Passionfruit & Pomegranate Snack Cup - Paleo, Keto, GF, SF, DF

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I have to admit, lately I've been kinda getting over the "meat and veg" part of my lifestyle. Don't get me wrong, I still love this way of eating, but every now and then, just like every one else mumma craves something a little more decadent, and a little more 'naughty'. I don't like naughty food though so this was something awesome to make that feels naughty ... without it actually being naughty. I just said naughty way too much... but I think you get what I mean yeah?

To be fair, this isn't exactly a 'recipe' because it is literally so super simple - it is more of a food idea to give you something else to hide up your sleeve for the days where your basic meals just won't cut it... or if you are perhaps having people over for dinner, and you don't want to miss out on desert. Although I think we are all old enough and ugly enough to hear the ugly truth - you can celebrate and catch up with people WITHOUT feeding your face - but - who am I to judge... if you would like something to take the edge off, or in fact celebrate by spooning delicious things into your mouth cavity, here it is. 

This differs from a lot of the other 'treat' keto recipes you'll find for a few reasons. The first one being that this sexiness in a cup jar thing, is actually quite nutritionally dense. This recipe doesn't rely on artificial sweeteners and fake flavours to make it tasty. The flavours come from fresh seed fruit (relatively low in carbs because they aren't generally foods you would sit down and eat 100's of grams of) and a Fermented Paleo Protein powder - I use RAW Fermented Paleo Protein Powder which you can get if you click HERE.  I urge you to please not choose a whey protein powder. Choose a plant protein powder or a flavourless beef protein powder. Dairy is a known inflammatory trigger when it comes to everyone's health, largely contributing to the rise in chronic health conditions around the world. Did you know - The countries with the largest dairy consumption, also have the highest reported cases of osteoporosis? That's not a coincidence. Consumption of dairy can cause a state of metabolic acidosis. In order to neutralise the acidic environment, the body releases calcium stores from the largest known source which is the bones. Pairing this with the hormones in dairy which actually hinder the absorption of the calcium that is found in dairy products (despite marketing gurus drilling it into us for DECADES that we should drink this white bovine hormone secretion because it is the best form of dietary calcium) means your body is left depleted of its stores which leads to the bone crushing condition. After digestion, absorption, and metabolism, nearly all foods release either acid or bicarbonate (base) into the systemiccirculation. Dairy is net acid producing. You're really hungry for cow puss now aren't you? Wait, I mean dairy?

The second reason this beautiful little delight differs to other 'ketofied treats' is because most other keto-crap (as I like to call it) is all fat, otherwise known as 'Fat bombs'. Yeah great, they may serve their purpose if you follow medical ketosis, but if your goal is Fat Loss, you want to have a calorie deficit from your fat macro, so your body burns your own stores... ie - If you have fat on your hips, you don't put it on your plate. This is why this recipe is good. It is not overly fatty and therefore is a perfect fit for nutritional ketosis. Because we are also using a protein powder instead of just fat upon fat, we are making sure that we are contributing to the protein macro which is the most important macro of them all. Without consuming adequate protein for our bodies Lean Body Mass, your body can burn its own muscle stores, including organs which is not a good thing! 

Let me get this straight through to you though yeah, because I feel like I can see your brain ticking going "eat MOAR BROTEIN? thats CRAZY! IT WILL TURN TO CAKE AND ALL MY HARD WORK WILL BE RUINED BECAUSE MOAR BROTEIN TURNS TO GLUCOSE!!!!!" So - before you go off on that tangent and start pulling your hair out (although if you don't eat adequate protein now, chances are that shits falling out by itself anyway) and hulking your way through the streets raging and stressing about eating more protein because you've heard how bad that is for you when keto from the several groups of uneducated butter chuggers that have weaselled their way into the keto world, you should know that the process is called gluconeogenesis, and this process is completely demand driven. This means your body will only turn protein to glycogen IF IT NEEDS TOO (and by the way, glycogen is ESSENTIAL for cognitive function...if you have NO glycogen, your brain can't function and you will die, ya hear?). This is why it is important to eat adequate protein per kilo of LBM, because if you don't eat it, and your body needs glycogen, it will result to burning your muscles and/or organs - turns out the bods pretty nifty hey?! So you heard it here.... don't be dumb... and don't be scared of eating protein. Ontop of this reason, protein is the most satiating macronutrient and aids in keeping your fuller for longer AND it is more nutritionally dense than fat, so eating adequate protein keto means you are also getting more Micronutrients, in your Macronutrients (more micros for your macros... get it get it?)

The third reason this little gem is different, is because it's anti inflammatory, and not filled with products that can be harmful to your health such as gluten, grains, dairy and refined sugars. Just because you think you need to lose weight, it doesn't mean you overlook your health. I know a lot of skinny people who eat like arse holes and are the farthest thing from being healthy. So remember, just because your thin, doesn't mean you are healthy. So eat well and make the best choices where you can. 

The Macros I will give you for this single serve please remember are singular to the products that I personally used. If you decide to use a different Coconut Yoghurt, protein powder etc then the macros will vary. So please try and enter them into your tracker (yes! your tracker, humans are terrible at portion control which is why so many of us got fat in the first place! so weigh and track your foods to save yourself from over eating) for the specific products that you use. However, If you decide you are going to use the products I used (which are listed below in the ingredients) the macros are : CARBS 12g FATS 14g PROTEIN 14g

If you are looking for support and information on a Ketogenic Diet - you can join our Facebook Groups Wholefood Keto  and Keto For Beginners Australia - and don't forget to Like and Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more healthy healing recipes, our health and lifestyle blog and to be kept up to date with amazing new natural health businesses coming onto the market!

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Recipe

Time - 5 Minutes - 

Serves - 1 - 

MACROS: CARBS 12g FATS 14g PROTEIN 14g

THESE MACROS ARE PRODUCT SPECIFIC AND NEED TO BE ENTERED BASED ON THE PRODUCTS YOU CHOOSE

What you need:

Mixing Bowl & Spatula

100g Nakula Natural Coconut Yoghurt

15g RAW Fermented Paleo Protein Powder (Half Serve) BUY IT HERE!

10g Organic Fresh Passionfruit

20g Organic Fresh Pomegranate

What to do:

Its really not rocket science this one!

Measure and weigh your yoghurt and your protein powder out, and mix together in the mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.

Place a layer in the bottom of your jar or cup, then add your measured passionfruit

Add another layer of yoghurt ontop of the passionfruit and then add the pomegranate on the top

best part : EAT IT!

Avocado Pancakes - Paleo, Keto

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I am so super excited to bring you this recipe!

Truth be told - I started out making avocado pancakes from a recipe I saw circulating on facebook from 'Avocado Farmers Australia' or something of the like.... aaaand I'm pretty sure they just slapped some ingredients together and said it worked, when it actually didn't. It was like Avocado Soup...a really disturbing Avocado Soup.

So, I was in the kitchen making these 'crap cakes' and my biggest little man, Seth, was SO excited for Pancakes. Being a Paleo Keto household, these types of foods are a rarity and usually I only make them on special occasions... so from this you can imagine the excitement of a 3 year old! When I poured the batter into the pan, it was putrid, so I was left to don my thinking cap and try and find a way to fix them so little mate wasn't disappointed. Must say - my brain was amazing and what we were left with was delightfully fluffy on the inside, and crispy on the outside - Legit everything a pancake should be!

Now, the pancakes I had were savoury. Myself and the twins enjoyed ours with a beautiful spoonful of Kehoe's Beetroot Vegan Cream Cheese, alfalfa sprouts, walnuts and beetroot slices - however my biggest Little man Seth enjoyed his with Raw organic Honey and some natural Coconut Yoghurt. This is super exciting because it means these pancakes are super versatile! I will write the recipe up for the basic pancake batter, and you can use your imagination with what you put in them depending on if you want savoury or sweet pancakes.

In the savoury ones I put Cumin, Salt & Pepper, and in the Sweet ones for Seth, I left as plain batter and then just drizzled the honey on top. Obviously common sense needs to play a part here because if you're keto and want sweet pancakes, you'll have to use a low carb sweetener like Xylitol- but in doing so makes the pancakes not entirely paleo. So it's up to you. If you're having these as a treat, don't worry too much... just make sure whatever you use will fit your macros and see you remain in ketosis. 

I haven't added the Protein, Fat and Carb content to this recipe because it will change dependent on the size of the avocado you use, and whether you decide to have savoury or sweet pancakes, so you will have to weigh and track the whole recipe and divide it by how many you eat. It really isn't difficult. 

So Enjoy, and as per usual let me know what you think in the comments below!

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Recipe

Time - 25m -

Serves - 3 Serves of 3 piklets -

What you need:

Non Stick Fry Pan

Food Processor/Vitamix/Aggression and a beater

Melted Ghee or Coconut Oil (for cooking)

1 Large Ripe Avocado

2 Large Eggs

1/2 Cup Almond Milk

1 Tablespoon Water

Pinch of Salt

1 Tablespoon Coconut Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

Add your flavours - Cumin and Pepper is nice for savoury Pancakes, or Xylitol or a sweetener of choice for Sweet Pancakes

What to do:

In a food processor ( or you could use a bowl and a vitamix, or just use your arm muscles and mash and beat and get that anger out!) place all the ingredients and blend until you reach and smooth creamy consistency that resembles pancake Batter. 

Let the batter sit for five minutes for the coconut flour to absorb some of the moisture. 

Heat your non stick pan on the stove with the oil of choice on a medium heat. Once the oil is melted, place in a teaspoon of batter. If the batter is too loose, the mixture will spread and be thin. If so, add a teaspoon more coconut flour to the batter until the mixture is thicker. 

Once desired thickeness of batter has been achieved, place batter in the pan (approximately 2 tablespoons per pancake for pikelet size) and cook on medium heat until bubbles start to form on the top of the pancake. 

Once you see bubbles, using a spatula, flip the pancakes over and cook on the other side for 1 minute.

Stack, top with your favourite dressings and serve!

Delish!

Sugar Free Apple Crumble - Paleo

Pretty excited about this recipe to be completely honest. 

As Australia spins away from the sun, the colder months dawn upon us which is the prime time for delicious comfort foods! So, with my feet in slippers, and a big baggy oversized jumper snuggled up on the couch with my pot of adaptogen tea - I say - Bring on the seasons of Curries, Stews and Roasts, and most important - Baked Deserts! Warm, delicious, and now, Healthy!

Apple Crumble always reminds me of Autumn. I'm not sure why. Perhaps its the beautiful burnt red colour of pink lady apples, or that Autumn has warm days and cold days - and apples can be eaten warm or cold. Perhaps its the warmth and comfort that cinnamon and nutmeg bring on a cold night when you're snuggled up on the couch with your loved ones. I really don't know why. There are so many reasons. But one thing I do know is that Autumn is my favourite time of year, for the beautiful colour of the trees, for the crisp air thats so refreshing after a long hot summer and for the amazing comfort foods that are starting to be cooked in everyone's kitchens as we head away from salads which were so perfect in the heat. 

Having 3 young kids (a 3 year old and 1 year old twins - my god where did this year go?) I am always trying to find new foods to introduce them too that not only are delicious and people pleasers, but also foods that hold dense nutritional value. We are a sugar free household here and the only sugars we have available in our pantry are Manuka Honey, and fruit. Manuka Honey I will cook with when there is something exciting coming up and I decide to bake something special, otherwise we leave it for colds and flus. So suffice to say, sugar, no one in this house really eats it. 

This is why I am so excited to present this recipe to you! This desert (although my tribe ate it for breakfast) is the perfect example of not needing sugar or a lot of sweetness to make something delicious! The apples and sultanas in this recipe make it sweet enough that no added sugars are needed, and I think you'll agree! But - if you do wish for some sweetness - you can always drizzle with a little bit of Honey or your sweetener of choice if you have a bit more of a sweet tooth! Just keep it Refined Sugar Free is all I ask. 

This recipe is also posted in our baby section because this contains all good things that are great for breakky times for little bellies! Filled with good fats, Fruit and Fibre, this is great for breakfast or deserts, for little bellies and for big ones. 

So give it a go and let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Recipe

Time - 1 hr -

Serves - 6 -

What you need:

Pie Dish

-Filling-

2 Pink Lady Apples Cored and sliced thin

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/4 Grated Nutmeg Pod

1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice

1/2 Vanilla Bean Pod

Crumble

1 Cup Mixed Nuts

1 Tablespoon Coconut Flour

1/4 Shredded Coconut

2 Tablespoons Sultanas

3/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon 

1/4 Grated Nutmeg Pod

1/2 Vanilla Pod 

2 Tablespoons Melted Ghee (you can also sub for coconut Oil)

What to do:

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C

Slice your Apples into thin slices (The thinner they are the quicker they'll cook) and place them in a mixing bowl with the cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and Vanilla. Stir until all the apple pieces are covered in the spices and lemon juice. Let this sit while you prepare the crumb. 

In a food processor place all of the ingredients EXCEPT THE GHEE, in the food processor and pulse until crumb like. If you blend until the sultanas are chopped through, the nuts release their oil and makes it not very crumbly, so I choose to only pulse until the nuts are crumbs, which means the sultanas are left somewhat whole. I feel it gives a nicer texture. 

Melt your ghee on the stove. 

Pour the melted ghee into the crumb mixture and mix through until all combined.

In your pie dish ( I used a pyrex dish ) Lay the apple slices out in a thin layer, and then keep layering until all the slices are in the dish ( I went for a throw them in and move them around with my hand approach). Pour the crumb onto the apple slices, and spread out with the back of a wooden spoon. Once the pie is covered, firmly press the crumb down with your hands.

Cover with Foil and place into the pre heated oven for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, take the foil off, and place back in the oven for a further 10 minutes to brown. 

Serve with Delicious Coconut Yoghurt.

 

Cacao, Raspberry & Avocado Shake - Paleo, Keto

The Ketogenic Diet has been getting some great attention from all over the world. And it is a lifestyle that I follow for six months of every year.    For 12 moths of the year, our household is paleo, for six months of that 12, I follow Paleo Keto. Doctors and Holistic medicine practitioners have started to see keto for its health benefits and especially, weight loss. In simple terms, a ketogenic diet switches the body from burning stored glycogen (carbs) for energy, to burning fat for energy. So once the body has burnt the fat that has been consumed, it is more easily able to switch over to burn the body fat as energy resulting in dramatic weight loss for most. If you wish to research more about the Ketogenic Diet, I recommend clicking HERE and reading about it through Dr Josh Axe. He is a wonderful resource.

When it comes to the Ketogenic Diet, there are two major forms. Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) or Low Carb High Protein (LCHP). The difference is exactly what the name implies. One diet favours fat, the other favours protein. Following both of these methods will get you into ketosis, the differing point (and most important point being) that following LCHP helps you maintain your lean muscle mass, which helps you to burn fat long term, as muscle burns fat. Goes without saying that if you have more muscle, you will burn more fat. Following a LCHF diet is great in the interim. It will switch your body over to burning fat, but almost all people that follow this form of Keto hit a weight loss stall. You can't expect to lose fat, if you are consuming enough to be burnt and haven't left yourself with a deficit for weightloss. One of the main reasons I don't like LCHF is because fat is very calorie dense, but very Nutrient Depleted. In my eyes, the goal isn't just weight loss, it is regaining health, which comes to those who follow a low carb high protein practice due to the nutrient density of protein rich foods.

For LCHP,  I highly recommend following Ketogains (they have a VERY knowledgeable group on facebook as well as a website) and reading the articles in their pinned post. There is a lot of valuable information sources there that are scientifically backed and blow the myth of 'too much protein won't put you into ketosis' right out of the water! What will put you into ketosis (metabolic state of burning fat) is limiting net carbs to under 25 grams per day. This has nothing to do with protein. You can get in touch with Ketogains HERE and start looking into the LCHP option... it's great just to familiarise yourself so you can make the most informed decision as to what suits you best. 

(***These are an affiliate link from businesses in our collective, which means we may earn a small commission if you buy something, but that’s ok because we only endorse products and businesses that meet our strict guidelines anyway… we just thought you should know xx)

SO on with the show! This morning I woke feeling the need for something refreshing and something new and exciting! Normally my Keto mornings are either fasting, or I go for the easy option which is to make an Egg Wrap ( Recipe coming soon! ), but this morning had me craving something very different.

Looking at this picture, I assume you're thinking- pure decadence. I assume the because that's what I think when I look at it. So it will surprise you to know that this is super refreshing and not as thick and rich as it looks! The whole drink including the whipped egg white on top is c12, f15, p11. If you're new to keto, that means 12 grams of carbs, 15 grams of fat and 11 grams of protein. This is little high on the carb front when you think it only leaves you with 8 carbs for the rest of the day, but it's what helps this keto shake pack a punch nutrient wise. 

Using Cacao in this instead of cocoa, means yes, it's a little bit more bitter than some would like, but if you're used to cacao, you are going to Love it. The main reason for using Cacao instead of cocoa is the intense nutritional density that cacao holds. The 6 grams of cacao used in this shake holds a massive amount of magnesium making it super great for helping balance electrolytes when in ketosis along with aiding in the basic function of every cell in the body. You could also add some cocoa if you prefer the taste to help it balance out the bitter ness, and the benefit being that cocoa has potassium in it which also helps with electrolytes. Even though it isn't AS nutrient dense as cacao, it still has it's benefits.

I'm pretty sure we all know that raspberries are good for us, but do you know how good? "Raspberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, manganese and dietary fiber. They are a very good source of copper and a good source of vitamin K, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin E, magnesium, folate, omega-3 fatty acids and potassium." This is why it isn't just a cacao smoothie! A serve of raspberries, holds an awesome 151 mg of potassium! That is absolutely awesome in general, however super awesome for when you are keto because you need to replenish electrolytes fiercely! Pairing the raspberries with avocado, means you are setting your brain up for a good functioning day! With all the healthy  fats in avocado, monosaturated fats (single chain fat, which is the best source of fat to consume when it comes to fat!) Saturated fat and polyunsaturated fat, and the omegas in raspberries, this is a nutrition powerhouse that should put your brain on the best track for the day and aid in focusing memory retention!

(***These are an affiliate link from businesses in our collective, which means we may earn a small commission if you buy something, but that’s ok because we only endorse products and businesses that meet our strict guidelines anyway… we just thought you should know xx)

The trickiest part of this whole recipe is the whipped egg whites. My god. I went through 8 eggs getting these bad boys to look like this! I'm certainly not suggesting you put that much effort into it, but I was determined. The whipped egg whites on top make up the protein portion of this meal, so it is super important to have. Would also be a good idea to mix the whipped egg white through the smoothie so it goes all light and fluffy like a mousse! Let me know if you give it a go! ( I actually just gave myself an idea for a new keto recipe! thanks brain!)

So since whipping egg whites is a bitch, I'm going to give you a couple of tips. 

1. Do not walk away from your egg whites while they're whipping! they can go from fluffy to over whipped EXTREMELY Quick!

2. Once you're whipping, don't stop production! The egg whites don't like it and they will deflate and separate.

3. Make sure every utensil, bowl, whisk and even your hands, are completely washed, clean and DRY! Eggs will not go fluffy if there is any dust or grease or water or ANYTHING near them that shouldn't be. They are super temperamental. 

4. Add your stabiliser (Sugar haha no! But you can use lemon juice of cream of tar tar - which by the way is potassium) at the foamy stage! NOT AT THE START! My god that batch was a disaster!

5. Start whipping the egg whites on low, and once you reach the foamy stage and have added your stabiliser, THEN turn it up to full speed until you reach firm peaks. 

6. Add Vanilla at the end and fold it through. If you really don't like not having a sweetness to the whipped whites, you can sprinkle with a little xylitol..... don't worry, I'll face the other way while you do it!

With those tips, I'm sure you'll do fine! lol well hopefully much better than I did! On a brighter note is I had a lot of left over egg yolks, So I made some Vegetable frittata for my kiddos which they loved! So that's a win!

Well, onward with the show now and I'll pop the super simple recipe below for you! As per usual, let me know what you think in the comments below! Happy Eating!

(***These are an affiliate link from businesses in our collective, which means we may earn a small commission if you buy something, but that’s ok because we only endorse products and businesses that meet our strict guidelines anyway… we just thought you should know xx)

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Recipe

Serves - 1 - 

Time - 10 Minutes -  plus time to whip egg whites - 

What you need:

For the Smoothie:

100ml Almond Milk

25g Frozen Raspberries

25g Avocado ( Half a Small Avocado )

6g Loving Earth Raw Organic Cacao (1 Tablespoon)

50g Nudie Plain Coconut Yoghurt ( The Vanilla has monk Juice)

1 Cup Ice

For the Egg White Whip:

2 Egg Whites ( Room temp preferred )

Mixer of choice

Stabiliser (Cream of Tartar or Lemon Juice)

Vanilla Bean Pod

What to do:

In a High Powered Blender ( I Use a Nutri Ninja, similar to Nutri bullet) add all of the ingredients for the smoothie section of ingredients, and blend until smooth and creamy. Place into a Jar or Glass of choice and place in the Refrigerator while making your egg white whip. 

***Important Tip!!!!! Do not make the whip first as egg whites fall easily***

Make sure your bowl, spatula, whisk, even your hands are washed and dried thoroughly and no grease or dust remains anywhere! (Check out our whipping tips above)

Place your egg whites in the bowl for your stand mixer, and start whipping on a slow speed until foamy (big bubbles)

Once Foamy, add your stabiliser while the mixer is still running (I used lemon Juice, but cream of tartar works and also is made from potassium which balances electrolytes)

Turn up to full speed and mix until firm peaks and  the mixture becomes glossy. 

Take out from the mixer and add your vanilla and fold through. 

You can pipe or spoon into your Glass or jar and Voila!