This recipe is a treat not only for baby but for mama too! Roasting vegetables not only prepares solid meals for your little one but also contributes to meal prep for you and the rest of the family.
How to bust a sugar craving with my blueberry smoothie
I used to get extreme sugar cravings. Mostly when I was a sugar addict. I never admitted to myself that I was but if I look back, yup, I had a problem. I had to have something sweet after dinner or a chocolate at lunch. When I hit a slump at 3 pm at my desk then I would need something sweet to 'pick me up'. Sugar in my tea and syrup with my peanut butter toast. All loaded with refined sugar and SO not good for me.
I learnt that in life balance is possible and it has since become my mantra. It has taken time, practise and patience with myself. It's a journey and one that I am still working on. I want freedom with food and to have a healthy relationship with food. This blog post is not here to promote extremes but by all means, if it works for your body to completely cut out sugar then listen to that. The reality is that sugar is an inflammatory food and it isn't good for you in a refined form and studies have shown that it is responsible for diseases such as diabetes, chronic migraines, obesity and cystic acne. The scary thing is how many products have hidden sugar in them or label the sugar as something else. Make sure you read the ingredients on labels, not how many calories you are consuming because not all calories are created equal. Sugar is highly addictive and sends more serotonin to the brain than cocaine. Here is a list of few names to look out for and avoid:
- Corn syrup or high-fructose corn syrup
- Dextrose or crystal dextrose
- Fructose
- Maltose
- Lactose
- Sucrose
- Glucose
- Evaporated cane juice or fruit juice
- Caramel
- Carob syrup
- Brown sugar
- Raw sugar
- Dextrin and maltodextrin
- Rice syrup
- Molasses
- Evaporated corn sweetener
- Confectioner’s powdered sugar
- Agave nectar (really spikes blood sugar even though it’s natural)
- Other fruit nectars (for example, pear nectar) - be careful of this as most orange juices will claim 100% fruit juice but if you read the ingredients you will soon realise this is not the case.
I personally do not have a problem with fruit. I don't eat too much and when I do; I feel like I am indulging. Fruit can be packed with vitamins and fibre and can help bust a sugar craving. I try to have my fruit with a handful of nuts such as almonds since the combination of fibre and fat keeps my blood sugar stable and satiates me.
When you first undertake to quit sugar it is going to be hard. You might even experience physical reactions such as headaches and nausea. The detox is real and I suggest that you commit to breaking through this barrier. I upped my water intake during the first week (a good habit to adopt in general) and I focused on taking in high protein foods with high fibre dark leafy greens and veg. Having meals that are nourishing helped me be 'full' and happy. I also learnt that allowing myself to get hungry was not a good idea. Catch yourself before you are hungry and invariably end up in a space where you'll make bad decisions. Focus on what your triggers are and what makes you feel weak at the moment, then focus on avoiding it. Set yourself up to succeed.
Here are a few things I do that help me when I am craving sugar:
1 - I enjoy a big cup of herbal tea without sugar or milk. I find that peppermint helps me bust a craving or chai tea. The spices let the brain think you are having something sweet.
2 - I indulge in a piece of good quality dark chocolate. Paired with a cup of peppermint tea - its a match made in heaven.
3 - I keep fresh majool dates in the fridge. I don't overindulge in them as they are still sugar but they are a natural sugar and when they are cold, they go like fudge. Give them a try! One is usually enough.
4 - I up my dark leafy greens when I am craving chocolate. Especially around my period. I find that it not only helps with cravings but it also helps with bloat.
5 - Have a big glass of water and if you can add a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar. Make sure it is unfiltered with the mother. More often than not when I am craving food - its actually thirst. Did you know that one of the first symptoms of dehydration is hunger? Before I would just go for the fridge and binge on everything in front of me. Now I am more connected to my body and I have a glass of water when I feel like snacking on sugar, give it twenty minutes then see how I feel.
6 - Eat a high protein snack instead of the sugar. Try having some carrot sticks and hummus or a boiled egg. This helps me and often fills me up until my next meal.
7 - If I feel for a treat, I have some sliced apple drizzled with almond butter. I try to have this mid-morning not later in the afternoon. Focus on high protein food in the afternoon rather than sugar. This also helps me with over eating at dinner.
When I find myself craving something super decadent and indulging, I make myself this smoothie. It's better than any milkshake out there and filled with natural goodness that won't leave you feeling awful about it afterwards.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 tablespoon pea protein powder
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1 cup almond milk, unsweetened
- 2 blocks of ice
Instructions:
Add all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If it is too thick then add a little almond milk to thin it out. I personally like it thick. Serve cold topped with a drizzle of almond butter and berries.
-Melissa
Christmas Chocolate Chia Trifle
Trifle is a tradition in my family. I am hosting Christmas this year and I have decided to do a plant-based one because not only do I want a healthier Christmas but I want to show my family how easy it is to become mindful of the amount of meat and animal products we consume. You don't have to be vegan for this, you just have to care more about your environment and your body and think do I need as much as I take?
I have been eating healthier and my body has been thanking me for it. Your will to if you give it a go. I don't want to have a full-blown sugar binge if I don't have to. I mean just look at this Trifle. Does it not tick all the boxes on every level? My mouth is watering just looking at it! You can play around by adding different nuts, nut butter and dark chocolate.
It's so easy to make and a lot quicker than a normal Trifle. Plus it is refined sugar-free, gluten free and dairy free!
Makes 2-3 glasses depending on glass size
Ingredients:
Chia layer:
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon 100% maple syrup
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
Chocolate mousse layer:
Other layers:
- 1/2 cup sugar-free granola - You can find great options at your local health store.
- 1 - 2 fresh bananas sliced
- 50 grams pecan nuts, chopped
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- Banana bread *optional. You can bake a vegan bread or find one at your local health store.
- fresh cherries *optional
In a medium pot over a medium heat add all ingredients for the chia layer. Bring to a simmer stirring often. Once the chia seeds begin to absorb the liquid, about 5 minutes of simmering, turn the heat off and set aside. The other option if you have time is to combine all ingredients and leave them in a jar in the fridge overnight.
In a tall glasses begin assembling your trifle. Begin with two tablespoons of Chia pudding, then two tablespoons of chocolate mousse. Add the sliced banana. Top with granola and nuts and repeat ending off on a chocolate layer. Top the trifles with granola, almond butter and torn pieces of banana bread.
Healthy hotcakes with berry compote
Who remembers having cinnamon sugar pancakes doused in lemon juice when you were young?
I sure do.
Back when I was young and wild and free, mostly because I was on a sugar high. What happened to those days?
The days of guilt-free feasting on sugar-laced pancakes?
We grew up.
We became adults and with it came, (hopefully) a certain awareness.
We realised that we couldn't have whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted it and discovered much to our dismay, that refined sugar is a carcinogenic killer and that it is hidden in almost every product that we consume.
We know that we need to walk more, eat healthier and be aware of what we are putting into our bodies.
As my good friend Nikita says, it’s time to stop counting calories and to start counting chemicals.
When last did you actually read the ingredients on a package and not just the kilojoules or carb amount?
Better yet, when last did you understand what the ingredients were??
I have taken a vow to not eat less but to eat better.
At the end of the day that is what it comes down to.
Mindless eating is out and mindful eating is in!
Personally, I have become slightly obsessed with this new awareness and am pushing myself to learn new ways of having my cake and eating it!
These hotcakes are delicious and will leave your Sunday mornings all the better for it!
The best part?
They are (refined) sugar-free and in my opinion, guilt free.
Now isn't that a relationship we all want with our food?
Ingredients:
For the hotcakes
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 1 large green apple, grated
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
For the berry compote
- 1 cup mixed berries, frozen or fresh
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
Instructions:
For the hotcakes
In a medium bowl whisk the eggs.
Add the flour, green apple, almond milk, cinnamon, vanilla paste and baking powder to the eggs and whisk until well combined.
In a large frying pan over a medium heat, add one tablespoon of coconut oil.
Spoon the pancake mixture into the pan, about two tablespoons per portion.
Cooking two to three minutes on either side or until golden brown.
For the Compote
In a small frying pan over a medium heat, add the berries and the coconut sugar, allow to simmer or until the berries reach a jam-like consistency.
Top the hotcakes and serve hot!
Health fact: Berries are rich with powerful antioxidants. They assist in neutralizing free radicals or unstable oxygen molecules, that can cause damage to cells which are a major source of disease and aging.
-Melissa