Tasty Recipe

GRAIN FREE COCONUT & COURGETTE LOAF

GRAIN FREE, HIGH PROTEIN, NUTRITIOUS LOAF, WITH A HINT OF COCONUT.

INGREDIENTS

1 large courgette, grated 8 eggs, large 150ml maple syrup or agave nectar (rich & dark or light & mild) 100g coconut flour 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla pod, deseeded 1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp. cinnamon sea salt

TOPPING

60g pecans, roughly chopped 1 tbsp. coconut oil 1 tbsp. coconut flour 2 tbsp. maple syrup or agave nectar (rich & dark or light & mild) ½ tsp. cinnamon 2 pinches sea salt METHOD

1. Pre-heat the oven to 325°F, gas mark 3, 170°C (150°C fanassisted).

2. In a food processor, or by hand, beat the eggs until smooth and add the maple syrup or agave nectar and blend. Then add the coconut flour, vanilla, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt and blend together, then add the grated courgette and blend into the mixture.

3. Pour the mixture into a 2 lb loaf tin, pre-lined with baking parchment or cake tin liner and smooth out the mixture until level.

4. To make the crumble topping in a mixing bowl and the coconut oil, coconut flour, maple syrup of agave nectar, cinnamon and 2 pinches of sea salt, mix well then fold in the chopped pecans, pour the topping over the mixture and bake in a pre-heated oven for 1 hour.

5. Remove from the oven, take it out of the tin and place it on a wire rack to cool.

TIP - This coconut & courgette loaf can be served either as an accompaniment to a sweet mealtime or savoury. Don’t be put off by the courgette in thinking this can only be served as a savoury dish. It is light, incredibly moist and great served with a wholesome soup or with smashed avocado, eggs and chilli oil.

Lisa Roukin AUTHOR OF MY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD COOKBOOK

wellbeing

TASTY RECIPE

MATCHA SMOOTHIE BREAKFAST BOWL

A QUICK, HEALTHY BREAKFAST, SUPERCHARGED TO ENERGISE YOU WITH THE NATURAL BENEFITS FROM GREEN TEA.

INGREDIENTS

2 bananas large, frozen (sliced 1inch pieces) 2 tsp. matcha powder 2 tsp. agave nectar (optional) 1 avocado, ripe 2 handfuls spinach

TOPPING

2 tsp. chai seeds 2 tsp. hemp banana chips coconut chips, toasted blueberries METHOD

1. Preparation time – 5 mins. freezing time – 6-8 hours

2. Cut the bananas into 1 inch slices and place in a freezer bag, and freeze for 6-8 hours. 3. Blend together avocado and spinach, then place the sliced frozen bananas in your blender with the matcha powder and blend it together until you have a smooth thick texture. Add the agave nectar if you would like it sweet and blend it again. Pour into 2 bowls and top with your favourite toppings, be adventurous!

TIP - Matcha is an alternative way of getting your caffeine boost in a healthier way. Matcha powdered green tea is full of antioxidants, it has over 100 times more than regular brewed green tea. Be adventurous with your toppings. Adding a handful of spinach gives that extra boost and you can add a tsp. of almond butter for extra protein. If you are not a fan of avocado, add 100ml of almond milk and choose another fruit of your choice. As it contains caffeine, I’d advise not serving it to children!

Lisa Roukin AUTHOR OF MY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD COOKBOOK

IS GOING VEGAN GAME CHANGING?

VEGANISM IS WINNING AGAINST SKEPTICISM BECAUSE OF THE NUMEROUS NEW STUDIES, SUPPORTERS AND DOCUMENTARIES (LIKE THE POPULAR “THE GAME CHANGERS”) THAT ARE AROUND.

BUT IS IT REALLY BETTER TO BE VEGAN? Unfortunately, there aren’t yet any long term epidemiological studies (studies done on thousands of people for over 20+ years) that state that Veganism is better than a normal balanced diet but one thing is pretty clear: brief periods of not eating animal products will benefit health and weight loss for people that are following a standard British (or American) diet.

This is mainly because by going vegan you will inevitably shift your focus on to real foods and increase the amount of vegetables you eat on a daily basis. Vegetables are rich in fibres and essential micronutrients but low in calories. This means that a vegetable-rich vegan diet will reduce overall appetite while also reducing the amount of average daily calories you consume, resulting in weight loss.

While we’re waiting for science to tell us more about the benefits of not eating animal products on longevity, we can be pretty sure that, for most of us, going vegan for a month could help us reduce the waistline and get healthier.

So with that being said Bio-synergy have created a e-book explaining everything you need to know about going vegan.

Daniel Herman NUTRITION COACH