Lean, Clean & Green

Do you feel "the bulge" (aka food baby) on Sunday nights after too many celebratory meals and drinks over the weekend? If you said YES you're not alone! Many people, including myself, have a relaxed approach towards food over the weekend. The brunch, late lunch, and a night out on the town can wreak havoc on your progress if you are trying to slim down. Take heart! Sunday nights are here to help you bounce back and get you ready for an incredible week of eating lean, clean & green! By that I mean:

- Lean meat/fish/chicken/legumes - No processed foods - Lots and lots of green veggies!

This is what I had for by bounce-back Sunday meal:

Grilled Scallops marinated in chilli, garlic, lemon juice & coriander

Fresh summer salad with baby spinach, avocado, yellow capsicum, fresh figs and a light sprinkling of goats cheese fetta

Fresh broccolini and asparagus steamed and mixed with tahini yoghurt, pine nuts and fresh basil (from my garden)

A perfect way to kickstart your new week feeling fabulous and motivated!

Let's make this week count!

Question: What is your favourite way to bounce back?

Chocolate-dipped Figs

I love summer. Especially the fruit that comes with it. So much so that when I go for my morning jog around my neighbourhood I search out overgrown fruit trees that might just be hanging over a fence somewhere. And this morning - to my delight - the moment was there. A fig tree. Next to a car park. It stood there like its been waiting for me to eat from its fruit for years. Well that's how it felt. If you're a fruit lover you'll know exactly what I mean. So I picked as many ripe ones as I could find.

I love the sweetness of its centre. Syrupy yet crunchy. And the colour is so...rustic. Delightful!

I simply had to make it into a sweet treat - healthy of course! So this is how you can do it! Ingredients: Cacao powder Coconut oil Agave/maple syrup Figs Crushed macadamias

Chocolate - the amount you'll make will depend on the number of figs you have. Just mix together cacao powder and coconut oil until you get a dipping chocolate consistency and then add agave/maple syrup to taste.

Crush the macadamia nuts.

Dip figs in chocolate & roll in nuts. Lay on a plate lined with wax paper or sprayed with oil. Voila!!

Protein Banana Bites

If you are like me you are always looking for new ideas to make snacks exciting, tasty, and healthy. It is important to eat 3 meals per day and 2 to 3 snacks in between depending on your activity level. Including snacks will help you regulate blood sugar levels, reduce cravings for unhealthy foods, and help achieve your recommended daily intake for vitamins and minerals. Choosing the right types of nibbles will keep your hunger levels in check. So when lunch or dinner time creeps up, you make good choices and don't eat until you feel you'll explode. It's a win-win really.

This is my latest favourite to spice up snack time. High in protein (from vegan sprouted brown rice protein powder) to keep your tank full until dinner time. Low in fat. High in taste. 100% satisfying.

Ingredients: 1 small banana 3/4 of a scoop protein powder (I like Sunwarrior vanilla brown rice protein) 1 egg white 1/2 tsp vanilla paste 1 Tbsp almond milk (or any other milk) 1/2 tsp coconut oil 1 tsp cinnamon 1 Tbsp low fat Greek yoghurt

Method:

Combine protein powder, egg white, vanilla paste and almond milk to form a batter-like consistency. Chop banana into wheels and gently coat the banana with the batter using a spoon. Heat your pan to medium-high and coat the pan with coconut oil. Spoon each banana wheel gently onto the hot pan. Cook 1-2 min on each side or until golden. Combine cinnamon and yoghurt. Serve warm banana bites with cinnamon yoghurt.

**Handy Hint: have these for dessert after dinner , make extra, and save it for your snack the next day (ideal for those who work full-time)! These smell AMAZING - it was really hard to resist eating them during the photo shoot.

This recipe is gluten free and can also be vegan/dairy free if you leave out the yogurt. This is the ideal snack to keep you full and energised until dinner. It is low GI and only 700kJ or 167 calories per serve.

Extra ideas and variations:

- Add cacao powder for a healthy chocolate substitute. - If you don't like banana you can use apple, pears or peaches instead. - Add lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice for an almost-lemon-meringue-pie taste

Tropical Sunrise Breakfast

You have to look twice at this photo or you'll think it's a dessert. It is in fact BREAKFAST. And YES it is healthy and dietitian-approved :)

This is the perfect recipe for those balmy Saturday mornings before strolling down to the beach, for wowing your overnight guests the next morning, or to impress your other half with breakfast in bed! It is so quick to make, tastes delicious and makes you feel like you've just woken up on a tropical island. Here's how:

Ingredients: 1 banana 1 passionfruit 1 tsp coconut oil 1/2 cup low fat Greek yoghurt 1 tsp maple syrup

Method: Heat pan on medium to high heat. Add coconut oil to pan. Slice banana in half lengthwise. Pan-fry the banana on both sides until golden. Serve with passionfruit, yoghurt & maple syrup.

The combination is magical - like a Hawaiian party in your mouth. Your body will love you too! Banana is the perfect fruit to fuel you up for the looong summer day ahead. Passionfruit has a long list of good-for-you ingredients. It is rich in vitamins A and C - powerful antioxidants that will keep you young and glowing! It is also rich in fibre which is great for keeping you regular and for fighting off those unwanted kilos. Low fat Greek yoghurt is high in protein and good bacteria to keep your muscles and tummy happy :)

This summer...inject some TROPICAL into your day - no matter where you are!

A Dietitian's Breakfast

At first glance you might not be convinced…

How can a dietitian have chocolate for breakfast?

Well you see this isn’t just ANY chocolate, this is Organic Raw Dark Chocolate with 73% cacao sweetened with organic evaporated coconut nectar – the way chocolate SHOULD be eaten. This is the real deal. It is almost like eating chocolate straight from the bean of the cacao tree. Antioxidants anyone?

Anyway, this post isn’t about the health benefits of cacao (as much as I’d like to go on about it). This is about my breakfast this morning, a little something I like to call the….

Choc-Berry Bowl of Goodness (makes one serve)

Ingredients: ½ cup of rolled oats ½ cup of milk (soy/almond/rice/oat) ½ cup of water 1 small banana ½ cup blueberries 2 squares of organic raw dark chocolate

Method: Place the oats, milk and water in a bowl and microwave for 1 min. Stir the oats and add sliced banana. Microwave for another minute. Take out of microwave. Top with chopped chocolate squares and blueberries. Yum!!!

A bowl of delicious creamy, chocolatey, oaty goodness!

The best part is when the chocolate starts to melt and it covers the oats and blueberries in a glossy chocolate glow! I bet you’re already eating with your eyes…

Why should you eat this? Blueberries and Cacao are VERY high in antioxidants which will help you fight free-radicals that have been shown to cause cancer and other diseases. Antioxidants help to slow down the ageing process and encourage the natural glow of your skin.  Oats is a wonderful food as it provides loads of soluble fibre that is great for keeping you regular. It is also a dieter’s dream as it gives you sustained energy and a feeling fullness as it swells up in the digestive tract. All of these foods are loaded with vitamins and minerals that will perform many weird and wonderful things in your body and make you feel like you’re on top of the world!

Question: What is your favourite breakfast?

Quinoa, Chia and Cacao…

I’m sure you’ve seen these words being thrown around in your latest issue of ‘body & soul’ magazine, your local health shop or at the neighbourhood farmer’s market. If you are anything like me, you’re probably a bit sceptical about “new” foods appearing like this, especially if you can’t even get past the first syllable when trying to pronounce it. But are these “superfoods” just a money-making scheme or can it actually benefit your health? Well here is the lowdown: Quinoa is pronounced “keen-wah” and is not a grain but actually a seed.

It is however an excellent substitute for grains as it is easy to cook, naturally gluten-free and high in protein. In fact, it contains all 9 amino acids that are required by the body for building muscle, making it a complete protein source! Who needs protein powder?

It is also a GREAT source of fibre, to help keep those bowels regular and waistline in check. Need more convincing?

Quinoa is a great source of phosphorous, magnesium and iron, especially when you compare it to grains like wheat or barley. These minerals help form healthy bones, strong muscles and take part in biochemical reactions within your body to give you energy that will outlast the energizer bunny!

This little nifty seed will give you an energy boost now, but will also sustain you well into the next 3-4 hours after eating it. Want to know how to incorporate it into your daily diet?

Have a look at this delicious recipe you can try for breakfast, or even as a snack or for dessert. There are ofcourse many other tasty and healthy ways you can have your quinoa, including savoury dishes. But I am on a bit of a sweet tooth wagon right now, and all things sweet, creamy or chocolate-y is attracting my attention on pinterest today!

Stay updated for more posts this week on other superfoods like chia seeds, cacao and your leafy greens!

The Humble Cup

One of my friends popped over last week during her lunch break for a quick catch-up and a debrief of how her wedding plans are coming along (I'm her bridesmaid - yay!).   She already had her lunch packed, so I thought what better way than a perfectly brewed pot of tea to try and keep my friend here as long as I can (muahahaha).  

As I was looking over my selection of teas  deciding on which one to make, I got thinking about the custom of drinking tea and the benefits that come from it.

Tea is believed to be the most popular drink in the world, after water. The british alone consume 165 million cups per day or 60.2 billion per year. That is a lot of tea! So what are the benefits? I'm glad you asked...

1. Antioxidants - helps us fight free radicals (nasties that causes cancer/disease/ageing)
2. Less caffeine - an average cup of coffee contains 135mg of caffeine whereas tea only has 30mg per cup
3. L-theanine - an amino acid in tea that keeps us calm yet allert and enhances our mood. Who needs coffee?
4. Fat burner - clinical trials have shown that green tea raises metabolism and speeds up fat oxidation!
5. Studies have shown that people who drink tea have stronger bones possibly due to the polyphenols found in tea.

I can go on and on about how good tea is for you because there are just so many benefits!

But if there is only one thing I want you to get out of today it would be to:

Drink more tea, not coffee!  Savour it, enjoy it and think of how your body is going to love you for it!

It really is a humble cup...quite frankly I think it deserves a gold medal!

Question of the day:

What is your favourite tea?

Mine is Rooibos, a traditional South African tea that is grown only in the highlands of the Cape region. It means "Red Bush" if directly translated and it is a dark warm red colour when brewed. It is naturally sweet and it has MANY health benefits. Just talk to your fellow South African friend and they will tell you...

My favourite way to drink Rooibos in summer - Rooibos Iced Tea Cooler. You will love it!

The Humble Cup

One of my friends popped over last week during her lunch break for a quick catch-up and a debrief of how her wedding plans are coming along (I'm her bridesmaid - yay!).   She already had her lunch packed, so I thought what better way than a perfectly brewed pot of tea to try and keep my friend here as long as I can (muahahaha).  

As I was looking over my selection of teas  deciding on which one to make, I got thinking about the custom of drinking tea and the benefits that come from it.

Tea is believed to be the most popular drink in the world, after water. The british alone consume 165 million cups per day or 60.2 billion per year. That is a lot of tea! So what are the benefits? I'm glad you asked...

1. Antioxidants - helps us fight free radicals (nasties that causes cancer/disease/ageing)
2. Less caffeine - an average cup of coffee contains 135mg of caffeine whereas tea only has 30mg per cup
3. L-theanine - an amino acid in tea that keeps us calm yet allert and enhances our mood. Who needs coffee?
4. Fat burner - clinical trials have shown that green tea raises metabolism and speeds up fat oxidation!
5. Studies have shown that people who drink tea have stronger bones possibly due to the polyphenols found in tea.

I can go on and on about how good tea is for you because there are just so many benefits!

But if there is only one thing I want you to get out of today it would be to:

Drink more tea, not coffee!  Savour it, enjoy it and think of how your body is going to love you for it!

It really is a humble cup...quite frankly I think it deserves a gold medal!

Question of the day:

What is your favourite tea?

Mine is Rooibos, a traditional South African tea that is grown only in the highlands of the Cape region. It means "Red Bush" if directly translated and it is a dark warm red colour when brewed. It is naturally sweet and it has MANY health benefits. Just talk to your fellow South African friend and they will tell you...

My favourite way to drink Rooibos in summer - Rooibos Iced Tea Cooler. You will love it!