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Grain-Free Pizza Recipe Means You’ll Never Feel Deprived Again

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grain-free pizza recipe

Grain-Free, Guilt-Free Pizza!

“I just really miss eating pizza with my family.”
This lament from my client struck a familiar chord with me.

Because when we hosted a build-your-own-pizza night for our friends on New Year’s Eve, I resorted to making myself a gluten-free flour base for my own creation…
This is not how I usually roll! And I felt nicely bloated from it on New Year’s Day! (because gluten-free flours can be hard work for your body too, yaknow!)

My client’s similar dilemma kicked my butt back into my usual approach to such a challenge.

So I set to work to create a grain-free, healthy alternative that would mean my client could join in with her family’s traditional Friday Pizza + Movie Night.

  • If you have ever looked longingly at a friend’s thin-crust-with-extra-cheese.
  • If you have ever wished you’d had that one last Hawaiian before being diagnosed celiac.
  • Or even if you wished that new gluten free option from your fave pizza chain didn’t leave you feeling bloated…

This grain-free pizza crust is going to change everything…

Because not only is this recipe grain-free, it replaces that white flour with a wholesome yet somewhat unlikely vegetable – the humble cauliflower.
And you know what? you wouldn’t even know it from the taste.
Don’t believe me? Seriously, try it for yourself!

If you’ve read my book Don’t Toss the Juicer Pulp, you could even consider this a bonus recipe. Because although you can make this recipe without a juicer, it’s easier if you have one AND you’ll get a juice from it too.

You can use the cauliflower juice in several ways:

  1. Drink it as a shot in the same way as the Broccoli Anti-Cancer Shot in my book – Don’t Toss the Juicer Pulp.
    Cauliflower has many similar anti-cancer nutrients to broccoli.
  2. Add it to the other juiced ingredients in the recipe for Marvellous Melon Metaboliser in my book.
  3. Juice a chunky slice of pineapple (after you have removed your cauli pulp), mix with the cauli juice and drink!

Just in case you’re thinking this right now…

Why Use Cauliflower In A Pizza Crust???

A whole cauliflower is used to make this pizza base
First of all, it’s an opportunity to replace a simple, processed carbohydrate such as the white flour in pizza crust, with a REAL, WHOLE vegetable. And that is always a good step for your health.

Second, if you received my Take5 Recipe Series, you will already know I’m a fan of cauliflower and its nutrient super powers:

  • There are dozens of studies that have linked cauliflower-containing diets with cancer prevention, in particular bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer.
  • As an excellent source of vitamin K, cauliflower provides us with one of the hallmark anti-inflammatory nutrients.
  • The fibre content of cauliflower makes this cruciferous vegetable a great choice for digestive system support
  • Sulforaphane (made from a glucosinolate in cauliflower) can help protect the lining of your stomach. This is of great importance to anyone who has food allergies, chronic fatigue or an auto-immune disorder, as ‘leaks’ in the gut wall exacerbate these conditions.

So let’s get down to it, shall we?

Grain-Free, Guilt-Free Pizza Crust

 

grain-free pizza recipe

Grain-Free, Guilt-Free Pizza!


Ingredients:

  • All the pulp from 1 juiced head of cauliflower
  • 1 Tablespoon ground nuts – I used a mix of almonds and pine nuts ground in my blender, but you can use any nuts you like
  • ½ Cup (I use the fluid cup measurement even though it’s cheese) grated cheese – I used a 50/50 mix of hard goats cheese/soft goats cheese, but honestly just use what you want!
  • 1 Tablespoon of dried herbs – oregano, basil or mixed Italian herbs all work well
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (use a brand labelled gluten-free if you are gluten sensitive)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds soaked for 5 minutes in 2 Tablespoons of water
    (I used white chia seeds to keep the colour light, but you can use black, white or a mix)

Equipment Tips:
A pair of silicone baking trays will make this recipe much easier to make. Otherwise, you can use flat baking trays with baking paper.
A 12inch square of muslin is a handy piece of equipment to have in the kitchen, and ideal for this recipe. Otherwise, use a clean tea towel.
A flat, wide spatula slice (silicone is great!) is ideal for easing the pizza base from your tray.

Make the Magic

Note: These instructions look lengthy but they really are not. I’ve just explained some steps in a lot of detail to ensure you get the desired outcome – a truly workable and delicious pizza crust without using grains. Okay, let’s go…

1. Preheat oven to 220c / 425f

2. If you are using a silicone baking sheet, lightly spray or brush it with a little oil.

3. Place your baking tray in the oven as it is preheating – you just want to get a little heat on it while you mix your ingredients.

4. Processing Your Cauliflower:

If you have a super-efficient masticating juicer, you can probably skip this first step, depending on just how dry your cauliflower pulp is.
If (like me) you have a centrifugal juicer, we will be extracting that last bit of moisture from your pulp in the next step.
If you are using a blender, you need to blend the cauliflower florets as finely as possible and then do this:

Pile your cauliflower pulp into the centre of a square of clean muslin or a clean tea towel, gather the cloth around the pulp and twist and squeeze out the remaining liquid. You will be left with a firm-ish ball like this:

squeezed cauliflower ready for pizza base

Squeezed Cauliflower Pulp

I squeezed another ¼ cup of liquid from my juiced pulp with just a few good twists!
If you have used a blender, you will get a lot more juice from your cauliflower – keep going until you can squeeze no more!Once you are satisfied that your pulp is well and truly squeezed:

5. Place the cauli pulp and all the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. I like to do this with my hands, squeezing the mixture between my fingers to really blend them and ensure the mixture will stick together.

cauliflower pizza dough in bowl

Cauliflower Pizza Dough

6. Form the ‘dough’ into a ball and roll it into a smooth ball in your hands.

7. Remove your baking tray from the oven and place the dough ball onto your tray.

8. Use your hands to press, flatten and shape the ball into a pizza base approx ½ inch / 1cm deep.
TIP: As you tidy up the edges, keep them a little thicker than the rest of the base – the edges will brown quicker and a bit of extra thickness stops them from crisping too much.

cauliflower pizza dough on tray

Cauliflower Pizza Base on Silicone Tray

9. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 mins, until the base is browning on top and losing its ‘wetness’

Okay, this next bit can be a bit tricky. But this step really transforms this recipe into a workable alternative to a bread pizza base. Trust me on this:

10. Remove your base from the oven, gently loosen the base from the tray by sliding a flat spatula between the two, working your way gently around the base until all of it has been loosened.

11. And then you flip it!

If you are using a silicone baking tray this is where a pair of them comes in really handy: you can simply place the second tray on top of the first and turn upside down (wearing suitable heat protection on your hands, of course).
If you only have one suitable baking tray, flip your base onto a large plate or chopping board, then slide it back onto your tray.

12. Return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes, until it is browning and drying on the top side.

And there you have it! A grain-free, gluten free and delicious pizza base made from an actual vegetable.

grain-free pizza recipe

Grain-Free, Guilt-Free Pizza!

I can also happily tell you that I have thoroughly tested this pizza base and it freezes really well (I was worried it would go soggy but it didn’t). Just defrost thoroughly, preferably on a baking tray, and then pop in the oven to warm through before adding your toppings.

Now please tell me in the comments below….
Will you try this recipe?
What is your reason to try a grain-free pizza option?

I would love to know, so please get the conversation going below.

Buon Appetito!

 

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All My Juice Pulp Recipes for FREE! And a Special Christmas Bonus

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It’s here at last!

My book Don’t Toss the Juicer Pulp is now available to download on Kindle at Amazon, and for 3 days only you can download it for FREE!

If you’ve been following my videos, you will have had a sneak peek into some of the recipes from the book.

So, if you’ve been inspired by these to use your juicer pulp, you will love the recipes I have created for the book.

All you need to do is go to your Amazon page for your country and search for ‘Don’t Toss the Juicer Pulp’.
It is free to download from 20th to 22nd December, so please get there quickly and get your copy!
Share with your family, friends and on social media so that everyone can take advantage of this Free Download period!
There are links to the major Amazon stores below.

As a special thank you for all the encouragement I have received about my recipes and the book, I have created a special bonus set of recipes that will be especially helpful in this festive season.
These recipes are available as part of a special bonus download called Festive Food Hacks, created to help you survive the holidays with your health intact – you can sign up below to receive this.

I’m also addressing the dilemma of how to keep juicing during the colder months, for those of you (like me!) who are in the midst of winter and finding juicing at its most challenging.

If you have a juicer, and especially if it’s gathering dust since the temperature dropped (if you’re in the southern hemisphere feel free to ignore this!), this juice recipe will at least help your juicing taste buds get into the Christmas spirit. Instead of tropical sunshine, this recipe imparts feelings of a deeper sweetness, with cinnamon and ginger bringing spicy warmth and blood sugar regulation.

And you should know by now…. don’t toss that leftover pulp! We have a very festive plan for that in the next food hack, available in the free download book below…

Winter Warming Juice

winter warming juice

Winter Warming Juice


One of the highlights of the cold months for me is the arrival of persimmons on the grocery shelves.

Tasting like the exotic love child of a mango and a nectarine, these super sweet-tasting  fruits contain worthy levels of vitamins A and C to ward of winter chills, along with B-Complex vitamins, and minerals.
They also have a healthy fibre content, which we’ll be using in the in a further food hack.

This juice will not only help to control those pesky festive sugar cravings with its natural, grounding sweetness, drinking juices laden with raw enzymes will help your body digest any heavy Christmas foods you simply can’t resist!

Ingredients

1 Sweet potato – peeled
1 Large orange – rind and pith peeled off, cut in half widthways and remove any pips
1 Persimmon – peeled (you can substitute with nectarine or other stone fruit if you can’t source persimmon)
1 Pear – top and tailed, quartered and any pips cut out
1 Large Carrot – top and tailed
2 inches of ginger – skin peeled off
Pinch of ground cinnamon

Juice all ingredients, pour into a glass, stir in the cinnamon and drink!

You can find out what to do with the pulp from this juice in the free download that accompanies my book. So sign up below and learn how to create these deliciously Christmassy desserts for yourself (Psst… that ‘cream’ you see isn’t what you think it is… and it’s unbelievably delicious, dairy free AND healthy… you’ll love me for this discovery alone ;-) )

Three ways to use your juicer pulp (and no one will ever guess ;-)

Three ways to use your juicer pulp (and no one will ever guess ;-)

Be sure to download your free copy of my Book at Amazon, as this bonus package includes resources for the book too.

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Here are direct links to Don’t Toss the Juicer Pulp at the major Amazon stores, but please search the book title on your country’s Amazon store if it is not listed here:

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com.au

Thank you so much for your support. I hope you’ll love the book as much as I’ve loved creating it for you.
And if it feels good to do so, please leave a review on Amazon of your first impressions as every download and review helps the book to reach more people who will benefit from the healthy suggestions inside.

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Use Your Juicer to Make Grain-Free Bread

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Juicer Pulp Herb Slices

Juicer Pulp Herb Slices

 

I have another fab juicer pulp recipe for you that will help you enjoy bready favourites without consuming grains.

But before I get to that, I wanted to answer a question that was asked in some of the many wonderful emails I received in response to my Juicer Pulp Wraps recipe.

 

If I’m drinking juice and eating juicer pulp, why not just eat the whole foods?

 

It’s a great question!

And there are several great reasons why juicing AND using the juice pulp separately can benefit your health.

Fresh juices are a nutrition transfusion

Drinking the liquid from veggies and fruits is an amazing way to get quality vitamins and minerals into our cells without the need for digestion.
This gives our digestive system a break – something especially helpful for anyone with a compromised digestive system due to eating irritating foods such as grains and processed foods.

Well balanced juices can give us healthy energy and it would often be difficult and time-consuming to actually eat the amount of veggies and fruits that we can slam in the juicer!

Fibre is essential… but can be tricky to get right

If you’re using juicing to help with a health condition, it is likely that your digestion isn’t working 100% efficiently – our ability to digest and absorb nutrients is so vital to our health that a myriad of health conditions can be caused by an inability to properly absorb nutrients.
For anyone with compromised digestion, there is a Catch 22 situation – fibre is very important for intestinal health but it becomes quite difficult to process precisely because your intestines are not fully healthy. When this is the case, cooked fibre eases the digestive load whilst still being beneficial to the gut.

Food is much more than just nutrition!

We should also take into account that eating is much more than a function – we want to experience our food in many different ways, flavours and textures and this is important as it keeps us inspired and interested in eating healthy foods.

Replacing unhealthy foods with alternatives that still allow us to experience food in our own cultural ways is in fact a very powerful tool. It means we can still connect with the joy of, say, dipping bread into soup without compromising our health goals.

And speaking of dipping bread into soup (see what I did there ;-) this week’s recipe will allow you to do just that… and make grilled cheese… and enjoy your favourite sandwich filling… and… ohhhh the possibilities! And all without a grain or a speck of gluten in sight!

Watch the video to see how to transform your juicer into a ‘bread-making machine’!

 

This juice and pulp recipe pairing is just one of 21 ways to create balanced juices and all kinds of foods with that pulp instead of tossing it!
You can be the first to know when the book is available for download – just sign up here and get videos and inspiration like this in your inbox too!

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Sweet Veggie Juice

Sweet Veggie Juice

Sweet Veggie Juice

Ingredients

1 sweet potato
1 red bell pepper
2 carrots
1 zucchini/courgette
1 apple

Juice all ingredients and drink!

 

 

 

Juicer Pulp Herb Slices

Juicer Pulp Herb Slices

Sup-herb Slices

 

This bread alternative is packed with mediterranean flavours and reminiscent of rustic, artisan breads.

It’s so satisfying on flavour and nutrition that you won’t need much of it to

Ingredients

  • 1-1.5 cups of Sweet Veggie Juice pulp
  • 1 cup ground nuts/seeds (I love a mix of almonds, walnuts, pine nuts and sunflower seeds)
  • 5 or 6 sun-dried tomatoes preserved in oil, roughly chopped (you can replace with any antipasti preserved in oil)
  • Handful fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons oil – avocado or olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

Make the Magic

  1. Preheat oven to 190c/375f
  2. If using a silicone baking tray, brush it with a generous layer of oil
    If using a metal baking tray, line with baking/greaseproof paper and brush the paper with oil
  3. Combine all the ingredients thoroughly in a mixing bowl with a fork
  4. Spoon the mixture onto your baking tray and spread evenly to approx. 1/2inch thickness
  5. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the edges are nice and rustic-y brown
  6. Remove from oven and lightly cut the layer into quarters then turn each quarter over using a wide, flat spatula
  7. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes until the exposed side is now browned
  8. Remove from oven and leave to cool before cutting into smaller squares

You can store these in the fridge for up to 5 days. They also freeze well.

So tell me in the comments below, are you inspired to give this recipe a try?
Would it help you to not miss out on your favourite foods?

 

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Juicer Pulp Bread-Free Wraps – Your Lunchtime Saviour!

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What do I eat instead of a sandwich???

 

This must be the ultimate ‘life after bread’ question, and the one I’m answering in this week’s video.

If you struggle to find healthy alternatives to bread, this week’s post is going to change your lunchtime forever!

And if you are health conscious enough to own a juicer but feel bad about the waste it creates, the recipe below will also change the way you think about your juicer.

Because not only am I going to show you one of the simplest and most health-promoting juices you can make, the juicer pulp also has some very special sandwich skills… it will all make sense when you watch the video below!

Even if you just own a blender, you can still make this recipe and benefit from a digestion and waistline-friendly alternative to bread.

Who knew you could use your juicer to create amazing foods to replace those starchy carbs that we all eat too much of! Pretty cool, huh.

And not only are you doing your digestion, energy levels and waistline a favour by eating these fibre-rich wraps, you will save money and reduce waste by using pulp that would usually end up on the compost heap.

Both versions of the recipe are below.

But if you’re intrigued as to how you can use your juicer pulp in even more ways, my new book Don’t Toss The Juicer Pulp will be available very soon.

You can join the VIP list here to get a FREE download of the book when it’s published:

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Here are the juice and wrap recipes exactly as I made them in the video.

broccoli anti-cancer juice

broccoli has powerful anti-cancer nutrients

The Anti-Cancer Shot

Ingredients

1 large head of broccoli or 2 large handfuls of sprouting broccoli

Juice all the broccoli and drink it like a shot!

I enjoy the distinctive taste of this juice, but if you are new to juicing veggies it may be preferable to down it quickly!

 

 

 

juicer pulp broccoli wrap

juicer pulp broccoli wrap

Grain-Free Juicer-Pulp Broccoli Wraps

These wraps will literally change your lunch time!

Try this recipe to make a delicious alternative to bread wraps and sandwiches.

The fibre content will keep you fuller for longer and with no grains or artificial additives to irritate your digestion.

Ingredients

  • All the pulp from the Anti-Cancer Shot Juice – 1 cup or more
  • 3 eggs
  • Oil – avocado or olive oil work best

Equipment Tips:

Silicone baking trays and a wide, flat spatula make these so easy to flip over.
You can use a metal baking tray lined with baking/greaseproof paper, generously oiled.

Juicer Pulp Method

  1. Preheat oven to 190c
  2. In a mixing jug, thoroughly combine the pulp and eggs with 3 tablespoons of oil
  3. Generously oil a silicone baking tray or a metal tray lined with baking paper
  4. Use a large spoon to drop dollops of the mixture onto the baking tray and spread into rounds approx. ¼ inch thick. Don’t worry about neatness here, they look nice and rustic this way and you don’t waste time on neatness!
  5. Bake in oven for 15 minutes until the wraps are set in the middle and browning slightly on the edges
  6. Remove from oven and use a wide, flat spatula to ease underneath each wrap and flip it over.
  7. Return the flipped wraps to the oven for a further 5 minutes, then transfer to a cold plate or board to cool.

Blender Method

Ingredients

  • Florets from 1 whole broccoli or 2 large handfuls of sprouting broccoli
  • 3 eggs
  • Oil – avocado or olive oil work best

Make the Magic

  1. Preheat oven to 190c
  2. Roughly chop the broccoli florets and place in a jug blender, or in a large jug if using a hand blender
  3. Add the eggs and 3 tablespoons of oil to the broccoli and blend until the mixture resembles a thick batter.
  4. Generously oil a silicone baking tray or a metal tray lined with baking paper
  5. Use a large spoon to drop dollops of the mixture onto the baking tray and spread into rounds approx. ¼ inch thick. Don’t worry about neatness here, they look nice and rustic this way and you don’t waste time on neatness!
  6. Bake in oven for 15 minutes until the wraps are set in the middle and browning slightly on the edges
  7. Remove from oven and use a wide, flat spatula to ease underneath each wrap and flip it over.
  8. Return the flipped wraps to the oven for a further 5 minutes, then transfer to a cold plate or board to cool.

You can gently fold them into ‘taco’ shape wraps when they are still warm if you prefer, as they will hold this shape whilst cooling without creasing.

Use your favourite sandwich fillings inside these wraps.
You can store these in the fridge for 3 days or freeze individually – they defrost quickly.

 

So tell me, will you give these bread-free wraps a try now you see how simple they are to make?
Please leave a comment below and tell me what you think!

 

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Is Gluten the Culprit of YOUR Health Problem?

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How can eating gluten create health problems in so many parts of our body?

 

This is a question I get asked a lot during coaching, and the answer can get quite complex.

In this week’s video I explain very simply how eating something like gluten (in breads, pasta, pizza, etc) can not only give you digestive problems such as bloating and IBS, it could be the culprit for many problems in your body, including but not limited to:

  • Bloating
  • Diarrhea and/or constipation
  • IBS and abdominal pain
  • Malnutrition/Failure to thrive
  • Weight loss or weight gain
  • Celiac disease
  • Hair loss
  • Chronic Fatigue/ME
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Memory loss
  • Thyroid disorders, eg hypothyroidism, hashimoto’s disease
  • Skin disorders, eg eczma, psoriasis, rosacea
  • Joint pain and arthritis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Diabetes
  • Lupus
  • Water retention

That’s quite a list, huh! So, how can so many different symptoms possibly be related to eating gluten?

 

The problem begins in your gut, or your lower intestine to be precise.

Because gluten is not easily digested, these proteins damage the wall of your intestine – where your body absorbs nutrients from your food.
Over time, the millions of tiny protrusions called Villi that absorb nutrients become damaged and the surface area available for absorption reduces.

This means that even if you are eating nutrient-rich foods, your gut may not be able to take up those nutrients and convert them into energy and other functions such as body maintenance and repair.

Gluten proteins also damage the ‘barrier’ between your intestine and what lies behind it – your bloodstream and immune system.
This is commonly called Leaky Gut Syndrome, because your gut literally has holes in it that leaks particles of food past where they should be!

Once gluten particles get into your bloodstream, they are free to roam wherever your blood takes them. They’re on the trip of a lifetime with an access-all-areas ticket!
But in the meantime, your immune system is on to them, uh huh… sounds like your body’s home guard are going to save the day, right? Um, not exactly…

One of the first actions your immune system takes is to attach an enzyme to the gluten proteins in a bid to neutralise the threat.
The problem with this response is that the enzyme your body sends to jump on the gluten and grapple it to the ground, is the same type of enzyme that is also present in countless cells and organs of your body!

When your immune system sends the troops in to attack gluten, it assumes that the enzyme now attached to it is also part of the problem (I feel bad for this enzyme – Tissue Transglutaminase or Ttg – it got mixed up in the wrong crowd and it’s guilty by association!).

This means your immune system thinks that wherever it comes across this enzyme, it should attack.

It may detect this enzyme in your brain, joints, thyroid, liver, heart, skin… are you seeing the potential scope of the problem?

This is where auto-immune diseases take hold: your immune system attacks your own body’s cells because it thinks they are the enemy.

When your own body begins to attack itself, that’s bad news… but there are ways to bring peace to your body.

  1. The first step is to literally stop feeding the problem.
    Quitting gluten can be tough when we find it in most of everyday foods. But it is essential to find out if it really is the culprit. I help my clients navigate this challenge without feeling confused or denied.
  2. The second step is to heal the damage.
    The leaks in your gut and your compromised absorption in your intestine CAN be healed. And until you close that unauthorised access AND get the most nutrition from your food, your body can’t even think about dealing with the war happening elsewhere in your organs.
  3. The third step is to take care of your wacko immune army and re-educate those trigger-happy soldiers to stop attacking the good guys!

If this unconventional biology lesson has set off some alarm bells for you and YOUR random symptoms, that is actually GREAT NEWS!
Because you can start the healing process.

Is Your Body Battling Gluten?
Book a Free Session with me to find out and take action!

If you want to start the amnesty process with your body, I am offering free sessions to three lucky readers in the next week where we can create an action plan for your first steps to peace in your body.

If you have questions about your symptoms or the information here, please leave a comment and I’ll help you with answers.

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What to Eat Instead of Pasta – And Save Time!

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“I know pasta makes me feel bloated and sluggish, but I just don’t have time to cook healthier food.”

If I had a pine nut for every time I heard this… well, I’d be making pesto right now!

But if you find yourself stuck for what to eat instead of pasta, I am here to prove that eating healthier can be quick.

First of all, why is pasta so bad for us?

 

  • Pasta is made from refined flour – finely ground wheat or other grains.
    These grains can irritate your gut, causing symptoms such as bloating, constipation and gas.
  • Grain flours are primarily starch – and starch is basically sugar.
    Sugar is absorbed quickly and can raise your blood sugars rapidly. Your body reacts to lower your blood sugar, storing the excess in fat cells. This means you store extra fat and get that slump that I refer to as ‘carb coma’.
  • Although ‘whole wheat’ pasta includes the fibre of the original grain, this fibre also contains natural chemicals that can irritate your gut and interfere with nutrient absorption. It can even leach essential minerals from your body.
  • Refined grain products have less nutritional value than more natural foods. So, although you may feel (often uncomfortably) full, your body is still feeling starved of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients.
  • Over-using grain products can lead to food sensitivities, damaging your gut and depleting digestive enzymes. This can lead to a myriad of health problems, from digestive disorders to chronic fatigue, celiac disease and other auto-immune diseases.
  • ‘Bulking up’ meals with pasta often means we don’t reach our target portions of fresh veg and fruit per day – and most of us could do better in this department!

If you often just grab the pasta pan because you’re tired, busy and can’t think of a quick alternative, my challenge to you is to watch my video that PROVES there is a simple alternative that is quicker.

 

 

Here is the link to the quick and easy Instant Pesto Zucchetti recipe showcased in the video.

pesto courgette zucchini pasta

Use Courgette/Zucchini as a healthy alternative to pasta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Courgettes/Zucchini are a perfect vegetable to use instead of starchy carbohydrate pasta:

  • They are antioxidant powerhouses! Packed with Vitamin C as well as a good amount of Vitamin A.
  • They also boast some more exotic antioxidants like the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are especially helpful in protecting eye health.
  • They are a very good source of potassium, helping to reduce blood pressure and heart rate by countering the effects of sodium. This makes it a very helpful choice for people with high blood pressure and heart conditions.
  • They are also a good source of the B Complex vitamins B1, B2, B6 and minerals such as iron, manganese, phosphorous, zinc and potassium – essential for so many body functions, from the formation of healthy cells to transporting oxygen through the body to forming healthy bones and teeth.

Has this encouraged you to try Courgette/Zucchini ‘Pasta’ instead of regular pasta? Please leave a comment!

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Artificial Sweeteners – Health Dangers + Natural Alternatives

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We know that too much sugar is bad for our health.

But swapping to artificial sweeteners creates more problems than it solves for our health.
Just taking Aspartame as an example, this additive is responsible for 75% of the FDA’s recorded adverse reactions to foods.

But are there any safe ways to sweeten our foods?

In this week’s video I show you not only the dangers of artificial and even so-called ‘natural’ sweeteners, I show you my favourite, natural alternatives.

And below the video you will find a recipe for my all-time best natural sweetener, containing just two raw ingredients.
Trust me, it will satisfy your sweet tooth without the adverse effects of sugars, artificial sweeteners and processed products on the market.

 

 

natural date syrup recipe

Date ‘Syrup’ is easy to make + healthy to eat

Home Made Date ‘Syrup’

Dates are packed with nutrition and healthy fibre, as well as imparting a rich sweetness to many foods.

Making your own date syrup is super-easy and avoids any processing or pasteurising involved with shop-bought varieties.

This recipe will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks… but I bet you find so many ways to use it instead of sugar that it won’t last that long!

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 2 large handfuls of dates (I use Medjool but this works with any variety)
  • Water – preferably filtered

Method

  1. Rinse the dates and place in a large bowl and cover with water so they are all submerged.
  2. Soak for a minimum of 2 hours (I often soak them overnight for convenience)
  3. Once sufficiently plump from soaking, pinch the stone out of each date and place them in a jug blender or a jug if you are using a hand blender.
  4. DO NOT DISCARD THE SOAKING WATER!
  5. Instead, add about half to the dates and then blend.
  6. Add the remaining water and extra if required to achieve your ideal consistency.
    You can keep the consistency quite thick to keep the sweetness more intense, or more liquid, it’s up to you.
  7. Decant into a sterilised jar or bottle and keep in the fridge.

Use this marvellous concoction to sweeten smoothies, juices, hot drinks, porridges and baked goods.
Experiment! Because your body will love you for it ;-)

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Unmask the Sugar Baddies + Rescue Your Health!

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Sugar is a hot topic right now, with the World Health Organisation stating the health benefits from halving their recommended daily sugar intake to six teaspoons per day.

But what do we recognise as sugar?

Sometimes it’s obvious – the cakes and sugary sodas we know we shouldn’t be eating!

But it can be less obvious when it’s hidden away inside low-fat foods and even products that we assume are healthy.

For me and my clients, the story doesn’t end there… because baddies can be very stealthy! Watch my video to learn what I’m talking about…

 

Yup. There are other foods that have similar effects on our body as sugar, but do not fall under the sugar umbrella – the Ninja Foods ;-)
But they are often more harmful simply because we are less aware of their unhealthy properties and keep consuming them.

If you’re wondering whether these ‘Ninja’ foods are affecting your health – causing high blood sugar; fat storage; low energy; digestive disturbances and even auto-immune disorders such as celiac disease, food intolerances, hashimoto’s, arthritis, etc., use my Sugar Baddies Test when you’re making food choices.

 

Are you allowing Ninjas to infiltrate your shopping trolley?

Are they secretly affecting your health goals?

Do not fear! There are oodles of genuine ‘good guys’ just waiting to take their place and restore your health.

Try these simple alternatives to pasta and bread and kick those ninjas out the door!

Instant Pesto Zucchetti

pesto courgette zucchini pasta

Use Courgette/Zucchini as a healthy alternative to pasta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is such a quick dish to rustle up for lunch, with just a few flavourful ingredients making a big impact.
Courgette/Zucchini are a fab replacement for pasta and even quicker to prepare.
Healthy No-Bread

healthy grain free gluten free bread alternative

delicious, grain-free alternative to bread

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can make this in advance and store it in the fridge or freezer for those moments when you just want bread! This will actually balance your blood sugars instead of spiking them.

Is there a Food Ninja you could kick out of your kitchen?
Have you had a health win from cutting down on these foods?
Please comment and share with us! 

 

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Are You Missing Something?

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Do you ever feel like something is missing?

No, I’m not talking about that Monday meeting that left you needing carbs covered in cheese!

Fill the Gap

we often notice the gaps when life challenges us

There are times in life when we recognise there is some vacant space that needs filling in order for us to make progress.

  • It may be a gap in our qualifications that needs work for us to advance our career.
  • Or an absence in our relationships where we’re seeking something deeper and more fulfilling.
  • And sometimes we have a health challenge that highlights all kinds of gaps – in our knowledge; in our motivation to get better; gaps in the right help we need to make progress.

When life throws a challenge at us, the gaps in our support network become very acute.

 

I remember this feeling from when I was sick with chronic fatigue and leaky gut syndrome: many people doubted I was even ‘really’ sick, and my real friends were well intentioned but not equipped to really help me.

Friends can be a source of great strength and encouragement.
But they often don’t have the knowledge or skills to help you fully.
They are also having their own life experience and this affects the way they view you – projecting their own lives onto you, often with good intentions and sometimes not. It’s not their fault, we all do it!

It can be hard to find impartial, practical, emotionally supportive advice in your regular life.

I got lucky. I had a boss who was rather like a health coach and this was my first introduction to being helped by someone who knew things I didn’t know.

Every week or so he would ask me about my health; my thoughts about an article he’d sent me; had I been practising the breathing exercise he suggested, etc.
It kept me on top of my game because I didn’t want to say, “No I haven’t done that.”

There was a sense of positive accountability that I had not experienced on my own.

It also opened my eyes to the benefits of being coached in a regular, focused format.

I come from a working class background, and the idea of paying someone to help me with my health and happiness felt frivolous and selfish! I had never invested in just myself before then and I had a lot of guilt around the idea.

Who do I think I am, something special?

How can I justify spending money on myself for this when I can just google anything I need?

And so that’s what I did:

  • I joined online forums for gluten sensitivity and chronic fatigue
  • I googled gluten free foods
  • I joined the celiac society.

And a year later I was a walking catalogue of every gluten free product on the supermarket shelves, I was depressed from reading online forums and I was no healthier.

I felt like I had walked around in a big circle for a year when I could have just made the investment and walked a much more direct and fruitful path. Doh!

I remember the first coaching session that I paid for.

I remember the sense of relief from realising that I had been walking around in this circle judging myself:
For not being knowledgeable enough;
For not being motivated enough;
For not being able to ‘fix myself’ on my own.

I remember the relief of talking to someone who accepted what I said about my health, life and fears and didn’t start each reply with, “oh you should do this,” or “don’t be silly!
It felt so much more collaborative than that.
Gentle but positive.

I knew that this collaboration would get me to my goals quicker and more efficiently than any combination of doing it on my own, help from well-meaning friends and forums.

And truly it was the best decision I ever made. Not only for my health but for my life in general, because I was able to make changes in my diet; how I organise my life; in my career; relationships with others; re-connecting with my creativity and other things that make me light up.

Three years on, I help women who are feeling as crappy about their health and their life as I was, to take practical and fun steps every day toward their goals.

:: Whether that goal is cutting out bread because you know it bloats you
:: Or never wanting another debilitating migraine
:: Or getting your blood sugars to healthy levels or planning a meal strategy that will keep you energised alongside a hectic job…
:: Or even if you can’t think straight enough to even know what your goals should be!

Why not take a step out of your comfort zone and arrange a complimentary Health Barrier Breakthrough Session with me.
It will only cost you the time it takes – about 30 minutes – and it could save you a lot of walking around in circles.
Believe me, I know this from personal experience! :-D

life after bread free session






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A Better Way to ‘Give Up’ Bad Habits

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sugary snacks

Can you give up your nemesis for Lent?

It’s that time of year when many of us feel the calling to be more mindful about our consumption – and more to the point, our over-consumption.

And so, tradition dictates that we should give something up for the 40 days of Lent.

But what if this traditional practise is actually taking you further away from your health and happiness goals?

Would you make a small change to this tradition for your success?

Wikipedia Definition:
Lent is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar of many Christian denominations.
The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement and self-denial.

In my work as a health coach, the concept of Lent presents some problems.

There are reasons why ‘giving up’ does not work.

My partnership with my clients refutes the concept of just ‘giving up’ things – whether it is foods, thoughts or habits.
As complex human beings, we need more motivation to succeed than just the reward of denying ourselves.

Is this how you operate?

  1. When you think about giving up something, you immediately feel a sense of lack, of deprivation.
  2. And those feelings just make you want that thing more!
  3. Your mind races ahead, past the smugness of your self-control, directly to the times when you will crave that which you are denying myself.
  4. You can imagine precisely the feelings of frustration at your own faltering willpower; the moments you will contemplate breaking your vow and the relief of crossing the finish line and rewarding yourself with exactly the thing you’ve been denying yourself!

Seriously. What will you have learned from this other than how to make yourself crazy?

But, a small shift in this thinking can make the difference between failure and success.

 

My challenge to you if you are participating in Lent, is this:

Instead of Giving Up, what can you swap?

It sounds like such a simple and obvious shift that it’s hardly worth the words I’m writing.

But this is so much more powerful than you think.

This psychological shift can create a pattern of thinking that helps in every change you wish to make in your life. Think about it:

  • Instead of giving up chocolate bars, I will swap to 85% cacao, organic chocolate or even raw chocolate smoothies
  • Instead of giving up coffee, I will swap to a satisfying substitute
  • Instead of giving up bread, I will swap to grain-free alternatives
  • Instead of [trying to!] give up negative thoughts about myself, I will make a practise of positive affirmations every morning.

I can honestly say that my clients have made life-changing improvements to their health and happiness by employing this tactic of swapping where previous attempts to ‘give things up’ had left them feeling like failures.
I have witnessed clients eradicate caffeine from their life with NO withdrawal symptoms; easily reduce their sugar intake with no cravings; lose lbs simply by swapping pasta for healthier alternatives and prefer them.

The simple message is this:

It doesn’t have to be an ordeal to be effective. In fact, it will be more effective if it is not an ordeal!

What can you swap in the next forty days instead of just denying yourself?

As the day before Lent is traditionally a time to fill our boots with yummy pancakes, I thought this client-favourite recipe would be appropriate. Not only can you treat yourself to pancakes, you can do it in the knowledge that these are much healthier than the usual white flour offerings.

CLICK HERE for Sweet Potato Pancakes Recipe

sweet potato pancakes stack

Sweet Potato Pancakes Stack – A Guilt-Free Treat

 

And please drop me a comment below about what swap you could pledge for the next day, week or even forty days of Lent.

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