Chocolate brownie muffins - dairy, nut and gluten free

The perfect little sweet treat that can be eaten on it's own or heated with cream.

Be wary though, these are addictive!

You can make these as 10 muffins or in a loaf/square baking tin, which will need a bit more cooking time.

Ingredients:

12 dates, soaked, drained and cut up

2 tablespoons of coconut nectar or maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil melted

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

3 eggs

3 tablespoon coconut flour

1/4 cup desiccated coconut

1/4 cup 100% cocoa

1 tablespoon Billies sugar spice

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of sea salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C

Mix wet ingredients in a food processor until well combined.

Add dry ingredients and mix again. Scrap edges to get all the yummy bits in and mix once again.

Spoon into muffin cups.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Banana & Blueberry Muffins - gluten, dairy & nut free

Trying to think of good finger foods that my children can take to preschool has led me to hunt out, not only grain and dairy free recipes, but also nut free! I'm not keen on Isabel having nuts before she is 1 year old but wow is she keen to eat Elias's muffins. So I started creating.

Banana and blueberry muffins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/4 cup of coconut cream

3 eggs

1 tablespoon honey

2 ripe mashed bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1/3 cup coconut flour 

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Sprinkle of sea salt

1/2 cup blueberries

Method:

Preheat oven to 180degrees C.

Place all ingredients except blueberries, in the food processor and blend together. Scrab down sides to make sure all is combined and whizz again. 

Put in 10-12 muffin cups and then evenly place or push the blueberries into the mixture.

Bake for 30mins

Raspberry Ice Cream

This easy wee gem is dairy and refined sugar free. You only need three ingredients!

Put it in the freezer and use as ice cream or eat straight away as a mousse. It may need some time to defrost when you pull it out of the freezer as it goes rock hard. 

1 can 400ml chilled coconut cream

2 cups frozen berries, I used raspberries

Dash of vanilla essence

Whiz together with a stick blender and you are done. Easy!

Apricot and Chocolate Muffins

I haven't been able to perfect my hot cross bun recipe yet but instead I made these, which are pretty tasty. Definitely a good treat for over the Easter holidays.

Apricot and Chocolate Muffins

Makes 10 muffins

Ingredients

1 large banana mashed

2 eggs

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup coconut milk/cream

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Essence

Two Grinds of sea salt

3/4 cup of almond meal

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

6-8 cut dried apricots

6 squares 70% chocolate, chopped or 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Method

Preheat oven at 180degrees C.

Mix wet ingredients together.

Add dry ingredients, except for apricots and chocolate.

Combine well then add in apricots and chocolate.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Best eaten when cool.

Looking for a good Butcher in New Zealand?

Today I went to visit "Everybody's Butchery" in Christchurch. I had been told that they do a good range of sugar, preservative and grain free meat products.

I was greeted by Lisa, the owner of the butchery. Lisa has been classically trained in Germany and prides herself in making the highest quality small goods. A friend of Lisa's eats Paleo and it was from her that their range of Paleo small goods evolved, absolutely flour, preservative and MSG free. Not to mention gluten free of course.

All meats in the butchery are sourced in Canterbury and are grass fed.

On top of all these awesome good quality products, they are also a fantastic price, "$2 less per kilo than the supermarket" Lisa says. And she is right, Ribeye for $26kg and Sausages for $14kg - just to name two.

Have a look at the pork products they sell. Just the start of their endless products at great prices.

And looking for Paleo Small Goods, look no further!

Paleo Bacon - $25 / kg

Beef Jerkey - $5 / 100g

Bier sticks - $30 /kg

Paleo Ham - $29.95 /kg

The original German Bratwurst and Snailsausages on the list are particularly Paleo as well.

Now if this all sounds too good to be true, go and visit them yourself! 372 Selwyn Street in Christchurch. For those of you not in Christchurch, I asked if Lisa would courier you a selection of meat on request and she said yes! South Island delivery cost $12 for up to 15kg. Bargain and you don't need to leave the house! She will happily deliver to the North Island too, with the cost probably being just slightly more than $12. 

So my suggestion is to flag the supermarket meat and head on over. I think I am going to make a weekly list and preorder it, pick it up on the same day each week. Really excited. You should do the same! Here is the email address to send your orders or ask questions, info@everybodysbutchery.co.nz.

Good on Everybody's Butchery for keeping good quality meats affordable for everyone! Thanks Lisa.

Cocoa Nut Balls

Inspired by the "original Frooze Balls - Raw Energy Snacks", these Cocoa Nut Balls are an awesome little treat that will keep you going! They are simple to make and taste great.

These are gluten and grain free. Also dairy free.

Cocoa Nut Balls

Makes 25-30, depending on the size you want.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of dates, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes, then drained

1 cup cashew pieces, raw

1 cup sliced almonds, raw

1 cup desiccated coconut

1/4 cup 100% cocoa powder

1/4 cup coconut oil

Method:

Mix all ingredients in the whizz or blender and combine well. Whizz for a few minutes.

Squeeze and roll into balls of desired size.

Store in fridge until ready to eat :)

Consume with care, there are a few dates in these - treat as a treat!

                  Simple Tasty Nutrition (c) 2014

Paleo Affogato

There isn't much I miss when it comes to standard western food. However when we were on holiday we had an extra special treat of Affogato with vanilla ice cream. I really enjoyed it at the time but afterwards, having been dairy free for ages - not so fun! 

Some I came up with this treat, Paleo Affogato with coconut ice cream!

Ingredients:

Nice Cream - coconut ice cream, vanilla bean

Espresso shot

Simple Tasty Cold Killing Juice

Feel a cold or sore throat coming on? Try these sharp juice to kill those nasty bugs in your throat and body!

Twice daily and along with a nutritious diet, you shouldn't get any worse! I have always used this as our "medicine" at the first signs of sickness with the kids and myself. Works a treat!

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
3 large carrots
1 apple
Half a lemon
Chunk of fresh ginger

Method: 
Use a juicer to juice and drink quickly

             Simple Tasty Nutrition (c) 2014

Primal Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins are grain and dairy free.

Ingredients:

1 cup almond meal

6 tablespoons coconut flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

3/8 teaspoon baking soda (just less than a 1/2 teaspoon)

2 tablespoons honey or coconut sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil melted

2 medium ripe bananas mashed

2 eggs

1/2 coconut milk

8 squares of 70% chocolate cut into chips

Method:

Preheat oven at 180 degrees C

Combine dry ingredients and mix well

Mix together bananas and wet ingredients 

Combine wet and dry indredients then stir in chocolate chips

Place into 12 silicon muffin cups

Bake for 20 minutes until brown on top

 

                  2014 (c) Simple Tasty Nutrition

The Paleo Baby - Teething much?

Isabel is 6 months old and the introduction to Paleo baby foods has given me a few things to think about. What foods to introduce first, in what quantities and combinations. And then there is teething! I never gave my son the wheat based Rusks that everyone seems to use and he loved his dummy with a bit of teething gel on it. But Isabel won't have a bar of dummies so that option is out. I googled Paleo teething sticks and got mostly nut based options, which I'm not keen to start for a while! And then someone out there suggested a piece of stick/twig/wood, which I quickly decided wasn't for me. 

Then the obvious came to mind. A bone! It works a treat. Check out Isabel below, loving her bone :)

Paleo School Lunch Ideas

I often get asked what I give my son for lunch. It definitely is a bit more trickey doing Paleo lunches for preschool or school because your kids look at what everyone has and wants it. The reality of sugar. So I try to make lunch as appealing as possible, the best meal of the day. It doesn't always work but I give it my best go! Many parents will tell you that the lunch box often comes home full, so we always get our son to eat it when he gets on home. Without the distractions, it usually gets eaten.

Here are a few pictures of what Elias has had for lunch over the past month.

He has had everything from Paleo pizza, pork patties, quiche, chicken nuggets, salmon fritters, chicken and kumara hash and boiled eggs with salami. All with some kind of vegetables and then a piece of fruit on the side. You may need a cold pack in the lunch box to keep it chilled until lunch.

I hope this gives you some lunch inspiration for your children!

Paleo Peppermint Chocolate Recipe

These little gems often make my day! A fantastic treat for you and your non-Paleo friends. No one will complain if you bring these out at a party! 

Ingredients:

5 Tablespoons Coconut Oil

4 Tablespoons 100% Cocoa

1-2 Tablespoons Honey

3 Tablespoons Almond Butter

1/4 cup desiccated Coconut

1 teaspoon peppermint essence.

Method:

Place all ingredients in a double boiler, glass dish over saucepan with boiling water. Stir until melted and combined. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze for a couple of hours. Keep in freezer until you want to eat them. They taste best when they have been at room temperature for about 5 minutes. Melt in your mouth.

Can leave out nut butter for nut-free option.

Makes 20.

Mini Chocolate Raspberry Muffins

The chocolate muffin recipe as requested! I suggest doubling it for normal sized muffins :) Great served with raspberries and cream, yogurt or coconut cream. Oh and a little bit warm..... Yummy!

2 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup desiccated coconut
2-3 tablespoons honey (these aren't very sweet so if you are new to Paleo go 3)
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
5 teaspoons cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Mix wet ingredients together then add dry ingredients. Mix well.

Bake 15-20mins at 180 degrees. 

                   Simple Tasty Nutrition (c) 2013

Who doesn't like a good date scone?

I like creating my own muffin recipes and sometimes they don't work out the best. But these ones are pretty good, they are light and tasty like caramel. In fact, they taste a bit like a good date scone! And who doesn't like a good date scone :-)

These muffins are Paleo friendly , gluten and dairy free, with only dates and banana to sweeten.
A great breakfast or snack on the go.

Banana Date Paleo Muffins 

Ingredients:

2 bananas mashed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/2 cup almond flour
5 tablespoons coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
10 dates chopped
1/4 cup melted butter (or coconut oil)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Mix together wet ingredients, except for the melted butter.
Add dry ingredients and dates, then mix well.
Fold in melted butter.
Place in 12 small muffin tins.
Bake 20-25 mins.

2013 (c) Simple Tasty Nutrition

Cheat days - A good or bad idea?

Cheat days! These are often something I hear people talk about when they trying to eat a Paleo diet. And whilst the concept sounds like a good, 'eat good all week and then on Sunday have a congratulations you did well total food blow out', I am here to tell you that cheat days are a bad idea.

Here is TWO reasons why:

First, eating real food, clean food, Paleo, Primal - whatever you want to call it, is not a diet. It's a lifestyle choice you have made because it makes you look, feel and perform better. Psychologically you will screw everything up if once a week it's perfectly acceptable to eat crap food. You have sabotaged yourself and subconsciously told yourself you have failed. You are also reinforcing that eating crap food is okay, which you know it isn't otherwise you wouldn't be here in the first place.

Now don't get me wrong - having a treat now and then is perfectly acceptable and part of the healthy eating lifestyle. But a set day every week where you can eat your chips, dip and fizzy - ah no, that makes what you are doing a diet and the cheat day some sort of crazy reward. Don't screw up your own psychology and motivation here. Keep it simple - treats are acceptable on occasion, cheat days are not acceptable.

Your goal is to enjoy tasty real foods and develop a healthy psychological relationship with them. If you have a regular cheat day you are constantly reinforcing to yourself that your new eating habits are just a temporary thing. Usually we call this a DIET - and no one likes diets...

Secondly, cheat days tend to involve eating foods that are not within the guidelines of Paleo or clean eating. You must remember why you choose to eliminate these foods in the first place? Because they made you look and feel BAD! Not only that but they cause gut problems but also subsequent inflammation and chronic disease. You need to eat very little of these foods to have problems for days after they are consumed, so your cheat day on Sunday could still be affecting you the following Saturday AND GUESS WHAT?? Tomorrow you get another cheat day, yippee! Consequently, you may as well just eat your cheat foods all the time because the health affects are the same.

There are plenty of treats out there which are Paleo or Primal compliant. For example, making some Paleo muffins or Paleo chocolate. 

I don't think I need to go on too much more because I think those two points cover the main reasons why I think cheat days are BAD. Obtaining your health and fitness goals means setting realistic goals and consistently achieving them. If you don't think you can go 100% with Paleo eating, start at 60% and work your way up to 90-95%. Set yourself up to succeed from the beginning :-)

Information OVERLOAD - what foods should I really eat to be happy and healthy?

There is a lot of information out there about what foods we should eat to be healthy - how do we know what is true?

You have grown up being told that fat is bad for you and makes you fat, and now someone is telling you about how successful they are being on a high fat diet. Eating too many eggs will give you high cholesterol, won't it? And whole grain bread, it is better for you than white bread, right? 

Who do you believe?

And then there are all those 'diets' being sold out there - Aitkins, South Beach, Zone, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig - which one is the best? Why do they work for some people and not others? AND why do they offer contradictory information about what foods you should eat?

Which diet should you choose?

Well I'm going to let you in on a little secret about great health and effortless weight loss. You can trust in what I am saying for two reasons, 1) I'm not selling you anything, no products and 2) what I am going to say is simple and makes sense.

The secret is:

"To feel and look great you need to eat real foods, 80-90% of the time"

Knowing what real foods are is the key. By real foods I mean ones that haven't been process, or if they have - it is minimal. 

They include:

·         Protein from healthy animals, seafood and eggs

·         Carbohydrates from locally grown vegetables, fruit and berries

·         Fats from nuts and seeds , natural oils, and animal products

·         Dairy products such as whole milk, cream, and butter can be consumed as long as they can be tolerated.

To keep it simple, you plate may look like this:

If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. These foods will:

·         Support gut health

·         Support immune function and minimize inflammation

·         Promote a healthy hormonal response

·         Promote a healthy psychological relationship with food

If you eat these foods most of the time, good health will follow - how could it

not? Lots of good protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals. Nothing to

clog up your gut and make you feel floated, play havoc with your blood sugar

levels or disrupt your much needed sleep!

Good health is about making good nutrition a habit. No need to go on a "diet" and

tell yourself what you CAN'T eat. Establish habits by thinking about all the

yummy foods you CAN eat - that way you will create the lifestyle change you

want without feeling deprived.

So what is one thing you can do today to get you started on your new lifestyle?

Start every day successfully by eating a high protein and high fat breakfast. 

This will maintain good blood sugar levels throughout the morning, keep you full and satisfied and 
help mobilize those fat stores for energy.     

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at:

sara@simpletastynutrition.co.nz

Is Paleo Nutrition enough to achieve your health goals?

Published recently from Suz and the Paleo Network in Aussie - These points are spot on and I've added some extra notes on sleep for you.

You can have your nutrition absolutely perfect, but without getting the other factors right, it can be hard to be truly healthy. Diet aside; the important factors seem to be:

Movement & strength. Do you get much movement in your life? Another new study this week has highlighted just how beneficial walking is - there's no need to join an expensive gym. Lifting has also been shown to have significant benefits - but again, you can achieve so much at home with (free!) body weight exercises such as pull ups and push ups.

Sunshine. So many people are terrified to get so much as a few seconds in the sun. But Vitamin D is so crucial to our well being - and something we just can't get from food alone. It's important not to burn, but just a few minutes of sunshine can be a huge health boast.

Sleep . This is crucial. Do you know how much you really need a night? How often do you get that? If you don't get enough sleep you will have alleviated Cortisol Hormone Levels - aka the stress hormone. When this hormone is consistently high in your body, you will find it very challenging to achieve your physical and mental goals. Focus on getting a quality 7-9hrs a day, in a dark room with no noise - try ear plugs!