September 22, 2013

chocolate banana ice cream!

I'm addicted.... I need a bigger freezer or more mouths to feed lol. Making healthy ice cream and experimenting with different recipes is so much fun!

Soo here is today's effort, from this blog...

Vegan, dairy free, gluten free, and my version is sugar free.

http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2011/04/28/vegan-almond-milk-ice-cream-3-recipes/

I substituted the sugar with 1/4 maple syrup.

It tastes yummy, smooth and delicious, but you do taste the banana in it.  I'll look to make a truer chocolate soon!
Probably tomorrow....teehee



Scrummylicious Coffee Ice Cream - Vegan - Gluten Free


One of the things I love about my new way of eating is I can make loads of desserts, cake, ice cream.....and eat them!  They taste as good as the real thing, only they are healthy and actually add to the process of nourishing and healing my body, reducing inflammation instead of adding to it..how good is that!  I grew up without desserts, Haha, I know, totally deprived!  My Mum was wanting the best for us, and limited sweets, we ate really well, but not rubbish foods or too much sugar. Its so twisted that I ended up with multiple chronic illnesses and spent a lot of my childhood sick with one thing or another...  But, I'm sure I would have been a lot worse if I hadn't been packed full of healthy meals each day, and looking after myself responsibly now, using moderation, would have proven more challenging without my nutritionally sound beginnings. Thanks Mum and your love of carrots teehee - you always made and still make the best meals xx

So, having type 1 diabetes these past 18 years, it wasn't a stretch to eat less sugar and fat, but the tragedy was, I love to bake!!!  Sooo much!!!!  I was in the kitchen from a child onwards, I made all the birthday cakes, so although I still baked occasionally,  but not a lot because of the blood sugar issues, and no matter how well my insulin pump works, I just wouldn't pack myself with sugar and overload my system.  So, back around to the point of this story, I loooove this new way of eating!!!  I can bake, I can make ice cream and experiment with recipes, I can do all the fun stuff I always wished I could without harming myself!

Here is my coffee ice cream, perfect for the anti inflammatory diet it's sugar free, gluten free, dairy and egg free (Vegan), don't let that fool you, its delicious!!!!  Much better than store bought, even the expensive stuff.  Its easy to make and cheap!!!!  I'm not sure if I am so used to coconut now (I worship the stuff, another story another time...) But I can't even taste it, it just tastes like a creamy gelati to me..


Whisk together
400 ml can coconut cream
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 TSP vanilla
Pinch of salt
3-4 tsp instant coffee (melted in a tiny bit of boiling water)

Let this mixture cool in the fridge, really cold!

When cool, pour in ice cream machine until ready! Yum!

Enjoy! 






September 20, 2013

another lemony coconuty concoction...

Its the season for lemons, and our neighbours are giving them away, literally, wheelbarrows on driveways, free lemons, lol. Luckily I love lemons and they go so well with coconut!  So, this slice is also delish, or maybe I'm just hungry, lol, honestly this new way of eating has me feeling hungry for the first time in....um....since I was a kid!  It's a weird feeling actually....I used to eat to feed my illnesses, or comfort, to feel good..well, taste bud good anyway.  I'm actually able to eat more of this sort of stuff and feel good about it so I'm in no way deprived, it's just spurring me on to research and make new recipes..the inner naturopath/dietitian in me is having a ball!!!  It's what I dreamed of doing when I was in high school when chronic auto immune illness interrupted... So, I'm loving learning and doing this now!  But who would have thought these healthy sweets could actually taste good huh!

Gluten free, dairy free, simple sugar free



I found this recipe at this site...

http://thecoconutmama.com/2013/09/triple-coconut-lemon-bars/

And for anyone looking for an excellent source for recipes and information, the coconut mama is awesome :-)

So, I did exactly what she did, except - I soaked my cashews for an hour in hot water.... Why? Hunger issues... Lol
I used dried dates, tripled the quantity and soaked them too.
I used a tablespoon of maple syrup
And
A half cup coconut.

I baked it at 180C for 15 minutes fan forced oven

I also didn't wait till it had cooled.... Lol!

I bought a nifty little mini chopper from Big W yesterday for $15, the brand is Abode and it worked really well for this.  Saves me pulling out the big one and also saves the hassle of washing it all up too!

PS notice the sunshine streaming through the window on the slice? Yes you say? :-)  It's so nice to see some sun! I've been outside every moment its been out today, come on Spring, you can do it :-)

TTFN...off to think about dinner lol x S





September 16, 2013

coconut lemon bars...with a story...

Coconut Lemon Bars
Dairy free, Gluten Free, Nut free
I've been slowly adjusting to an anti inflammatory diet the past month.  After my rheumatologist basically told me I was a totally insane person for trusting in anything natural, I was even more determined to walk further down the natural path....take that rheumy! Lol.

Its funny, I began with psoriatic arthritis at 19, other auto immune problems at 14, and I've been told by so many well meaning people along the way, to change my diet, add coconut oil, loose the dairy and wheat...I think I'd been disillusioned so many times by wacky and expensive cures, I started ignoring...plus, what would I eat to comfort myself during pain and illness? And, I was really ill wasn't I, blood tests positive, worried doctors, serious medications, surely people this diet worked for weren't really sick like me....  I sure wish I'd listened earlier...so much of what we are told by doctors we take as truth huh.... Amazingly, I don't need the comfort food, I'm busier doing things, learning, and feeling empowered.  I feel more satisfied with food that is healing me instead of adding to my inflammatory immune response...

So, my synovial swelling has been intense, present and progressing and damaging joints for three years now since stopping the chemo cocktails. I will never go back to that way of life, they may have kept damage at bay, but made my life an all round hellish experience, and ironically, my entire pain levels more extreme, so, having accepted the lesser of two evils, sigh, willingly, I never said I'd lost my fight:-) Anti inflammatory diet....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/21/inflammatory-foods-worst-inflammation_n_2838643.html

Within a month, my swelling has halved....I'm in tears of joy seeing creases in my fingers again, my stomach feels so good, its like I've unbloated and didn't know I was bloated, I'm not talking weight, even though I have lost weight, I'm talking inner slim, I can't help patting my stomach area it feels different, and like I'm standing taller or something too...my face is less puffy...

Energy, I have so much more!!!  Its incredible!  I have so much healing to do, a lot of years have gone in to the damage done, but I honestly didn't expect this sort of result...  Anyone who knows me, knows I'm about the full mind body spirit connection, its a lot of work, any of this sort of thing is, taking charge, responsibility for your own health, seems like a lot at first, but trust me, you feel so good, its worth every second, and you have more time to do more things, you aren't wasting time looking after yourself, its worth it, I realised I was worth it and you who are reading this, are worth it too :-)

So, after a month, I'm feeling a bit like something sweet!  I made this up today....its super yum!  I dare you to stop at a slice:-)

Ingredients for crust
2 1/2 TBS coconut oil
1 1/2 TBS rice malt syrup
1/2 cup gluten free flour, mine consists of maize, tapioca, and rice flours.
1 cup dessicated coconut
1 egg white
Pinch salt

Melt coconut oil over low heat in the stove.
Add rest of ingredients, except egg white, and mix well remove from heat.
Add egg white, stir well.
Press into a 9×9 inch baking pan lined with baking paper and give several stabs with a fork.
Bake at 180 C for 10 mins or until you see it browning a little, remove from oven.

Ingredients for filling
3 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
2 TBS rice malt syrup
2 TBS honey
2 TBS Stevia granules
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 TBS lemon zest
3 TBS dessicated coconut
1 TBS gluten free flour

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and yolks until frothy, add rest of ingredients and whisk for another 2 or more minutes, you will need to use a spatula to help mix the sticky sugars from the base of the bowl.
Pour over crust base.
Bake at 180C for 15-20 mins, you will see it firm up and the sides begin to brown, its done:-)  My middle raised and cracked a bit, but the rest was smooth and lovely.

Let it cool....you won't though, so make sure you have another piece when its cool:-)

I had high doubts when putting this together, I'm really pleasantly surprised :-)  its not overpoweringly sweet and since I'm a type 1 diabetic, it doesn't make my blood sugar rise drastically, so doesn't make me feel tired and gross like other sweets do. There is no dairy, or wheat, or gluten, and only complex sugars.  Wonderful!

Credit.....
These are the recipes I adjusted mine from :-) thank you ladies :-)

http://flaxandhoney.com/2013/02/25/lemon-bars-grain-gluten-dairy-sugar-free-paleo/

http://www.againstallgrain.com/2013/05/10/luscious-lemon-bars-nut-free/

September 1, 2013

Suddenly it's Spring...

I do love winter, but since moving to a cooler climate, winters are longer... I was actually beginning to miss the sun and warm days!  This year has been especially cold and gloomy, so I've been really happy to see spring here. It's funny how suddenly it appeared, our flowering cherry tree has come into bloom literally over the last few days, it's truly magical to see :-) 
Here are some of my beauties, I love being able to grow these cool climate bulbs down here, I can't wait to see the tulips!
Wherever you are, enjoy this season of change, remember to stop and take some time to notice and enjoy it.
Springtime blessings x S








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