Tag: HEALTH

AVO + POACHIES ON RYE

Published on by Katie morgan4 Comments

I never used to be a big fan of breakfast…or coffee for that matter. Even to the point where when my friend and I went out for breaky dates I would order a sandwich rather than eggs. Kerri – Remember at Delish café? But for some reason my entire world has been flipped in reverse and I cannot get enough of breakfast and I look forward to my next coffee within minutes of finishing the first. Am I the only one who lies in bed at night literally wishing it was morning so I could devour my toast, smoothie or bowl of oats, especially if I have a yummy breaky in mind (which I always do)? Ok good – I am sure many of you just nodded… or laughed! I’ll take either one!

These days due to working full time, poaching eggs at 7am whilst 3 others are making their breakfast around you proves challenging and so we tend to leave the extravagant eggs for the weekend. But that doesn’t mean you can reminisce on your wonderfully tasty poached creations mid week.

My favourite savory toast topper would have to be avocado. I eat A LOT of avocado lets be honest. It is a great natural substitute for butter, full of wonderful essential healthy fats, keeps you full for longer and can be used in so many different ways. My favourite thing to order at the café for breakfast is the smashed avo on toast. Standard!! I am currently in the middle of eating my way through almost every avocado toast dish in Canberra and will write my feedback on it when I am satisfied with a winner.

Last weekend instead of going out for breakfast and spending big we simply stayed home and replicated our favourite ‘mambo eggs’ from Edgars Inn in Ainslie. Dark rye toast topped with smashed avocado, poached eggs and a corn, tomato and coriander salsa. Simple but divine. Most of the time I order a side of smoked salmon because that combo right there would have to be my all time favourite. Ok enough enough – I am making myself hungry…. uhhhoh!!!

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AVO + POACHIES ON DARK RYE – serves 1 (double for 2 people)

2 slices of rye bread

2 eggs

1/2 ripe avocado

Small tin of corn kernels

1/2 tomato

little handful of fresh coriander leaves

vinegar and water for poaching the eggs

smoked salmon (optional but a must if you have some handy)

salt + pepper

METHOD: bring a shall pan/pot of water to the boil and add a decent splash of vinegar. Crack each egg into a cup and slowly pour them into the 80% bubbling water. Some eggs are doomed for failure so don’t be disheartened if it separates and turns into an eggy mess.

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Toast the 2 slices of rye, and spread 1/4 avocado on each slice. Dice up the tomato and sprinkle on top of avocado along with the corn kernels. After about 5 minutes the eggs should be ready – depending of how hard or soft you like them. remove from boiling water one at a time and try to drain as much vinegar water as possible before placing on top of the salsa. Top with some finely chopped coriander, salt and pepper and you are good to go!

This breakfast is the perfect combination of carbs, healthy essential fats and protein along with 3 servings of vegetables. Happy poaching!!

K

ps Another hit with happy housemates!!! Gotta love a weekend cook up

PASS THE HONEY, HONEY

Published on by Katie morganLeave a comment

Honey. Not only is it the perfect little sweet touch to smoothies, yoghurt or cakes – it also has some alternative uses that will surprise you.

I was reading an article all about the uses of honey and thought I would share my top 15 uses which I found interesting. But first a little fun fact; the average person consumes 500gms of honey in 1 year. What busy bees!!

15 USES FOR HONEY THAT WILL SURPRISE YOU

1. Moisturise your skin; Rub onto your skin, leave for 30 mins and then wash off!

2. Repair damaged hair; Add a teaspoon to a dollop of regular conditioner and let it soak in for 20 minutes before shampooing.

3. Soothing bath; add 2 Tablespoons of honey to a hot bath for a skin soothing natural alternative.

4. Homemade facial; got lemons, avocados and honey? you have a DIY facial. Mix equal parts of each ingredient and apply to face. Add a teaspoon of raw sugar for an exfoliating effect too.

5. Thwart allergies; consuming raw honey, in particularly Manuka honey, will help your body build a strong immune system.

6. Stress-free sleep; dab a little honey on your tongue or in a herbal tea before going to bed.

7. Mouthwash; if you hate the taste of Listerine minty mouth wash make your own. Simply mix 1 cup filtered water, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp baking soda, 4 drops peppermint oil and stevia (optional). mix and swish!

8. Treat eczema; mix equal parts of honey and cinnamon and apply it to eczema to ease the itch. Sounds tasty!!

9. Boost immune system; lemon, hot water and honey is not just beneficial when you are sick. In fact you should be drinking it to strengthen your immune system and prevent getting colds and flus.

honey

10. Tame digestion; Take one or two tablespoons of honey before meals to ease digestion problems.

11. Honey lemonade; mix 1/2 cup honey with 1 cup boiling water, 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and 4 cups cold water. Add a little coconut sugar or stevia if you are a sweet tooth.

12. Cure hangovers; add to water and drink. Honey helps eliminate the toxic compounds resulting from the metabolism of alcohol.

13. Use on cuts, burns and bruises; Honey has natural antiseptic qualities so apply a thin layer to the spot and helps heal those wounds.

14. Lip balm; not only will it taste nice but honeys soothing qualities will make for the perfect lip balm. Just try not to lick it all off!

15. Boost athletic performance; The perfect pre workout boost. Have some honey and peanut butter on rice cakes or toast before your next workout. Don’t have a toaster? Simply peel a banana and drizzle some honey over each bite!

 

So it’s time to pass the honey, honey and not just for your yoghurt or breakfast!!

K

 

GREEN HULK SMOOTHIE BOWL

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The best way to get your servings of fruit or veggies in for the day – is by drinking them. You wont taste the spinach in a smoothie and it is a lot easier to drink a huge handful of spinach than eat it with a fork. I personally think half of the fun of a smoothie bowl is not only eating it, but decorating it. And since I am all about the toppings and little crunchy extras you can imagine how much I am in my element.

Its definitely no master piece but today I am featuring my “green hulk” smoothie bowl. It’s a keeper!

smoothie bowl

GREEN HULK serves 1

1 frozen banana

1 kiwi fruit

handful spinach or kale (LOTS)

1/2 cup almond milk

1 tsp GREENS powder

1 Tbs chia seeds

(OPTIONAL) 1 Tbs cacao powder

Note: The cacao will make it more of an unattractive greeny brown colour :)

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Add more milk if you desire. Should be nice and thick so you can scoop it with a spoon! Top with fresh fruit, coconut, chia seeds, nuts or buckinis and enjoy!! Go NUTS! Literally – nuts will improve the protein and healthy fat content significantly and make it a nutritional powerhouse and great wholesome post workout meal or snack.

smoothie bowl 3

K

 

2015 – LET’S DO THIS

Published on by Katie morganLeave a comment

Sorry to everyone for the LACK OF posting and commitment over the summer holidays. I was too busy soaking up the sun, spending time with my loved ones, eating amazing foods and having an absolute BALL back in my home city!!! BUT I’m back and have plenty of new and exciting things in store for you all.

Lucky for us, living in the beautiful country of Australia, means that our Christmas holidays are full of summer heat and beautiful coastlines. Many families escape to the coast for weeks of BBQ’s, beach walks, outdoor cricket, swimming, hammock time and other active living activities in the sun.

jumoYes I ate whatever I wanted. Yes I drank to excess (so not me). Yes I ate copious amounts of chocolate. Yes I nibbled all arvo long on cheese platters. Yes I REGRET NOTHING and yes I HAD THE BEST TIME!

The most important part about getting back from holidays, both mentally and physically is accepting the time off and then getting back into routine. But it’s not that simple. After having a month off your fitness levels will most likely have decreased (don’t worry this is easy to get back) and your body isn’t used to your normal training routine. You need to ease back into it. My first class back was a lovely ‘body balance’ mix of Yoga, Tai chi and Pilates, and let me tell you I was sore even after a few downward dogs and sun salutations.

 

DO’s and DONT’s FOR GETTING BACK INTO ROUTINE

DO:

  • Do take it easy. Ease back into the gym and allow your body time to recover and rest
  • Do drink lots of water. Aim for 2 Litres per day. Post on drinking water>> HERE
  • Do stretch your muscles after a workout. This is just as important as the actual workout. Post on stretches >> HERE
  • Do warm up and cool down where appropriate
  • Do make friends with salad. It’s the perfect time of the year for yummy salads. Post on festive salads>> HERE

 

DON’T:

  • Don’t over commit or set unrealistic challenges/goals
  • Don’t make silly resolutions and cut out food groups or ban certain foods. Telling yourself you will NOT eat chocolate will only make you crave it more. Everything in moderation!!!
  • Don’t think you will lose weight by eating less. Just eat right. Post on the ten foods you should be eating daily >> HERE
  • Don’t feel guilty for what you may or may not have don’t over the holidays. They are supposed to be enjoyed and indulgent. Post on indulgent eating and cheat meals 20% of the time >> HERE
  • Don’t compare yourselves to others. What might be your beginning might be someone else’s end.

 

Don’t worry if before Christmas you could do 10 push ups on your toes and now you can barely pump out 2. Good things take time – trust the process!

 

K

 

MANGO COCONUT MACADAMIA SMOOTHIE

Published on by Katie morgan3 Comments

This smoothie screams summer right here!! Not only is it the colour of the sunshine but it just makes you want to dive into it head first. Well at least for me it did!

Mango and coconut are a wonderful flavour combo and with the added creaminess of the macadamias you wont look back. Considered the worlds finest nut, the Macadamia is rich in energy and has a fantastic nutrient profile compromising of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Nuts are an excellent source of  protein and omega 3 fatty acids straight from mother nature. Add macadamias to your next smoothie or dessert or munch on a handful for afternoon tea.

smoothies

MANGO COCONUT AND MACADAMIA SMOOTHIE

1 frozen banana

1/2 cup frozen mango pieces

1/4 cup macadamia nuts

1 Tbs chia seeds

1/2 cup coconut yoghurt

1 cup almond milk / coconut water (1:1 ratio mix if you like)

Ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend. Top with some extra nuts or shredded coconut. Add a scoop of protein for the perfect post workout recovery snack or breakfast on the go.

Enjoy!

K

 

CHOC-MINT SMOOTHIE BOWL

Published on by Katie morgan3 Comments

Another ‘hot’ health craze going around at the moment is pouring your smoothie into a bowl and eating it with a spoon. Yep forget jars in 2015, it’s all about the bowls… and even more about the copious amounts of decorative toppings.

My favourite ice cream flavour would have to be choc mint hands down, followed closely by coconut. This smoothie bowl literally tastes like you have smashed a whole packet of Arnott’s mint slice. Definitely worth a try!

choc mint bowl

CHOC – MINT SMOOTHIE BOWL – serves 1

NOTE: this smoothie bowl has 2 components/halves but it still the one serve

GREEN HALF

2 frozen bananas

1 scoop protein (or LSA)

Handful spinach leaves

Small handful of mint leaves

1 Tbs almond butter

1 cup almond milk

1 scoop vanilla or chocolate whey protein

Blend until thick and well combined. Pour HALF into one side of a bowl.

CHOC HALF

With the other half remaining in the blender add

1 Tbs cacao powder

1 Tbs cacao nibs

dash of almond milk

and blend. Pour into other side of the bowl. Top with almonds, chia seeds, coconut, cacao nibs, goji berries or buckinis. Go wild!!

K

NUT FREE BANANA GRANOLA BARS

Published on by Katie morgan2 Comments

There are so many healthy alternatives to sugar coated LCM and muesli bars on the market although many of them contain nuts making them a no-no for school lunch boxes and some work places due to strict allergy control.

Try these nut free banana granola bars. They are perfect to freeze and make for a wonderful lunch box idea. Not only are they nut free, but they are also gluten, dairy, refined sugar and soy free AND paleo friendly. Yep, these healthy bars tick all the boxes.

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BANANA GRANOLA BARS – NUT FREE

3 cups old fashioned oats

3 large ripe bananas

3/4 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup pepitas/sunflower seeds

1/4 cup goji berries

1/4 cup diced dried apricots

1 Tbs chia seeds

2/3 cup apple sauce

3 Tbs honey or maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp sea salt

 

METHOD: Spread oats, coconut and seeds out on a baking tray and lightly spray with olive oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly toasted. Meanwhile mash bananas and add all other ingredients. Fold in toasted oat mix and pour into a lined brownie/slice tray. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 45-50 minutes until brown. *varies between ovens so just watch carefully after 35 mins. Cool in tin for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack. Cut into about 18 bars and store in the fridge. Great for freezing too!

 

Happy baking all

K

COCO-NUTS FOR COCONUTS

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Is it just me or is everything these days coconut based? Coconut milk, coconut water, shredded coconut, desiccated coconut, coconut flour, coconut nectar, coconut oil, coconut chips, coconut cream, coconut butter, coconut syrup, coconut sugar and coconut yoghurt. And there’s good reason for it too. Coconuts are a ‘wonder food’ and have so many health benefits that all humans need in their daily diet. In our western world, the coconut is an ‘health’ food consumed by the health conscious people. However, in other parts of the world people have thrived off coconuts for many generations. And it is no surprise that these people live for many more decades than us.

Straight from the tree as mother nature intended, coconuts have the highest concentration of electrolytes than any other fruit which makes it a superb source of hydration.

The oil from the coconut contains a unique combination of fatty acids with powerful medicinal properties. Previously, coconut oil has had a negative view as it contains saturated fat. (Post on the different types of fats HERE) Coconut oil is one of the richest sources of saturated fat known to man and also 90% of the fatty acids in it are in fact saturated. However, coconut oil doesn’t contain the regular saturated fats which you find in steak and cheese, and they are metabolised differently. Coconut oil is not only great for consuming, but can be used for cosmetic purposes to improve hair and skin appearance or be used as a toothpaste and mouth wash alternative. Fun fact; it is also proven to block 20% of the suns UV rays.

coconut

Because of the coconuts antioxidant properties and high nutrient content, they can be used to:

  • Lower cholesterol
  • Improve digestion (yes please)
  • Maintain youthful skin
  • Stabilise glucose levels
  • Increase your metabolism
  • Fight infections and viruses
  • Kill bacteria
  • Improve your memory
  • Regulate hormones
  • Lose weight
  • Increase thyroid function

Most things I bake contain some form of coconut and they are a great substitute for dairy or wheat ingredients. Although there is potential to go over board and make everything taste like coconut. I personally LOVE the flavour of coconut and don’t usually go a day without some form of coconut intake. However, I do understand that some people don’t like the taste and find it quite disgusting. There are so many ways to spice up your taste buds with some coconut, not to mention the added health benefits too. Coconut muffins, cakes, bliss balls, pancakes, slices, granola, topping for smoothies and for general munching on. Sarah Wilson author of I Quit Sugar, likes to have a teaspoon or two of coconut oil straight from the jar when she has sweet cravings or is a tad too hungry before dinner. Great idea. Spoon for the frying pan and a spoon for my mouth! It will only make you look younger and speed up that metabolism so what do you have to lose? Other than weight of course!

Here are 5 interesting ways to use the wonderful coconut fruit

Bake with coconut flour. See my peanut butter and coconut pancake recipe HERE

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Rub coconut oil into your hair to improve the moisture content and protect its health and appearance.

CoconutOilHair-3

Use coconut milk or coconut water in your smoothie. Smoothie recipe HERE

smoothie

Add shredded or flaked coconut to your next granola batch. Recipe HERE

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Make your own yoghurt with coconut cream. Recipe coming soon on the blog! Stay tuned!

Unfortunately for some, the office life stops me from sitting on the beach and cracking open a fresh coconut – but that doesn’t mean I can’t get the same antioxidant and health benefits from a coconut just minus the sun tan!

K

PLATE UP

Published on by Katie morgan3 Comments

pb banana breadMonday 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!

K

NN DAY 30 – THE LAST HURRAH

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Today is the final day of Nutritional November!! Well done all of you wonderful fit and fabulous people who have followed my blog daily for the last 30 days. I hope that you enjoyed ‘Nutritional November’ just as much as I have enjoyed writing my little tips, recipes and health and fitness knowledge daily and are feeling fit and confident ready for summer. I must admit I have learnt a lot too and it really did help keep me stay on track and motivated – just in time for December and the silly season so thank you to each and every one of my followers and supporters!!

It has been quite a commitment writing on my blog daily and has proven to me that “if there is something that you really want – you will make time for it.” Ain’t that the truth! So what did you get out of Nutritional November? Did you learn something? Are you feeling healthier or more confident? Did you do something you thought you couldn’t? Did you make one of my healthy recipes? If you answer yes to any of those questions then congratulations and well done!!

As the final hurrah for Nutritional November I ask that you write down 5 things that you really like about yourself. They key to feeling confident and being happy is to feel good about yourself. It is very easy to beat ourselves up over little things but this just damages our self esteem and contributes to poor confidence – NOT the way to a healthy lifestyle.

Ok so I will go first: (no judgment thanks)

1. I like my toes. I get a lot of crap for my short, same length, stubby little fat chipolata sausage toes – but I love them!

2. I like how I crack myself up (hey if you cant laugh at your own jokes how can you expect other people too?)

3. I like how I am comfortable talking to strangers and sparking up random conversation when waiting for my coffee or lunch.

4. I like my ability to motivate people and make them feel good about themselves

5. I like my will power to do anything I put my mind to (except limiting peanut butter)

 

Now it’s your turn! You don’t have to show anyone if you don’t want to just get writing and start raising that self esteem!!

Thanks so much for being a part of my nutritional November and challenging me everyday to be a healthier and fitter version of myself!! I think we all deserve a BIG FAT SCOOP (or two) of peanut butter straight from the jar!!!! And a big thank you to the lovely sisters Jayne and Katie from Sweat and Oranges www.sweatandoranges.com.au who gave me the idea of nutritional November and inspire me daily to be fit and healthy.

K