Paleo Lemon and Blueberry Loaf

I, like many people, just love to watch the Great British Bake Off. It's just such an entertaining show and it's one that encourages people to get back into the kitchen! What more do you need? Now if you are anything like me you will need to watch this show stuffed to the brim or have some nice healthy cakes to hand. Otherwise you will spend the entire show drooling and/or repeatedly going to your cupboards hoping some baked creation will have magically appeared.

To prevent such sweet cravings I try and have some sort of cake made and waiting to fill the void. I recently tried this lemon and blueberry loaf and really enjoyed it. It's light and tasty with just enough stodge to satisfy. It is moist and so easy to make and keeps for a few days (if you don't polish it off in one sitting!)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of ground almonds
1/4 cup of dessicated coconut
1 teaspoon of gluten free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
4 organic, free range eggs
1/2 cup of organic coconut oil - melted (Cold pressed/Extra Virgin if possible)
1/3 cup of raw honey (organic and local ideally)
Juice of 1 lemon (organic and unwaxed)
Zest of 2 lemons
1 - 1 1/2 cups of organic blueberries

Optional glaze:
1/3 cup of full fat butter - melted
2 tablespoons of softened coconut oil
2 tablespoons of raw honey
2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C or Gas Mark 4.
Mix all the dry ingredients together except for the blueberries.
Slowly add in the wet ingredients, one egg at a time.
Ensure the batter is mixed thoroughly.
Line a bread loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
Place 1/2 the batter in the tin. Using 1/2 of the blueberries place them gently on top of the batter.
Cover with the remaining batter and then the remaining blueberries.
Cook in the oven for 30-35 minutes covering with foil if turning too brown.
When it is cooked allow it to cool on a wire rack.
If you wish to use the glaze then mix all ingredients together and once the loaf is fully cool drizzle the glaze over the top and allow it to soak into the cake.
Slice and enjoy!

Prep Time:
5-10 minutes

Cooking Time:
30-35 minutes

Dietary Information:
Paleo
Gluten Free
Wheat Free
Sugar Free
Diary Free
Vegetarian
Good Fats
Blueberries are one of your 5 a day and provide many anti oxidants which are great for repairing and healing resulting in better skin, hair, nails and overall health.

Storage Instructions:
Like most cakes this is best eaten warm from the oven! But it will keep for a few days in a sealed container. If you have good will power you could slice the loaf and freeze in individual slices to be defrosted and eaten when wanting a quick treat!

Enjoy this dish guys. I really do and it definitely fills a gap for stodgey, sweet treats without breaking free from eating clean.

Sweet Potato Wedges

I adore sweet potatoes and always have them in my house. They are so tasty and versatile but my favourite way to cook them is as wedges.

Ingredients:
Sweet Potatoes
Fresh Rosemary
Fresh Thyme
(you can use dried thyme and rosemary but fresh tastes AMAZING!)
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Method:
Take your sweet potatoes and wash them under running water, depending on how dirty they are you might want to give them a scrub with a brush.
Cut into wedge shape piece, ensuring they are all approximately the same size to ensure even cooking.
Lay them onto a baking tray so they are evenly distributed.
Drizzle with Olive Oil (not too much as they will go soggy) and then toss the pan to fully coat the wedges.
Chop the thyme and rosemary into small pieces and sprinkle over the oil coated wedges, along with the paprika.
Salt and pepper to be added to taste.
Place in the oven at Gas Mark 5 or about 190 degrees for 20 minutes or until the wedges are soft and fully cooked.

Preparation Time:
5-10 minutes

Cooking time:
20-30 minutes

Dietary Information:

Paleo

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Sugar Free

Vegan

Vegetarian

Good Carbohydrate

Good fats - olive oil

Sweet Potatoes are high in B6, Vit D, Vit C, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium and protect against premature aging.

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

Thyme lowers blood pressure, boosts immunity and boosts your mood.

Rosemary boosts immunity, increases circulation, aids digestion, is an excellent anti-inflammatory - great for asthmatics, and increases concentration. 

Storage instructions:
Best eaten fresh but I often make double and have them cold with a salad or meat the next day for lunch!

Serving suggestions:
These literally go with everything. I serve them with salmon, (recipe here) burgers (recipe here), Chicken Kiev (recipe here), with my Brocolli Salad (recipe here) just about anything you can think of!

Enjoy!

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!

Guacamole and Salsa Bruschettas

Avocados are so good for you and reasonably priced and so I try to eat as many as possible. I recently made some #EatClean bruschettas for a tapas evening in my friend's house and they went down a treat. Check out the recipe here:

Guacamole Ingredients:
1 - 2 ripe Avocados peeled and de-seeded
1/2 teaspoon of Sea Salt/Himalayan Crystal Salt
1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime
Freshly grated black pepper to taste
2 cloves of finely chopped or grated garlic
Optional - chilli flakes or freshly chopped chilli to taste

Method:

Mash the Avocados in a bowl Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. It's as simple as that!

Preparation Time:
Less than 5 minutes!

Dietary Information:
Paleo
Gluten Free
Wheat Free
Sugar Free
Egg Free
Brain Food
Vegan
Vegetarian
Good Fats
One of your 5 a day
Antioxidants
Great for skin, hair and nails
Garlic is antibacterial and antiviral so excellent for fighting colds and flus

Storage Intructions
Keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Maybe more once it hasn't turned brown.

Serving Suggestions:

This is fantastic in salads, in sandwiches, on top of burgers, on oat cakes or rice cakes. Or see below for my healthy Bruschetta idea.

Healthy Bruschettas:

Check out my recipe here for healthy Oat Bread. I used this bread and cut it into small slices, laid it under the grill and lightly toasted it.

I then spread on some guacamole and some homemade salsa (recipe here) to make a tasty, healthy tapas for guests or a Saturday night treat dinner! Healthy, tasty and home made. Delicious!

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.

Carrot and Ginger Soup - Healing Super-food soup!

Carrot and Ginger Soup

This is a fantastic soup for those cold, winter days but it also lovely and refreshing in the summer. It’s cheap to make, can be kept in the fridge for over a week or frozen in portions.

It has lots of healing ingredients and so is perfect if you are feeling under the weather or run down.

All that and it tastes great too! What’s not to like?

Check out the Dietary Information section below to see all the healing properties of this wonder soup.

Ingredients:

Makes about 6 portions

4 large Organic Carrots

3 Organic Spring Onions

2 cloves of Organic Garlic

2 roots of peeled Organic Ginger (about 2 inches each)

1 teaspoon of Cumin Powder

1 teaspoon of Turmeric Powder

2 heaped tablespoons of Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

Veg Stock cube (Organic and Gluten Free preferable or make your own!)

Water/Yogurt/Coconut Milk or Cream as desired

Method

Melt the coconut oil in a large pot until liquid. Add in roughly chopped onions, garlic and ginger and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add in roughly chopped carrots and stock cube and cover with water.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are slightly soft.

Transfer the mixture (including water) to your blender and blitz thoroughly. You can also use a hand blender directly in the pot.

Add in cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper to taste.

This makes a robust, thick soup. If you don’t mind the added fat/calories and want to make it creamier then add in yogurt or coconut milk/cream as desired.

Prep + Cook Time

Prep time: 5-10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Equipment needed

Large Pot, Blender

Dietary Information

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Paleo

Vegetarian and Vegan

Sugar Free

Contains good fats

Two of your 5 a day

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

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

Coconut Oil has many healing properties. It contains good fats and helps you burn fat better. It also helps your brain function more effectively.

Turmeric is a wonder spice it lowers cholesterol, it is cancer fighting and has anti-inflammatory properties among many others. It has recently been proven more effective than 14 Pharmaceutical drugs! More info here

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! 

Cumin boosts your immunity, great for asthma or respiratory issues and is good for skin issues.

Storage Instructions:

Keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for over a week. I usually make a large batch, portion it up and freeze. It can be defrosted, heated and ready to eat in less than 10 minutes!

Serving suggestions

Best served fresh with a few curls of freshly grated ginger on a dollop of organic yogurt or coconut cream.

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!