Healthy 10 Minute Pasta - For Kids!

I think every parent has those days where you really CBF cooking... to the point that you're not even phased if you don't eat yourself. But then you remember that you have little humans that rely on you, and you can't just Not Adult... so you get your bum off the couch and make something simple. Maybe Toast. Maybe Eggs. Maybe even a bowl of cereal...perhaps you even opt for the greasiest and just do a take away night! After all... kids don't really mind do they? But for the rest of the night you feel a little bit guilty inside that you haven't fed them something as nutritious as what you probably could have. 

Well I don't know about you, but I felt like this  A LOT when I was pregnant with the twins and I still had to feed my 2 year old... and I'd been working all day. Because we follow an anti inflammatory lifestyle here, and we have many intolerances/don't keep junk food in the house and I refuse to give my family nasty cheap food - our take away is usually grill'd burgers. And believe me when I say - Holy shit that gets expensive! $50 minimum on takeaway to feed three of us... and because I could barely walk from being pregnant with twins, sadly this happened around 2-3 times a week. Bye Bye Money. I was like Beyonce throwing money at Maids... but I was throwing money at the waiters at Grill'd and making them feed me. 

So if you're a mum... a dad... a grand parent.. or a special person... and just want to SIT DOWN... may I suggest that you try this 10 minute pasta! Truth is, it only takes 10 minutes because that's how long the pasta takes to cook. The sauce itself is literally done in 5 minutes! You don't even have to chop anything. All you need is a blender or food processor... and a saucepan for the pasta of choice. 

We use Orgran Gluten Free Pasta for our son, Seth. It's made from Rice and Corn (I know not anti inflammatory however it does the job as a once off every now and then) and it comes in fun shapes! The pic above is their 'Out Back' animals pasta and Seth loves going through and looking at the Koala's and Kangaroos. So it's super fun for the tots! Not to mention, they also include spinach and other veggies in the pasta to make it fun colours. The sauce is also considered raw which is great because it means the nutrients in the vegetables are still intact and therefore packs a great nutritional punch. 

We don't eat dairy in this house, and the substitute I LOVE when it comes to cheese on pasta is Nutritional Yeast! It has the most wonderfully cheesy flavour but is packed with Protein and B Vitamins! I highly recommend it. Little mate thinks it's cheese ( the poor love haha) so he always asks for it on his meals. It really does contain great nutritional value and it's quite well priced! I usually use the Bragg's Nutritional Yeast, however Wholefood Merchants were out of Bragg's this fortnight so I am trying the Lotus brand... tastes the same and was a bit cheaper which is a win!

So here you go. Some relief for parents EVERYWHERE! It doesn't look the prettiest.. but hey it's gunna come out looking much worse... amirite?

As usual, let me know how you go if you give it a try and let me know what your little ones think! It really packs a punch of flavour and hey - why not even mix it through some Quinoa pasta for an easy meal for yourself?

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Recipe

Serves - 2 - 

Time 10 Minutes

What you need:

Blender/NutriBullet/Food processor 

1 Organic Tomato

1 Clove Garlic

1 Handful Spinach Leaves

1 Teaspoon Tomato Paste

1/6 of an Onion (literally just a couple of Rings)

1/2 Teaspoon Italian Herbs (Oregano or Basil will work too)

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Nutritional Yeast

Salt & Pepper

1 Cup Animal Pasta (=2 Serves for small People)

What to do:

Put a saucepan of Water on and cook Pasta as per your Pasta packet instructions.      

While the water is boiling, in your blender add your Tomato, Spinach, Garlic, Onion, Herbs, Tomato Paste and tablespoon of Olive Oil and a pinch of Salt & Pepper. Blend until all combined. 

Once the pasta is cooked, scoop 1/2 cup of the Pasta water out and keep it in a cup to the side and then drain the Pasta.

Once the Pasta is drained, add it back to the Pot and pour the Sauce from the blender over the pasta. Mix well and then add the half a cup of pasta water. This will thin the sauce out and ensure it evenly covers the pasta. 

Serve into the bowls and top with Nutritional Yeast and Voila! 

I told you it was simple, didn't I? xx   

Stupid Easy Mexican Corn

I think most of you mums and dads out there would agree that dinner time can be a battle...and it's hard to find something that the whole family will enjoy, that is also simple, as well as being cost effective AND healthy.

In Paleo land I understand that Corn is a big no no because it's a grain and there's no grains allowed on the Paleo diet...I have been strict Paleo for nearing three years now. But when it comes to a treat, there are a lot worse things you could be consuming other than corn. 

Grains aren't a highly valuable source of nutrients and have a high glycemic index which means it spikes blood sugar. A lot of people are also unknowingly unable to digest grains which leads to things like Leaky Gut. But if you are out at a BBQ and there's no other food choices... having an ear of corn isn't going to kill you.

Corn does pack some nutrients although as they are harder on digestion to break down, the nutrients are somewhat lost. They are richer in nutrients though than some other grains. It is rich in phytonutrients like Ferulic acid, Beta-carotene, vanillin acid, coumaric acid, caffeic acid and syringic acid and it is also a source of phosphorous, niacin, dietary fibre, manganese and vitamin B6. The issue being that corn can get through the digestive track un digested which means you don't absorb a lot of those nutrients compared to other fruits and vegetables. But all of this aside, we feed grains to our live stock to fatten them up... so don't think consuming it regularly is going to help your waistline. It can certainly be inflammatory so don't consume it if you usually have any bloating after eating it. 

But hey! In summer, when firing up the barbie, I say theres nothing better than an Ear of corn smothered in Ghee with some beautiful spices!

This recipe you can do if you Steam your Corn, however, putting in foil in the oven or on the bbq makes it taste so much nicer! The base of the corn that is on the pan goes caramelised and adds a beautiful sweet flavour which is beautifully contrasted with the Lime juice. 

Enjoy, and as always - please let me know what you think in the comments below! If you like it please share with your friends and pin it to make again!

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Recipe

Serves - 4 - 

Time - 1.25 hours if roasting, 45 minutes if steaming

What you need:

3 Ears Of Corn

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin

1/2 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1 Sprig Rosemary

Juice of 1 Lime

1 Clove Garlic - Minced

1/4 Cup Melted Ghee (Can sub for Olive Oil)

Baking Sheet

Foil

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 

Grab a baking sheet. Cut your Ears of Corn in halves. Wrap each half in Foil and place on the baking sheet and put into the oven for 45 minutes. 

While the corn is cooking, in a saucepan melt your oil of choice or ghee. When it's all melted add the Cumin and Paprika. Cook the spices until aromatic (usually 1-2 minutes) and then add the garlic and turn off the heat. Add the Lime Juice (if the lime isn't particularly Juicy, add another Lime), Rosemary and Salt and Pepper. 

After 45 minutes, take the corn out of the oven. Be careful not to tear the foil when unwrapping. Baste the corn with your mix, wrap the corn and place back in the oven for 15 minutes. 

Take the Corn out of the oven and out of the foil and place in a bowl. Pour the mixture over the corn and serve family style in the middle of the table. 

Delish!

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BBQ Beef Short Ribs - Paleo

Today is Father's Day. And what better way to thank my baby daddy and man of my dreams for all he does for us, than serve him the worlds BEST ribs!

I know what you're probably thinking... 'another recipe that claims its 'The Best'' But I am 100% serious when I say that these bad boys, are the best ribs I've ever eaten in my life, LET ALONE made!
  

They were a complete fluke. Normally my ribs turn out soupy because I do them in a slow cooker, and I always end up disappointed with them. Today, on a complete whim, I thought "I'm going to put them in my Pyrex tray and cover them in foil instead". Pretty sure nearly the whole time they were cooking I was worried they were going to stick to the bottom of the dish, but they didn't! What ended up happening was the most amazing caramelisation on the bottom of the dish, that I ended up sitting down with a spoon and eating once everyone went to bed and no one could see what I was doing. Don't judge. I swear, you'll do the same thing! 

I think the secret weapon in these ribs, apart from the sauce, is actually the fact that they're topped with raw onion before going into the oven to cook. If you've ever sautéed onion properly and for a long time, you'll know that the natural sugars come out and you are left with the sweetest, most beautiful onions around... So now picture that, on top of ribs, bathed in BBQ sauce... *insert druelly face here* 

We only have meat once, to twice a week in this house as we follow a paleo Wholefood Plant Based Lifestyle. But since I am so limited not being able to eat legumes, and rice and soy products like tofu, our exceptions are Eggs, and meat once a week. Given I also have three growing children and a man that is more carnivore than a T-Rex, it works well for us that we have meat once a week. Bit of variety from constant vegetables. It just means when we do eat meat, that I always try to make sure it's SUPER tasty!

Obviously in sauce recipes, and especially BBQ sauce, there is sugar. Now sadly I can't lie and say there is NO sugar in this sauce. There is. However it is Coconut Sugar and Raw honey. The thing I want you to remember here is just because it is unrefined sugars, it does not mean they are ok to eat in excessive amounts. They are easier on digestion, and like honey they can pack other health benefits, but they are still sugar at the end of the day and if you eat too much of it, you will gain weight and tax your organs. Also if you have issues with yeast over growths like candida or bacterial infections, you can make your issues considerably worse because bacteria and yeast thrive on sugary environments. On top of that, we should all be working toward trying to create an alkaline environment within our bodies. Sugar contributes to metabolic acidosis and then you open your self up to concerns like cancer etc. I know this seems like a stretch, however it is all these reasons that make one big reason to cut down on sugar.

I don't eat sugar at all normally. I have the odd piece of fruit or some dates on occasion, and suffice to say, I hateeeee my family eating sugar. So dishes like this we really leave as a special occasion dish.  

Anyhow, Please let me know in the comments how your ribs went and if you think they are tasty. My hubbo even said they were the best he's had - so that's gotta say something for them! 

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Recipe

Serves 4 

Time: 3.5 Hours 

What you will need: 

                                  400 Grams Beef Short Ribs (Bone In) 

1 Teaspoons Onion Powder                                          1/2 Cup Coconut Sugar

2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder                                         1 Tablespoon Raw Honey

2 Tablespoons Sweet Paprika                                     1 Teaspoon Chilli Flakes ( or more if you like it hot! )

2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard                                     3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Cup Tomato Passata                                                2 Teaspoons Himalayan Salt

2 Tablespoons Tamari                                                1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Large Brown Onion , sliced.

What to do: 

Preheat your oven to 170 degrees. 

In a fry pan on medium high heat, brown your short ribs, don't cook them through, just develop a nice crust.  Once the ribs are brown, place them in one layer in a baking dish (I used a Pyrex Baking Dish)

Don't discard the fat that forms from the ribs in the frypan.

In the same pan that has the fat and goodies from the browned ribs, add all of the ingredients for the sauce and stir well over a low heat.  

While the Sauce is coming together over the low heat, chop your onion to rings, and then cut the rings in half.  

Once the sugar in the sauce is dissolved, place your onions over the ribs and then pour 3/4 of the sauce evenly over the top. 

It should look like this.  

Cover the dish with foil, and place into the oven for 2.5 hours.  

Af ter 2.5 hours, take the ribs out of the oven, and take off the foil. Turn the ribs. Place the ribs back into the oven uncovered for the remaining half an hour.

When the half hour is up, take the ribs out and place them into a bowl with the remaining sauce and toss to coat.  

Serve and Enjoy! 

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Poached and Roasted Cauliflower

Raise your hand if you love cauli!!!!! It is SO versatile! I've found lately that I have been more making things like Cauli rice and couscous, cauli patties etc... and tbh - I am SO sick of finding tiny cauliflower granules allllll over the kitchen haha. So I decided the other day I would try something different.  

Admittedly I got the idea from a lady at Wholefood Merchants in Ferntree Gully - and I tried it and thought... yeah not too shabby! BUT could be better! So I did a little tweaking ( I accidentally wrote twerking the first time haha ) and the end result is absolutely deliciously amazing.  

Because we are eating the whole cauli - Leaves and all! And yes, that includes the stalk! PLEASE buy organic!!!!!!!! The last thing you need is to be influxing your poor liver with chemicals and pesticides! So Please, buy organic. I'll say it one more time... Please! 

Now if you're a vegan and you miss cheese, I think you especially will love this recipe (please omit the ghee for a fat of choice like flaxseed oil) it kind of reminds me of cauliflower and cheese sauce from when I was younger - however since dairy is the devil, there's been a need to search for cheesy goodness elsewhere...without the food additives like the bio cheese or Daiya has!

So without further adue - here's introducing Nutritional Yeast! 

For those of you that haven't yet entered the realm of Nutritional Yeast, I highly recommend you do. ESPECIALLY if you have just come off dairy and are missing the cheesy goodness. It kind of reminds me of Parmesan... but without the ten day old dirty sock smell!  Nutritional Yeast is so good for you and contains some really essential vitamins and minerals. It is a really great protein, so fantastic for vegans and vegetarians alike, and especially good for those following a Ketogenic Paleo diet. And also has Magnesium, Copper and Manganese, Fibre, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, B6, Folate, B12, Zinc and Panthothenic Acid. <-- see, I used a big word so it must be good for you!

When it comes to your poaching liquid, make sure that the vegetable stock you use, actually contains vegetables. I have noticed some on the shelves lately that say things like "Extract"... um no mr marketing man! I want real vegetables in my stock please. If you can and you aren't too time poor (or perhaps you are super organised and have some pre made) make your own stock. It's an awesome way to utilize your left over fruits and veg and herbs and at least you know what's in it! 

So I realllllly think you will enjoy this recipe. It is beautiful as a main, although sometimes we have it as a side dish to a roast. It's super satisfying either way. 

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Recipe

Serves - 4 -

Time 1 hr 20 mins

What you need:

 1 Litre Vegetable Stock (pref. Organic) 

1 Large Cauliflower, leaves and stalk on 

3 Cloves Garlic 

3 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast 

1 Tablespoon Ghee or Olive oil for Vegan/Plant Based

Salt and Pepper to taste 

What to do: 

Find a saucepan that your whole cauliflower fits in and put the cauli in. Cover with your Stock. If 1 litre of stock isn't enough to cover your cauli, then top up with some water. Bring to a boil, then once boiling, turn to a low heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  

Once finished poaching using tongs, carefully lift the cauliflower out of the liquid and place onto a baking sheet that has a layer of tin foil. Don't throw away the poaching liquid - you can put this in a container into the fridge and use it again another day.  

On your poached cauli, add your Ghee ( Or Olive Oil ) , Nutritional Yeast and your Garlic. Don't worry about rubbing it in, the residual heat and the oven will melt the ghee and it will soak into the nooks and crannies. Season lightly and then bring the foil up the sides of the cauli and wrap at the top (so none of the liquid drains) 

Place in the oven for 20 minutes on 180 degrees. Take out of the oven and remove from foil, pour the juices over the top of the cauli and place back in the oven, uncovered for another 20 minutes to brown.  Pull out from the oven after twenty minutes and serve. 

This really is a delicious way of serving Cauli - let me know what you think in the comments below!