I heart salmon...

In fact you could say I’m a salmon addict. Trawl through the latest research and you’ll find countless reasons why this super fish is one of the healthiest types of fish around. One of my favourite reasons to eat wild caught salmon is the omega-3 fat content which helps to reduce inflammation and reduce the pain of inflammatory conditions. Even if you don’t suffer from inflammation, we all need to increase the amount of heart healthy Omega-3s in our diets and oily fish is one of the best sources for these essential fatty acids (did I mention that they were ESSENTIAL?).  Here are some more healthy fats.

Another reason to celebrate this wonder fish is that, contrary to other common fish varieties; beautiful wild salmon can be eaten without dramatic concern for its mercury content. So there’s no need to be salmon-phobic about heavy metals. Read more about Wild Salmon and Super Foods here.

Above and beyond the obvious health benefits of salmon, its source of Omega 3s and protein content, Wild Salmon has some other unfamiliar but highly beneficial claims to fame.

As little as 110gm of Salmon contains your daily allowance of Vitamin D. Vitamin D, is not abundant in most food choices, and one of the best ways to get a shot is a good dose of sunlight! Given the sedentary nature of the jobs we lead today, a good daily measure of sunshine is usually hard to come by, that’s why many of us have become severely deficient.

It also contains vitamin B-12 THAT wonder vitamin which assists in the prevention of anemia and combats tiredness, anxiety and depression. Canned salmon also has a wonderfully large amount of calcium, due to the fact that the bones are preserved with the fish. Don’t fear these little critters, they literally disintegrate once you mash the salmon! Vertebrae have never been so healthy!

Pay particular attention to the type of canned salmon you buy and ensure its Wild. Most ‘Atlantic Salmon’ has come from farmed sites, where fish are crammed together and fed an horrific concoction of soy protein, corn, antibiotics (the fish are bound to get sick in such tight confines!) and even pigments to ensure what we see looks like the real deal ‘pink’ or ‘red’ salmon.

To keep this pate together gelatin is my go to ingredient. Gelatin is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless thickening agent, which when dissolved in hot water and cooled, forms a jelly to hold other ingredients together.  Supercharged with nutrients the truth is that it’s essentially a cooked form of collagen which helps to repair skin, hair and nails.

Gelatin is 35% glycine, an amazing anti-inflammatory compound, particularly good at healing and soothing the intestinal lining aka gut and digestion issues. Gelatin is also a great source of arginine, a well-known component to many ‘fat loss’ supplements.  Here's some more info about the wonders of gelatin. So why spend fortunes on expensive amino acids that help regulate the metabolism, when we can find them in nature?

All of the pate ingredients are readily available and not cost prohibitive (yay!) so why don’t you create a little salmon variation in your diet and served it up as the French do?

Enjoy with gluten free bread or crackers or crunchy kale chips.

Ingredients

• 1 can salmon (415 gms)
• 2 TBS lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon rind
• 1 TBS chopped fresh dill
• 1 TBS gelatine
• 1 small red onion chopped
• 1 TBS fresh parsley chopped
• 1 TBS capers (rinsed and drained)

Here's how to get smart

• Remove any bones from salmon and drain but reserve the liquid
• Place salmon, lemon juice, rind and dill into a food processor and blend until combined
• In a saucepan on a medium heat sprinkle the gelatine over 2 TBS of the reserved liquid until the gelatine dissolves
• Add to the salmon mixture, stir in the onion, parsley and capers.
• Refrigerate until set

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Lee 🙂

A little preparation on a lazy weekend afternoon can prevent a massive guilt trip midweek if you’re tempted to reach for a mid-morning or afternoon snack. If you’re in a hurry and start to feel your energy levels slipping away, an easy alternative would be to pop something convenient and devoid of nutrition into your mouth. But making sure everything you put into your mouth counts is a great way to fill your body with nutritious foods and enjoy the benefits that they bring.

This scrummy Berry and Nut Muesli Slice will give you the best of both worlds, with its sweet and truly nutritious qualities. While many snacks are synonymous with trans-fatty, sugar laden treats, there’s no reason you can’t create healthy ones.  The great thing is that having a healthful snack in between meals helps manage your blood sugar levels and hormones. Insulin in particular can increase your ability to store fat especially if you skip a meal or allow yourself to get too hungry. No one wants to start gnawing off their own arm or reaching for an instant snack full of processed and artificial ingredients that will only make the immune system have to work twice as hard to process and leave a trail of toxic substances for your body to try and eliminate..

Healthy made over muesli slices, using only the best, most nutrient dense foods are the perfect mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. If you’re wondering what’s in every mouthful, these scrumptious treats contain a truckload of nutrient-rich ingredients to keep you full and will undoubtedly satisfy the cheekiest sugar craving. Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients:

Almonds: Keeping recipes low in sugar, which is the Supercharged Food philosophy, naturally means that it’s best to use foods which are low in carbohydrates. (Remember just 4 grams of carbs equates to 1 tsp of sugar in our body…yikes!) The wonderful thing about almond flour is that it’s high in protein, manganese, potassium, copper, and vitamin E, as well as heart healthy monounsaturated fats. If you’re using a quarter of a cup of almond meal, this contains 15g fat (1g saturated), 5g carbs (3g fiber, 1g sugar), and 7g protein. Nutrient dense deliciousness in one single slice! Here’s a tip when cooking with almond flour; if you’re planning on replacing wheat flour with it in a recipe, just make note that you may require more eggs to provide more structure.

Goji Berries: Apart from being pretty in pink and delicious, Goji Berries contain 18 types of amino acids and all 8 essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks for protein, which in turn is vital for some very important functions in your body. To put this into perspective it helps keep your skin glowing or hormonal glands in check, your nails intact and your hair ultra-glossy with mountains of  va va va voom!

Another attribute of Goji berries is their rich source of carotenoids, (more beta carotene than carrots can you believe?!) of all known foods or plants on earth! They contain 500 times the amount of vitamin C, by weight, than oranges making them the second most potent source of vitamin C on earth. To round it all out Goji berries score an astronomical 23,500 on the ORAC scale (Blueberries are a mere 2400).

Seeds, despite the small packaging, pack a nutritional punch. Pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, are packed with iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium. These four important minerals are arguably the most important minerals our body requires. Magnesium is used in nerve and muscle function, making it an excellent mineral to help calm tired and wired minds. Calcium, as we know, is integral to bone health, iron is necessary for the generation of new blood cells, which promotes the circulation of oxygen throughout the body. No wonder if you’re iron deficient you have a tired mind and body! And finally zinc is necessary for protein development.

Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of Vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant that helps fight free radical damage. They are also a wonderful source of Linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid), dietary fibre, protein and minerals such as magnesium and selenium. Sesame seeds are a rich source of manganese, needed for bone development and copper which assists in the production of connective tissue proteins, collagen and elastin (helping us achieve hot and healthy skin). Sesame seeds contain a unique antioxidant called sesamin, powerful anti-carcinogens which may assist with respiratory health.

Apricots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, potassium, iron, calcium, silicon, phosphorus and vitamin c. If you’re wondering about the difference in organic dried vs. conventional apricots, non-organic apricots are treated with sulphur dioxide, which stops the fruit from oxidizing and losing its vibrant orange colour. Sounds ok, but this chemical process creates sulfites, which is a common trigger for asthma in some sufferers. Deceptive as it is, it’s much better for your health to get those darker brown organic dried apricots that haven’t been processed or tampered with or better still dehydrate your own so you know exactly what in them.  You can find out more about dehydrating here.

Now that you’re skilled up and raring to go the only other thing you need to remember is just to make sure that your baking powder is aluminum free and now you are ready to make your own tasty treats.

Berry and Nut Muesli Slice
(makes 12-15 slices)
2 cups almond flour
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ cup goji berries
8 drops liquid stevia
½ cup mixed seeds, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame
¼ cup pistachios roughly chopped
¼ cup dried apricots, cut into 2.5 cm pieces
Pinch Celtic sea salt
1 large egg

Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Line a baking sheet with baking paper
Combine baking soda, fruit, nuts and seeds, sea salt and almond flour in a bowl
In a separate bowl beat egg and add liquid stevia
Mix wet ingredients into dry
With hands form the mixture into a dough
Shape dough into a rectangular shape about 2 cms thick
Cut dough into slices
Bake for 15 mins

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I'm spirulina besotted ATM. Totally in love with an earthy green nutritious and immune boosting micro salt water plant.

So what is this green stuff that is so big in Japan?

Technically its a single-celled microalgae which thrives from water and sunbeams. It contains every vitamin beginning with the first five letters of the alphabet as well as iron, calcium and magnesium, selenium, phosphorous, zinc, potassium and chronium. Spirulina is a rich protein source, complete with all essential amino acids in perfect balance as well as a boost of B12, chlorophyll, beta-carotene and other natural phytochemicals. If you're looking for an alkaliniser of the body, this is your go-to-guy.

The trouble is that many of us are consuming convenience and processed foods on a daily basis, which can raise cholesterol and weight levels, and inevitably contribute to digestive health challenges.  Bombarding yourself with over-processed foods which are extremely taxing for the body to process just contributes to fatigue and exhaustion.

When you ingest spirulina, particularly the natural powdered form in smoothie or shake, your body will almost instantly feel a rush of energy  because the powder is naturally and easily digestible. So you're literally infusing your body with nutrients and banishing that sluggish feeling.

Instead of reaching for an instant snack between meals Spirulina Balls can fill the gap naturally and provide nutrients to fuel your body and a boost if your energy levels are flagging. They don't take long to make and will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.  Now get making!

Spirulina and Sesame Balls

Makes 12

•  1 TBS spirulina powder
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1 cup chopped mixed nuts such as pistachios, almonds, cashews, brazils, hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 5 tablespoons almond nut butter
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 8 drops liquid stevia
• extra sesame seeds, for coating

Place spirulina, nuts,  almond meal, and sesame seeds in a food processor and process until combined.

Now add the almond butter, tahini and stevia and continue to process until mixed together and ready for rolling.

Divide the mixture into 12 equal parts then roll each one into a ball using the palms of your hands. Set them aside.

In a bowl place the sesame seeds and roll the balls through to evenly coat them.

On a flat tray place the spirulina balls in spaced apart and refrigerate for 30 minutes until set.

Enjoy!

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Move over blah blah salads. I have to share this salad with you.  For a healthy spin, combine any raw vegies in this kaleidoscopic feast for a completely balanced meal. It's easy to throw together and deliciously super healthy.

If you're wild about salads then abundant fresh vegies are the best for this dish so add as many colour combinations as you like for an energy boosting meal.

The  Tahini and lemon dressing tastes so much better than any other pre-packaged dressing you would buy in the grocery store and it literally takes a nano second to prepare. Once you've made your own dressings it's really hard to go back to store-bought ones which more often than not contain sugar, citric acid, additives and preservatives and send you on an unnatural high!.

Tahini is produced from either hulled or unhulled sesame seeds.  For this dressing I used the hulled variety as it has a less intense and mellower flavour. Tahini has many added health benefits being high in vitamins E, F and T, as well as vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B15, biotin, and choline.  B Vitamins help to play an essential part in the functioning of the body as they promote healthy cell growth and division, including that of red blood cells, which will help prevent Anemia.

Tahini is a rich source of vitamin A and methionine and contains lecithin, which reduces the levels of fat in the blood and is an environmental toxin protector.

If you're wondering what minerals tahini contains, it's a fantastic source of copper,  magnesium, zinc, potassium, iron, and phosphorus, and is an excellent source of calcium too. Copper has been reported as being very good for rheumatoid arthritis sufferers and helps reduce some of the symptoms of pain and swelling.

Tahini should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge but remember to bring it to room temperature before using.

Here's how to make this delicious dish.  Add your own ingredients, the options are limitless. Enjoy.

Rainbow Salad with Tahini and Lemon Dressing

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 cups mixed greens
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 small beetroot sliced thinly or spiralised
• ½ cup purple cabbage shredded
• 1 red pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 carrot sliced thinly or spiralised
• 1 yellow pepper, diced
• 1 medium cucumber cut into chunks
• 1 Avocado cubed
• Sprinkle of pumpkin seeds
• Handful of bean sprouts
• 1 TBS sesame seeds to garnish

Place all ingredients into a bowl and carefully mix together

Tahini and Lemon Dressing

Ingredients:

• ½ cup tahini
• 1 TBS lemon juice
• ¼ cup filtered water
• 5 drops liquid stevia
• 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste

In a bowl blend all ingredients until it becomes a smooth paste.  Add more filtered water if required for desired consistency. Serve immediately. For a cheesier dressing add 2 TBS nutritional yeast flakes.

If you are a soy lover, this salad can be garnished with fresh organic tofu which has been cut into squares, marinated in wheat free tamari for 5 mins and fried in a small amount of coconut oil on all sides until crispy.

Rainbow Salad, yummy yummy.

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Gluten Free Pizza!

Just because you’re gluten free doesn’t mean you have to go without.  This traditionally tasting pizza is more like the real thing, not the store bought varieties that taste like you forgot to remove the soggy cardboard from the box and you bite into runny baked beanish tomato sauce and rubbery colourless processed cheese. Scatter it with your favourite toppings and enjoy. It’s supreme.

Makes two

Pizza base

• about 1 1/2 cups finely ground almond meal
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Topping

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 105 g oven-roasted tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups spinach leaves
• 1 red capsicum chopped
• Prosciutto strips x 6 (no nitrates or additives)
• 8 anchovy fillets
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes

Preheat the oven to 220°C and lightly grease a pizza pan or large baking tray.

For the pizza base, put 1 1/2 cups of almond meal in a large mixing bowl, add all the other ingredients and mix until you have a loose dough. If it feels wet, add a bit more almond meal and work with your hands until smooth. Shape into a ball.

Cut the dough in half and roll each portion out into a thin circle of about 15 cm, working from the inside out in a clockwise motion. Add more almond meal if it becomes too sticky. Place the two bases side by side on the prepared baking tray and place in the oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and spread with tomato paste, leaving a 1 cm border of dough uncovered. Scatter the prosciutto, capsicum, tomatoes, spinach and anchovies over the top, and sprinkle with yeast flakes. Return the pizzas to the oven for another 7-10 minutes, or until glistening and crispy. These are so delicious and tastes positively gourmet!

Enjoy!

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Quinoa Porridge

Not all breakfasts need to taste like the bottom of a bird cage. If you want to feel chirpy about breakfast without the apprehension, then silky smooth Quinoa is a yummy tweet. Oops treat.  On crisp Autumn mornings combine quinoa with your favourite almond or rice milk for a creamy consistency.  Add anti-oxidant red-rich berries and you'll have an energising, warm and fulfilling breakfast to keep you going until the lunch bell sounds. Why not make up your own concoction with tantilising toppings such as cacao nibs, roasted nuts or coconut flakes?

Even if you're on a tight schedule at rush hour, use Quinoa cooked up from the night before and you'll be out the door in minutes. Or if you just want to enjoy a lazy weekend morning then try this comforting breakfast-in-bed delight for size.

Quinoa, grown in the Andes is a perfect balance of essential amino acids.  The Incas  named it  ‘la chisaya mama’, or the mother grain because of its exceptionally high protein, vitamin and mineral content.  Being a very good source of iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, B and E vitamins,  its versatility in the kitchen means it can be used at breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert and can be served sweet or savoury depending upon the occasion.

Quinoa's light and fluffy texture and delicate nutty taste, pairs perfectly with mixed berries and makes a wholesome, nutritious and  fibre rich heavenly breakfast, minus the feeling of just having eaten a bowl of stodge you can experience with many grain filled dishes.

To store quinoa, place it in a tightly covered container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  Remember that when preparing quinoa its best to  rinse well and using a sieve, hand scrub seeds under running water until the water runs clear. Quinoa seeds are covered with saponin, a resin-like substance with a bitter taste so washing seeds is an important step in the preparation process. When cooking quinoa a good rule of thumb is to use two parts liquid to one part quinoa.

At the risk of sounding like a real estate agent, quinoa ticks all the boxes.

Nutrition. Tick. Deliciousness. Tick. Appearance. Tick. Wholesomeness. Tick.

Here's how to enjoy a yummy quinoa filled breakfast...

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 8 drops stevia liquid concentrate
• 1 TBS coconut oil or butter (if tolerated)
• 1/2 tsp lime zest (optional)
• Almond milk to serve

Method

Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a wide saucepan
Add quinoa, sea salt, cinnamon, stevia and butter/coconut oil
Cover and reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes
Remove from heat and scoop into a bowl add almond milk, scatter with lime zest and enjoy