Buckwheat

 

             Health Amplified

Buckwheat

We love using buckwheat in pancakes, flapjacks, and porridge! It is a healthy cereal grain, and is part of the ancient grain family. With its nutty, earthy flavour, it is similar to brown rice or wheat kernels. Fortunately, it is not a wheat, and it is totally gluten free.

 

Buckwheat is a highly nutritious grain and is high in protein and fiber. The high protein content keeps you feeling fuller for longer, and the fiber is excellent for your gut. If anyone has a constipation issue, then this is a grain to consider adding to your pantry. The high quantity of anti-oxidants also makes it a superfood.

 

Benefits:

·    Improves heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.

·    High in anti-oxidants.

·    High digestible protein.

·    High in fibre.

·    Can help prevent diabetes.

·    Non-allergenic.

·    Supplies important vitamins and minerals.

Buckwheat seeds are also called groats or kasha in some areas, and this seed has been eaten in abundance in Asian countries, with buckwheat soba noodles being at the top of the list. Now buckwheat soba noodles are not readily available in S.A. If you do find it, you will find it at a price.

 

Be sure to incorporate the grain in soups, stews, and stir fries. Our family enjoys it when I cook half oats and half buckwheat kernels as a breakfast porridge. Serve with cinnamon, plant-based milk and dates or a little raw honey. You can purchase the flour to use in baked goods, even substituting some of the flour  when baking bread.

 

I prefer to buy the buckwheat groats, and then grinding it into a flour as I need it. One of our daughter’s favourite meals is buckwheat pancakes or flapjacks topped with home made apple sauce. We gently simmer peeled, chopped apples in a little water until soft. Add some cinnamon and mash it up. ( See recipe below for flapjacks and pancake recipe.)

 

A Sunday night winner is buckwheat pancakes served with a little raw honey, cinnamon and a squeeze of lemon juice. It fills you up much more than processed white cake flour pancakes due to the high protein and fiber content. You can really pull it up a notch by having it with healthy home-made Nutella…

 

A showstopper sure to impress guests, is serving buckwheat flapjacks with cherry sauce or compote. We are going into cherry season soon, be sure to look out for it, or have a look in the frozen berry section. I made a healthier version by simmering cherries in a little water until soft. Remove from heat, add in some chia seeds to thicken it up. Mash it a little and let stand for half an hour for chia seeds to swell. You can add a little honey if the cherries are too tart for your taste. Serve over flapjacks with a dollop of coconut cream or milk. You can use any berry in the same way, and this can then be substituted for jam.

 

How about making your own berry non-dairy ice cream and serving your flapjacks with a scoop of ice cream?

 

You can be as basic or as creative as you would like to be. Have the basics in place and let everyone in the family invent a topping that is healthy and delicious. In this way, you can even have dessert for breakfast or as a main course!

 

Lizelle

Recipes:

Buckwheat flapjacks and pancake batter

1 Cup buckwheat groats (soak in 2 cups water for half an hour)

Blend in soaking water.

Add 1 cup raw oats, blend again.

Add a pinch of salt.

Add 1 tsp vanilla.

Add one flax “egg”/chia “egg”/chicken egg

Add quarter cup tapioca flour.

*Optional: Add 2 chopped dates or a 2 tsp raw honey.

Blend together, add more water for flapjack consistency.

(I grind 1 cup buckwheat in a grinder to make flour. No need to soak the buckwheat  groats then, OR buy buckwheat flour)

*To make flax or chia “egg”, use 1 Tbsp flaxseeds or chia seeds, mix with 2 or 3 Tbsp water and let stand for 10 min.

*You can add 1 grated apple and a tsp cinnamon to your batter.

Fry ladles full in a little coconut oil.

Turn when bubbles form. Fry till slightly golden in colour.

FOR PANCAKES, DILUTE FLAPJACK MIXTURE WITH MORE WATER OR PLANT-BASED MILK TO GET A MORE RUNNY CONSISTENCY.

Cherry non-dairy ice cream

2 Thirds frozen bananas

1 Third fresh or frozen cherries or berries

Little coconut cream or plant-based milk (about 100ml or less depending on the amount of bananas.)

-Peel and chop bananas into 2cm chunks, freeze in sealed container.

-Place everything in a blender or food processor.

-Blend or process until smooth and creamy. (It may take a while. Stop and mix in between)

-Serve immediately for optimal flavour and consistency.

Enjoy!

Spring has sprouted

 

           Health Amplified

Spring has sprouted

One of my early childhood memories is of a glass jar with seeds in it standing on the kitchen counter. It had a thin blue, breathable dishwashing cloth over the opening, sealed with an elastic band. I remember watching and waiting for the little shoots to appear. We ate the sprouts on sandwiches with Marmite, or in salads.

Spring has sprung, or shall I say sprouted! Little buds and blossoms everywhere, fresh birdsong in the morning. It’s time to plant and grow. Why not start growing your own sprouts straight out of your kitchen? Alfalfa seeds, lentils, mung beans, chickpeas, fenugreek. Alfalfa seeds are the quickest and easiest to grow. Make sure that your lentils are whole and not the split ones.

 

Why eat sprouts?

Sprouts are the first that appear on germinated seeds of beans, grains etc. Fresh raw sprouts are a rich source of vitamins B, C, iron, fiber, folic acid and phytonutrients, magnesium etc. Sprouting helps specific enzymes become activated during certain stages of germination. The nutrition from the sprout is more readily available for the body to absorb it.

 

Sprouts are easy to grow, very affordable and highly nutritious. If you don’t feel up to the challenge, then buy some sprouts at the supermarket. Add to sandwiches and salads. These are a bit of a challenge with kids! Maybe they can help grow them and mom and dad can eat them?!

 

I’ve recently started using mung beans that we found in a local health shop. It sprouts so easily and the unsprouted bean can be made into a wonderful soup when cooked with onions, carrots, turmeric and cumin. These little green beans can pack a punch. They are one of the healthiest sources of plant protein, if you have a look at the amino acids or building blocks in nature.

 

Benefits of mung beans:

·    Anti-oxidant

·    Anti-microbial

·    Anti-tumor effect

·    Lowers cholesterol

·    Lowers high blood pressure

·    Fights obesity, keeps you fuller for longer

·    High protein content

·    Decreases PMS symptoms

·    Easier to digest than many other beans

 

How to sprout:

-Place 3 Tbsp seeds, lentils or mung beans into a clean glass jar. Cover seeds with water.

-Cover jar with a muslin cloth or new blue dishwashing cloth. (It also comes in a roll.)

-Cover with an elastic band.

-Soak in water overnight.

-In the morning, discard water through the cloth with the cloth still on.

-Open up the jar, fill with water, close cloth again and drain water.

-Repeat process at night.

-Continue rinsing and draining morning and night for 3 days. Shoots will start to appear.

-Let the shoots grow a bit.

-Scatter into a plate and leave open for about an hour.

-Seal in a Tupperware, keep in the fridge.

-Eat within 4 days.

WARNING! MAKE SURE THAT YOU REMOVE ANY SEEDS, GRAINS OR LEGUMES THAT DID NOT SPROUT. YOUR TEETH WILL THANK YOU LATER…

Sticking to the topic of tiny bits. A good friend of mine recently introduced me to toothpaste in pellet form. This is a very interesting concept! You put the small tablet in your mouth, bite down until it disintegrates. Wet your toothbrush and start brushing. Rinse as usual and you’re done! No mess, no fuss.

You can find it online at  https://shopearthly.co.za/, a proudly South African brand. These toothpaste bits are bought in a biodegradable refill bag and you can store it in a small metal tin (also available from them.) Just refill as needed. It comes in mint flavour, as well as teeth whitening activated charcoal. Some of the ingredients include activated charcoal, spearmint, sodium bicarbonate and xylitol.

This company is all about natural ingredients, no nasty chemicals and preservatives and is environmentally friendly. No more toothpaste holder wastage. They also sell bamboo toothbrushes and nifty bamboo toothbrush holders. Have a look at some of their other products that include soap-, shampoo- and conditioning bars. It contains some luxurious ingredients like olive oil, coconut oil, dried rose petals and essential oils.

I think these can make wonderful, unique gifts for someone, even if it is toothpaste and a toothbrush holder!

Happy sprouting!

Lizelle

Conversion

 

Conversion:

Why are many people converting to a gluten free, dairy free diet? More and more people are suffering with allergies and intolerances. Is it just a fad that will pass or do we need to make some serious changes?

The Bible mentions milk, wheat and honey on numerous occasions. That’s dairy and gluten! We all know that raw honey is good for us, but the words “gluten free” and “dairy free” are becoming household names. Let’s push honey aside a bit and focus on dairy and wheat.

I don’t think that God would categorise milk and wheat as a place of abundance, blessing, nourishment and fertility, if He intended it to make His children sick. So something happened between Biblical times and 2020.

Factors influencing milk and wheat:

·     Pesticides.

·     Bleaching of wheat.

·     Separation of the grain structure.

·     Manipulation and modification of the gene strands (GMO)

·     Antibiotics in the animals.

·     Growth hormones.

·     Type of feed for the animals.

·     Processing and pasteurization (enzymes which aid digestion of the milk are destroyed.)

·     Fear, anxiety and stress. (This causes disruption of digestion in your gut)

What did milk and wheat look like in its original form? Clean raw milk from grass-fed, pastured animals may provide many health promoting nutrients. Most of this might be lost due to modern day technology.

In the book “Everyday life in the Old Testament Times”, E.W. Heaton writes about beverages used by the Israelites. Quote; “Since water was scarce and not very palatable, a good deal of milk as drunk. It came from goats and sheep. Hebrew has a word for fresh milk, but in the climate of Palestine, it cannot have been used as much as another term meaning sour milk and curds. As soon as the fresh milk was put into the goat-skin bottle, it thickened slightly and went sour. All the better, it was thought, for quenching the thirst.”

Health experts say that the answer is beta-casein. This is a protein found in cow’s milk and there are two types: A1 and A2. Most people who are intolerant to cow’s milk are sensitive to A1 beta-casein and lack the ability to digest it. A1 is apparently highly inflammatory for many people, which can lead to leaky gut syndrome. What do you think about this theory?

Did people in Biblical times drink sheep-, goat-, camel- or cow’s milk? Goat’s milk is more easily digested than other animal’s milk. It is the closest in composition to human breast milk. Certain studies that were done concluded that humans stop producing a specific enzyme to digest the milk after weaning. So are we not supposed to drink animal milk even if it was mentioned and consumed in the Biblical times?

On the other hand, wheat was eaten in its most raw form. Kernels where crushed and made into a flour and the chaff s blown away by the wind. That means the grain’s oil was still available for people to utelise. These days the oil is removed to prevent rancidity of the product. The grain oil aids our body’s cell metabolism, feeding and nourishing the cell walls. This enables toxins to exit your cells, and nutrients to enter your cells. Sufficient energy is then made available to our bodies to use. Today’s processing destructures the entire grain, separating it into many pieces, and then assembles it to create a variety of wheat flours and products.

Solomon in the Bible was seen as the wisest man that ever lived, and received wisdom and understanding from God. 1 Kings 5:11 says that Solomon gave Hiram 20 000 kors of wheat as food for his household every year, and 2 kors of beaten oil (pressed olive oil). I don’t personally think that he would have blessed someone and tried to kill them with so much wheat at the same time!?

Exodus 29:2 “…and unleavened bread and unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, you shall make them with fine wheat flour.”

Deuteronomy 8:7,8 “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey.”

Psalm 81:16 “But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Ezekiel 4:9 “But as for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt, put them in one vessel and make them into a bread for yourself, you shall eat it…”

Deuteronomy 32:13,14 “He made him ride on high places of the earth, and he ate the produce of the field, and He made him suck honey from the rock, and oil from the flinty rock, curds of the cows, and milk of the flock, with fat of the lambs, and rams, the breed of the Bashon, and goats. With the finest of wheat…”

Judges 4:19 “I’m thirsty”, he said. “Please give me some water”. She opened a skin of milk , gave him a drink and covered him up.

Proverbs 27:27 “You will have plenty of goat’s milk to feed you and your family and to nourish your servant girls.”

If we want to stay healthy, we are going to have to convert to plant based milks or have a cow or a goat in our backyards in the near future. An option is resorting to stoneground flour and learning how to bake your own breads if you want to eat bread.

The same conversion is necessary when it comes to your skin care products. Are you willing to convert back to products that contain raw, organic ingredients that may contain beneficial essential oils? Or do you want to stay with chemically laden, overly processed ingredients with a fragrances and a hint of essential oils? My answer is, get the product closest to its God given state. It will be like food for your skin!

There are many good skin care products out there, and by making a little effort you will find one in your budget. Be sure to have a look at this home grown, budget friendly, natural skin care range. The Oribi Organics range uses ingredients closest to nature and botanical ingredients to provide essential nourishment for your skin. Everything is created in small batches to ensure a longer shelf life. It is also Petrochemical- free. Frankincense oil and Rose oil are just some of the ingredients used. Go to https://www.oribiorganics.co.za/ and use code SHARE10 when you order something.

So what are you waiting for?

Lizelle

Recipe:

Butternut and spinach lasagne

1 Large onion

1 Packet mince or meat alternative

1 tsp masala powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

Half tsp garlic

Pink salt to taste

-Fry the onion and spices.

-Add the mince and fry until cooked.

-Put aside.

-Steam and chop 1 bunch of spinach.

-Add to the mince.

Roast 2 packets cubed butternut with a little coconut oil.

Blend with plant- based milk and a little Marmite until creamy.

-Layer half of the butternut mixture, gluten free lasagne sheets (we made our own with spelt flour).

-Add a layer of the mince mixture and top with butternut mixture.

-Sprinkle with a little non dairy milk and a little grated cheese. (we used a little Picorino as a treat, or you can use vegan cheese.)

-Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about an hour.

 

Compromising on Health

 

Compromising on health

Today I will be sharing a little bit of our family’s testimony. Ever since our children were very young, we made radical changes to our family’s diet. We wanted a healthy family, free from sinus issues, allergies, fatigue, skin problems and flu. Not to mention avoiding doctors, prescription medications and hospitals as far as possible.

Our family’s health started improving drastically, doctor’s bills decreased, our energy levels increased, everyone’s emotions stabilized and we felt happier. What we didn’t bargain on, was the reaction of people. We have spent many years being judged, criticized, ridiculed, all for the sake of good health.

As time went by, we learned to adapt wherever we went. Not everyone is on the health train yet, and we needed to take that into consideration. It’s about more than just food. It’s about enjoying life together, building each other up, motivating and strengthening the one beside you.

But what if your physical and emotional strength begins to weaken because you have become more lenient for the sake of others around you? We changed our standard of healthy eating, because we still needed to fit into society and be accepted. Children have an even bigger need to fit in. If they don’t join in on eating all the junk and sugar laden food, then they are seen as weird. We don’t want anyone to end up without friends or be seen as outcasts.

 And with so many food temptations surrounding us, it can be really hard for anyone, not to mention a child. There is also some ridiculous lie out there that children can eat the junk and adults have to learn to restrain themselves and not eat the junk. You have to teach your children from an early age, not only when they reach adulthood. You will spare your child a lot of problems later in life.

We used to teach our children to have one or two biscuits or small unhealthy options whenever we go somewhere or visit people. If we do go out alone as a family and we see something decadent that is unhealthy, then we would share it. But what do you do when occasional visits, parties and social events become more regular, and becomes a lifestyle? If you have to make two unhealthy choices a few times a week? A roller coaster ride sets in, because an unhealthy lifestyle has come into motion!

 On compromising on my health this past month, I reaped the most terrible PMS and menstruation of my life! Nausea, bloatedness, period pain, sleeplessness, body aches, feelings of depression and anxiety, heavy period and tearfulness. So is it really worth changing your standard?? Will you be able to build relationships, build other people up and encourage them if you are the one that is feeling miserable??

Today I want to ask you; What is your standard? Who decides what your standard must be? Are you brave enough to change your standard, even if it costs you being judged and criticised?

An unhealthy lifestyle will wreak havoc in the long run. Do you want to continue jeopardizing your health and wait for next week to take responsibility for your health? It is time to change before you get sick. Everyone says that they want to be healthier, but what are you doing about it? How are you educating yourself to learn how to take control of your health?

Healthy food can be tasty and appealing, you just need to put a little effort in. There is a wonderful website that can help you in this department. A couple with 4 children that can inspire you, get some new recipes and show you where you can make changes in your home. Go to www.naturallivingfamily.com

My next question is, what healthy options are available wherever you go? What healthy options do you have available in your home for your family or guests to enjoy?

If we all make changes, it will be easier across the board, because there will be healthier options available that you can eat together. This will in turn build healthy relationships, literally and figuratively. We can’t be lukewarm anymore. You will be helping your family, friends and community.

It is time to take ownership of your health.

Lizelle

 

Recipes:

“Cheesy” butternut pasta: (serves 4)

 

1 butternut

1 large onion

non- dairy milk

Warm water

Pink salt

Nutritional yeast (2  heaped Tbsp)

Gluten-free pasta (Sam Mills corn pasta)

-Roast butternut in oven.

Gently fry onion. Set aside.

-Cook pasta.

Add butternut to the onion.

-Place mixture in blender or food processor.

-Add plant based milk and water to mixture, blend until creamy. (Quantity will depend on how muck milk and water you would like to add for creaminess.)

·     -Add salt according to taste.

·     -Mix into pasta. Place it in a serving dish. Garnish with parsley or paprika.

 

Raw carrot cake balls

 

1 peeled and grated carrot

Three quarter cup almonds

Half a cup pressed cut dates (Soak in water if it is too hard.)

Quarter cup raw oats

1 Tbsp melted coconut oil

Cinnamon (half a tsp)

Nutmeg (quarter tsp)

Ginger powder (quarter tsp)

Clove powder (1/5 tsp)

Desiccated coconut

·    - Place almonds in food processor until ground to almost fine.

·     -Add carrots and dates . (Remove any soaking liquid first.)

·     -Process, then add coconut oil.

·     -Process, let stand for 5 min. (Oats will absorb some moisture and soften.)

·     -Process again. Roll in balls, roll in desiccated coconut.

 - Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Hormones and Insomnia

 

Hormones and insomnia

I don’t know about you, but PMS, being cranky because of lack of sleep, feeling stressed or bloated, can leave any girl looking for answers. I know a lady who spent years looking for answers, because she literally spent years not being able to sleep. I know what I feel like if I didn’t have a good night’s sleep, imagine feeling like that for years!

Below are a few things that can contribute to disrupted sleep and hormones:

·    Poor nutrition Sugar is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to hormones. It messes up your hormones, leaving you feeling emotional and tired.

 Colourants and preservatives are big “no no’s”!

Too much meat can send your digestive tract into a flurry. Instead of rejuvenating and regenerating at night, it will leave you feeling like you have worked in a factory the whole night.

Refined, processed flours are simple carbohydrates that turn into sugar almost immediately.

Lack of fruit and vegetables will also leave your body starved of minerals and vitamins which are there to help your body functioning like a proper machine.

Caffeine can leave you feeling jittery, cranky and agitated. Enough said!

 

·     Fear, anxiety and stress This can be the root of many of your ailments. You need to free yourself from this prison by forgiving and releasing.

·     Bitterness and anger Don’t go to bed angry and with unresolved issues with a partner or children. It will create an open door for the enemy to come and steal in your life. And you will be the one left tossing and turning the night!

·     Adrenal fatigue This is also where your hormones are out of sync. Prolonged stress, fear and anxiety can lead to your adrenal glands basically burning out. You will be left tired and still not be able to sleep properly.

·     Hormone imbalances Various factors can contribute to this, most of them mentioned above.

What to do!

-A nice cup of chamomile tea mixed with some rooibos before bedtime. Aaaaahhh……

-Changing your diet to fruit and vegetables, wholegrains and legumes, nuts and seeds. Stock up on bananas, avo’s and baby potatoes. (See my fried banana recipes at the end.)

-Calcium and magnesium supplements. Magnesium is an element and a mineral that can work wonders. It can be found in bananas, potatoes, leafy greens, avo’s etc.

“Miracle Liquid Magnesium” found at pharmacies. The name says it all!

-Melatonin. This is a hormone that is released by the pineal gland that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. The brain produces it in response to darkness. A dietary supplement of melatonin is often prescribed as a short time treatment for insomnia.

-Zinc has a calming and anti-depressant effect and helps to regulate sleep. 

-Essential oils that aid sleep and relaxation can be Lavender, Frankincense and Chamomile oil.

A Wonderful product with an amazing testimony is “Endoflex” by Young Living. This is an essential oil blend that contributes to your overall wellbeing. It supports a healthy endocrine system, as well as the glandular, circulatory, respiratory, nervous and reproductive systems. It assists your body in balancing hormones, and the hormones help the different systems to work together in harmony. If your hormones are out of balance, then your body will be out of sync. And a whole list of symptoms will follow, including bad PMS, insomnia and weight gain.

Food grade Endoflex essential oil blend can be taken internally by placing a few drops in a capsule. Apply topically to the sides of the neck where the glands are, or specifically on the thyroid gland if you have problems, inside of the wrists, and specifically the feet before bedtime.

Endoflex ingredients and some properties:

Spearment

-For hormone inbalances- It decreases the male hormone testosterone and increases the female hormone progesterone.

-Aids digestion.

-Promotes relaxation and reduces stress.

Sage

-Stress reduction.

-Reduces menstrual cramps.

-Natural anti-depressant.

-Alleviates menopausal symptoms.

Geranium

-Reduces feelings of anxiety and depression.

-Pain reliever.

-Balances hormones.

Myrtle

-Helps clear acne and skin problems.

-Aids in the release of hormones for reproductive health.

-Helps clear the mind and enhances concentration.

-Promotes sleep.

Chamomile

-Promotes tranquility and vitality.

-Promotes a youthful appearance and longevity.

-Alleviates feelings of anxiety and depression.

-Relieves PMS symptoms.

-Helps with insomnia.

Nutmeg

-Stress reliever.

-Pain reducer.

-Eases menstrual cramping.

-Sleep inducer.

Sesame seed oil

-Helps fight depression and stress.

-Great for the skin.

-Feeds hormones.

 

Endoflex was the answer to the lady who spent years staring at the ceiling at night after trying a multitude of products. It took about a week or so of using the product for her hormones to come into balance again. Imagine the amount of books she read! It might be your answer...

If you would like to order the Endoflex Essential Oil Blend and want to get more information, please contact Carlyle at carlylesmith@yahoo.com or 082 781 3038 (South Africa).

Lizelle

Recipes:

Fried banana on rye bread

I know that bananas lose their nutritional value when fried, but this is a nice treat.

-Slice banana lengthwise, fry in a little coconut oil and cinnamon.

-Turn and fry the other side.

-Serve on slowly fermented sourdough bread.

*You can add some labne cream cheese if you want to make it a little fancier.

(Labne is Verlorenkloof pasture fed yoghurt that has been strained again. The thick part that is left over is called “labne”. This is often eaten in the Middle East)

Fried banana with yoghurt and pecan nuts

-Fry the bananas in a little coconut oil and cinnamon.

-Layer warm bananas with Verlorenkloof pasture fed plain yoghurt without preservatives etc. (This yoghurt does not give us phlegm or swollen tonsils, where we usually don’t make dairy a part of our diet!)

-Sprinkle with pecan nuts.

-Serve in dessert bowls or beautiful glasses.

 

 

Picky Eaters

 

            Picky Eaters

The thought of placing a bowl of brown lentil soup in front of a picky eater, adults or children, can bring images that lead to disaster, or them never wanting to visit you again! For some, transition to a healthier diet can feel daunting and overwhelming. For others it can be an exciting time with tremendous breakthrough. Today we will be focusing on those who need a little more nudging.

 Picky eaters will rather choose not to eat at all in the sight of a healthy snack or meal. But put a packet of chips in front of them, and they will devour it like a ravenous creature. Their bodies are actually starved of nutritious food, and their cells are crying out for healthy food with substance. Their taste buds have become addicted to sugar, MSG and salt. That is why healthier alternatives taste and look bland.

 We are going to have a look at how you can help your family make a smoother transition.

 

·    First of all, you have to realise that you have to make the effort and stick with it. You need to realise that your taste buds need to be retrained, even if it (and your family..) throw a tantrum. It can be done!

 

·    Presentation is key. Place a healthy breakfast in front of a picky eater, and they will most likely say “no thank you”, and wait for something more appealing (usually with sugar). By serving the same breakfast in a beautiful glass, it will instantly add more stars to your meal.

 

·    Tweaking existing meals. Adding extra vegetables to your dishes can add extra nutrition into your family’s meals. Taking a star favourite like “mac and cheese” you can add pureed butternut to your sauce, and then adding less milk, flour and cheese.

 

·    Instead of having mince on rice, serve mince on vegetable mash. Mash together potatoes, carrots and butternut, and add a bit of salt or natural seasoning.

 

·    If they don’t like beans and legumes, then slowly start adding beans or cooked lentils to mince or soup (instead of brown lentil soup!). When preparing butternut soup, try adding some red lentils. It will keep them fuller for longer instead of filling up with more bread.

 

·    If white bread is your staple food, then have a decent sandwich for lunch for now. You will slowly learn to move over to a healthier bread. You need to fill it up with salad ingredients. Add some hummus, avo, chickpeas and hummus. It will nourish your family and fill them up while still having bread in the picture. How about adding some leftover roasted vegetables to your sandwich? You can replace your white bread with a wrap here and there. Have a little mayo or healthy salad dressing with it.

 

·    Start your day with oatmeal, even if it means getting up a little earlier. Add some cinnamon, raw honey, dates, sliced banana or peanut butter. It makes it a little bit more interesting.

 

·    If you want pizza, then make it a family effort. If you eat pizza every week, then make your own over the weekend. Make it from scratch and load it up with vegetables. I’m not talking about the once a month take away!

 

·    If you feel like cakes or biscuits, then make the effort of baking it yourself. Get the kids involved, and everyone will appreciate it much more.

 

·    If it’s instant, then it’s out! (As far as possible…)

 

·    Don’t bring sugar laden flavoured yoghurts into your home. Not for breakfast, and not as a treat. It wrecks havoc on your sugar levels, leaving you tired and miserable. Change to pasture fed, live culture plain yoghurt. We buy Verlorenkloof yoghurt every once in a while. Serve it with different toppings like chopped up fruit, berries, nuts, seeds, raw honey, cinnamon, dates or raw oat. Sunflower seeds are more affordable than nuts and are very nutritious.

 

·    Remove the packets of chips and save it for a braai or special occasion. Most chips are packed with MSG, colourants and heated oils. These are addictive and hormone disruptive. Replace chips with home made popcorn and lightly salted peanuts and raisins during the week.

 

·    Have fruit everyday! Sliced apples with peanut butter and cinnamon are great for a snack.

 

·    Have carrot sticks ready to crunch on while everyone is waiting for dinner to be ready. Don’t be tempted by bread and chips. Remember, you had bread for lunch.

 

·    Stay away from drinking yoghurts and milky drinks. These are loaded with sugar and colourants. Make your own smoothie combinations or flavoured milks.

 

*Milk, banana, peanut butter, cocoa powder and water.

*Bananas, berries, almonds, plant-based milk and water.

 

·    How about making your own potato wedges and serving it with a home made tomato sauce or avo dip?

 

·    Teach your family how to make “oats and banana flapjacks” (see my previous blog). You can make a batch and store them in the fridge for snacks. Serve with nut butter for a nutritious and filling snack. Add some dark chocolate chips for special occasions…

 

·    If you have sweets everyday, how about installing a rule; no sweets before 1pm. This will teach self control, which is a big step forward. When eating foods that contain sugar, a vicious cycle errupts.

*Sugar High: Everyone is happy, bouncy and loving.

*Sugar Low: Meltdown, tantrums, exhaustion, fatigue, paleness set in.

*Unstability: Irritability, hunger, unstable, irrational emotions and behaviour set in.

The last stage is where you will crave more sugar and not proper, nutritious food. You will find that the person will say “no” to meals, and wait until something sweet comes along. And say “yes” to sweets!

Maybe have an oats, banana and dark chocolate cookie on hand in case of emergencies! (See recipe below)

So instead of serving your family and friends brown lentil soup, focus on them getting to eat nourishing, appealing yet familiar foods again. Which steps will you be implementing first?

Recipes:

Oats cookies:

2 Large ripe bananas mashed

1 and a half cups raw oats

1   Third cup raisins | dates or dark chocolate

 

-Mix well

-Scoop 2 Tbsp per cookie, roll in a ball and flatten, and shape.

-Place on parchment paper.                          Bake for 12 min, 180 Celsius.

 

*For a crunchier cookie, spray baking tray and leave out parchment paper.

*Add cinnamon (optional)

 

Breakfast pots:

Layer raw oats, chopped, fruit or berries with pasture fed, live culture plain yoghurt.

Options:

·    Add chia seeds to yoghurt night before.

·    Make your own soya yoghurt.

·    Or add chia seeds to kefir yoghurt.

·    Serve in beautiful glasses.