Crunchola Granola

I admit…this isn’t exactly a detox recipe but it just tastes so good – I had to share it.

As you know, I’ve been trying to eat really, really well this week – and on the whole, I’m succeeding.  I set out yesterday to make this decadent granola from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Cooking thinking of all the nourishing, healthy ingredients it incorporates.  It’s full of oats, nuts, seeds and fruit and a little goes a long way.  I’m enjoying it spooned over organic natural yogurt which is totally awesome for your digestive health.

My interpretation of Heidi Swanson’s Grain-ola

(based on what I had in the cupboard!)

Crunchy, sweet and very more-ish...

Ingredients

makes about 8-10 cups

4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup chopped walnuts (or any nuts you like best)

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup of your favorite dried fruits – I used paw paw and banana chips

zest of an orange

3/4 cup raw honey (normal is okay too)

1/4 cup melted butter

Mix the oats, seeds, coconut, zest and nuts in a big bowl.  Melt the honey and the butter together in a saucepan or the microwave and then stir it into the oat mixture coating everything evenly.

Divide the mixture between two large, lined baking trays and bake at 150 degrees celcius for around 40 minutes, stirring it up with a fork every ten minutes.  Be careful not to burn it.

Let it cool completely on the tray before stirring through your dried fruits and storing in an air tight container.

How to eat it…

Spoon over natural yougurt

Sprinkle over fresh or stewed fruit

Use it as a topping for fruit crumble

Only toast half the mixture in the honey and butter leaving the other half natural…mix together and eat like muesli, topped with fresh fruit and your choice of milk.

Place it in a pretty glass jar and give away as presents – if you can part with it!

So – as I said, not really a detox recipe but wholesome and delicious none the less.  Now, my gorgeous brother has just delivered me a box of farm fresh eggplants so I might think about what I will do with those…Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Enjoy!

mamacino x

 

 

 

DETOX…You Know You Want To

My body has sent me some pretty clear warning signs lately which indicate she’s not happy with the treatment she’s been getting.

I have not been myself over the past few weeks thanks to the persistent complaints of TMS (Tired Mothers Syndrome).  You too may be familiar with the symptoms…fatigue, tiredness, low energy levels, nausea, mood swings, Caramello Koala abuse…the list goes on, however, in my case it has gone one step further and if I don’t address it now, it will certainly end in some serious ill health.

I don’t like being unwell.  I’m not good at it.  I’m too busy and far too important to be taken out of action..I mean seriously, what would the world do?  And so…I’m taking everything I know and actually putting it into practice.  You know the drill…getting more sleep (not always easy but possible – I don’t really need to read until midnight every night), lots of gentle exercise (no hot room for me for a while), saying no occasionally, delegating bath time to my husband (take back ten years right there) and most importantly eating right.

Carrot, Celery, Apple and Ginger...refreshing.

Now, I’m not one to go hungry.  In fact, I am really not a nice person to be around when deprived of carbs for any length of time but there is plenty of room for improvement in my diet.  I’m not interested in living on lemon juice or salad greens and I may not even give up coffee (last time I did this I was curled up on the bed in the foetal position by 3 o’clock) but I do intend to give my overwhelmed systems a good rest by feeding them (a little less than usual and…)nutrient dense, easily digested whole foods.  For me this means lots of water, lots of vegetables and vegetable juices, fruit, a little lean protein, very little dairy and wheat and no processed junk.  I’ll give it a week and see how I’m feeling though the goal is to eat better full stop.

I’m not going to be writing food plans or detailing every single thing I eat because that would be incredibly boring but I’ll keep you posted with my progress and share any great recipes I come across along the way starting with my version of Power Porridge which is based on Teresa Cutter’s recipe, just adjusted to suit what I had in the cupboard this morning (which wasn’t a lot!)

Creamy, sweet, crunchy, satisfying and SO delicious!

Power Porridge

Serves 4

2 grated apples (full of fibre – keeps you fuller for longer)

1 1/2 cups of oats (cholesterol-lowering, good for healthy blood and glowing skin)

1 cup water (more if necessary)

1 cup organic rice milk (easier on the tummy but use whatever milk you like)

1/2 tsp cinnamon (helps regulate blood sugars)

2 bananas (energy boosting and high in potassium so good for stress relief)

2 tbsp linseeds (Superfood! Vitamins, minerals and omega 3s for better brain function…I need all the help I can get!)

Chopped almonds (high in the good fats), blueberries (full of antioxidants) and raw honey (helps digestion)to serve.

What to do:

In a good sized pot on medium heat, get your grated apple cooking with a bit of water.  When it’s soft, tip in your oats, water, milk and cinnamon and give it a good stir.

When it starts to thicken up, after 3 – 4 minutes, slice in your bananas.  Keep stirring and the bananas will kind of melt in to the porridge.  Add some more water if you need to.  Cook for another few minutes.

Stir through your linseeds and when the porridge is cooked to your liking, serve hot topped with chopped almonds, fresh blueberries and a drizzle of raw honey.

I promise you this was SO beautiful…rich, creamy, tasty, crunchy, sweet…and I really did stay full until lunch time.

Help Me Out

If you have any ideas or suggestions for great, nourishing, health boosting juices or recipes, I’d sure love to hear about them.  Feel free to leave a comment if you have any tips to share.

Happy Health!

mamacino x