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???

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, 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 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

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 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, 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!

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 20^th to 22^nd 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

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 ;-)

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

Don't Toss the Juicer Pulp!

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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

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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.

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

Ingredients

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

Juice all ingredients and drink!

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?

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 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

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!

“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.

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!

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.

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

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

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

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! 

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 – 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.

Hack your Snacks to feel energised

It can be a real challenge to choose healthy snacks when your schedule is crazy or you’re commuting a lot.

But I’m going to give you four great ideas for healthy and quick snacks to eat wherever you are.

The whole concept of snacking is relatively new in our culture, and has been made much more acceptable by clever marketing from the big food companies.

Just to add to the confusion, there are as many professional opinions on snacking as there are flavours of tortilla chips.
The eastern philosophy of Ayurveda does not advocate snacking and teaches a more ‘fill your boots’ approach to set day time meals.
And yet, supermarkets, mini marts and service stations are stacked with endless varieties of snack foods to keep us going during our hectic schedules.

Because many of my clients come to me with low energy and hectic schedules, snacking can be a tricky area to get right.
My most prevalent approach with clients is:

If you feel you really need to, eat healthy snacks.

Also, bear in mind that what works for you now may not work in the future. Keep checking in with yourself and make adjustments.

Let’s do a quick snack audit:

• Have you ever been en route to an important appointment and just knew you wouldn’t get through it without an extra hit of energy?
• Did you stop by the mini-mart and grab a bag of crisps or chocolate to see you through? Or maybe a vending machine coffee or energy drink?
• Did it do the trick? You got through the meeting/class.
• Were you either depleted or buzzed for hours afterwards? Neither is good for your body!

If your answer is “yes” to any of the above, it’s time to hack your snacks and make choices that will keep you energised without the unwanted buzz long after you needed it or the frustrating slump that often follows.

Because these on-the-go pick-me-ups can be transformed into an opportunity for healthy, natural sustenance and it really doesn’t take much extra work – Just a dash of inspiration and a little forward planning.

Here are 4 of my clients (and my own!) favourite, healthy on-the-go snacks.

I call them Snack Hacks

Bell peppers

Healthy Snack Idea – Bell Peppers

If you are not sensitive to nightshades, bell peppers are a really convenient snack food – you don’t even have to cut them up, just grab it whole and crunch your way through it.

As a woman, I really like the fact that eating a bell pepper whole won’t leave me with a tide mark of lipstick on my face the way that biting into a big, round apple often does!

While we’re comparing them to apples, they are easier and less messy to eat and even have a built-in handle

They also win out in the vitamin C stakes in comparison, having a whopping 117mg of it compared to an apple’s average of 4mg per 100grams.

Boiled Eggs

Healthy Snack Idea – Boiled Eggs

These are the perfect protein snack to keep you sustained between meals, but also if you have an early start and breakfast was sacrificed.

Just put them on to boil while you’re getting dressed then wrap in a clean tea towel to grab and go.

They are self-contained in their own handy packaging, and I can often be seen in a car park before a meeting just peeling my egg into the tea towel and munching it in a couple of bites!

Home-Made Trail Mix

Healthy Snack Idea – Home Made Trail Mix

Instead of grabbing that not-so-healthy, secret-sugar-laden ‘Energy Bar’, take a few minutes to throw some raw ingredients into a zip-lock bag.

This way, you can choose your favourite flavours and get great nutrition when you need a lift.

These are some great ingredients to choose from:

• Nuts (except peanuts) – protein and healthy fats for sustenance and brain power
• Raisins/sultanas – natural sweetness and fibre
• Goji Berries – energy-boosting superfood
• Seeds – pumpkin, sunflower, hemp, etc – healthy fats again
• Dried apricots/dates – natural sweetness and fibre
• Raw cacao nibs – energy-boosting superfood and a natural chocolate hit!
• Fennel seeds – great flavour, breath freshener and reputed to satisfy appetite quickly

Pre-Packed Veggies

Healthy Snack Idea – Packs of Vegetables

With just a little imagination, you can steer yourself away from the candy counter and look at the pre-packed veggie offerings in a whole new way!

This is a really easy way to increase your raw food intake and benefit from nutrition in its most natural form.

Look for stir fry packs and individuals such as sugar snap peas or baby corn, which incidentally will satisfy a sugar craving too.

So, are you up for the challenge to turn your snacks into healthy energy boosts?

1. Please post a comment and tell me your favourite snack – healthy or not so much.
2. If it isn’t so healthy, what could you swap it for that would help you toward your health goals?

An unhealthy heart is an unhappy heart

If your heart could write you a letter this Valentine’s, would it be loving or leaving you?

Many of us take our heart for granted.
Like any long term relationship, it’s easy to become complacent.

We forget to appreciate our heart and how much it does for us day in, day out.

We may neglect its needs, take more than we give back and not consider what would happen if one day it decided it was fed up of being treated that way!

Some of us ignore the warning signs of our own heart’s heartbreak…

• It feels our stress so it beats really fast sometimes and makes us panic.
• It’s struggling to cope with our food and lifestyle choices so it raises our blood pressure.
• It feels overworked and clogged up and so we feel breathless and lacking energy.

We may secretly worry that our heart will suddenly pack up and leave! Oh but wait, it can’t leave! We have all the exits covered! So let’s just push that feeling down and leave it for another day…

Or maybe we could spend a little time with our loyal and loving heart and reap the benefits?
You know, one of those equal, loving relationships where both sides are happy – the kind that we all want

On the day dedicated to all things heart-shaped, how about showing your real heart some love?

Sound good?

Here is a quick and easy way to show your heart some real love this Valentine’s, and I guarantee your heart will love you right back for it!

Happy Heart Beet Smoothie

These ingredients are proven to support your heart’s healthy function. Put them all together and you have a recipe for perfect heart love:

• Beets – contain Betaine, a key nutrient for regulating inflammation and homocysteine levels in the cardio vascular system.
• Dark-skinned Berries – Your body loves the antioxidants and polyphenols that berries are rich in. Your heart will love how these regulate blood pressure and cholesterol, making its job of pumping that good stuff around so much easier.
• Spinach – Packed with antioxidant vitamins and minerals, spinach is a strong ally in preventing oxidative conditions of the blood vessels and arteries such as atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. It also contains certain peptides that can help lower blood pressure by inhibiting a specific, harmful enzyme (Angiotensin).
• Avocado – Think fat is bad for your heart? Think again! Research shows that inflammation, oxidation and even healthy cholesterol levels are all improved by consuming avocados. Their essential fatty acids are, well, essential for heart health.
• Chia Seeds – Another rich, plant-based source of Omega3 fatty acids along with antioxidants and fibre to support healthy heart function. These little seeds pack a very big punch!
• Raw Cacao – The raw and unadulterated ingredient in chocolate is bursting with antioxidants, flavanols and minerals that can improve blood flow, reduce blood pressure and LDL cholesterol (that’s the bad type) and strengthen artery walls.
• Dates – These dried fruits are a great way to add sweetness without spiking your blood sugar. The high fibre content helps regulate both blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and their potassium can help lower blood pressure.
• Nut/Seed Milk – Choose an organic brand of your favourite nut or seed milk to thin out your smoothie and you will benefit from a plethora of nutrients such as polyunsaturated fats and vitamin that are essential for heart health. It’s also an easy way to reduce your dairy intake and increase nutrient diversity in your diet.

Happy Heart-Beet Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 small beet, peeled and chopped
• 2 handfuls berries –  choose your own combination of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc
• 1 handful spinach
• ½ – 1 Avocado, de-stoned and peeled
• 1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds, soaked in 3 Tbsp of water until they ‘gel’
• 1 Tablespoon Raw Cacao Powder – optional but recommended (because who doesn’t love chocolate?!)
• 3-5 dates, de-stoned
• Nut/Seed Milk – my personal favourites are almond milk and hemp seed milk

Make the Magic

1. If you have a jug blender, simply add all the ingredients with a little of your chosen milk. Pulse and blend until smooth, adding extra milk to your desired consistency.
2. If you only have a hand/stick blender, you can still make this but it will take a little more effort to blend down. Chop the beetroot into small pieces to aid this process and add ingredients gradually if necessary.

Even if you don’t have any heart health concerns, this recipe will show your body’s hardest working muscle just how much you appreciate it!
And if you have any family history of heart, blood or cholesterol problems, this smoothie is delicious insurance against any future ills.

So tell me, do you worry about your heart, appreciate it or never think about it?
Will you be showing your heart some extra love this Valentine’s?
Please like and share this article with anyone you know who may benefit and let’s spread some cardio love!