Energy Oat Bars

So creating the life you want starts with making positive choices everyday. One of them being what you chose to put into your mouth (pep talk to myself here too). These aren't THE perfect health bar ever created but they are a great alternative to many other sugar laden sweets that you can buy in the store. If my kid or husband wants to munch on sweets I feel better having a batch of these in the

GLUTEN FREE VS GLUTEN FREE AND BEING HEALTHY

So recently I felt like I was the only one not following some sort of eating plan... Everywhere I read  or someone that I spoke to was following some way of eating or diet. It really made me question (again) the way we are eating. Were we wrong in how we were eating in our household? Did we consume the wrong food groups? Did we need more or less protein or more or less carbs?

And of course we are a gluten free and corn free household. So who am I to be the pot calling the kettle black and questioning these sort of things?

But after much internet reading and searching and thinking I've come to realize that:   

Health is an evolution or ever growing state of mind and body.

&

What I ate a year ago I may no longer deem fit to eat now.

CHANGE

If I look back at my recipes from when this blog started to now there are certainly recipes that I don't

COCONUT MUESLI

This is like having dessert for breakfast!

Fresh coconut thinly sliced and then toasted can not be compared to dried out coconut toasted! really once you have cracked up a fresh coconut and put a thin sliver under the grill until lightly golden - oh my yum! I never knew what I was missing... I strongly suggest you try (if you like coconut that is)

MUSHROOM SOUP

 

In the cold weather a bowl of hot soup can be so comforting. This mushroom soup has been such a huge hit in our house and is lovingly asked for on cold weather days. It is often accompanied with thinly sliced, crispy Rye toast smeared with Avocado and season with salt. The avo on the toast

Small Changes make for Healthy Eating

Sometimes healthy eating is just a change in how you look at food...

In the past when I ate takeaways and tubs of ice cream and I needed to be more healthy and "diet" I would think "öh great now I have to cut out all this yummy stuff I love!" 
I would begrudge myself and the food I ate. Instead of looking for delicious alternatives I would pout and sulk and be miserable. Years later and many mind shifts later - I see food in a totally different way. I still love a good pizza! but how I want to treat myself and my body has changed in my thinking.

SLIGHT CHANGES:
Its a slight change over weeks and months and even years:
After slowly changing bit by bit - by doing the little things like cutting down on sugar and swopping fizzy cool drinks like Coke! (which is now a swear word in our house) to fruit juice and water.

TRY IT:
Simply buy sparkling spring water and 100% real fruit juice with no additives and mix them together.
So when I felt like a coke I would reach for my "new" sparkling friend - juice and sparkling water and feel like i wasn't depriving myself.

You see its the little things!
I no longer see food as a happiness pile of stuff to eat what I want. I see food as a source of health and yumminess! I want to treat my body right. Once you cut out bad items like coke and soft drinks filled with sugar  and stop eating sweets and candy bars and you feel great - after the initial  detox (headaches and flu symptoms)
I was so ALIVE and happy and well that when I went back to eating a piece of candy it made me feel yuk! It wasn't that that sugar wasn't nice in my mouth but the after effects just weren't worth it.

EXAMPLE:
After cutting out MSG and other additives and preservatives out of our diet for some time (months and months) we went to a braai and the food was taking long. The husband and I were getting hungry and there were bowls of flavoured crisps around so we started snacking. After eating several handfuls the food was finally ready and we ate. Now I didn't have any alcohol of any kind but the next morning I woke up with hangover type symptoms - sore head and felt terrible. Just yukky and wanted to sleep! I realised after a while of waking up and trying to figure out what I ate and drank why I would feel this way and the only thing different were the MSG laden crisps (which we don't eat! only plain salted allowed in our house)!! and that when it hit me - my disgusting hang over symptoms were from them - now I will never go back to eating crisps because I could feel what they were doing to my body!

GOOD HABITS :
I find that changing things bit by bit over long periods of time that I am able to change my habits. If I try change everything at once I feel like I am punishing myself and then I would go back to my bad ways but if I picked one or two things then it was a small change and I would keep doing it. Then after a long time of doing that one little thing it would have become part of my lifestyle (like no more soft drinks) I don't even go to that aisle in the supermarket any more. Actually I rarely shop at a supermarket - but thats another story for another day. I don't even consider it in my head. If someone asks me to bring drinks to a braai (BBQ) I simply buy sparkling water and organic fruit juice. Simple as pie. Really its not even a battle for me any more.

IDEAS:
So focus on something small like:

• Stopping sugar in your tea and coffee

• Swopping soda for fruit juice and water

• Buying hormone free meat and eggs

• Not eating candy - buy nuts and dark chocolate (70% cocoa and higher)

"Eat cake if you bake it yourself and can limit the sugar and additives"

WILL YOU TRY IT?:
See if you can change that one little thing for 2 months and then consider swopping another thing and another thing. Eventually in a year or twos time you will be a healthy, whole food, happy person who doesn't even crave the bad stuff and is happier for it!
Just try it
 
We still eat really dark chocolate and nuts and i bake cake-but I use gluten -free flour and only a tiny bit of sugar. See what I did swopped out  unhealthy for healthy) 


What changes have you made in your lifestyle to be healthier?

FORKS OVER KNIVES & WHOLEFOODS

Sorry is that MEAT on your plate?

 A few nights ago myself and the husband watched the documentary FORKS OVER KNIVES. Now it isn't the most gripping documentary ever BUT it has enough evidence and facts in there to make you think about what you are doing to yourself every day!

WE ALL EAT EVERYDAY - whether it be for necessity to stay alive or for pleasure because you love food or to express your feelings of joy or sadness. But that means everyday we are making decisions about how our bodies will be ... We can eat for health or for sickness! It really can be that simple.
Part of the documentary that really stuck with me is how they showed evidence that how the people  ate differently their bodies could turn cancer cells off or on just from their diet. And the same for the arteries around your heart. You can ensure your body is cholesterol free from making good food choices.

I know from my own personal lifestyle of food I have been making small changes over a long period of time. This hasn't been an over night decision but a month by month and even years that I have been slowly changing.
If you look at my recipe posts from when I started this blog and compare the recipes that I cook now you will see more healthy choices, less meat and less sugar. I am now 95% Vegetarian. PLEASE don't shout at me if you see a meat post on my blog. I have meat rarely and as a treat but it isn't the norm!

Now back to FORKS OVER KNIVES : The main evidence of the documentary which they did huge studies which you should really watch is meat is a NO GO and refined sugars and refined starches and also VERY BAD! Also no dairy and eggs and only a whole food diet is recommended. Now most of this is easy for me as I have been slowly changing my lifestyle over the years and have got to a point now that I have

•  lowered my sugar intake (barely have any refined sugars - only as a treat)

• eating less meat

• cutting out wheat and gluten (almost entirely - 1 treat maybe once a month!) 

• refusing to eat MSG, and bad additives like Aspartame etc..

• reading labels - no E numbers and bad additives etc...

• cutting out hormones (in meat, milk, cheese, yoghurt, eggs etc) no rBST in milk!

• refusing to use anything heated or cooked or frozen in plastic (plastic mimics estrogen in your body causing hormonal problems)

• Eating organic or if not available pesticide free (fruit, veg and salad)

 

 

I agree with the makers of FORKS OVER KNIVES eating a whole food diet is the way to go. I am not entirely sure if I'll be able to cut out all dairy and eggs. But I am going to lower my dairy intake and eggs too.

I have seen such a different in my body since giving up meat in November. I now only have it as a treat. I feel so well and healthy and barely miss it!

I urge you to try watch this movie - even if you change a little, it would be a step towards a healthier you in some way.

 
Its amazing how your love of food can change. I am so happy to carry on learning and being informed. I know somedays I want to pretend I am an ostrich and put my head in the sand and pretend that I do take aways and drive through but then I look at my health and I haven't regretted one decision. A few extra minutes cooking never killed anyone and I am happier for it!



 

*note: these are my own experiences and have nothing to do with FORKS OVER KNIVES - they don't even know I exist ;) but I am so much happier I watched it so I thought you should know about it too!

WI-FI SUCKS AND COULD = CANCER

To my family and friends I'm a bit of a health freak. They are always wandering if I'll eat the food they have in their homes if I come round. Its really not that difficult - anything fresh eg fruit,  veg or salad. See its not so difficult. Even better if its pesticide-free or organic (that makes me super happy).

I avoid hormone filled meat and dairy and anything high in sugar. But I still eat plenty of really yummy things - like really dark chocolate and wheat-free baked goodies like chocolate cake and other things like gorgeous vanilla ice cream. So you see I'm not a deprived, boring, salad eating health nut but a regular girl with a desire to be healthy.

With health on my mind I tend to read some health related stuff - like how cinnamon is good for you ;) which means I have more reasons to eat lots of cinnamon pancakes .
So anyway on my healthy reading kick today I came across this article online http://www.naturalnews.com/034268_cordless_phones_electromagnetic_radiation.html and it got me thinking. Have you noticed over the past 10 - 15 years how many more people have had cancer than before.
I remember when I was young - if someone got cancer everyone was shocked and saddened and it was a friend of a friend. Now if someone has cancer everyone is so much less shocked and more people we know have had it in some form or shape. And yes some cancers are very preventable through the foods we eat and the things we do. BUT especially in the fact that in the above linked article that we are using more and more wireless devices... I have pasted part of the article below.

I know this sounds silly and petty but if it means my child will grow up cancer free - or lower her risk I will do it! Really is it so hard to plug in my internet instead of having the signal all over the house and turn off the wi-fi? So a cable costs me a few rand - I got my husband to bring me a really long one and I can use it almost any where in the house. Also do you really need your wi-fi on at night while you are sleeping? Same for your cellphone - at night put it at least 3 meters away from your head or in another room.  If someone needs to call you, you will hear it.


It bugs me that the houses around me all have their wi-fi on 24/7 - I know because if I turn on my laptops wi-fi function I can see the list of networks and their signal strengths.
And cellphone providers keep putting up more and more towers!
Do we not have a say?

Anyway I now really sound like a health freak - and if that is the case so be it!
I want myself and my family to live long healthy lives.

I love the digital age we live in - being able to blog and stream music etc... but is it so difficult to have a few extra cables?

Just saying




(NaturalNews) Many people are aware that prolonged cell phone use has been associated with brain cancer, but most don't realize how other sources of high-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EMR) also radically increase cancer risk.

Until recently, EMR has been given scant attention. It's a toxin that can't be seen or often felt; flawed telecommunication industry-sponsored studies have revealed that current EMR exposure levels are safe, so it has been mostly ignored in medicine. Furthermore, the US government, which receives massive tax revenue from telecom industries, has established faulty guidelines for EMR exposure. It has deemed safe levels to be thousands of times higher than what disinterested scientists have proven as safe. Indeed, studies from such scientists reveal that current amounts of EMR from telecom towers and antennas radically alter the body's cellular communications' processes, leading to cancer and other diseases. These scientists believe that the dramatic increase in cancer in recent years has been due in part to the growing prevalence of EMR in our environment. And the amount of radiation that we are exposed to doubles yearly.

New telecom towers are constructed every day. Average city-dwellers have anywhere between 30-100 microwave towers/antennas within a four-mile radius of their home. All of these towers emit high-frequency electromagnetic fields that have been linked to cancer development. For example, one Germany study reported that living within 1300 feet of two microwave towers over ten years triples cancer risk. Other studies in Australia, UK and Italy revealed significant increases in leukemia among people who live near such towers. Many other similar findings have been reported.

EMR outside the home isn't the only type of high-frequency radiation we are exposed to. Wi-Fi routers, baby monitors, and cordless phones emit high-frequency radiation that has also been linked to cancer. When in use, cordless phones emit an amount of radiation similar to that of a cell phone. (One study revealed that thirty minutes of daily cell phone use, over ten years, increases the risk of brain cancer by 140%). Wi-Fi routers are similarly dangerous. G. Blackwell, PhD, Chartered Engineer and advisor to WiredChild, states, "Having a digital wireless device in your home, office, or school is like having a mini-base station (cell tower) indoors with you." And with Wi-Max (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) now being implemented across the globe, entire regions will be blanketed in cancer-causing high-frequency electromagnetic radiation.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/034268_cordless_phones_electromagnetic_radiation.html#ixzz1f5Fmpxc9

Just think about it


 hugs

EASY NECTARINE & YOGHURT DESSERT

I always hope to give my family healthy food. Delicious... but healthy. This is one of those times it really works. Fresh fruit full of vitamins and Greek yoghurt filled with dairy. There is a little brown sugar in there but I did mention it was a little.
Lying below the layer of yoghurt could be any fruit your fancy - Adapt this recipe with fruits like fresh soft plums, peaches, cherries or even bananas.
The time that the bowls sit in the fridge allows for the sugar and fruit to make a small amount of syrupy juice that gives it an extra yumminess. (could make a nice breakfast too)

INGREDIENTS
Nectarines (organic if you can get) OR Fruit of your choice
Greek Yoghurt
Organic Brown Sugar

METHOD
Wash your nectarines and then slice up into thin-ish slices. Take ramekins or teacups and line the bottom of the dish with slices of the fruit until you have a nice layer in each.
Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on the fruit.
Cover with the Yoghurt until you can't see any fruit peeking through. *all the fruit must be covered*
Sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar on top of the yoghurt and place in the fridge for an hour or 2 for the sugar to turn to syrup.

Serve


*if the yoghurt doesn't cover ALL the fruit then the air may cause your fruit to brown

LIVING GLUTEN-FREE EASILY

Being Gluten-Free doesn't mean you can't make yourself a delicious cake like this... you just need to know how.

Living gluten-free can be quite a big adjustment at first, especially if you eat a lot of baked goods and pastas. I decided to write this post because sometimes I get emails or tweets from people asking what to change in their diets to become gluten-free.

So here is what I did and maybe it will make the transition easier for you to.
Start with your basic shop: Go to the store and select fruit, veg and salads that you like. Buy as much as you think you will need for your week (I shop weekly so I have fresh fruit and veg and salad).
Buy things that you like - no use buying veg or fruit that you hate - cause then you just torturing yourself and you won't want to make the change to gluten-free.Make sure you skip the bread and bakery section!!!
Now buy your meat (chicken, fish, lamb, beef or pork) and dairy (milk, yoghurt,cheese, cream etc). Look at the veggies you have in your basket and think can I make a veggie bake? take your favorite vegetables, peel, chop and add some cream or a cheese sauce and top with a little cheese and bake in the oven.
If you can't have dairy think roasted vegetables with olive oil,rosemary, salt and garlic. Add some salad and meat and you have a meal. For variety try different vegetable and salad combinations. In summer you can eat more salads and add fruit to them too. Think Pear with walnuts and lettuce and a nice salad dressing. And in winter you can eat more baked and steamed vegetables.

Lunches: When it comes to lunch boxes - swop out your bread for rice cakes, corn thins, and 100% rye biscuits (be aware rye has a teeny tiny bit of gluten in it). In winter think soup. In summer fruit and yoghurt.


Pasta: You can replace the regular wheat kind for a 100% rice pasta or corn pasta Be sure to use straight away after boiling. And the pasta strands tend to brake up when reheated. but that doesn't mean you can't have your favorite mac and cheese.. just swop out your usual pasta for the corn or rice based pasta and make the usual way.


Baking: I know you want chocolate cake - who doesn't? And more than likely you won't be able to just buy cake or bread at the store that is gluten free.But you certainly can make whatever you like with gluten-free flour.

When baking I use these 2 gluten-free flour mixes.

Nature's Choice Gluten Free Cake Flour

Health Connection General Purpose Gluten Free Flour Mix

Health Connection Wholefoods - General Purpose Gluten Free flour Mix: 
Ingredients: rice, potato, tapioca, chickpea flour and Xanthan gum.

Nature Choice Bio Friendly Gluten Free Cake Flour: 
Ingredients: brown rice flour, soya flour, sago flour, potato flour, tapioca and sea salt

I prefer the health connection flour for things like pizza bases and bread-related type things.
I prefer the nature's choice flour for cupcakes,cakes, general baking and light things like pancakes.

Don't be afraid to try different products. Be sure to read the labels and make sure you can have the ingredients that are contained in the product you are buying.

If you are gluten-free what products do you prefer using?

Best of luck! You can totally do it!