An Easy Kale Frittata

Anything green is good in my books and anything as versatile and blood sugar stabilising as a fritatta is even better.  Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner add in whatever you have at home that needs using up……

An Easy Kale Frittata

Serves 6 - 8

1 heaped tsp coconut oil

½ brown onion, thinly sliced

3 stalks of kale, leaves removed

¼ tsp nutmeg

4 sundried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped

½ cup parmesan cheese, grated

6 organic pastured eggs

¼ cup cream

salt + pepper to season

Preheat oven grill to 180 degrees celcius

Heat oil in a 24cm frypan over medium heat and use a brush to evenly coat pan

Whisk the eggs and cream together in a bowl and season to your liking, set aside

Add the onion to the pan and cook until softened

Add the kale and cook until just wilted

Sprinkle in the nutmeg and stir to combine

Scatter in the chopped sundried tomatoes

Spread out the kale mix evenly throughout the pan and sprinkle ¾ of the parmesan over the kale mix

Pour the egg mix over the top and sprinkle the remaining parmesan over the top

Reduce the heat to low and cook for approx 10 mins or until the frittata starts to set around the edges

Place under the preheated grill and cook for approximately 5 – 8 mins or until set and browned on top

Pinenut and Caper Aioli + Sweet Potato Chips as featured on The Wellness Warrior

I was delighted to recently receive an email from Jess over at The Wellness Warrior asking me to feature as part of Foodie Friday.   If you aren’t familiar with Jess and her blog then you should definitely take the time to venture over and check out this health and wellbeing guru’s tips for living a perfectly balanced life.

As featured please enjoy this raw pine nut aioli with capers.  I know we have been enjoying it smothered over everything!!!!!  

Pinenut and Caper Aioli with Oven Baked Sweet Potato Chips 

Pinenut and Caper Aioli

Makes approx 1 ½ cups

1 cup pine nuts soaked in cold filtered water for 1 hour

3 Tbs cold pressed olive oil

3 Tbs lemon juice

1Tbs water

1 clove of garlic

1 Tbs capers, drained

¼ tsp sea salt

Place all the ingredients in a vitamix or other high powered blender and whiz until smooth.

Adjust the taste to your liking.

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Chips

I – 2 large sweet potatoes (depending on how many you have to feed)

Olive oil to coat

Sea salt and cracked black pepper to coat

Preheat oven to 225 degrees celcius

Peel the sweet potato and cut into long chip like pieces or flat discs if you prefer

Place the chips in a bowl and coat with olive oil

Spread the chips out on a baking sheet lined with foil

Bake in the oven for 15 mins, remove and turn over baking for another 15 mins or until crispy and browned

A Cup of Dahl + 3 Fertility Facts Worth Knowing

There is an evident chill and crispness in the air.  The days are noticeably drawing in and the need for some hearty and warming food is upon us.  It’s a nice change to say the least.

  I have been super busy over the last couple of weeks with extra shifts at work to contend with.  My work as a Fertility Nurse is never dull and I think it would be a fair call to  say it is the most complex area of nursing I have ever worked in.  Everyday I make a new discovery about the female and male reproductive systems and everyday I learn something about human nature.  Talking openly about human reproduction is not something everyone is comfortable with which contributes to a lack of understanding and knowledge when it comes the cycle of reproduction.   With that said I thought I would share some basic fertility facts that tend to surprise women whenever we meet.

1. A woman has two ovaries, each the size of an almond

2. A woman is born with all the eggs she will ever have 

3.  Female fertility starts to decline at the age of 27 

And one more thing - the ovaries are super sensitive to everything going on in the body so treat them with care and nourish them with beautiful food that they can do great things with.  A good starting point might be with a cup of dahl.............

Dahl

Serves 4 – 6

1 brown onion, sliced thinly

3 tsp turmeric,

1 tsp garam masala

knob of ginger 2.5cm x 2.5cm thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely crushed

1 cup red lentils

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

1/3 cup tomato paste

2 – 2.5 cups water or vegetable stock (see note below)

1 carrot roughly diced

½ red capsicum

¼ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed

¼ cup coconut milk

1 tsp sea salt

Black pepper to season

1 Tbs roughly chopped coriander (add as much as you like)

Heat a dollop of coconut oil in a medium size saucepan placed over medium heat

Add the brown onion, tumeric, garam masala, ginger and garlic, stirring until onions soften

Add the lentils, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, tomato paste, diced carrots, red capsicum and water

Reduce heat to a low simmer, place a lid on the saucepan and continue cooking for another 30 mins or until lentils soften and become mushy

Add the lime juice, coconut milk, sea salt and black pepper to season

Sprinkle with fresh coriander to serve

* if dahl becomes to thick feel free to add additional water to thin if needed.

Raw Macadamia Nut Cheese

For anyone interested in learning more about raw food then do take some time to stop by the website of Russell James.   A pommy lad with a passion for raw food he is certainly my go to for the basics in my raw food explorations.  This basic macadamia nut cheese for example was a tasty addition dolloped on top of a sweet potato pizza of which I shall share with you soon and also proved delightful alongside some chilli flakes and freshly made basil pesto.  Have a go and see what you think.

Basic Macadamia Nut Cheese

By Russell James

2 cups macadamia nuts

1 cup water

1 tspn probiotics

Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth

Place the mixture in a strainer that has been lined with muslin or cheesecloth 

Fold in the edges of the cloth and find a plate that will fit inside on the strainer to place a weight on such as a bottle filled with water

(the weight should not be so heavy that it pushed the cheese through the cloth, just heavy enough to press the water out)

Leave to culture at room temperature for at least 24 hours but no more than 48 hours

Once culturing is complete, stir in or use your food processor to add the following ingredeints:

3/4 tsp sea salt

2 tsps nutritional yeast

1 tspn lemon juice ( i added 2 tsp for some extra zing)

Transfer the cheese to a mould of your choice or shape into little balls

Place the cheese in a refrigerator, or remove from the mould and dehydrate at 105 degrees fahrenheit for 24 hours to get a rind.

Dairy Free Banana Coconut Custard

My source for this quick and nourishing start to the day comes from primal kitchen.  If you are into the primal/paleo thing then stop by and check out all their ideas and inspiration.  I am sure you won't be dissatisfied.  I liked that these custards were baked off in a water bath and are something you can do the night before.  A point to note is that the raspberries worked beautifully on top here but don't be swayed by me as you could top this off with anything you desire quite easily.   Some nuts and shredded coconut would probably be nice for a bit of extra crunch too.  I made two larger ramekins for myself and two smaller for the boys so you decide how many you would like. You could easily double the mix for more....    

Banana Coconut Custard

makes 2 large ramekins + 2  small ramekins

1 can full fat coconut milk (270 mls)

1 banana

2 pastured eggs

1 Tbs honey

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat an oven to 180 degrees celcius (350 fahrenheit) 

Place all of the above ingredients into a blender and whiz together until smooth

Set aside

Fill a baking dish with water to just under half way

Place the empty ramekins into the water bath (make sure the water bath only comes up to about half way)

 Then evenly pour the mix into each ramekin

Place in oven for approximately 45 mins

Allow to cool in the water bath to prevent the tops from cracking

Top with your choice of topping

Happy Easter! Raw Chocolate Bark with Goji Berries, Dried Blueberries and Macadamia Nuts

 Someone please tell me why I haven't done this earlier?   The inspiration to do so came about after dehydrating some blueberries and my usual delving for "what can I do with them now"? I searched high, I searched low, I stood in front of the pantry gazing munching on gojis and macadamias when "bing" - I spied the block of cacao butter that had been in my pantry for roughly 3 months that was dying to be turned into some sort of delight for Easter.  As it currently stands, I am slightly in heaven and so to are the boys  as you can see.  Now I am left wandering why I haven't done this before for many reasons.    Happy Easter everyone and enjoy!!  

Raw Chocolate with Blueberries, Goji Berries & Macadmia
Adapted from Rawxy

1/2 cup cacao butter, melted

1 cup cacao powder 

1 Tbs Maca Powder

1 Tbs Mesquite Powder

1 Tbs Coconut Sugar

+

Goji Berries, Dried Blueberries and Macadamia Nuts chopped in half


In a dehydrator melt the cacao butter or if you don't have one you could do it over a very low heat on the stovetop by putting the butter into a saucepan
Prepare a tray lined with baking paper (just make sure it fits in your freezer)
Sift the cacao, maca and mesquite powder together
Add the coconut sugar to the powders
Add the dry mix to the melted cacao butter and mix well to combine
Pour onto the prepared baking tray
Top with goji berries, blueberries and macadamia
Put in the freezer for approx 1 hour or until set

A Gorgeous Soul and A Rainbow Salad with Persimmon

      It has been a tough month and this salad is just what I needed.  Nothing fancy just lots of glorious colour and nourishment.   

My Rainbow Salad with Persimmon

Serves 2 or 4 as side

1/2 a small purple cabbage, washed and thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

1/4 red capsicum, thinly sliced

1 large persimmon, thinly sliced

1 Tbs sunflower seeds (preferably soaked for min of 2 hrs)

1 Tbs pumpkin seeds (preferably soaked for min of 2 hrs)

coriander (as much or as little as you like)

Prepare the above ingredients and place into a large salad bowl

Serve with a drizzle of dressing below either alone or alongside your choice of protein

Honey Lime Dressing

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup cold pressed olive oil

1/4 cup raw honey

juice of one large lime (more if you extra zing)

salt & pepper to season

Place all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk vigorously to combine

season 

store in a glass container with a lid for up to 3 days in the refrigerator