Food Freedom

Weight loss • Wellness

For most women I work with on weight loss their primary focus is weight loss. If we maintain that focus but shift the strategy to wellness the results are amazing.

Weight loss & wellness work together.

If you need to shed some kilos in 2023 reach out for some help, it’s much easier than struggling alone.

BANANA ICECREAM

This is so simple, delicious and good for your gut.

• FREEZE a banana chopped into chunks
• BLEND in a food processor or Thermie the following;

Frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen berries
sq**rt of vanilla
squeeze of lemon/lime
Large dollop full fat yoghurt or sour cream.
Teaspoon cocoa (optional)

It will turn into a crumbly texture!! DONT STRESS - bend again, scraping down sides, repeat & it will turn into a beautiful smooth icecream texture.

You can use any fruit to flavour the banana base, mango or kiwi would be nice!!

The HCG Plan is one of the weight loss programs that I run. It is a very strict plan which gives amazing results. It is not for everyone but for many of my clients it is just what they need.

Good luck in your marathon Sue, I know you will kill it!! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

GAPS PRACTITIONER TRAINING 2022

I am honoured to be accepted into GAPS Practitioner Training - 2022.

Gut and Psychology/Physiology (GAPS) was created by Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride who identified a link between an individual’s state of gut health and psychological/physiological state.

I can’t wait to dive deeper, learn more and ultimately help those with chronic debilitating gut issues.

The human body is a wonderful creation with its own unique ability to heal. It has the potential to heal and thrive as long as you feed it correctly.

If you understand the mechanism behind chronic disease you can feed your unique ecosystem and allow it to heal.

KINGSTON BISCUITS

If you are a fan of the Kingston biscuit you must give this version a try. Free from gluten, grain & refined sugar.

INGREDIENTS
Biscuit
• 1.5 cups blanched almond meal
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 50g butter

Filling
• 1/2 cup roasted & peeled hazelnuts
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk
• 40g raw honey
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons Dutch cocoa
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make hazelnut filling -
PLACE hazelnuts in a food processor and bring to a fine meal.
ADD remaining ingredients and bend, scraping down sides to make a smooth paste.

To make biscuits -
WITHOUT CLEANING BOWL add all biscuit ingredients, blend, scraping down sides to make a dough.
PLACE 15g balls of dough on baking tray and bake at 170 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden.
ALLOW to cool completely.
ASSEMBLE by adding a heaped teaspoon of filling between 2 biscuits. Gently squeeze to even out filling.

Makes 10 complete biscuits

CROWD IT OUT

An approach i love to take when a client is switching to a whole food diet is to crowd it out.

Rather than focusing on restrictions we switch the focus to the foods that will allow you to heal.

Set your mindset to including plenty of non starch veggies, good quality proteins and loads of healthy fats.

Eating this way removes the stress from restrictive diets and by the time you have eaten all of the beautiful foods there will be little room for those baddies.

GRAIN FREE PORRIDGE

A wonderful winter warming breakfast, free from grain but still warm and creamy on a cold morning.

INGREDIENTS
• 3 tablespoons linseeds
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons psyllium husks
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
• pinch Celtic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Topping
• coconut yoghurt
• mixed berries
• drizzle of maple syrup

METHOD
GRIND seeds together into a meal.
PLACE ground seeds in a small saucepan with milk, coconut, psyllium & salt.
WHISK to combine. Heat over low heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
TURN off heat and allow to thicken for 2 minutes.
PLACE in 2 bowls and top with toppings of choice.

SERVES 2

Why is a smile important in your life?

Smiling offers a mood boost and also helps our bodies release cortisol and endorphins that provide numerous health benefits.

Give someone a smile today….

BANANA BREAD

Regular banana bread can be pretty heavy on fats & sugars, this version is kind to your blood sugar levels & contains healthy fats & a little bit of sweetness.

INGREDIENTS
• 2 large bananas
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup psyllium husks
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup macadamia or h**p oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• pinch salt
• 1/4 cup h**p seeds

METHOD
PREHEAT oven to 180 degrees.
LINE small loaf tin with baking paper.
BLEND bananas, eggs, vanilla, oil & almond milk in a food processor.
ADD flours, psyllium, baking powder, sugar & salt. Mix to a smooth batter.
STIR through h**p seeds gently & spoon mixture into prepared tin.
BAKE 30-40 minutes until golden.

Serve with a dollop of organic butter.

* IMMUNITY *

With winter in full swing it can be a bit tricky to avoid all of the bugs flying around. Simple steps to support your immune system so if you do catch something you can recover quickly & without lingering symptoms.

• eat as many different colored veggies as possible - filled with antioxidants & food for your good gut bugs

• add a bit of fermented food - once again support those good gut bugs to fight the bad ones

• limit sugar - especially in winter

• stay hydrated - a bit trickier in winter

• grab some sunshine whenever you see it - even 5 minutes!

• ginger, garlic & lemons in everything!

• and of course chicken soup cures everything!!

Sounds simple but sometimes we need a reminder of the simple things 🙏🏻🙏🏻

SIMPLE VEGETABLE CURRY

Don’t you love a simple winter warmer recipe. Have this simple veggie curry with some basmati rice or a beautiful piece of fish. Makes a big batch & freezes really well.

INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 red onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
• 1 kilo evenly chopped veggies (eg pumpkin, zucchini, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, red capsicum)
• 1/2 tablespoon curry powder(alter to taste)
• 270ml can Ayam coconut milk
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce (or lime juice)
• 2 heaped teaspoons sea salt
• large handful chopped coriander & parsley
• 1 cup baby spinach

METHOD
HEAT oil in fry pan. Cook onions until soft.
ADD chopped veggies, curry powder & garlic and cook for 5 mins. Stir often.
POUR in coconut milk, tomatoes, sugar, fish sauce, herbs & salt.
BRING to boil, reduce heat, cover, cook for 5-10 minutes till veggies are tender.
ADD baby spinach & stir gently. Remove cover & cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until curry thickens.
SERVE with rice or beautiful piece of fish. Top with extra herbs, a few cashews and a dollop of mango chutney.

SERVES LOTS

TIMEOUT ⏱⏱

Did you know that stress is a driving force behind most health issues.

STEP 1 in improving your health is to take time out. We all lead busy life’s, striving for success & perfection.

Take a moment to assess what’s really important…

• connections
• health
• happiness
• nature

Take a moment today to be still, soak in the suns rays and simply breathe. Maybe do something really nice for a friend or stranger & see how that makes you feel.

H**P PROTEIN PANCAKES

Filled with fibre & protein, these light and fluffy pancakes hit the spot without sending your blood sugars sky high.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 tablespoon h**p protein powder
• 1 tablespoon flax meal
• 1 tablespoon psyllium husks
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch sea salt
• 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

TOPPINGS
• mixed berries
• coconut yoghurt
• drizzle maple syrup
• sprinkle mixed seeds

METHOD
COMBINE h**p powder, flax meal, psyllium, baking powder & salt in a small bowl. Whisk together.

ADD egg, milk and whisk to smooth batter. Sit for 5 mins to thicken.

HEAT oil in fry pan and pour batter to make 2 pancakes.

ONCE brown flip, cover fry pan for couple of minutes to help pancakes rise.

TOP with favourite toppings.

This quantity is good for a single serve, double up if you are serving more.

Does fat make you fat???

Unfortunately for many years this was a popular believe.

Our brain is made up of nearly 60% fat and fatty acids are vital in our diets to maximize the brains potential.

Our focus in clinic this week is including fat in a positive way to every meal.

Top pick of “good fats”
• avocado or avocado oil
• olive or coconut oil
• macadamia or h**p oil
• almonds or macadamia nuts
• butter or ghee

Add a good serve or two to each meal, will keep you fuller for longer, help to avoid snacking & keep your brain firing!!!

H**P & CHIA PUDDINGS

A great breakfast or afternoon snack, low in sugars and with a good hit of plant protein. Add your flavourite toppings and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3/4 cup Ayam coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
• 2-3 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 tablespoons h**p protein powder

Toppings
• mixed berries
• h**p seeds
• bee pollen

METHOD
COMBINE almond milk, coconut milk, vanilla, maple syrup & h**p powder in a mixing bowl.
WHISK to combine.
ADD chia seeds and whisk to combine.
STAND for 5 minutes before pouring into 2 small bowls.
REFRIGERATE for 20 minutes.
TOP with favorite toppings.

NOTE: I like a thicker pudding so I use 3 tablespoons of chia, if you like it runnier just add 2 tablespoons.

HYDRATE

An easy one to forget when the weather turns cooler but it is still equally important.

Add the juice of 1/2 lemon to a large glass of warm water first thing in the morning. A great way to flush all the toxins your liver has been processing overnight while you sleep.

Make it part of your morning routine and watch you skin & body glow ⭐️

CHICKEN ZOODLE SOUP

When it comes to making gut healing stocks it’s ingredients & timing that’s key. Make sure bones have skin & meat left on them. For chicken cook for 2.5 hours and for meat bones 4.5 - 5 hours. The health benefits are powerful.

CHICKEN ZOODLE SOUP
Ingredients

• small organic chicken chopped
• 1/2 leek
• 1 large carrot - chopped
• 1 stick celery - chopped
• small piece ginger
• Clove of garlic
• 4 - 5 cups filtered water
• tablespoon dried porcini mushrooms
• handful parsley
• tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 heaped teaspoons sea salt

Additions
• 1 zucchini - made into zoodles
• 1 corn on cob - kernels removed

Method
COMBINE all stock ingredients in a heavy based saucepan, make sure water just covers bones.

BRING to boil, reduce heat and simmer 2.5 hours.

REMOVE bones, take meat off bones & return to stock.

ADD zoodles & corn & simmer 5 - 10 minutes until veggies soften.

ENJOY OFTEN

GUT HEALING STOCK

I love using food to heal the body where possible. Incorporating meat stocks into your day has the most powerful ability to heal your gut.

Meat stocks are different from bone broths in that they are cooked for a shorter period of time and include bone marrow, cartilage and connective tissues in the stock.

Meat stocks have more gelatin and collagen proteins (proline & glycine). These proteins are pulled out in the first few hours of cooking & go directly to strengthening the gut wall.

Look out for my favorite chicken, corn & zoodle gut loving soup coming soon.

PEANUT BUTTER BITES

A sweet little raw treat, free from inflammatory nasties.

INGREDIENTS
Base
• 1/2 cup almond meal
•1 cup coconut flakes
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling
• 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup hulled tahini
• 1/4 cup coconut cream
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch sea salt
• 2 teaspoons mesquite (optional)

Topping
• 100g dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts

METHOD
Line a 12x18cm dish with baking paper.
Combine ingredients for base in a food processor & blitz into a dough. Press firmly on base of dish.

Combine filling ingredients in same bowl without cleaning it. Blend until well combined. Pour over base.

Allow to set in freezer before cutting into 12 bites.

Melt chocolate and spoon over bites. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts.

Store in freezer or fridge.

EAT FOR THE SEASON

Autumn is here as as the days get a little cooler it’s time to change up your eating plan.

Autumn is a great time for improving gut health. Try incorporating meat stocks, broths and soups. They are so healing for your gut.

Remember to keep improving your gut diversity. Beautiful autumn veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, beets, cabbage, eggplant & fennel.

It’s time to move away from the sweet fruits of summer and keep your sugar consumption a bit lower. Stewed apples are a great alternative with a little cinnamon to stabilize those blood sugar levels.

Avoid snacking too much at this time of year & aim for 2-3 well balanced meals.

Eat less, exercise more doesn’t equal weight loss for many people.

This is so frustrating for many of my clients but what we need to do is find the root cause.

Weight gain can come from adipose tissue but also can be inflammation or fluid retention.

They key areas to investigate are gut health, liver function, thyroid function, hormones & most importantly STRESS!

It is easy to throw in the towel and give up but with determination & self kindness you can get to the bottom of it.

EGGPLANT LASAGNA WITH CAULIFLOWER WHITE SAUCE

It is possible to make a lasagna without dairy or grain. This is such comfort food without any inflammatory factors.

INGREDIENTS
BOLOGNAISE
Make your favorite bolognaise sauce. You could use any form of mince (I used chicken) or lentils or mushrooms.

LAYERS
• 1 large eggplant
• 500g j*p pumpkin

CAULIFLOWER SAUCE
• 300g cauliflower
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp tapioca flour
• 1 egg
• S & P

TOPPING
• 1 tablespoon h**p seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

METHOD
Make your bolognaise, everyone has their own secret recipe!

Cut eggplant & pumpkin into 1cm slices, spray with olive oil & bake on baking paper for 20 mins at 200 deg.

Sauce - steam cauliflower until very tender. Pour 1/2 cup coconut milk into a saucepan & heat gently. Mix tapioca through remaining milk then add to saucepan. Whisk until mixture thickens. Remove from heat & whisk in egg. Add cauliflower & milk mixture to a food processor & blend till smooth. Season with S & P.

Time to layer, start with some bolognaise, then layer of eggplant, sauce, pumpkin etc. Finish with white sauce, sprinkle with seeds.

Bake 180 deg for 30 minutes.

ENJOY 🙏🏻

LOVE YOUR LIVER

Your liver could be described as the powerhouse of the body and also it’s major garbage disposal.

Your liver can get burdened by poor diet, alcohol, medications, viruses, hormone imbalances, environment factors & stress.

Your liver is important in maintaining your metabolism and if it’s overworked can result in inflammation and weight gain.

Simple steps to support your liver include:

• lemon/lime in warm water first thing
• ACV in warm water first thing
• fasting
• increase water intake
• increase vegetable (all colours)
• liver tea
• artichokes, dandelion
• liver herbal tonics
• limit coffee
• avoid alcohol
• avoid processed foods

If you have been giving your liver a tough time lately, set aside some time to give it a bit of support.

A little bit of liver love goes a long way.

CHICKPEA BURGERS

If you have a little spare time on the weekend why not batch cook some Chickpea burgers. They freeze beautifully if you don’t eat them straight away.

INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas
• 1 cup cooked brown rice & quinoa
• 1 cup cooled roasted pumpkin
• 1 egg
• big handful chopped herbs of choice
• tablespoon psyllium husks
• teaspoon sea salt
• tablespoon h**p seeds

METHOD
Combine all ingredients except h**p seeds in a food processor. Blitz to combine.

Form into 5-6 burgers. Place on baking tray lined with baking paper. Sprinkle with h**p seeds.

Bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve with colorful salad & avo or in a wrap piled high with veggies.

Leptin is a hormone produced in the fat cells of the body. It’s main role is to regulate fat storage & how many calories you burn or store.

You may have heard of insulin resistance but maybe not Leptin Resistance. Leptin resistance may come well before insulin resistance and can present with the following symptoms…

• cravings
• stress eating
• weight gain around mid section
• inability to lose weight

Once you get your Leptin under control you will become…

• less hungry
• fuller for longer
• crave less
• able to burn fat more easily
• more energetic

Food is the main driver behind Leptin resistance. Learn how to reverse this frustrating condition.

LENTIL BURGERS
I avoided legumes for years as my gut struggled to digest them. My approach has changed a little and now I focus on strengthening my gut and increasing gut flora diversity. Lentils are a great source of protein and fibre. If you are new to lentils always soak overnight before cooking them.

INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups cooked green lentils
• 1 cup cooked brown rice & quinoa
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander
• 1 zucchini grated
• 1 tbsp psyllium
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• sea salt
• tbsp sesame seeds for topping

METHOD
Preheat oven for 180 degrees
Grate zucchini in a bowl and squeeze out excess moisture.
Combine lentils, rice, egg, zucchini, coriander, psyllium, ginger, sesame oil & salt in food processor. Blitz to combine.
Divide into 1/2 cup potions & mound into burgers. Place on lined baking tray, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Makes 5-6 burgers

To snack or not to snack???

I am not a big fan of snacking especially if your goal is weight loss.

Ideally we need to keep insulin levels nice & stable for our body to switch into fat loss mode. Incorrect snacking can continually raise insulin levels & hinder results.

If some days you may really need a snack the key is fat, protein & fibre.

Avoid the quick sugary pick me up and try a low sugar bliss ball, a few nuts or a good quality protein powder.

PEANUT BUTTER & PUMPKIN BROWNIE

Leftover veggies make a great base for baking. Leftover roast pumpkin makes this brownie super moist, lower in sugar & packed with goodness.

INGREDIENTS
• 70g melted butter (or coconut oil)
• 100g roast j*p pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• tsp vanilla extract
• 80g honey
• 100g peanut butter
• 170g almond meal or seed meal
• 30g Dutch cocoa
• 1 tbsp psyllium
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• pinch sea salt

METHOD
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Line square cake tin with baking paper.
Combine ingredients in food processor.
Bake 20 minutes or until just form.
Cut into 9 squares

GLUTEN / REFINED SUGAR / GRAIN FREE