Dandelion Root Detox Brew

As the temperature drops, drawing closer to the longest night of the year, I seek warm earthy drinks that compliment my detox. One of the best herbs/plants for detoxing the liver and aiding digestion is dandelion. The root especially has strong detox benefits. You can buy roasted dandelion root at most health food stores but if you want to keep it in it's most beneficial form please choose one that is not sweetened. A brand I know well is Bonvit (http://www.bonvit.com.au/dandelion_blend.html). A combination of roasted dandelion root and chicory results in a earthy beverage that many call a substitute for coffee. Similar to my views on carob being a substitute for chocolate, it's best not to think of dandelion root as a substitute but rather flavour all its own.

This is a warm, earthy and slightly tangy brew which I've been enjoying in the evenings.

Ingredients

• 1 heaped teaspoon of Bonvit roasted dandelion blend (medium ground but you can use any)
• chopped fresh ginger
• finely sliced lime or lemon peel with as little of the pith as possible
• almond, soy or preferred milk (optional)

Method

• I prefer to brew this with a tea strainer as I don't really like the dandelion root dregs
• In your preferred tea pot, pour boiling water over the dandelion, ginger and lime/lemon peel
• Let this brew for a couple of minutes
• Enjoy with or without your preferred milk and sweeten with honey if you wish

Results

It isn't coffee and when you drink it with that in mind this is a really lovely beverage. Something to be aware of is that if you are using almond or soy milk, if the dandelion is too strong (like if you make really strong coffee) your milk may curdle. It's still okay to drink it just doesn't look so great. Getting the balance can be a bit of an art form - but it's worth it.

Verdict

The lime/lemon peel is a really special touch to this brew. Using the peel means you are getting the essential oils out of the skin which often gets thrown away. This is a winner for those wanting a warm earthy drink in the evening.

A word on dandelion

As children we picked them and made a wish as we blew the ball of faeries in all directions. As adults we might be less inclined to do the same when we know those faeries carry seeds that can create more dandelions all over our lawn. I for one find it difficult to resist.

Be it the firm yellow flower or the round seed head - dandelions make me smile. But it was only in recent years that I learned that this humble 'weed' was packed full of goodness.

The main parts of the dandelion that are used therapeutically are the leaves and the root. The leaves are said to have a diuretic effect and helps to purify the blood. The root is known for its detoxifying benefits or supporting liver function and as a bitter it also stimulates the digestive system. The root can also have a laxative effect on some people.

After a workshop I did with a herb enthusiast I wasn't quite ready to go out into my garden and pick the numerous dandelion scattered through out my lawn and growing up between the cracks of my pavement. Perhaps it's the fact that my dog uses my lawn as her own personal toilet or that my brother has been known to come around when I'm not there and spray my weeds.

Thankfully dandelion leaves and roots can be bought in tea, herb and health food shops.

Juicing for detox

I've been doing well on my detox for the past three weeks and am now at the stage of doing my two day juice fast. To be honest I'm not really sure that juice fasting is ideal for my body so with the guidance of my naturopath I am doing my first day with only juices and my second day will be mostly juices. But that's not why I'm writing this post.

I wanted to share a common juice to aid the body in detoxifying. I say common because it's often found at Boost Juice bars and other juicing places. The key detoxifying ingredients are celery and beetroot.

Ingredients

• Beetroot
• Carrot
• Celery (including some leaves)
• Orange, lemon or pineapple
• Cucumber
• Ginger
• Water

Putting it together

Look at that beautiful collection of vegetables and fruit. All certified organic and bursting with goodness.

• The quantities you see there are exactly what I used (well, aside from the huge chunk of ginger and the whole orange and beetroot added to the image for effect)
• I use a cold press juicer. My juicer is a Oscar Vital Max. The cold pressed method means that the juice retains its nutrients and enzymes and in my experience you get more juice out of less vegetables and fruit. It's also really easy to clean which certainly gets my vote. To learn more about this type of juicer you can visit Vitality4Life.
• As with any juicer the method is basically to put your vegetables and fruit and let the juicer do the work. I use certified organic and juice them with skins on (all but the orange peel)
• Add the water at the end. Water is important because fresh juice is quite strong especially if you have something like beetroot in it. 
• Pour it into a glass and drink within half an hour for maximum benefit.

Result

It has an impressive colour and it tastes pretty good. Be aware that with a cold pressed juicer you get more juice from the whole food - so be sparing with your ginger if you're not too fond of it. I love it so my juice was darn spicy! 

Creamy buckwheat and vegetable soup

Soup is one of my favourite things about cold weather. Tonight after driving through the rain and traffic that was double the congestion as I'm used to, I set to work brewing my dinner. On my detox I am required to have protein at lunch and dinner. I had chicken soup for lunch so I wasn't keen on having the same for dinner. I didn't have any fish at home and my affinity with beans still needs some work. Then I remembered a recipe a friend of mine had graciously shared with me. Her mother's chicken soup avgolemono - Greek egg-lemon chicken soup.

In true adventurous style I tested the question, 'can you use the avgolemono in any soup?'

Ingredients

• 1/2 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 zucchini, chopped
• 1 small stick celery, chopped
• 2 large button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 small flowerettes of broccoli, chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp Bob's Red Mill Creamy Buckwheat (partially stone ground buckwheat)
• 750ml water
• Stock powder or cube
• Two eggs
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Putting it together

• In a pot put all the vegetables (except the broccoli) in the pot with the water and stock.
• Bring to the boil
• Add the buckwheat and stir
• Cover and let simmer for about 7 minutes
• Whilst that is simmering separate your egg whites from your yolks
• Whisk your egg whites until you have very soft peaks
• Add your lemon juice and keep whisking
• Add your broccoli to your soup (not the egg mixture)
• Get a ladle and fill your ladle with the broth from your simmering soup
• Slowly add it to your egg whites and keep whisking them for about a minute
• Mix in the egg yolk to your egg white mixture
• By this stage it is looking less soft peaks and more frothy egg mix
• Making sure your soup isn't boiling, pour your egg mixture into it stirring the whole time. 
• Keep stirring for about 30 seconds then turn off the heat.
• Serve it up

Result

This is a protein rich, vegetable soup with the added umph of buckwheat. The flavour of lemon is delightfully tangy without being weird.  All and all, it's a winner. A complete meal in a bowl.

Verdict

This is definitely a keeper in my repertoire. You do need to watch that you don't boil the soup after you've added the egg mixture. If you do, your soup looks more like curds and whey than creamy soup. I really like the addition of the buckwheat.

Links and information

Benefits of buckwheat: Buckwheat is high in insoluble fibre and is a good source of protein and B vitamins and is rich in phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, and calcium.
Learn more about buckwheat and its nutritional benefits

Bob's Red Mill products can be found and select supermarkets like IGAs or Leo's. They are also usually stocked at health food stores.

Bella's arsenal for cold and flu

It is that time of year and I am surrounded by people sneezing, coughing, sniffing, blowing, and generally sounding either nasally, husky or a little like Barry White. It is cold and flu season and it is the season I break out my tried and true remedies.

Firstly, the title of this blog may be a little misleading. I am of the school of thought that the cold and the flu are two very different beasts. The following remedies and guidelines are for colds but may be of assistance for the early stages of the flu too.

My methods are about supporting the body to do what it does best - work hard to bring me back to a state of wellness.

Two days ago I woke with a whopping sinus headache, a suprisingly chesty cough and a sore throat. Considering how many sick people I had been around I was not surprised that the beastly cold was trying to take hold of me too. I whipped right into action.

Ingredients

• Sleep
• Water
• Lemon or lime
• Raw honey
• Ginger
• Herbal tea of choice (optional)
• Fusion Health Cold & Flu tablets (or liquid if you're feeling brave)
• Pure essential oils: Lavender, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Rosemary
• Moisturiser or carrier oil (almond, olive etc.)
• Vapouriser or bowl of hot water
• Gentle exercise

Avoid

• Dairy & soy
• Caffeine (optional)
• Eating unhealthily

I know sometimes when you feel less than fresh that you can get this irrational desire to eat unhealthily. Why? I don't know but try to avoid giving in to that desire.

Putting it together

Sleep - sleep is one of the best things you can do when you are feeling under the weather. If you feel tired, don't fight it. Your body does it's best healing work when you are asleep. So try to get a minimum of 8 to 10 hours sleep. I had two nanna naps yesterday!

Hydration - keep your fluids up. How many times have you heard that said? There is good reason for it. Our bodies need hydration all the way down to the cellular level (year 11 biology anyone?). Aside from general hydration, fluid helps the system to detox and flush out. So get hydration anyway you can. Water, herbal tea, bothy soups etc.

Hot cup of lemon/lime, honey & ginger - It doesn't just taste good. Lemon and lime are full of vitamin C and antibacterial properties to boost your immunity. But you do need to squeeze at least half the lemon or lime into your drink. This isn't a G&T your making with a twist of lime. Honey - the delicious and nutritious sweetner that soothes a sore throat and aids healing with its antibacterial properties. I usually use about a teaspoon. Ginger - warming and a powerful decongestant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Grated or chopped finely about 1 -2 teaspoons.

• I usually let the ginger steep a while in half a mug of boiling water, 
• then add lemon/lime and honey 
• and fill up with fresh boiling water.

For super-dooper potency of ginger see my blog the ginger & kaffir lime leaf experiment  - but make it less the kaffir lime leaves.

Pure Essential Oil allies - I've been using essential oils for twenty years (wow, writing that makes me a little woozy!). These little bottles hold incredible power to heal mind, body and spirit. Please ensure that if you are going to use essential oils that you understand how to use them safely. And also that you are using pure essential oils - not the fragranced stuff. Read more at this blog post which I believe has a good overview of essential oils and their use.

At the first inkling of a cold I put a few drops of lavender in my hands and rub it into my neck and chest before I head off to bed.

If I have more than an inkling I make up a massage blend as shown below. Alternatively you can find a cold and flu blend already prepared for you at a chemist or health food store.

I massage this blend into my feet or into my chest. The way essential oils work is that if you massage into your feet the oils enter your lymph and blood systems and travel around your body. So if you don't like the smell, keep it on your feet and still get the benefits.

• 10 mls of carrier oil almond (or equivalent in moisturiser)
• 3 drops lavender (antiseptic, boosts immunity)
• 3 drops eucalyptus (decongestant, antiseptic, boosts immunity)
• 2 drops rosemary (decongestant, promotes good circulation)
• 2 drops lemon (boosts immunity, antiseptic, antibacterial)

I also vapourise a few of these oils to keep the air fresh and clear of germs.

Fusion Health Cold & Flu tablets - When I travel, these are as important to me as bringing gastrolyte or ibuprofen or antihistamines. They are my absolute MUST-have when I've got the first stages of a cold. I discovered them about four years ago and have shared my joy with others who now swear by them too. I was advised by a naturopath to take two tablets three times a day. I call them my magic cold pills. Buy them at your local health food store.

Learn more: http://www.fusionhealth.com.au/products/Cold_and_Flu

Gentle exercise - this is about getting breath and energy moving throughout your body. I'm not talking about going out and doing a marathon but just get some movement happening to help your body with circulation and detoxifying. Go for a walk in a park or some people swear by yoga to massage all your internal organs. If I have sinus issues I prefer not to do activities which result in my head hanging upside-down.

Avoid dairy - avoiding dairy and soy is for the simply (and gross) fact that they promote mucus forming in the body. When you are trying to shift a cold you want to avoid congestion so stay clear of dairy and soy. 

Result

A day after I went all A-Team on my cold I was feeling much better. My sore throat was gone and aside from a mild headache, a sniffle here and there I feel pretty good.

I love it when a plan comes together!

Verdict

If I keep to these guidelines for a few more days I am convinced (from past experience) that the beastly cold will give up completely and vacate the premisis.

There are plenty of other ways of beating a cold but these are just a few of my tried and true - and they don't involve too much effort. Which is good since when you feel under the weather you don't really feel like making much of an effort.

A few words on raw honey

There is a difference between raw honey and the majority of the stuff you buy in supermarkets. Raw honey has not been heat treated and so maintains all its goodness. The reason why honey is so good for colds is due to its antibacterial properties. Raw honey has loads of benefits and properties but for the purposes of this blog the simple truth is that it soothes and assists with healing the throat - and I love a medicinal food that tastes delish!

Where to buy it: Many health food stores and even some supermarkets stock raw honey. One of my favourites is Ambrosia Honey. You just need to keep and eye out. There is a honey supplier that does the market circuit that I like too - you can find them in the Melbourne and outer regions
http://www.purepeninsulahoney.com.au/products.html

Disclaimer: the above remedies and guidelines are based on my own experience. They are in no way intended to replace medical advice. You are in charge of your own health and wellbeing and have the privilege and power to make your own choices with the information and experience you receive.

Deliciously simple brothy seafood soup

I was at the market today and as I walked past the fish monger I was drawn to the best looking marinara mix. Without thinking how I was going to use it I bought myself some for my evening meal. Back home I started to make an old favourite of mine - brothy seafood soup.

As enjoyed my dinner I realised I had to share this simple yet indulgent treat.

Ingredients for one

Vietnamese Mint

150g - 200g good quality marinara mix
3 cups water
Stock powder to taste (I prefer to use Massel brand)
1/2 carrot chopped
1/3 zucchini chopped
3 large mushrooms sliced
1 small stick of celery sliced
2 asparagus spears chopped
3 small broccoli heads
1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tbsp lime juice
approx 8 Vietnamese mint leaves finely chopped

Putting it together 

• Place water, stock powder, carrot and celery into a pot and heat. 
• When water is hot add the mushrooms and zucchini
• After a while add the fish sauce and lime juice
• Cover and let simmer for a minute or two
• Once the vegetables are looking almost cooked add the marinara mix and asparagus
• When you see that the marinara mix is almost cooked add in the broccoli and the Vietnamese mint leaves
• Once the broccoli is cooked (but still crisp) turn off the heat and serve it up.

Result

I had forgotten how much I loved this simple soup. It is delicious and nutritious. The key really is having a good marinara mix and being able to gauge when it is cooked to avoid over doing it. The Vietnamese mint is the extra something special that just makes the soup complete.

Verdict

It's a winner. It's colourful, tastey, nutrious and super easy. What more could you want?

Almond banana breakfast bonanza

This recipe comes to my blog thanks to a friend of mine. She introduced me to this concoction when we were travelling through Kangaroo Island SA. I was especially excited by this dish as I saw another opportunity to use the precious by-product of my almond milk.

What's in it?

• 3/4 cup of almond meal (or meal remaining from 3/4 almonds for milk)
• 1 tbsp psyllium husks
• 1 very ripe mashed up banana
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 egg

How it works

• Place all ingredients in a bowl
• Mix well ensuring you don't have a clump of psyllium husks
• Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil
• Spread mixture into the pan
• When base has browned, carefully turn over (hardest part of this recipe)
• Once other side is browned take out of pan
• Serve with berries

 

Result

Okay, so the mixture is a little difficult to flip in the pan (hence the reason I haven't go a photo of that). And as a result it isn't going to win any prizes for its looks ... but this dish is YUMMY!  Since giving it a go after coming home from SA I have made this four times. I love that I have no added sweetener (the banana is enough) and I love that it's dairy free and has the added fibre of the psyllium husks.

Verdict

This is a definite winner. I have tried a few variations when I didn't have a full banana such as adding berries or grated carrot. These attempts definitely fell into the TBNP bracket - that's Tasty But Not Presentable. Latter uses of this recipe I have made four small patties rather than one large one. A little less messy when flipping.

Bircher inspired creamy goodness

I love breakfast. I don't like to be rushed in the morning because I like to start my day with a wholesome meal with wholesome thinking. I don't just want to kick start my digestive system but also kick start my approach to the day.

This following recipe is a variation of what I have pretty much every day. Why the variation? Because usually I soak my Bircher style concoction in water in preparation for a quick cooking in the morning. As it's been rather hot in Melbourne the idea of cooking my breakfast is not appealing. So to find a yummy variation on my standard was my plan.

I'm not that keen on the more popular type of Bircher muesli preparation which has apple and usually yoghurt and fruit juice. I find it too sweet. This recipe that follows is still creamy and very good for you. Those who like more sweetness in their breakfast can achieve this by adding honey. The recipe is simple but it does require some forethought. I prepare my breakfast the night before.

Ingredients

• 1/4 raw rolled oats (not quick oats)
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 5 - 8 almonds
• 1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 handful of raspberries (I use frozen for convenience)
• Almond milk

Method

• Put all but the almond milk into a bowl that you will be able to cover. I use a Pyrex bowl which has a lid.
• Pour in enough almond milk to cover most of the ingredients
• Cover and place in the fridge overnight
• In the morning take it out when your ready, grab a spoon and dig in! Add honey if you want a little sweetness but it's so creamy and lovely I don't think it needs it. 

Results

I'm sold on this! My breakfast was creamy with just the right amount of crunch and there is nothing like knowing that the yummyness you are eating is also good for you.

Of course variations on the fruit/berries used and spices is endless. I've made this with lemon thyme instead of cinnamon and with mango in place of raspberries. 

A note on oats:

The reason for using rolled rather than quick oats is purely to try to use the least processed of options. Oats are an awesome food. Aside from the practical nature of keeping us regular, they can help reduce our bad cholesterol. It is also classified as a low GI food, meaning that it is slow to release sugars so you stay satisfied for longer.

Soaking them overnight makes them even easier for your body to digest.

Gluten: Oats are free from wheat gluten. However, there is a gluten which is found in oats. Also, oats are often 'cut' on the same food production lines a wheat so some gluten 'contamination' could be present. If you have to have a completely gluten free diet you will have to make your decision based on the information provided. The Coeliac Australia site has some information worth reading.

Kale chips - nutritious and delicious

I had heard of kale chips from two sources. A friend in England a year or so ago made some crispy kale for dinner one night which was simply delish. At that time I had no idea what kale was so promptly forgot about it in the way of other exciting culinary adventures. But a month or two ago I was talking with my naturopath about sources of calcium when she mentioned kale.

What exactly is kale?

According to Wikipedia 'Kale or borecole is a form of cabbage, with green or purple leaves, in which the central leaves do not form a head. It is considered to be closer to wild cabbage than most domesticated forms.' Because of the high amounts of omega 3 and vitamin K it is known as a vegetable with strong anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to this it is high in antioxidants and glucosinolates (help with body detoxification). For more information about the nutritional benefits of kale visit: WHFoods website

Ways to eat

Well, as I introduced kale into my kitchen in winter it became my perfect addition to soups. As the weather started to warm and my trusty vitamix came into it's own for smoothies and other breakfast beverages I began adding kale. Then I was talking to a work colleague and she mentioned one of her family favourites was kale chips. When she mentioned a dehydrator I had a vague recollection of my brother dehydrating things when I was a kid for his many expeditions into the bush and up mountains. He dehydrated all sorts of weird and wonderful things.

It turned out he still had the dehydrator tucked away in his garage so I acquired it to experiment. I obtained the recipe from my work colleague, bought a bunch of kale from the market near my work and even had a social gathering at my place where I could serve up my experiment.

Kale chips

Equipment

• Dehydrator
• Large bowl

Ingredients

• A bunch of kale
• Olive oil
• Finely ground Celtic sea salt
• Lemon juice
• Fresh herbs: lemon thyme and rosemary

Method

• De-stalk the kale and tear into manageable pieces - that means into large chip-size
• In a deep bowl mix together some olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt and finely chopped fresh herbs. I used the juice of one lemon and about the same amount of olive oil.
• Put the kale into the bowl and massage. Yep, that's right. You massage the kale. When my work colleague first mentioned this I thought she was joking but there are actual Youtube videos on how to massage kale. I was almost too scared to click on the link in case it was something kinky. The idea is that you massage the oil mixture into the kale leaves until the leaves relax and they really do! For the full effect I put on some calming essential oils and played relaxation music. I always knew my massage studies would come useful one day.

• Once the kale is relaxed you then
  lay them out in the dehydrator making sure the leaves don't touch each other. 
• I turned the dehydrator up to it's highest setting which for the retro machine I've got reads 'beef and meat jerky'
• It was in the dehydrator for about four hours. 
• During this time I managed to clean the house, go shopping for food, prepare said food and assemble three chairs after a quick trip to my sisters to borrow some tools to assemble the chairs (IKEA was wrong - I needed more than the allen key). Please note, these activities are not necessary to the results of the experiment with kale. 

Results

The kale chips were a hit. Very lemony - almost to the point of causing that trademark sour eye twitch. But they were enjoyed by all. One friend in particular apologised for eating most of them. Now that's the kind of result you want!

Verdict

I'd definitely do this again even though it took quite a while. As the dehydrator is like having an oven on it would be best to avoid making them on a hot day (again) but I'm intrigued to try a few other flavours. After trying the real thing I bought a packet of kale chips from my favourite health food store. I hardly had any of the chips because they were simply not nice. Real food made by real people in real time comes up gold again.

Warning

For those with dogs who will eat just about everything. I would advise not letting your dog near kale in any form. My dog managed to snaffle a rogue chip and I experienced the pungent results for almost four hours the following day. How do I know it was the kale? Let's just say that the fragrance was as distinctive as it was unpleasant.

'I did it myself' almond milk

I haven't drunk cows milk in years and my naturopath is not keen on my drinking soy. What does that leave me with? In the supermarkets there is an ever increasing supply of milk alternatives such as oat milk, rice milk, almond milk etc.

Aside from the fact that my body doesn't seem to like dairy milk, there may be other reasons to consider reducing reliance on the diary industry. When looking at any mass production industry it is important to remember that what happens in other countries may not be happening in Australia. But equally I believe that as the consumer we have a responsibility to inform ourselves of what we are consuming and how that consumable has been made available to us.

All that aside, the milk alternatives available in the supermarkets are often sweetened and are always in those UHT, longlife containers. A carton of almond milk can cost me $7 and since I don't drink that much of it anyway, it often goes off before I've finished the darn thing, so I'm tipping out about $3 each time. There has to be a less wasteful way.

A quick trip to google to search for 'how to make almond milk' came up with loads of youtube videos, blog posts and websites. There seems to be a variety of ways from the simple to quite complex. Me being me of course chose to start with the simple option.

Recipe
As I've already explained there are countless recipes on the Internet. However, the one I based my first attempt on was one of the many youtube videos - the only difference is that I added vanilla essence.

Ingredients
1 cup raw organic almonds
3 cups of water (filter is preferred)
1/2 tsp organic vanilla essence

Equipment
Vitamix (or equivalent high powered blender)
Nut bag (I found mine online at www.rawpleasure.com.au)

Method

• Soak almonds for 8 to 12 hours in room temperature water
• Drain the almonds and put them into the Vitamix
• Pour in three cups of water
• Add the vanilla essence
• Turn on the Vitamix and turn up to high speed and blend for 30 seconds to a minute (don't let it get hot)

• Place your nut back over a bowl (I used a jug bowl knowing that I was going to need to pour the almond milk into a container later)
• Pour the mixture into the bag.

• Using your hands (clean of course) massage the milk from the bag. I found this part interestingly soothing. Almost like using a stress ball. It was quite amazing to also see how much almond milk came out with persistence.

• Pour the almond milk into bottles and store in fridge
• Apparently you can use the almond meal left in cookies or burgers. Haven't figured that part out yet. 

Result
YUM! Certainly straight from the bag the milk was just a touch warm and so tasty. I'll be interested to see what it's like tomorrow on my breakfast. I filled two 300ml bottles and a third of a small glass.

Verdict
Would I do this again? Definitely. I love the fact that I made it myself, that it hasn't been made and then heated in order to store in UHT cartons on shelves for an indeterminable amount of time. There is the factor that I have to remember to soak the almonds but all in all it's an easy and fast process. This batch is very creamy so I even wonder if I could reasonably use more water which would yield more milk (wow, don't get to use the word yield that often). I'm keen to try a couple of variations on this - one which doesn't require the nut bag (keeps the whole nut) and another which is a chai drink.

Buckwheat, Banana, Booyah!

I'm always a little skeptical of recipes that declare they are fail-safe. Sort of like when people told me that growing rosemary was childs play. Apparently I can kill the unkillable.

Despite my skepticism I decided to try the so-called fail-safe buckwheat banana bread recipe.

The recipe
The recipe comes from a website called Grain Free Living. Sounds like my kind of site so I figure they must know something about getting it right. As the recipe is mostly in ounces I'll translate below. I have made this both as a loaf and as muffins.

Buckwheat is not a cereal
but actually a fruit
seed related to rhubarb

Ingredients
300g - 400g of really ripe mashed banana
2 free range eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup (I've made this with honey too)
1/2 cup mild tasting oil (I just used olive oil)
1 tsp cream of tarter
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
150g buckwheat flour
I heaped dessert spoon of rice protein powder (totally optional)
2 tsp cinnamon

Method

1. Heat oven to 170 degrees
2. Grease and line either a loaf tin or use muffin/cup cake baking cups
3. Blend all the ingredients together (you can use a food processor or a blender)
4. Pour blended mixture into the prepared tin or baking cups
5. Bake in the oven for about 40 - 45 minutes for loaf, or 35 minutes for muffins (depending on your oven)
6. Basically bake until you can pull a skewer out clean
7. Let them or it cool for 5 - 10 minutes

Result
Firstly, it really is fail-safe! Even when I accidentally put in 1/2 tablespoon instead of 1/2 teaspoon of bicarb soda it still tasted great. Using the blender (and I have a very high powered blender) means the end product is really smooth. I added the cinnamon and the rice protein powder because I seem to have an aversion to sticking to the standard recipe. But it all worked and I've made it three times now. The muffins freeze really well too.

Verdict
Super easy, real food ingredients and yummy. My favourite combination.

Relevant links and information
Sunwarrior protein (a non-dairy, non-soy protein powder): http://www.sunwarrior.com.au/

Benefits of buckwheat: Buckwheat is high in insoluble fibre and is a good source of protein and B vitamins and is rich in phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, and calcium.
Learn more about buckwheat and its nutritional benefits

Good ol' fashioned chicken and veggie soup

When something goes in my freezer it's like a study in long term cryogenics. For me putting something in the freezer is as good as opening a door and throwing something into Narnia - lost in an endless winter. What I'm trying to say (very badly) is that it's a case of out of sight out of mind - especially when it comes to uncooked meats. If I can't remember when I put it in there then I think it's safer to assume it isn't safe to eat which  means much of what I freeze ends up in the bin.

But I'm turning over a new leaf (well trying to). I'm trying to live a less wasteful life which means not letting food I've purchased go to waste. That means either cooking it or freezing it - then of course remembering I've got it in the freezer. Enter frozen 'lovely legs' chicken.

With them thawing in the fridge I went in search of recipes to use. I found an old recipe I have used in the past for chicken and barely soup. Naturally I didn't have half the ingredients so living on the edge of culinary possibility I boldly began chopping anything I could find.

Ingredients
1 tray of free range 'lovely legs' (5 - 6 in a packet)
1 - 2 tbsp olive oil

The corn kernels off 1 ear of corn
1/2 beetroot washed and chopped
1 carrot washed and chopped
Approx 1 cup of chopped sweet potato and pumpkin
7 small button mushrooms
1 small zucchini chopped
1/3 cup of brown rice (I use bio-dynamic)
Massel chicken stock powder
Water

Method

1. Prepare all chopped vegetables
2. Heat olive oil in large saucepan
3. Add all vegetables and cook over heat for approx. 5 minutes
4. Add enough water to cover all vegetables with 1 - 2 cms over
5. Add 1 heaped tsp of chicken stock powder (or more if you like it salty)
6. Bring to the boil
7. Add 'lovely legs' and the rice and bring back to the boil
8. Immediately reduce heat to low simmer
9. Partially cover and cook for up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally
10. When rice is cooked and chicken is easily falling off the bone, take out 'lovely legs'
11. Remove the cooked chicken from the bones, chop the chicken meat and throw back into the soup.
12. Stir it all together
13. Ready to serve or freeze.

Result
Any chance to use whole mushrooms and beetroot gets me excited. Aside from seriously burning myself whilst getting the chicken off the bone it worked a treat! I like my soup to be thick - amlost like a stew. For those who prefer a thinner soup just add more water. It has such a rustic flavour and I love the chunkiness of all the chopped veggies and the tenderness of the chicken. It keeps really well and is especially good for freezing - if you can be trusted to remember that it's there.

Verdict
It does take a while to cook which usually is a deterrent for me trying to cook it again - but as there is actually very little effort involved I will definitely keep this one as a staple in my soup repertoire

Useful links
Massel stock has no animal product so is suitable for vegans: http://www.massel.com.au/
Demeter bio-dynamic brown rice: http://www.demeter.org.au/products.html