Pink Eggs!

I'm always looking for simple ways to incorporate more vegetables into my diet. In this case, beetroot.

This recipe comes from the "That Sugar Film" blog. By the way if you haven't seen that film yet, you should.

Recipe [serves 2]

1 medium beetroot, peeled and finely grated

4-5 eggs 

1 Avocado 

Method

Grate the beetroot into a bowl. Add the eggs and mix well with a fork. Add to a pan greased with a dob of grass-fed butter or coconut oil and stir until cooked. Serve topped with chopped avocado.

So I thought that I would give this recipe a try.  Grating the fresh beetroot is a fun exercise, and expectedly a little messy!  But not as hard as I thought it might be, and if you promptly wash your hands, knife and chopping board, staining is not a problem, but you could wear gloves.

The end product looks a little ... let's go with unusual.  And the taste?  I think that I expected the beetroot flavour to be very dominant. Probably because most of my previous beetroot experience is a slice of vinegar-soaked canned beetroot on a hamburger. But actually it was very subtle and the overall verdict ... quite delicious!

For an extra nutritional punch I added some chopped fresh parsley along with the avocado. The second time I made it I also added a chopped spring onion to the mixture before cooking.

I think this may well become a frequent breakfast meal for me, but could also be handy as a quick lunch or dinner.

Source: "That Sugar Film" Damon's Post Experiment Recipes ebook
http://thatsugarfilm.com/act-now/recipes/

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Homemade Deodorant

One of the key factors I feel helped to eliminate the migraines I suffered from was adopting a diet that supports my body in its natural detoxification processes.  So by drinking a good amount of water every day throughout the day, eating lots of plant foods, especially leafy greens.  Generally eating a nutrient-dense diet to give my body the tools it needs to do its job, and eliminating the things that will inhibit that process - refined sugars and flours, chemically and heat processed oils and other processed foods.

I also feel it's important to reduce where I can the 'toxic load' that my body needs to deal with.  So becoming more aware of what's in the products I use everyday and switching to products made from natural ingredients.  I use coconut oil, or olive oil to moisturise my skin and I've been experimenting with more natural cosmetics and hair-care products from my local health food store.

This homemade deodorant is simple and it works!  It won't stop you sweating but you don't want to do that because sweating is one of the body's pathways of detoxification.  I've been using this for about nine months now and on hot humid days when I get a bit wet under the arms I just wipe the moisture away with a tissue, but even then, there's no smell!

This recipe comes from twenty8.com

Equipment/Ingredients

Clean dry empty spice jar

Aluminium-free bicarbonate soda

Essential oils of your choice.  I used jasmine and sandalwood.

Method

Fill the spice jar about one third full of bicarbonate soda, add a few drops of essential oils, replace the lid and shake to mix.  Add another third of bicarbonate soda, a few more drops of essential oils, cap and shake again. Finish with some more bicarbonate soda and a few more drops of essential oils but make sure you leave a bit of space so you can still shake to mix it through.

To use 

Wet your fingers on one hand and sprinkle on a little of the deodorant.  Wet the fingers on your other hand and rub your hands together to form a thin paste.  Smooth this paste under each arm and allow to dry before getting dressed so you don't get white powdery marks on your clothes. You actually don't need to use much. That's it.

I actually think that straight bicarbonate soda would work just fine.  The essential oils just give it a nice subtle perfume that's pleasant for the user.

Source: http://www.twenty8.com/twenty8-blog/the-best-natural-deodorant-ever

Suggested further reading on this topic:  

http://chriskresser.com/toxic-skincare-products-soap-shampoo-and-lotion/

http://chriskresser.com/are-your-skincare-products-toxic-makeup-and-cosmetics/

http://chriskresser.com/are-your-skincare-products-toxic-deodorant-and-antiperspirant/

http://chriskresser.com/are-your-skincare-products-toxic-sunscreen/

More homemade ideas:

http://hellonatural.co/category/diy-natural-beauty/-skincare/

http://hellonatural.co/category/diy-natural-beauty/diy-bath-body/

http://hellonatural.co/category/natural-home/green-living

                   

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Eggs and Breakfast On the Go!

Another favourite quick breakfast is leftover rissoles, boiled eggs and avocado.  I simply make some extra rissoles when having these for dinner, boil up a few days' supply of free range eggs and make sure I have some avocado on hand.  I pack everything into an insulated bag with an ice pack to take to work where I can heat the meat in a microwave, add the boiled eggs, a little sea salt and cracked pepper, avocado and enjoy!

Fee range eggs are pretty awesome!  According to "The Happiness Diet - A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brian, Balanced Mood, and Lean Energized Body" by Tyler Graham & Drew Ramsey MD, when a hen lives a normal life foraging around a farm her eggs contain the following:

B6 - crucial for most all your cognitive functions.
B12 - crucial for avoiding agitation and loss of focus.

These two vitamins together go a long way towards boosting memory and treating nervousness and depression.

B9, also known as folate - helps to protect your brain and lowers homocysteine levels in the blood - high levels are one of the best predictors of cognitive decline.

Iodine - central to your metabolism's master switch, the thyroid.

Magnesium - will loosen up your muscles and relax your circulatory systems, helping you focus on tasks of daily life.

Zinc - a mineral that improves brain function and helps B9 regulate our gene expression so that we stay healthy.

Iron - this trace metal boosts your body's ability to transport oxygen around your bloodstream and further increases energy and focus.

Tryptophan - a complete protein for mood-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

Vitamin D - needed to help your body to absorb calcium.  This is a fat-soluable vitamin, so we actually need fat in our diet to absorb it.  Low levels of vitamin D is linked to depression.

Cholesterol - what your body uses to manufacture vitamin D from the sun.  Also the main component of bile, which is what your gut will use to absorb nutrients.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids - makes us smarter and protects us from heart disease.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Five Minute Salad

Think you don't have time to pack a healthy lunch for work?  With a little forward planning at your weekly shop to always have a few things on hand it's not that hard.  I like to try plan my weekly menus to have some dinner leftovers to turn into a salad for work but when I'm really pressed for time or things just don't go according to plan, this is my plan "B" basic healthy lunch that provides good fats, fibre and protein, and is packed in five minutes flat!

You need to keep in your pantry:

Small tins of wild-caught* salmon

Olive oil

And in your fridge:

Bag of pre-washed mixed lettuce/greens

Tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

Avocado

Throw two handfuls of pre-washed mixed lettuce/greens in a lunchbox.  Wash and chop the tomato and throw that in too.  If you have cherry tomatoes this step is even quicker - no chopping!  Then slice an avocado like you would a mango and squeeze the avocado pieces on top.

Pour a little olive oil in a small jar or container and pop this in the lunchbox also then refrigerate.  I always pack my lunches in the evening and don't have any issues with the avocado turning brown.  I do use air-tight lunchboxes which probably helps with that.

In the morning grab your lunchbox from the fridge, the salmon from the cupboard and pack these in an insulated bag with an ice pack.  At lunch time add the salmon to your salad, drizzle over olive oil and enjoy!

* wild-caught fish is the best option.  For information about the dangers of farmed fish read this article by Dr Axe.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Breakfast in a Jar

I like to leave for work early to beat the traffic and get a good parking space. So I prepare and drink a lemon water from a travel mug on my way to work and I pack my breakfast to eat at the office.

This is a favourite that I can prepare at night and store in the fridge for a quick grab on the way out the door in the morning.  I pop it in an insulated bag with an ice pack.

Packed in this jar are raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, a tablespoon of LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds), 4 dessert spoonfuls of full cream natural yoghurt (I like B.d. Farm Paris Creek organic Natural Yoghurt with probiotic cultures),  a handful of raw macadamia halves, a sprinkle of dried goji berries, a little pure maple syrup and a good dash of cinnamon.

Berries because they are a great source of antioxidants, and they're delicious!

Yoghurt for protein and probiotics.

Nuts and Seeds also for protein, minerals: calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, selenium, B vitamins, vitamin E and good fats.

Pure maple syrup - a natural sweetener that is a source of manganese and zinc.

Cinnamon - an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial spice that is also a digestive aid and a source of calcium.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

 

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.