Spiced Christmas Cake and Mulled Apple Juice.

1. 
   
   
   I made these recently for my Christmas Kirtan and Cake event in my new Yoga Studio. As I didn't know who was coming I wanted to have a cake that was vegan, gluten free and nut free so everyone could have some regardless of their dietary requirements. Of course I wanted something seasonal too and so these were the perfect choice.
2. 
   If you're not vegan, gluten intolerant or have a nut allergy you can use whole milk, butter, plain flour or ground almonds. I'll leave that up to you. 
3. I served this with some warm mulled 'cider' which was the perfect addition on a cold, winter's night. Both recipes below.

Cakes:

Ingredients:

115g treacle / molasses

115g golden syrup

115g butter or butter alternative

275ml full fat coconut milk or whole milk

115g dark brown sugar

225g gluten-free / plain flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 inch fresh ginger grated

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp mixed spice 

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees / gas mark 4

Heat the milk, sugar, butter, golden syrup and molasses gently in a pan on a low heat until it has combined fully and is runny. Don't let it boil. 

Add the grated fresh ginger, stir well and set aside.

Mix the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well. It should be the consistency of heavy cream.

Add the mixture to lined cases, 3/4 full.

Bake in a pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes until they are cooked through.

Set aside to cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar or drizzle with icing.

Enjoy!

Mulled 'Cider':

2L of pressed Apple Juice 

1 cinnamon stick 

2 star anise 

8 cardamom pods

2 oranges in wedges 

4-5 cloves in each wedge

Allow to heat in a pan on a low heat or in a slow cooker.

Serve warm with good company!

1. 
   

Autumnal Spiced Fruit Buns - Gluten and Dairy Free

Apple and Blackberry cake recipe:

There is an abundance of apples and blackberries at the moment. I aim to eat seasonally and locally, not to mention it's free food! Zero air miles, zero carbon footprint and as fresh as can be. From tree to cake in under an hour.

Ingredients:
Makes 12
4 free range, organic eggs beaten
1/2 cup of cane sugar/honey/maple syrup
200g (1 and 1/4 cups) of ground almonds or other gluten free flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
2 dashes of Olive oil
Teaspoon of cinnamon
Teaspoon of nutmeg
Pinch of salt
Chopped apples and blackberries 

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees/gas mark 4
Mix eggs, oil and sugar together well.
Add in flour, salt, baking powder and spices.
Line a baking tray and fill the bottom of each case with mixture.
Sprinkle in chopped seasonal fruit
Cover with mixture so cases are about 3/4 full
Bake for 15 mins at 180 degrees/gas mark 4
Allow to cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy!

Dietary Information:
These buns are gluten free, high in protein (for a cake!), dairy free, vegetarian.

Storage Instructions:
If they last you can keep these in the fridge for a day or two.

The Great British Bake Off - Healthy Treats

The Great British Bake Off is back on our TVs and although no one can come close to last year's winner Nadja (who I love as a person and a baker!) I'm excited to watch this show each week. If you're like me however, you need something nice to eat while watching as the cakes, biscuits, buns and breads are all just too tempting to sit and watch empty mouthed!

So here are some of my healthy yet tasty and sweet recipes that won't send you into a carb loaded, sugar coma and keep you on track while still having a treat. 

Breads - Oat Bread I recently made this with rosemary and sea salt and it was delicious!

Chocolate - Chocolate Mousse, Peanutbutter Cups, Chocolate Bark, Chocolate covered fruit

Cakes - Lemon and Bluberry Loaf, Mango Drizzle Cake, Carrot Cake Muffins

FREE Blackberry and Mint Jam

Who doesn't like something for free eh? You may have noticed there is an abundance of blackberries around at the moment. The hedgerows and ditches are laden with them. You may even have some in your garden like us. We had so many I decided to make some jam. But I didn't want to overload it with sugar or have it go off too quickly. So I developed the recipe below. Using 3 simple ingredients, 2 of which came from the garden!

I love jam and although it is high in sugar I feel, on occasion. it is a nice addition to a healthy diet. I feel making it yourself is the best way to know there are no preservatives, excess sugar or nasty chemicals. This recipe is also essentially free if you pick the blackberries, have mint in your herb garden and some sugar in your cupboard!

So send the kids out picking blackberries, or spend a lazy evening/weekend picking them yourself. It is free food after all and essentially they are organic!  I really enjoy the zing of the mint in this recipe. It makes it that little bit more interesting.

Ingredients:
300g of Blackberries freshly picked
50-100 g of Sugar or Sugar substitute like Steiva or Honey but please don't use sweeteners like Canderel (the devils nectar)!
1 handful of fresh mint, ideally from your herb garden.

Prep Time:
Less than 5 minutes unless you count the picking of the blackberries!

Cooking Time:
15-30 minutes


Method:
Wash the blackberries thoroughly and ensure all stalks are removed. Place them into a saucepan with some moisture still present. This will help to lubricate and prevent them sticking.
Turn on to a low heat and stir occasionally.
Add in the chopped mint leaves.
Add the sugar, ideally as little as possible. If you are happy with a more runny consistency then add about 50g. If you would prefer a thicker consistency add more.
Stir in the sugar and keep simmering on a low heat until the berries begin to break up and soften.
Allow to simmer for a further 5 minutes to allow the mint to infuse.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool slowly in the pan.
Once cool place into clean jars and seal.

Dietary Information:
Vegan
Vegetarian
Gluten Free
Lower in sugar than shop bought jams
High in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals
Natural and locally grown
Mint aids digestion, reduces nausea and headache, clears congestion of nose, throat and lungs, boosts your mood preventing depression and fatigue as it is a stimulant, and also prevents memory loss. See below for even more benefits!
Blackberries are rich in bioflavonoids and Vitamin C, are very low sodium count and have only 62 calories to a cup. The dark blue colour ensures blackberries have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits

Storage Instructions;
This jam will keep for a considerably long time if stored in an air tight jar in the fridge.

Serving Suggestions:
I love this on some toasted Oat Bread (my recipe for this bread is here) or on some home made pancakes (my recipe for these here). It's also lovely in cakes or with cheese or any way you usually eat jam! Go wild!

Healing Rice

I love rice! Plain and simple I think it's a great staple to have in the cupboard. Cheap, easy and quick to cook, nearly everyone likes it and it's a good clean complex carbohydrate to have in your active lifestyle.

But it can get boring and bland if you eat a lot of it. So I try and make it more interesting and fun using the below recipe. In typical Lifestylejeanie style I never measure anything and just make it up as I go along but I'll give you the approximate ingredients here. Feel free to add in any other veggies, spices, or oils you typically use. But the recipe here has been created to include as many healing foods as possible.

We all tend to get run down from time to time and so this is a particularly good staple to make weekly and keep in the fridge to add (hot or cold - just reheat thoroughly) to any meal. All the ingredients are packed full of healing properties particularly the turmeric, ginger, garlic and coconut oil. I've described these in more details below.

It's also great on the go. I typically travel with this as it's perfect at room temperature and stays fresh for well over 12 hours when you're on the move. It is also filling and tasty. What's not to like!

Ingredients:
Portion size of Rice of your choice. I find Basmati and Wild rice are best.
Large handful of organic Spinach
Chopped organic Peppers
Chopped organic Onions
2 cloves (or more!) or diced organic Garlic
1 inch of peeled and diced organic Ginger
1 inch of Turmeric (powdered or fresh)
1 teaspoon of Paprika
3 heaped spoons of organic Coconut Oil
Cracked Himalayan pink salt to taste
Cracked black Pepper to taste

Prep Time:
5 minutes

Cooking time:
10-15 minutes

Method:
Cook the rice as per instructions on your packet.
While it is cooking prep all the veg and spices.
Drain the water once it is cooked and leave in the pan on a low heat.
Add in the Coconut Oil and stir to melt it, coating the rice thoroughly.
In a separate pan with a dash of oil cook the onions, garlic, ginger and turmeric. 
Add in the chopped vegetables and spices and mix thoroughly.
Add the rice to the veggies and mix well.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.


Dietary Information:

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Sugar Free

Full of healthy vegetables

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

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

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.

Coconut oil is a healthy fat that doesn't degenerate at high temperatures, heals the lining of the stomach and overall boosts your immunity.

Himalayan Pink Salt has over 84 vitamins and minerals and is low in sodium. Read more about the benefits of it here in this article I wrote. 

Serving Suggestions:
This really is so versatile. It is a lovely side with any main dish, meat, fish, omelette etc.
I recently brought a big bowl of it to a BBQ as a healthy side.
It's colourful and appealing in a cold buffet.
I make a big batch and store it in the fridge to have at a moments notice.
You can also add some protein in to make it a complete meal. Some chopped left over meat an/or some eggs to make it egg friend rice. It is really tasty. Or even nicer some fresh organic prawns! Yum

Storage Instructions:
I keep this in a covered bowl or container for up to a week in the fridge. It also travels well for up to 24 hours.  When reheating ensure it is thoroughly cooked through.

So there you have it guys, cheap, healthy, suits most diets and boosts your overall health. And to boot it tastes delicious!

Paleo BBQ Chicken

It's coming close to pay day, you're into single figures in the bank account and you need to eat. We've all been there. It's not easy but it doesn't have to mean omelettes every night either (although Omelettes are a cheap and healthy way to make the pennies stretch! Check out my recipe HERE). Keep reading to see how you can make €2-3 go a very long way!

We've become a nation who want to eat only certain parts of the animal. The meaty, muscle parts are usually expensive and although lean, not always the healthiest choice. Go back 50 years to past generations and they didn't waste a thing. You couldn't buy 10 chicken breasts in a super market! Oh no. You bought a whole chicken and used every part of it, right down to the juices for gravy, made a stock with the carcass and only then was it thrown out. Not only was this more economical it was healthier too.

Eating a variety of foods is so important. It gives the body more nutrients and different types of protein that are needed to repair natural wear and tear in the body. Eating meat close to the bone contains ligaments, tendons and blood vessels that help repair those said parts of our body. Eating the skin means you get good fats and collagen to help repair skin damage and prevent ageing. Eating the brown meat close to the bone ensures you are getting meat packed with micro nutrients, vitamins, minerals and connective tissue to make your body healthier and happier.

You can read more on this topic of eating the whole animal HERE

This is where the Wings and Drumsticks come in. You can easily get these on offer for about €1 or €2 in the supermarkets. The meat is tastier and juicer not to mention healthier. I've also seen Chick Thigh fillets for relatively cheap. These are basically the meatiest parts of the drumstick with no bone. Perfect for stirfrys and casseroles. The meat may appear brown in parts when cooked but remember this is ok. This is healthy! So read on to try my Paleo friendly BBQ marinade that will have you licking your lips (and fingers!) while saving you money and making you healthier.

Ingredients:

5 Chicken Drumsticks or 10 Chicken Wings (or a mix of both!)

1 heaped teaspoon of Cumin

1 heaped teaspoon of Paprika

1 heaped teaspoon of Ginger

1/2 teaspoon of Turmeric

1 teaspoon of Salt

1 teaspoon of freshly ground black Pepper

3 table spoons of Olive Oil (more if you want to make the sauce more liquid and sticky as opposed to dry and crispy)

1 heaped tablespoon of Honey (more if you want to make them stickier!)

1 teaspoon of Tabasco

1 teaspoon of Balsamic vinegar

Method:

Mix your dried spices together and make a well.

Add all the wet ingredients into the well and mix thoroughly. You can add more oil or honey as you go to make the mix more liquid and less dry. This will determine if the marinade is more dry and crispy or sticky and liquid.

Taking your drumsticks or wings (or a mix of both!) coat them in the marinade and leave them in a bowl covered in cling film for as long as you can. I typically make this up the night before or that morning to give all the spices time to absorb into the chicken but if you are short on time 30 minutes to an hour is plenty!

Spread the coated chicken onto a foiled baking try (saves having to scrub the sticky, cooked sauce from it otherwise!) and cook at 190 degrees Celcius or Gas Mark 4/5 for 20 minutes or until the chick is thoroughly cooked.

Serve with any sides you fancy. See below for some serving suggestions.

Enjoy!

Prep Time:

5 minutes to make marinade

Cooking Time:

20 minutes

Dietary Information:

Paleo

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Sugar Free

Olive Oil is full of good fats, Omega 3s and excellent for hair, skin and nails

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

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

Cumin aids digestion, lowers blood sugar and prevents hypoglycaemia (excellent for people with diabetes), fights viral infections, is rich in Iron and has many other benefits 

Turmeric - too many benefits to mention. Check them all out on my post HERE

Serving Suggestions:

I served these with boiled rice mixed with a tablespoon of coconut oil, teaspoon of turmeric and salt and pepper to taste. (note Rice is NOT Paleo but is the best non paleo carb to have if you're going to have one!)

I also made some non paleo dip. Using some yoghurt, cream cheese, chives and oregano to cool down the spice.

You could also serve it at a BBQ with my Red Cabbage Slaw (Recipe HERE)

Or with my Sweet Potato Wedges (Recipe HERE)

Best served straight from the oven!

Chocolate Bark - Paleo (ish!)

So last week I made this chocolate bark for a party I was having. It's coming up to the Christmas Season and so I wanted to have nice and tasty nibbles that weren't going to be leaving people feeling stuffed, over indulged or sick.

I have seen chocolate bark on lots of blogs and recipe sites but never actually made it. I didn't follow any recipe for this and, like most of my recipes, just made it up as I went along using items I had in my house!

For once this actually worked out perfectly first time and it was a massive hit at the party! People couldn't get enough of it. In fact I'm having another dinner party this Thursday and I'm making it for dessert again.

Here's how you can make it too:

Ingredients:
400g of Dark Chocolate (ideally 70% plus)
1 dash of Olive Oil or teaspoon of Butter (real NOT margarine) or Coconut Oil
1 tablespoon of Raw, Organic Honey
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
1 dash of Vanilla Essence or some real Vanilla bean
Toppings which can include - Dessicated coconut, dried fruits (no added oil or sugar - I used Figs), chopped nuts (I used sliced almonds), seeds (I used chia seeds), freshly ground sea salt (I used Pink Himalaya Rock Slat)

Method:
Melt the chocolate gently in a pan with the fat of choice (Oil, Butter or Coconut Oil)
Once it is melted add the vanilla, cinnamon and honey and stir well.
Using a flat tray line it with some greaseproof paper.
Spread the chocolate mix evenly on the paper using the back of a spoon or spatula.
Sprinkle on your selected toppings - Fruit, nuts, seeds, salt etc
Allow to cool and place in the fridge to set.
Break into pieces and enjoy!

It really is that simple. It takes minutes to make and I often make a double batch and keep some in the fridge for when I'm feeling like a treat.

I must say it's the combination of the figs and salt in this that really make this. It's almost like salted caramel.


Prep Time:
5-10 minutes

Cooking Time:
None! Just leave to harden in the fridge.

Dietary Information:
Paleo (ish!) the higher % chocolate the better with this
Good fats - from the oil and seeds/nuts/coconut
Full of antioxidants from the high chocolate content
Full of natural sweetness from the fruit and honey
Vegetarian
Vegan (if you use coconut oil and dairy free chocolate)
Gluten Free
Wheat Free

Storage Instructions:
I keep this in a sealed container and it will last weeks in the fridge - provided you don't eat it all.


OK now I need to publish this post fast as I've eaten 4 pieces already writing this as it keeps reminding me of how good it is!

Enjoy!

Tuesday's Change Week 46 - Green Goodness

I'm sure you always hear people harping on about how Green food is so good for you. But, if you are like me, it's not the most appealing food and certainly not the one you reach for first when you are hungry. However, the benefits of green leafy vegetables are so vast they should be a staple in every diet.

First let me outline what I mean by Green Leafy Vegetables. These include:

Kale

Chard

Lettuce

Mustard

Collards

Parsley

Spinach

Beet greens

Sweet potato leaves

Arugula/Rocket

Baby greens

Endive

Try and get these fresh and Organic where possible but frozen and Organic is still beneficial if convenience and budget dictates.

Now why should you eat them? Everyone knows greens are good for you but did you know why?

- Iron - Green Leafy Veg is packed full of iron. It's what made Popeye strong and it helps transport oxygen around the blood. 

- Magnesium - You need Magnesium to produce ATP the body's energy currency. It aids muscle recovery, swelling and inflammation.

- Calcium - We all know Calcium is essential in the building of bones. And this doesn't just apply for children, it is vital in adults also as your bones are constantly being rebuilt and reparied. Whether you eat dairy or not, leafy greens are essential as a good source of Calcium.

- Potassium - This is essential in regulating blood pressure and is responsible for the proper function of cells, It is also an important electrolyte that regulates the electricity in the body.

- Manganese - Is responsible for making some potent anti-oxidants which help to detox the body from damage, it also aids in the prevention of stroke and brain clots.

- Betaine - This helps to maintain liver health.

 

So now you know why you need to eat them, what if you don't like the taste? Well fear not! I've included some of my recipes here that will help you seamlessly add leafy greens into your diet without even noticing!

Have you tried:

My Smoothies

Spinach Pesto

Omelette

Spicy Sweet Potato Stew

Paleo, Italian, Summer Salad

Click on the links above to check out these tasty recipes. You won't even notice you are being healthy!

So that is this week's Tuesday's Change folks. Add as many leafy green vegetables to your diet as you can. You will soon start to notice the difference in your body as it begins to function better, look better and feel better.

Tuesday's Change Week 39 - Let them Eat Cake!

It's out 1st Birthday here in Lifestyle Jeanie and what a year it has been. I am so proud of the last year and so grateful to all of you, the followers, for your feed back, questions, comments and loyality. It just makes me so happy to hear people saying they made one of my recipes or did a work out I suggested. The aim when I started this blog was to help even just 1 person feel better about themselves so this goal has most certainly been reached and surpassed!

As it's celebration time then how fitting to have cake as this week's Tuesday's Change. Now don't get too excited. This is not an excuse to eat cake everyday! You're not that lucky. But it is an opportunity to try some new recipes and begin to reduce and eliminate the amount of sugar and processed foods you make.

This week I want you to replace traditional sweet cakes, biscuits or desserts with some wholesome, healthy and clean eating recipes.

Here are some of my favourite ones to chose from.

Paleo Lemon and Blueberry Loaf

Sweet Summer Treats-Chocolate Covered Fruit

Coconut and Mango Drizzle Cake

Paleo Chocolate Mousse

Carrot Cake Muffins

So it really is that simple this week. Ditch the shop bought sweet treats, roll the sleeves up and get making some sweet, natural, wholesome and tasty treats!

Enjoy!

Paleo, Italian, Summer Salad

The kids might be back to school and the Sunday evening, sandwich making ritual may have begun but I for one REFUSE to believe summer is over! To make myself feel more summery I decided to experiment with some summer flavours recently and invented my Paleo, Italian Summer Salad.

This is light, tasty, fills you up and takes just minutes to prepare. Even my 'Salads don't fill me up, can I have Chips too?' husband approved of it and said he really enjoyed it. (Spot his chips in the pictures below!)  Here's how you can make it too.

Ingredients:

Chicken/Turkey/Beef (meat optional as always!)

Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Squeeze of lemon juice

Rock Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly chopped Basil, Rosemary, Thyme (I grow these 3 easily and cheaply on my windowsill) 

Sliced fresh mozzarella (comes in a bag of fluid)

Organic vegetables of choice. Here I used:

Rocket

Cherry tomatoes

Yellow and Orange Peppers

Cucumber 

Mustard and Balsamic optional.

Method:

Time allowing, chop your meat and leave it marinade in a few dashes of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, basil, rosemary, thyme. Thoroughly coat all the meat and allow to rest for as long as you have! If you don't have time to marinade just quickly toss the meat in the ingredients and move onto the next step.

Chop all your veggies and arrange as you feel fit on your plate.

On a low, gentle heat in a cermanic pan, cook the meat including oil, herbs and seasoning until fully cooked. 

Slice mozzarella into strips or chunks.

Arrange chicken and mozarella to the side of veggies or on top.

Using any excess juice left in the pan add some balsamic vinegar and a spoon of honey mustard to make a lovely dressing served on the side or drizzled over the top.

Enjoy as is or serve with crinkled oven chips for your husband!

The best thing about this recipe is it's quick and easy to make double portions. I usually make enough for 3 and keep some of everything to the side so I can take it for my lunch the next day. This massively cuts down on waste, time and effort and ensures you have a healthy meal ready to go for the next day.

Prep Time:

5 minutes, more if you marinade

Cook time:

15 minutes or as long as the meat is safely cooked

Dietary Information:
Gluten Free

Wheat free

Sugar Free 

Paleo 

High in protein

Vegetarian - leaving out the meat. Add nuts or more cheese instead.

Olive Oil is full of good fats, Omega 3s and excellent for hair, skin and nails.

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

Basil helps clear skin, alleviates stress and worry and boost your mood.

Thyme is a natural disinfectant helping to fight bugs and bad bacteria in the body, lowers blood pressure and helps with coughing.

Enjoy this light, refreshing and satisfying salad anytime of day. And stay strong Jeanies! Summer is NOT over!