Here is another fresh summery salsa recipe! The last salsa recipe I posted was a Jalapeno, Mango and Tomato Salsa with Chilli and Lime Prawns. With this recipe, instead of a raw salsa (like the previous recipe)- this salsa is a cooked one. The benefit of a cooked salsa is that you will get the nutritional benefit from the tomatoes being sauteed which allows you to have improved absorption of the Lycopene (an antioxidant). It also makes it taste delicious! Eating the capsicum bowl (which will be explained below) allows you to get some heat-sensitive nutrients as well, such as vitamin C.

Above: Jalapeno, Mango and Tomato Salsa with Chilli and Lime Prawns

Below: Lime Flavoured (Cooked) Tomato, Avocado and Capsicum Salsa

Recipe: Lime Flavoured (Cooked) Tomato, Avocado and Capsicum Salsa

Allergen info/recipe info: This recipe can be dairy free, and is gluten-free and sugar-free. It can also be made vegetarian or vegan (depending on whether or not you use butter in the recipe).

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 red capsicum (bell pepper) (see directions below)
• 1 C. cherry tomatoes, quatered
• 1 tsp. butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp. coriander seed powder
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
• ~ 2 Tbsp. fresh coriander leaves
• a few wild olives, pitted and sliced
• salt and pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4-1/2 fresh lime juice (depending on taste preference)

How to:

1. Cut the capsicum into three so you have two ‘cup-like’ pieces and one middle ring. Remove the seeds from the capsicum. Set the two ‘cup’ pieces aside.
2. Take the middle capsicum ring and chop it into small pieces. Cut the cherry tomatoes into quaters.
3. In a hot pan, add the butter or coconut oil and cook the coriander powder, capsicum and cherry tomatoes until just soft. Turn the heat off.
4. Stir in the cut up avoacdo, coriander leaves and the olives. Season with salt and pepper. 
5. Now spoon the salsa mixture into the two capscium ‘cups’ and drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and fresh lime juice.
6. Enjoy!

 Michelle

© Copyright: 2009-2012 Michelle Robson-Garth. Please ask permission first when using any text or images on healthfoodlover.com. See the disclaimer here. Have a look at the recipe index for more health food lovin’ recipes. Join the Facebook page & follow Health Food Lover on twitter.

Here is another delicious green leafy recipe to get you eating more greens and loving them too! There are so many ways to enjoy kale and other green leafy veggies. Kale chips are really crunchy and delicious and are a healthier alternative to potato chips. Try them and be amazed!

Here are some of my other Kale Chip recipes:

Kale Chips: Crispy Crunchy Greens

Spicy Kale Chips

Recipe: Barbeque Kale Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 big bunch of organic kale (or calvero nero)
• 1/2 red capsicum/bell pepper
• 2 roma tomatoes, sliced in half
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 onion, cut in half and peel removed
• a dash of olive oil
• 2 tsp. sweet paprika powder
• a dash of Worcester sauce
• 1/2 small red chilli (optional)
• 1 tsp. sea salt

How to:

1. Prepare the kale: Wash the kale and pat it dry. Then rip the leaves into chip-sized pieces away from the stem until you have ripped up the whole bunch of kale. Set the leaves aside.
2. Make the BBQ Sauce: Slice open the red capsicum and remove the seeds. Place half of the capsicum facing down in a baking tray along with the sliced roma tomatoes, onion and garlic cloves. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes at around 180 degrees C or until they have roasted. After they are roasted, take all of these ingredients out of the baking tray, discarding any water that has come out of the veggies. Add the roasted capsicum, tomatoes and onions to a blender. Peel the garlic and add it to the blender along with the  sweet paprika powder, Worcester sauce and red chilli if using. Blend these ingredients until you have a smooth paste. Leave the paste to cool.
3. Make the BBQ Kale Chips: When the paste is cool, Pour it over the kale pieces. Make sure each kale piece is covered by the roasted veggie paste. Bake or dehydrate the kale (see instructions below).

To bake in an oven: Place the kale chips on a coconut oil greased baking tray. Bake at 180 degrees C (fan-forced) or until crispy and crunchy.

To dehydrate in a dehydrator: Place the kale chips on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 45 degrees C/115 degrees F for 6 hours or until crispy and crunchy.

Michelle

© Copyright: 2012 Michelle Robson-Garth. Please ask permission first when using any text or images on healthfoodlover.com. See the disclaimer here. Have a look at the recipe index for more health food lovin’ recipes. Join the Facebook page & follow Health Food Lover on twitter.

In herbal medicine, Nettle (Urtica dioica) is used for it’s nutritive properties (it’s rich in many nutrients) and depurative (blood-purifying) actions, among it’s other uses (1). The nutrients in nettle leaf include: Vitamin A, C, beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, chlorophyll, magnesium, tannins, flavonoids, sterols and amines (2).

Nettle can also be used as a food and is commonly added to soups and stews.

In this recipe, I used a cold nettle infusion. To make the infusion, add 1-2 tsp. of dried nettle leaf (I got my nettle from Southern Light Herbs) to around one cup of hot water in a clean glass lidded jar and leave to infuse overnight. You can put it in the fridge to chill, if you like. In the morning, a bright green tea will be produced! You can strain the leaves out of the tea, or leave them in for added nutrients (your smoothie will be a green one if you leave the leafy bits in).

How does this smoothie taste? I find it tastes like a normal berry smoothie with a hint of green-tea-like flavour.

Recipe: Nettle and Berry Smoothie

Allergen info: In susceptible individuals, nettle may cause an allergic reaction. Those who are allergic to nettle stings should not apply it topically (1). This recipe contains dairy.

Serves: 1 serve (double or triple etc the ingredients for more serves)

Ingredients:

• 1 c. of cold organic nettle leaf tea
• ~ handful of frozen berries of your choice
• ~1/4 C. of milk of your choice (dairy, coconut, almond etc)
• 2 Tbs. of yoghurt with live cultures (or kefir etc)
• 1 tsp. LSA (linseed, sunflower and almonds, ground)

How to:

Blend until smooth and enjoy chilled.

References:

1. Kerry B, 2003, ’A clincial guide to blending liquid herbs: herbal formulations for the indivdual patient’, (pp. 343) Elsevier, USA.
2. Braun L, Cohen M, 2010, ’Herbs and natural supplements: An evidence-based guide’, 3rd Edition, (pp. 877) Churchill/Livingstone Elsevier, Australia & US Department of Agriculture 2003.   

Please note: herbal medicine, even in the form of tea, may affect those on certain drugs, medications, those with certain illnesses or pregnancy, so it is best to seek advice from your health professional when unsure.

© Copyright: 2011 Michelle Robson-Garth. Please ask permission first when using any text or images on healthfoodlover.com . See the disclaimer here. Have a look at the recipe index for more health food lovin’ recipes.

Recipe: Sesame-Crusted Avocado Wedges

Serves: 2-3

Allergen info: This recipe contains almonds, eggs and sesame seeds. It is dairy-free.

Ingredients:

• 2 avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1/2 C. – 1 C (or as needed) almond meal
• 1-2 raw eggs, beaten
• ~1/2 C- 1 C (or as needed) white sesame seeds
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ~ 1 tbsp. melted ghee or coconut oil
• ~1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• dried chilli flakes, to taste (optional)

How to:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Peel the avocados and remove the pits. slice the avocados into wedge-like pieces.
3. Coat each avocado piece in almond meal. then place them aside.
4. Beat the egg(s) and dip each avo wedge into the beaten eggs, letting excess drip off.
5. Coat each avocado piece in the sesame seeds and place each piece on either an oiled piece of aluminium foil or on a wire rack over a baking tray.
6. Bake the avocado pieces until their coating has turned a light golden brown. Sprinkle a small amount of salt and pepper on them (or to taste).
7. Sprinkle a few chilli flakes on them (if you desire) and a few drops of toasted sesame oil.
8. Enjoy!

Note: feel free to add any other spices or herbs that you like into the almond meal and/or sesame seeds to alter the flavour of the avocado wedges.

© Copyright: 2011 Michelle Robson-Garth. Please ask permission first when using any text or images on healthfoodlover.com . See the disclaimer here. Have a look at the recipe index for more health food lovin’ recipes.

Have a chocolate craving but still want something nutritious and delicious? Here is a healthy chocolate milkshake sure to fix your craving!

 Chia seeds soaking!

Recipe: Healthy Chocolate Chia Seed Milkshake

Serves: one

Allergen info: This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar free. Those with pollen allergies should avoid this recipe (or just skip the bee pollen in the recipe).

Ingredients:

• 1 Tb. of chia seeds (or the same amount of flaxseeds/linseeds)
• ~1- 1.5 C. water
• 1 tsp. bee pollen* (I used Eucaplytpus Bee Pollen from Raw Power) (optional)
• 1 tsp. lecithin granules (organic & non-gm) or 1 organic/pastured (i.e. grass fed) chicken’s egg yolk
• 1 tbs. almond butter
• 1/2 banana, sliced into rounds and frozen
• 1 heaped tsp. raw cacao powder (or choose naturally caffeine-free carob powder)
• ~1 tsp. raw organic honey (optional)
• cacao nibs (optional)

 How to:

1. Soak the chia seeds and bee pollen in the water and leave for ~ 1/2 hour to a few hours (or overnight). (Keep this covered in the fridge).
2. When ready to eat, blend the water/chia/bee pollen mixture together until the chia seeds and bee pollen has broken down in the water. Add the lecithin and blend again.
3. Add  the almond butter, frozen banana, cacao or carob powder, and honey (if using) and blend until the milkshake has completely blended together and is really smooth.
4. Top with cacao nibs if you like.

Enjoy!

Note: due to the caffeine in the cacao/cacao nibs it would be better to have this milkshake earlier in the day as the caffeine may distrupt your sleep.

*avoid if you have pollen/flower/asteraceae/compositae allergies.

If you would like to help sponsor this blog and get some goodies for yourself at the same time please click through to the link and purchase some fabulous raw foods for yourself (or as a gift for a friend) from Raw Power. Please note that I only link to products I personally use and recommend.

© Copyright: 2011 Michelle Robson-Garth. Please ask permission first when using any text or images on healthfoodlover.com . See the disclaimer here.

This mango green smoothie has to be one of my favourite combinations so far!

Recipe: Mango Green Smoothie

Serves: two

Ingredients:

• 3 handfuls of leafy greens (I used baby spinach)
• water, enough to make a smoothie consistency that you like
• 1 mango, peeled, chopped and frozen (pit removed)
• optional extras: 1 tsp. of flax seed/flax seed oil & 1 tsp. lecithin granules (organic and non-gm is best)

How to:

1. First blend the water and greens until the greens have broken down.
2. Add the mango and blend until until smooth. Add the optional extras (if using) and blend again.
3. Enjoy!

More green smoothie recipes on healthfoodlover.com:

• Recipe: Pear, Mint and Ginger Green Smoothie
• Recipe: Zesty & Refreshing Green Smoothie
• Recipe: Strawberry Kale Smoothie

© Copyright: 2011 Michelle Robson-Garth. Please ask permission first when using any text or images on healthfoodlover.com . See the disclaimer here.

Here is another green smoothie, this one is pear, mint and ginger flavoured. As with most green smoothies, even though they are vibrantly green, they actually do not taste like the greens within the smoothie, rather they have the flavour of the fruit in the drink. Not sure? Try it for yourself and see.

Recipe: Pear, Mint and Ginger Green Smoothie

Serves: two

Ingredients:

• 2 handfuls of green leafy veggies, such as spinach or kale (stalks removed)
• filtered water, enough to make a consistency you like*
• optional extras: 1 tsp. of whole flax seeds (or flax seed oil) and 1 tsp lecithin granules
• 1 pear, cut into 2, frozen and seeds removed
• 1 piece of fresh ginger ot to taste
• a few leaves of fresh mint or to taste

How to:

1. In a blender, blend the greens and the water till the greens have broken down and dissolved into the water.
2. Add the flax and lecithin (if using) into the green water and blend till they have broken down into the drink.
3. Now add the pear pieces, ginger and mint and blend until the drink has a smooth consistency.  
4. Enjoy!

*Note: I like green smoothies to have the consistency similar to a juice so I add quite a bit of water, but add as much or as little water as you like.

© Copyright: 2011 Michelle Robson-Garth. Please ask permission first when using any text or images on healthfoodlover.com . See the disclaimer here.

A delicious green smoothie that is fresh, zesty and refreshing. A great way to bring in spring!

 

Don’t be scared of the green-ness- the fruit and the mint make it quite delicious!

Recipe: Zesty & Refreshing Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

• a handful of green leafy veggies: such as baby spinach, spinach, kale, swiss chard etc
• 1/4 frozen orange (the peel and pith to be kept on)*
• 1 kiwi fruit- skin peeled off (though you can keep skin on for extra fibre)
• 1/8 of a lime (the peel and pith to be kept on)*
• a few mint leaves
• ~about a cup of water (adjust to desired consistency)
• optional extras: flax seeds; lecithin granules (non-gm);

How to:

• Add all the ingredients and blend till smooth. Adjust water (you may need more or less) to get your desired smoothie consistency.

*As you are using the skin, these ingredients are best if organic.

Enjoy!

Other smoothie recipes on healthfoodlover.com:

• Purple Kefir Smoothie
• Macadamia, Banana and Mesquite Smoothie
• Strawberry Kale Smoothie
• Icy Whole Watermelon Juice

© Copyright: 2011 Michelle Robson-Garth. Please ask permission first when using any text or images on healthfoodlover.com . See the disclaimer here.

Ahh Kefir. So many uses, so little time! Good thing for all those kefir-lover’s out there: I have a new recipe for you!

 

Last time I shared the recipe for Jaffa Kefir (below). If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend you do!

Now, here for you today is another colourful and delicious kefir recipe: a purple kefir smoothie!

This recipe brings together many of nature’s wonderful foods: kefir (which I hope by now you realise is an amazing food), chia, berries and coconut!

Purple Kefir Smoothie

Serves: 1

Recipe details: This recipe contains dairy. There is no gluten/wheat/grain products in this recipe.

Ingredients:

• a few tb. of kefired milk
• a few kefir grains (optional) (they look like this)
• a handful of blueberries/blackberries or other berries of your choice
• a few tsp. of chia seeds
• 1-2 teaspoons lecithin granules
• 1/2 C. coconut milk
• coconut milk, extra if needed
• nuts, extra chia seeds or fruit- to serve

How to:

1. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend till smooth.
2. Add extra coconut or kefir if needed.
3. Enjoy over ice.

Enjoy plain…

…with your favourite nuts, seeds or extra fruit…

…or with a spoon!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

© Copyright: 2011 Michelle Robson-Garth. Please ask permission first when using any text or images on healthfoodlover.com . See the disclaimer here.

What Is Kefir?

Kefired milk (or Kefir; said as ke-fear), is the fermented dairy* product made from adding Kefir grains** (which are also known as Kefir; see picture above which shows kefir’s cauliflower-like appearance) into milk to ferment. The Kefir grains are a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast which exist on a structure of polysaccharide, protein, amino acids and lipids. Kefir grains ferment milk to produce a probiotic milk, similar to yoghurt. Kefir is another beneficial probiotic/cultured/fermented food which you may like to try adding to your diet. It’s relatively inexpensive and so very easy to make at home. And you don’t need any speical equipment!

Some things to know about Kefir:

• How To Make Kefir
• How To Store & Ripen Kefir To Reduce Lactose
• Kefir Fermented For 24 & 48 Hours
• *Kefir is a dairy product so those who are sensitive to dairy please take caution.
• **Please note, Kefir ‘grain’s’ are not cereal grains at all, nor are they similar to cereal grains in anyway.
• Kefir is gluten-free.  

 

This is a really delicious way to eat kefir! If you’re new to kefir you may like to try this simple recipe. This recipe also disguises the taste of kefir somewhat, which can take a bit of time to get used to. Like all fermented foods, starting with a small amount at first is best.  

Recipe: Homemade Organic Kefir with Lemon Zest & Raspberries

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C. to 1 C. of kefired milk (made from organic milk)
• raspberries, fresh or frozen (I used frozen to chill my kefired milk)
• lemon zest, (best from an organic lemon, otherwise gently scrub a non-organic lemon to help remove the wax coating)
• B-grade maple syrup/honey

How to:

Pour the kefired milk into a bowl, add the berries, lemon zest and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey. Enjoy!

© Copyright: 2011 Michelle Robson-Garth. Please ask permission first when using any text or images on healthfoodlover.com . See the disclaimer here.