A goldilocks treat with a twist - Chia Porridge

I love breakfast.   It's the first thing I think of when I open my eyes in the morning and I'm sure is the soul reason I leap out of bed without a second thought.

At the weekend I needed to get some more greens in as I wanted a good start to the day with my detox protocol.  I only had a banana and bunch of celery in the way of smoothie ingredients so with low expectations I wizzed them together in the blender.  To my surprise it was actually pretty yummy!  It would have been extra special with some spinach in as well!

A little later I was feeling peckish again so I soaked some chia seeds to make a chia pudding.  Check out this article on the benefits of chia.  To the chia I added some almonds, blueberries and water.  10 minutes later I took my first bite and the cold texture really wasn't working for me.  I can't currently have porridge (oats aren't allowed on the detox) however I had an idea.  I had some gluten free porridge in the cupboard.  It is nowhere near as creamy, dense and filling as oats so I figured the chia would bulk it out and hey presto it was a winner. Here's how to make chia porridge.

Happy Sundays!!!!

A few weeks ago I went to this hip yoga studio in St Kilda for a friday night yoga class, nibbles and screening of a new movie called Happy.

It was a great reminder and reality check......we all needs these from time to time right!!!!  So in a nut shell here is the synopsis.......

Fifty percent of our level of happiness is inborn - for those in the UK it would seem that Victor Meldrew really couldn't help himself - and Dale boy is one of the lucky ones!!!! So we have a baseline level of happiness that stays with us for life.  We think that certain things will make us really happy (such as marriage, a new car, a pay rise) or really sad (such as losing a job and getting a divorce) yet the research shows that while these circumstances do have an impact and we do become ecstatic (or depressed), the feeling is short-lived and we very quickly bounce back to our baseline level of happiness. Good news?

A further 10% of our level of happiness is impacted by the very things the majority of society are chasing after.  Status, how we look to others, wealth and approval have all been shown to impact the level of our happiness by up to 10%.  Great to know!?!  Don't you feel like mini genius' now!?! ;)

Now the good bit.  The researchers (psychologists, social scientists and psychiatrists) found that a whopping 40% of our level of happiness can be changed by actions that are within our very control.

Get your pen and paper ready darlings - and in no particular order, you can do the following:

Detox Details!

On the 1st October I started a detox......a 6 week detox.  Here is the why, what, how and more........

Who

The detox plan was provided by a wellness clinic called Vitality (I go there for chiro regularly).  A group of us eager health beavers have embarked upon our detox mission. The boy had a boys weekend planned for the middle of October and has therefore just started his detox on Monday of this week.  I’m planning to keep going with him for moral support....making mine a 9 week challenge wahoo!

What

The detox itself constitutes the following:

Feel good Friday!!!

Have a cuppa.....that's my mantra!!!

Throw together a chicken stirfry......

When it comes to food I am generally on the scout for something quick, yummy, seriously nourishing and something I have thought of on the fly.  I have to go by what is in the cupboards / fridge at the time as I don’t always like to plan too much and sometimes recipes are fun but sometimes you just want to throw something together right?  So here is the chicken stirfry run down......(inspired by the fact that I got a double order of my organic veggies this week and have so many to use up)........

All you really need is:

We are well into spring wahoo and on the spring equinox (23rd September) I set myself the challenge and focus to detox my life......spring clean, send off to the charity shop, de clutter and simplify my life.  In all aspects.  Seems like a mammoth task for a goal of simplifying!! :)

Since then i’ve had a good clear out of my clothes and cupboards.  A first draft anyway.......when i'm feeling ruthless (currently slightly fragile on a detox - more on that later) I will give it another go!!  I now have a bag of clothes for the charity shop and my cupboards have more space.  I’ve realised that of all my belongings i tend to stick with and use the same 20%, like the same pieces of jewellery, a few of the same clothes.  Partly because i haven’t been able to see what i actually have in the cupboards and partly because i think i have too much stuff.  Way more than is needed to live..........so I have pledged the following:

Knock up these little Frittatas quick smart!

I made these little gems before dashing out Sunday morning, it was super quick and easy.

 

Firstly I lightly greased (with some good quality cold pressed organic olive oil) a 6 muffin tin and preheated the oven to 180 degrees c.

The I got the following ready:

• 4 eggs
• 1 medium onion diced (sliced into small pieces)
• Couple of handfuls of spinach
• Cut 2 tomatoes into chunks (or could halve cherry tomatoes)
• Sweet Paprika spice and basil on hand (could use whatever herbs you fancy)
• Salt and pepper
• Some coconut or sesame oil 

To whip these eggy treats up - do as follows:

1. Put a tablespoon of oil into a pan and saute the onions.
2. Add the spinach to the pan and stir around for a minute or so until it wilts. 
3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool - in the mean time......
4. Whisk the eggs, herbs, salt and pepper
5. Now that the mixture has cooled (don’t worry about it being room temperature, just cooler is fine)
6. Spoon the onion mix into the muffin cases (about half fill) then pour the egg mixture on top of each.  Top with a piece of tomato.

Place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, they will start to brown on top.  Don’t worry if you can see a little liquid as when you take them you can leave them in the muffin tray for 10-15 minutes and they will continue to cook slightly anyway.

Once a little cooled, pop them out to a wire rack.

So good to grab for breakfast / when you’re on the run or with a salad for lunch.  If you inspired.....go try them!!

What I ate today!!

Today I had porridge for breakfast, interesting choice as it is scorchio and humid......I just fancied it.  Check out some porridge suggestions here....

For lunch I was craving a good old English spread..... so I made an organic cheddar cheese sandwich, with lettuce and fig jam (it's called St. Dalfour, with the only ingredients for the fig flavour being figs, grape fruit fruit concentrate, fruit pectin and lemon juice.....because you can't call it jam if it's not at least 35% sugar apparently, this one doesn't have any sugar, cool huh) on Helgas pumpkin bread.  Ok it's not the best (healthiest) choice for bread, I could have gone for some spelt, ancient seeds grain type, however I love this bread and I fancied it...yum!!

For a snack I had lavendar tea and Emma & Tom's Cacao & Orange Life Bar, fab when you have a chocolate craving.  It's ingredients are Dates, Raw Cashew, Raisins, Cacao Powder, Cold Pressed Orange Oil.  I find that a little sexy!!  Strange I know!

Orange Foodathon!

A couple of weeks ago a friend and I set ourselves the challenge of eating each colour of the rainbow two days at a time.  The various colours of fruit and veg highlight the different anti oxidant and other nutrients common amongst them i.e. orange is for beta - carotene - a source of Vitamin A.  So eating lots of different colours helps make sure you're getting a wide range of nutrients.


I love a good challenge!!  Although these aren't recipes from the actual challenge it has been great as it's got me focused on picking out lots of different colours in my food.


Here are some orange inspired tasties!!

Watermelon Crush.........

...........I have one!!  It's heading for 34 degrees here in Melbourne today.  I have to admit, I LOVE it.  So relaxing being warm, finally my shoulders peel themselves away from my ears and I am relieved of any up tight tension!!


I was in need of something thirst quenching so I reached for a chunk of watermelon and a coconut water......and the rest is history.....literally....I have gobbled it in mere seconds.


For a super easy, delicious and nutritious thirst quenching number, try this Watermelon whizz....


grab your blender, throw in quarter of a watermelon (ish), add a good few glugs of coconut water / juice and whizz away.  You could add fresh mint and / or lime for a twist.  Could also add ice or put the watermelon in the freezer for a bit to chill beforehand! DELISH!!


Why Watermelon?

Squirrel Snacks.......oh yes she does!

I was home from work a little early today and on the look out for my usual munchies and treats...kind of puts me in the right frame of mind for the evening!!  Ever feel like you need to separate one part of your day from the next?

Treats

So on the way home I stopped off at the local organic grocery store and picked up a new Hibiscus infused Coconut juice by Beyond.  It’s DELICIOUS and without any gross additives, added sugar, colours, flavours etc... Just coconut water and Hibiscus....straight up!  Why would you want it?  Because coconut water is yummy and loaded with electrolytes, especially potassium (I wrote of the benefits in an earlier article here).  Perfect for a roasting sweaty day such as this (35 degrees in Melbourne thank you very much!)  My pores are bucket sized!

Show me the LOVE!!

A friend first told me about the five languages of love a few years ago.  It sounded a bit corny at first but then i’ve thought about this with a few different people and it clicked....and has been very useful!

So here’s something for you to ponder and try out.....just for fun.

Basically we all express and look for love in different ways.  And Dr Gary Chapman (go here for more info) has categorised these expressions into five categories.

Smoothies!!

New Year's Resolution update.  I've been smashing the one green drink a week target!!  I have had three green smoothies a week, yum.........so I have some concoctions to share with you!!!


The boy has been LOVING them which is always a tasty sign.  Deslish!!  Great for breakfast or when you get a visit from the hunger monster!  My bro and I find that if we have one in the eve that we awake with glowing skin!!

The Ego - Hilarious, entertaining and so true.

This is a must watch!!  Enjoy xx

True??

For the Love of The Farmer's Market

For the love of the Farmers Market!

Pretty much every Saturday I'm off to the Farmers Market.  I literally love it.  I am such a foodie and the humble Farmers Market is such a god send.....

When I first heard of farmers markets I gave it a go as I was loathing the weekly trips to the supermarket so didn't feel like I had much to lose.  The weekly Supermarket dash up until then had involved frantic people, rushing around, trying to get in and out as quick as possible, people and trolleys everywhere, fluro lights, a million items I felt I should know how to use and what to do with them.......how many jars of sauce alone are there??   
 

What do Kylie and Lemons have in common?

I'll cut straight to the chase........body brushing and lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar) are two easy detox tricks which can be incorporated into your daily routine with minimal fuss!

New Year's Resolution......Intentions 2012

Happy HAPPY New Year.  2012...........it's exciting.  I feel super upbeat...this year already feels good.  Just the way the start of new things always do.  Clean start, blank slate!!

Timeout to take stock

So have you taken time to re assess? ......looked forward to the New Year and made some good goals / intentions.....deciding what 2012 should have in store for you?  I usually make a huge list, scatter myself, feel stressed, achieve 5% and feel deflated afterwards.  So this time i’m doing it differently, i’ve listened to the way you are supposed to do things (not something i’m fond of) and tailored it to me.  We’re all different....unique.  There are tried and tested methods...frameworks that can be utilised, however the structure and tailoring comes down to you, what works for you...the individual.  Apart from making them SMART (tried and tested method......see below) and to give time to think each one through to make sure you can actually imagine completing them, visualising the end result, here are some of my tips I shall be using for the coming year....but first.....