Recipe of the Quarter - Fully Loaded Summer Salad

There’s nothing better than a super nourishing bowl of goodness for lunch. This fully loaded salad* is nutrient dense and packed with good fats to keep you satisfied and full of energy. 

You will need:  

• 1 tbs avocado or coconut oil

• 1 whole avocado

• 1 large sweet potato (diced)

• 1 cup brown rice

• 1 red capsicum (diced)

• 2 generous handfuls spinach

• 2 bunches of broccolini

• Handful cherry tomatoes (halved)

• Handful walnuts

• Handful pumpkin seeds

• 1 lemon (for dressing)

• Pink Himalayan salt (for dressing)

To make:  

• Pre-heat oven to 180.

• Peel and dice sweet potato into small(ish) cubes and place on baking tray.

• Splash a small amount of avocado oil over sweet potato and place tray into the oven to roast for around 20 minutes.

• In the meantime, cook up your brown rice (rinse well, add to a large saucepan with 2 cups water, cover pan and let simmer for around 25 minutes - then turn off heat and let stand. Fluff rice up with a fork before serving).

• Steam broccolini until softened slightly. Chop into smaller pieces before serving.

• Grab a large bowl and add to it your cooked brown rice, broccolini and sweet potato.

• Now add your diced red capsicum, cherry tomatoes, handful of spinach and your avocado.

• Finish with walnuts and pumpkin seeds for crunch and texture, plus a generous squeeze of lemon and a pinch of pink himalayan salt for dressing.

* serves one, simply double your ingredients to make two salad servings. 

Bon Appétit! 

Best foods for breastfeeding

It’s important to follow a healthy diet to ensure you are living your best life, even more important when your choices feed your little one. On the blog today I thought I would share my top food choices as a breastfeeding mama. 

Avocado 

Safe to say I am pretty much addicted to avocado. I ate it almost everyday when pregnant with my baby boy, and I continue to love it. Avocados are a great option when breastfeeding as they are high in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins E, K and B6. 

Oats

Oats are a well known galactagogue - a form of food or herb that promotes breastmilk supply - which means they are a perfect choice for breastfeeding mothers. So enjoy your oats for breakfast mamas! 

Salmon

While some mamas choose not to consume meat or fish, as a pescatarian I personally love salmon. Salmon is rich in omega-3’s and makes a good source of protein for when you need that energy most. 

Brown Rice

Brown rice is a staple food in our household. As a busy Mum of two I often have little time to prepare lunch, so I will simply throw some ingredients together and pair with brown rice for a satisfying, high fibre meal.  

Chickpeas 

Chickpeas make a great edition to any meal - simply throw them in to a pasta or rice dish and you will be benefiting from the goodness of zinc, iron, high fibre and all that plant based protein.

Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are so yummy and filling. They are a good source of beta-carotene, vitamin B6 and fibre, so they make an excellent edition to any mamas diet. 

Spinach

Cooked spinach should form an essential part of your diet, whether you are breastfeeding or not! The benefits are just too good! Spinach is a good ‘ol original ‘superfood’ - it ticks off many vitamins and minerals in one neat green package - vitamins A, B6, C, E and K, magnesium, folate, potassium, copper and iron, just to name a few.

Oranges

Whether a breastfeeding mum can enjoy her oranges (or orange juice for that matter) really depends on the baby. Some babies, particularly those with reflux, can be sensitive to citrus, but some will tolerate it just fine. Oranges are well known to be one of the best sources of vitamin C, a good source of fibre, and they contain a range of other important vitamins and minerals, such as folate. 

Berries 

Again this depends on the baby, if you have a baby with reflux you probably want to steer clear of berries (such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries). Berries, however, are a great source of antioxidents and fibre - and they make a yummy edition to any breakfast! 

Water 

Although not a ‘food’, plenty of water is absolutely essential for breastfeeding. I tend to keep a bottle of water with me at all times, one in the car and a couple on my bedside table so that I remember to fill up. 

Disclaimer: I am by no means a doctor or dietician so please do not take my post as medical advice, the above is purely my personal thoughts on breastfeeding nutrition.

Thanks for reading! 

Valentines Day Vegan Chocolate Cake - Recipe by Thrive Market

There’s nothing better than chocolate on Valentines Day. Here, in time for the big day, we share our favourite chocolate cake recipe - a rich vegan chocolate cake  (recipe by Thrive Market).

 Ingredients (for cake):

• 3 cups gluten free flour

• 2 cups sugar

• 6 heaped tablepoons cacao powder

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoons salt

• 3/4 cup coconut oil

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup brewed coffee

• 1 & 1/2 cups cold water

Ingredients (for frosting) :

• 6 avocados

• 1 & 1/4 cups maple syrup

• 1 & 1/2 cups cacao powder

• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract

• Pinch salt

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Time:  

1 hour and 30 minutes

Method: 

Preheat oven to 180. Grease two 9-inch cake tins. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cacao powder, baking soda, and salt. Make three wells in the mixture and pour coconut oil into one, vinegar into another, and vanilla into the third. Pour coffee and water over everything and mix until just combined. Divide the batter between prepared cake pans and bake in oven until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan.

To Make the frosting:
When cakes feel cool to the touch, scoop out the flesh of the avocados and place them in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse until creamy, then add maple syrup, cacao, vanilla, salt, and coconut oil. Process until well combined.

To Frost the cake:
Remove the cooled cakes from their tins and place one of the layers, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake stand. Frost the top with a knife or offset spatula. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake.

Thanks to Thrive Market for this delicious recipe.  

Bon Appétit! 

Amazing Avocado - Our Top Avocado Recipes

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We are so obsessed with avocado, we could eat it everyday! I honestly thought I would end up being put off it, as I ate so much during pregnancy, but I still can't get enough! Avocado is full of good fats such as omega3 and is a great source of folate. But, not only is it a nourishing source of food, this versatile snack item can also be used for beauty purposes too! Below is a selection of our favourite avocado recipes:

Quinoa, Avocado and Grapefruit Salad

This salad is a simple and easy recipe, for when the warmer weather starts to arrive.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa (rinsed well)

• 2 ruby red grapefruits (peeled and diced)

• 2 naval oranges (peeled and diced)

• 2 avocados (peeled and thinly sliced)

• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (torn)

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil

Method:

• Cook quinoa in boiling water for 12 minutes, or until tender. Rinse under cold water and drain well.

• Add grapefruit, oranges, avocados, basil and oil to the quinoa. Toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Golden Door's Roast Pumpkin Linguine with Avocado Pesto

I was lucky enough to stay at the Golden Door early last year. For those who haven't heard, the Golden Door is a retreat with a focus on fitness, nutrition and relaxation. Your days are filled with yoga, pilates, wellness workshops, group exercise activities, spa treatments - and the most delicious food you have ever had! This is one of my favourite recipes from the Golden Door - their roast pumpkin linguine with avocado pesto. 

Serves: 4 

Ingredients: 

• 150g pumpkin (diced)

• 1/2 teaspoon trocomare (herb salt)

• 300g linguine pasta

• 200g baby spinach

• 1 red capsicum (roasted, cut into strips)

• 175g asparagus (blanched, sliced diagonally)

• 100g baby button mushrooms

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

• 4 tablespoons (or more if extra creamy desired!) of avocado pesto

Method:

• Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. Put pumpkin on lined baking tray, sprinkle with trocomare and roast for 25 minutes.

• Cook pasta until al-dente and combine in a large bowl with spinach, capsicum and asparagus.

• Pan fry the baby button mushrooms, adding lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt, for about one minute.

• Add the pumpkin and the baby button mushrooms to the pasta, and stir to mix together.

• Add the avocado pesto (recipe below) and stir through until the pasta is coated.

• Note: I add cooked zucchini to this recipe for an added vegie boost!

Avocado Pesto:

• Place 4 peeled and pitted avocado into blender. Add to blender one and a half cups of chopped almonds, two tablespoons of finely chopped garlic, three and a half cups of fresh basil, one cup of extra virgin olive oil, a quarter cup of lemon juice and one teaspoon of himalayan salt. Blend until smooth.

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Dairy-Free Avocado Chocolate Mousse

The perfect end to any meal is this quick-to-prepare dessert.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 large avocados

• 1/4 cup cocoa

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1/3 cup coconut cream

• 150g dark chocolate (melted)

Method:

• Cut the avocados in half and remove the stone. Scoop the flesh into the large bowl of a food processor. Add cocoa powder, vanilla, maple syrup and coconut cream. Process for 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides and process for another 10 seconds.

• Add the cooled, melted chocolate. Process until creamy.

• Serve with fresh fruit in individual dessert dishes.

Avocado Face Mask

This mumma loves nothing more than a relaxing bath, and it is even better when paired with a devine face mask. An avocado face mask will deeply nourish your skin and is so easy to prepare. 

Simply peel a ripe avocado and mash in a bowl until creamy. Apply to a clean face and leave for 10 minutes. Rinse well.