder meals shock your digestive system in the winter months.

 

Ingredients:

  • ½ pear washed and diced
  • ½ large banana
  • 4 walnuts
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • ½ cup raw unsweetened almond milk (or other milk of choice)
  • 1/4 cup filtered water at room temperature
  • 4 tbsp organic rolled oats
  • 2 tbsp organic natural Greek yogurt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ cm fresh ginger, peeled (or less depending on how much you like ginger)
  • 1 tsp organic Spirulina powder

 

Additional options to add:

  • Protein powder (we like Vital Green Vital Pea Protein)
  • 1 scoop NutraOrganics Collagen powder (great for your hair & nails in winter)
  • 1/4 Avocado
  • 1/2 cup washed spinach leaves

 

Throw everything in a blender and blend until desired consistency. You can always add more water if you choose to. We like ours on the thick side, almost to the point you eat it with a spoon… ‘chewing’ your smoothie also helps to stimulate the digestion process. Pour into a tall glass, sit down and enjoy!

 

Image credit: Pinterest
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French Socca Crepes (aka chickpea flatbread)

in gf, Gut Health, Recipes 0

Socca is a traditional French dish from Nice (and the neighbouring Italian coastline). There are many variations of this super simple and neutral dish, so feel free to add your own flair!  Sarah Wilson has also created a fermented version in her cookbook Simplicious. Below we have given you the traditional French version and Sarah’s version.

Socca closely represents a pancake or crepe. It is like an omelette meets a French galette. You can even use them as a pizza base! It is a big winner in our gluten & egg allergic household.

Chickpea flour can be found in most supermarkets. It can also be called besan or garbanzo bean flour. Due to the dry nature of the flour, it is best to let it sit for at least 10 minute before cooking.

Traditional Recipe:

  • 150g chickpea (besan) flour
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for cooking

Method:

  1. Sift flour into a bowl. Whisk in water, oil and 1 tsp salt.
  2. Stand, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.
  3. Heat a small to medium non stick frying pan over a high heat. Brush with oil. For a smokier flavour, cook the batter in a cast-iron pan in the oven under the grill.
  4. Pour 1/3 cup batter into pan, making sure it spreads evenly. Cook 1 – 2 minutes (look for small bubbles), then flip and cook other side or until crispy on edges and golden. Transfer to wire rack.
  5. Enjoy warm straight away with your chosen topping (see our suggestions below) or simply re heat for brekkie the next day. We often use them like a wrap and place them in the sandwich press.

Sarah Wilson’s Recipe:

  • 100 gr chickpea flour
  • 1 tsp apple cider or lemon juice
  • 300 ml water
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • pinch salt

Method:

  1. Take a bowl and add the chickpea flour, the apple cider vinegar and the salt together in a bowl and mix together. Cover with a clean towel and leave to stand overnight.
  2. The next day at the coconut oil (melted) and stir together.
  3. Then follow the above cooking method.

Suggested Toppings:

  • Sauteed mushrooms with fresh thyme and goats curd
  • Ham off the bone with gruyere cheese and free thyme
  • Smoked salmon with fresh lemon, dill & wilted spinach
  • Fresh scrambled eggs with parsley, bacon & tomato chutney

 

 

Image credit: Pinterest – cashew-kitchen.com
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The Buzz About Honey

in Gut Health, Health & Wellbeing 1

Did you know that honey has been used for thousands of years to promote the healing of wounds and curing disease? We were super excited to read a recent article published in The Age, Healthy Buzz As Honey Proves Pot Of Gold Against Superbugs. The article discusses the recent results of honey’s antibacterial and antimicrobial properties being able to kill off antibiotic resistant superbugs. This is BIG news. Read Full Article.

At GRW, we are big advocates of not cutting out food groups, and this recent article supports that philosophy. People who cut out sugar 100% are missing out on the nutritional benefits of many foods such as raw honey, fresh seasonal fruits and even chocolate! The key is ALWAYS quality over quantity.

Benefits of Pure Raw Honey

  • Improves gut health, cardiovascular health & reduces cancer risk*
  • Antiseptic – heals wounds & burns
  • Antibiotic
  • Probiotic (6 species of lactobacilli and 4 species of bifidobacteria)
  • Helps to regulate blood sugar levels
  • Anti-oxidant & cleansing properties
  • Reduces scarring & inflammation
  • Reduces cough & throat irritations
  • Treats digestive issues such as diarrhoea, indigestion, stomach ulcers & gastro
  • Reduces symptoms of seasonal allergies (if locally sourced)

 

How to Choose Your Honey

  • Make sure its pure and raw (nectar from the flower) – raw honey is unprocessed, unheated and unpasteurized. This means all of its vitamins, phytonutrients and enzymes are intact (B vitamins, Vit C, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium).
  • Make sure the bee pollen hasn’t been removed. Most commercial honey pots have had the pollen removed.
  • Source local honey. Apparently if you consume honey from your local area, it will help protect you from seasonal allergies due to the honey containing biomes from your local environment. Melbourne has a great range of local honey, some categorised down to the suburb! Get online and have a look at Melbourne City Rooftop Honey, Amazing Bees, Aussie Apiarists Online,  You can even make a weekend trip out of it and visit a honey farm, such as Pure Peninsula Honey on the Mornington Peninsula.

 

How to Supercharge Your Honey

There is an incredible food synergy when you mix honey with cinnamon, bee pollen, ACV and ginger. This increases the potency of the honey and increases its beneficial properties.

 

How to Use Your Honey

Now that you are inspired to include good quality raw honey in your diet, make sure you drizzle it on your porridge, add it to your salad dressings and enjoy it on your Greek Yoghurt. There are also a huge range of home remedies you can find for raw honey.

Notes:

  • Raw honey will crystallise so simply sit the pot in some warm water to soften it again.
  • You should never heat your raw honey above 35-40 degrees. This will destroy the beneficial properties. Apparently the internal temperature of a bee hive never goes above 35C. This is controlled by the busy bees!
Source: draxe.com; care2.com
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Autoimmune Apple-Spice Tea Cookies

in gf, Gut Health, Recipes 3

My son is currently undergoing a gut rehabilitation protocol under the collaborative guidance of his Gastroenterologists and Allergist. Oliver has a severe allergy to several nuts and eggs. We are hoping that over the next 18 months, we will successfully rebuild his gut to allow him to tolerate these foods in the near future. Along with a morning smoothie pimped with specific strains of probiotics, glutamine, colostrum and Vitamin D, he is also to incorporate a daily leafy green salad and avoid gluten and sugar. Anyway, I have had to re-think the lunchbox bake ups and pre footy snacks. After doing some homework, I stumbled across Mickey Prescott’s cookbook The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook (not that we are paleo), however, her recipes are gluten free, egg free, nut free and refined sugar free. Yes, baking is a ‘mission impossible’ in our house! So, you can imagine how delighted I was to find her Apple Spice Tea Cookie’s. Enjoy!

 

Makes 8 cookies

 

Ingredients:

  • 65g fine shredded coconut (unsweetened)
  • 2 tbs coconut flour
  • 1 apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
  • 8 dates, pitted
  • 2 tbs coconut oil, plus extra, for greasing
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (GRW suggestion to try nutmeg in another batch for variety)
  • Pinch sea salt

 

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 170 C
  2. Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until a thick paste forms. Form into 8 round, flat cookies and place on a baking tray greased with a little coconut oil.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes, or until barely golden. The cookies will still be a little soft; let cool completely before serving.

 

Variation:

Feel free to use pears for this recipe. You can also use dried figs instead of dates for a less sweet cookie.

 

Storage:

Keeps in a the refrigerator for a week. Also freezes well.

Image:

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Raspberry Jelly Cups For Gut Health

in Gut Health, Recipes 0

This is an incredibly simple, nutritious and gut friendly daily treat for the whole family. The essential gut healthy ingredient is gelatin powder. We recommend using Great Lakes Gelatin or Sarah Wilson’s Gut Lovin Gelatin. Gelatin is simply cooked collagen, reduced to a pure protein powder (dehydrated bone broth).  It is high in protein and contains 18 amino acids, essential for cell repair and growth. The gelatin in these jellies will help heal your gut, lubricate your joints and make your skin glow. Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

  • 500g frozen organic raspberries (use fresh when in season) – you can also use any other combination of berries!
  • 500ml filtered water
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp gelatin powder (we like Great Lakes Gelatin or Gut Lovin Gelatin)

 

Method:

  • Bring frozen berries and water to the boil. Then reduce and simmer for 10 mins.
  • Place a fine sieve over a bowl and pour the liquid into the sieve. Press the mixture firmly with a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. (Keep the pulp to stir through your morning porridge or add to some homemade pancakes or muffins!).
  • Add gelatin powder to the liquid and whisk until dissolved.
  • Re strain through the sieve into another bowl to remove any stray lumps and seeds.
  • Divide into approx 8 ramekins and place in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

 

To Serve:

Eat this fabulous guilt-free gut friendly snack as is, or serve up for dessert with some organic vanilla bean or coconut yoghurt and fresh berries.

 

Photo Credit: Pinterest