Childhood dreams of cauliflower cheese, or even baked potato? This dish delivers on taste, nostalgia and satisfaction, without the heavy, I need to unzip my pants feels.
I prepped it all while the roast chicken was in the oven and then popped it in for the last ten minutes. Gluten and dairy free, this is such a crowd pleaser you can truely make and serve with love.
This also double as an excellent swap in for pasta as the next recipe will reveal. It covers most bases for comforting, warm and wintery.
Ingredients for four portions:
1 whole head of cauliflower
one batch of hummus made to the recipe below
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
thyme, salt and pepper to top and taste.
Smokey Hummus:
1 tin of chickpeas
1/4 cup tahini
juice of 1-2 lemons
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste Blitz the above in a blender until smooth and creamy, add a little water or extra lemon juice if needed. I avoid oil to save on calories.
Method:
Get your cauliflower into small florets and boiling away for about 6-8 minutes or until softened to your liking.
Next, prepare the hummus with the ingredients and to the instructions above.
Once the cauliflower is soft and the hummus is smooth, mix them together and pop into an oven safe tray or dish. Sprinkle with savoury yeast flakes, thyme, salt and pepper according to your own preference (I am usually a little more heavy handed than most.)
It would be gorgeous as is and topped with a protein of your choice or it can be further toasted in the oven for 8-10 minutes and served as a side.
Macros:
The above makes 4 serves, the macros described are per serve:
Your digestive tract is laden with receptors that feed chemical information to your brain via the vagus nerve and other neurones. Your gut is essentially looking for certain nutrients; amino and fatty acids that will then trigger satiety hormones to be released to decrease your appetite.
That is the biology of it but often this comes down to our psychology and harnessing an understanding of both is powerful for developing your own ability to regulate and improve your relationship with food. Reach out for a workshop if this is something you want support working on.
Where it goes wrong If the gut lining is disrupted, these signals are compromised, they won’t get through. Emulsifiers (check the ingredients on your packaged food items) are some of the worst culprits for stripping the gut lining and damaging these receptors, such that our system of satiety breaks down.
Your brain also receives mechanical (physical feeling) information. So staying hydrated and increasing the amount of non-starchy vegetables on your plate will also help to signal the brain that you have had enough. Hence why a bowl of vegetables and small fillet of salmon at 355kcal will feel more satisfying than a plate of basil pesto and green beans at 620kcal.
The specifics
Emulsifiers (such as soy lecithin) and many other additives, for some people this can be gluten disrupt your ability to feel satisfied. Sugar Confuses the brain and sends signals to consume more and feel an increase in appetite. Protein triggers more of a release of the satiety hormone CCK, the amino acid glutamate having the most potent effect. Omega 3 fatty acids Increase satiety signals Fibrous food do their work two ways; They often take more chew work and so increase those mechanical signals to the brain that you are eating. Eating them first will also blunt the release of the glucose increase that comes from eating, a rise in blood glucose triggers other mechanisms that decrease satiety.
Key Take-aways
Protein
Omega 3s
Staying hydrated
Fibre
Eating slowly Will help you feel satisfied and decrease cravings.
Processed foods
Poor gut health
Being dehydrated
Eating too quickly Will confuse your body and make it want more food than it needs
Qualified in Nutrition and passionate about helping people reach there goals.
If you would like to learn more meal planning or eating for a better, stronger body then call for your free 15 minute consult.
After all the lovely basil I was gifted last week, I had a fun surge of inspiration and whipped up this child basil mousse
I’ve used this in pasta, with mushrooms and eggs on toast, it was great with roasted potatoes and chicken and had a flavour worth sharing. So make lots! Reuse your empty jars and drop off batches to your nearest and dearest. Have something raring to go in the fridge that would upgrade a brunch, lunch, dinner or even toast.
Ingredients for 10 serves
1/2 cup of cooked chickpeas
bunch of basil (think 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
1/2 cup soaked roasted cashews
2 table spoon lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
two birds eyes chillies
1/2 tsp salt
Method:
Simply whizz in your blender till smooth and dollop over all the other good things in life.
Macros:
The below is per serve as does not account for anything you may serve with the dip
Each: 28 cal 2gP 2gF 2.7gC
Just a cheeky wee example of the mousse jazzing up one of my favourite, balance brunch options, eggs and mushrooms on Pure Life Toast (5 Seed)
Having trouble with your meal prep game and need some advice? Call for a free 15 minute consult, as a qualified and passionate nutritionist, I would love to help you set your goals and reach them!
All ingredients into a saucepan to heat 3-4 minutes over a medium-high heat. You want it bubbling then turn the heat off, ensure all is thoroughly mixed together (no lumps) and carefully pour into a cup. Top with cinnamon powder.
No, it won’t taste like mushroom! The Chaga mushrooms will however do wonders for you adrenal glands, the poor glands that get hammered by stressful lifestyles and over consumption of caffeine. Chaga is a wondrous adaptogen that is beneficial for hormonal function and prevents oxidative stress (with its high number of antioxidants). This gorgeous winter treats makes for such an afternoon pick me up when the skies are grey and energy levels are dipping.
Hot tip: Play around with the flavours, swap the ginger for ground clove or the vanilla for peppermint. Be creative and make this winter yours.
What seems odd in the gym is often closer to real life scenarios What does that mean? Often in real life, we aren’t moving as we would in a gym. We are not sitting on a machine, sending a weight through a guided path or resisting the load of a symmetrical barbell. Real life looks more like turning around with a squirming child in our arms, carrying uneven shopping bags or lifting up a couch and craning awkwardly to see if our phone dropped beneath.
Whole different kettle of fish of course if you work as a tradesperson and you’re bearing the weight of steal rods whilst you navigate over stairs and platforms or the likes. Athletes need to be able to turn, move, jump, reach and land safely. It’s in these situations that our body needs to be at it’s best function and where energy leaks or dysfunctional movement patterns put us at risk of injury. Therefore, sitting on the same machine and doing the same exercises will not serve you.Even using the same attachments on cables etc will wear paths of stress through our bodies. Repeating the same program with the same exercises month in, month out, year round will not serve you well. Variation, second to correct form in strength training is the best way to avoid injury. See the below simple tips for looking after yourself.
An effective and consistent mobility practice will also go a long way to preventing injury as well as performing your overall performance and strength.
As it relates to sport: Athletes know if they simple practice their sport and that is all they put their body through, they are putting themselves at greater risk. Swimmers avoid ‘swimmers shoulder’ by challenging the tissue through various resistance exercises they wouldn’t just do in the pool, they employ ‘dryland training.’ Putting on muscle through resistance exercise has great value across most sports to improve explosive power and avoid injury.
Movement example: the deadlift Try altering your foot position, move them slightly wider out perhaps or stagger your stance, try single leg dead lifting. You want a multifaceted approach, you will engage your core even more by using different weights. Do so with the same care and attention to technique you normally would.
Your program/ training Depending on your age, hormonal profile and genetics; You want to change your program about every 4-10 weeks. This could be changing your back squat to a front or goblet squat, swopping in walking lunges for static lunges or split squats, adopting a dumbbell bench press over barbell or changing your grip or attachment on the cable seated row. Note, you are still including the basics, the basics are the most effective. You are adding in variety though.
Running is a brilliant way to improve your cardiovascular health, maintain a healthy weight or lose weight and it is also a great outdoors exercise activity you can do anywhere! Making it a fantastic option for mental health and cognitive performance too. It can be social or done alone, according to you and how you feel. Injuries (even niggles and pains) can be common though, so avoid the potential drawbacks and make the most of the benefits with the below exercise recommendations.
“Runners knee”: Musculature development through the hips and glutes, proper form with focus on landing on the ball of your foot and with your leg underneath your body as well as adequate development of the abductors and adductors will mitigate the risk of developing runners knee. Powerful glutes and efficient recruitment of this muscle can be a powerful weapon for improved endurance and power in running.
“Runner’s hunch” Running sometimes comes with a kyphotic (excessively curved spine) this leads to a pelvis that rocks underneath the the chain linkage leading to underdeveloped glutes and can often times tranfer to issues in the knees.
Strength and stability requirements: Challenging the tissues in a lateral or rotational plane to fortify better balance in the system.
Core strength: is vital to supporting efficent movement. Core strength and hip mobility development are both important to prevent dangerous loading/ movement through the lumbar spine.
Strengthen yourGlutes:
– Activating glutes prior to running to ensure they fire off properly and prevent synergistic dominance from the likes of the hip flexors.
-Then include: Hip Bridges, back extensions, cable kickbacks, donkey kicks, clams in your program
Back strengthening for optimal posture: –Seated row, lat pulldown, barbell bent-over row, pull ups, upright rows, rear delt flys
Hip and leg strengthening: – Deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, side-line leg raise, step ups, squats, the lunge and it’s variations, Bulgarian split squats, pull throughs
Core/ abdominal strength: – The plank and it’s variations, dead bugs, hollow body crunch, reverse crunch, cycle crunches, oblique twists, wood chops etc
Stretches and mobility
Upper body: – (pre-run)Cat-cows, foam roll threads, chest stretches, supine twists, supine clam rotations, (post run)passive hangs, arms in front of chest, child’s pose
Lower body: -(pre-run)90/90 sits, prone scorpions, frogs, deep squats, (post-run) hamstring stretch, bridge, low lunge hip flexor stretch.
Step 1: mobilise and activate, Step 2: run, Step 3: cool down and stretch
If running is something you are keen to include in a balanced fitness and exercsie program then get in touch! Maybe you’re a veteran and want to be sure you can keep running right into your old age. Either way, I would love to help!
Consider this bowl my sign of appreciation and recognition. This if for everyone who puts time into themselves, their loved ones, their community. Those endeavours take time! So take some back with world’s easiest bowls. Meal prep friendly, family friendly, budget friendly. Tick boxes and hit goals.
Ingredients for four portions:
1 whole chicken quartered
1 tomato
1 cucumber
2 eggplants
2 sheets of seaweed
rice or hummus makes a great optional extra if you are not saving your carbs for dessert.
Note: you could really use what ever vegetables are in your fridge, that is the beauty of a ‘bowl’.
Method:
Baste the chicken pieces with miso and arrange on baking tray or insert into air fryer. If roasting in an oven ensure it has pre-heated and set to 190 degrees Celsius on a roast setting then leave in for between 25-30 minutes or until the juices run clear. Otherwise just roast according to your air fryer’s instructions.
Slice and season eggplant (if you can salt it ahead of time to let it ‘sweat’ for 5 minutes before roasting, you will achieve a sweeter tasting eggplant.) Again, pumpkin, zucchini or broccoli would make great options roasted.
Place vegetables in the oven along with the chicken for the last 15 minutes of roast time.
Once all is roasted and ready, arrange in your bowl alongside seaweed and any carbs you may have wished to add. Hummus recipe can be found in the link below.
How do I turn this into lunch for the next couple of days?
Simple cook in bulk, pre slice your tomato, cucumber and arrange in your lunchbox along side any kid of dip or carbohydrate you feel you need.
Macros:
The above will serve four generous portions
Bowl with breast portion of chicken: 535cal 62gP 31gF 8gC Bowl with leg portion of chicken: 520cal 45gP 37gF 7gC
Please note that the tsp of olive oil delivers another 25 calories per serve and 5g of fat, if cooking with oil. Dips and carbs of course come with their own extra calories and macro-nutrients too.
Hummus can mean a lot to the time pressed chef, a dip, a replacement for cream. Throw it through pasta, as a side, in bowls. Sky is the limit and this oil-free and macro friendly variation goes down a treat.
*Tabasco is not required but it can be a game changer, and you are what you eat.
Everything about this bowl feels super Autumnal; from the mushrooms themselves to the gold and brown they turn, lightly spiced in the pan. It also felt good to cook with onion again, something about it just feels wintery even if copious consumption there of is not conducive to close up cuddling.
Gently warming the hummus really brought this home as a comfort dish. As did the feeling of cooking to the season’s will and be rewarded by its ripest, fullest flavours.
BaseIngredients:
two cups of chopped mushrooms
one onion
tomato
spinach (a good couple of handfuls)
turmeric
salt and pepper
thyme
oregano
tapioca starch (optional but does crisp the mushrooms nicely)
Toppings:
tahini dip (1 part water to 1 part tahini then a squeeze of lemon and pinch of salt if making your own)
sumac
Oil free hummus:
1 cup of cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic
juice of one lemon
1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper All blended until smooth
Method:
Make the hummus first (to the above recipe and instruction) warm it in a double boiler or microwave and spread in your bowl.
Then start chopping your mushrooms and onion into thin slices, ready to go into a non stick pot or pan.
Heat pot/pan to a med-high heat and once hot add the vegetables, allow these to cook down and soften with the salt and pepper. Once softened, add the turmeric, thyme and oregano. Cook for a further 3 minutes. Take a moment to smell the transfusion of spice and herb, notice how it wafts through your kitchen and thinking on how these ingredients came to your kitchen. Spices that may have traveled far and mushrooms that were hopefully grown local.
Next, eke out the sprinkling of the tapioca starch, just bit by bit till mushrooms are coated and a ‘stickiness’ forms in the pot/pan. Add your handful of spinach and cook till wilted (perhaps a minute of more) and turn off the heat.
Slice tomato into quarters and arrange on the bowl. The juiciness makes for a pleasant cut through.
Spoon the mixture of flavour and veg over the hummus spread and let settle. Then spoon the tahini dip (as mush as you serves you, remembering it is calorie dense but tasty)
Sprinkle with sumac and additional salt and pepper to your own taste.
I loved this with a seedy, crunchy toast and a poached egg or two wouldn’t go a’miss either so feel free to get creative with your add ons. Feeling into what your body needs more or less of.
Macros:
The above with no toast or eggs, just as it is make for two serves. The nutritional values below are per serve.
Each: 109cal 7.5gP 6gF 12gC
Please note that toast, extra dip and cooking the mushrooms in butter or oils will add calories, eat for your goals and to serve your body. No more, no less. Two poached eggs/ tofu and toast is recommended to make it a meal. Otherwise, this makes a fantastic snack or side.
A recent trip to New Zealand spoilt me with stunning vistas as well as time to reflect. How might I live lighter and thrive on simpler? I arrived at deciding to cut down my meat consumption.
I feel super excited about this! My mind has run away with how to go about this new plant-based journey and all the great new recipes to try. I intend to be vegetarian 4 days a week, enjoying fish, chicken, and red meat on the other days of the week.
Avoiding Nutritional Deficiencies
Many people (including myself 2016-2018) have dabbled in Veganism only to lose energy, get sick, burn out, weaken their immune system and atrophy their muscles due to a lack of knowledge on how to supplement and what foods to include in your weekly routine. Becoming deficient in Iron, B12, zinc, magnesium, protein etc is needlessly common and easily enough avoided. Why does this happen? Simply, meat is extremely nutrient dense and packs a massive mineral punch per calorie consumed it also offers these nutrients in their most bio-available forms (meaning they are more easily absorbed and used by our bodies than minerals and proteins from plants, in most cases). I love being my own Guinee pig and intend to monitor myself through the whole process. I will be tracking my bloods but also just checking in with yourself to see how you’re feeling for energy, mood, concentrations levels is helpful.
Likely deficiencies best supplements
Protein: You need enough everyday as your body is constantly repairing and growing so a range of the amino-acid building blocks are critical. There are nine essential amino acids that cannot be made by the body and are critical to our function to ensure a ready supply of these. Collagen is the scaffold of our body as well as hugely important for gut health Zoo nutrients: L-carnosine, creatine, taurine and Heme iron are unavailable from plant but essential to our energy systems, immune systems and cognitive function B12 & vitamin D3: essential for nervous system function, immunity and energy systems, they are unavailable from plant sources Zinc, magnesium, calcium: these can be found in plant foods but not in the abundance we need them and so supplementing is key. Our nervous system, skin, reproductive health muscle health and regeneration rely critically on them. Simply, our cells do not talk to each other and cannot create any effective action without these key electrolytes.
Why the 3:4 day balance?
I value the nutritional benefits meat delivers as well as the social connection I feel sharing meat with family and friends. This is not to say I don’t feel connection to friends over lentils and mushrooms, rather, meat has strong roots in my culture and Sunday roasts and winter meat stews hold a special place in time and memory. I will look forward to and enjoy these occasions all the more for feeling into the novelty of it, knowing I will enjoy a different way of nourishing my body the rest of the week. Three days a week eating meat will allow me the flexibility added nutritional opportunities I thrive on. To this, I also really enjoy meat, the textures, and flavours as well as the nostalgia. Getting to keep it as a smaller part of my diet will ensure the sustainability of this foodie journey and keep me interested.
Relationship to the planet
Humans have so much to offer, we are the only species that can plan ahead, the only species with our level of communication abilities and its time we put these skills to use for the better. As things stand we’re a burden and will be for the next few generations but making a few key changes here and there helps. Sometimes it does just feel like a drop in the ocean but being the mindset of wanting to do better feeds into the positive values:
You deserve to live in a great environment and so should take care of it.
You can be happier living simply, less is more.
It feels good to rise to the occasion rather than hoping the politicians will turn the tide, feel into the sense of stewardship, think on the planet you want to leave your kids and give it your best shot, the shot you feel good about.
Mindset
When I started thinking about cutting down on meat, I thought one or two days a week would do but soon my mind was a’spin with so many ideas. Silken tofu-based dips, cashew cauli soups, sautéed mushrooms over hummus and I thought, I’ll need an extra couple of days. I’m jumping to pull back out my old pumpkin bread recipe and polish off others as well as uncover new foods. It’s a big wide world out there and the thought of experimenting has me dreamy for markets and my kitchen, it feels good to be this excited about cooking again and this is how it should be. Change can be daunting, and often our first thoughts are horror at what we will have to cut out and have less of rather than what we will get to add in and have more of. I understand completely it will be harder (not impossible) to put muscle on and progress with my strength but I feel so blissfully content with where I am and look forward to focusing on other aspects of my health.
As a certified nutritionist and personal trainer I can help you uncover the bigger picture of your health and how to best achieve your goals as well as simplify the finer details that can make such a difference.
SaeYond Health 