Category: Uncategorized

Spirulina, the Ultimate Superfood? + Banana, Blueberry & Red Peanut Smoothie

imageI loved this smoothie! It has an unusual combination of ingredients and I wasn’t expecting to photograph it at all because usually anything with dark ingredients, and especially Spirulina, will look less than appetising. I was pleasantly surprised, it looks just like a milkshake!

Nutritionally, it has everything you could ask for: potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium, protein, B12, Vitamin K, iodine, essential fatty acids, fibre – in fact, more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than you can shake a spoon at.

This so-called superfood can help with post-exercise recovery and fatigue, plus reduce the symptoms of Candida and of allergic rhinitis, among other benefits.

Spirulina is an algae that is mostly protein (between 60% and 70%) and contains a long list of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. I found it difficult to take on its own when I first tried it just in water, it was better in a small glass of apple juice, but it didn’t blend, I found adding it to smoothies the best way to take it. I then tried the Juicemaster brand and found it a milder version, it certainly doesn’t shout above the other ingredients in this smoothie or spoil the taste.

It’s so beneficial for good health that it’s one of those foods you just know you have to have for your own good!*

I’m not really selling it to you, am I?

Trust me, if I gave you this smoothie and you didn’t know it had spirulina in, you’d be none the wiser. But if in any doubt you could add a medjool date or some maple syrup to be on the safe side!

Remember, the coconut water is naturally quite sweet, as is the banana.

Begin with 1 Tsp a day and gradually increase to 3 times a day if you want therapeutic levels.

(If you have to watch your sodium levels, then please do your own research).

Ingredients

Soak 3 Tbsps Oats, 1 Tbsp Organic Chia Seeds* and a handful of Organic Red Peanuts in a Medium Glass of 100% Raw Coconut Water in the blender for 15 minutes to make them more digestible.

Add

1 Small Banana

A Large Handful of Organic Blueberries, washed

1 Tbsp Meridian Smooth Palm Oil-free Peanut Butter

1 Tsp Juicemaster Spirulina

Blend and add ice if you prefer your smoothie chilled. Enjoy!

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*Please Note: Since spirulina stimulates the immune system, anyone with an over-active immune system or an auto-immune condition such as Lupus or Multiple Sclerosis is advised not to take it. Similarly, due to its phenylalanine content, those with the metabolic disorder PKU should also avoid spirulina.

Juicemaster

*The Raw Chocolate Company

Meridian Foods

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Long time, no see …

img_2602A quick post to apologise for lack of (hopefully) inspiring posts: we are metaphorically and literally running around like headless chickens trying to regain some sense of control over our living space so that we are prepared for a lovely surprise visit from the two family smalls tomorrow. We weren’t expecting them until Christmas Eve and have unwittingly turned their bedroom into something resembling a packing warehouse and their play room into Santa’s grotto, and so we have to try to clear it all away before they discover their presents a little on the early side!

Their bedroom is full of boxes, big and small, from all the parcels that have contrived to arrive all at once this week – some as part of a project we’re working on (can’t say more than that, walls have ears and all that), some awaiting returns labels, and some containing presents. The playroom has rolls of Christmas paper, cards in various stages of completion, wrapped up gifts strewn around and half-completed projects.

We are also in a quandary: is it too soon to put up the Christmas decorations for them, should we wait until Christmas so they get the full effect for their special visit (we don’t usually see them at Christmas and this year my mum will be meeting the youngest small for the first time too).

Then there’s food to prepare. Always a head-scratcher, this one. Littlest small won’t eat anything resembling a vegetable but will eat fruit and porridge till it comes out of his ears (sometimes literally!), older small will eat most things on her day but on others may decide she’s not in the mood and would rather be playing.

We spend a lot of time discussing what to have, trying to make sure we have their favourites only to discover those have moved over to the detested list and they’ve moved on to something else. Last time we were sure we were on to a winner with pizza, older small’s favourite, but neither of them ate any – older small actually preferred the salad! And younger small doesn’t like chips (fries)!! What child doesn’t like chips?? Husband makes them from scratch and is very proud of his oven chips, the older bigger ones gobble them up. Nope, smallest small only wants cheese and grapes, banana if you’re lucky – but he does love the Aduna Baobab bars* (and I happen to have just had a delivery), and they like my raw treats, so not all is lost.

It’s so hard fitting in two meals into such a short 6 hour visit, we end up spending most of the time preparing food, eating food, clearing away food, washing up and then there’s just enough time to read a story or two and we’re onto the next meal and then they have a bath and it’s into the car and off they go!

We spend such a lot of time and energy trying to get it right, but never really succeed. The teenage ones much prefer takeaway and so that is what we usually do for them and I cringe at what my followers would think of me, a vegan health and well-being blogger paying money for some of the most disgusting ‘food’ on this earth, which they wolf down with big grins on their faces while all I can think about is how many chemicals and processed unmentionables are being stored up for future health catastrophes! They, of course, think it’s hilarious and enjoy watching me squirm. (They eat healthily at home but regard visits here as opportunities to cut loose and have ‘treats’!)

Anyway, that’s our week so far. I am so tempted to put up all the lights etc. because I love to see the little ones’ faces, but I think HB will put his foot down and since he is the one who has to do it all, I have to acquiesce. Besides, there are only so many hours left before their visit and the grotto still isn’t sorted, we don’t yet know what food to prepare, the house needs cleaning and toddlerising, my back is shouting for mercy, oh, and I’m in the middle of a soup and juice plan!

I can’t wait to see them.

Wish us luck!

PS Here’s a link to a Guardian newspaper article on Aduna and the impact on local African economies of their market for baobab fruit, traditionally picked by women.

*https://aduna.com/

Copyright: Chris McGowan

The Benefits of Baobab, a Fruity Protein Smoothie + Review of Aduna Bars.

img_1319Baobab powder may be new to many of you. I’ve only recently begun using it in smoothies and on porridge and I really like it.

It has a mild, citrus almost sherbet taste and contains protein as well as calcium, iron, thiamin, vitamin C, fibre and potassium.

I use Aduna* brand as I like their ethos: they use vegan, organic ingredients and support small producers in Africa, many of them women (here’s a link to a good article in The Guardian about their business and the impact of growing baobab on local African economies).

I also use their moringa leaf powder which is a green herbal-tasting superfood, a bit like spinach, also with a high protein content, vitamins and minerals.

(My first order came with a personal handwritten thank you note and a couple of recipe cards, which was a nice touch).

(Coincidentally, after I had written and scheduled this post, I won a box of Aduna Moringa and Baobab bars! I have to say, the family love them. The 22 month old who won’t eat anything vaguely resembling a vegetable but loves all kinds of fruit gobbled up a Baobab bar. It has pineapple in and is very flavoursome with a strong citrus taste. I love the Moringa bars with their mango and slightly herbal flavour. They are both highly satisfying. My husband takes a Baobab bar with him on cycle rides). 

Ps Since this post was published I ordered some Aduna Cacao bars – they are lush! They have walnuts, cacao nibs and hibiscus in them and it’s a lovely fruity combination with a bit of a bite from the nuts ‘n’ nibs.

The bars are organic, vegan and gluten-free.

Fruity Protein Smoothie

img_2349This smoothie recipe is also vegan, gluten-free and organic.

If you have time, soak the oats and cashews for 15-20 minutes in the coconut water in the blender. This makes them more digestible.

The grapes and plum contain the anti-ageing reseveratrol, banana is a good source of potassium and energy, the oats and cashews have calming magnesium and the hemp seeds are a good source of protein and healthy omega oils.

Ingredients

Half a Banana

1 Plum

Handful Red Grapes (washed well, they are among the most sprayed crops in the world)

2 Heaped Tbsps Oats

Handful of Cashew pieces

1 Tbsp Baobab Powder*

2 Heaped Tbsps Hemp Seeds

Coconut Water – I used quite a lot this time as I wanted a thin smoothie.

Add all the ingredients to the blender and blend well.

https://aduna.com/

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Half-Price Juicers 24 Hours Only!

A quick post: I don’t like this Black Friday mayhem but if you are thinking of buying a juicer for yourself or someone else, Jason Vale has a Half-Price Sale on selected appliances from Midnight tonight (GMT) for 24 hours only. (UK ONLY)

See my reviews Juicemaster Retro Super Fast Juicer: Review and Which Juicer? – Where to Begin?

Juice Master

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Post Thanksgiving/Christmas/Celebration Digestion – some suggestions to ease that overstuffed feeling

My American friend Bernadette over at Haddon Musings has just requested a digestive aid to help overcome the overstuffed feeling after the Thanksgiving meal. I half- jokingly gave some suggestions, but on reflection perhaps they may help some of you cope better with the over-indulgence at this time of year. For many of us in the UK it is Christmas or Divali or Hannuka.

I realise of course I should have written this a few days ago! Sorry!

My first advice would be to pace yourself. Take your time, eat slowly and chew thoroughly, put your knife and fork down occasionally and talk to your neighbour.

Remind yourself that as lovely as all this sumptuous food is, your stomach will only take so much before it starts objecting, very loudly and clearly! You can always go back for more later.

It takes about 20 minutes for the brain to get the message from your stomach that it’s had enough, so eating slowly gives time for this message to get through before you start feeling uncomfortable.

You could serve melon with ginger sprinkled on (especially cantaloupe) before the main meal (melon must always be eaten on an empty stomach) and a green salad with the meal, these will help with digestion and also help fill you so you don’t over-eat the fancier stuff.

Here is a website I found which has juice recipes specifically designed to aid digestion: The Fit Indian

Also, fennel and ginger are great digestive aids in any form.

imagePapaya too is especially good for the digestion.

The best thing that you could do – apart from not over-eating in the first place! – is to go for a stroll in the fresh air afterwards. Most people flop on the sofa, holding their stomachs, groaning, vowing never to eat such-and-such again and then doze or veg out in front of the telly.

This is the worst thing you can do!

Walking aids digestion, gets things moving and regulates blood sugar levels so you won’t be dozy all afternoon.

Another tip, have some small windows open. If you are all packed into a stuffy room you will feel worse if you’re also overfull.

Drink water in between the wine/whisky/beer. 

I hope this helps and that you all have a lovely time with family and friends.

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Winter Beetroot Wonder-Juice: Refreshing, Nutritious, Simple

img_2479This was a leftover juice in the sense that there were bits of veggies left over just before shopping day and they were put together to produce this very refreshing juice, full of nutrients to help you withstand the Winter bugs.

Together these ingredients have antioxidants, are anti-inflammatory and are good for your blood and circulation; they contain minerals such as calcium, potassium and iron, protein, soluble fibre, they are hydrating and their combined juice tastes good too.

If you’d like to read more about the many health benefits of turmeric, click here or for beetroot, read Make Beetroot Your New Veg Friend! (Juice Recipe Included)

I have kept the fruit to a minimum as I’ve been working on achieving the optimum balance of 80% veggies to 20% fruit to maintain good digestion and blood sugar regulation – the carrot and beetroot are sweet, however if you require it to be a little sweeter, add another apple.

Ingredients

(organic, washed, peel left on, quantities approximate)

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1 Apple

1 good-sized Carrot

1 1/2 Sticks of Celery

Small Beetroot

2″ Cucumber

3″ Broccoli stem

Small piece of Turmeric

Handful of Spinach

Method

 Begin with apple and end with apple, squash the spinach leaves up and put through the juicer followed quickly by other ingredients to get the most out of them so they don’t just go straight into the pulp container.

Juice the turmeric with another ingredient for the same reason

If you want a more substantial juice, blend with a quarter of avocado which will give you extra protein, healthy fats and lots of extra vitamins and minerals. It will also keep you fuller for longer. I didn’t this time, I just wanted juice.

For more information on how to fight winter bugs, read Juicing My Way Through The Cold Wars – Update + Golden Milk Recipe

Since I’m publishing this on America’s Thanksgiving Day, I’d like to thank you all for reading and supporting my blog; I love reading your comments and questions, thank you for keeping me out of mischief!

Cheers, stay healthy!

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Copyright: Chris McGowan

Vegan Gluten-Free Tiger Nut Loaf/Bread Mk III

img_2467This is the second post describing our quest for a moist, tasty gluten-free loaf that doesn’t sound like a lab experiment or dry out and break up after the first day. If you’d like to read the original post first, click here.

I rarely eat bread and I rarely miss it, but just ocasionally I get a craving for it. I buy some new product that maintains it isn’t like any other gluten-free bread, costs the earth and inevitably it is such a disappointing experience, I go back to being bread-free. On Sunday, we decided to have another go at making a tiger nut loaf.

We have been using BBC Food’s Dan Leopard’s recipe as a guide but mixing up the flours for more flavour and nutritional content. Which flours we used tended to be those we had in at the time.

In our previous, second, attempt, we only used 1 oz of Tiger Nut Flour as the original had a much larger amount and had been a little too grainy. We also decreased the amount of water from the first loaf which spread too much.

This time, we used the much finer Tiger Nut Powder from The Tiger Nut Company (they ship overseas) and made it the main ingredient – by accident as it turned out since my husband thought we were out of cornflour but of course I later found it on a different shelf at the back of the cupboard, as you do! We substituted the cornflour with gluten-free self-raising flour bought for another recipe. As it happened, it was a lucky accident, because this loaf turned out to be the best yet.

We also decided to bake it in a loaf tin this time to stop it spreading so much and produce a deeper loaf.

It turned out to be tasty, firm, moist and still fresh the next day. And the next.

We sliced it up and put half in the freezer while a third was wrapped and kept in the bread box. On the third day, I got some out of the freezer to have with soup and to see how it had stored. Once thawed, it seemed just as fresh. No need to toast it.

I also tried a slice from the remainder of the loaf that had been wrapped and kept in the bread box. It too was still fresh enough to spread peanut butter on without having to toast it. This is a big deal in the world of gluten-free bread! You always end up having toast because it’s so dry.

It won’t resemble your average thin white sliced that you can make into sandwiches – homemade glutenfree bread is often the consistency of, say, a more dense madeira cake  – but I love it topped with yeast extract,  tahini, nut butter, avocado, banana, salad – or often a combination! We found it easy to spread and handle, it wasn’t as delicate as some gluten-free bread is.

This is such a nourishing, nutritious and satisfying loaf. It has so many good things in it, protein, calcium, healthy fats, fibre, probiotics and prebiotics, B vitamins – I could fill the page! And it doesn’t have anything artificial in it or need a chemistry degree to understand the label.

Here’s the new, improved recipe – watch out nearer Christmas when we hope to produce a fruity tiger nut loaf.

(All measurements are approximate, you may need to adjust to suit your own tastes or your oven).

Ingredients

25g – 50g (10z – 1 3/4 oz) Organic Golden Linseeds

450 mls (16 fl oz) Warm Water

2 1/2 Tsps Quick-acting Yeast

1 Tsp Sugar

80 mls (3 fl oz) CoYo Plain Coconut Yogurt

100g Self-Raising Gluten-free Flour

100g Organic Chickpea or Garbanzo/Besan Flour

250g Tiger Nut Powder

1 Tsp Salt

50g (1 3/4oz) Organic Psyllium Husk Powder

50 mls (1 3/4 Fl oz) Organic Raw Virgin Olive Oil

A little extra olive oil and flour

Method

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4

1. Warm the linseeds on a tray for about 10-12 minutes, until they darken slightly (the toasted seeds will release a sticky gluten-like substance when mixed with the wet ingredients, and they give the loaf a wheatgerm-like flavour).

2. Switch off the oven.

3. Mix together the water and yeast, then stir in the yogurt and seeds. Set aside.

4. Mix together the flour, tiger nut powder, salt, sugar and psyllium husk powder in a large bowl.

5. Pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil and mix well until it resembles a smooth thin batter.

The liquid will turn into a sticky dough within a few minutes as the linseed, flours and psyllium husk powder become gel-like.

6. Once the mixture is firm enough, knead it for 10 seconds on the worktop to mix everything again, then place the dough back in the bowl, cover and leave in a warm but not hot place for 30 minutes.

7. Place the dough into a non-stick or lined 2lb loaf tin and brush with the extra olive oil, cover and leave it to rise for about 30-35 minutes.

8. Heat the oven to 240C/465F/Gas 9

9. Make some diagonal cuts across the dough with a sharp knife, sprinkle with a little cornflour and bake for about 40 minutes, or until rich golden-brown in colour.

10. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Here are the three loaves to compare:

 

Latest on the left, second attempt in the middle and first on the right. The middle one was good, but I think the latest is the most successful.

Copyright: Chris McGowan

This Green Juice Packs A Nutritional Punch! (Ft Jay Kordich Juicing Video)

(Please read to the end, there’s a special video feature for anyone interested in juicing).

As you know, I love juiced sweet potato, so forgive me for posting another one! Sweet potato on its own is so full of nutrients – vitamins including betacarotene, minerals, fibre, essential fatty acids – but combined with the carrot, broccoli, spinach and avocado, this blended juice packs quite a nutritional punch.

The apples add soluble fibre and all the fruit is high in vitamin C.

The broccoli and spinach are good sources of bio accessible calcium.

img_3635The avocado also provides protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, and contributes to a more satisfying, satiating juice.

These nutrient-packed, versatile fruit are very good for your skin, heart, eyes and regulating blood sugar levels. They fill you up so you don’t eat as much. I have some avocado at least once a day. It is one of those foods you could live off if you were stuck on a desert island (though when you were rescued you’d probably never want to see one again!).

This juice is high in antioxidants, helping to boost your immune system and ward off those winter viruses.

Metal straws protect your teeth when drinking juices, they are reuseable, can go in the dishwasher and don’t end up in landfill – and they’re not made of plastic, so no nasty chemicals. You can find them on Amazon, the ones I have came with their own tiny cleaning brush.

Ingredients

Sweet Potato, washed, chopped and peel left on if organic

Carrot, ditto

2 Sweet Apples, ditto

Slice of Lemon, ditto

1 Kiwi, peeled

3″ Broccoli Stem, washed

Handful of Spinach, washed

Juice all ingredients beginning with an apple and ending with an apple

 Blend with 1/4 Avocado

*

Jay Kordich is known as the Father of Juicing. As a very young and athletic man he was diagnosed with terminal bladder cancer. He chose to work with doctors who specialised in juice therapy. He is still alive today at the age of 93. This is his first video lecture fom 30 years ago on how to juice. I learn something from him every time I see him.

Please note he is using organic produce and using the skins. Please be sure to wash your produce thoroughly and consult your doctor if you are taking medications.

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Healthy Almond, Raisin & Mulberry Treats

imageThese are another version of fruit and nut energy balls made from almond milk pulp, this time using some dried Turkish mulberries from The Raw Chocolate Company  and also trying out some Pulsin’ Cacao Butter Buttons for the first time. Please don’t mistake these Cacao Butter Buttons for White Chocolate Buttons – I wonder how many people have done that? They are cacao fat, to cook with, not dessert chocolate for eating or decorating birthday cakes.

These cacao butter buttons are so much more convenient than solid blocks of cacao butter which need a hammer and chisel and some hefty muscles to break up! The melted cacao butter not only adds a mild chocolate flavour but also helps bind and firm up the ingredients.

I’ve also used some Golden Linseeds, partially ground to release the nutrients,  which some of you may not have seen or used before. They contain Omega 3, 6, and 9 healthy oils, protein and fibre and are regarded as a superfood. (See Golden Linseeds (aka Flax Seeds): The Original Superfood?)

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All ingredients are organic, vegan and gluten-free and the recipe can also be nutfree if you use an alternative to almond milk pulp as the base. (Eg Tiger nuts are actually tubers and make excellent sweet and creamy milk).

These energy balls are healthy bites of protein, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and fibre. They are sweet and fruity but contain no refined sugar.

Measurements are very apporoximate and rely on my short-term memory functioning long enough to write them down!

Ingredients

1 Cup Almond Milk Pulp (see How To Make Almond Milk) or any other milk pulp (which may alter the taste or texture)

1 Cup Raisins

3-4 Medjool Dates, pitted and chopped

1/4 Cup Mixed Golden Linseeds & Sesame Seeds, partially ground

1/4 Cup Pulsin’ Cacao Butter Buttons, melted

3/4 Cup Dried Mulberries

2 Tbsps Apple Juice

Desiccated Coconut and Cacao Powder for dusting

Pulse a few times and then process in bursts, scraping down the sides, until it is the texture you want and will come together to form a smooth ball.

Roll in coconut or dust with cacao powder.

Refrigerate to firm them up. Will keep for several days in an airtight container.

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Why Wait Until January To Think About Your Health? Perhaps Santa Might Bring You A Juicer This Christmas!

This is a busy and expensive time of year when many of us are planning family gifts and special meals for the Christmas holidays, but it’s also when some of us start thinking about all those extra pounds and that uncomfortable over-stuffed feeling when January arrives! We often turn to health plans and expensive exercise routines in the New Year in the hope of feeling and looking a younger, more energetic and slimline self.

Why not get a head start and think about adding a juicer to your Christmas list? They can be expensive purchases at any time of year, but especially now. However, with bold planning and not a little bribery and corruption, perhaps your family can be persuaded to club together to give you the one thing that you will all really benefit from and hopefully last years: a juicer. You could persuade them it will be an investment in everyone’s health rather than viewing it as an expensive gadget.

[Whilst looking for a juicer for a family member’s birthday recently, I discovered that Juicemaster.com were selling ex demo, used once only, juicers at a greatly discounted price in the UK. (I don’t know about overseas).The Retro Super Fast centrifugal juicer was  £105 off at £74.99 whle the Retro Cold Press Juicer is £100 off at £199.99.]

imageThe juicers come in several colours and with a warranty.

I have had my juicers, one of each, since they were launched and am very happy with them. They have 5* reviews.

At the time of writing, the juicers come with a cleaning brush, recipe booklet and one or two freebies, often a Jason Vale book and his new magazine, plus perhaps a couple of their new energy bars.

You can also read my posts Juicemaster Retro Super Fast Juicer: Review & Which Juicer? – Where to Begin?

Juicing is not about starving yourself or losing tons of weight fast, although that can be an effect if you have gained too much. It is about adding unsweetened unpasteurised freshly produced fruit and vegetable juices to your diet and reaping the many health benefits.

You don’t have to do a ‘cleanse’ or a ‘juice challenge’, just adding one fresh juice a day or whenever you have time will have a profound effect on your skin, your energy levels and any chronic inflammation in your body.

Regular fresh juices can help you ward off colds and viruses.

All of my family juice to varying degrees, even the toddlers! You’re never too old to begin, either: my mum’s 83 year old neighbour heard about my startling progress and weight loss and asked me to write out some juice recipes for her. She borrowed her son’s juicer and off she went!

So why not plan your post-Christmas health boost now and start the New Year in a positive frame of mind, you’ll be all set to go as soon as the festivities are over!

(Of course, you may want to start juicing now, pre-party season, and give yourself that juicy glow or the burst of energy needed to get you through all the shopping and cleaning and invasions family visits;-))

I’ve been juicing for 4 years and feel healthier than I’ve been in decades: I’ve had only one cold and no longer use an inhaler.

NB Vitamix and Nutribullet are not juicers, they are super blenders.

See also Juicing: How to Begin or Do As I Say, Not As I Did!  &  My Top 20 Tips for Juicing – updated to 25!

Copyright: Chris McGowan