A few of my Fave Healthy Foodie Apps

Admittedly, I can get a little "App Happy" at times... But in my defence - some of them are just plain awesome! So here are a few of my fave healthy foodie apps that I love and a couple of recipe ebooks that work well on an ipad too ;)

First, a fantastic recipe book / menu planner app that I have adored since day dot:
 https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/menu-planner/id304945491?mt=8








 Green Kitchen - for Vego's:
 https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/green-kitchen-healthy-vegetarian/id466252999?mt=8





 NomNom Paleo - for the gluten / grain / dairy / sugar free fans:
 https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/nom-nom-paleo/id507051584?mt=8







Desserts - a really great collection of low dairy / sugar / gluten desserts. Also by "Green Kitchen":
http://greenkitchenapps.com/healthydesserts/






And last but not least - a couple of my often relied upon e recipe books - I get these from the amazon kindle store and downloaded the kindle app to open them with ;)

The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam - she is fabulous fabulous fabulous - nothing I have cooked from her work has flopped - and thats a big feat for the "grain free" genre of recipe writers!!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/158761345X







The Primal Blueprint Cookbook by Mark Sisson - A wonderful Paleo guide by one of the best!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Primal-Blueprint-Cookbook-Gluten-Free/dp/0982207727








Happy Cooking,
Eat Well ~ Be Well,
Rachael ;)

Beat the Winter Flu with my Super Green Pesto Recipe...

This is my lunch today...

I am absolutely loving the abundance of spray free Coriander,  Parsley & Garlic available in our area lately... Sooo have been making stupendous amounts of green pesto to eat for lunch with some raw chopped veggies and as a delicious sauce for our gluten free pasta nights.

Not only is it super yummy, this recipe is also fantastic for keeping those winter coughs and colds at bay.
Why? Coz its chocked full of garlic, lemon, parsley and coriander. All wonderful cold fighting ingredients to keep your bod healthy and your tum full.


Recipe:
1 full bunch or local coriander
1 full bunch of local parsley
2 large cloves of local garlic
juice of 1 whole large lemon
1/2 cup cashews
1 cup macadamia's
1 cup of oil ~ macadamia, grape seed or sunflower oils are best. (if texture feels too thick,, add a little more)
generous dashes of rock salt and ground black pepper.
Now blend the whole lot in the food processor until you have a smoothish consistency.

speaking of wonderful food ~ This is my latest foodie book luv ~ packed full of healthy scrumptious recipes & gorgeous pictures...

Eat Well Be Well,
R xx

Easing Back & Hip Pain by Stretching the Psoas and Balancing the Sacrum

Sooo my ongoing issue with hip and lower back pain has once again reared its ugly head and I've decided to share why it comes on and what helps me most (and what doesn't) - because many women I know who've had children suffer from it as well - and we need all the help we can get right!
Prior to pregnancy and a natural birth I'd never had even a slight niggle in my lower back or hips, yet
since the birth of my child 5 years ago, Ive had an off again on again painful relationship with my lower back and hips. Here's why: After carrying a baby and giving birth the Sacroiliac ligaments holding my Sacrum in the correct position were strained considerably and as a result the position of my sacrum and flexability of my Psoas muscle has never been quite right since - and nor have MANY women's, once they have carried a baby to full term!
The Psoas muscle (which is deemed by many experts  as one of the most important muscles of the body) can be affected by a misaligned sacrum as the lower portion of the Psoas muscle combines with fibres from the iliacus muscle, which sits inside the surface of the pelvis and sacrum, to become the Iliopsoas muscle as it curves over the pubic bone. A tight or shortened Psoas is said to be the leading cause of all back and hip pain!
So what can we do about it? My answer - stretch, stretch, stretch - its the only treatment that has had any REAL or LONG TERM positive effect for me, here's the thing tho - you have to be consistent - its a preventative measure, and once you slack of for a month or so - bingo, your pain can creep back!
Here are a couple of my fave stratches to open the hips and ease tension on  the sacrum and the psoas muscle's

Please remember, if you feel intense pain in stretching, it is advised you stop - this is not a "How to" blog, its just pointing you toward what might work - trying it or not, is really up to your own discretion ;)

Its been said that holding each pose for a minimum of 30 seconds and breathing deeply is best. holding a pose for between 3 - 5 minutes and repeating the poses at least 3 times a week consistently has been known to offer the best results...

FROG POSE







 

 PSOAS STRETCH





RECLINING PIGEON


















FORWARD PIGEON POSE






Here is a link to a fantastic You tube clip of an 11 min stretch routine for releasing the Psoas Muscle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SZj7UcoCeg

Why do i recommend stretching above any other method i have tried?? Because in the past Ive committed to regular treatments in: Chiropractic, Massage Therapies, various forms of Energy Medicine, Bowen therapy and  Acupuncture - they all helped - But for a SHORT while.
Being a certified Massage Therapist, Energy Worker and Healing Touch Practitioner my self, I hate to admit that it's just not a long term answer unless you enjoy forking out money every second week for something you could be treating yourself in the comfort of your own home for free... I personally enjoy these treatments very much BUT only in conjunction with my home stretching routine. This means I save money by only needing a treatment from someone else "every so often" instead of fortnightly. Plus - its your health - a little proactive effort on your part is always a very positive thing emotionally, mentally and physically!

I will also state here - this is about my personal experience and my personal opinion from that experience. There may very well be people who respond very well to solely using the above mentioned treatments for this particular problem and actually get long term results, I'm just not one of them and lots of other women I speak to with this particular pain seem also to be spending lots of dosh on multiple visits to multiple health professionals over long periods of time.... Just saying....

Happy sacrum balancing and psoas stretching,
Be Well,
Rachael ;)

My Healthy Summer BBQ Dishe's

I am proud to say, this Summer Holiday Season must have been one of our families healthiest ~  But "go without" we did not!
Here are a few of our luscious yet nutritious summer dishes we cooked for our home & guests this silly season ;)
Easy, tasty & quick to whip up too, I promise !!

(All of these recipes are Paleo friendly, Low GI & contain No: Added sugar, yeast, wheat, colours or preservatives)


COCONUT QUINOA TABBOULEH

1 cup uncooked white quinoa and follow packet instructions for heating.
1 red capsicum finely diced
2 red onions finely diced
1 cup chopped coriander
1 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped mint
2 grated carrots
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sultanas
3 - 4 Tblsp Bragg's non fermented soy or to taste
2 -3 Tblsp Honey or coconut nectar or to taste depending on how much of a sweet tooth you have. start with 2 is always best here.
season with salt & pepper to taste.
* mix cooled cooked quinoa with all other ingredients in a large serving bowl. Allow to stand in fridge for one hour for flavor infusion.

 CUCUMBER, MINT & SHEEP'S FETA SALAD

2 large cucumbers peeled, halved lengthways and diced
1 punnet cherry tomato's quartered
1 red onion halved and finely sliced
2 Tblsp sun dried tomato's sliced thinly
1/2 tub of sheep's feta crumbled in chunks
1/4 cup chopped mint
2 Tblsp coconut or apple cyder vinegar
squeeze of lemon juice
2 Tblsp macadamia or grape seed oil
salt & pepper to taste.

*Toss & Serve asap.

SESAME CHICKEN

3 chicken breasts cut into strips or as preferred
4 Tblsp sesame oil
2 Tblsp Honey
1 tsp coconut palm sugar
2 Tblsp sesame seeds
1 Tblsp regular oil such as grape seed or macadamia
small das of black pepper and sea salt.

*Mix marinade in large bowl, toss through chicken strips and marinade in fridge for a min of 1 hr before cooking.


Garlic Chilli BBQ Prawns

1 Kilo raw prawns tails on or off - doesn't matter
1 whole chilli - de seeded for mild spiciness
5 cloves garlic
Juice of one lime
zest of one lime

*Mix marinade in large bowl, toss through prawns and marinade in fridge for at least 1 hour before cooking.




Berry & Rosewater Ice Cream Cake

600 mil thickened cream
2 whole eggs
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 Tblsp rose water
1/2 cup xylatol (or sugar if you are into it)
1 packet frozen berries (set 1/4 packet aside for topping the finished ice cream)
1/2 punnet fresh straw berrries (set aside for topping the finished ice cream
3 Tblsp dark choc to grate over the top when serving. (we use the loving earth brand as it contains pure cacao and no cane sugar)

* In the food processor whip cream, rosewater, sweeteners & eggs together, Pour into a grease paper lined loaf tin add and gently stir in the 3/4 packet of berries. cover in plastic wrap and freeze for min 5 - 6 hrs.  Top with berries & grated choc when ready to serve. Melts fast so don't let it sit around ;)

So there you have it ~ my summer bbq menue ~ I hope you enjoy it as much as we did...

Eat Well, Be Well xx

How One Hour a Day Can Super Charge Your Summer...

As summer approaches many of us have a little (but loud) voice in the back of our minds telling us to "get ready for summer" I'm sure this means different things for everyone but for most it includes the universal "loose weight & have enough energy to enjoy this jam packed season"... There are already millions of theories and "advice" being pushed onto us from all angles of the media world so I'm not going to write an essay on all the weird and wonderful time consuming way's you need to change ~
Instead, I'm just going to share a little inspiration from my side of the fence about the simple things we are doing in our home to kick start our summer season ~ Because it's working bloody wonders !!

We are a trio of mum dad and the four year old boss of the house. We have a mix of preschool and home day's, Dad works full time, mum works part time, we have swimming lessons, Martial art's classes, a veggie garden to manage, a house we clean ourselves, pets to feed, 7 home cooked dinners, lunches, breakie's & snacks to make each week (because i am a little mad and somewhere along the lines decided pre-made supermarket food and take-out was unhealthy.... Maybe for the body but not always for time management or sanity) So yes, we are just as chin deep in the business of day to day life as the next person and know how challenging it is to work "looking after me" into any day of the week.

But here's what we've done for the last month 6 mornings a week...
we decided to cut back on the evening t.v to make space for more constructive use of our time or to relax with a good read instead, which is far more replenishing than the over stimulation you get from tv.
We go to bed 1 hr earlier - 9:30 - 10pm instead of the previous 10:30 or so.
we get up 1 hr earlier - now at 5am
we do 1 hour of power yoga together while our son is still asleep.
we gulp down a super green smoothie that takes 5 min to make and 5 min to drink and nourishes the body like no other breakie you've ever had.
Recipe: 
2 banana's
1 cup pineapple
1.5 cup coconut milk
2 tsp spirulina
2tsp wheat grass
2 Tblsp chia seeds
1 tsp pro biotic powder
5 ice cubes
Blend & Gulp ;)


This may sound like a lot of changes, but really it's not. if you break it down, essentially its about getting to bed and rising one hour earlier than usual to make space for the changes YOU wish to implement!!

One hour & one smoothie has made an enormous change in our lives. The energy we now have supports us through the entire day. The nourishment we gain feeds our body the right amount of nutrition that cravings for sweet foods are almost non existent.  As a couple we even have time to have a decent conversation ALONE when we are energized and happy verses tired and grumpy.
We bring more positivity, health and vitality to our family relationships, our work and most importantly to ourselves.

One hour has improved our sleep, allowed for exercise, enhanced fitness & muscle tone, encouraged authentic connection in our relationship, elevated our energy levels, boosted nutrition & increased our overall happiness & well-being.   

So go on, take up the "Super Charged Hour" challenge ~ Try it  ~ You may be delighted with the results !!

P.s Here are two of my Book reccomendations for this summer for those of you who are wanting to loose weight & feel healthy & whole in mind body & spirit this season ;)

"The Gabriel Method Recipe Book" Filled with sugar, grain, yeast free recipe's that are delicious & powerfully nutritious!

 "The Way of the Happy Woman - Living the best year of your life" Packed full of feminine wisdom & Yoga for the seasons. I love this book and it will probably live in my shelf for as long as i reside on this earth.