Spicy Sausage and Sweet Potato Stew

If there is one thing Germany is know for it's Sausages! And I must admit their range and quality of ingredients is great. So I've come up with this new recipe to showcase just how you too can experience the flavour and enjoy this delicious combination.


If you are in Ireland then O'Flynn Sausage (check them out here) do an amazing range of high quality sausages. They are 95% meat with some spices and herbs. Nothing else, no nasty ingredients. Please avoid using highly processed, low meat content sausages for this recipe. In Germany the general Bratwurst you get in the supermarket are typically 97% pork with spices and salt and so these are also perfect.

For the spicy sausage in Ireland SuperValu do a great Chrizo that is just pork, paprika, garlic and salt. No other nasty ingredients or fillers. In Germany you can get lots of gluten free, sugar free cured and smoked sausages to add some spicy flavour. Rewe do a great range and they aren't too pricey.

Ingredients:

4-5 large high quality pork sausages
1 stick of chrizo or 4 small sticks of cured sausages
3 large organic sweet potatoes, washed and chopped. You can leave the skins on.
1 large chopped organic red onion
1 chopped organic sweet pepper
2-3 handfuls of organic spinach (frozen spinach chunks shown here)
3-4 cloves of chopped garlic
1 large jar or organic tomato sauce, just tomato and salt no other ingredients
2 table spoons of Turmeric
1 table spoon of Paprika
1 table spoon of Cumin

Method:

Chop all ingredients. 

Sear the sausages (fresh and smoked/cured) in a large pan for 5-10 minutes. 

Add in the vegetables and stir well.

Cover all the ingredients in the tomato sauce and simmer on a low heat (or in a slow cooker) for 25-30 minutes until the meat is cooked and sweet potato is soft to the touch.

Serve piping hot in a large bowl with a generous spoon! 

Prep Time:

5-10 minutes

Cooking time:

30 minutes

Dietary Information:

Paleo

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Sugar Free

High in Protein

Low in carbohydrate. High in good carbohydrates - sweet potatoes

Full of healthy vegetables

Cumin aids digestion, lowers blood sugar and prevents hypoglycaemia (excellent for people with diabetes), fights viral infections, rich in Iron.

Paprika is high in Vitamin A, E and Iron. It also has anti ageing properties, prevents hair loss and promotes sound sleep.

Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory with amazing healing and cancer fighting benefits.

Garlic is antibacterial and antiviral so excellent for fighting colds and flu.

Storage Instructions:

I typically make a big batch of this. It keeps in the fridge for a couple of days and is nice cold or heated up the next day for lunch.

It can also be frozen in batches.

Enjoy this healthy, hearty, tasty and easy to make meal.

Tuesday's Change week 8 - Avocados

I used to HATE avocados. The taste, the texture even the way it felt on my hand I hated all of it!


But then I realised just how amazing they are for you. I started experimenting with recipes and flavours and how to eat it and now I try and have a couple a week. They are just so good for you and the taste and texture has really grown on me.

Check out this excellent article here on all the benefits they can have on your life.


This includes:

Super Brain Food

All Avocados are GMO free and the hard skin naturally protects them from pesticides, therefore, they have less chemicals sprayed during growth. Still buy Organic if the budget allows!

Can increase the absorption of other nutrients in your meal by up to 5 times.

Excellent for stroke prevention

Can reduce cholesterol by up to 17% in less than a week!

Protect your eyes and eyesight

High in fibre

High in good fats which protect the heart, lower blood pressure and reverse insulin resistance

Natural source of folic acid - integral for healthy pregnancy

Brimming with Vitamin E excellent for anti-ageing 

So this weeks challenge is to eat more avocados! It really is that simple. 

I've included some interesting recipes here to get your started.

Paleo Chocolate Mousse

Eat Clean Guacamole Bruschettas

Or alternatively you can:

Add half an avocado to your daily salad

Add an avocado to a soup to thicken it instead of milk or cream

Slice avocado on your bread with your eggs in the morning

Add guacamole to your burgers

Use guacamole as a dip for carrots and celery

The possibilities are endless! Try and eat 3-4 Avocados a week. You will not gain weight or make yourself fat. This is good fat, brain fuel and one of your 5 a day. You really can't eat enough!

Best of luck and keep changing!

Paleo Chocolate Mousse - Avocado style!

Here is my amazing Paleo Chocolate Mousse Recipe that I just can't stop making. It's pretty much guilt free and is one of your 5 a day and it tastes like chocolate. Seriously! Don't ever say I don't treat you well!

Ingredients:

2 Ripe Avocados
1/4 cup of 100% Coco
1 tablespoon of Chia Seeds
2 tablespoons of Honey
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
pinch of Sea Salt

Optional - 1/2 cup of Coconut Cream/Whipped Cream/Yogurt

Method:
Peel and de-seed the Avocados. Blend them in a blender or with a hand held one. Add the remaining ingredients until you have a thick, smooth mousse. Scoop out of the bowl and serve in small serving bowls/cups. Also tastes nice straight from the fridge after chilling for a few hours. This makes 4 generous servings.

Prep Time:
Less than 5 minutes


Dietary Infotmation:
Gluten Free
Wheat Free
Sugar Free
Paleo
Egg Free
Vegetarian
Vegan
Good Fats
One of your 5 a day
Brain food
Full of antioxidants - Chia seeds/Chocolate and Avocados
Cinnamon stabalises blood sugars and aid weight loss


Storage Instructions:
Keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.

Serving Suggestions:
Best served room temperature or slightly chilled from the fridge. I made these for a dinner party and added some Amaretto biscuits for some extra sweetness. These are made from Almonds, eggs and sugar so are a good gluten free serving suggestion if you are ok about the sugar!


And that's it guys. A simple, tasty and healthy treat. Great to have in the fridge and nibble on to cull the chocolate cravings. Or a tasty but healthy dessert to serve at a dinner party that everyone will enjoy.

Red Cabbage and Apple Salad

Red Cabbage and Apple Salad

This salad is so tasty and cheap to make. It looks wonderful and is full of goodness. It can be made in minutes, no cooking involved and is even nicer on the 2^nd or 3^rd day after making. Check out the Dietary Information section below for all the amazing health benefits.

In the ingredients I've listed ½ a head of red cabbage. The other half will keep for weeks in the fridge in a sealed container so don’t throw it out! Alternatively you can just make double!

Ingredients:

Makes 4-6 servings

½ head of Organic Red Cabbage

1 Organic apple

1 heaped tablespoon of Wholegrain Mustard

1 heaped tablespoon of English mustard

4 tablespoons of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.

Salt and pepper to taste

Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil if desired

Additions: Chopped Walnuts are delicious in this salad. As are Raisins.

Method

After removing the stem and first outer leaves of the head of cabbage half, slice thinly with a well sharpened knife. Break up the pieces into a large salad bowl cutting in half if desired.

Chop the apple into quarters, remove the core and seeds and chop each quarter into chunks or slices. Adding these to the bowl.

Add both the types or mustard (if you only have one type double the quantities), Apple Cider Vinegar and drizzle of Olive Oil and mix all together.

Serve.

Prep Time

5 minutes

Equipment needed

Sharp knife, large bowl

Dietary Information

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Paleo

Vegetarian and Vegan

Sugar Free

Contains good fats

Two of your 5 a day

Apple Cider Vinegar is antimicrobial, lowers blood sugar (take note diabetics!), aids fat loss and is good for the heart.

Red Cabbage is packed with flavonoids which are cancer fighting, Vitamin C and K and has lots of fibre and minerals.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away! 

Mustard is high in magnesium and selenium which help fight asthma and chest congestion, slows ageing, are anti-inflammatory (can even be rubbed onto joints!), stimulates hair growth and relieves constipation.  

Storage Instructions:

Keeps for over a week in a sealed container in the fridge. If you want to make it in advance you can leave out the apples (they can go brown) and add them in just before serving. I find the cabbage softens out after at least 12 hours and allows the vinegar to soak in. This makes it even nicer served on the second day.

Serving suggestions

I love to eat this salad with some freshly baked, honey glazed Ham. The mustard and honey go so well together.

It goes with lots of other meats too. It’s great for BBQs (roll on the summer!) and is a fantastic side dish to bring to a party.

Can be used to replace coleslaw as a lower fat, healthier option

Carrot Cake Breakfast Muffins

Carrot Cake Breakfast Muffins

These are so tasty, can be eaten at any time of the day and are so quick to make!  It’s a way of eating some vegetables while thinking you are eating cake! Winning!

Unfortunately this is not a picture of my muffins but something similar I found on the web...mine didn't last long enough for me to take a photo!..om nom nom nom.

Ingredients:

Makes 12-14 cupcakes or 8-10 large muffins

200g of Almond Flour (Super Valu, Dunnes, Aldi all do their own brand for about €2 for 200g)

2 teaspoons of Cinnamon

2 teaspoon of Baking Soda (gluten free is preferable)

1 piece of freshly grated Ginger root (about 2 inches)

¼ teaspoon of Organic Salt

6 large Free Range, Organic Eggs

1/3 cup of local Honey (more if you want to make them very sweet)

½ cup of melted, full fat Irish, grass-fed butter (e.g. Kerrygold)

1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract

1 large grated Organic Carrot

Optional: Raisins/Sultanas, Chopped Walnuts, Oats, Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds, Goji Berries etc. You can use these to bulk up the recipe and make even more muffins!

Method

Place everything in a bowl and mix. Simple!

Line a baking tray with cupcake or muffin liners, evenly distribute the mixture into the cases and bake at 180 degrees C or Gas Mark 4 in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes. Check after 10 minutes to ensure they are not turning overly brown, if so cover with tinfoil loosely. Depending on how large you make these they make take additional baking time. You will know they are cooked if you tap the bottom of a cupcake and it is solid and makes a hallow noise.

Leave to cool on a wire rack (or pretty much eat directly from the oven like I do!)

Prep Time

Prep time: under 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Equipment needed

Large bowl, cupcake tray, cupcake cases/liners

Dietary Information

Gluten Free/Wheat Free

Paleo

Vegetarian (Can be made Vegan if you use coconut oil instead of butter, chia seeds instead of eggs and maple syrup instead of honey)

Sugar Free

Contains good fats

One of your 5 a day

Ginger is good for digestion issues, nausea, natural anti-inflammatory and boosts the immune system. 

Carrots are full of Vitamin A and beta-carotene (anti-oxidant that repairs cell damage), they improve your eyesight, cleanses the skin and slows down ageing! 

Cinnamon helps to lower your blood sugar and burn fat more effectively.

Storage Instructions:

Keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. Suitable for Freezing

Serving suggestions

Eat directly from the oven warm! Or serve with some whipped coconut cream on top as a treat.

Can be eaten in the car on the way to work if you are in a rush!

Great with a cup of tea and a book!

Spinach Pesto

Spinach Pesto

I love Pesto and let’s be honest there aren't many dishes that don’t taste better with a little (or a lot) of Pesto. It is typically made with basil leaves and basil is a brilliant antibacterial agent but to help increase my intake of Spinach I substituted the basil for spinach instead. This recipe can be made with Spinach, Kale or Basil or a combination of all 3. It is made in 5 minutes and keeps in the fridge for 3-4 weeks (sometimes longer) so I usually make a batch and store it. It’s so handy to have it prepared and ready in the fridge for those days you are in a rush and want some instant falvour.

Ingredients:

2 – 3 cups of Organic Spinach (packed) – can use Kale or Basil or combination of all 3

1/2 cup of Cheese (parmesan works best but you can use what’s in the fridge!)

1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive oil (I used the one I brought back from Italy – Delicious!)

1/3 cup of Pine nuts

3 large Organic Garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Using a blender/nutribullet/mixer blitz the spinach and pine nuts until they form a paste. Add the garlic and chunks of cheese and blend. As the mixer is on slowly add the olive oil ensuring it is evenly added. Using a spoon (or your finger!) taste the mixture and add Salt and Pepper until it is seasoned to your liking. Enjoy!

Prep Time

3-5 minutes

Equipment needed

Blender/Mixer/Nutribullet

Dietary Information

This recipe is:

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Paleo

Vegetarian (Can be made Vegan if you leave out the cheese)

Sugar Free

Contains good fats

One of your 5 a day

Garlic is antibacterial and antiviral – good for colds/flus and infections

Spinach is high in fibre, chlorophylls, Calcium and antioxidants

Pine Nuts are high in good fats and protein

Storage Instructions:

Keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 weeks. Can keep longer depending on the quality of your oil.

Serving suggestions

I use this pesto with pretty much everything! Here I used it as a topping for some Salmon darns. Just baste it on top and bake in the oven!

It can be used on pasta, rice noodles, to coat or stuff in chicken, as a topping on soups, on garlic bread, as a dip for carrot or celery sticks, in salads and on canapés with sun-dried tomatoes (drool!) and anything else you typically use pesto for.

Send me in any suggestions or pics of how you used it. I’d love to hear from you!

Tuesday's Change Week 2 - Eat your '5 a day'

So how did everyone get on for week one? Do you feel better? Sleep better? Look better? Let me know any benefits you felt. I'd love to hear from you. Week one's post here. Now try and keep it up while tackling Week 2.

This week's change is another one that sounds simple, we all have heard of it but how many of us actually do it? Eat your 5 a day! It's a common slogan bandied around in the media and you often see it on food labels. I'll discuss this in a bit but first let me outline the challenge.

See if you can eat 5 portions of Vegetables everyday for 7 days. 

Notice I have said veg and not fruit. Feel free to eat portions of fruit on top of your 5 Vegetable portions. Just ensure you are getting 5 portions of vegetable as well!

Here is some more information on the specifics:

1) A portion is roughly 1 hand full. 

2) Try as much as possible to eat organic vegetables only.

3) Raw is preferable to cooked but if you are cooking make sure not to over cook. Steaming or baking is good! Keeping the skin on where possible is also added benefit!

3) At least 2 or 3 of your 5 portions should be of green, leafy vegetables like Spinach, Kale,  Brocolli, Rocket, Salad greens, Pok Choi, Cabbage etc. The rest should be a variety of brightly coloured options e.g. Red Cabbage, red and yellow Peppers, Beetroot etc.

3) You can eat them raw or cooked but never from a packet (i.e. you can not include processed or tinned fruit and veg) and try and cook the veg yourself if having it cooked.

4) If a label on a packet says "this is one of your 5 a day portions" ignore this. If something is in a packet (besides whole fruits and vegetables that come in trays or packaged for the supermarket) then it has been processed and so lots of the benefits and nutrients are lost on processing. You are more than likely just getting the sugars left over. And we all have enough of those in our diet.

5) Plan your day in advance the night before. Where am I going to be? Will I have access to fresh food? Do I need to bring food with me? And plan accordingly so you are prepared.

Ok now you have all the information here are some tips on how you can easily add in the portions to your everyday diet.

1) Add vegetables to your breakfast. This way you start the day right and have half your portions done before you leave the house! Make an omelette with some spinach, peppers and onions. Recipe here.

2) Make a smoothie for breakfast! Adding vegetables to a smoothie is a great way of having a portion of vegetables without realising. Making a berry smoothie with some natural yoghurt, blueberries, cinnamon and honey tastes great. Adding a handful of spinach and blending will not alter the flavour too much and tastes just as good! This is a nice sweet treat on a Saturday morning!

3) Eating a large salad for lunch or dinner and get your 5 portions into you in one go! I like to use mixed salad greens with spinach rocket and baby lamb's leaf then add some spring onion, peppers, grated carrot and courgette. You can add some left over meat from the night before or cook some fresh and you have an entire meal. If you want to bulk it up a bit cook some sweet potato wedges as a side. Drizzle the with extra virgin olive oil if you find it too dry.

4) Snack on celery, cucumber and carrot sticks between meals if you are hungry. Have them chopped and ready in the fridge, sealed in a container to keep them fresh. Reach for these instead of biscuits or bread when you are famished and waiting for your dinner to cook.

5) Hide vegetables in food! Take what you might consider a regular dinner. Shepard's pie, Pasta Sauce etc. Try chopping vegetables into the sauce or if you have very picky eaters in the house you can even blend the vegetables into the sauce to thicken it. They won't even know!

6) If you are finding the vegetables bland then season them. Freshly grated black pepper is delicious on salads or cooked veg, try a small sprinkling of organic rock salt (link here), Simplee do an amazing range of salt free seasoning like paprika and lemon or chilli. Mix it up and try new spices! Link here.

7) Cook your least favourite veg with your favourite food! Brussels Sprouts taste amazing when stir fried in a small bit of bacon! A green, leafy salad is delicious when sprinkled with some olive oil and parmean cheese! All in moderation of course!

So here is a comprehensive list of veggies you should aim for that are available in most large supermarkets. Alternatively places like Quay Co-Op in Cork, Ballincollig and Carrigaline for the Cork followers (link http://www.quaycoop.com/) or organic vegetable shops will have a great range!

Spinach
Kale
Cabbage
Rocket
Lettuce
Pok Choi
Brocolli
Asparagus
Celery
Beetroot
Peppers
Red Cabbage
Carrots
Courgette/Zucchini
Onions

P.S. 'Vegetables' that are good for you but don't count as 5 a day and are more connected to the carbohydrate family are:

Potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Parsnips
Peas

FYI: Lentils, beans and peanuts are not vegetables. They are legumes!

Vegetables to avoid: 

Sweetcorn. This is not a vegetable it is a grain and a GMO one at that! More on this is a future post.

So that is it Jeanies! Do you think you are up for the challenge? I have no doubt. Planning is key and let me know if you need any more information on anything!

#EatClean