Lee – Page 18 – Supercharged Food

Drops of Jupiter (Fulvic Humic Concentrate)

Now that she's back in the atmosphere

With drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey…

Speaking of drops of Jupiter, our new Fulvic Humic drops have dropped. These heavenly drops are straight from planet earth and heaven for your gut and overall health.

Supercharged Food’s Fulvic Humic Concentrate (FHC) is made from natural organic plant substances that play an important role in healthy metabolism and recycling of metabolic wastes.

FHC is a natural way to promote good gut health, as it goes beyond probiotic supplementation, by foundationally supporting the integrity of the gut lining and strengthening its tight junctions, whilst replenishing microbiota, nutrients and enzymes.

This super nutrient food and chelation therapy, aids the absorption of important nutrients, decreases acidity and enhances your cells use of antioxidants and electrolytes.

FHC has antioxidant, antimicrobial, neuro-protective, and anti-inflammatory properties.

You can find out more about it here.

Muscat Raisin Waffles with Fresh Berries to Brighten Your Day

Waffles! Just the word gets the mouth-watering (I’m starting a campaign to include an exclamation mark in the spelling of waffles!). These waffles! are a great breakfast or after dinner idea. Or both. In one day! These waffles! are simple to make, delicious to eat, nutritious to boot and organic.

You may have noticed the word organic at the end of that sentence, and wondered why? I mean, the word organic has been associated with healthier, but the question on everyone’s lips is often: Is that the case?

Well, to break it down simply, when you choose organic, you reduce your exposure to chemicals and pesticides. Organic food is typically more enriched with vitamins and antioxidants and is not genetically engineered or modified. Organic farming is better for the environment, soil fertility and helps to conserve natural resource such as water.

While not everything you purchase must be organic, I recommend, where possible, to consume seasonal organic produce when you can and if it works within your budget. Making small and sustainable changes, like buying the organic version of one ingredient, will make this easier.

When it comes to food choices, I like to ask myself a couple of questions, firstly Are they Australian owned and Is this organic? Thankfully Murray River Organics make it easier because they are both. They’re committed to growing sustainably through implementing environmentally sound practices, to create high-quality Australian health foods and pantry staples. They believe everyone deserves organic food that tastes great and is easily accessible and affordable. Affordability is one of the main reasons people find it hard to eat organics, however these wonderful organic products are much more reasonably priced and really good value.

Just a quick fact for your next trivia game – The Murray River is one of the largest navigable waterways in the world, spanning across Victoria, NSW and South Australia. The Australian Aboriginal people relied on it for its abundance and carried goods across it. Today, it provides essential water across Australia for industrial, domestic and recreational use.

Oops! You can tell I’m passionate about something when I start waffling on a little too much! Where was I? Oh yes, waffles! Just add Sun Muscat raisins from Murray River Organics, fresh berries, maple syrup and you’ve got yourself a real breakfast-or-snack-or-after-dinner-or-maybe-even-dinner special.

Speaking of raisins, I believe they don’t deserve their reputation as just dried-up grapes in tiny cardboard boxes. They’re not just shrivelled up grapes, okay?! They are so much more than that and give these pancakes a sweetness and depth of flavour. Raisins are naturally sweet, giving you lots of energy and are full of antioxidants. Have you ever thought that raisins are just the kids-friendly version of wine? Nope, just me, anyway…

I include them in porridge, chicken salads, home-made granola and even as a snack on their own. The 100% organic Sun Muscat Raisins in my waffles, are packed full of more nutrients than other varieties, without the harmful pesticides. These delightful raisins originate from Murray River Organics; the world’s largest dried vine fruit producer. I love supporting regional businesses, especially in these times where we all need a bit of love!

Now, for the waffles! Dried ingredients are always useful to have on hand, especially when you’re in a house with a waffle maker. Oat flour, for example, is gluten-free friendly and high in fibre. Cinnamon has traditionally used to aid digestion and adds a subtle sweetness to this waffle mix. I’ve also included my Sun Muscat Raisins, salt and gluten-free baking powder.

For the wet ingredients, I’ve used coconut milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, apple cider vinegar and Murray River Organics Avocado Oil. Why avocado oil? Well, firstly, it’s derived from avocadoes, and who doesn’t love avocadoes? Avocado oil is high in monounsaturated healthy fats, and the antioxidants vitamin E, lutein and beta-carotene. Together, these dry and wet ingredients make for a delicious and billowy and crunchy edged waffle for the whole family.

Of course, the mighty waffle would be nowhere without its trusty sidekick, toppings. While we all know that maple syrup is a must on waffles, have you thought about other ingredients to supercharge your waffles? Don’t worry; I’ve done the hard thinking for you. I love serving these waffles with fresh berries, plain yoghurt or coconut yoghurt and then, of course, I round it all out with a drizzle of maple syrup.

These waffles are a little bit of sweetness to brighten your day. This dish is such good fun for little kids and big kids alike.

Muscat Raisin Waffles with Fresh Berries

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups oat flour
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
1/2 heaped teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 TBS Murray River Organics 100% organic Sun Muscat Raisins
¾ cup Pacific Organics coconut milk
¼ cup Murray River Organics avocado oil
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons Pacific Organics maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 punnet berries (I used blueberries and raspberries)
½ cup plain yoghurt
Extra Maple Syrup to serve

Method

In a medium bowl, combine the oat flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and raisins.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, avocado oil, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla and apple cider vinegar.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until well combined. Set the batter aside for 10 minutes to thicken.

Heat waffle maker and spray with a little oil (trick is to get waffle maker very hot when its ready to use).

Spoon in a portion of batter and cook until golden.

Leave on a wire rack to cool slightly and crisp up while repeating the process with the remaining batter.

Serve topped with berries, yoghurt and maple syrup.

Fast ways to use a slow cooker plus Hearty Lamb Shanks with Root Veggies

Now that restrictions are easing and life is slowly returning back to the new normal, now is a good time to think about how you want to structure your new days and get the most out of your health and life.

Some of us have been so used to going through life on autopilot; at times working for hours on end and not giving ourselves any time to breathe. If this sounds familiar to you, one of the simplest ways I've found to help switch off and slow down is to take the pressure off (literally).

A slow cooker is one appliance in the kitchen that makes winter days that much easier. It gives you one less thing to think about, provides nourishing meals that are simple to prepare and allows you to have more time for other activities. Another positive right now is that the smell that radiates whilst cooking in a slow cooker makes the house feel like a home again, not a school, not an office and not a lockdown bunker!

Slow cooking is a traditional method of cooking that uses a gentle flame or heat for a longer period of time. This slow process enables ingredients to retain the vitamins and minerals that could be destroyed using other methods, such as being cooked on the barbeque or in the fry pan or oven. Slow cooking also helps break down the cell walls of vegetables and meat, making them much easier for our bodies to digest so its great news for people who want to look after their gut health. (Hello... Love Your Gut powder!)

If you’re new to the slow cooking lifestyle, prepare to have an extra hour or two on your hands and a whole lot less stress too!

I’ve included some of my favourite fast ways for living the slow life, into a simple guide here...

Firstly, be sure to use the right sized slow cooker. When you’re filling it up with all of your nourishing ingredients, it should be filled between one-half to two-thirds full. It’s better to not use too much liquid as the meat and veggies contain some liquid and this will flow out as they cook. If you add too much liquid to the cooker, it can add on extra cooking time and not be as robust in flavour.

While I love using leaner cuts of meat as much as the next foodie, meats that are higher in fat take longer to break down and will stay juicier and tender in a slow cooker than leaner cuts. It’s absolutely your preference as to what you would like to use.

When it comes to meat, if you do want to add an extra element of complexity to the flavour of your dish, you may choose to brown meat before adding it to the slow cooker. As the slow cooker helps food retain its moisture, meat won’t brown once it’s in the slow cooker.

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan I absolutely love adding red lentils to my slow cooked vegetable dishes and the slow nature of cooking them makes them taste so tender and creamy. The other good news is that they don’t need to be pre-soaked, another win for anyone with a sensitive digestive system. You can also sneak some greens in there too, like kale or spinach or add some prebiotic fibre rich veg such as sweet potato or fennel bulbs.

Lentils are simple to make at the best of times but slow cooking them makes them really easy! And don’t worry if you cook them for too long, all you need to do is turn them into a soup. Soups are also lovely to make and combining them with Moroccan style spices such as cumin, ginger, coriander and all spice will take the dish to the next level.

Try this Rosemary and Thyme Chicken Stew, that can easily be made in the oven or slow cooker.

I know it’s exciting the first time you’re trying something new, but just as you don’t (or shouldn’t) open the oven every few seconds when you bake a new cake, try to refrain from opening the lid of the slow-cooker every few minutes when you’re making a stew. I recommend not to keep peeking inside or stirring its contents. Opening it up allows the heat to escape, adding an extra half-an-hour to your cooking time.

If you’re using frozen foods, I recommend defrosting them beforehand. Frozen foods can take longer to get to the right temperature to kill off potential bacteria, increasing your chances of developing food-borne illnesses.

Another favourite thing about my slow cooker, especially when I'm feeling lazy is that I throw whatever ingredients I want into it in the morning, for example, garlic, onion, vegetables and lamb, and come back to a fragrant meal in the evening.

Bone broths are good too, and are an excellent meal for a slow cooker plus they can help support thyroid function. They contain zinc, which is essential for immunity and healing the gut, as well as iron. By slowly cooking meals, you’re able to enhance their flavour and boost gut health.

I often make my Gut Healing Turmeric and Chicken Broth in the slow cooker.

If you’re keen to try slow-cooker cooking on for size, try my Hearty Lamb Shanks with Root Veggies and Gremolata from my book Supercharge Your Gut.

This winter warmer is packed full of flavour and is sure to deliver a gut-loving dose of goodness in the evening.

Hearty Lamb Shanks with Root Veggies and Gremolata

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 lamb shanks, about 1.25 kg (2 lb 12 oz) in total
2 carrots, roughly chopped
4 celery stalks, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 750 ml (26 fl oz/3 cups) bone broth or good-quality stock such as my Gut Healing Turmeric and Chicken Broth
4 thyme sprigs
1 small celeriac, peeled and diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
1 TBS Love Your Gut powder (optional)

Gremolata

1/2 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 garlic clove, crushed or finely grated

Method:

Heat half the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium–high heat. Season the shanks with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Working in batches, cook for 4–6 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and sauté the carrot, celery and garlic for 3–4 minutes, or until softened.

(if using a slow cooker remove shanks and carrot, celery and garlic and place all ingredient in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours)

If using the stock stove top, stir in the broth, then return the shanks to the pan. Add the thyme sprigs, celeriac, sweet potato and parsnip and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer for 2–2 1/2 hours, or until the lamb is tender and falling off the bone, turning the shanks halfway through.

If needed, stir in a little filtered water during cooking and the Love Your Gut powder if using.

Remove the shanks from the pan. Remove the meat from the bones, break into bite-sized pieces and return them to the sauce. (Or leave the meat on the bone, if you prefer.)

Combine all the gremolata ingredients in a small bowl and serve sprinkled over the stew.

Simple Self-Care Tummy Massage for Anxiety

Are you feeling stressed or anxious? You are not alone. In fact, you are in the majority. Today I’d love to show you a simple tummy technique that you can use in times of stress.

Anxiety can take a variety of forms and affect people in different ways. Coping with day to day challenges is difficult enough, but add to that living with uncertainty such as health, financial and societal issues, especially in these unprecedented times, and the underlying waves of anxiety can bubble to the surface for many.

In times of high anxiety and stressful circumstances, I find that the simple act of staying connected can be beneficial. Staying connected with friends, family and loved ones can provide support, in addition to that, and importantly, staying connected with yourself can also be key in offering relief. If you're uncomfortable speaking with a practitioner face-to-face about your anxiety, you can always connect with the licensed mental health professionals at BetterHelp.

Research shows that not all stress has a negative effect on your body, however, chronic and long term stress can compromise the immune system by raising catecholamine and suppressor T cells levels, suppressing the immune system. This suppression can raise the risk of viral infection and ultimately manifest in illness. Stress can alter the acidic concentration of the stomach, which can lead to peptic and stress ulcers or ulcerative colitis.

Our adrenals constantly working overtime, coupled with pent-up anger, fear, guilt, or resentment that is often held inside in stressful situations, can produce effects on the immune system. Instead of discharging our stress through lifestyle changes and nutrition, we can often hold stress inside of us, where its effects become cumulative. This stage two stress has been associated with the onset or the exacerbation of symptoms of common chronic disorders of the digestive system such as functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGD), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Everybody deals with stress differently and it can be stored in different areas of your body. Stress can be felt in the form of fear, pain, tension, or stiffness in your face, around the jaw, in your neck and shoulders, in your heart, diaphragm, around the pelvis and hips, and in particular in your stomach.

Your physical body needs to release emotion and if it’s suppressed and not expressed it can then manifest in your joints, tissues, organs, and bodily systems. In your gut, stress can manifest as gut issues, IBS, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and pain.

The relationship between psychological stress and the gastrointestinal system is complex and bidirectional. The digestive system has its own nervous system, known as the enteric nervous system and sometimes referred to as a "second brain", which houses over 100 million nerve endings. These nerve endings are designed to respond to stress hormones transmitted from the brain which is part of the “fight-or-flight” response.

The enteric nervous system, via a network of nerve pathways, uses neurotransmitters such as serotonin (of which over 90% is manufactured in the gut) to communicate and interact with the central nervous system. Stress can take up residence in the gut and the complex system of nerves in your gut can become hypersensitive and fire off, even in response to normal digestion. That’s why for some people eating a normal-sized meal can cause pain but for others, there are no symptoms at all.

As much of your stress is held in the gut, there are even metaphors for it - "My tummy's twisted in up knots!", "This is gut-wrenching". "I have butterflies". Deep breathing and self-massage are both very grounding therapies for the stomach, that can help you to relax and reduce reactivity to stress, relieve muscle tension, and release the knots and butterflies that nest in your tummy, setting them free!

I’d love to introduce you to a simple hands-on gut massage that you can try at home, to help you cope more successfully in times of stress, particularly if you hold tension in your stomach. This tension you may notice will show up in symptoms such as cramping, distension, or indigestion.

We all love massages. And so does our gut. Massaging your tummy before and after meals is therapeutic in so many ways – physically, mentally, spiritually, and even digestively!

So why should you be massaging your stomach (as if you really need a reason)?

A quick, gentle rub of your tummy as you read this will tell you all you need to know why it's a good thing. It just feels soooo yummy and relaxing. But it's much more than just that. It's especially a good personal care practice for your digestion. Gentle massage relaxes your stomach muscles and digestive system, allowing them to focus on their main job of processing nutrients and disposing of waste.

Get your gut gunk in the trunk unpacked and moving.

We can hold up to three kilos of waste (or gut gunk) in our front trunks! Three kilos of undiscarded food waste, bacteria, plaque, and, well, gunk. This build-up adds to weight gain and can contribute to fatigue and less nutrient and hydration absorption.

Taking Love Your Gut powder thirty minutes before you massage is an effective way of starting to gently clean and tone your gut, slowly 'chipping away' at the gunky build-up.

Are you ready to rest and digest?

There are a few simple practices to include with your massage. They all centre on priming your gut to do its job of processing nutrition and hydration.

Start with chewing your food well. Chewing acts as pre-digestion, breaking food down for easier processing. It also slows you down to enjoy food more and be present and in the moment.

Whilst you massage just remember, deep breaths. Deeeeeep. Brrrrrreaths. In through your nose. Right into the belly and feel your tummy expand as you inhale. Keep it there for a few seconds and release through your nose or mouth and feel your tummy contract.

Now that you have all the ins and outs in place, you're ready to get your massage on!

Go with the flow

The simple rule of a good gut massage is to follow the flow of your intestines. The food and hydration go through in a clockwise direction and our massage should follow suit.

Use your fingers or palm of the hand, rub in a clockwise motion around your navel. Apply the amount of pressure that feels best.

After the clockwise massage, try a vertical approach.

Start at the base of the ribs along your centreline. Then move in one motion down to just above your pubic area. It's akin to gently pushing the contents of your system through.Then do the same one or two inches to both the left and the right of your centre. Repeat for a minute.

To help with constipation, focus on acupressure points.

* The area two finger widths below the belly button

* The area along the center of your torso, halfway between the navel and the ribs

(Just a reminder to not use acupressure if you are pregnant).

Best oils

Doing your own gut massage doesn't require the use of oil. It's more important and useful just to massage regularly. If adding elements like oil distract you then do them every so often. But if you like it, using oil can add a little indulgence and be moisturising. In Ayurvedic practice, sesame oil is used. Regular body oils work well, as do creams. It's a personal preference for what oil or cream you use. Again, it's more about getting into the habit of a lovely stress-relieving tummy rub.

Watch this simple self-care gut massage and give it a go on your gut!

Using your hands, rub them together it’s nice to add some of your favourite oil on your hands and it makes it easier to glide across your skin.
Begin on the lower left side of your stomach down by the bone of your pelvis.
Rub in a circular motion lightly.
Using both hands work gently around and down the navel.
Work your way down to the right to the hip bone and back up to the belly button for 2-3 minutes.

If you're suffering from anxiety and it is unmanageable, it is important to speak with your health care practitioner and put in place a plan that will help support you.

Please try this massage and let me know what you think in the comments section below.

10 of my best Indian recipes + Indian Chicken with Pomegranate

Dahl-ling, if you’re looking for dinner in a tikk-a, hurry up and get some curry!

One of my favourite things to do is travel. I love wandering through towns, exploring the sites and getting to know the ins and outs of different ways of life.

While we currently can’t walk through the colourful streets of Delhi or be amongst the hustle and bustle of the markets in London’s Covent Garden, there’s no reason for us not to explore and experience other cultures. My favourite way to do that is, you guessed it, through my palette. At the moment, I’m loving exploring cultural delicacies in the kitchen at home.

If you’ve taken a stroll through the blog, one thing will be apparent – my love of Indian food. There’s something about it that feels extra special to me.

Some think of Indian food as oily samosas and a stealthy butter chicken; while my mind conjures up an image of the richest, tastiest and most nutritionally dense cuisines.

Spices are the foundation of Indian cuisine and give each dish a full-body sensorial experience unlike no other. Plus, these spices add some serious health benefits.

If spices are the foundation, vegetables and legumes are the bricks of Indian cuisine. Filled with fibre; their vegetable and legume-filled dishes are a warming hug for your insides and a good healthy dose of prebiotic fibre for gut health. Indian food is perfectly hearty, reasonably easy to make and dang right delicious.

Below are ten of the best Indian recipes you’ll find on the blog, now all in one convenient place. You’re welcome.

Chicken Biryani with Turmeric Cauliflower Rice

Of course, I have to start with the beloved dish, chicken biryani. Biryani is a traditional Indian meal that playfully combines Indian spices with proteins, vegetables and rice. While biryani should be consumed with approximately seven bowls of rice, I’ve opted for cauliflower rice for a lighter and fibre-fuelled alternative. Taste buds, here we come!

Green Bean Subji

Maybe it’s the health blogger in me, but there’s nothing I love more than sitting down to a dish that makes me feel like I’m making the right decisions for my health. This dish is exactly that. It’s an exotic, yet simple vegetable dish that will leave you nourished and satisfied. This spectacular subji is based on the humble green bean, but is impressively dressed up with a list of medicinal and flavourful Ayurvedic ingredients like cumin, ginger, mustard seeds, shredded coconut for texture and the freshness of coriander leaves. In minutes your regular bean is transformed into an exotic, aromatic vegetarian dish that’ll really blow your hair back and widen your eyes.

Delicious Lamb Mulligatawny

This dish is a perfect example of cultures uniting to create something beautiful. Mulligatawny is a British soup with Indian origins, just like me! Lamb is one of my favourite meats to cook and goes well with a myriad of spices and tastes. I hope this vibrant and delicious recipe inspires you to take a journey in your kitchen with international aromas and delicacies.

Vegetable Thoran

One of the simplest and most magical dishes I’ve ever eaten is a vegetable thoran, a dry vegetable curry. Sounds weird, I know, but have I ever led you astray before? All you need to do is temper finely chopped or grated vegetables with mustard seeds and cook them with curry leaves, shallots or onions, freshly grated coconut and spices. You can add any veggies you like. Pre-warning: this dish requires some time and patience, so not for the speed-cutting hearted.

Jolly Good Butter Chicken

It wouldn’t be a jolly good list if I didn’t sneak a butter chicken in the mix. This. Is. The. Best. Butter. Chicken. You’ll. Ever. Eat. My butter chicken is a healthier version of one of my (and many others) favourite dishes and has an oh-so-creamy buttery taste. Dig in.

Broccoli Bhajis

While I’ve started with dishes many of us know and love (and I’m sure some of your food delivery drivers know you love them too!), I’ve always loved going rogue. Bhaji is similar to your average fritter but is a bite-sized and well-loved spicy Indian street food. It can be served atop a meal but has come to be appreciated as a delicious snack or starter.

Supercharged Dahl

It’s about to get dahl-icious up in here (how many times can someone make that joke until it gets old. I’m asking for a friend). Dahl is perfect for the meat-free among us, combining anti-inflammatory turmeric, high-fibre lentils, antioxidant-rich garlic and digestive-relieving cumin. It’s a real powerhouse dish that gets better with age. Make this dahl for dinner and you’ll find your family fighting over the leftovers the next day.

Eggplant and Green Bean Curry

I love a one-pot meal. Don't you just love not having to dust off every pot you've ever owned and cleaning up a gazillion dishes when you cook?. This Eggplant and Green Bean Curry is a different and lighter approach to your typical vegetarian curry. The homemade curry paste lifts the curry into a richly-layered, warming dish that has serious flavour.

Tuna Tikka Curry

If you haven’t realised by now, I kind of like curry. This exotic seafood curry contains seafood, bursting with omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for brain health and function. This meal is also a tri-doshic Ayurvedic powerhouse, helping to balance Vata, Pitta and Kapha, so it’s great for the whole family.

Maharajah Indian Stuffed Peppers

If you’re thinking stuff this, it’s all too difficult, stuff these capsicums/peppers instead! I’ve supercharged these stuffed capsicums/peppers and upped the heartiness with lamb mince, so they’re flavourful and filling.

If you want one more, taking the grand total to eleven, I have a new special dish just for you from my Ayurvedic cookbook Eat Right for Your Shape. This Indian Chicken with Pomegranate is the star of this show. I’ll admit, there’s a lot of ingredients that go into this chicken marinade, but some things are worth fighting for… mostly chicken; chicken is worth the fight. The chicken is juicy, the pomegranate sweet and your tummy super satisfied.

Enjoy these dishes, and remember, I’m sending you lots of love, health and curry!

Indian Chicken with Pomegranate

SERVES 4

1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) chicken

Optional:

Baby spinach
Pine nut
Pomegranate

INDIAN INFUSED MARINADE

2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons Himalayan salt
1⁄2 teaspoon chilli powder
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons brown rice flour
1⁄2 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
1–2 tablespoons warm filtered water
1 tsp Love Your Gut powder (optional)

Method:

To make the marinade, combine all the ingredients with sufficient warm water to make a paste of spreading consistency.

Rub the marinade over the chicken, ensuring it is completely covered. Place in a roasting tin, cover with foil and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).

Remove the foil and roast the chicken for 60–75 minutes or until the juices run clear when the flesh is pierced with a skewer. If the chicken starts to brown too much during cooking, cover with fresh foil. Rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.

Serve warm with baby spinach, pine nut and pomegranate salad. The chicken will be very moist and tender and won’t be spicy-hot.

I'd love you to try one of my Indian recipes and let em know what you think in the comments section below.

Fibre Rich Tropical Breakfast Jar

This jar rules!

If we can’t visit the tropics at the moment, let’s bring the tropics to us in the form of a delicious cafe equivalent breakfast jar.

Just imagine the sweet, fresh flavours of the tropics, coupled with fibre rich psyllium husk and chia seeds, then layered with fresh yoghurt, mango, and banana. Mmmmmm.

Where were we?

Oh yeah.

This breakfast jar will transport you to a tropical island resort with every single delicious mouthful. Your passport consists of combining Murray River Organics Tropical muesli, psyllium husk, and chia seeds from their brand-new Muesli and Organic Pantry Range.

The range is really beautiful and comes in resealable, reusable, and recyclable canisters! There is nothing freakish about being neat when it comes to uniformity, these canisters look like little health soldiers all in a row, allowing the pantry to be more organised and convenient, especially when you're looking for staples in a hurry. No more rummaging around trying to find something!

No one likes to be labelled, except for jars in the pantry...

One of the best ways to organise your pantry is to label everything, and the airtight, clear jars come with labels that are easy to peel off; or you can keep them on and refill them when needed. They're also a good height so you can have your shelves set at a perfect height for each range item, this will make it easy for you to know which shelf they should be put on, meaning you can have all your cereals on one shelf and your dried goods and non- perishables on another.

I've added psyllium to the jar as not only are the containers an everlasting star of wellness, so are fibre rich foods. We all need good, natural fibre to keep our insides in good nick, so it's a good idea to make this breakfast jar a part of your wellness regime.

Psyllium can be added to your diet to help promote regularity and it's a good source of soluble fibre. Soluble fibres can assist in improving digestion, increasing the absorption of minerals, and even assisting immune system function, increasing intestinal transit time, and reducing glucose absorption. You can read more about soluble fibres on another blog I wrote here.

The 100% organic Tropical Muesli is delicious and gives the layered jar crunch and texture and it's such a bright, colourful and healthy way to start the day. You can find the Murray River Organics products in Coles stores from 1st June.

Imagine sitting underneath a large coconut tree whilst consuming. Customise it with whatever fruit you have available and mix and match your pantry ingredients too.

This tropical flexible and family-friendly and fruity layered jar is a breakfast winner. Please enjoy it and let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Why carotenoids are great for glowing skin + my Sweet Lemon Thyme roasted carrots

Beauty comes from the inside, and I’m not just talking in clichés here. Our skin acts as a reflection of what’s going on internally. Inadequate nutrient intake, low-quality sleep, and high stress can show up on the skin as acne, early aging, redness or dark under-eye circles. Yikes, that's a lot to look forward to ;).

To ensure you’re doing the best you can to look after your skin, my advice is to aim for prevention rather than cure. My favourite preventative measures for skin health include eating a nutrient-rich diet, exercise, stress management techniques, looking after your gut (hello, love your gut powder and love your gut capsules!) and lots of good quality rest.

When it comes to eating for skin health, I recommend leaning towards an antioxidant-rich diet. Antioxidants protect the skin from free radicals, which can otherwise cause damage and accelerate aging. Stress and overexposure to UV light can destroy antioxidants and increase oxidative damage.

UVA rays are not as strong as UVB rays but penetrate the skin more deeply. Unprotected exposure over time can cause genetic damage to the top layer of the skin, causing damage to cells, premature aging and immune suppression. Both UVA and UVB can deplete and suppress Langerhans and immune cells. UVA and UVB are now considered causes of cancer.

While there are plenty of different antioxidants in the body, carotenoids are one of my favourites to talk about (and eat). Carotenoids are the pigment in fruits and vegetables that give them their gorgeous yellow, red, and orange hues.

Carotenoids are potent antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals and create glowing skin. Carotenoids are a fighting nutrient, or more specifically, a phytonutrient, a ‘plant chemical’. There are over 600 different carotenoids in the body, including beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Provitamin A carotenoids may be the ones you’re most familiar with, as they’re converted into vitamin A; essential for growth, immunity, and eye health.

Carotenoids are abundant in some of the most delicious fruit and veg around, including sweet potatoes, carrots, yams, pumpkin, tomatoes, spinach, kale, and oranges. Carotenoids are fat-soluble compounds, meaning they’re best absorbed with fat. It’s time to face the fats; we need good fats!

So next time you're wondering about how to spruce up a plant-based dish, drizzle some olive oil on your veggies, or just eat good fats whole by enjoying an avocado or sprinkling nuts and seeds on your soups and salads.

Adding more carotenoid-rich foods to your diet can be a surefire way to supercharge your skin health. If you’re wondering which carotenoid to pick, at the moment I'm going through a carrots phase. I carrot live without them 😉

Heirloom carrots are probably one of my favourite sights when gathering seasonal produce. I love their spirally little bottom roots like tendrils, luscious green tops, and the remarkable amount of colour they can add to a dish.

When it comes to cooking, they’re such a treat to roast, and this recipe preserves their full form and flavour, elevating them with caramelized rice malt syrup. I've added Golden Gut Blend for it's anti-inflammatory ability, it also includes cinnamon which is anti-fungal, antioxidant and anti-bacterial making it useful against acne and skin blemishes.

This is the perfect dish for lunch or dinner on its own or as a side. Enjoy these beautiful carrots.

Th-th-th-that's all folks!

Sweet Lemon Thyme Roasted Carrots

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
90 g (3 1/4 oz/ 1/4 cup) rice malt syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tsps Golden Gut Blend or Love your gut powder (optional)
6 lemon thyme sprigs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) heirloom or baby carrots, peeled and trimmed

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Combine all the ingredients except the carrots in a small bowl and stir well.
Spread out the carrots in a large roasting tin, drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine.
Roast for 25–30 minutes, until the carrots are cooked through.

Carrot Cake with Coconut Icing

Celebrate Mother’s Day with a delicious home made cake. Just because you can’t throw a party this year, doesn’t mean you have to go without cake 🙂

Treat your mum to a respectable carrot cake that embodies everything that a carrot cake should be.

It is virtuous with lip-licking creamy frosting, filled with wholesome chunks of walnuts and a delicious mix of subtle sweetness and notes of spice.

Need a vegan version? Substitute the eggs with 2 tablespoons ground or whole chia or flaxseeds soaked in 120 ml (33/4 fl oz) of water for 15 minutes.

Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

Carrot Cake with Coconut Icing

Makes 1 cake

Ingredients

150 g (51/2 oz/11/2 cups) almond meal, or gluten-free flour of your choice
60 g (21/4 oz/1/2 cup) raw chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon stevia powder or sweetener of your choice
2 organic eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons organic butter, coconut oil or light olive oil
80 ml (21/2 fl oz/1/3 cup) additive-free coconut milk
235 g (81/2 oz/11/2 cups) grated carrot
walnuts, to decorate (optional)

Coconut Icing

120 g (41/4 oz/3/4 cup) raw, unsalted cashews (soak in water for 20 mins to soften)
300 ml (101/2 fl oz) tinned coconut cream
finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbs raw honey or sweetener of your choice
To make the coconut icing.

Place the cashews, half the coconut cream and the lemon zest and juice in a food processor and blitz for a few minutes. Slowly add more coconut cream until the consistency resembles crème fraîche – smooth, not runny, but not so thick as thickened cream.

Transfer to a bowl and add to the coldest section of your fridge for 30 minutes. Alternatively, put it in the freezer for 5–10 minutes to thicken.

To make the cake

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F/Gas 3) and grease an 18 cm (7 inch) round cake tin.

Put the almond meal, walnuts, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sweetener in a large bowl and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, place the eggs, butter, coconut oil or light olive oil and coconut milk and whisk to combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold through with a wooden spoon. Squeeze the excess water out of the carrots (using your hands is best) then add them to the bowl. Fold in lightly. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes, or until the cake springs back when pressed in the centre.

Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. When the cake has cooled, spread the icing over the top using a knife or the back of a spoon and top with the walnuts.

This will keep, stored in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 5 days

Vegetable and Bean Casserole

Today I have a great dish with vegetables and kidney beans- not kidney-ing you!

It’s my mean bean casserole. You’re welcome.

It’s time to free your pantry and crisper from lockdown. Just use any vegetables you have in the fridge or lying around, also adding lemon and tamari for flavour and some stock and mixed herbs will supercharge your taste buds. If you like it hot add chili, cayenne or paprika.

The kidney beans have meatiness and will absorb up all the aromatic spices and herbs. This is your dish your way so make it vegan by adding vegetable stock or add chicken stock if preferred.

I hope you love my rock n roll casserole. Enjoy it with the whole family because it will really jazz up dinner.

By the way, this dish freezes well, so double the recipe and have it the next day or next week.

You can watch a video about how to make it here.

Vegetable and Bean Casserole

Serves 4-5

2 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 brown onion, chopped
1 red capsicum, chopped
1/2 pumpkin coarsely chopped
2 zucchini’s chopped
1 small cauliflower chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 tbs mixed herbs
1 tsp ground cumin
¹/₂ tsp ground coriander
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 lemon juiced
3 tbs tamari or soy sauce
400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Handful chopped kale
Season to taste with salt and pepper

Method

Chop onion and garlic and all vegetables

Heat olive oil in a deep casserole pan or saucepan

Add garlic and onion into the pan and stir and cook on a medium heat for a minute

Add red capsicum into pan and soften it down cook for a couple of minutes

Add vegetables into pan and stir them well

Add the mixed herbs, cumin and coriander into the pan and stir again

Slowly pour the stock in and stir again and ensure vegetables are evenly distributed and covered with the stock

Add squeezed lemon and tamari and stir

Add your kidney beans now and stir again gently

Now place your chopped kale on top, turn it down to medium heat and place on the lid

Cook for about 20 mins or until vegetables are tender or to your liking

Give it a shot and let me know what you think in the comments below.

Lee x

Beginner’s Guide To Growing Your Own Veggies + Herbs Plus My Gardener’s Bounty Salad

We’re in an unprecedented time; one that’s causing a lot of anxiety and panic for many people. I’m not going to tell you that everything’s great and we’ll all be fine, but I do want to open up the conversation about finding silver linings during hard times.

I’m discovering that these days, after talking to friends, we unanimously agreed that even though times are hard and restrictive, some of the positives that have come out of the corona virus lockdown is that we do have more time to spend with family.

We've also noticed an increased enjoyment for at-home yoga practices and exercise, and we've had time to slow down a little with more time to appreciate nature and the natural world.

Having time to communicate, reflect, rest and connect back to our roots is definitely a silver lining; one that has been calling us for a while now.

So, what do I mean by connecting to your roots? Well old fashioned gardening, of course! What better time than right now to unleash your green thumb and become more self-sufficient by growing your own produce and developing a beginner's guide to eating healthy.

It’s an activity you can do alone or by getting the kids involved too, cause let's face it they love to get their hands dirty.

A few years ago, I made the decision to swap out regular big grocery shops for more bounty from my kitchen garden and to try and support more local small grocers for items that I can’t grow myself. While this can sound extremely intimidating to some, with extra time on your hands, gardening is a useful and fun skill to learn and one that can save you money in the long run. And you don't need a traditional garden space to start gardening, but more on that later.

Gardening is hard work but it's also therapeutic, it gives you a greater appreciation for your food, and it has the bonus benefit of getting you out into some sunlight for some immunity charging Vitamin D.

I'd love to share some of my favourite things to grow, the ones that may not be worth your time, some ideas for herbs and vegetables that are perfect for small spaces and also what I’m growing in real time and why. You can also read more on setting up a kitchen garden here.

I’m in Sydney, which means we enjoy long summers and hot weather, and so do my home-grown veggies and fruits. When you start growing your own it's best to take your climate and soil into consideration, and see what best suits your climate and the area that you're using for your kitchen garden. When does it get sunlight, what times of the day etc.

The Go-To’s

Depending upon your space and climate, first things first it's good to prepare your soil, as a good garden starts with good soil. I compost at home so I'm constantly amending the soil to gradually build up a productive soil. If you don't have compost you can use shredded leaves. Or you might be keen to try the no gardening approach, where you throw your kitchen scraps, leaves and clippings straight onto the garden to bring more nutrients and diversity to the soil.

I've created two garden beds and a herb wall to separate what I'm growing. I use the herb wall to germinate seeds and then replant them into the raised beds. If you don't have space, portable mini greenhouses and grow bags are good to experiment with too. I also had a tree which was dying and I needed to let more light in so used The Local Tree Experts.

This is the herb wall I transported from my old house and now use to grow herbs from seed.

Since I started growing Lettuce, I hardly buy any from the grocer in summer. Lettuce leaves are summer babies, but they can’t stay in the heat all day as they are partial to a bit of shade too. I plant them in partial shade in the summer and move them around in other months of the year so that they have full sun exposure. Soft and tender lettuces proliferate and need a ready supply of seedlings to keep up salad demands (especially for a family like mine!). You can grow lots of lettuce in a small space, even in a container so its a good one to start with.

Silverbeet, kale, bok choy and rainbow chard are other great greens to grow and are mostly pickable throughout the year. They take about 8-10 weeks to grow, which is a quick reward. You can keep harvesting greens as you need them, as long as you show them enough love and water. You can plant about six plants in a small space.

My favourite way to use greens is in my Super Seeded Spring Salad!

If you’re up for a challenge, try growing carrots. They’re not the easiest to grow in Australia, but you can get a serious bang for your buck. I plant around 2-3 each year and get about six months of carrots. For best results, seed the carrots according to specific instructions. I also tie them with a cable tie to stop the leaves bending over.

Another colourful and vibrant vegetable to grow is beetroot. Place it in about 30 in 1m2, water them well and end up with home-grown beetroots that are a thousand times better than store-bought ones. To get better cropping, plant beetroots individually and pull them apart as they grow.

Spring onion is a flavour provider that is a great companion to many crops. They start slow, but when you plant them monthly, there’s still something to harvest. You can plant at least 50 spring onions in a 1m2 space, and they love the sun for eight months of the year. Over summer, plant them in partial shade.

Watercress Leek and Coconut Soup. It's good for your microbes!

Leeks may be slow growers, but they’re in the garden for about eight months of the year. They require a reasonable amount of soil and enough moisture to keep them growing. You’ll get around 50 leeks each plant, and you can plant about 20-30 per metre2.

Tomatoes take about 20-30 days to reach maturity from the time they first appear and begin producing fruits at about day 40-50. They’re compact plants, which means they grow a lot of fruit for their space. They’re like the kid who always stood at the back of the photos because they had a growth spurt younger than all the other kids. A recently picked juicy and ripe tomato provides a flavour explosion like no other.

Eggplants and Capsicums are relatively easy to grow in a place with long and warm summers. They crop heavily and are compact plants. Eggplants grow in a tall and angular fashion and take about 100-120 days to reach maturity. Capsicums take about three months to mature. Try adding them to this delicious Bohemian Baked Vegetable Bowl.

Cucumbers and strawberries are part of my kitchen garden. You can read more about how to start your own kitchen garden here.

Too hard basket

While I love root veggies, I tend to leave the parsnips for my local grocer. They take up a lot of space and take a more extended time to grow. Similarly, regular onions take up a substantial amount of space and time.

Unfortunately, cabbage is another no-no as, taking up a lot of valuable space in the garden without any reward for months.

Minimal Space

If you’re reading this and thinking, Lee, all of this is too hard because I don’t have a backyard, it’s time to get creative. You can use a balcony or smaller outside area and have just a few pots. The best plants for a balcony are herbs.

While some spread their herbs around their garden, I prefer to have a dedicated herb wall. My favourite herbs to grow are turmeric, garlic, fennel, dill, basil, oregano, chilli, and rosemary. For only a small amount of space, you can get a diverse range of herbs and spices!

What am I growing?

I’m currently paying special attention to a few specific veggies and herbs.

Celery has always been one of my favourite veggies to grow, even before celery juice became trendy! Celery requires lots of water and rich soil, otherwise it’ll dry out and become bitter and tough (I wouldn’t want to mess with that!). It takes about 3-4 months for the anti-inflammatory stalks to rise. If you’re totally over celery juice, sip on celery in my Lockdown Gut Immunity Smoothie.

Rocket is easily one of my favourite greens, maybe because it’s one of the fastest-growing ones! Rocket works best in spring and autumn and takes only 6-7 weeks to be ready for harvesting. Rocket is bitter, making it beneficial for our liver health. Rocket’s the perfect topper to my Supercharged Fish Tortillas.

I don’t mean to be biased, but my basil is the greatest basil I’ve ever seen – for real! Basil grows well in warm environments and take only 8-14 days to germinate and emerge from the soil. After germination, it takes about 4-6 weeks for leaves to emerge. I love adding basil to pasta, or making it the star of the show in my Red Capsicum and Hazelnut Pesto or this winning Basil Pesto with a twist.

Mint is a digestive aid, loved by all. It grows year-round in warmer climates and takes about 90 days to grow. I used to overwater my mint, which was a big mint-stake! If you’re planting mint in the ground, water it every 7-10 days. If it’s staying in a pot, it requires water every 3-5 days. Get out of the toothpaste tube and into your creative thinking. I love the way mint adds freshness to my Pan-fried Pineapple with Mint and Coconut Yoghurt.

Broccoli is a cool season crop that needs to be grown in full sun. Broccoli’s are heavy feeders, so be sure to feed them accordingly! I love broccoli because it’s great for our livers, and it offers a great source of vitamin K and vitamin C. it takes around 100-150 days for broccoli to grow. If you’re looking for a way to jazz up your broccoli, try my Oven-Baked Broccoli Steaks.

To add some flavour and antioxidants to my diet, I love growing turmeric, ginger and garlic. While these flavour providers take some time, they’re worth the wait. Turmeric takes around 7-10 months to grow and can be used in a myriad of dishes. Garlic takes around 9 months to grow and is a big fan of the sun! Growing ginger usually takes 8-10 months to grow and can be planted in a pot. You can choose to harvest the roots after several months.

I strive for self-sufficiency in my garden, and I’d love to see you do the same! Remember, just like the people in your life; plants require lots of love, attention and water. Act accordingly.

So what to do with your home grown produce? For the Rolls-Royce of nutrient-dense salads, look no further than my Gardener’s Bounty Salad. Overflowing with garden goodness, this salad is better than any multivitamin pill. This is your secret weapon against ill health, fatigue and lacklustre skin.

Let me know what you are growing in the comments section below.

The Gardener’s Bounty Salad

Serves 3

Ingredients

1 cup english spinach leaves
1 cup chopped kale, stem removed
1 cup rocket (arugula)
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 red capsicum (pepper), seeds and membrane removed, sliced
3 baby (pattypan) squash, quartered
1 small zucchini (courgette), thinly sliced
150 g (51/2 oz/1 cup) cherry tomatoes
 1 cucumber, cubed

Dressing

60 ml (2 fl oz/1/4 cup) apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 teaspoon mustard
1 Tsp Love Your Gut powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
125 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil

Method

Assemble all the salad ingredients in a bowl.

Place all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and use a handheld blender to blend until smooth.

Pour the dressing over the salad and enjoy.

Top tips to take Instagram-worthy pics of your food and share them

The appetite for posting and consuming stunning photos of food cooked at home and in restaurants is at an all-time high thanks to Instagram or insta-gratification as I like to call it. Can you believe that more than 500 million people love to snap, upload, storyboard, swipe up, down and comment on this social photo app across the globe, with three-fifths of these using the app daily to take snapshots of their lives.

Given that you’re here on the Supercharged couch with me, it’s likely you're as keen as mustard about food as we are. That’s why we’ve pulled out all the stops to create an ‘Instagram 101’ article for those of you who want to shout loud and proud about their culinary talents, flavoursome photos and random sprinkling of salt from a great height on ‘the ‘Gram’.

Natural light can really make your dishes shine

It doesn’t matter whether you are taking snaps from your kitchen or a restaurant, the success of most Insta-foodies relies heavily on soft natural light. Many Instagrammers will only take photos of their food in daytime when the natural light is plentiful. If you're visiting a restaurant, ideally you should request a table close to a window or door to enable light to flood across your dishes.

Natural light is especially effective at allowing colorful dishes and ingredients to shine. Take my roasted vegetable stock as an example, which benefits from natural light kissing the darkened pot and bringing all those delicious vegetables to life.

Don’t over-edit your photos

There is a tendency with some Instagrammers to go heavy on the filters of their food photos. In fact, some of the filters can spoil the quality of the images instead of enhancing them. Instagrammer @theboywhobakes recommends avoiding using your smartphone’s flash too as it can also create an artificial appearance to your dishes. Photo editing apps like VSCO are said to be very effective at giving you the control you need without your feed becoming too staged and force fed. If you tend to over-edit your photos, consider using one of the simple resizing apps that allow only cropping pictures and almost nothing else. A photo of your dish taken in natural light and copped carefully might be all you need to make a good picture! Also try an instagram story maker.

Get inspiration from photographers of other still objects

Photographing still objects or people doesn’t have to be difficult. There are photographers who manage to capture the essence of various hobbies and industries that don’t require people jumping around or moving fast like professional athletes. Take poker for instance, which by its very nature is a sedentary pastime. Poker photographers make the pilgrimage to Las Vegas each year for the World Series of Poker, with ‘Sin City’ considered the mecca of this pastime among the poker fraternity. They manage to capture the essence and drama of poker tournaments often through anticipation and timing. By understanding how each player displays emotion after winning and losing hands, it’s possible to use their tendencies to anticipate the perfect shot of elation, resignation or downright despair.

Don’t stress about making your photos too perfect

Food looks at its most delicious when it is served and presented authentically. Whether it’s oozing with sauce or dripping with juice, make sure your photos demonstrate all aspects of your dish. This can certainly make your meals appear more wholesome and genuine, particularly if it’s home-cooked fare. If there’s a lot going on the plate, be sure to give it room to breathe. Try not to overcrowd it with other accessories like crockery and table decorations – let the plate do the talking. A picture is worth a thousand words after all!

Snap what you like, not what you think will get likes

A trap that many food Instagrammers fall into too easily is trying to take shots of food that they think their target demographic will like, not what they like. What really builds Instagram followings is authenticity. Although magazines like Elle recommend that you focus on meals that work aesthetically for Instagram, many users will be able to see through this insincerity. People will follow your feed if they see passion and love for what you cook and devour. Eat and create the food that you find delicious, not what you believe others find tasty. Be original with your feed. The last thing you want is to be a carbon copy of someone else.

Acquaint yourself with your phone’s photography features

Before you start spamming your Instagram feed with dishes, make sure you understand the full power of your smartphone’s photo functionality. Get to grips with using exposure and focus with your lenses and start to have fun with the kind of backdrops that can help your food sing on-screen. It doesn’t matter whether it’s tablecloths, tiled floors or textured wallpaper, it’s all about investing time and energy in creating the perfect environment for your food.

Enjoy creating and sharing your images!

Lee xo

Bunker Baked Beans on Toast with Video

If every tin of baked beans in your supermarket has been snapped up, fear not, I'm here to tell you that you can still have your beans and eat them too.

I’ve got the ultimate bunker down recipe for self-isolation today. It’s fun to make, healthy and tastes even better than the tinned thing.

Plus it only takes 15 minutes to get this good boy onto the table and it's so simple you could make it blindfolded with one hand tied behind your back. (I am not suggested you do this by the way!)

To create this formidable breakfast, I’m using white Cannellini beans, known for their mild and smooth flavour. Did you know that home-cooked baked beans are surprisingly packed with nutrients? They’re a wonderfully nutritious ingredient with folate, iron and magnesium. In addition they’re full of fibre and protein so will support gut health, and promote the balance and population of microorganisms.

If you’re interested in gut health, check out our Love Your gut powder here. The fibre in the beans helps you feel full and slows down digestion, which can help prevent blood sugar spikes and drops. These benefits alone make Cannellini beans the cheapest superfood on the market today! Especially if you’re on a budget right now as many of us are.

So what are you waiting for, bring on the beans! Lets make tinned beans HAS BEANS and lessen the sodium and heapings of sugar from the canned variety.

This dish is the ultimate comfort food for a lockdown situation and will bring you much comfort and satisfaction. I recommend having it with my Best Scrambled Eggs you will Ever Eat.

The good news is, that with minimal effort, you can gain back the bean and incorporate it into your hearty breakfast, just by following these few simple steps.

I really hope you enjoy it!

Let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Watch a video here about how to make it.

Ps Occasionally beans can make certain people bloated, all you need to do is just rinse them (even the canned varieties) a couple of times before using to help alleviate this!

Bunker Baked Beans on Toast

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 slices bread for toasting

Beans
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 tsps mustard (or to your preference)
1/2 cup passata (tomato puree)
A good glug of tamari (or soya or Worcestershire sauce)
1 can cannellini beans (rinsed)
1-2 TBS maple syrup or sweetener of choice
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Love Your gut powder (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Method
In a medium saucepan spray with olive oil
Place garlic and stir then add mustard and stir, then add all remaining ingredients and cook for 7-10 mins to thicken and reduce sauce
Place bread in toaster and when cooked to your liking, pile beans on top

Lee x

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