chicken skewers with satay sauce

this meal is a great source of protein, and doesn't skimp out on flavor.  i've tried to buy organic as much as possible for this recipe.  my one tip is that if you can't buy organic chicken, make sure that you remove the skin because that's where many of the toxins are stored.  here's how to make it:


for the sauce:
ingredients
half red onion
clove of garlic
1 stalk of lemon grass
1 cup peanuts 250ml coconut milk
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 chilli chopped up finely (if desired)


directions
place the chopped red onion, clove of garlic crushed and stalk of lemon grass finely chopped into the fry pan.  cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes; remove from heat.  In food processor, crush the peanuts; add the onion mixture, the coconut milk, cumin, fresh lime juice, sea salt, soy sauce and chilli.  Process until smooth.  (you can also make this in a blender)

not much for left overs... had to be good :)

for the chicken skewers:
ingredients
1 double breast of chicken
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon of coriander leaves crushed
1 large clove of garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 stalk of lemon grass, chopped lengthways in half.


directions
in a bowl, place the fish sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, coriander, garlic, cumin and lemongrass; stir to mix well.  place cut up chicken into the mixture and allow to stand covered for at least 20 mins - the longer that you leave it marinating the better the flavor.  Once you've let stand, thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers.


Cook chicken under a hot grill, i used my george forman to cook mine.  make sure that the chicken is cooked through so its not pink inside.


serve with the satay sauce and enjoy.  o and there wasn't much for left overs, that's gotta mean it was good - yay.



NK x 

sweet potato hummus

the humble sweet potato is an ideal food for dieters to ward of hunger.  its orange flesh is high in carotene's and cholesterol-lowering compounds.

sweet potatoes are richer in nutrients than potatoes and lower on the glycaemic index, and so are of benefit for diabetics and dieters and for regulating blood sugar levels.  They also contain plant sterols and pectin that can help lower 'bad' blood cholesterol.  They are extremely high in beta-carotene as well as being an excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium and selenium.

this sweet potato hummus tastes great and is really easy to make.  this is what you'll need:

ingredients

• 1kg sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

directions

1. set a steamer basket in a large pot. fill with enough water to come just below basket; bring to a boil. Add potatoes; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. transfer to a food processor.
2. combine chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, oil, cumin, and garlic in the food processor. puree, about 1 minute; thin with water if necessary. season with salt and pepper and let cool; refrigerate, in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

why not give this a go over the weekend, its great to have in the fridge to snack on with celery, carrot and capsicum sticks.

NK x

happy australia day

i hope everyone enjoyed their australia day celebrations yesterday.  we did have a trip to fraser island booked, but due to the crazy rain that we had early this week we decided to post pone that trip till easter.  i have my fingers crossed for great weather at easter.


know i have today off and i'm super keen to do some cooking today and try out some new things. i've been very busy lately, and i have actually found some time today to tell you all about some things that i have found and been trying.

breakfast

on my list of things to cook today is sweet potato hummus, this sounds so delicious and i think will be a nice alternative to the traditional hummus.  i'm hoping that the taste of this one will be a little more crowd pleasing than the traditional hummus as well.


i'm also going to try chicken skewers with a nutty sauce for dinner.  i'll make plenty of these so that we have heaps to eat over the weekend.



i've started my day off with roasted cherry tomatoes and sauteed herb mushrooms, absolutely delightful.  to make this, i chopped in half about 8-9 cherry tomatoes and sprinkled a little pink rock salt on top and popped them into the oven, set at about 180 degrees.  i then chopped the mushrooms in half and placed in a fry pan on medium heat.  i added some different herbs and spices, be creative add which ever herbs and spices that you like best, then added about a tablespoon of water, or enough to just coat the bottom of the pan, then covered the pan with a chopping board, leaving just enough room for the steam to come out.


i always use water to cook my mushrooms now, and stay away from any oils and fats, as this cooks them a lot nicer and holds a lot more flavor and moisture.


be back with you shortly with some recipes.


yours in health


NKx

Ride to Conquer Cancer

a good friend of mine is embarking on a great mission to raise money for cancer awareness.  i know that cancer has touched the lives of almost everyone in some way or another.  i feel as though we can never give enough to support funding for this disease.


you can click through to the links below to help support her and you can also follow her journey buy clicking through to her blog here.  here is a little about rebecca and her story:

Please Support My Ride to Conquer Cancer™

Recently I found out that a family friend has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour at the age of 13!

Feeling rather helpless, and also feeling very guilty for taking my 'health' for granted, I decided that enough was enough.

As most of you know, I am certainly not the fittest nor am I the most sporty person you will come across, but I plan to reach my goal regardless.

It is time for me to get fit, and I am excited to be raising funds for ALL cancer related research in the process.

My challenge!!

To be fit enough to ride 200+ kilometres by the 18th August 2012 over two days, and to raise a minimum of $2,500 to be able to participate in the ride.

The Rio Tinto Ride to Conquer Cancer is a cycling journey throughout Queensland's scenic countryside that I’m embarking on to fight cancer. 

It will be a challenge in a number of ways, but with my bike, my helmet, and your generosity, a real impact will be made! 

To give you an idea of what 200+ kilometres LOOKS LIKE, below is a rough map of my journey ONE WAY!!!

So what I am asking of you......?

Please cheer me on if you can, hold me accountable if I slacken off with my training...and most importantly... PLEASE DONATE to this excellent cause!!!

Funds raised in The Ride to Conquer Cancer will support breakthrough research, exemplary teaching, and compassionate care at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research,
a worldwide leader in cancer research and discovery and one of the largest research institutes in the southern hemisphere.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Rebecca Andrews

life is a sport - make it count

ok, i know, i kinda have a nike crush at the moment.

i love this video as well!

think about all the incidental exercise that you do in a day,

are you making the most of your days?

are you making it count?

get off the bus a stop further away from your home/work.

ask oh&s if you can have a fit ball for your desk chair.

take a walk around the block at lunch.

life is a sport!

make it count!

NKx

o and i can't wait to get my hands on a fuel band

it's going to make me so much more hardcore everyday ;)

pizza party...

i made pizza for dinner tonight - yum!  i made everything from scratch, the pizza dough and the sauce.  it was so simple, i can't believe that i've never made pizza bases before.  when i embarked on this challenge i thought that i would never eat pizza again.  o how wrong i was.

ta-dah pizza time

i'm pretty sure that you should all throw out the number for dominoes and start making this instead.  there is something so empowering about making your own pizza, and it tastes so much better.

my little pizza dough resting

i made the base using spelt flour, click here to find out more about spelt, it was really simple, and only required 4 ingredients.  because of the time limitations i had (with working and everything) i made the dough last night and then let it sit in some glad wrap in the fridge until i needed it this evening.  i'm not sure if this is the best way to store the dough, but it seemed fine when i cooked it tonight.  this is the recipe for the base:

spelt pizza dough

3.5 cups of spelt flour (you can get this from your local health food store)

3/4 cup luke warm water

1.5 tablespoons of dry active yeast (the non-instant kind)

3 tablespoons of olive oil

directions:

1. sift the flour into a large mixing bowl

2. dissolve the yeast in 3/4 cup luke warm water, add to flour and stir in with the oil

3. continue stirring until you have a uniform texture, then start kneading by hand in the bowl, or on a large, clean surface.  knead for about 5 mins.

4. cover ball of dough with flour and place underneath a damp towel for 1-2 hours until the volume is approximately double.

5. divide dough for 4 small pizzas, 2 large or 1 party size

the tomato sauce

1/4 cup of olive oil

400g can of organic crushed tomatoes

3-4 cloves of garlic

a squeeze of lemon juice

directions:

1. heat the oil and garlic in a cold saucepan over medium heat, while stirring

2. sauteed just until fragrant - do not brown the garlic and do not let the oil smoke

3. add the can of tomates and heat until it reaches a gentle simmer

4. add the squeeze of lemon into the pot and stir

5. add salt and pepper to taste

get creative with your toppings, tonight i did the tomato sauce with chopped up red onion, goats cheese and green olives sliced; and the second pizza had a basil pesto, green olives, sliced quarts of red onion and goats cheese.

once you've got your toppings on the dough, place on a pizza tray lined with baking paper and then into a preheated oven, around 180 degrees.  bake for around 20 mins, or until the base feels cooked through.

i was accompanied by a great friend who helped me taste test my first ever home made pizza. i think it went down a treat.  followed by some fresh made banana ice cream, click here for the recipe, with beautiful fresh passion fruit pulp added.  it couldn't have been a better night!

get cooking my lovelies, i want to hear all about the different pizza toppings that you try.

NK xx

what are you making yourself??

i love nike's recent marketing for women.  watch the video and then let me ask you this - 

WHAT ARE YOU MAKING YOURSELF?

NK x

day 42 - food journal

exercise - i rode to and from work today

breakfast - 1 nectarine, 1 peach, 1 banana

lunch - essene bread with nut butter and organic honey

snacks - madjool dates

dinner - 1 cob of steamed corn

i've been busy making pizza dough tonight.  I've made it from scratch using spelt flour, and so far i have seen it double in size... i think that i'm on the right track.  lets see how it tastes tomorrow night.  the dough was really easy to make, i can't believe that i haven't made pizza dough before!

spelt flour

now here is a little info on spelt, spelt shows up in pastas, breads and in a variety of specifically wheat-free recipes.  spelt flour is one of the more popular non-wheat flours available.

spelt is a cereal grain in the wheat family. the grain has been cultivated for centuries, in both central europe and the middle east.  it looks very similar to wheat in appearance, but it has a much harder outer shell before it has been milled. it has a nutty and slightly sweet flavor, similar to that of whole wheat flour. It does contain some gluten, so one of the reasons that spelt is rather popular is that it is easy to substitute it into all wheat cookie, bread, etc. recipes, where you will get to enjoy the flavor of spelt without compromising the texture of your baked good.

another reason that spelt flour is popular is that it has a fairly strong nutritional profile. spelt has slightly fewer calories than wheat flour and is somewhat higher in protein. the flour is easy to digest but is lower in fiber than wheat.

get spelty :)

NK x

Challenge day - 30 - 60mins of exercise - just do it

Get outside and do 30-60mins of exercise today. No excuses! I really don't care if:
- you've just got home and you're tired
- you don't feel like getting out of bed
- I don't think I have enough time for a lunch break today


They are all just excuses, and I've heard every excuse under the sun when it comes to exercise!

I dare you to break your habits and just get outside and do it. Do it in 10min installments if you have to, but just do it. Get out on your lunch break, or take the stairs instead if the lift at work, walk to the shops to get your groceries for dinner, just make sure that today you just do it!


I'm extremely grateful for the clear blue sky that's outside at the moment, we have had rain that has hung around for 5 days now. Its finally clear and I can ride to work today and I couldn't be happier about it.


So whats your 30-60mins? Just make sure that you do it!


NK x

who likes ice cream... i like ice cream!!

i thought that the raw chocolate brownies were pretty amazing... but i take it back.  i really think that this has made my life ten times better... i can eat ice cream guilt free - yipee!


if you like banana's then you will love this healthy creamy ice-cream.  the best thing about this recipe is that there is only one ingredient.  you don't need any special equipment like an ice cream maker, you only need a food processor, or a handheld blender.


i couldn't believe that banana's could be whipped into perfectly rich and silky ice cream, with no additional dairy, sweeteners, or ingredients needed whatsoever.


i even started experimenting by cutting my batch in half and mixing one half with cacao powder and a little cashew nut butter, divine.


ok here are the steps to making this delicious recipe.


- i bought about 5 banana's and let them sit in the cupboard for about 2 days so that they ripened a little, i don't really like the taste of over ripe bananas so i bought them quiet green to start with.


- i then peeled the bananas and broke them in half and popped them in the freezer over night, if you break the bananas into smaller pieces before you freeze it will be easier on the blender.


- i took the banana's out of the freezer and put all the pieces into the food processor.


- blend the frozen banana pieces for about 5 mins.  you have to keep starting and stopping.  the banana's will break up a little first then you'll notice it start to turn into a creamy texture.


- there you have it, delicious creamy banana ice cream


enjoy and let me know of some of your flavor creations.


NK xx

day 34 - food journal

exercise - i rode to and from work today.  good bye over 1000 calories :)

breakfast - cup of hot lemon water; my super smoothy, from previous posts

lunch - carrot and miso soup left over from dinner on sunday night

snacks - olives... thats the last of them now

dinner - best home made sushi ever!

how did you all go with challenge day.  did you give up absolutely all sugar?  how did you feel?  could you do it again tomorrow?  if you could do it all again tomorrow, then why not extend the challenge to be a personal challenge.  click here to read about how bad sugar is for you.

NK x

sushi rocks!!

before rolling :)

i really love sushi, and before i flushed out all the toxic and rubbish food from my life, i used to eat it 2/3 times a week... not very good, considering majority of the sushi is pretty much a chicko roll rolled in seaweed.

my man has been dragging me along to sushi bars still and i am getting sick of eating sashimi, don't get me wrong, i love sashimi, but it can get quiet repetitive.  i still get a little buzz of excitement when i see a soft shell crab roll come past me on the train, but i reluctantly decline and stick to my raw fish.

i decided that enough was enough, tonight was round one of home made sushi, the healthy way.  i zipped off to coles when i got home and bought the nori (seaweed paper), some avocado, mushrooms and some fresh goats cheese. (by the way I'll eventually get to why you should completely ditch all dairy out of your diets and get on the goat band wagon).

Here we go...

ingredients

nori (seaweed paper)

mushrooms, use whatever type you like

1 clove of garlic

avocado

a squeeze of fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper

a little coriander

goats cheese

to make

- i started by cutting the mushrooms into strips

- then put the mushrooms into a medium heat saucepan with about a tablespoon of water and the crushed garlic, saute the mushrooms until they are soft, keep topping up the water a little so that the mushrooms don't stick to the pan (don't go crazy with the water though you don't want to drown them)

- while thats sauteing scoop out the avocado into a small bowel, add the lemon, salt and pepper and coriander, add the last three ingredients to your own taste and then mash that all together

- take out the mushrooms and place on a spare plate

this is the best that my iphone could do

- take out a sheet of the nori and place on a bamboo sushi mat

- scoop the avocado mash onto the nori, and start to spread evenly over the nori, leaving a 1cm space around the edges

- place the mushrooms along one edge of the avocado paste, and then crumble a little of the goats cheese on top.

- lets start rolling, lift the front of the bamboo mat closest to you, with the mushroom and goats cheese and begin to roll the sheet tightly.  apply gentle pressure to join the edges of the nori, the avocado helps to keep it stuck together

- then slice, i found that its easier to run the knife under boiling water and then slice while its clean, the seaweed does go a little soggy so get to it as quickly as you can to cut it up.

ta da!  and i've eaten my dinner and let me tell you i loved it!  give this a go, next time your pining for sushi and you wont be disappointed.

NK xx

challenge day - just say no

i challenge everyone today to say no to sugar.


check all ingredients lists for sugar and put it back if it has it, or if your unsure then just say no.


good luck!


NK x

day 33 - food journal

exercise - i rode to and from work today.  i smashed it on the way home - yew!

breakfast - cup of hot lemon water; banana, peach and a kiwi fruit

lunch - carrot and miso soup left over from dinner last night

snacks - olives... i'm a little addicted to olives at the moment i want to start to marinate my own

dinner - i made miso cucumber stir fry

ok i thought of dinner on the spot tonight, i had a cucumber in the fridge that i wanted to use and i have miso paste left over so i put them together.  i made a miso sauce out of 1/4 miso, lime juice a little coconut oil and some sesame seeds.   i cut up the cucumber and put it in the fry pan along with the sauce i had made, i sauted the sauce down for about 5 mins, or until the sauce become thick.  once finished i added a little left over goats cheese on top.  wasn't the best thing that i ever made, but still a tasty dinner :)

what an awesome monday!  i hope that you all had an awesome day too!

NK x

day 32 - food journal

exercise - i went for a big bike ride this morning and felt great for it

breakfast - cup of hot lemon water; smoothy made up of: frozen berries, home made rice milk, unheated organic honey and cacao

lunch - went out for lunch today and had a green salad with lamb at our local turkish restaurant.  this was the best possible thing that i could of had on the menu and it was delicious :)

snacks - dates

dinner - i made carrot and miso soup for dinner tonight see the recipe below

carrot and miso soup

ingredients

- tablespoon of olive oil

- 1 kg bag of carrots, roughly chopped

- 1 brown onion, finely chopped

- 1 small piece of ginger, grated / shredded (add as little or as much as you like depending on the taste)

- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed and roughly chopped

- 4 cups of vegetable broth, i used vegetable stock tonight

- 1 tablespoon of miso paste

to make:

heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, add onion and garlic and saute until the onion is glossy, add the carrots and allow to saute for around 10 mins or until the onion is translucent.  add the vegetable stock and ginger, cover and simmer until the carrots are tender when pierced stirring occasionally for about 30 mins.

pour about a 1/4 cup of water in a jug and mix with the tablespoon of miso until the miso paste is dissolved.  puree the soup in a food processor and add the miso mixed with the water while the food processor is going.  add more water if needed for the desired consistency or add more miso if you like the taste.  season with salt and pepper if desired.

this was a delicious meal to end the weekend with and i have plenty of left overs for the rest of the week.  i find that i like to try and cook a couple of meals over the weekend so that i have some food to eat over the rest of the week.  it helps save money instead of buying lunches and snacks everyday.

NK x

day 31 - juice cleanse

after a sluggish feeling week, i thought that i needed to break the cycle.  it was time for a juice cleanse.  juice cleanses are an awesome way to re-start and re-boot your body.  a really good juice cleanse can rid your body of toxins and give you a rejuvenating, energizing boost.

i have done quiet a few different detoxes / cleanses over the years and today i decided to put together a few of my favorite juices to kick start my weekend off with.  

i will normally drink up to six juices in a day, but you could have more or less if you prefer.  i just find that when the hunger kicks in i'd rather make another juice instead of trying to ride out the hunger pang and give into something not so juicy.

beet, carrot, apple & mint

these are the juices that i have been doing today:

1/2 pineapple and 1 piece of ginger

2 grapefruit, 3 carrots and 1 piece of ginger

2x 1 beet root, 3 carrots, 1 apple and some mint leaves

1 cucumber, 1/2 broccoli head, 4 celery sticks and some mint leaves (definitely the greenest of the lot and not really a favorite, but the vitamins and minerals this juice packs is definitely worth it.)

3 carrots, 1 cup spinach leaves, 3 celery sticks and one apple

i also bought some fresh pomegranates yesterday so i will be treating myself this evening before bed to the sweet ariels inside the fruit.

i do have a juicer at home, this is an investment that i made quiet a few years ago and i have never regretted it.  i find that its best to make your juices from scratch the store bought ones have too many added artificial colours, preservatives and sugars, which are doing the complete opposite to cleansing.  

if you don't have a juicer, don't despair there are plenty of other great ways to do a cleanse day, click here to try this one.  or you could even buy a fresh made juice from a cafe in the morning to start you off and then stick to fresh vegetables and salads for the rest of the day.

just remember that you should always do your own research before giving this a go, this is something that i have found works for me, but it may not work for you.

happy cleansing

NK xx