food – Page 4 – KATIE MORGAN

5 BEST CHRISTMAS SALADS

Published on December 24, 2014December 24, 2014 by Katie morgan4 Comments

When it comes to a Christmas feast you cannot go wrong with a big colourful fresh festive salad. They can be a lot easier to whip up then you imagine – and far less time consuming than roasting a turkey. If you have to ‘bring a plate’ this silly season, then whip up one of these amazing salads.

The following recipes are taken from my favourite 5 famous foodies! All of these women give me inspiration daily and have helped me achieve the healthy life that I live today. Trust me – they know their stuff and they seem to have one thing in common – festive colour, feta and beetroot! Tis the season!!!

1. TERESA CUTTER – Beetroot salad with pomegranate and pistachio (RECIPE HERE)

2. SWEAT AND ORANGES – Classic Greek Salad

A classic mix of diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta, red onion and capsicum tossed with some balsamic vinegar, lemon and oil.

3. HEALTHY FRENCH WIFE – Healthy Christmas Salad (RECIPE HERE)

4. KAVISHA JEGA – Massaged Kale and Mango Salad

This winning recipe includes massaged kale (massage with you hands in olive oil to remove that tough kale texture) tossed with diced mango, avocado, feta and walnuts.

5. JESSICA SEPEL – Green Beans and Roast Beet Salad (RECIPE HERE)

PLATE UP

Published on December 8, 2014December 8, 2014 by Katie morgan3 Comments

Monday morning!! A new week means new health and fitness goals. A lot of people spend more time worrying about what they ‘shouldn’t’ be eating and rather than focusing on fueling their body with nutritious wholesome super foods. It has taken my a very long time to get my diet right to suit my body, health and fitness goals and overall digestion. Everyone is different – portion sizes, food types, gluten vs no gluten, taste buds and snack frequency so there is no point copying the person next to you as what they eat may not be doing you any benefit. However, let’s not get too precise about what we should and shouldn’t eat and focus on trying to pack as much nutrient rich wonders onto our plate everyday.

Once you build your diet around healthy wholesome foods, you create a strong health platform for your body long term and leave less time for slip ups and binges or poor nutrition. Especially with summer and the bikini season about to hit (even though Canberra lacks in the beach department) now is as better time as ever to get our nutrition right!!

“DON’T EAT LESS – EAT RIGHT” Try adding these nutritional powerhouses to your plate daily!!

1. BERRIES; make friends with berries, and not any particular type – all of them! They are bright, super sweet, low in sugar and have a super high content of antioxidants and vitamins. You can eat them frozen, blended into a smoothie, on your oats, in muffins or with yoghurt. Make sure you have berries today!

2. COFFEE; hallelujah baby!! Not only is coffee exceptionally high in antioxidants there is also evidence that it can speed up our metabolism and promote fat loss and anti aging – sounds good to me.

3. YOGHURT; packed full of prebiotic goodness for overall gut health you cannot go past yoghurt. It can reduce bloating, constipation (yep I said the C word) and digestive imbalance. For a strong overall immune system and healthy bacteria include yoghurt into your daily diet.

4. PEANUT BUTTER; I’ve said it once and I will say it again – get spooning that peanut butter!! Full of so many health and weight loss benefits, you cannot go wrong with PB. 2 Tablespoons a day will speed up your metabolism, give you energy to work out, keep you full and not to mention taste amazing. 2Tbs Peanut butter and banana bread for morning tea? CHECK!! (pictured)

5. TOMATOES; full of beta-carotene and vitamin c, cooked tomatoes will give you a better daily dose of the nutrient lycopene, another powerful antioxidant with anti-cancer properties. So whose adding a tomato based pasta sauce or yummo lasagna stack into next weeks meal planning?

6. WALNUTS; all nuts have great over all health benefits to our skin, hair, body and metabolism but walnuts have the richest polyunsaturated fat content (this doesnt mean the ‘fattiest’ nut thought) which reduces cholesterol levels and has powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Grab a large handful to chuck on your salad, oats or in your next baking session. Choc-walnut brownies anyone?

7. OILY FISH; tuna and salmon give the body a massive dose of omega 3 polyunsaturated fat much the same as walnuts. And you can grab a few cans to store in your work draw, handbag or pantry so there is no excuse not to get your daily dose.

8. BROCCOLI; rich source of folate and phytonutrient content well above other greens, broccoli makes for a perfect vege! Soups, dips, pastas, salads, stir fry’s or quiche – its a pretty versatile cute little tree so get plating it up!

9. APPLES; the old saying still goes ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ and ain’t that the truth. Apples are packed full of soluble fiber, vitamin C and can satisfy hunger therefore promoting weight loss. Great for heart health, protecting against metabolic syndrome, dried apples (in particular) can boost exercise endurance, lower cholesterol and aid fat metabolising. Reach for that daily apple – especially teamed up with some PB for a super snack!

10. DARK CHOCOLATE; now this is the one sweet treat that I suggest eating frequently and nutritionists can back that up. If you are going to devour the block – make it dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage. The higher the cocoa = the higher the antioxidants and more health benefits. Another great example of Kale and the Kettlebell’s health rule – the darker the better!

So NO MORE counting calories, restricting portions, crazy diets or binges. Eat right and eat more of the above foods daily – your body will thank you for it!

NN DAY 15 – KNOCK ONE BACK

Published on November 15, 2014November 14, 2014 by Katie morganLeave a comment

Dear Red Wine drinkers; I have wonderful news… your red wine habit also happens to come with some happy health benefits, such as protecting your ticker and even slimming your waistline. Winding down with a glass of vino is a good call all round.

Red wine is good for your heart; it contains resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant compound which protects your heart and arteries against the effects of saturated fats (which we now know all about after yesterdays post HERE) and can prevent the formation of blood clots as your levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol rises.

Red wine contains antioxidants; containing a number of other antioxidants which can slow the signs of aging, osteoporosis and prevent degenerative illnesses like diabetes. These antioxidants can also help fight off a cold, prevent tooth decay by hardening the enamel and protecting the gums, AND believe it or not prevent the growth of fat cells which essentially block the pathways necessary for immature fat cells to mature and grow.

Red wine controls your blood sugar; the skin of red grapes – which is where the rich antioxidant sources lie – actually help diabetics regulate their blood sugar levels. Researches suspect that resveratrol may help stimulate insulin secretion or activate protein that helps regulate glucose and insulin sensitivity.

But above all, red wine makes us happy! It creates an atmosphere that is social, fun and gives us that extra boost of confidence we need to kick off our heels and let our hair down. And lets be honest, we all know the more vinos we consume the louder, more funny and sexier we get right?? Until we cross the line of TOO MANY and it’s time to go home … (and eat the entire fridge contents and sleep << please note this behaviour is NOT promoted) If you get hangovers have a read of my healthy hangover cure on the blog HERE.

Although red wine has well known health benefits, drinking any alcoholic beverage in excess can lead to serious health problems, so of course limit yourself to not more than 2 glasses a day. Now how many of you just read that and thought… “well if I don’t drink Monday – Thursday does that mean those 8 glasses can be added to my Friday’s 2 glass allowance so I can knock back 10 glasses and still be under the ‘healthy’ limit….” well NO!! Sorry is doesn’t work that way. Stick to two glasses a day! (except for special events and one off occasions) remember it matters more what you do everyday than what you do once in a while!

Fun fact; pinot noir grapes have the highest resveratrol content

SAY CHEERS TO GOOD HEALTH

NN DAY 14 – THE BIG FAT TRUTH

Published on November 14, 2014 by Katie morgan4 Comments

IF YOU WANT TO LOSE FAT – YOU HAVE GOT TO EAT FAT

Now for some this does sound crazy I understand … but honestly I could not offer a better tip that just that. Although as usual there is the fine print with such a statement. You have to eat the RIGHT types of fat which are essential to our diet and important for good health. These are the GOOD FATS. But what are the different types of fats and which ones are good or better than others??

Simple!! Here is a quick and easy explanation to help you understand.

SATURATED FATS; These fats are usually solid at room temperature ie fats in meat, coconut, butter and cheese. These fats are important however eating excessive amounts of these fats are NOT good for our overall health.

UNSATURATED FATS; There fats ARE IMPORTANT to our health and should be consumed on a daily basis. Unsaturated fats decrease the risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol and reduce/prevent belly fat (yes please). There are TWO TYPES of unsaturated fats – Mono and Poly;

Mono-unsaturated fat; are the omega 3 fats found in chia seeds and oily fish ie salmon and omega 6 fats found in some oils and nuts such as sunflower oil and brazil nuts.

Poly-unsaturated fat; found in olive and canola oil and nuts and seeds such as cashews, almonds and flaxseeds.

UGLY TRANS-FATS; trans fats are unsaturated fats that have been processed and as a result act as saturated fats. eating trans fats ARE BAD!!! they are found in most packages foods and also in some butters and margarines. Use food labels to seek out these trans fats.

YOU SHOULD BE FOCUSSING ON INCLUDING AS MANY UNSATURATED FATS AS POSSIBLE INTO YOUR DAILY DIET

Here are 5 healthy unsaturated fats that you should include in your diet tomorrow! See how many you can get on your plate and make the smart swap!!

1. Avocado

2. Almonds and cashews

3. Salmon or tuna

4. Olive oil

5. Peanut butter

I happily eat every single one of the above 5 favourite fats on a daily basis and my body could not thank me more for it!! (satay salmon stir fry topped with cashews followed by avocado mousse for dessert?) A lot of people have always thought that products with ‘low-fat’ or ‘diet’ written on them are always the better choice. However I personally believe this is incorrect. The only reason such products are ‘low fat or fat free’ is because the fat has been artificially extracted and most likely replaced with sugar and chemicals. (hello chemical sh*t storm) Eat whole products like whole fat milk and whole fat yoghurt. Fat will keep you fuller for longer and avoid sugar spikes or cravings meaning you are less likely to pig out on junk foods and the ugly trans fats.

Have a generous thumb size amount of fat in EVERY meal or snack. It digests slowly, so you feel satisfied for a longer period and eat less overall. Reach for a few of these heart healthy fats every day!!!

NN DAY 11 – GO BANANAS

Published on November 11, 2014November 12, 2014 by Katie morgan4 Comments

Bananas have always been one of my favourite fruits. If you think bananas are just for monkeys… think again. But hey we are part monkey after all right? And a banana was probably the first solid food that you ever ate as a baby.

HAVE YOU HAD YOUR BANANA TODAY??

Bananas are great for maintaining healthy digestion, lowering blood pressure and curbing appetite. They are dubbed natures energy snack and are great brain food to help keep you alert at work. Because they are rich in potassium, bananas are good for heart and kidney health as well as bone density. They nourish healthy bacteria in the digestive system and help the body to absorb nutrients and resist bacterial infection.

Nutritionally, a banana is a powerful package. The number one quick source of carbohydrates for many athletes or people working out, a banana will give you a sustained and substantial energy boost which is quickly digested and converted to muscle fuel, great for pre or post workout nutrition. They are easy to transport in your handbag (just don’t forget about it), backpack, work draw or car so they make the perfect on the go snack.

How can you look at a banana the same way again after discovering the amazing health benefits and many reasons to add them to your diet DAILY! and why wouldn’t you when they GO WITH ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING! Smoothies, ice cream, healthy slices, muffins RECIPE HERE, mug cakes RECIPE HERE and pancakes RECIPE HERE. In fact I don’t think there are many of my clean living recipes that DON’T use a banana.

CONVINCED YET? TRY THIS CREAMY BANANA AVOCADO SMOOTHIE BELOW.

CREAMY BANANA AVOCADO SMOOTHIE RECIPE – serves 1 (simply double recipe for 2 people)

1 ripe banana (fresh or frozen)

1/2 avocado

1 cup dairy, soy or almond milk

1tsp cinnamon

1Tbs raw honey

1Tbs chia seeds

1Tbs peanut butter

Handful of ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!!

NN DAY 10 – THE CHOCOLATE FIX

Published on November 10, 2014November 12, 2014 by Katie morganLeave a comment

Chocolate is just one of those things that makes us happy. FACT! It’s actually scientifically proven too!! OH YOU BETCHA. Chocolate is a very nutritious source of antioxidants which are good for our inner health, skin, brain function and hormones. Personally I don’t need much more reason than that and that’s why I rarely go a day without some form of chocolate. And why should we?

As someone with an ‘all or nothing’ streak in their body I am not the greatest at self control (or portion size mind you) and the more ‘artificial’ the chocolate… the more addictive it is. Our body gets a taste of the sweet sugar and we simply cannot stop. Ever gone to the pantry to have ‘just one piece’ and ended up demolishing the whole block? yeahhhhh about that!! This is why a lot of health magazines and websites/blog recommend dark chocolate because the higher the cocoa content the lower the sugar and therefore the better it is for us. Lindt dark coconut intense anyone?? YUM or any of the intense dark Lindt range for that matter. Although the lime flavour… hmmmm interesting!!

Here are my 5 favourite chocolate fixes for ANY TIME of the day. Any one of them is going to make you feel all gooey inside and satisfy the chocolatey goodness you are craving without causing a blood sugar insulin spikes followed by a lethargic slum.

1. Banana-choc coconut smoothie (RECIPE HERE FROM NN DAY 08)

2. Luvju organic raw chocolate by the amazing company Loving Earth. Website HERE. YOU HAVE GOT TO TRY THIS!!! I bought a whole box and then some – it was the most exciting (and healthy) delivery package I have ever received!!! Hello work draw!

3. Homemade cacao chia cookies – Recipe to come in the near future! stay tuned!

4. Instant avocado cacao mousse – recipe will be posted in a couple of days

5. Homemade cacao protein balls RECIPE BELOW

CACAO PROTEIN BALLS

2 cups medjool dates (soaked overnight is best)

2 scoops protein powder (chocolate or vanilla)

1/2 cup shredded coconut (plus extra for rolling)

1/2 cup coconut oil

2Tbs honey

2Tbs cacao powder

1/2 cup nuts (almonds, cashews or brazil)

1/2 cup Goji berries (optional – but a wonderful little addition if you have them handy)

Place all ingredients into a food processor or Vitamix and blend.

Roll into medium sized balls and cover in extra cacao powder or coconut if desired. Refrigerate until firm! Can store in fridge for up to 4 weeks and freezer for 3 months! Trust me – they WONT last that long!

2-3 of these sweet chocolatey bliss balls make for the perfect after work or after dinner snack with a cuppa and are completely guilt free!! Happy Baking!!!

REMEMBER CHOCOLATE IS NOT AN ENEMY! IT CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIEND!!!

NN DAY 6 – SPEAR A HANGOVER

Published on November 6, 2014November 6, 2014 by Katie morgan1 Comment

If there is one thing that I truly hate… it is being hungover. I used to be the type of girl who could chug vodka from a bottle (yes i have a dark side buried deep below the surface from my younger years – don’t we all?) and I would NEVER get hungover or be sick the next day. Probably because I regrettably vomited it all out that night, but anyway… and then things changed as I got older and BOOM. Now any more than just two wines with dinner and I cant help but wake up feeling seedy.

So – how would you feel knowing there was a healthy hangover cure that doesn’t involve sugary drinks like Powerade, Sprite and Mizone to get you moving? The answer is simple. Get some asparagus spears on your plate. Yep asparagus… which conveniently makes a delicious breakfast side so you are in luck. Ask for a side of grilled asparagus with that greasy bacon and egg dish and it will make you feel oh so much better.

According to Korean scientists, asparagus contains compounds that can alleviate hangover pain. The amino acids and minerals in the green spears can relieve the toxic effect that excess drinking has on the liver by speeding up the metabolism of alcohol. Asparagus also has anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic properties.

If all else fails remember the feeling you are experiencing and maybe just don’t drink as much next time!!

What to eat before a night out on the town?? Baked beans and avocado on grainy toast and a glass of apple juice. Oh and a large spoonful or two of probiotic Greek/natural yoghurt. Why? Well the beans, avocado and grains release energy slowly to prevent hunger and a fall in blood sugar levels caused by alcohol. The apple juice helps you stay hydrated and contains vitamin C which is often depleted by heavy drinking. They are also both good sources of zinc and vitamin A which are vital for a healthy immune system and are depleted by too much alcohol. Probiotic yoghurt counteracts morning-after bowel problems caused by binge drinking. GOODLUCK!!!!

NN DAY 5 – GRAB ‘N’ GO SNACKS

Published on November 5, 2014November 12, 2014 by Katie morgan2 Comments

(above) Lunch box packed for the flight back to Perth last week – all the goods!!

If there is something that I excel at in life… it is snacking! Road trips, aero plane flights, weekend escapes, movie dates… you name it, I’ve got the snacks covered. I am honestly like a child. The only way to keep me happy is occupying me with food. When it comes to planes, boats and cars I blame this on my motion sickness. For some reason the only way to keep the nausea away is by eating. Literally as soon as I finish chomping my last mouthful, the motion sickness sets in. So that’s why I always have food handy!

And my draw at work. Well that is another whole kettle of fish. Unlike the limited space of a woman’s handbag my draw is STOCKED full of the essential snacks to keep that HANGRY feeling away. Nothing gets me in quite a rage like being so insanely hungry that it turns to anger. Admit it – we have all been there.

Here are my 5 favourite grab-and-go snacks kept on hand to avoid the “hangry” stage;

1. Rice cakes with nut butters, fruit, cottage cheese or avocado. (photo sourced from @mb_motivation)

2. Banana and handful of nuts/trail mix

3. Protein bars or homemade muffins (banana date muffin recipe HERE)

4. Carrot sticks with hummus

5. Medjool dates with peanut butter or almonds

Try and combine healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates into the one snack for optimum nutrition. That’s why you cant go wrong with the above snacks!!

NN DAY 4 – DRINK YOUR WATER

Published on November 4, 2014November 4, 2014 by Katie morgan4 Comments

Why is it that something as simple as drinking water can be so difficult to remember? If I don’t have my water bottle on me and am consciously making an effort to drink water, then I will get to the end of the day without even a drip. Of course there is water in my daily coffee and 6 cups of tea BUT this does NOT count! Nope not even in the slightest. And before your clever little Melbourne Cup brain thinks that having a few vodka lime and soda WATERS today will also count – you are wrong!! Drinking alcohol is an even bigger reason to be guzzling back the water.

Yes there is water in the foods that we eat, such as meat, fish, eggs and especially ‘water-rich’ fruits and vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce, watermelon, apples etc and they DO ‘count’ towards your daily intake BUT we need to drink a LOT more of the pure refreshing liquid on its own to make it really count.

The body is made up of about 60% water. We are constantly losing water from our bodies, primarily via urine and sweat. So how much water should you be drinking everyday? Probably a lot more than you already are (guilty as charged). Everyone is different and it depends on the individual as to how much water we effectively NEED but you should be aiming to drink about 1.5 – 2 L of water a DAY.

Staying well hydrated is important for;
– increasing our energy levels
– improving brain function
– preventing health problems
– increasing metabolism and promoting weight loss
– hydrating our skin and improving complexion
– flushing out toxins
– maintaining regularity
– boosting the immune system

Put it this way – there are NO negative side effects of drinking water. Just don’t wait until 9pm to skull the whole 1.5 L because you will be up every 2 hours going to the bathroom!!

Tips for drinking more water;
– add a squeeze of lemon, fresh mint or berries for flavor (not raspberry cordial thanks)
– pop ice cubes made from fruit into your water
– keep a glass of water handy on your desk or a bottle of water in your handbag/backpack

Water has no calories, is flavourless and most of all it’s FREE!!! Go on – do yourself a favour and fill up a glass right now – especially if you are planning on having a boozy Melbourne cup luncheon.

NN DAY 3 – ENJOY THE HECK OUT OF IT

Published on November 3, 2014 by Katie morganLeave a comment

We live in a world where we’re made to feel guilty about food; don’t eat this, don’t eat that, this will kill you, that will kill you. Of course a lot of this is true, but you can take any food, create negative thoughts around it and actually make it unhealthier to consume with those stressful thoughts. After all, stress depletes nutrients from the body too. Nutritional November rule NUMBER ONE … don’t feel guilty. Just enjoy it!

The worst thing you can do when embarking on your healthy clean lifestyle is deprive yourself of certain food groups and ban any form of sweet treat or food that isn’t a dark leafy green. It goes without saying that when something is banned or off limits it only makes you want it more. Yes I have been there before… “This week I will NOT eat any chocolate”. This sounds great in theory and the week started with flying colours until Friday night. Home on the couch watching a movie and BANG the deprivation of chocolate or anything sweet during the week hits hard and before I knew it my stomach had just welcomed 4 squares of Lindt dark coconut intense (THE best flavor hands down), a white choc Lindt ball (also a personal fave), some healthy choc peanut butter slice (recipe HERE) from the freezer AND a hot soy chocolate… and I fortunately stopped myself before completely loosing it and reaching for the choc mint drumstick ice cream in the freezer. Once you start a binge… it is truly hard to stop. Yes this is NO WAY to live. And the worst part about it all was that I ate it all so damn fast that I didn’t actually ‘taste’ or ‘enjoy’ anything. The best way to avoid the binge and excessive chocolate intake at once is to NOT limit yourself of these food groups. One square of dark chocolate with your evening cuppa a couple of nights a week is the perfect solution to avoid the binge. After all dark chocolate is full of antioxidants that our body needs every now and again.

But the most important part of all… when you do eat something that is a little less nutritious than a bunch of kale… ENJOY THE HECK OUT OF IT!! Eat is slow. Taste each mouthful. Chew it and actually enjoy it! If you want a burger… have one! If you are craving pizza… make a home made healthier version or if that isn’t an option then go buy one!!
Food is supposed to be enjoyed. There is no point going on a disgusting celery juice or cabbage soup diet because you bet your bottom dollar that the first thing you will do when its over is cram as much ‘normal’ food into your body and only cause a negative backwards effect.

“It matters more what you do every day that what you do once in a while.”

Happy Monday – now go eat some chocolate and feel damn good about it.
Be sure to enjoy today!!