+ A blueprint for creating nutritious & delicious meals ~ to sustain, satisfy & curb cravings + Handy tools, including meal plan & ingredient substitution sheets
by Lesh Karan Foreword by Jude Blereau
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& variations
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93 wholefood recipes
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Features:
ee Fr
Nourished
For my husband ~ the most honest taste tester of them all! I love you xx
A wee, but important note: The recipes and information in this ebook are based on the author’s experiences. Please see an accredited health professional before making any significant changes to your diet. Š Laleshni Karan 2013 1st Edition. This ebook is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this ebook may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to the author. All rights reserved.
Contents
Foreword 4 A letter from Lesh 5 Discover real food 6 Cook for love 14 Recipes: Basics 21 43 Recipes: Condiments & dressings Create deliciously nourishing & satisfying meals 60 Recipes: Nourishing breakfasts 71 Recipes: Satiating soups 89 Recipes: Vegetarian sustenance 94 Recipes: Fish & chicken eats 109 Recipes: Veggilicious sides 113 123 Nourish your soul Recipes: Wholesome snacks 127 139 Recipes: Sweet deliciousness 7 Handy tools 147 Much gratitude 158 About the author 160 Glossary 161 Index 165
Nourished a Contents
3
Foreword
As humans, we must eat to give ourselves the fuel we need to function at our best, but we have forgotten what the best kind of fuel is. As we are faced with busier-than-ever lives, what and how to eat have become the questions of the moment. We no longer seem to understand that what we eat affects how we function and how we feel. Eating meals that provide a complete range of nutrients from foods that are naturally dense in nourishment is important too. This is the kind of fuel your body thrives on. Many years ago, we used to call those kind of meals ‘square meals’, which we enjoyed sitting down at the dinner table ~ not only did they supply essential nutrients, but they were also very satisfying. Here, Lesh calls them ‘complete meals’. Lesh also includes mindfulness and deliciousness as components of a complete meal, because she considers them core nutrients for satiation. And I agree, as we are not just physical bodies, but souls that thrive on joy and deliciousness. When wholly nourished, the human body is happier, calmer, more focused, quicker to learn, able to solve problems more easily and sleep better. It also has fewer cravings. In this ebook, you will not only find a wealth of tools to help you understand what complete meals are and how to incorporate them into your life, but you will also discover that including complete meals in your day is not as hard as it looks. Food is our foundation. I know you will most certainly notice a change for the better when you eat and enjoy food this way.
Jude Blereau
Wholefood Chef, Author & Cooking Teacher
Nourished a Foreword
4
Discover
Thirty years ago, food was less about technology and more about nature; there were fewer chemicals and more vitamins and minerals, and less part-foods and more wholefoods. Now we eat mainly technology driven foods, and that is where we are failing.�
Real Food
~ Cyndi O'Meara, Changing Habits, Changing Lives
Given my personal experience and what I’ve noticed with my clients, I strongly feel that the foundation of what we eat is best made up of foods given to us by nature.These are the foods that our bodies have evolved to recognise, and know how to digest and absorb. In this section, you will discover what real food truly is and why our bodies crave for such foods.
What is food?
7
13 Tips for affording real food
10
A real food manifesto by Alexx Stuart
13
Nourished a Discover real food
6
What is food? I t’s generally not what a food is that makes it bad ~ but how we grow and process it.” ~ Jude Blereau
This seemingly simple quote from Jude Blereau, chef and one of my favourite wholefood cookery writers, is powerful. It basically says that the way humans change food {not the food itself} is where the problem can begin. For example, an egg laid by a chicken feeding on grubs and roaming green pastures will not be the same as an egg from a chicken cramped in a cage feeding on genetically modified grains. Or a species of wheat grown 100 years ago, without pesticides or genetic modification, will not be the same as the wheat grown now ~ which has been modified to withstand pests and other conditions, and then processed with additives into a modern-day breakfast cereal to last for years on the supermarket shelf.
Or chocolate made mostly of quality cocoa powder and cocoa butter, with the rest just being unrefined sugar, will not be the same as chocolate that's made mostly of processed sugar, butterfat, milk solids and additives. You can take these principles and apply it to any food you eat ~ because food is no longer what it used to be.
Consider this: the industrialisation of food only spans a few decades ~ food is changing at a much faster rate than physical human evolution. So when we play with food ~ changing it {or its seed} in a factory and adding man-made substances {even to the soil} ~ we move it further away from its natural form. This means our bodies are less likely to recognise such foods and satisfy its needs from them. I call such processed foods ‘food-like substances’ because they’re not food.
Nourished a Discover real food
7
Cook
For Love
Nourished a Cook for love
Cooking is love made visible.� ~ Anonymous
With the increase in ready-made meals in the supermarket, it seems that cooking, or at least cooking from scratch, is slowly becoming a lost art ~ as a result, I feel we're losing our confidence and intuition in the kitchen. Here, I share why we need to love, embrace and have fun with this essential skill. I also give you ideas on how to experiment with the recipes in this ebook to make them your own.
12 Loving reasons to cook
15
Support yourself with smart cooking
17
How to get the most out of the recipes in this ebook
19
14
Support yourself with
smart cooking While cooking is indeed a vote against commercial interests, it is also a vote for self-love and a deeper aspect of nourishment ~ because you are taking an interest in {and responsibility for} your wellbeing and the wellbeing of your loved ones.
Y et to even cook a few more nights a week than you already do, or to devote a Sunday to making a few meals for the week, or perhaps to try every now and again to make something you only ever expected to buy ~ even these modest acts will constitute a kind of a vote. A vote for what, exactly? Well, in a world where so few of us are obliged to cook at all anymore, to choose to do so is to lodge a protest against specialization ~ against the total rationalization of life. Against the infiltration of commercial interests into every last cranny of our lives." ~ Michael Pollan, Cooked: a natural history of transformation
It is for this reason that I feel we need to embrace home cooking. Spending time in the kitchen, making delicious meals from scratch, does not need to take hours like it once did for our ancestors. We can still cook from wholesome ingredients just by making things easier for ourselves in the kitchen ~ thanks to the freezer and fridge.
I like to call this prepping: smart cooking.
Every other week, I like to prepare some ingredients and basic pantry staples {some that you would normally buy, like nut butter and nut milk} in advance ~ so they’re ready to use when I need them.
To do some smart cooking each week means that you’ve ‘got your back’, so you don’t succumb to processed packaged foods or takeaway ~ especially when you are tired or pressed for time.
In a restaurant kitchen, this is called mise en place ~ which means to put in place a few ingredients, already prepped, so when the time comes, the meal is ready to be cooked in minutes to serve to the customer {in this case, you}.
Nourished a Cook for love
17
Basics Recipes
Milk & yoghurt
22
In this section, you will find recipes for basic staples that I make regularly to make my life easier. As such, they're used as ingredients in many of the recipes in this ebook. To save you lots of time, choose 1 or 2 main meal recipes that you’d like to make each week, and prepare any staples that the recipe calls for. You can do this on the weekend or the night before ~ so when the time comes, you can make the recipe in minutes with minimal fuss.
Stock
32
Coconut milk
23
Poached chicken & stock
33
Cashew milk
24
Vegetable stock
34
Almond milk
25
Goat's milk yoghurt
26
Butters 27
Grains
35
Quinoa
36
Buckwheat
37
Coconut butter
28
Brown rice
38
ABC nut butter
29
Polenta
39
Choc-nut butter
30
Legumes
40
Ghee
31
Cooking dried beans & lentils ~ the basics 41 8 Ways to make dried beans more digestible 42
Nourished a Recipes: Basics
21
Coconut milk Makes 4 cups
2 hours 10 minutes {effort time 10 minutes}
DF
GF
VGN
Cooking notes Because there are no emulsifiers or thickening agents, homemade coconut milk is generally thinner than your canned variety and will separate on standing {the coconut fat will float to the top}. Just give it a good shake before you use ~ or use the fat that floats to the top as coconut cream. For a thicker milk, blend with less water. ♥
2 cups 100% desiccated coconut
♥
4 cups filtered water, freshly boiled
Add desiccated coconut and the hot water to your blender {if your blender has a plastic jug, do this step in a stainless steel or glass bowl}. Let it stand for at least 2 hours, allowing the coconut to soften and the water to cool. Blend on high speed for 20–60 seconds {timing will depend on your blender ~ a Thermomix or Vitamix will take about 20–30 seconds}. Strain milk into a wide mouth jug using a nut milk bag {or a few layers of muslin cloth over a strainer}.
Storage
Refrigerate in a clean, airtight glass bottle or jug that can be sealed for up to 3 days ~ or freeze in portions for longer storage.
Nourished a Recipes: Basics
How to use
Use in place of dairy milk. Perfect for curries, baking, smoothies, porridges, soups ~ or to make coconut yoghurt.
Tip
Use the leftover pulp in baked goodies {sweet and savoury}. The pulp will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. It can be frozen too.
23
Recipes
Condiments & Dressings
The purpose of a condiment is to add a punch of concentrated flavour {and, at times, contrasting texture} to satisfy your deliciousness needs. It can also add essential nutrients ~ which can be particularly important for vegetarians and vegans. Condiments are easy to make, and making 1 or 2 to keep in the fridge each week can be your saviour when it comes to pulling together a healthy and tasty meal. This is far better than relying on store-bought condiments, which are usually big culprits for containing processed additives and empty fillers.
Basil pesto
44
Beetroot raita
53
Chunky olive, rocket & macadamia pesto
45
Tamari-toasted seeds
54
Roasted capsicum & tomato sauce
46
Caramelised pears
55
Cashew sour cream
47
Poached apple & blueberries
56
Coriander & coconut chutney
48
Versatile dressings
57
Roasted & ground cumin or coriander
49
Creamy dressings
58
Dukkah 50
A Middle Eastern inspired dressing
59
Zesty walnut crumb
51
A tangy vinaigrette
59
Tamari tempeh
52
Nourished a Recipes: Condiments & dressings
43
Roasted capsicum & tomato sauce Makes 2 cups
40–50 minutes {effort time 15 minutes}
DF
GF
♥♥
4 medium-sized, ripe tomatoes
♥♥
♥♥
3 small–medium red capsicums {bell peppers}
cup cold-pressed olive oil, plus extra ¼ for drizzling
♥♥
sea salt & black pepper, to season
♥♥
VGN
1 small bulb garlic {about 6–8 cloves}
Preheat oven to 180°C/355°F {160°C/320°F fan-forced} and line a baking tray with unbleached baking paper. Remove the capsicum stems {you will need to core them out, leaving a hole in the capsicum} and place onto the lined tray with the hole side down.
Place the tray into the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the capsicums have blistered and slightly blackened. If they need longer, pull out the tomatoes and garlic, and set aside. Continue roasting the capsicums until ready. Place the capsicums in a brown paper bag {or bowl covered with a plate} and allow to cool.
How to use
This is a great sauce to replace store-bought tomato sauce, which is loaded with processed sugar.
Cut the tomatoes into quarters and place on tray with the capsicums ~ drizzle the tomatoes with some olive oil.
Once cooled, peel off the capsicum skin with a paring knife and scrape out all the seeds. Peel the garlic too.
You can also use it as a pizza base sauce; add it to soups, casseroles or curries; and as a sauce base for baked eggs.
Slice off the top of the garlic bulb {it’s okay if the cloves separate} and wrap in foil before placing on the tray with the capsicums and tomatoes.
Add the peeled capsicum and garlic with the tomatoes and remaining ingredients into a food processor. Process until you have a sauce-like consistency.
Refrigerate in an airtight glass jar for up to 5 days, or freeze in portions.
Nourished a Recipes: Condiments & dressings
Storage
Tip
If you’d like a sweet-ish tomato sauce ~ skip the capsicums. Double the tomatoes, and add a poached apple {peel, core and dice an apple; gently simmer in 2 tablespoons of water until soft, then process with the roasted tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and salt}.
46
Create
Deliciously Nourishing & Satisfying Meals We are not necessarily getting the nutrients we need, even though many of us eat enough food {sometimes more than enough, wouldn't you agree?}. Besides getting enough nutrients, if your food does not taste delicious to you, you are not going to feel satisfied ~ this means you are more likely to go looking for something else to eat. To me, this makes sense.We are spiritual beings, so our food needs to satisfy us on a deeper, more holistic level. In order to feel satisfied by my meals, I need what I call ‘complete meals’. In the next few pages, you will find my blueprint for how I create such meals.Why not try it out for yourself and see how you feel?
ne cannot think well, love O well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” ~ Virginia Woolf
My blueprint for creating complete meals
61
Macronutrients 62 Micronutrients 64 Deliciousness 65 Mindfulness 66 8 Steps to enjoying food mindfully
68
Complete meal summary
69
Your complete meal checklist
70
Nourished a Create deliciously nourishing & satisfying meals
60
Recipes
Nourishing Breakfasts
Literally, breakfast means to ‘break the fast’.The gap from when you ate the night before to breakfast the next day could be anywhere from 10–15 hours apart. For this reason, I like to be a little gentler with my tummy in the morning, eating foods that are either easy to digest or foods that have been prepared in a way to help their digestion {like soaking and cooking}. Some days I just feel like a very light breakfast, so I honour that. Everyone is different. Some people need a big breakfast first thing in the morning; some can’t stomach anything until a few hours later and only need something small. A person’s needs can vary from day to day too. So tune in, listen to your body, and respect your nutritional, taste and energy needs.
10 Quick & sustaining breakfast ideas
72
Carrot cake quinoa porridge
81
Banana buckwheat pancakes
73
Choc-nut buckwheat porridge
82
Savoury spinach pancakes
74
Traditional oats with a seeded twist
83
A deliciously green smoothie
75
Choc-buckwheat granola
84
A green & gold omelette
76
Natural muesli mix
85
Spiced breakfast beans
77
Muesli bars or toasted granola
86
Baked eggs ~ stovetop or oven
78
Baked breakfast crumble
87
Grain-based breakfasts
79
Bircher muesli
88
Wholefood quinoa congee
80
Porridge
88
Nourished a Recipes: Nourishing breakfasts
71
Banana buckwheat
pancakes Serves 2–3 {makes 6 pancakes}
Dry
30 minutes
DF-O
GF
In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
♥♥
1
⁄3 cup buckwheat flour
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
♥♥
½ tsp baking powder
Combine the wet with the dry mix, and whisk until well combined. Set the mixture aside for about 5 minutes.
Wet ♥♥
1 banana, mashed
♥♥
2 pastured eggs
♥♥
¼ cup natural yoghurt
♥♥
cup water or milk ¼ of choice
♥♥
1 tsp pure vanilla essence
Other ♥♥
c oconut oil, for pan-frying
V
Heat oil {enough to coat the pan base} in a fry pan over low–medium heat. {The oil should not be smoking hot ~ just hot enough so that the batter sizzles gently when added to the pan.} Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of batter into the pan and spread it with the back of a spoon into a round pancake shape. Fry the pancake for about 2 minutes each side on low–medium heat, or until cooked through. Add more coconut oil between cooking each pancake, as needed.
Serving ideas
Serve with nut butter/tahini and honey/ maple syrup, nutella butter, or yoghurt with poached or caramelised fruit.
Tips
To make more pancakes, add an extra egg, and double the other ingredients. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat to enjoy over the next few days for a quick breakfast.
Nourished a Recipes: Nourishing breakfasts
Variations
Dairy-free ~ replace the yoghurt with nut milk and a teaspoon of lemon juice or ACV. Savoury ~ skip the banana, and you will have savoury pancakes! You can make smaller cakes, like pikelets, and serve with avocado and nuts or feta.
73
Recipes
Satiating Soups Chunky roast cauliflower & cannellini bean soup
90
Spiced pumpkin & adzuki bean soup
91
Soba noodle soup with tamari tempeh
92
Amaranth & veggie soup
93
Vegetarian soups can be rather light on protein and fat, especially if they’re mostly made of vegetables {such as a pumpkin soup}. That’s okay if you’re serving them as a first course with a main meal to follow, or aren’t too hungry and need something very light. When I make soups at home, though, I serve them as a main meal. For this reason, I like to load my veggie soups with some legumes or a high protein grain, and use my homemade chicken stock for added minerals. If using a vegetarian stock, see if you can add some sea vegetables {such as arame or wakame} to your soups for added nutrients.
Nourished a Recipes: Satiating soups
89
Recipes
Vegetarian Sustenance
The recipes in this section reflect how I usually eat at home. I'm particularly conscious of including quality protein in my vegetarian and vegan meals. And I have taken care to do the same with the recipes and related serving ideas in this section, to ensure you get a full complement of amino acids {complete protein}. For this reason, you'll find the meals here include grains paired with legumes, nuts, seeds, or, at times, dairy and/or eggs. Oh, and they're super delicious too!
Lentil & quinoa salad with haloumi
95
Cauliflower pizza
105
Nourishing dhal
96
Kale & roast beetroot frittata
107
Mung bean curry
98
Hearty tempeh falafels ~ or patties
108
Black bean noodle stir fry with tamari tempeh
99
Zucchini & corn fritters
100
Baked fennel & mushroom brown rice risotto
101
Oven-baked pumpkin & chickpea quinoa pilaf
102
Stove-top summer quinoa pilaf
103
Quinoa-stuffed peppers
104
Nourished a Recipes: Vegetarian sustenance
94
Mung bean curry Serves 4
50 minutes
DF-O
GF
VGN-O
Cooking notes
Lentils and beans generally need quite a bit of salt to season. Umami ingredients also help to add deeper layers of savoury flavours, so in addition to the salt, you can add some tamari/soy sauce or umeboshi vinegar if you wish. 1 cup mung beans, soaked for 6 hours or overnight
♥♥
♥♥
2 tbsp coconut oil/ghee
♥♥
1 tsp turmeric powder
♥♥
2 tsp black mustard seeds
♥♥
1 tsp chilli flakes, or to taste
♥♥
6–8 curry leaves {optional}
♥♥
♥♥
1 onion, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
♥♥
2 tsp cumin seeds
♥♥
In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons ghee/oil over medium–high heat. Add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the cumin seeds, curry leaves {if using} and onion. Turn the heat to low and sauté for a few minutes. When onions become translucent, add the chilli, turmeric, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. Continue to sauté on gentle heat for another 5 minutes, or until the tomato pieces have cooked down.
♥♥
1 small knob {30 g/0.066 lb} ginger, minced or finely grated
2 tomatoes, finely diced {or 2 tsp tomato paste}
♥♥
2 carrots, sliced
♥♥
4 cups water or vegetable stock
♥♥
3 large handfuls shredded silverbeet or baby spinach leaves
♥♥
1 tbsp mirin {optional}
♥♥
sea salt, to season
Then mix in the mung beans and carrots. Stir thoroughly so all the spices and flavours coat the beans.
stick to the bottom of the pot {use a diffuser if you have one}.
After about 10 minutes, add a teaspoon of salt.
Once cooked, stir through the silverbeet {or spinach} and simmer for another couple of minutes before adding the mirin {if using}.
If you find that the curry is drying out Next, add the water {or stock} and before the beans are cooked, add some bring to a boil, before turning down freshly boiled water {start with ¼ cup, and add more as needed}. the heat to a gentle simmer.
Simmer for about another 20–30 minutes with the lid partially on, until the mung beans are soft and you have a thick casserole-like consistency.You will need to stir regularly so that the beans don’t
Taste for seasoning, and add more salt to suit your tastes {see cooking notes}. Turn off the heat, and allow the curry to stand for few minutes before serving.
Nourished a Recipes: Vegetarian sustenance
Serving ideas
Serve with basmati or brown rice, or quinoa. To add more umami flavours and textures, top with a dollop of natural yoghurt, cashew sour cream or some raita, and serve with a fresh salad or pickles.
Variation
Different legume ~ you can use this recipe to make an adzuki bean curry, since it's a similar sized legume to mung beans. 98
Recipes
Fish & Chicken Eats Wholefood fish cakes
110
Zesty crumbed chicken
111
Roast chicken
112
Nourished a Recipes: Fish & chicken eats
Since the recipes in this book reflect how I eat at home, I have only a handful of meat dishes in this ebook. I eat pastured, organic meat and sustainable fish about twice a week to get some nutrients that are generally harder to get from plant-based foods {it is possible, of course, but requires consistent effort, planning and time ~ and depends on each individual’s needs}. These meals are usually something simple and easy to make ~ such as a roast chicken or pan-fried fish. But I’ve jazzed up the few recipes in this section to make them super delicious for you. If you are vegetarian, don’t skip these pages! Other than the roast chicken recipe, I have suitable variations for you.
109
Recipes
Veggilicious Sides
I make these sides {or a variation of them} often. I particularly love a fresh, raw crunchy salad to counter-balance a warm comforting meal with texture and tang. And mixing warm roasted or steamed vegetables in my summer salads for a contrast of mouth feel, textures and flavours. Oh, and these sides deliver a healthy dose of fibre and micronutrients, too!
Crunchy cauliflower tabouleh
114
SautĂŠed purple cabbage with toasted sesame seeds
115
Beet tops in coconut milk
116
Revolutionary Brussels sprouts
117
Coconut-creamed spinach
118
Spiced-up roasted root veggies
119
A summer’s day salsa
120
Not your average garden salad
121
Radish & cucumber quick pickle
122
Nourished a Recipes: Veggilicious sides
113
Beet tops
in coconut milk Serves 3–4
15 minutes
♥♥
2 tbsp coconut oil
♥♥
1 small onion, finely diced
♥♥ ♥♥
DF
GF
VGN
♥♥
2 tbsp salt-crusted capers
2 –4 garlic cloves, finely diced or minced
♥♥
½ cup coconut milk
♥♥
sea salt, to season
l eaves & stems of one large beetroot bunch, shredded
♥♥
s queeze of lemon, to taste
In a wide and deep fry-pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté briefly before adding the beet leaves. Stir continually. Once the leaves have wilted, add the capers and coconut milk. Sauté for another couple of minutes, then turn off stove. Season and squeeze over desired amount of lemon juice.
Variations
Different leaves ~ replace beetroot leaves with a bunch of silverbeet, spinach or kale. Don’t have capers ~ replace them with chopped olives.
Nourished a Recipes: Veggilicious sides
116
Nourish
Your Soul
ften times, those who have an obsession with O food are really hungering for a greater connection to life, love, people, purpose, creativity, and a higher power.” ~ Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating
As a society, I find we are obsessed with food ~ there are plenty of diets, and yet we are still overweight. This obsession with food is the cause of much stress, guilt and shame. That’s sad ~ because food is meant to be a source of nourishment, joy and connection. Besides the issue of secondary eating, there’s another proposition I have as to why our relationship with food is suffering:
We have lost the art of nourishing our soul. In this mini-section, I share how we can feed our soul to cultivate a positive relationship with ourselves, and therefore, food. Soul connection for a loving relationship with food
124
10 Tips to look after your soul
125
Nourished a Nourish your soul
123
Recipes
10 wholesome snacks
Wholesome Snacks
While I believe that many of us snack mostly out of habit, there are some occasions where a nutritious snack can be helpful ~ such as when you’ve missed a meal, your main meal was too light on filling nutrients or there’s an extra long gap between your meals ~ and only when you're truly feeling hungry {if you’re not feeling hungry, then there’s no reason to snack}. On these occasions, consider making a conscious choice to eat something that delivers on nourishment too, not just taste; and enjoy it mindfully {away from your desk}, giving it your full attention ~ otherwise, why eat it? Mushroom pâté
128
Sesame besan crackers
134
Chunky guacamole
129
Roasted chickpea crunchies
135
Happy hummus
130
Pumpkin & feta muffins
136
Beetroot hummole
131
Sweet potato & blueberry muffins
137
Date & walnut bliss balls
132
Date & nut slice
138
Cacao & goji bliss balls
133
Nourished a Recipes: Wholesome snacks
1
natural yoghurt with fruit slices & nuts
2
piece of fruit & handful of nuts
3
walnut & date ball {or another type of bliss ball}
4
handful of trail mix {e.g. a mix of nuts, seeds, cacao nibs, goji berries}
5
handful of roasted chickpeas {or nuts}, flavoured with spices
6
homemade dips with veggie sticks & wholefood crackers
7
nut butter with apple slices
8
boiled egg
9
green smoothie
10
homemade muesli bar or slice
127
Roasted chickpea crunchies Makes 8 serves
♥♥
2 cups cooked chickpeas {garbanzo beans}
♥♥
2 tbsp cold-pressed macadamia nut oil/ olive oil
♥♥
2 tsp roasted & ground cumin
♥♥
1 tsp chilli powder
♥♥
sea salt, to taste
65–75 minutes
DF
GF
VGN
Preheat oven to 170°C/340°F {150°C/302°F fan-forced} and line a baking tray with unbleached baking paper. In a bowl, toss all ingredients together until chickpeas are coated with the spices. Evenly spread chickpeas onto the lined baking tray. Bake for 60–70 minutes, pulling out the tray every 15 minutes or so to stir the chickpeas {this will help to get an even colour and avoid burnt chickpeas}. The chickpeas are ready when crisp and lightly golden. Allow to cool completely before serving. Store any leftovers in an airtight glass jar.
Nourished a Recipes: Wholesome snacks
135
Recipes
He showed the words ‘chocolate cake’ to a group of Americans and recorded their word associations. ‘Guilt’ was the top response. If that strikes you as unexceptional, consider the response of French eaters to the same prompt: ‘celebration’.”
Sweet
~Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto
Deliciousness Banana bread goodness
140
Chai-spiced carrot cake
141
Chocolate & beetroot muffins
142
Citrus-coconut icing
143
Chocolate-cashew frosting
144
Choc-nut cookies
145
Coconut-vanilla cookies
146
The recipes in this section are wholesome and are best enjoyed with your loved ones ~ they’re about celebrating life with awareness and joy. When you choose to eat sweet deliciousness with this attitude, you’ll find there’s no room for guilt. Now, how beautiful is that?
Nourished a Recipes: Sweet deliciousness
139
Choc-nut cookies Makes 10 cookies
20 minutes
Dry
DF
GF
V
Wet
♥♥
¼ cup almond meal
♥♥
½ cup nut butter
♥♥
¼ cup brown rice flour
♥♥
1 pastured egg, lightly beaten
♥♥
3 tbsp cocoa
♥♥
♥♥
1
cup macadamia nut oil/ ¼ melted coconut oil
⁄3 cup rapadura or coconut sugar
Preheat oven to 180°C/355°F {160°C/320°F fan-forced} and line a tray with unbleached baking paper. In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet, using your hands to form a cookie dough. If it’s too dry or crumbly, knead in 1–2 tablespoons water. Shape dough into 10 round balls then flatten each with your hand on the lined tray, making sure cookies are evenly spaced. Bake for 10–12 minutes. Cool cookies on tray for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely {cookies will firm up as they cool}. Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They'll keep for a couple of weeks.
Nourished a Recipes: Sweet deliciousness
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7 Handy
Tools
In this section you will find additional tool sheets to make your cooking experience more knowledgeable and enjoyable. Feel free to print them out to keep handy in the kitchen for easy reference.
30 Pantry, fridge & freezer essentials
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Complete meals ~ nutrient substitution sheet
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Deliciousness ~ flavour substitution sheet
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Real food shopping list
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The Mindful Foodie weekly meal planner
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7-Day sample meal plan
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For the bookshelf
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Nourished a 7 Handy tools
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30 Pantry, Pantry,fridge Fridge&&freezer Freezer 30
essentials
I f you keep good food in your fridge, you will eat good food." ~ Errick McAdams
Support yourself by keeping these essentials in your kitchen.
Pantry
Bottled passata Canned/bottled sustainable fish ~ e.g. sardines, wild salmon, tuna
Canned legumes ~ I recommend BPA-free Eden Organic brand
Whole grains ~ e.g. brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat
Wholefood pasta/noodles ~ e.g. 100% soba-
noodles, brown rice noodles, mung bean pasta
Fridge
Cheese & yoghurt, preferably from pastured animals
Tomato paste Homemade condiments Eggs, preferably from pastured chickens Seasonal produce Nut & seed butters ~ e.g. tahini, almond butter Nuts & seeds {can also be kept in freezer} Whole grain flours {can also be kept in freezer}
Nourished a 7 Handy tools
Dried spices & herbs Dried legumes ~ lentils & beans Apple cider vinegar, unpasteurised & fermented
Coconut oil, cold-pressed Olive oil, cold-pressed Onions & garlic Olives Sea vegetables
Freezer
Homemade stock Homemade dips/condiments Cooked whole grains Cooked legumes Meat, preferably pastured Sustainable seafood Real/homemade bread Frozen veggies Frozen berries
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About the author
Lesh Karan is a writer and holistic food coach. She’s passionate about helping people to nourish themselves with real food and healthy lifestyle habits. Lesh advocates selfawareness and mindfulness to help create a positive relationship with food and to live a fulfilled, nourished life. In her past life, Lesh worked as an aerobics instructor, pharmacist and medical writer, and has graduated from university with Bachelor of Pharmacy and Master of Medical Science degrees. She also holds a certificate in Professional Writing & Editing from RMIT, and a Holistic Health Coaching certificate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. When Lesh is not writing, working with clients, or cooking, you can find her shopping at a farmers market, in a yoga class, hanging out with loved ones, prancing around her living room to Bollywood music and playing with her fur babies. Lesh lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her cheeky husband and her 2 mega-cute doggies. For more of Lesh’s wholefood recipes and life-nourishing tips, you may like to subscribe to her free e-letter.
Nourished a About the author
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Glossary
activated ~ a term used for raw nuts and seeds, and sometimes gluten-free grains {such as buckwheat} that have been soaked and then dehydrated at very low temperatures {45°C/113°F}. Soaking helps to make the nuts and seeds easier to digest and their nutrients more easily absorbed. The dehydrating removes the moisture, so the nuts and seeds can be stored for longer ~ but the dehydrating must be done at low temperatures to keep them ‘raw’ so the enzymes and nutrients stay intact {active}. amaranth ~ is a tiny gluten-free seed that’s high in protein. It has a sweet, nutty taste. You can also buy amaranth flour and flakes from wholefood organic stores. apple cider vinegar {ACV} ~ the apple cider vinegar I use in my recipes is the traditional fermented, unfiltered and unpasteurised {raw} kind. It’s great for digestion and cleansing too. arrowroot starch ~ is a gluten-free starch made from the arrowroot plant, a starchy tropical root. See if you can find true arrowroot starch {as opposed to tapioca, which is sometimes called arrowroot}. I occasionally use it for binding, thickening or to make baked goods lighter {especially in vegan gluten-free baking}. Arrowroot starch is highly digestible, and doesn’t have a strong, starch-like flavour in comparison to cornstarch {cornflour}. arame ~ is a type of brown seaweed. Sold as thin, short threads, it’s high in protein and minerals, such as iron, calcium and iodine. It’s great in salads and soups. You can find arame in Japanese grocery and organic wholefood stores.
Nourished a Glossary
asafoetida ~ is an Indian spice commonly used in legume dishes to help reduce gas. It has a garlicky flavour, so can be used in soups and casseroles too. For this reason, it’s also useful for those following a FODMAPs diet, where garlic and onion generally need to be excluded. Use sparingly, though ~ it’s quite smelly! besan flour ~ is made by grinding chickpeas {garbanzo beans}, so it’s not a typical flour. Besan is gluten-free and is commonly used in Indian cooking. I like to use it for savoury gluten-free baking. You can find it in organic health food and Indian grocery stores. buckwheat ~ despite its name, buckwheat is gluten-free. It’s the seed of a fruit, and belongs to the sorrel and rhubarb family. Because of its assertive taste, I find that it works well with bold, robust flavours such as chocolate, coconut and spices. You can buy buckwheat flour too ~ it’s one of my favourite flours for gluten-free baking. cacao powder ~ is cocoa powder in the raw form. It has more antioxidants and iron, but is more bitter and acidic than roasted cocoa powder. I tend to use it for raw foods, like bliss balls and smoothies. cacao nibs ~ are broken pieces of raw cacao beans. Loaded with antioxidants and minerals, they make a great addition to bliss balls, smoothies, trail mixes and bircher muesli.
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Did you love this free sample? If you liked what you saw in this sample, and would like to try out the recipes and principles in this ebook, you can purchase the full edition of Nourished here. Otherwise, please enjoy this free sample on me. Here’s to living a nourished life with awareness,
Lesh xx