Who would’ve thought that 10 years after Samantha Jones convinced her gaggle of girlfriends – Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte – to dine at Raw, where the waiter was hot but the food was not, the ‘Raw Food Revolution’ would become more hipster than hippie? I remember I scoffed at the concept when this episode of Sex and the City first aired, yet 10 years on I find myself ordering a Raw Taco from a man who defines hipster, if hipsters could be defined (they can’t be because that would be too mainstream, but think excessive facial hair, unusually thin with semi-permanent red wine stained lips and they’re about to move to Berlin). The Raw Taco, to my surprise, was super tasty and left me feeling with a spring in my step rather than being bloated or too full. Winning!

Melbourne’s Vegie Bar Raw Tacos. Surprisingly awesome!

After my initial skepticism I’ve become a lot more open to learning about rawism (yes that’s a term) and have even taken kindly to whipping up some raw recipes thanks to the powerhouse of energy Miss Lola Berry. Even her name sounds healthy! Lola and I first met last year when we competed in a beginner’s triathlon together (you may remember my post Almost a Triathlete). Lola struck me as being super-human because she could run fast and carry on a coherent conversation whilst I struggled to breathe jogging at a modest pace. Naturally, she thrashed me in the triathlon. However training with Lola did teach me that perseverance does pay off and I ended up coming third in the race. Just don’t ask out of how many competitors….

Lola is one of those people that you want to hate because she is so damn good at everything she does, but you couldn’t even begin to despise because she is bursting with positive energy, loveliness, generosity and loads of advice to keep your body and mind in tip-top shape. In her latest book The 20/20 Diet, Lola shares how she lost 20 kilos in 20 weeks by eating a raw-centric, paleo-ish diet combined with some exercise. As I have been on a bit of a campaign to loose those few kilos that have crept up on me since my boyfriend bought me a KitchenAid this book has been a really useful resource to get me motivated and teach me a thing or two about how my body works. Although I haven’t been on Lola’s diet, I have cooked a few of her recipes and have found her raw desserts to be guilt-free taste sensations! Last weekend I made a batch of her Prune Power Balls and they were a hit amongst the fun-runners I cooked for at a local charity event. I honestly didn’t think that a bunch of raw ingredients could taste so yummy and still be so good for you. I hope that you can give these a try to see for yourself how delicious raw food can be. Perhaps Samantha was onto something that wasn’t just what was inside Smith’s pants? Enjoy x

Turn raw ingredients into a tasty power ball of energy!

Lola’s Prune Power Balls (with a few Dani additions!)

What’s in it?

500g pitted dried prunes, chopped finely

250g raw nuts, finely chopped or quickly whizzed up in a mini blender (Lola suggests pecans, but I used a mix of raw cashews, hazelnuts & almonds – use what you like just ensure the nuts are raw)

1/4 cup dried goji berries

1/4 cup LSA (this is a mix of Linseed, Sunflower Kernels and Almonds ground down, I’ve added this to the recipe but it’s not essential)

1/4 cup raw cacao powder (don’t use regular cocoa, it doesn’t contain the same nutrients. I like to use Loving Earth raw cacao)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

200g coconut, flakes or desiccated

*Lola also adds a dash of cayenne pepper!

How You Make It… 

1. Combine all ingredients except the coconut into a large mixing bowl. Wash your hands and work the mixture until it’s well combined. Wash your hands again, you will need to!

2. Take one tablespoon of mixture and roll into a ball using the palms of your hands. Place coconut in a small bowl and roll each ball in coconut until covered. If the coconut doesn’t stick to the ball, either wet the palms of your hands before rolling or dip each ball lightly in some water before rolling in coconut. Eat!

Note: These will stay fresh for a few weeks if kept in an air-tight container, although as Lola suggests, they will not last that long before being gobbled up!

Lola’s Raw Power Balls!

There’s one thing that melds all cultures, religions, races, politicians, hell even opposing football team supporters together into one big steaming stockpot of deliciousness. It is of course chicken soup. Vegetarians you really do need to stop segregating yourself from the rest of us meat-eaters and get on board the chicken soup train of love!

No matter where you find yourself in this world of ours there’s always a few chickens clucking about ready to be transformed into a magical cold-combating, soul-soothing, tummy-warming soup. And every country boils up their own broth differently, transforming humble ingredients into a dish that comforts and nourishes in its own special way. Bay leaves, black pepper, thyme and white wine might form the basis of a chicken consommé in Paris, whilst simmering seaweed and dried tuna flakes with chicken and ramen noodles is standard in Hokkaido. The thoughtful folks at Campbell’s have even created a canned variety if cooking, and standards, aren’t really your thing.

It might not come as a surprise to you that my favourite kind of chicken soup is the way Vietnamese make it, with subtle notes of star anise and cinnamon seasoned with salty fish sauce and sour lime. This recipe is my take on classic pho, instead of adding slippery rice noodles I’m replacing carbs (evidently I am still on my health kick) with an abundance of nutritious Asian greens, that are high in vitamins, iron and fibre. Now that it’s getting cooler it’s also the perfect time of year to get your garden on and plant green vegetables and pick limes. Without trying to sound all preachy this recipe is a nice way to respect the chicken that is going to make your soup so awesomely tasty, by cooking it whole and using every part of it. Just leave out the politicians, they make everything taste bad. Enjoy x

Vietnamese Chicken Soup with Green ‘Noodles’….a little bit of delish in a bowl!

Vietnamese Chicken Soup with Green ‘Noodles’

Serves 6-ish

What’s in it?

1 tablespoon cooking oil (preferably coconut for health reasons or go with veg)

1 large brown onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, fine dice (plus extra if you think you’re getting a cold!)

1 large knob of ginger, fine dice or minced (plus extra if you think you’re getting a cold!)

3 litres of water

3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

6 star anise

4 dried red chillies, broken in half (get these babies in the Asian section)

1 large whole free-range chicken (about 1.5 – 2kg)

1/2 cup fish sauce, plus extra to taste

LOADS of Asian greens (pak choy, buk choy, chinese broccoli), diced into thick strips – I would buy at least 3 – 4 big bunches of greens.

2 – 3 limes, juicy juice only

How To Make It…  

1.    Place a large saucepan or stockpot over medium – high heat, add oil, when oil is hot add onion and sauté for about 3 – 5 minutes, until onions are translucent and soft. Add garlic and ginger and continue to cook for 1 – 2 minutes.

2.    Add water, cinnamon, star anise and dried chillies to the saucepan. Bring to the boil. Once water is boiling, add chicken. The amount of water should just cover the chicken, add a little more if need be. Let the water come to a gentle simmer then turn off the heat completely and allow the chicken to sit in the water for about 50 minutes. (This allows the chicken meat to be tender and moist) Skim surface of any impurities or excess oil that comes to the surface.

3.    Remove the chicken from the water, reserving the stock. Allow the chicken to cool then remove the meat from the chicken and shred. This bit can get kind of yukky but stick with it, results will be worth it.

4.    At this stage you can either pick out the spices or strain the stock, I like to just pick out the spices and keep the chillies in the soup along with the diced onion, ginger and garlic

5.    Bring stock to the boil, skim for any impurities that come to the surface, add diced greens (make sure you add diced stalks too) and then turn down or off the heat.

6.     Add chicken back into the stock, season with fish sauce. Taste and see if it needs more fish sauce. Squeeze fresh lime juice over soup when serving in big bowls.

I usually go out of my way to avoid charity spruikers, you know the ones that hang outside of shopping centres with puppy dog eyes trying to guilt you into signing up to save the children or environment or whales or those poor CEOs affected by the GFC. Does that make me a bad person? I don’t think so. I like to be able to choose out of my own free will when and who I will donate money to. But I am a sucker for an old man, especially one wearing a well worn suit, a flat cap and has more wrinkles then you could poke a walking stick at. And with ANZAC Day just a shuffle away this sort of elderly gentleman has materialised at every supermarket entrance with a glint in their eye, a story to tell and a badge to sell.

ANZAC Day is one of the rare public holidays where Australians genuinely know what it is for and even pause for a moment to remember. I am in no way pro war but I buy a badge each year for the ANZAC Appeal, to remember my family who have endured the horror of conflict and to thank my lucky stars I’ve never had to experience war. It’s also a day to eat (guilt-free) my body weight in freshly baked ANZAC biscuits that are crunchy yet still slightly chewy and warm. This year I’ve decided to mix it up a bit and create an easy-peasy ‘no-bake’ lemon cheesecake using ANZAC biscuits as the base. I tend to prefer no-bake cheesecakes because they are lighter and simple to whip up, just allow a few hours setting time in the fridge. Enjoy this public holiday and maybe try not to avoid the ANZAC Day appeal badges and buy one instead! Lest We Forget. x

‘No Bake’ ANZAC Cheesecake

PS: Thanks to Ewen Bell for taking this lovely snap!

‘No Bake’ Lemon Cheesecake

What’s in it?

400g ANZAC Biscuits (you can use the recipe below or cheat and buy some, I won’t tell!)

50g butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling:

4 cups cream cheese

1 cup cream

2 lemons, zest only

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2g gelatin, leaf or powder (optional)

How To Make It:

1. Place ANZAC biscuits in a food processor and blitz until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
2. Combine crushed ANZAC biscuits and melted butter in a bowl and stir to combine.
3. Line 20cm springform cake tin with baking paper. Line base with the biscuit mixture and chill for 30 minutes.
4. In electric mixer fitter with whisk attachment, add cream cheese and cream and whisk till stiff peaks form. Add lemon zest reserving a little for garnish and vanilla and whisk to combine.
5. In small saucepan heat 1/3 cup of water to just below boiling point, allow to cool slightly then add gelatin and whisk so that there are no lumps. Strain and add to cream mixture, stir to combine.
6. Pour cream mixture onto biscuit base and allow to set in fridge for at least 3 – 4 hours, or overnight. Garnish with lemon zest to serve.

Traditional ANZAC Biscuits

What’s in it?

1 cup plain flour

150g castor/super fine sugar

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup desiccated coconut

125g butter

1/4 cup golden syrup

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

1 tablespoon boiling water

How To Make It:

1. Preheat fan-forced oven to 180 degrees. Prepare two baking trays lined with baking paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add sifted flour then stir in sugar, oats and coconut.
3. Place a small saucepan over low heat, add butter and golden syrup, stir occasionally until butter has melted. Remove from heat.
4. Dissolve bicarbonate soda in boiling water then add to butter mixture. Add butter mixture to flour mixture and stir until well combined.
5. Take one tablespoon of mixture and roll into a slightly flattened ball, place on prepared baking tray and repeat with remaining mixture leaving a 5cm gap between each ball.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Leave on tray for 3 minutes before placing on wire cake rack to cool completely.

One of the things I like about living in the country is the humble honesty box, it’s a practical system that upholds common decency, where farmers sell fresh produce on the side of the road and trust folks to pay for it via the honesty box. It makes me feel all warm and gooey inside, it’s comforting to know that we humans are still able to have a little faith in each other.

There’s all sorts of seasonal produce that is sold this way in the Yarra Valley, magnificently juicy stone fruits, free range duck eggs, raw honey, zingy lemons and limes, and my personal favourite the pumpkin trailer! The pumpkin trailer is much more than just a trailer full of pumpkins, it heralds the beginning of autumn where the days dance between sunshine and grey skies, and the thought of steaming hot soup and flannelette sheets becomes a whole lot more appealing. The leaves turn a brilliant pumpkin orange, then surrender in a fury of self-shedding before the bitterness of winter.

Pumpkins, pumpkins! Who wants a pumpkin?!

Pumpkin is a such a versatile ingredient for both sweet and savoury dishes, it’s great to bulk up soups, slow cooked braises and curries adding extra flavour and nutrients, without the calories of potatoes. They’re super cheap at the moment too, (the pumpkin trailer sells pumpkins for $1 a kilo!). Plus pumpkin has a huge dose of Vitamin A that aids vision, Vitamin C that may ward off any suspect lurgy’s and it’s a great source of fibre that leaves you feeling fuller for longer. Bonus!

I’ve put together this recipe to kick-start the looming soup season!  It’s super simple and yummy with the flavour of the pumpkin being enhanced by spices and coconut. Plus it’s perfect for making in bulk while pumpkins are in season and then freeze for the winter ahead. Or maybe you can try selling it out the front of your house via an honesty box??? Enjoy x

(PS: Massive thanks to Ewen Bell for the lovely photography!)

Roast Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

Roast Pumpkin & Coconut Soup 

(this soup is vegetarian and paleo friendly!)

What You Need:

1kg pumpkin, any variety, peeled, deseeded and diced

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 brown onions, finely diced

5 garlic cloves, finely diced

1 tablespoon ginger, grated

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander seed

1 litre vegetable or chicken stock

1 cup coconut milk

Sea salt, to season

How To Make It?

1. Preheat fan-forced oven to 200 degrees
2. Place diced pumpkin in a large bowl, add a tablespoon of coconut oil and salt and toss pumpkin to coat evenly. Place pumpkin evenly on a baking tray, so pumpkin is not overlapping and bake until pumpkin starts to turn a light golden colour and is soft, this may take anywhere between 30 mins – 50 mins depending on the size dice of the pumpkin. Set aside.
3. Place large saucepan over medium – high heat, add a tablespoon of coconut oil. Once oil is hot, add onions and cook until softened stirring occasionally, a little colour on your onions won’t hurt. Add garlic, ginger and  spices, mix together and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add pumpkin, veg or chicken stock, bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes allowing the flavours to infuse. Finish soup by adding coconut milk, stir well. Taste and ensure you are happy with the flavours, add a little more spices or coconut milk to your liking.
4. Remove from heat and use a hand held stick blender to process the soup to a thick, smooth consistency. Thin soup out with extra stock or water if you think it’s too thick for you. Season with salt. Serve hot with extra coconut milk to garnish if you would like to!

HOT TIPS:

• Coconut oil is available for purchase at health food stores, it’s the best oil for you to use in your cooking. See (10 facts about coconut oil) If coconut oil is solid, melt it in a small saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave
• You can use the pumpkin skins and use them as part as part of a homemade vegetable stock or roast the pumpkin with the skin on and keep the roasted skin as a snack!
• Keep the pumpkin seeds, dry them, and eat them as a snack – pumpkin seeds are a powerhouse of nutrition!
• You can freeze leftover soup and defrost to serve later
• Want more pumpkin recipes? How about Pumpkin Whoopie Pies? Or Sri Lankan Pumpkin Curry?

Tuck into a bowl!

I can almost hear the collective sigh across the country as the weekend is nearing! Hurrah for Friday night drinks, a Saturday sleep in and a relaxing Sunday morning reading the paper and maybe even going out for breakfast? But what if you only had $2 per day to spend? Well, that would buy you 1/4 of a gin and tonic at your favourite bar or 1/3 of a cup of coffee. Suddenly your weekend isn’t looking too crash hot! In just a few weeks, May 6 – 10th, Live Below the Line kicks off with the challenge to live off $2 per day for food and drinks. Sound extreme? It is. Extreme poverty is a serious concern so LBTL is challenging you to help better understand it, and raise dollars to help improve the lives of those living it, by joining thousands of Australians to live off $10 for a week.

Admittedly at first I thought that this was impossible. I spend $2 without even thinking about it. But when LBTL came to me with the challenge to create a 5 day menu to live off with only 10 bucks to spend, I had to stop, think (A LOT!) and figure out a way that can turn everyday basics like flour and water into semi-tasty food that doesn’t take too long to prepare and that you can survive on.

I wanted to shop at a supermarket, not because I think it’s the best place to shop, but because I wanted to know that it was achievable for people who don’t have access to cheaper markets (although I would recommend stalking out Preston Market at 1pm on a Saturday for the best deals going round!) I think the other shoppers thought I was completely insane as I spent the most time I’ve ever spent in a supermarket comparing prices, getting out my calculator and weighing up my options to spend the least I’ve ever spent on a weekly shop. I felt perfectly criminal purchasing caged eggs and repulsed by frozen vegetables, but sadly fresh veggies and ethical choices were way beyond my budget. I came up with two menu options – rice based and pasta based (check out my full menus at the LBTL website, as well as the delightful Julie Goodwin’s!) and some somewhat tasty dishes – vegetable dumplings, fried rice, pea soup with croutons, tomato and chilli spaghetti, Tibetan pulled noodle soup!

My shopping lists are designed for those who really don’t have anything in their pantry or want to start from scratch, if you already have some flour in your cupboard, then you can use a portion of this and only pay say .27 cents for 100grams. If you already have some of your own produce growing in your garden, you can use this too and just factor in the retail cost.

Think you’re up for the challenge? Sign up now to Live Below the Line and good luck!

My Top Tips for the LBTL Challenge: 

• Do the challenge with someone else so that you can pool your money, resources and creativity!
• Where possible visit a market at closing hours for the best possible deal (and use your bargaining powers!)
• If shopping at a supermarket look for the specials (I deliberately didn’t buy these on purpose when designing my menu but there were specials available eg: more rice for less price)
• Stock cubes add a lot of flavour to your food and are a good investment
• Bread (make or buy cheap) and eggs make a quick, healthy and filling breakfast – (try and source free range eggs from your friends chooks instead of buying caged ones!)
• Flour is so versatile – I made one batch of dough that can be used for bread, noodles and dumplings!
• Left overs are essential for lunch!
• Forage for herbs to add a fresh burst of flavour to your meals
• Chilli’s are super cheap and add a kick to bland dishes
• Check out the LBTL recipe section for more ideas!

DANI’S 5 DAY RICE BASED MENU

Shopping List: 

• Plain Flour 1kg = 95 cents
• Long Grain Rice 500g = $1.39
• Frozen Vegetables = $1.20
• Caged Eggs 600g (Quantity x12) = $2.90
• Chicken Stock Cubes = 75 cents
• Long Red chilli = 60 cents
• Brown Onions (Quantity x2) = 68 cents
• Potatoes (Quantity x2) = $1.39

FLAT BREAD/ DUMPLING DOUGH/ NOODLE DOUGH

MONDAY BREAKFAST

POTATO & ONION OMELETTE

MONDAY LUNCH

VEGETABLE DUMPLINGS

MONDAY DINNER

TIBETAN PULLED NOODLE & VEGETABLE SOUP

The other day I saw Tiffany Hall in the flesh. You know the blonde, bronzed Goddess from The Biggest Loser? The first (and only) thing I said to her was, ‘Wow, now I really feel fat and pale’. I couldn’t help but compare my short, chubby legs / cankles to Tiffany’s taut calf muscles and her lush, long locks to my limp hair which has an impressive and ever-increasing grey streak! Now it’s not like me to compare myself to others, but Tiffany is an exceptionally fit and good looking human being, and I just couldn’t help it! Needless to say, a week later, I have a gym membership and a personal trainer. This isn’t a direct result of meeting Tiffany, that would make me an extremely insecure person (!), it’s something that’s been festering at the back of my mind for a while now. Having a personal trainer does seem excessive but I came to the realisation that every attempt at doing exercise on my own back has resulted in me failing a few weeks after beginning. So now I’m paying someone to kick me in the behind because, let’s be honest, it’s hard to kick yourself.

Yes I am intimidated by you Tiffany Hall!

Inevitably when you start to exercise, you try to eat healthier, as eating pork belly every night for dinner after working out that day does seem a little bit pointless. So this might mean that I start posting up healthy recipes as opposed to the sugar and fat fuelled desserts that I am guilty of indulging in too readily!

Lately I have been giving my blender a work out because there is so much delicious summer fruit around, plus you may remember that I have a freezer full of hand-picked blueberries! Smoothies are a great way of packing in lots of nutrients to kick-start your day or for a post work-out boost (see I am even starting to sound like a fit person!) I’m also becoming more and more interested in the nutrients found in the food I cook and trying to create dishes that don’t rely on fat and sugar in order to taste good (shock, horror, gasp!) Well, we will see how I go! To kick things off, I’ve created a few super food smoothies loaded up with all sorts of wonderful things I found at the health food shop plus lots of fresh fruit and veg. I got really excited making these up today and had lots of fun, so I hope you enjoy them. And don’t be afraid of the Lean, Mean, Green Fighting Machine (see below), unless of course it’s real name is Tiffany Hall! Enjoy.

Super Food Smoothies. Tasty and pretty!

Lean, Mean, Green, Fighting Machine!

Super Food Smoothies

Lean, Mean, Green Fighting Machine!

Serves 2 – 4 

(My personal pick!)

This smoothie may look like The Hulk (a little scary!) but it is jam-packed full of goodness! Green tea and spinach provides antioxidants to fight disease, coconut oil is a ‘good’ fat that supports immunity, boosts metabolism and eases digestion and spirulina will help increase your energy levels! This is a delicious, filling and healthy smoothie that will kick-start your day and make you as powerful as The Hulk!

What’s in it?

1 organic green tea bag

1 teaspoon coconut oil

½ cup cucumber, roughly diced

1 cup spinach or kale, roughly diced

½ cup celery and leaves, roughly diced

Mint, a big handful

½ cup pineapple, roughly diced

1 large banana

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon spirulina

3 – 4 cubes of ice

½ lime, juice

How you make it:

1. Place green tea bag in ½ cup of boiling water. Allow the tea bag to infuse for 3 – 5 minutes. Remove tea bag, mix in coconut oil to the tea then add ½ cup cold water to tea.
2. Place all ingredients into a blender, blend on high until super smooth, if smoothie is grainy, continue to blend. Squeeze in lime juice, give it a mix and then drink up!

Extra Healthy Info:

• Green Tea is a powerful antioxidant to combat illness and make your skin smooth! It also helps your metabolism, helping you to loose weight.
• Coconut oil is the healthiest oil you can use, it eases digestion, manages type 2 diabetes, boosts immunity, increases metabolism (and adds beautiful flavour to your food! Try it with salmon)
• Spinach and kale is a great antioxidant as well as being a good source of iron
• Mint is a beautiful fragrant herb that assists in digestion and has lots of nutrients and vitamins A and C as well as magnesium
• Honey is an antioxidant and also contains anti-bacterial and anti-fungal qualities, it also helps with a cough
• Bananas are a powerhouse of vitamins, high in potassium necessary for good muscle and nerve function, vitamins C, B-6, magnesium for bone health, fibre for digestion, and helps you stay feeling full for longer

Berry Goddess!

Berry Goddess

Serves 2 – 4

Fresh, frozen and powdered berries combine to create a naturally sweet and luscious dairy-free smoothie that is rich in nutrients to assist in boosting your immunity and provides long-lasting energy.

What’s in it?

250g strawberries, hulled

1 cup frozen raspberries

1 cup frozen blueberries

Basil, super big handful

Acai berry powder, 2 teaspoons

Chia seeds, 2 – 3 teaspoons

3 – 4 ice cubes

½ cup water

Agave nectar, splash

How you make it:

1. Place all ingredients except the agave nectar into a blender, blend on high until super smooth, add more water if needed.
2. Serve with a splash of agave nectar in each glass if you would like a little bit more sweetness.

Extra Healthy Info:

• Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries are rich in antioxidants (like Vitamin C) that boost immunity, fights bad cholesterol meaning it’s good for your heart health, reduces inflammation of the joints that can lead to arthritis, contains potassium that helps regulate blood pressure, contains fibre that aids digestion, plus they provide natural sweetness – need I say more?
• Herbs like basil are very low in calories and contain no cholesterol, but are very rich source of many essential nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that are required for optimum health. Add in to your meals where possible!
• Acia berries are native to central and south America is rich in antioxidants (42 times fresh blueberries) plus a heap of Omega amino acids (protein) and vitamins
• Chia seed are a great source for omega oils and vitamin B12, as well as being a good source of fibre and protein
• Agave nectar is a natural sweetener and a good alternative to using sugar

Peaches & Creamy!

Peaches & Creamy

Serves 2 – 4

For those that need (or want) a dose of dairy, this smoothie is for you! It’s kicker is the added ginger which compliments both the peach and mango and spices things up a bit! A whole heap of calcium for bone maintenance and development plus vitamin C for immunity!

What’s in it?

3 peaches, stones removed, diced

1 mango

2 tablespoons ginger, minced

1 teaspoon Maca Power (Available from Health Food Stores)

½ cup low-fat milk

1 tablespoon natural or Greek yoghurt

3 – 4 cubes of ice

(If you prefer a dairy free smoothie, use almond, soy or rice milk and leave out the yoghurt, although it won’t be as ‘Peaches & Creamy’)

How you make it:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender, blend on high until smooth. Drink away!

Extra Healthy Info:

• Peaches contains a heap of vitamins including vitamin A, essential for healthy vision, and vitamin C for tissue repair and building. There is also a heap of potassium needed for healthy blood pressure and also prevents kidney stones. Plus fibre for digestion for good measure!
• Mangoes are high in vitamin C to boost your immune system, is good for diabetes as they help normalize insuline levels in the blood, lowers cholesterol and prevents cancer through antioxidants
• Ginger aids digestion, assists with nausea and motion sickness, helps with cold and flu and strengthens immunity, maintains normal blood circulation 
• Dairy is essential for development and the maintainace of bones and teeth, also helps prevent osteoporosis

Banana Rama & Raw Chocolate Chai

Banana Rama & Raw Chocolate Chai

Serves 2

When you are craving something naughty, make this smoothie because it tastes so delicious that it seems like it’s bad for you. But it’s not! Raw cacao powder is full of vitamins and mineral, unlike processed cocoa powder that is striped of nutrients. Soy milk and chai tea go together like peas and carrots, add in a banana and this seems indulgent but really it’s so good for you!

What’s in it?

2 cups soy milk

2 heaped teaspoons of good-quality Chai tea

2 large bananas

1 teaspoon raw cacao powder (not cocoa!)

2 teaspoons LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds and almond)

How you make it:

1. 1.    Place 1 cup of soy milk in a small saucepan, add chai and heat over medium to high heat for five minutes to allow chai to infuse into soy milk. Strain and add milk to blender.
2. 2.    Add remaining ingredients into the blender and blend on high until silky smooth. Slurp! Slurp!

Extra Healthy Info:

• Bananas are a powerhouse of vitamins, high in potassium necessary for good muscle and nerve function, vitamins C, B-6, magnesium for bone health, fibre for digestion, and helps you stay feeling full for longer
• Soy milk contains no lactose and decreases cholesterol, unlike cows milk, which can increase cholesterol. It has a nice nutty flavour which compliments Chai!
• Chai tea is rich in antioxidants, is a good alternative to coffee, is full of flavour without adding sugar or other nasty’s, it aids digestion and is an anti-flamatory
• LSA is a good source of protein, helps to detox the liver, is good for cholesterol and rich in essential vitamins and minerals. It provides a nice texture and nuttiness to your smoothie.
• Raw cacao powder is an unproccesed form of chocolate that still contains all the nutrients that is stripped away when making cocoa powder. It is full of vitamins and minerals that can lower blood pressure and improve circulation, boosts energy and improves heart functioning. It seems naughty but it’s not!

I cannot remember a time in my life where I didn’t eat dumplings. When I was young my family were never the type to eat at an Italian or Indian restaurant, if we went out for lunch or dinner, it was always to a suburban Chinese restaurant where garish chandeliers that reflected subtle neon lights hung on the ceiling and deep red and yellow patterned carpets were splayed on the floor. For me Yum Cha is like being part of a theatre production, the waiters push rattling trolleys filled with steaming bamboo baskets of fluffy pork buns, translucent prawn dumplings and more obscure delights. Chopsticks clack, hot jasmine tea is slurped, pale pink table cloths are flung into the air to seat the next hungry diners in line! It’s a welcomed sensory overload for a Sunday afternoon.

This Sunday a new kind of Yum Cha is taking place in the lush surrounds of Melbourne’s Treasury Gardens to celebrate Chan’s Biggest Outdoor Yum Cha and the opening weekend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Not only will family and friends gather to take part in a delicious dumpling feast provided by Chan’s but there will be an attempt to break the Guinness World Records biggest outdoor yum cha. I’ve heard the current record stands at about 500! I will be there to as host and to share with you a five-course dumpling banquet, plus there are a whole heap of activities for the family to enjoy and Chan’s goodies to take away with you!

Find out more information on Chan’s Biggest Outdoor Yum Cha and celebrate all things dumplings (and dragons) in  with me!

Join me at Chan’s Biggest Outdoor Yum Cha this Sunday!

There’s certain things in life that just go together perfectly, take for instance, tomato and basil, vanilla and strawberries, lemon and fish. It just works! Lamb and cumin also fits into this category. Rub a little cumin and salt into a lovely piece of lamb before frying or roasting it and it makes the meat sing. They say the simple pairing of good quality ingredients makes a good cook and I agree. There’s really not much more to it.

So for my next edition of healthy lunch box ideas I present to you a simple and delicious Greek Lamb Wrap. I think the Greek part comes from the pairing of lamb and cumin as well as the addition of a natural yoghurt into the beetroot sauce and a bit of cucumber in there for crunch and good measure! I like to make my dishes as colourful as possible, it means more nutrients is getting into your meal, plus it looks so much more appealing, which hopefully translates to more kids eating fresh veggies!

I tested this recipe out and left the wrap in the fridge overnight and to my pleasant surprise it wasn’t a bit soggy, so this makes it perfect for the lunchbox. Lamb can also withstand the heat and being unrefrigerated a bit better than Henny Penny. You could also eat this whilst the lamb is warm and serve it up for a mid-week family meal. Don’t forget to let the kids have a go at grating the carrot, cooking the lamb and making their own wrap. Enjoy!

Tuck in to a Greek Lamb Wrap!

 

 Greek Lamb Wrap

Wraps are a great way to load all sorts of nutrients into your lunch – vitamins through vegetables and herbs, protein through meat and calcium through dairy. Go ahead and change this recipe by putting your own spin on the ingredients!

What’s in it?

400g diced lamb

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 garlic clove, minced (optional)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 packet low-fat wraps (Mountain Bread is a good choice too!)

1 quantity of beetroot & yoghurt dip (please refer to separate recipe)

1 large carrot, grated

1 cucumber, cut into sticks

Handful of fresh herbs (like mint, parsley, basil)

How you make it:

1. In a non-reactive mixing bowl, place lamb, cumin, salt, garlic and olive together. Mix well to combine, cover with cling wrap and marinate for 15 minutes, or longer.
2. Place large frypan over high heat, once hot, add lamb and cook for 5 – 10 minutes until lamb is cooked through to your liking. Once cooked, you can refrigerate in a sealed container until you are ready to make your wrap or you can make a warm lamb wrap.
3. To make your wrap, place one wrap on a clean surface, add a few tablespoons of beetroot & yoghurt dip down the centre of the wrap leaving a 10cm gap between the bottom of the wrap and the start of the dip. Place carrot on top of the dip, place a length of cucumber to the side of the dip, place lamb on top of the dip, garnish with herbs and wrap in a neat parcel to serve.

Beetroot & Yoghurt Dip

This dip is a super easy and healthy addition to add flavour to wraps and salads but also to eat with veggie sticks like carrot and cucumber. I use this dip recipe in my Greek lamb wrap.

What’s in it?

300g beetroot, cokes

3 tablespoons natural or Greek yoghurt

¼ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

How to make it:

1. Using a small food processor or stick blender puree the beetroot until it is smooth. If you don’t have a processor or blender, use a grater, it will be fine but the dip will just have a different consistency.
2. Add yogurt and cumin and stir to combine. Taste the dip and add more yoghurt or cumin to your liking. Keep refrigerated in sealed container until you need it.

Tips:

• I would encourage you to boil up fresh beetroots for this recipe but if you don’t have time canned beetroot is fine, but have a look at the ingredients in the brine and try to choose one with less additives and preservatives.
• If you use canned beetroot it can have a vinegar taste to it, if you use fresh beetroot and would like to add a little acid, add a squeeze of lemon
• You can also use Greek yoghurt for this recipe

Eat up!

School canteens or tuck shops have changed quite a lot in recent years. When I was in primary school I used to order two party pies, a jam doughnut and a chocolate Big M every friday when I was allowed to have a lunch order. It was so much fun writing my order on a brown paper bag then sticky taping on my coins to have it magically appear at lunchtime full of  food that is probably illegal these days at primary schools! I guess everything is OK in moderation but recently I have been working on healthy lunch box ideas for kids at school with the Manningham Council for Healthy Lifestyle Week. Let’s just say that processed meat pies in pastry are not on the menu!

Instead I’ve created recipes that admittedly require a little bit more effort then whacking a bit of Vegemite on white bread, but are nutritionally balanced, are able to be eaten cold, do not need refrigeration if eaten that day, will fill up kids tummy’s and could quite easily be turned into a family meal for dinner and then leftovers for lunch. The recipes are also ideal for kids to make on their own with adult supervision.

I will post up a few healthy lunch box recipe in the lead up to my presentation at Manningham Council this week. If you do happen to live in Manningham Council you are able to come along and meet Vasili from Vasili’s Garden and me as we cook up some healthy lunch box treats and learn from Vasilli lots of helpful gardening tips so that you can grow your own feast!

Healthy Lifestyle Week with Vasili and me!

First recipe up, Sweet Corn Pikelets with Guacamole Salsa! These pikelets are delicious served both warm and cold, I would encourage you to make a large batch and keep them in the fridge for when you are hungry or pack them into school lunch boxes. You can choose to eat them with guacamole, seasonal toppings or on their own. They also make a fancy brunch served with smoked salmon, crème fraiche and dill.

Guacamole is an essential dip to know how to make from scratch, it’s healthy, delicious and versatile and it tastes a million times better homemade compared to the dip you can buy from the shop. Guacamole is perfect in a wrap or on top of sweet corn fritters as suggested in these recipes but it can also be served with veggie sticks, natural corn chips as well as with tacos and burritos. Enjoy!

Sweet Corn Pikelets with Guacamole Salsa

Sweet Corn Pikelets

Batter makes about 15 small pikelets

What’s in it?

350g cooked corn kernels, (from the cob is best)

¾ cup self raising flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

¾ cup milk

Salt and pepper

Grated tasty cheese (optional if you think your kids need a dose of diary in their diet)

Butter, for frying

Serve with guacamole salsa  (refer to separate recipe)

How to make it:

1.     Combine corn kernels, eggs, flour, milk, seasonings and cheese in a large mixing bowl. Mix with a large spoon to combine. Allow batter to rest for 15 minutes.

2.      Heat large non-stick fry pan over medium-high heat, add a few teaspoons of butter and slide it across the pan to grease the frypan evenly.

3.     Add a few tablespoons of batter to make one fritter, make as many fritters as you can fit on your frypan. Turn over once you start to see little bubbles appearing on the top of the fritter, this should only take a few minutes. Cook for a further minute or so on the other side. Serve warm or cold with guacamole salsa or your choice of healthy topping.

Tips:

• The batter shouldn’t be too runny, the batter should just slide off a spoon, if your eggs are extra large, use less milk
• Resting the batter means not mixing it, just setting the batter aside and keeping it still

Guacamole Salsa

What’s in it?

2 avocados, diced

½ small red onion, finely diced

1 lime, juice only

A large handful of coriander, roughly chopped

½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes, finely diced (tomatoes are in season right now so add extra if you would like!)

Sea salt, to season

How to make it:

1. Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mash to combine well, alternatively you can place in a small food processor and blend to puree. It depends on how you like you guacamole! Add more lime juice or salt if you think it needs it.

Tip:

• Guacamole will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for about 2 days, but I doubt it will last that long!

Before last week I had always associated picking fruit as something English backpackers did to fund their travels around Australia. For some absurd reason it had never occurred to me that I could go and pick my own fruit from farms in my local area. Silly me, for all these years I have been missing out on fresh berries picked straight from the tree and into my mouth! I immediately rectified this situation and last week went blueberry picking with a friend to the beautiful Higham Blueberry Farm in Kinglake.

The fairytale-like Higham Blueberry Farm in Kinglake

The trees were literally dripping with gorgeous ripe blueberries that were sweet and juicy. It was so much fun ‘tickling’ the little jewels off the branches into our buckets and taste testing along the way. My friend and I may have got slightly carried away, between the two of us we picked 15 kilos at $15 per kilo. What can I say? We were having a good time! Plus a kilo of blueberries at a supermarket is around $40. So we were in front, right? One of the greatest features of a blueberry is that it freezes brilliantly. So you can just imagine what my freezer is full of and what is going to be starring in my breakfast smoothies, muffins, cakes, pancakes and desserts for the next few months.

Sweet blue jewels!

What 15 kilos of blueberries look like!

One of my favourite desserts that my mum makes is Cobbler Pie, which is basically a cake batter filled with fresh fruit. It’s super easy to make and even my boyfriend who claims he doesn’t like dessert always asks for a second helping. Mum makes it with cherries but considering my current abundance of blueberries, I thought I’d make it with them. Just as I was about to pop my pie into the oven, my friend bought me the most incredible blackberries, so I added them into the dish too.

This recipe is really versatile, you can make it with any fruit soft fruit like berries and cherries in summer or pears in winter. Enjoy a slice warm from the oven with cold double cream. Thanks mum for this recipe!

Blueberry Cobbler!

Blueberry Cobbler Pie

What’s in it?

125g softened butter

½ cup sugar

1 cup self raising flour

2 free range eggs

¾ cup milk

1 cup fresh blueberries (or blackberries, or cherries, or raspberries – you get the idea!)

How to make it:

1. Preheat fan-forced oven to 160 degrees

2. Combine butter, sugar, flour and eggs in a large electric mixing bowl and mix on high speed for about 2 minutes

3. Add milk and stir to combine

4. Spray shallow pie dish or baking tray with canola oil. Pour in batter and top with fruit, the fruit will sink into the batter when cooking

Top the batter with fruit

5. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes, keep an eye on the batter, when ready the pie should spring back slightly when touched. Serve warm with cold double cream.

Eat up!