a guide to simple wholesome living

A G U I D E TO S I M P L E W H O L E S O M E L I V I N G

Featuring over 40 nourishing recipes including Dinner Twist classicsComplete with a two-week meal plan

A MASSIVE THANKS TO:

Graphic design, layout & art [email protected] | www.mimpyandco.com

DINNER TWISTChris & My from Dinner Twist, you guys are legends!

Thank you for sharing your beautiful recipes and being the inspiration you are.

PHOTOGRAPHYThanks to Petra Merrick for taking beautiful photos in exchange for some

home grown leeks! Jeremy Thorns for capturing our adventures and My Tistrand for your dedication to creating wholesome recipes and photographing up a storm!

Copywriting & editing Kirra Smith | [email protected] | www.writtenpretty.org

EATWISE CLIENTSYou are the reason I love what I do, your dedication and drive to take the steps to improve your health inspires me to continue doing what I love.

FAMILYA special mention to my Dad who plays a big part in the message of this book.

To Jeremy for supporting me and patiently listening to my health rants and to all my family, you’re all amazing.

S H A R E T H E E AT W I S E L O V E

GET IN TOUCH VIA www.eatwisenutrition.com

FOLLOW ME ON

E A T W I S E N U T R I T I O N 2

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http://www.dinnertwist.com.au

at the way nature intended, nature very rarely gets it wrong.

void processed foods. Every mouthful influences our health and wellbeing.rain your mind to focus on nutrients, not calories.

atch out for profit driven food marketing, good health doesn’t make any moolah.

nclude traditional foods and preparation techniques in your diet.upport locally grown, sustainable food - within your means.ducate yourself, your health is your best investment.

- Jess FiskE A T W I S E N U T R I T I O N

3

The Eatwise philosophy is a back to basics approach to health. We don’t believe in dieting, deprivation or trends just good, old-fashioned simplicity with a strong dose of evidence so you can be confident you’re in good hands. It is important to find a happy balance to ensure that you don’t get caught up in unhealthy cycles but most importantly, so you enjoy becoming the healthiest version of you. A healthy body encourages a healthy mind, and a healthy mind encourages a healthy body, it’s win win!

Much of what we’ve been taught in the past has led us down a confusing path of calorie counting, food restriction and dabbling in the latest diet trends.

Eatwise will show you that none of this is necessary. Letting go of your deep-seated nutrition beliefs may just be the key to optimal health that you’ve been looking for.

A L I T T L E N O T E

Jess xx

Disclaimer: This information shared in this e-book should not replace the advice of your primary health carer. I am a nutritionist and personal trainer – not a doctor. Information in this e-book has been well researched to ensure you receive honest, reliable advice. Jess Fisk, or Eatwise Nutrition Ltd will hold no responsibility or entity regarding any loss, damage or injury as a result from the information passed on in this e-book. I am happy for you to share information you learn from this e-book, but please respect that I have worked hard researching topics and gathering thoughts – so as long as you are crediting the source, aka – me, then I’m happy to share the love far and wide!

© Copyright 2015, Jess Fisk, eatwise nutrition.


A LITTLE NOTE PG. 4

ABOUT JESS PG. 7

YOUR GOALS PG. 8

STAGE ONE PG. 9DELETE PROCESSED FOOD - ADD VEGGIES

STAGE TWO PG. 21 MOVE YOUR BODY

EXTRAS PG. 25 HAPPY HORMONES - HEALTHY WEIGHT

WEEKLY MENUS PG. 32

DINNER TWIST RECIPES PG. 40

C O N T E N T S


“My mission is to inspire people

to live a nourishing life, one nutritious mouthful

at a time.”- Jess Fisk


A B I T A B O U T T H E A U T H O R

Hi, I’m Jess Fisk, a kiwi Nutritionist with a passion for helping people live a nourishing, abundant life, one nutritious mouthful at a time. I’m passionate and down to earth and love nothing more than frolicking in nature – surfing, camping, and adventure – the simple things in life.

I’m not your typical yoga and green juice girl, although I do dig both I also love to crochet and make cheese. I tend to steer clear of trends and I’m happiest at home pottering around the kitchen.

My desire to create a healthier world began with my own experience contracting Ulcerated Colitis as a teenager and more recently diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. Managing these chronic illnesses has forced me to stop and question the way our lifestyle and environment may have an influence our health and wellbeing.

I was led down a path of discovery that saw me study Human Nutrition at University (BSc), a Diploma in Sport and Recreation, and Permaculture Design. Not entirely satisfied with the dietary and lifestyle guidelines I learned while studying, I decided to explore further and discovered aspects that I felt had been seriously overlooked.

On the one hand, I am a passionate researcher into the role food plays in disease prevention and management. While on the other lies my simple desire to get back to the very basics of life.

Dietary trends will always be at the heart of debate among experts and often the media are more than happy to fuel the fire. Let’s face it, there is no controversy created by eating real food. This is why supporting dietary advice with research-based evidence is essential in an industry now overwhelmed by media attention, fad diets and trends. By going back to our roots and learning from nature we can be sure there are no ulterior motives.

I believe that the world would be a much brighter and healthier place if we as individuals gave our soil some love, planted more veggies and consumed a whole lot less.

To move forward often we need to rethink what we know, and relearn what we have forgotten. We must reconnect with nature, understand its power to heal and work with it, not against it.

“Though the problems of the world are

increasingly complex, the solutions remain

embarrassingly simple.” - Bill Mollison, the ‘father’ of Permaculture


Y O U R G O A L S

THIS PROGRAM HAS NO SET TIME FRAME AS TO HOW YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS.

There is no specific number of days it takes to change a habit with research showing it can be anywhere from 18 to 200. Don’t get caught up in the numbers, simply set yourself a realistic target – no one knows your body as well as you do! When I look back over the years, my health has been an endless road of improvement. It doesn’t happen overnight, but with the will to learn and grow, it will happen.

Every Healthy Habit we Form Leaves Less Room for Unhealthy Habits.

As you read through this book you will recognise the areas you per-sonally need to focus on first. For some of you, the removal of pro-cessed food (stage one) will be a big step while for others, learning about weight regulating hormones may be the icing on the cake.

Some of the information might seem contrary to what you’ve been taught in the past and may take time to digest. My recommendations are based around eating whole, natural foods to nourish your body and balance weight-regulating hormones. I have spent years reading, researching and drawing conclusions on this extremely complex area of nutrition. My passion has led me to put in the hard yards research-ing this information to ensure you receive the right advice.

It’s your adventure, enjoy the journey.


Get back to the very basics of health and nourish your body with wholesome, natural food. By going back to our roots and eating the way nature intended we can be sure there are no ulterior motives

and our diet is balanced.

S TA G E O N E : D E L E T E P R O C E S S E D F O O D

A D D V E G G I E S

E A T W I S E N U T R I T I O N - S T A G E O N E 9

Processed foods are predominantly made up of refined carbohydrates. This includes refined flours, all sorts of sugars (including artificial) not to mention the addition of unhealthy fats and preservatives to enhance their taste, change their texture and lengthen their shelf life.

A diet high in refined carbohydrates causes blood sugar imbalances that, over time, may increase your risk of various diseases including Type II diabetes, obesity, hypertension and heart disease. Excess intake of carbohydrates or calories increases blood triglycerides (fat) and causes hormone imbalances, making us more susceptible to becoming insulin and leptin resistant. 25 SNEAKY WAYS TO SAY SUGAR

There are so many different ways to name sugar – food manufacturers are very clever! Keep an eye out for words ending in ‘ose’ and watch out for fruit syrups, dried fruit and concentrates. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so if sugar or any of these words are near the top of the ingredients list, it’s best to leave it on the shelf!

AVOID PROCESSED FOODS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

“As a kid, Dad always said to me “If man made it,

don’t eat it.”

Gluten free, sugar free or low carb ‘health’ junk

Sugary drinks including fruit juices

Refined grains (including breads, noodles, pasta,

crackers, cereals)

Unhealthy fats (industrial vegetable oils:

canola, soyabean, sunflower)

Margarine and ‘wannabe’ butter spreads

Low-fat dairy andprocessed meats

THIS INCLUDES (BUT NOT LIMITED TO)

Say goodbye to:

WHAT ABOUT ALCOHOL?

If you are trying to lose weight, the less you drink the easier this will be. Excess alcohol increases the risk of a whole host of health issues and for this reason alone it is best to keep it to a minimum. A by-product of alcohol, called acetate, inhibits fat oxidation and prevents fat burning. Then there’s the hangover, where all intentions to eat healthily are thrown out the window!

Moderate alcohol to a sensible amount (no more than two drinks in one sitting) and stick to drinks that are low in sugar. Here’s how:• Stick to dry wines as they are lower in sugar • Avoid soda, cordials and juice as mixers. • Use sparkling mineral water and add fresh fruit and

ginger for flavour/sweetening. • Add mineral water to wine, beer or spirits for a refreshing

low alcohol drink.

Cane sugarDate sugarGalactoseDextrinBarley maltBeet sugarFruit juiceBrown sugarRaw sugarDehydrated fruit juiceMaple syrupGolden syrupCorn syrup solids

FructoseGlucoseRice SyrupHoneySucroseHigh fructose corn syrupGalactoseDextroseInvert sugarConfectioner’s sugarAgave nectarDried fruit (often has added sugar)

E A T W I S E N U T R I T I O N - S T A G E O N E 1 0

“The food you eatcan be either the safest&

most powerfulform of medicine

or the slowest

form of poison.” - Ann Wigmore


higher in carbohydrates with less emphasis on natural fats. To add to these changes we have also witnessed an increased consumption of processed vegetable/seed oils that are proving to wreak havoc on our bodies, particularly in the inflammatory department. Replacing natural animal fats with vegetable/seed oils may throw our delicate Omega 3/Omega 6 ratio off balance leading to increased inflammation in our body.

5. We all respond differently to carbohydrates. Some of us function and maintain weight easily with more, while many of us see results with less. This all comes down to genetics, body type, metabolism, type of exercise and our state of health. Most metabolic health conditions respond well to less carbohydrates, yet there are other scenarios including disordered sleep, gut function and hormonal imbalances (particularly for females) to name a few, where a diet extremely low in carbohydrates may not be optimal.

6. Carbohydrates are most well known for their role in supplying glucose to all body cells, including the brain (which cannot use fat for energy). We do not need to eat carbohydrates however for energy, our body can use our fat stores as a constant energy supply. As for the brain that cannot use fat, when dietary carbohydrates are limited our body produces ketone bodies to be used as an alternative fuel source. I am not advocating an excessively low carbohydrate diet however I am debunking the notion that we must eat lots of carbohydrates for energy production. Many people experience major improvements in their health once adopting a diet that is higher in natural fats, with less emphasis on carbohydrates (also known as the LCHF diet).

In a nutshell: Carbohydrates are very important but we must let go of deep-seated beliefs about their role in energy production. A growing body of research is showing the number of health benefits when reducing carbohydrates and replacing those calories with natural fats.

Page 28 gives you a guide on how many carbohydrates to eat for your body type and lifestyle.

LETTING GO OF SOME DEEP-SEATED NUTRITION BELIEFS

1. Protein, carbohydrates and fat affect our bodies differently. If we only count calories we are ignoring the fact that hormones are involved with the various foods we eat. The hormones that are elevated have a large effect on our health and on achieving a healthy weight. Eating too many refined carbohydrates and/or excess calories stimulates a greater demand for insulin hormone. If this becomes a regular habit, chronically elevated levels of insulin hormone may increase our risk for various metabolic conditions.

2. Whether calories are equal or not is an ongoing debate. What we do know is that calories from highly processed foods are more likely to wreak havoc on our body by throwing blood sugar levels off balance, cause hormonal changes (as mentioned above) and over time weaken our ‘feeling full’ leptin hunger signal. This is not to say calories are irrelevant but it should highlight the fact that there is far more to being healthy and losing weight than number crunching.

3. Just because fat has more calories per gram than carbohydrates and protein doesn’t mean it is more fattening by default. There is more to the picture than this including the hormonal and gut microbiome changes that occur as we eat food, plus our ability to digest and absorb nutrients efficiently. This is only a snapshot of the complex puzzle, but it reinforces the importance of eating whole, natural foods rather than counting the nutrient devoid calories found in processed food.

4. For many years fat has been blamed for obesity, increased risk of heart disease and various metabolic diseases. The reality is most of us are eating an excess of refined carbohydrates and may actually benefit from eating more naturally occurring fats. The rise in processed food is mostly to blame, plus the increased promotion of so-called ‘healthy foods’ such as breakfast cereals and other carbohydrate laden snacks. Changes to dietary guidelines have led people away from healthy, nutrient dense food and encouraged a diet that is

E A T W I S E N U T R I T I O N - S T A G E T W O 1 2

NOODLES & PASTA: Vegetable spirals, kelp noodles, cauliflower rice.

GRAINS: Try to reduce grain consumption and focus on adding more vegetables to your plate. Reduce wheat based grains like noodles and pasta and replace with healthier options such as quinoa, brown/wild/basmati rice, millet and amaranth.

WHEAT FLOUR: Rice flour, coconut flour, ground oats*, almond flour, buckwheat flour

BREAD: Aim to replace bread with 1/2 - 1 cup starchy root vegetables and for the occasional treat you could keep sourdough*, rye* or a spelt* loaf in the freezer. See other alternatives for sandwiches below.

BREAKFAST CEREAL: Homemade granola made with an assortment of raw nuts + seeds, homemade hearty porridge, made from quinoa, amaranth, pumpkin or whole oats*.

TABLE SALT: Dried sea kelp, pink Himalayan salt, fresh & dried herbs.

VEGETABLE OILS: For cooking use fats such as coconut oil, ghee, butter and olive oil. For cold use try avocado, macadamia, olive and hemp oil to name a few. Avoid processed hydrogenated vegetable oils (canola, soybean, sunflower) and margarine spreads.

CHIPS OR CRACKERS: Homemade kale chips, raw vegetables with pate or nut butter or easy homemade crackers.

FRUIT JUICE: Drinking juice is like drinking only the sugar of several pieces of fruit. This is a lot of sugar! To avoid the excess sugar try adding lemon, cucumber or ginger to water for a refreshing drink.

SANDWICHES, WRAPS, BURGERS: Large cos lettuce leaves, Nori wraps, rice paper rolls.

LOW FAT DAIRY: Switch to full fat (un-homogenised or raw cows milk from a trusted farmer). For those who do not tolerate dairy very well, try making your own homemade nut milks or use a dash of coconut milk or cream.

STORE BOUGHT SAUCES: See homemade sauce recipes.

SUGAR: Raw unprocessed honey, maple syrup, rice malt syrup, coconut sugar (keep to a minimum).

HOT CHOCOLATE OR MILO: 1 tsp cacao + 1tsp honey + hot water + dairy/or homemade nut milk.

*contains gluten

DON’T BE FOOLED BY “HEALTHY” FOODS

Many foods perceived to be healthy are still high in many of these ingredients. Take a look at some of the food items in your pantry. Does the front of the product promote health claims – for example low fat, low sugar, gluten free, dairy free, paleo or vegan-friendly? The list goes on!

COMMON INGREDIENTS IN “HEALTHY” CEREALS: Sultanas, sweetened dried cranberries (contain sugar, vegetable oil), apple juice concentrate, cane sugar, golden syrup and vegetable oils.

AVERAGE SERVING SIZE - 45g is SO small! The reality is we would more likely have at least double this serve, maybe even triple!

PROTEIN - 3.1g per serve is very minimal, I recommend between at least 20g per main meal. Even if we triple our serving size here we would still get less than 10g of protein.

CARBOHYDRATE - 31.1g for this tiny serve is a lot of carbohydrate for a meal with minimal protein or fat. If we were to double, or triple this serving size we would consume between 60 - 90g carbohydrate in one sitting. This isn’t even including the added milk and perhaps yogurt and fruit.

NUTRITION PANEL INFORMATION:

Average quantity per serving (45g)Energy 675 kJProtein 3.1gFat 1.7gCarbohydrate 31.1g - Sugars 8.6g

I have come up with a few healthier food swap options for you to enjoy. Eating well doesn’t have to boring, or hard. Get creative, throw your apron on and experiment!

Everyday healthier food swaps

IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET INTO THE HABIT OF READING THE INGREDIENTS LIST, NOT JUST THE FRONT OF THE PRODUCT

Reduce your consumption of refined carbohydrates, sugars, gluten, unhealthy fats and preservatives by swapping dietary staples for a healthier alternative.


HOW TO GET MORE VEGGIES IN YOUR LIFE

While the the experts argue over which diet is best, there is one thing that most of us can agree on and that is the benefit of eating more vegetables. Below are a few handy tricks to adding more vegetables into your day and whether or not you should consider juicing.

EAT VEGETABLES FOR BREAKFAST - At first people often find this odd, but it’s one of the easiest ways to get more into your day!

KEEP CHOPPED VEGGIES IN THE FRIDGE - Make delicious homemade pesto or pate and eat with raw vegetable sticks for a nutritious snack.

USE A SLOW COOKER - My favourite! You can roughly chop anything and everything, throw it together in the slow cooker and come home at night to a beautifully cooked meal. This is such an easy opportunity to add as many vegetables as you can.

FREEZE PUREED VEGETABLES - Use in smoothies, juices, or for convenience cooking when in a hurry.

SNEAK VEGETABLES INTO EVERYTHING - Seriously get creative, you can use vegetables in pretty much everything. You can grate zucchini’s, carrots, beetroot etc into many recipes and salads. Finely chop leafy greens into breakfast omelettes, savoury egg muffins, or add them to a smoothie.

JUICING AND CLEANSING

A freshly pressed juice made from vegetables with minimal fruit (I suggest no more than 1-2 pieces) can be a lovely addition to a healthy balanced diet.

There are a few things to consider before trading whole foods for juicing:• Our bodies require protein for detoxing. Juice fasting

provides very little amino acids (proteins) to assist in the detoxification pathway. To add some nutritious protein and fat to your juice, I recommend adding avocado, nuts/seeds, coconut milk, flax seed or coconut oil. It’s preferable to sip on your juice with one of the breakfast options in the meal plan.

• Juice fasting may result in weight loss due to reduction in calories. This can be achieved simply by eating whole, real foods while also providing the body with a good source of fat and protein. Always prioritise whole food and enjoy a vegetable juice as a light snack instead.

Take home message: If you want to incorporate a juice into your diet, keep the sugar content down by sticking to vegetables low in sugar and no more than one piece of fruit per serve.

TRY THIS REFRESHING JUICE

• 3 kale leaves• handful spinach• 1/2 cucumber• 1/2 lemon

E A T M O R E

VEGGIES

• 1 carrot• 1/2 apple • 2cm chunk of ginger• 2 cm chunk of turmeric

My Favourite Foods for a Healthy Body

BRASSICA VEGGES - Broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts… Get creative with cooking and you will love them. Blend cauliflower into cauli rice and serve brussel sprouts with a healthy dollop of butter!

EGGS - ‘Natures’ multi-vitamin’, affordable protein source, high in choline (important for brain health), selenium (helps to prevent cell damage), Vitamin A.

LIVER - Affordable protein source, high in vitamin A, vitamins B12 and copper. Try my homemade pate if you don’t like the taste, or slice finely and disguise in a meat dish.

SARDINES - Affordable source of protein, high in Omega 3 and a good source of phosphorous, calcium and vitamin D - all important nutrients for bone health. Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice, cracked salt/pepper with a drizzle of olive oil.

KELP - High in iodine which is lacking in most Western diets. Use Nori sheets as wraps (what is used for sushi) and sprinkle dried kelp onto foods.

FULL FAT YOGURT OR KEFIR - A fermented drink you can easily make at home after purchasing kefir bacteria or grains from a whole food store. A good source of probiotics, calcium, phosphorous and Vitamin B12.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR - Used in many traditional diets, apple cider helps with digestion and adds a lovely tang to any salad.

KIWIFRUIT - No bias here I promise! Kiwifruit is high in Vitamin’s C, K and a good source of fibre.

E A T W I S E N U T R I T I O N 1 4

S I M P L E H E A LT H Y S N A C K S

• Cucumber with smoked salmon and avocado.

• 1/2 - 1 apple with 1 tbsp nut butter, sprinkle of shredded coconut.

• Can of sardines with squeeze of lemon. Serve with a couple of simple homemade crackers.

• 1/2 cup full fat yogurt or kefir with 1 tbsp linseeds and 1 small piece of fruit chopped.

• Sweetened cottage cheese: 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 tsp vanilla paste, 1/2 apple grated and sprinkle of chia seeds/or raw nuts.

• 1 handful of raw nuts or toasted in coconut oil.

• 1-2 boiled eggs with pesto, or homemade mayo.

• Homemade jerky, or high quality store bought.

• Raw vegetable sticks dipped in homemade pate, tahini, nut butter, or cottage cheese.

• Fresh vegetable juice with no more than one piece of fruit.

• A slice of cheese with half an apple.

• Healthy kebab stick: olive, cube of feta, cucumber, cherry tomato.

• Sweet and savoury kebab stick: watermelon, fresh mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil.

• Cup of traditional broth.

• 1 brekkie muffin.

• 1 raw cashew delight or raw vanilla coconut ball.

• Devilled eggs: 1-2 boiled egg cut in half, sprinkle with paprika and drizzle with olive oil.

• Two rice or buckwheat crackers served with avocado, tomato and cracked pepper/salt.

• Nori roll filed with leftover dinner meat and raw veggies.

E A T W I S E N U T R I T I O N - R E C I P E S 1 5

“You can't exercise your way out of a bad diet.“ - Mark Hyman


My lovely friend Louise Garland, Naturopath and Medical Herbalist from New Zealand, has shared her knowledge on herbs that will naturally help improve and stabilise blood sugar levels, support adrenals, reduce cravings and break down fat.

FUCUS VESICULOSUS (Bladderwrack/ North Atlantic Kelp) Bladderwrack is high in iodine, a mineral that helps to regulate our thyroid and is deeply lacking in the Western diet. The thyroid is the regulator of our metabolism and therefore needs to be working well if we are to maintain a healthy weight. Try adding Bladderwrack to soups/stews/broths.

GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE (Gymnema) - Chewing gymnema leaves or taking just one or two mls of tincture will affect your taste buds in such a way that you can’t taste sweetness in foods! Try it - it’s amazing! The less you taste sweetness the less you crave it. Research has shown gymnema reduces blood sugar levels by inhibition of glucose absorption in the intestine. Gymnema has also been shown to reduce triglycerides.

CINNAMOMUM ZEYLANICUM (Cinnamon) - This is one of my favourites and it is so versatile! Research has shown a sprinkle of cinnamon everyday may help control blood sugar levels by improving glucose and blood lipids in our body. In combination with a healthy diet try adding this beautiful spice to fresh fruit, yogurt or try my hearty porridge recipe.

TARAXACUM OFFICINALE (Dandelion) - Works to stimulate your liver to help break down fats. This is good because you’re less likely to store fat if you break it down properly. Dandelion leaves are available at most farmers markets – add them to salads, stir-fries and smoothies.

GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA (Liquorice) - Taken as a tea it is sweet and a good replacement for sweet treats, but also supports your adrenals to help better cope with stress. An unstressed body is better equipped to allow you to make better choices.

E N J O Y T H E P O W E R F U L H E A L I N G P R O P E R T I E S O F H E R B S


EAT THE WAY NATURE INTENDED

CHOOSE CHEAPER CUTS OF MEAT - Good quality, ethically raised meat can sometimes be expensive but there are ways around it to reap the same benefits for a smaller price.

• Buy tougher cuts and cook in a slow cooker. • Don't just eat the meat — make stocks and broths with

the bones for a nutritious snack that can be stored in the freezer. Broths are are a good source of glutamine, collagen and gelatin.

• Cook with organs like chicken, beef or lambs liver - Make healthy pates or add small amounts to a meal to hide the strong flavour.

DO YOU HAVE TO EAT ORGANIC?

If you can afford to buy organic foods then by all means I highly recommend it, but don’t feel as if you have failed a healthy lifestyle if it doesn’t fit your budget. Eating organic food is a great way to minimise your exposure to the cocktail of chemicals that are often found in commercially raised produce and it makes perfect sense that foods grown naturally, unassisted by chemicals, will have a higher nutrition profile, however this is always up for debate among food manufacturers.

Politics aside I believe the best piece of advice is to choose the healthiest options you can, within your means. Include more vegetables into your diet and there will be less room for highly refined foods. Seek out local markets for affordable, good quality produce and look out for specials in the supermarket - you’ll be amazed at how a bit of smart shopping can improve the pantry.

Some fruits and vegetables contain more pesticides than others. The clean 15 are the vegetables that are best for you and the ones you want to buy and eat in bulk. The Dirty Dozen is a list put together to inform consumers which foods carry higher amounts of pesticides.

DIRTY DOZEN PLUSApplesPeachesNectarinesStrawberriesGrapesCelerySpinachCapsicumsCucumberCherry tomatoesSnap peas-importedPotatoes+hot peppers+kale/collard greens

Reference: www.ewg.org

CLEAN 15AvocadosSweet CornPineapplesCabbageFrozen sweet peasOnionsAsparagusMangoesPapayasKiwifruitEggplantGrapefruitRockmelonCauliflowerSweet potato

It’s scary to think how fast we are losing touch with Mother Nature. It was only 10 years ago I owned my first cellphone.

A phone call and a few games of snake was the most action that phone ever got! Nowadays its very rare to see anyone without their phones for more than a few minutes. We are addicted to technology and although it has it’s benefits, we are losing touch with nature and all the simple things in life - the ones that makes us feel good.

So what has this got to do with eating well? Everything! Just like many other elements of our lifestyle, we have also become disconnected from our food, where it comes from and how it has been produced. Many children today have very little knowledge of where their food comes from. Cooking food from scratch, growing food and working with the land has become a rarity in our fast-paced society where everything is designed for convenience and making a dollar.

There are lots of little things we can all do to improve our health and to spend our money with the people who are making a difference. Knowing your farmer is a big one — ask around if you don't know already. Find out where your local farmers markets are and from here you will start networking with like minded people.

KNOW YOUR FARMER

Eating the way nature intended is also about knowing where your food comes from and eating with the seasons. We have been so spoilt with food availability all year round we forget to question where our food has come from, how far it has travelled and how it was produced. Knowing your farmer is an excellent way to have more control over what foods you put in your body.

Most cities have a number of farmers markets where organic and local produce can be found. I love going to a farmers market over the weekend to collect my veggies for the week, score some quality cuts of ethically raised meat and chat to friendly locals. These people have a wealth of knowledge, lap it up!

EAT MORE VARIETY - Get creative, try and avoid buying the same produce each week. Many people lack the confidence to cook things they haven’t tried before - but trust me, you really can’t go wrong.

EAT WITH THE SEASONS - Nature always knows best! Eat with the seasons and get the nutrients your body craves with the change of seasons and reduce food mileage by supporting local produce.

SHOP AROUND FOR AFFORDABLE PRODUCE - Always shop within your means. Anything will beat processed foods but not everyone can afford exclusively organic produce. Spend time at different markets and you will discover hidden gems or meet like minded people who can point you in the direction of good produce.


COOK FROM SCRATCH

It’s not rocket science but getting back into the kitchen is one of the best things you can do for the health of yourself and your family. It’s pretty rare nowadays to cook a meal without any man-made ingredients. Everything has been created to make our lives that little bit easier and people are losing their confidence in the kitchen. Media is partly to blame for peoples fear of cooking from scratch with so much attention on gourmet cooking shows! Gone are the days when meat and three veggies was the norm. Our culture is obsessed with food, but for all the wrong reasons!

A Few Kitchen Gadgets to Help you Create Simple, Wholesome Meals from Scratch:SLOW COOKER: Look out for a second one to save you money (and reuse). Slow cookers make delicious meals, no matter what your cooking skills!

LOW TOXIN COOKWARE: Most modern pots and pans are coated with potentially harmful chemicals that leach into our food when heated. My favourite kitchen score is my second hand cast iron pans.

DEHYDRATOR: I use mine to make beef jerky (see recipe) and dehydrate nuts and fruit. A lazy Sunday afternoon activity that requires minimal effort.

FOOD PROCESSOR: Handy for creating simple homemade sauces, grounding nuts for raw cashew delights (see recipe) or even just to finely chop vegetables.

LARGE ROASTING DISH: It’s handy to have a fairly large, deep roasting dish so you can always cook extra food for the week. Always think in advance, if you’re cooking a roast over the weekend pop in extra veggies to have with breakfast or add to a simple salad.

A GOOD BLENDER: Not essential as I encourage you to sit down and chew your food. However, there are some very nutritious smoothies to make and a blender that works well can make your life a whole lot easier. No one enjoys swallowing chunks of unblended greens.

GLASS JARS: Not just because they are a fashionable kitchen accessory right now! They are ideal for storing all kinds of food and safer than plastic. Reuse coconut oil, sauce, and olive or gherkin jars for sprouting, storing nuts or for some homemade cleansing lotions for a bit of DIY fun.

EATING ON LONG JOURNEYS

All too often our good intentions are thrown out the car door when we hit the road!

If you are off on a holiday there is no doubt you will do a little indulging and I don't blame you. If you don't know the food options available throughout your journey I highly recommend pre-packing a few healthy goodies to take with you.

Take foods high in protein and healthy fats to keep you full on the journey such as:• Shredded leftover meats• Avocados • Canned tuna• Jerky• Raw nuts • Boiled eggs• Fruit - not high in protein, but a nutritious high

fibre snack for the journey.

*I don’t encourage eating lots of canned foods or supporting the tuna industry. These are practical tips just for the road to prevent you from eating fast foods, petrol station pies and save you a whole lot of money too. Winning!

HOW TO SPEED UP YOUR COMEBACK RATE

“I’m never going to eat anything bad EVER AGAIN” — pfffft yeah right! Setting the bar this high is not realistic. We are all human, which means there will be many indulgent times throughout our lives! A more positive and realistic approach would be how fast you can bounce back after making poor dietary or lifestyle choices. For many of us eating treats, missing a workout or having a night out instantly triggers the “I’ve already stuffed up, so I may as well keep indulging and start fresh on Monday” mantra. Sound familiar?

Speed Up that Comeback Rate: - Go for a walk outside. This will help take your mind off food,

improve your mood and help you make smarter decisions for the rest of the day. Nature solves everything, I swear!

- Snack on foods high in protein to help curb sugar cravings. If you’ve over indulged in sweets your blood sugar levels will be all over the place — nip it in the bud and reach for protein and you'll be back on track in no time.

- Plan yourself a delicious, wholesome meal for dinner. Try our Healthy Fish and Chips recipe, or make your own bunless burgers for a healthier takeaway style treat.

- Plan your meals for the next few days until you are back into your normal routine.

g e t b a c k i n t o t h e

KITCHEN


BUYING IN BULK: This Should be your new best friend! Everything is cheaper in bulk whether it’s nuts, oils, anything really. Ever considered buying a deep freeze and going halves with a friend in purchasing a whole animal? It’s healthier, cheaper and if you go to the right farmer you are supporting ethically raised animals.

COOK A LARGE MEAL: Create lunch size portions to grab throughout the week.

GROW: One of the greatest things you can do for your health is to start growing your own food. Start with a few simple herbs to spice up your meals and as your love for gardening grows, give your own vegetable garden a go.

EAT WITH THE SEASONS: Not only is it cheaper and more environmentally friendly but nature seems to know what foods we need throughout each season.

SHOP LOCAL: Every dollar we spend is creating the world we want to live in.

PLAN AHEAD: If you are super organised you might want to plan your weekly meals in advance to reduce wastage of food and not be tempted by poor food choices at the last minute because you haven’t thought about what you want for diner.

T R Y T H E S E S I M P L E L I F E H A C K S F O R A H E A LT H I E R Y O U


S TA G E T W O : M O V E Y O U R B O D Y

Exercise makes us happy and helps create a strong, healthy body. Engage in exercise you love or save time by doing shorter, higher intensity workouts.


the key to E X E R C I S E I S C O N S I S T E N C Y

“Any form of exercise and movement is important. What’s more important is finding something you enjoy because the key to exercise is consistency.”

There is so much truth in that quote, it’s one of my favourites. For a long time the ‘eat less move, more’ message has been drummed into us and hey, I agree! Although not entirely. There is so much focus on exercise, as if it’s the only reason we’re unhealthy. Newsflash, it’s not.

So many unhealthy people are in fact highly active. A bad diet is to blame in many cases. I’m not just talking about straight up junk food I’m also talking about bad ‘healthy foods’.

This is a scenario I see all the time in the fitness industry – people with the right attitude toward getting healthy, but who aren’t following the best dietary advice. Treadmill runners and breakfast cereal lovers seem to go hand in hand! While it may work for some, in my experience, it won’t work for the majority.

A quick physiology lesson: The little glass jar aka our carbohydrate storage tank that I discuss further in the extra’s chapter must be depleted before our body switches to our fat stores as a fuel source.

How? Mostly diet, but also EFFECTIVE exercise can make this job easier.

Every time we exercise we deplete some or all of this storage tank (depending on the intensity and duration).

If we end our workouts with foods high in refined carbohydrates we make it very challenging to use energy from our fat stores. It’s almost as though we undo our exercise achievements.

Keeping the storage tank ‘half full’ as I touch on in the extra’s chapter is a way I like to describe effective, sustainable weight loss. This can be achieved through a healthy diet with the right amount of carbohydrates to suit your body type and lifestyle, plus an effective exercise regime.

“You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet.”

- Mark HymanSO WHAT IS EFFECTIVE EXERCISE FOR FAT LOSS?

The kind that depletes that storage tank fast and requires our fat stores to be used as a source of fuel. Many weight loss exercise protocols focus on regular steady state cardio such as walking and jogging, at a moderate intensity. Compared with higher intensity workouts like interval training, or the example workout over the page, this style of training is not always so effective.

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

Do what you love and make it effective for your goals!

Slaving away for one hour a day isn’t necessary. Especially if you:• Don’t enjoy it• Are looking for faster results• Have limited time

E A T W I S E N U T R I T I O N - S T A G E T H R E E 2 2

HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING - One of the most effective forms of exercise, particularly for weight loss is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This could be anything from sprinting to shorter duration/explosive workouts involving functional body movements such as squats and push ups.

LIFT STUFF - No you won’t turn into the hulk! I’m talking simple functional movements that place some load on your joints and muscles. Strength training is a key component to a healthy body and improving your core strength. Functional upper and lower body exercises such as push-ups or squats improve your ability to perform key everyday movements and are extremely beneficial.

PLAY MORE - Engage in slow, longer duration cardio exercise that you enjoy. Anything from a walk on the beach, a leisurely swim, or kicking a ball around with your kids. Simply anything that gets you moving and makes you feel good.

GET YOUR SWEAT ON WITH THIS FULL BODY TABATA WORKOUT!

This is one of my favourite ways to train; each set only takes four minutes! You can start out by just completing one Tabata and build your way up to four. Performing one Tabata is better than none and everyone has a spare four minutes, surely!

Complete one Tabata from each group separately. Perform intervals of 20 seconds as hard as you can, have 10 seconds rest and continue for four minutes.

Select from options below: CARDIOBurpiesMountain ClimbersRun or cycling sprints

LEGSJump squats Jump lunges High knees

UPPER BODYTricep dipsPush upsShoulder press

CORESit upsLeg lowersRussian Twist

HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING

This is one my other favourite ways to train for fat loss, muscle tone and improve performance.

10 - 15 MINUTE WORKOUTWork your way through these exercises for five minutes:

• 10 jump squats (regular if you have knee issues) • 20 fast mountain climbers • 10 burpies • 20 jump lunges (or regular lunges if

you have knee issues) • 10 push ups

Repeat 2 - 3 times.

A weeks exercise plan MON / Lift stuff (strength training)

TUE / High intensity interval training (see above)

WED / Slow cardio, playTHUR / Lift stuff (strength training)

FRI / Tabata training (see above)SAT / REST

SUN / Get some nature time


DO MORE

DO YOU NEED TO EAT AFTER EXERCISE?

It depends. If you have walked for 30 minutes around the block, probably not. You haven’t depleted that storage tank enough. However if you have just performed a Tabata or high intensity workout, possibly.

High intensity workouts such as those on page 23 deplete your storage tank much faster than slower paced cardio. Eating nutrient dense foods containing a good source of protein and moderate carbohydrates is an important recovery method. However keep in mind that our storage tank will replenish naturally within 24 hours after the workout regardless of whether we have eaten carbohydrates or not.

My advice is to eat foods like eggs, seafood, full fat dairy (if tolerated), meat with a portion of starchy root vegetables (such as sweet potato or pumpkin) or a banana (higher in carbohydrates).

2. SUNLIGHT BOOSTS SEROTONIN – The happy hormone that stimulates melatonin when the sun goes down so we can have a good night sleep. An entire day of sitting, using technology, eating processed foods and not getting outside is a recipe for no sleep. No wonder we have an epidemic of sleep disorders and insomnia.

3. IT GIVES YOU MORE CONFIDENCE - A good dose of sunshine and fresh air certainly makes you feel happier and in turn, more confident.

4. IT’S BETTER FOR YOUR BODY -Exercising on different terrains means our body is working harder. Imagine your joints and muscles as they walk over a flat even surface versus climbing on rocks or jogging on the sand. If we don’t challenge ourselves the body becomes lazy and won’t function at its best, increasing our risk of injuries and muscle imbalances.

5. YOU WILL ENJOY IT MORE - We all have different interests, but running at one pace on the same incline gets boring! Take that run outside and your perception will change drastically.

Why not: • Find out whether there are any outdoor boot camps

in your area.• Schedule social catch ups over a walk instead of

always meeting at cafes.• If you love cardio, save your moolah and train outside

instead! You will feel better, and have more money to spend on healthy food. Yay!

EXERCISE IN NATURE

Simple changes to your lifestyle including exercising outside will help you achieve optimal health more easily. Why? Because you will be happier!

Consistency is key with exercise, and to stay on the bandwagon we need to enjoy what we do.

6 REASONS TO EXERCISE OUTSIDE:

1. EXERCISING IN NATURE INCREASES MENTAL CLARITY - Fresh air, sun and movement is natures’ medicine. We certainly weren’t designed to sit inside all day under bright artificial lighting glaring into computer screens. If this rings a bell, find ways to achieve your exercise goals outside.

Love of what you

E A T W I S E N U T R I T I O N - S T A G E T H R E E 2 4

Hormones play a massive role in achieving optimal health. Having a basic understanding of how they affect your body can

drastically help improve your health.

E X T R A S : H A P P Y H O R M O N E S - H E A LT H Y W E I G H T

E A T W I S E N U T R I T I O N - S T A G E T W O 2 5

HormonesLEPTIN - Often called the ‘master’ hormone, Leptin is produced mostly in our fat cells. Leptins’ main role is regulating how many calories we eat and burn. Leptin knows how much fat we have in our body (in storage) and sends a message to our brain if we need to eat more food.

Overweight people tend to have higher leptin levels meaning they shouldn’t feel very hungry. While this would be the ideal scenario, the opposite is true. Leptin resistance is common in overweight and obese people meaning the leptin signal to the brain is weakened and constant hunger is the outcome.

INSULIN - Often called the main fat storing hormone, insulins main role is blood sugar regulation and driving energy into our cells to be used for all bodily functions. Having a basic understanding of insulin makes the challenge of losing weight a whole lot easier.

Eating excess carbohydrates (particularly refined) and excessive calories sends our blood sugar levels on an unhealthy roller coaster ride. The consequence of this is chronically elevated levels of insulin, which may lead to insulin resistance, type II diabetes and weight gain. GLUCAGON - Glucagon enables fat to be used for energy, yay! Through what is known as a ‘negative feedback loop’ glucagon is in action when insulin isn’t around.

Letting go of some deep seated nutrition beliefs will help you understand the art to eating well which in turn will help you achieve a healthy weight. There is more to weight loss than calorie counting and having strong willpower. In fact, willpower has little to do with it when our hormones are unbalanced. Eating processed foods and healthy ‘junk’ high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, causes a blood sugar roller coaster that leads to hormonal chaos and possibly weight gain.

As we uncover the inner workings of metabolism, hunger signalling and weight regulating hormones we begin to appreciate how important it is to eat the right food. Counting calories, portion sizes and excessive exercise become a lesser priority once we understand the physiological changes that take place in response to the various foods we eat.

I have outlined some key weight regulating hormones for you below that are discussed throughout the next chapter.

“There is more to weight loss than calorie counting and

having strong willpower.”


PART A) WHY SO MANY OF US STRUGGLE TO LOSE WEIGHT: OUR STORAGE TANK IS FULL AND OUR HORMONES ARE OUT OF CONTROL!

Lets imagine this little glass jar is where we store some of our carbohydrates (aka our liver). If we consume more carbohydrates than our bodies require this little jar doesn’t have enough storage room and the excess is stored as fat.

To turn our little fat burning engines on we must first understand that we have limited storage space for carbohydrates, unlike fat. Each of us has a different level of carbohydrate requirements based on genetics, body shape and the type of exercise we do. The majority of us consume MORE than enough carbohydrates and our storage tank is absolutely bursting.

Processed foods Sugar

Grains / LentilsStarchy vegetables

Dairy Fruit

A LITTLE REMINDER WHERE MOST OF OUR CARBOHYDRATES COME FROM

A fairly common diet for many people

While fats have been given a bad rap for many years they are in fact essential for our health and wellbeing (the natural non-tampered with kind). Trade your breakfast cereal for a more nutritious start to the day. Try poached free-range eggs, teamed with plenty of veggies and other nutritional powerhouses like avocados, nuts and seeds and fresh fruit for a well balanced start to your day.

BREAKFAST: • Cereal• Low fat milk• Low fat/sweetened yogurt• Fresh or canned fruit• Glass of fruit juice• Coffee/tea with sugar

MORNING TEA: • Rice Crackers• Muesli bar• Sweetened yogurt• Fruit and coffee/tea with sugar

LUNCH: • Pasta salad• Sandwhich/wraps.

AFTERNOON TEA: • Biscuits• Fruit• Coffee/tea with sugar

DINNER: • Spaghetti bolognese• Pasta dishes

DESSERT: • Ice cream• Chocolate

What you see here is a fairly typical diet for many of us, high in carbohydrates, with minimal protein and fat. All of these carbohydrate options (aside from processed foods

and sugar) can be part of a healthy diet, with the exception that some of these foods can be problematic for some (gluten, dairy and fodmaps for example). The issue we face is that many of us eat an abundance of these carbohydrate foods, without adequate protein and fat. For anyone wishing to lose weight, or improve your health, often a few simple adjustments can make all the difference.

Having your lipid levels checked (cholesterol test) can provide important information about your health. Diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates may elevate your blood triglyceride levels, a risk factor for various health conditions including heart disease.

Eating too many carbohydrates with minimal protein and healthy fats causes our body to secrete more insulin than normal to remove the sugar from our blood stream. If our storage tank is full, carbohydrates are stored as fat (triglycerides).


WHAT HAPPENS WHEN INSULIN IS CHRONICALLY ELEVATED

Insulin hormone puts the brakes on burning fat as a fuel by inhibiting; gluconeogensis, lipolysis and ketogenesis. There’s some big words for you (explained below)!

EXCESS INSULIN PREVENTS THE ACTION OF:

GLUCAGON HORMONE - Glucagon frees up storage space by converting stored glycogen (stored glucose) back into glucose to be used as energy = fat loss.

GLUCONEOGENESIS - The pathway that enables our fat stores to be used as a fuel.

LIPOLYSIS - The breakdown of stored fat.

KETOGENESIS - A metabolic pathway in which fats are converted to ketone bodies to use for energy.

HOW MANY CARBOHYDRATES SHOULD YOU BE EATING FOR YOUR BODY TYPE?

As I discussed earlier, we all require different amounts of carbohydrates to achieve optimal health and lose weight. This is based on a few factors including body type, genetics, the type of exercise you do and your current state of health. The majority of us don’t need to worry whether or not we’re getting enough in our diets. Carbohydrates are abundant in our diets and most of us discover our health improves when we eat less and/or improve the quality of our carbohydrates i.e.) substituting wheat for nutritious vegetables and fruit instead.

The exception of course is for those of you training at high intensity frequently, following a specific diet or simply feel and perform better with more carbohydrates. An example of someone who may be burning the candle at both ends and not consuming enough carbohydrates may be: a person following a

grain free diet and not eating enough fruit and root vegetables, who is training very high intensities frequently. If this sounds like you, I suggest you see a health practitioner trained in nutrition who can help you put together a plan to ensure you are eating adequate carbohydrates for your lifestyle while without compromising your health.

For those of us who don’t train to any great lengths, you can adjust your carbohydrate intakes to a a level that helps you maintain a healthy weight and makes you feel good. If you are trying to lose weight understanding your body type can be helpful to achieving healthy, sustainable weight loss.

CARBOHYDRATES FOR YOUR BODY TYPE

*The amounts stated below are an estimation. I recommend you see a health practitioner trained in nutrition to help you create an individualised plan suitable to your lifestyle.

If you typically gain weight easily and have a larger frame you may see faster results with less carbohydrates. The lower/moderate spectrum of roughly 50g - 100g per day may be a good starting point until you find the perfect balance for you. Many people see major improvements to their health and weight on an even lower spectrum of 50g or less daily, a metabolic state known as ketosis.

If you gain and lose weight easily and have a more lean/athletic build you are the middle man. You can generally tolerate more carbohydrates and may find the perfect balance around roughly 100g - 150g per day.

If you are very lean with a small frame and can typically eat anything without gaining weight, you can generally eat a lot more carbohydrates than most without negatively affecting your health or gaining weight. This isn’t a free ticket to eat as many carbohydrates as you like! Staying in the 100g - 150g range may be perfect for you also, or more if you are very active.

Image reference: www.drarien.com.za


PART B) HOW TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL HEALTH SENSIBLY: KEEP THE STORAGE TANK HALF FULL AND HORMONES HAPPY!

Which fats should you eat:• Eat natural good quality fats in each meal such as meats,

seafood, coconut (oil/cream/milk), avocado, olive oil, cheese, nuts and seeds, egg yolks, full fat yogurts and kefir, olives, butter and cream.

• Avoid highly processed fats like those found in margarine and spreads, processed foods including many junk ‘health foods’.

• Avoid cooking with oils such as sunflower, rice bran, peanut, soybean and canola oils. Instead use oils like coconut oil, butter (at lower temp), ghee and olive oil (avoid high temp).

There is constant debate over fats and their influence on our health. By eating whole, natural foods we eat a well balanced ratio of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. We run into issues when we start singling out nutrients because the reality is we don’t eat a single nutrient exclusively on its own. Natural food has it’s own unique combination of nutrients that work with the body. Its only when we start processing and muddling these nutrients up that we face problems.

WHAT ABOUT PROTEIN?

Every cell in the human body requires protein; it is one of the building blocks for life. Proteins are a combination of amino acids that perform a vast array of functions in the body. Mostly known for growth and repair, protein is also required to make hormones, neurotransmitters and enzymes to name a few.

If you eat animal products, and or seafood, you may already consume sufficient protein. Quite often though people don’t consume enough protein in the morning to kick start their day.

Those of us eating a Western style diet usually start the day fuelled by refined carbohydrates from breakfast cereals, sugar and bread. The problem with most cereals and bread is a lack of protein and healthy fats per serve. By ditching these processed foods we allow more room for nutrient dense staples such as eggs, quality animal products, vegetables and fruit.

The World Health Organisation recommends 0.8g/kg per day, however this is based on structural requirements and prevention of deficiency. Research shows protein intake closer to 1.5g - 2g per kilo of body weight per day (based on your healthy body weight) is better for optimal health and weight loss. Years of research has proved proteins’ importance in weight loss for a number of reasons including it’s high satiety rating.

HOW MUCH PROTEIN IS THIS?

Using the guidelines above (1.5g/kg/day - 2g /kg/day) you can easily work out how much protein you need each day.

For me as an example this works out to be:1.5g x 55kg = 83g /day minimum 2g x 55kg = 110g/ day maximum.

Eating adequate protein and fat teamed with less carbohydrates will prevent the storage tank from overflowing!

Now that you know a little bit about how foods affect insulin, leptin and glucagon hormone differently it becomes easier to make smart food choices.

To begin you may need to let go of some deep-seated nutrition beliefs, specifically those related to calories and fat.

The common notion is that eating too many calories makes us fat. True. However, when we live by this ideal we tend to make an innocent mistake that often prevents us from losing weight.

Fat is more calorie dense than carbohydrates and protein and is often restricted to reduce calories. Eating less calories is part of the ticket to losing weight, except reducing fat is not always the best answer. Eating adequate amounts of fat with each main meal improves our ‘feel full’ signals and stabilises blood sugar levels preventing sudden cravings only a couple of hours after a meal.

Avocado

Coconut

Almonds

Eating natural healthy fats

= STABLE BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS= LESS INSULIN AND INCREASED GLUCAGON HORMONE= HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE WEIGHT LOSS

Eggs

High quality meat

TOGETHER WITH ADEQUATE PROTEIN AND LESS CARBOHYDRATES


Now we have a range of 83g - 110g daily. We can spread these out across meals to double check we are eating sufficient amounts of protein. Let’s meet halfway and aim for roughly 100g daily. I often recommend three main meals but depending on the individual you may require one or two small snacks on top of this.

100g of protein divided by three meals = 33g of protein per main meal without snacking or 25g protein at each main meal, plus two snacks containing 13g protein.

ANIMAL PROTEIN SOURCES AND AMOUNTS

Complete protein source containing all amino acids. *approximate values

EGGS -1 large egg - 6-7g

SEAFOOD - 100g scallops - 20g100g mussels - 20gSmall (95g) tin tuna in brine - 20gCanned sardines in brine - 20g

MEAT -100g red meat -30g100g chicken breast - 29g100g salmon - 26g

ORGANS -100g raw chicken liver - 17g 100g lamb liver - 20g100g beef liver - 20g

DAIRY -1/3 cup full fat cottage cheese - 10g1 cup full fat milk - 8g 1/2 cup full fat yogurt - 6g

PLANT PROTEIN SOURCES AND AMOUNTS

Plant based proteins have a fair amount of carbohydrates, compared to animal products which have none. *approximate values

100g tempeh - 19g1/4 cup almonds - 7g1 cup chickpeas - 15g1 cup cooked lentils - 18g 1/2 cup cooked brown rice - 2.5g 1/2 cup cooked quinoa - 4g4 tbsp hemp powder - 12g4 tbsp chia seeds - 4g

“Eat less, move more….. A simple, powerful

statement that I believe has led us all astray.”


EATING NOURISHING FOODS IS ONE THING, BUT IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING:

RELAX and enjoy your food. Chew slowly and avoid eating on the run, in the car or in front of the television.

COOK food from scratch. Get creative, the more you practice the more efficient you become. Having no time is no excuse.

ENJOY your meal. Sounds like common sense, but so many people shovel their food down without taking the time to enjoy the beautiful flavours.

SHARE with friends and family. Turn the television off and talk to your loved ones. Sitting around the dinner table is a dying tradition yet is so important for our health and the art of communicating!

GROW your food! I am not suggesting you should be 100% living off the land. I’m talking simple baby steps like starting a small veggie patch, planting herbs and utilising your backyard to grow edible food.

AN EXAMPLE OF YOUR DAY ON A PLATE MAY LOOK LIKE THIS:

Portions will vary based on individual needs but this helps to paint a good picture of how you might like to eat for optimal health.

BREAKFAST:2-4 free range eggsspinach, mushrooms, red onion, garlic½ cup leftover roasted sweet potato/pumpkin (pumpkin is fairly low in carbohydrates)1 coffee/tea with dash of full fat milk

MID-MORNING:Herbal tea or coffee/tea with no added sugar1/2 apple with 1 tbsp almond butter or slice of cheese or a mini snack platter with olives, salmon, vegetable sticks and pate.

LUNCH:Roughly a palm size portion of meat, fresh raw salad, 1/4 - 1/2 avocado, sprinkle of nuts/seeds/sprouts, crumble of full fat feta, or cottage cheese.+ 1 piece of fresh fruit (optional).

DINNER:Grilled meat or seafood of choice, unlimited amounts of greens (broccoli, green beans, spinach, silver beet etc) + 1 tablespoon of olive oil mixed with apple cider vinegar, squeeze of lemon and mustard + 1/2 cup carrot/parsnip mash.

S H A R E W I T H

FRIENDSAND FAMILY

“Keeping our hormones in balance by eating whole,

nutrient-dense foods is simple and more sustainable than calorie counting.”


W E E K O N E / M E N U

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

2-3 Poached eggs with fresh spinach , feta cheese, 1-2 rasher free range bacon

Egg and vegetable smash

Healthy porridge Vegetable omelette with heaped tbsp of leftover taco mince and 1 slice sourdough/or sprouted bread (opt.)

Breakfast seed Salad - Spinach, kale, 1/4 avocado, sprouts, halloumi cheese, fresh basil. Serve with soft boiled eggs

Pumpkin pancakes (optional treat)

Shakshuka

Chicken with watermelon salad

Leftover portion of baked salmon served with simple green salad, 1/4 avocado, sprinkle of nut/seeds and drizzle of Asian dressing

Nori rolls filled with 100g pulled pork, 1/4 avocado, grated carrot, diced cucumber/capsicum

Halloumi with puy lentilOpt: Serve with shredded chicken

Leftover Tom Kah Gai

Brekkie fritter with a can of tuna in spring water (95g - 130g)

Kelp noodle and beef salad

Baked citrus salmon

Pulled BBQ chicken in cos lettuce cups

Taco salad Tom Kah Gai Soup

Healthy fish and chips

Beef and kelp noodles

Lemon chicken with kale

SNACKS (if needed)

1 cup kefir with LSA and blueberries

Homemade pate with raw vegetables

Raw cashew delight and 1 cup of traditional broth

Canned sardines or tuna in cos lettuce cups served with cracked pepper /salt, squeeze of lemon.

Brekkie muffin and a piece of fruit

2-3 rice paper rolls with raw vegetables avocado and smoked salmon dip in Asian dressing

Sliced pear with 1 tbsp nut butter and sprinkle shredded coconut

DRINKS

Lots of water, herbal teas, teas/coffee (moderate 1-2 daily with no added sugars)

BREA

KFA

STLU

NC

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W E E K T W O / M E N U

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

2-3 egg omelette made with grated zucchini, sprinkle of parmesan with a side of fresh greens and 1/4 avocado

Balanced smoothieInclude healthy fats from avocado, eggs, full fat yogurt, coconut milk and keep fruit to a minimum (1-2 pieces max)

Brekkie stack: Portobello mushroom, rocket, crumbled feta, 1-2 bacon rasher topped with a lightly fried egg (1-2)

Brekkie fritter with heaped tbsp cottage cheese, 50g salmon and 1-2 eggs any style

1/4 - 1/2 avocado smash on 1 slice sour dough, or sprouted bread (opt.). Serve with 50g smoked salmon, 1/2 tomato and squeeze of lemon

Fry up: vegetable leftovers, 1-2 bacon rashers with 2-4 poached or scrambled eggs

Occasional treat: pumpkin pancakes

Beef lettuce cups

Leftover Asian style chicken patties 1/4 cup cooked quinoa tossed through simple garden salad with 1/4 avocado and a sprinkle of nuts/seeds

Rice paper rolls with leftover crunchy pork mince and raw vegetables

Leftover beef and pad thai

Nori roll using leftover chicken from butternut curry, crumbled feta, red cabbage, sprouts and fresh coriander

1 piece toasted sprouted bread, or sourdough (if tolerant) with pesto, green salad, can of tuna or sardines, 1/4 - 1/2 avocado and drizzle of apple cider and turmeric dressing

Leftover Cypriot salad served with grilled chicken

Asian style chicken patties

Crunchy pork noodles

Beef and veggie pad thai

Chicken and butternut curry on cauliflower rice

150 - 200g steak served with Cypriot salad

Pak choy ginger and fish parcels

Lamb with fresh yogurt dip

SNACKS (if needed)

50g Smoked salmon served with easy homemade crackers

Homemade pate with carrot and celery sticks

Vegetable juice 1/2 - 1 cup full fat probiotic yogurt (pot set) or homemade kefir with 1/2 cup diced fresh fruit and 2 tbsp nuts and seeds

Raw vanilla coconut ball and 1 devilled egg

1 cup of traditional broth and piece of fruit

Easy homemade crackers topped with avocado and tomato

DRINKS

Plenty of water, herbal teas, teas/coffee (moderate amounts 1-2 daily)

BREA

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R E C I P E S


HOT CACAO-MACA DRINK• 1/3 cup coconut milk or regular full fat milk• 2/3 cup water• 1 heaped tsp cacao• 1 heaped tsp maca powder• 1 tsp rice malt, or honey• Dash of ground cinnamon• Dash of ground turmeric

METHOD:Pop all ingredients into a small saucepan. Stir over low heat for a couple of minutes to warm and remove any clumps. Perfect drink when feeling like something a little extra after dinner.

D R I N K S

HEALTHIER HOT CHOCCYSay goodbye to sugar filled hot chocolates and Milo and try this little beauty. It’s a simple, delicious and healthy treat on a cool day.

• 1 heaped tsp cacao• 1/2-1 tsp honey• Water• Dash of full fat milk

METHOD: You can make this with either a water or milk base. For the water version, simply boil the kettle and pop ingredients into your cup. Stir in boiling water and add a dash of milk of your choice.

For milk version, on low heat add 1 cup of milk to saucepan and add ingredients.

B R E A K FA S T

BREKKY FRITTERSWhip these together when you have some spare time and keep in the freezer. Pull out the night before and serve toasted with poached eggs on top for brekky. Little tricks like these make it easier to cut down on refined carbohydrates.

• 2 medium zucchini• 1/4 cup almond flour• 2 eggs• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese• 2 spring onions• Cooking oil: coconut or olive oil• OPT: small handful chopped coriander• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD: Grate zucchini, then sprinkle with salt and squeeze out excess liquid (or the fritters will be watery).

Place zucchini into a bowl, add beaten eggs, spring onion, almond flour, parmesan and fresh coriander and mix well.

Heat pan, add oil and when pan is hot add spoonfuls of mixture until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes each side).

EGG AND VEGETABLE SMASHRaid your fridge for as many veggies you can get your hands on! Perfect way to use up older veggies and have a super healthy brekkie! So simple and yummy!

• 2-3 eggs• As many veggies as you have• Tamari• Salt and pepper• Coconut or olive oil• Parmasean cheese (opt)• Fresh basil, or basil dressing

METHOD:Chop vegetables (zucchini, kale, spinach, red onion, garlic and leftover starchy veggies are some ideas) and lightly fry in a pan with oil, a dash of tamari sauce, cracked pepper and salt.

Using a shallow pan, bring water to the boil and gently crack eggs in, turn off heat and place lid on pot (roughly 3-4 minutes). When eggs are ready scoop out and place on clean tea towel to soak up excess liquid.

In the meantime, continue stirring veggies until cooked through. Serve veggies in bowl with poached eggs on top, a sprinkle of Parmesan and roughly chopped basil or basil dressing recipe.


PUMPKIN PANCAKES - SERVES 2-3Inspired by my mum who whips these up most Sunday mornings. Adapted by a recipe from paleogrubs.

Tip: Puree cooked pumpkin in advance and store in zip lock bags or ice trays in freezer. If you’re prepared and cook in advance these little beauties are quick and easy to make. Yay for weekend pancakes (occasionally!).

This recipe works best if you allow the mixture to thicken for a few hours before cooking (or leave overnight).

• 1/2 cup mashed pumpkin • 3/4 cup ground almonds • 1/2 cup tapioca flour • 1 tsp baking powder • Pinch nutmeg • 1 tsp cinnamon • Pinch Himalayan salt • 3 tbsp full fat milk, or non-dairy options • 4 eggs • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste • Opt: 1 scoop of high quality whey or plant protein powder

METHOD: Sift dry ingredients into a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together wet ingredients. Now add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and stir together until well combined. Add olive or coconut oil to a fry pan and add about 1/4 cup of mixture at a time. Lightly fry for 2-4 minutes until the bottom is cooked, then flip. Cook for a remaining 2-4 minutes until lightly browned. Repeat for the rest of the mixture.

If mixture is too wet sprinkle a little tapioca flour or almond flour.

Topping ideas: full fat yogurt, whipped coconut cream, blueberries, banana, cacao nibs, dash of maple syrup, lemon juice, nut butter.

B R E A K FA S T

HEARTY PORRIDGE -Inspired by Paleo Mama, this blended nut mixture can be turned into a delicious porridge, or you have the option to make the recipe go further and include oats. If tolerated oats can be part of a healthy balanced diet however plain porridge with no added extras provides very little protein and fat - the essentials to helping us feel full and maintain a healthy weight.

Nut mixture - Make this mixture in advance – makes about 7 cups.

• 1/2 cup almonds• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds• 1/2 cup cashews

• 1/2 coconut shreds/flakes• 1/2 cup chia seeds• 1/2 cup flax seeds• 3 cups whole oats (optional)

Ingredients for the porridge - Serves one large serve or two small.

• 1/2 cup of nut mixture above• 3/4 cup coconut milk• 1/4 cup water• A few pinches of himalayan salt • Dash of cinnamon• Dash of nutmeg• 1 tsp ginger• 1 teaspoon of vanilla• 2 eggs or 1 scoop high quality whey protein

METHOD: Add almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and cashews to a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Pop in a large glass jar and add coconut, chia, flaxseeds and whole oats (not blended). Store in fridge.

To make this hearty porridge you will use roughly 1/2 cup from the jar. Add to a pot with 1/2 cup of coconut milk and 1/2 cup water on medium heat. Stir regularly to prevent burning.

In a separate bowl whisk two whole eggs. Now add a small portion of nut/oat mixture from pan to the bowl with eggs, whisk again. Add the egg mixture back to the pot and continue to stir (this prevents curdling).

Add spices, vanilla paste and 1/4 grated apple to sweeten. Serve warm with dollop of full fat yogurt and small handful of blue berries.


S N A C K S

RAW CASHEW DELIGHTS - MAKES ABOUT 12A simple recipe that takes very little time to whip together. These little gems are a lovely treat you may like with a cup of tea or coffee, or as an after dinner treat.

Note: This recipe is sweetened with dates instead of refined sugar. Although these are a healthier alternative to many store brought treats they do still contain ‘natural sugar’. Recipes of this nature are often promoted as sugar, grain and dairy free. True, but not to be mistaken for something healthy you can eat a lot of. Enjoy these occasionally as you would any sweet treat.

• 2 cups raw cashews • 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted • 1/3 cup cacao powder • 12 small dates, or 6 medijool dates • Dash of cinnamon • Dash of sea salt • Topping options: shredded coconut, cacao nibs, sesame seeds

METHOD: Soak dates in hot water for a few minutes to soften.

Place nuts, coconut oil and softened dates into food processor and blend until roughly chopped. Now add cacao powder, cinnamon and salt and blend again until mixed through. Roll mixture into small balls and coat with your choice of toppings.

RAW VANILLA COCONUT BALLS - MAKES ABOUT 12 Get creative! I made these by accident as a recipe I was following was too wet. I had no more nuts to throw in so I added milk powder and they were delicious! Not so rich with a nice creamy taste.

• 2 cups raw almonds• 1/3 coconut oil melted• 1/3 cup full fat milk powder• 12 small dates• 1 tsp vanilla paste• dash of sea salt• Toppings: shredded coconut

METHOD: Soak dates in hot water for a few minutes to soften. Place nuts, coconut oil, vanilla paste and softened dates into food processor and blend until roughly chopped. Now add milk powder, cinnamon and salt and blend again until mixed through.

Roll mixture into small balls and coat with your choice of toppings.

BALANCED SMOOTHIEThis smoothie is a healthy balance of fat and protein without too many carbohydrates.

Tip:Freeze coconut milk in ice cube trays so you don’t need to use it all at once, and to make your smoothie super refreshing!

1 cup kefir or pot set full fat yogurt• 1/2 - 1 small frozen medium banana• Handful of fresh blueberries or frozen• Handful fresh spinach• 1 tbsp LSA• Dash of cinnamon• Dash of coconut milk for added creaminess and flavour• 1-2 raw egg or scoop of whey or plant protein• Add water and ice to desired consistency

METHOD: Combine all ingredients together in blender and puree until smooth.

BREKKIE MUFFINS Tip: Store in freezer to maintain freshness and pull out the night before if you know you will be pushed for time the following morning. These are great as a snack or to eat alongside a vegetable juice or smoothie.

• Butter, coconut or olive oil for greasing• 6 whole eggs• 3-5 tbsp milk from dairy or coconut milk/cream• Sautéed vegetables (garlic, 1 small red onion, cherry

tomatoes, handful of spinach, grated zucchini)• 1/4 -1/2 packet feta cheese• Opt: Add small packet of thinly sliced free range bacon

METHOD: Preheat oven to 180 and lightly grease muffin trays (either for 6 large or 12 small muffins).

Beat eggs with milk, stir in sautéed vegetables and bacon (optional) and pour into muffin tray.

Crumble feta cheese over top and bake for approximately 30 minutes until golden.

Crumble feta cheese over top and bake for approximately 30 minutes until golden.

B R E A K FA S T


EASY HOMEMADE CRACKERSInspired by Sarah Wilson’s ‘Meal in a biscuit’ these are wonderful! Easy to make and are a lovely alternative to wheat crackers.

Note: These crackers are dense and filling. Serve a couple with breakfast, or as a snack with cottage cheese, avo or tuna/sardines.

• 1/2 cup LSA, or almond flour• 1/2 cup sesame seeds• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds• 1/2 cup chia seeds• 3 cloves garlic• 250ml water• Dash of sea salt/pepper• 1 tsp crushed dried rosemary

METHOD: Preheat oven to 160°C and line baking tray with baking paper. Combine the almond flour and seeds in a bowl. In a separate bowl add garlic, salt/pepper and herbs with water and mix together. Pour liquid mixture into the seed bowl and stir until thick and combined. If your mixture is too wet, sprinkle a little almond flour to thicken. Spread mixture onto baking tray and press down flat (approx 5mm). Bake until crispy and golden, roughly 30 minutes. Remove tray from oven, cut crackers into desired size and flip over and bake for another 25 - 30 minutes. Allow to cool and store in an air tight zip lock or container.

HOMEMADE PATEChicken livers are one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet! Jam packed with with vitamin A, B vitamins, folic acid, iron and trace elements copper, zinc and chromium. Note: There is the common belief that toxins are stored in the liver. I do recommend sourcing high quality liver from animals raised in a happy environment but it is important to understand the livers job is to process toxins, not store them.

• 250g butter• 2 onions• 3 garlic cloves• Small handful rosemary• 1kg chicken livers, organic• Dash of salt/pepper• Juice of 1 orange• Opt: 1/2 cup red wine or brandy

METHOD: Lightly fry onion, garlic and salt with 3 tbsp butter. Add rosemary, brandy or red wine and orange juice. Simmer for 2 minutes, then add livers. Cook gently until they are opaque on the outside but still burgundy on inside - take off heat. Transfer liver and onion mix to food processor - dice up remaining butter and add piece by piece to processor. Transfer mixture into storage dish and set in fridge for few hours.

TRADITIONAL BROTHMore than just a food trend, bone broths are loaded with nutrients and were once a staple in many traditional diets. Making broths and cooking with cheaper cuts of meat, including organs are great for your health and less of the animal goes to waste.

Note: For a richer flavour you can roast bones in oven for about 25 minutes on 180°C.

• 1-1.5 kgs of high quality, free range/organic bones or enough to fill crock pot (beef, fish, chicken)

• 1 onion • 2-3 Celery • 2 garlic cloves chopped • 2 carrots • 2-3 tbsp apple cider vinegar • Dash of tamari

METHOD:Roughly chop all vegetables and place in a crockpot with bones. Add just enough water to cover everything.

Leave crockpot on low for 24 - 48 hours. You will notice froth will appear on the top, remove this with a spoon and leave to simmer for the remaining day or so.

When the broth is finished, use a strainer and pour the liquid into a container or glass jar and store in the fridge or freezer.

Use your broth to replace store brought stocks, or start a daily ritual and sip on a cup of broth as a snack each day.

S N A C K S


S N A C K S

HOMEMADE JERKY (IN DEHYDRATOR) The perfect nutritious snack that will keep your blood sugar levels and hormones happy!

• Lean meat (roughly 1.5kg) – Pop down to your local butcher or farmers market and buy a lean piece of beef. It needs to be lean or the fat becomes gross during the dehydration phase.

MARINADE:2-3 fresh garlic cloves• Tamari sauce – you want enough liquid to generously soak the beef strips, approx 1/2 - 1 cup• Apple cider vinegar – a dash (apple cider is strong so be careful)• 1 tsp fresh or dried chilli flakes/or paste

METHOD:Before you begin, pop the meat in the freezer so it is frozen just enough to be easy to slice into thin strips. Usually 1-2 hours is fine.

Trim off any visible fat and cut into thin slices. Place strips in a large container, or a plate and cover with marinade. Ensure you have enough marinade to soak into all the beef strips. Marinate overnight or for about 4 – 6 hours. Remove beef strips from marinade, pat dry and place on a clean board or plate. Rub sea salt into the strips to help absorb excess moisture.

Place strips into your dehydrator and set to low overnight.

Depending on your preferences for jerky texture you can play with the dehydrator settings (high or low). If the jerky has been on high over night it is likely to come out really dry, which some people prefer. Otherwise keep your setting low and you will have a delicious, soft jerky!

H O M E M A D E S A U C E S

APPLE CIDER // TUMERICYou will love this dressing! Filled with anti-inflammatory goodness with the addition of turmeric this is the perfect dressing to fancy up any simple salad.

• 1⁄3 cup apple cider vinegar• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard• 1 tbsp olive oil• Juice of 1⁄2 lemon• 1 tsp grounded turmeric

ASIAN DRESSING Perfect for slaw, or to jazz up a simple garden salad.

• 1 Freshly squeezed lemon • 1 Tbsp olive oil • 1 Tbsp sesame oil • 1 Tbsp tamari • 1 finely diced garlic clove • Small chunk of ginger, finely grated • Pepper and sea salt to taste

HOMEMADE MAYO Yes you can eat mayonnaise! Just be careful of many store brought mayo’s made with sugar and vegetable oils. Try this simple homemade recipe and use where essential!

• 1 large egg yolk,• 1/4 tsp sea salt, or pink Himalayan• 1 -2 T lemon juice or apple cider vinegar• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil• Opt: handful fresh coriander, 1 crushed garlic clove

Tip: Recipe will work better if ingredients are at room temperature. METHOD:Beat egg yolks for minute or two before adding oil. Add apple cider, wholegrain mustard and sea salt. Add oil very slowly, a drop at a time, until emulsion begins and mixture thickens - when this happens you can pour faster. Best advice for making your own mayonnaise - be patient!

BASIL DRESSINGLike pesto, but cheaper and without the nuts!

• 1/2 cup basil leaves, packed• 1 clove garlic• Dash of sea salt or Himalayan• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

METHOD: Blend basil, garlic, lemon and salt in a food processor or blender. Keep the blender running and slowly add the extra virgin olive oil until combined.


2 sweet potatoes2 tomatoes

1 yellow capsicum 1 zucchini

1 clove garlic 1 packet feta cheese (optional)

2 tsp olive or coconut oil for cooking 1 tbsp fresh basil (chopped)

salt and pepper to taste

4 salmon fillets (about 180g each)1 lemon zest and juice

2 tsp olive or coconut oil for cooking salt and pepper to taste

fresh basil to serve

DIRECTIONS

Set oven to 200°C.

Dice sweet potato into roughly 2cm cubes. Cut tomatoes in wedges and yellow capsicum in bite sized pieces. Slice zucchini. Toss vegetables with crushed garlic clove, 1 packet crumbled feta cheese, 1 tbsp oil

(for cooking) and 1 tbsp chopped basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Place salmon fillets in a separate baking dish lined with baking paper. Season with finely grated lemon zest and drizzle with oil and juice from 1/2 lemon, season with salt and pepper.

Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until cooked to your liking.

When vegetables are tender, top with fresh basil and remaining lemon juice if desired. Serve with salmon.

B A K E D C I T R U S S A L M O NSERVES 4 / 35 MINUTES


1 packet kelp noodles

500g beef strips3 tbsp tamari sauce

oil, for cooking (sesame oil)2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp honey (optional)salt and pepper to taste

1 red onion1 carrot

1/2 zucchini150g snow peas

1 tbsp sesame seeds1/2 bunch spring onion

4 radishesfresh coriander (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat a dry pan and lightly toast sesame seeds for a few minutes until golden in colour. Rinse kelp noodles and set aside.

Combine tamari sauce, 2 tbsp oil, crushed garlic, honey and black pepper. Mix 1/3 of the sauce with the beef strips and reserve the rest of the sauce.

Cut red onion in wedges and carrot in strips. Thinly slice zucchini and trim snow peas.

Heat a large pan over high heat. Add carrot and red onion and cook for 2 minutes, add zucchini and cook for further 2 minutes.

Add the beef, cook until browned then add the kelp noodles and the rest of the sauce. Warm through then add snow peas and sesame seeds.

Divide between bowls and top with sliced spring onion and radishes.

B E E F & S E S A M E K E L P N O O D L E SSERVES 4 / 35 MINUTES


30g pine nuts

chicken marinade 1 lime zest, 2 tbsp oil for cooking

1 tbsp tamari sauce, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar salt and pepper to taste

600g chicken breast fillet

1 avocado200g cherry tomatoes1/2 bunch spring onion

1 red chilli 1kg watermelon

fresh basil

3 tbsp olive oil 1 lime juice


DIRECTIONS

Heat a large dry pan with the pine nuts and toast them until golden, set aside.

Finely grate lime zest and combine with oil, tamari sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss with chicken breast fillets and set aside to marinate.

Chop avocado and halve cherry tomatoes. Thinly slice spring onions and deseeded red chill. Chop watermelon in bite-sized pieces and roughly chop fresh basil. Combine in a bowl and drizzle

with olive oil, juice from 1 lime, salt and pepper, to taste.

Heat a large pan or barbecue over high heat. Cook the chicken for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden. Lower the temperature and allow to cook for further 7-8 minutes or until fillets are cooked through.

Serve with watermelon salad.

C H I C K E N W I T H W AT E R M E L O N S A L A DSERVES 4 / 25 MINUTES


1kg sweet potato and parsnip1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chilli flakes, salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp olive or coconut oil, for cooking

1 lime zest and juice150g quinoa flakes

salt and pepper to taste 1 egg

2 tbsp water

olive or coconut oil for cooking 4 serves white fish fillets (about 200g each)

1/4 cup (60ml) homemade mayonnaise (see recipe) 1/2 chilli flakes, 1/2 cup fresh parsley to serve

DIRECTIONS

Set oven to 220°C.

Wash and cut sweet potato and parsnip into chips. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Combine cumin, chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Toss sweet potato and parsnip chips with spice mixture and oil.

Roast, turning halfway, in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden.

Finely grate zest from 1 lime and mix to combine with quinoa flakes, salt and pepper. Lightly whisk egg with water.

Heat a large pan with oil. Dip fish fillets in egg mixture then coat in quinoa flake mixture. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through.

Cut remaining lime in wedges. Combine homemade mayonnaise with chilli flakes. Season with salt. Finely chop parsley.

Serve the cooked fish with sweet potato and parsnip chips, lime wedges, parsley and chilli mayo.

F I S H & C H I P SSERVES 4 / 35 MINUTES


200g puy lentils 300g broad beans (seasonal)

100g baby spinach 1/2 bunch radish

1/2 bunch spring onion1 avocado

salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp honey

1/2 lemon juice

olive or coconut oil for cooking 1 packet of Halloumi cheese

DIRECTIONS

Bring a saucepan with water to the boil and add puy lentils. Simmer for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, slit each pod of the broad beans along its seam and run your thumb along the furry inside to push the beans out. Add the beans to the boiling water with lentils

for the last 1-2 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water.

In the meantime, rinse spinach. Slice radish and spring onion (reserve the green tops for presentation). Halve, de-stone and chop avocado. Arrange on a large platter or bowl and add cooked beans and lentils.

Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, honey and juice from 1/2 lemon.

Heat a pan with oil over medium heat. Tear halloumi in pieces and cook in the pan until slightly crisp and golden.

Top the salad with halloumi and reserved spring onion.

H A L L O U M I W I T H P U Y L E N T I L SSERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES


1 onion1 red capsicum1 tsp chilli paste 2 cloves of garlic

1.5 tsp ground cumin, 1.5 tsp ground paprika 2 x 400g crushed tomatoes

6 eggs1 packet free range bacon (250g)

100g spinach 2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp red wine vinegar 1 avocado

handful fresh coriandersalt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Finely chop the onion. Heat oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 6 minutes.

Roughly chop capsicum and add to the pan, along with chilli paste, crushed garlic, cumin, and paprika, cook for further 2 minutes.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, and gently crush tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across the surface. Cover with a lid and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being

careful not to disturb the yolk.

In the meantime, fry the bacon over medium-high heat in a separate pan until golden and crispy. Toss the lettuce leaves with oil and vinegar. Halve and deseed the avocado, chop the flesh.

Top the shakshuka with fresh coriander if you desire and serve with bacon and spinach.

S H A K S H U K ASERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES


pulled chicken 1 tbsp olive or coconut oil for cooking

1 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground paprika salt and pepper to taste

4 chicken thighs (bone in)

pickled red cabbage

1/2 red cabbage2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar1 tsp honey, salt and pepper to taste

guacamole

1 avocado mashed, 1 tomato1 tbsp coriander finely chopped1/2 cup (125ml) natural yoghurt 1/2 lime juice, 1/2 tsp chilli paste


1 lettuce, fresh coriander (20g)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 225°C, grill or pre-heat the barbecue.

Combine oil, ground cumin, ground paprika, salt and pepper. Coat the chicken thighs and cook in the oven (on a tray) or barbecue for 20-30 minutes or until cooked through. In the meantime, very thinly slice red cabbage and toss with oil, vinegar, honey and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Mash the avocado flesh and finely chop tomato and coriander for the guacamole. Mix with yoghurt, juice from 1/2 lime, chilli paste, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Rinse lettuce leaves. When chicken is cooked

through, set aside on a chopping board and shred the meat using two forks.

Serve shredded chicken in lettuce leaves and top with pickled red cabbage, guacamole and fresh coriander.

P U L L E D B B Q C H I C K E NSERVES 4 / 45 MINUTES


spice mix homemade

1/2 red onion peeled and grated1 clove garlic crushed, 1/4 tsp chilli powder, optional

1 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground paprika, 1 tbsp tomato paste

avocado sauce

1 avocado mashed3/4 cup (185ml) natural full fat yoghurt - no sugar

1/2 lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste

2 corn cobs1 baby cos lettuce, 1 yellow capsicum

3 tomatoes, 1 lebanese cucumber, 1/2 red onion

600g beef mince1 tbsp olive or coconut oil for cooking

DIRECTIONS

Peel and finely chop 1/2 red onion, combine with ingredients for the homemade spice mix. Set aside.

Mash avocado with a fork. Mix with natural yoghurt, juice from 1/2 lemon, crushed garlic clove and cayenne pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper, set aside.

Remove the husks and silks from the corn cobs. Place in a saucepan with boiling water and cook for about 7 minutes or until tender. In the meantime, roughly chop and rinse lettuce.

Deseed and cut capsicum in bite-sized bites and cut tomatoes in wedges. Chop cucumber and finely dice 1/2 red onion. Arrange on a large platter.

Heat a large pan with oil and cook 1.5 tbsp of spice mixture (or to taste) for 1 minute, add beef mince. Cook for 4-5 minutes until browned and cooked through. Break up any lumps.

Add the cooked beef mince to the salad and serve with corn cobs and avocado sauce.

TA C O S A L A D SERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES


3 cloves of garlic50g ginger

1 lemongrass400ml coconut milk

400ml water 1 chicken/veg stock cube or 1 cup homemade

600g chicken breast filletolive or coconut oil for cooking

2 tomatoes150g snow peas 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 tsp chilli paste


1/2 bunch spring onion1 red chilli

DIRECTIONS

Peel garlic cloves, peel and slice ginger. Halve and bruise the lemongrass. Place in a saucepan.

Add coconut milk, water and stock cube or homemade. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, roughly chop chicken breast fillets and cook over medium-high heat in a pan with oil until browned.

Remove and dispose the garlic cloves, sliced ginger and lemongrass. Combine chicken with the coconut milk mixture in the pan or saucepan.

Cut tomatoes in wedges and trim snow peas, add to the soup. Season to taste with fish sauce, chilli paste, salt and pepper.

T O M K H A G A ISERVES 4 / 35 MINUTES


1- 1 1/2 cups quinoa (uncooked)

1 lemon zest2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 bunch kale1 shallot

1/2 zucchini

600g chicken breast fillet

50g pine nutsHimalyan salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cook quinoa according to the instructions on the packet.

Grate zest from 1 lemon and combine with 2 tbsp oil and 2 crushed cloves of garlic. Cut lemon in wedges.

Remove the steams from the kale and chop leaves into bite sized pieces. Peel and finely chop shallot and grate zucchini.

Slice chicken then heat a large pan and cook chicken pieces with half of the lemon / oil mixture for 2-3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Set aside and keep warm.

When quinoa is cooked add lemon / oil mixture to the pan with pine nuts and chopped shallot until nuts are golden (1-2 minutes). Add zucchini and kale and cook for further 2 minutes or until kale leaves are wilted.

Stir through the quinoa to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve quinoa and kale pilaff with the cooked chicken and lemon wedges.

L E M O N C H I C K E N W I T H K A L E SERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES


1 lemongrass, 1 carrot 600g chicken mince, 1 tbsp yellow or red curry paste

1 egg, 1 tamari sauce, 1/2 small pumpkin, 2 parnsip

dipping sauce

2 tsp fish sauce, 1 tsp honey, 1 lime juice 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp water, 1 tsp coriander chopped

1 clove garlic crushed

salad

1/2 bunch radish, 150g snow peas1/2 bunch spring onion, 1 green capsicum

2 tbsp coriander to taste, 60g cashews/or peanuts roasted

DIRECTIONS

Set oven to 180°C. Chop pumpkin and parsnip into wedges and add to baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, himalayan salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Bruise and finely chop lemongrass (white part). Finely grate carrot and combine with chicken

mince. Add curry paste, egg and tamari sauce. Mix well and set aside.

Combine ingredients for the dipping sauce and set aside.

Rinse, trim and quarter radish. Trim and chop snow peas and spring onion, chop capsicum. Combine in a bowl. Roughly chop coriander and gently crush or chop the cashews/or peanuts.

Toss with the salad and 1/3 of the dipping sauce.

Heat oil in a large pan. Form patties using your hands and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side (depending on size and thickness) or until cooked through.

Serve patties with baked roasted vegetables, salad and dipping sauce.

A S I A N S T Y L E C H I C K E N PAT T I E SSERVES 4 / 35 MINUTES


1 shallot, 2 cloves of garlic, 5 fresh basil leaves

2 packets of salmon fillets (180g each)200g cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp olive or coconut oil for cooking 1/2 lemon juice, salt and pepper

basil sauce

1/3 cup (85ml) roughly chopped basil leaves loosely packed 1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil, Himalayan salt to taste

1/2 lemon

1 packet salad mix1 avocado, 1 small Lebanese cucumber

DIRECTIONS

Set oven to 225°C. Peel and thinly slice shallot and garlic. Chop basil leaves

Place salmon fillets on a baking tray, add cherry tomatoes, shallot, garlic and basil. Drizzle with oil, juice from 1/2 lemon, salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven for 15 minutes or until salmon is cooked to your liking.

For the sauce, place basil leaves, olive oil and salt in a mixer and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Cut the remaining lemon into 4 wedges. Serve roasted salmon with cherry tomatoes, lemon wedges

and drizzle with Basil Sauce with a side of simple garden greens.

B A K E D B A S I L S A L M O NSERVES 4 / 35 MINUTES


600g beef stir-fry 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tbsp tamari sauce 1 tbsp olive or coconut oil for cooking

sauce

1 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp tamari sauce 1 tbsp fish sauce, juice of 1 lime

1 yellow capsicum, 2 carrots1 small red onion, 1 bunch kale 60g mixed seeds, 1 tbsp tamari150g bean shoots, 1/2 red chilli

Handful of fresh coriander to serve

DIRECTIONS

Combine beef strips with crushed garlic, tamari and oil. Set aside. Combine ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

Deseed and cut yellow capsicum and carrots in thin sticks. Peel and cut red onion in wedges. Trim the leaves from the stems of the kale and chop into bite-sized pieces..

Heat a large dry pan and lightly toast the seed mixture. When golden, stir in tamari and cook until reduced. Set aside on a plate.

Heat the pan again over high heat. Cook the beef with sauce ingredients for 2-3 minutes in batches or until cooked to your liking. Set aside.

Add a little oil and cook capsicum, carrot, red onion and kale for 1 minute over high heat. Stir in bean shoots and take off the heat. Combine with the beef and serve straight away.

Top with seed clusters, fresh coriander and sliced red chilli.

B E E F A N D V E G PA D T H A ISERVES 4 / 25 MINUTES


1 packet kelp noodles (optional)

marinade

1/3 cup (85ml) tamari sauce 1 tsp honey, 1 tbsp ginger peeled and grated

1 garlic clove crushed, 2 tsp white wine vinegar

600g beef rump steak

1 iceberg lettuce

2 carrots, 1 capsicum, 1 Lebanese cucumber30g fresh coriander, 1/2 packet snow pea sprouts

olive or coconut oil for cooking

DIRECTIONS

Rinse kelp noodles in cold water, drain and set aside.

Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. Trim and very thinly slice the beef, toss with marinade.

Separate and pick the leaves from the iceberg lettuce. Place in a bowl with cold water and set aside in the fridge.

Grate or julienne carrots, slice capsicum and finely dice cucumber. Chop coriander and sprouts.

Heat a pan with oil over high heat. Add the beef strips (not marinade) and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the marinade and cook for further 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.

Serve vegetables, kelp noodles and beef in lettuce leaves, wrap and enjoy!

B E E F L E T T U C E C U P SSERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES


4 portions of cauliflower rice (see recipe pg.57)

aluminum foil1 bunch bok choy500g white fish1 tsp chilli paste

fresh coriander leaves, 1/2 bunch spring onions4 tsp fresh grated and peeled ginger

sauce

60ml tamari sauce, 1 tsp fish sauce2 cloves of garlic crushed, 2 tbsp olive or sesame oil

1 tbsp fresh coriander chopped root and stem

DIRECTIONS

Set oven to 225°C (or cook on the barbecue)Cook 4 portions of cauliflower rice, see pg.54.

Place 4 large sheets of foil on your bench. Cut the bok choy lengthways and place a bunch in the centre of each sheet.

Rub fish fillets with chilli paste and place on top of the bok choy. Top with fresh coriander leaves and thinly sliced spring onion and ginger.

Combine ingredients for the sauce and drizzle over the fish before closing the parcels at the top.

Cook in oven for about 8 minutes or until fish is cooked through. Serve with cauliflower rice (optional), thinly sliced spring onion (green part)

and coriander leaves.

B O K C H O Y G I N G E R A N D F I S H PA R C E L SSERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES


vegetable spaghetti

2 zucchini, 1 carrot, 1 tsp Himalayan salt

bolognese

1 onion, 1 celery stick, 2 cloves of garlicolive or coconut oil for cooking

600g minced beef

125g mushrooms 1/2-1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves

2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 punnet cherry tomatoes (200g) 1/2 chicken stock cube or homemade

2 tsp balsamic vinegar, Himalayan salt and pepper to taste 40g grated parmesan (optional)

DIRECTIONSShred zucchinis and carrot using a mandolin or make ribbons using a vegetable peeler.

Combine in a bowl with salt and set aside.

Chop onion and celery, crush garlic, add to a saucepan with some oil and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the mince and cook for 5 minutes, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon.

Slice mushrooms and chop rosemary leaves. Add to the pan along with tomato paste, cherry tomatoes, chicken stock cube and balsamic vinegar. Stir well, season with salt and pepper to taste

and simmer for 10 minutes semi-covered until slightly reduced.

Bring a kettle with water to the boil. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the vegetable spaghetti using your hands. Place in a colander and rinse thoroughly with boiling water.

Serve vegetable spaghetti with bolognese sauce and top with parmesan cheese to serve.

B O L O G N E S E W I T H V E G E S PA G H E T T ISERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES


1/2 head cauliflower 1 tbsp olive or coconut oil for cooking, 3 tbsp red curry paste

400ml coconut milk, 2 cups (500ml) water 1 chicken stock cube

800g butternut pumpkin600g chicken breast fillet, 1 lime

1/2 bunch spring onionfresh basil

DIRECTIONS

Cauliflower rice: Using a food processor, process cauliflower florets until finely chopped. Heat oil and garlic in a pan and cook for 1 minute. Add cauliflower and cook until lightly browned.

Prepare cauliflower rice and cook, once cooked take off heat and place lid on pan. Heat a large casserole or sauce pan over medium heat. Add oil and red curry paste, cook for 1 minute.

Carefully stir in coconut milk, water and stock cube. Bring to the boil.

In the meantime, peel and roughly chop butternut pumpkin. Slice chicken breast. Add to the curry along with juice from 1 lime and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until chicken

is cooked through and pumpkin is tender.

Thinly slice spring onion.

Divide curry between bowls and serve on a bed of cauliflower rice with thinly sliced spring onion and fresh basil.

CHICKEN & BUTTERNUT CURRY WITH CAULIFLOWER RICESERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES


cauliflower mash

1 cauliflower, 1 onion50ml water, 1 chicken stock cube

2 tsp olive oil, Himalayan salt and pepper

150g ground almonds, 1 lemon zest 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 - 2 eggstapioca flour for dusting

olive or coconut oil for cooking2 chicken breasts, 150g green beans

DIRECTIONS

Roughly chop onion and cauliflower. Add 50ml water and stock cube to a saucepan. Bring to the boil and stir until dissolved. Add cauliflower and onion, cover and cook (steam) for 10 minutes on

until cauliflower is tender, take off heat.

Combine almonds, zest from 1 lemon and finely chopped parsley.

Lightly whisk the egg. Place the flour on a large piece of baking paper and the almond mixture next to it.

Heat a large pan with oil over medium heat. Lightly dust the chicken breast in tapioca flour then dip each piece into the egg

followed by the almond mixture. Place straight in the pan.

Trim beans and add to the pan or steam for 2-3 minutes. While chicken is cooking, blend cauliflower, stock and onion until smooth,

stir through oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve chicken schnitzels with cauli mash, lemon wedges and green beans.

CHICKEN SCHNITZEL WITH CAULIFLOWER MASHSERVES 4 / 35 MINUTES


200g puy lentil mix1/2 cup quinoa (uncooked)

1/2 cup fresh coriander1/2 cup fresh parsley, 1/2 red onion

60g nut mix(slivered almond, pepita, sunflower)

1/2 lemon juice, 1/5 - 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp olive oil, Himalayan salt and pepper to taste

1 pomegranate, 1 packet feta cheese100g lettuce leaves

DIRECTIONS

Place lentil mix in another saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. Cook quinoa according to instructions on the packet.

Finely chop herbs and dice red onion. Combine in a bowl with the nut mix, juice from 1/2 lemon, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp honey and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Halve pomegranate. Use a large bowl and fill half with water. Separate the seeds with your hands under the water surface from the white, fleshy parts. The seeds will sink to the bottom.

Drain and discard peel and flesh.

Once puy lentils are tender, drain and rinse in cold water. Add to the bowl with herbs and nut mix along with quinoa.

Arrange rinsed lettuce leaves on a large plate and top with the lentil/quinoa mixture. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds and crumbled feta cheese on top to serve.

C Y P R I O T S A L A DSERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES


1 bunch baby carrots, 600g beetroot1 orange

4 cloves of garlic, 4 sprigs fresh thyme 1-2 tbsp olive or coconut oil for cooking


1/2 cup (125ml) natural full fat yoghurt 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 clove garlic, 1/2 lemon juice

600g lamb steaks1 tbsp oil for cooking

1 tsp ground coriander

DIRECTIONS

Set oven to 220°C.Trim carrots. Scrub, trim and cut beetroots in wedges. Halve and slice orange.

Place on a baking tray along with 4 cloves of garlic (unpeeled) and 4 sprigs of fresh thyme. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.

Bake vegetables in the oven for about 25 minutes or until golden and tender.

Combine yoghurt with finely chopped thyme, crushed garlic and lemon juice. Set aside in the fridge.

Toss lamb steaks with oil and dried coriander, season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat a large pan with oil and cook steaks for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden and cooked to your liking.

Serve steaks with oven roasted vegetables, yogurt sauce and a simple garden salad.

LAMB STEAKS WITH FRESH YOGURT DIPSERVES 4 / 35 MINUTES


1 packet kelp noodles

60g unsalted peanuts2 tsp ginger peeled and grated

1/4 white or red cabbage150g mushrooms

olive or coconut oil for cooking 600g pork mince1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp Chinese five-spice1 tsp chilli paste

1 clove garlic150g green beans

1 tbsp tamari sauce 1/2 lemon

1/2 bunch spring onions

DIRECTIONS

Crush and lightly toast the peanuts in a dry pan until slightly golden. Set aside on a plate. Peel and finely chop or grate ginger. Thinly slice cabbage and mushrooms.

Heat a large pan with oil over medium heat and add pork mince along with curry and chinese five-spice powder. Cook until browned and break up lumps with a wooden spoon.

Add ginger, chilli paste and crushed garlic. Cook for 1 minute then stir in cabbage, mushrooms and green beans (2 cm) . Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Thinly slice spring onions (white + green part).

Stir in kelp noodles, tamari sauce and juice from 1/2 lemon. Add spring onions and top with peanuts to serve.

CRUNCHY PORK NOODLESSERVES 4 / 20 MINUTES


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