Don't get me wrong crusty fresh bread with soup can be the perfect match, but bread often disagrees with my stomach (sits really heavy and hangs around for hours) so generally I skip it.

I had been having just soup almost everyday for lunch, the recipes were easy and tasty, then one day I thought "hmmmm my taste buds feel like something else today". I scavenged around the fridge and put together what I now feel is a perfect soup side dish!

Marinated olives - Why are olives good for you? Olives have cardiovascular benefits, can aid in weight loss, can assist in the prevention of cancer, they have anti-inflammatory benefits, help with skin and hair health, are a good source of iron and the list goes on. 

Sauerkraut - Why is Sauerkraut good for you? Sauerkraut is a pro-biotic, is a good source of Vit A & C, it has cancer fighting properties. Cabbage is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family which can help lower cholesterol, is full of phytonutrient antioxidants, and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Biologisch/Organic Garlic Salami (hung from the cupboard - not in the fridge)  - a little bit of organic salami never killed anyone in moderation.

Savoury muffin recipe from The Candid Appetite

Recipe Review: I needed a break from sweet muffins and went in search of delicious sounding savoury muffins. Voila! Found one and they were delicious.

Cooking time: 45 – 55 minutes                                      Serves: 12 muffins

Preheat oven: 180°C / 350°F

For the Pesto

• ½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ⅛ cup pine nuts
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more if needed
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

For the Batter

• 3 cups all-purpose flour*
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• ⅔ cup olive oil
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry**
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  

1.       Grease a standard 12 muffin pan with melted butter or cooking spray or use silicon muffin cups. Set aside.

2.       Make the pesto:
          - In a food processor or blender, add the basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt             and pepper, pulsing a few times until the mixture becomes coarse and chopped.
          - Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and pulse once more.
          - With the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil and pulse briefly to make a coarse paste. The             mixture should be thick and slightly creamy.
           - Add the Parmesan and pulse once more to incorporate.
           - Give the pesto a taste - if it is lacking in salt or pepper, add more to taste.
           - Transfer the pesto to a bowl and set aside. It will yield about 1 cup of pesto.

3.       Make the batter:
          - In a large bowl, stir or sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
          - In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, and milk.
          - Stir in the thawed and squeezed-dried spinach into the wet ingredients.
          - Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, and pour the spinach mixture into the centre.
          - Fold the batter until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy.
          - Using a rubber spatula, fold in the pesto and mozzarella just until evenly distributed. Some streaks                of pesto may remain - these will give the muffins colour.
          - Do not worry about mixing everything perfectly together. It is crucial to not over-mix this batter as                it will result in dry and tough muffins.

4.       Using an ice cream scoop or regular spoon, fill the muffin cups level with the rim.

5.       Bake the muffins until golden brown, dry, and springy to the touch or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking to ensure evening browning.

6.       Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes.

7.       Carefully remove the muffins from the pan.

8.       Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Store any leftover muffins in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to eat, warm through in a preheated 350°F oven for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Variations/Suggestions:
* I made this with gluten-free flour with success by adding 1 ½ tsp of Xantham gum.

** I accidentally bought frozen creamed spinach, but they worked out fine. I just tried to squeeze out as much of the creamy liquid as I could.

Perfect overnight oats and chia recipe – inspired by Arielle Likes to Cook and Wholesome Cook

Recipe Review: I am on a mission to find the perfect mix between chia pudding and bircher muesli. Why? Well I personally find chia pudding heavy going on the palate (it feels thick and claggy), and I think bircher muesli has so much room to grow! I tried each of the above recipes independently and then thought “You know what? I think they each had good attributes” and set about combining them into my new favourite breakfast dish! I hope you like it too.

Cooking time: 5 – 10 minutes plus overnight soaking                               Serves:  2 -3

Preheat oven: Fridge only

• ½ cup whole rolled oats (buy gluten-free if needed)*
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• ½ cup frozen raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or a mix of your favourite (optional)
• ¼ cup full fat coconut milk, plus 1 – 2 Tbsp**
• ¾ cup almond milk, plus 1 – 2 Tbsp**
• 1 Tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 Tbsp slivered almonds
• 1 Tbsp shredded coconut
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup, honey or rice-malt syrup (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 tsp cinnamon
  

1.       In a large mason jar/container add all ingredients, adding chia seeds last. Mix well to combine. Then add additional liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until you have reached just over your desired texture. Keep in mind that chia seeds absorb copious amounts of liquid.

2.       Store in the fridge overnight

3.       Serve as is or with extra berries, sliced apple, banana or additional nuts and seeds.

Note:  With berries this mix will last 1 – 2 days. Without berries it could last up to 3 days.

Variations/Suggestions:
If you want to, create a base mix to work with, leaving out the berries. You could now add grated apple or banana, or leave it plain and serve with fresh fruit.

I have been making double but noticing that the berries don't really last more than 1 – 2 days so just make it as is first and then play around with measurements moving forward (is it for 1, 2 or more people etc.)

* I have been using quick cooking oats because I accidentally took home 1kg. Another language barrier mistake oops! My point being they worked fine so if that's all you have in the house then use them up in this recipe. Regular rolled oats would be best for health and digestion however.

**Due to the addition of seeds in this base recipe I have included 1 – 2 additional Tbsp's of coconut milk and almond milk. I don't like my chia pudding/bircher to be really thick so I try to make sure that the mix is wet enough that the chia seeds have enough liquid to absorb without soaking it all up and making it claggy. You may need to play around with this each time you make it until you find a measurement that creates the right consistency for your tastes.

In my 'There's nothing wrong with me' blog I mention that prior to leaving Melbourne I had an onset of major foot pain, I couldn't even put my left heel on the ground it hurt that bad. I was lucky to find Jesse at the Prahran Foot clinic. His friendly and loving demeanour, alongside his way of talking you through the issues and treatment (wealth of knowledge this man) make him a keeper in my opinion. I've already referred three patients his way, all with good feedback! So I asked Jesse to be part of my Guest Post series.



Plantar Fasciitis

Heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis is a common yet often debilitating condition that can seriously impact your lifestyle if not treated effectively and quickly. Typically we will see around two presentations of plantar fasciitis per day at our practice. Thankfully, the majority of cases resolve using simple conservative therapies. 

First, some basic anatomy. The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue that runs from it’s insertion point at the inner tubercle of the calcaneus (heel bone) and attaches further down in the forefoot. A local nerve branch that travels down the inside of the heel and over the insertion site is responsible for transmitting the pain. We say that the plantar fascia helps support the arch of the foot, but we’re not really sure - if you sever it surgically or traumatically normal foot function remains - furthermore it will just grow back and reattach in 6 weeks! It is normally quite tight, and it is excessive tension on the plantar fascia is what eventually causes strain near the insertion point, resulting in the heel pain. Pain is different for each individual, but commonly starts to occur during the first few steps in the morning, then it can creep back in the afternoon, and eventually in more established cases pain can be present all day. Pain severity can range form a niggling tightness to a debilitating, limping pain.  

Identifying the underlying cause of this excessive tension is key to resolving the pain. In most cases, poor ligament structure in the foot is the cause. This causes pes planus, commonly referred to as flattened arches/flat feet/pronation, which puts strain on the plantar fascia. Surprisingly, another common cause for calcaneal rotation is tight gluteal muscles, which of course attach to the back of the calcaneus via the achilles. 

I like to separate treatment into two categories - treatment aimed at fixing the pain, and treatment aimed at fixing the cause.


Treatment aimed at resolving pain;
Morning pain: A great way to get rid of morning heel pain is simply sit on the edge of your bed before you get up and roll a golf ball under the affected foot. This makes your gastrocnemius muscles contract and pump fluid from your foot and around your body. 

Afternoon pain: Using the same principles as with morning pain, a coke bottle filled with water and frozen will reduce pain when rolled under the foot

Strapping: Strapping tape applied by a Podiatrist and left on for 5 days will greatly reduce pain by taking pressure of the plantar fascia

Medication: Oral paracetamol and non steroidal anti inflammatories used as directed will work to reduce symptoms. 


Treatment aimed at resolving the cause;
Orthotics: Orthotics re-position the calcaneus when used, and work great at stopping plantar fasciitis from getting worse. There are many forms of orthotics (with varying price tags!). Custom orthotics are most effective and can last many years, but are more expensive. Some over the counter devices can work, but tend to be bulkier and not last as long. A simple rule is the harder the device, the better! Don’t go for soft cushioning devices, they won’t hold your foot up! 

Stretches: A simple calf stretch can save the day, if you are diligent. Remember the gastroc muscles causing calcaneal rotation? Performing a calve stretch, holding for 30 seconds 3 times per day for 6 weeks will lengthen the muscle and take strain off the calcaneus.

Footwear: By far the most important treatment I can provide is tell me patients to buy good shoes. They need not be expensive with gimmicks, simply firm shoes. Pick up the shoe and try to bend it in half - if it resists strongly and doesn't bend, good start. Push the back of the heel down - if it doesn’t flatten, get it. It is no exaggeration to say that you can buy top of the range custom orthotics for hundreds of dollars but with bad shoes you almost certainly won’t get better! Just remember, good shoes are good treatment.    


Further Treatment
If these conservative treatments don’t help, it’s time to see a Podiatrist. Many other treatments are available, form cortisone to night splints. Rest assured that in my experience more than 90% of cases will resolve if all of the above are carried out. 


Prahran Foot Clinic is located just of Chapel street, Melbourne (Coles and Safeway car-park) at 5 Izett Street Prahran Victoria 3181. 
I highly recommend if you have any foot concerns to make an appointment with Jesse.

*Warning - long post. Continued from Part 1 and Part 2*

In May of my 30th year I met my (now) husband, Simon. When I met Simon he happened to be on Whole9's Whole 30 elimination diet; 30 days of Whole Foods. It was quite a conversation piece between us, as his eating plan didn’t include legumes of any kind, yet included bacon. There were a few other random things we didn’t agree on surrounding the eating plan, but nevertheless when the 30 days was over we both fell into the “dating” trap of eating out a lot! 

In retrospect I know that if I hadn't been on my personal development journey, made peace with food, and been happier in my skin, my meeting Simon would not have developed into the relationship we have now. 

Another trap I fell into was cutting out swimming in order to spend time with Simon. The up side to this is that Simon decided to join me at Kalanetics training and we were going together two to three times a week. Financially it made training cheaper however with our decision to commit to moving to Europe this became a financial strain and soon neither of us were doing any formal training. 

In March 2012 my weight had been hovering between 110 – 116 kg and I was about to go to France with my Mum and sister for my Mum's 60th birthday. I knew I had to remind myself that I was at peace with food or I'd pile on the kilos whilst I was away. I didn't want to feel guilty for trying and experiencing all the great French food we came across. As it turned out I actually lost 2 ½ kg whilst away and was sitting at 112.1kg. Both my Mum, and sister (who went jogging almost every day) put on weight. I can only put this down to not applying guilt to food.

Generally speaking over the next 6 months of my relationship with Simon both our weights crept up, and whilst we didn't eat poorly, we didn't eat well either. We ate out a couple of times a week. We would both buy lunches at work a couple of times a week. 

Simon successfully got into riding and rode to work almost every day. I had a lot further to go, didn't ride often enough for the bike seat to not hurt my groin area, so I only rode occasionally and didn't enjoy it as much.

In late 2012 I reached my highest weight ever! 122kg's! I felt horrible. I looked horrible. I was unfit, my pain thresholds were taxed and I needed to do something before I became diabetic (high risk with PCOS). I discussed it with Alli (Founder of Wind Water Health), our Chinese Massage and Acupuncture Therapist and friend, who suggested that I go on an anti-inflammatory diet to help with my neck, arms and general inflamed state, as well as suspected fluid retention. We waited until after Christmas and then Simon and I gave it 110%. We spent up big at South Melbourne Market every week on all the required ingredients and we both had amazing results! Granted, healthy eating during summer is waaaay easier than during winter and this diet required planning and preparation every day and we did it! We both lost somewhere between 3 – 6 kg over the 31 days. Areas of my body that were usually really "hard" (e.g. my forearms) I could grab whole chunks of. We both felt great, too. 

The countdown was now on to moving overseas, 7 ½ months to go. When I flew back from France, at 112.1kg's, the flight was uncomfortable so I knew I had to reduce my weight to as close to that as possible or our long haul to Europe was going to be awful! Our anti-inflammatory diet had taught us a lot and already set up good habits. We continued the good habits as long as we could, in winter it got a bit harder so we also did the "old-school soup diet" for a week to kick-start our weight loss again. It's a horrible, hard diet but you get good results. I tried riding a few more times, went for more walks, practiced Pilates at home too, just to be a bit more active. In mid September, the week we left Melbourne, I was down to 114.3! Not quite the 112 I was aiming for but I was happy with the 8 kg I had lost to get to that point.

Simon and I had a great time on our trip to Europe and the subsequent Christmas/New Year adventure we had. We ate great food, drank tasty drinks (German beer, Hungarian Wine) but didn't do as much walking as we could have. When we got back to Amsterdam we had both put on weight. I was now sitting around 118-119kg.

As mentioned in my About page, my pain, ailments and complaints had gotten out of control. This combined with my creeping weight meant I had to take my health seriously and do something drastic! 

So, I'm taking time off from looking for regular work to look after myself. I'm going to use food as medicine, be more active, do some soul searching and take back my life! I'm sick of feeling like crap. I'm sick of being in pain. I'm sad knowing that Simon worries about me all the time because of this. We only get one body and one life and I'd like to enjoy mine even more!

It's another early Saturday weigh in. It's King's Day here in the Netherlands and we're going out to experience it with friends in Amsterdam. There will be eating and alcohol :-)

Weigh in for this week 112.5 kg with 45.0% body fat.

Results;
Weight -    up 0.1 kgs                             Total -  down 5.4 kgs
Body Fat - down 2.0%                           Total -  down 3.5%

Oh so good to get back into pilates! I started slowly with some short gentle 20 minute classes and increased as the week went on. Got in a few brisk walks to and explored parts of Weesp I haven't seen (only 12 minutes and I'm surrounded by cows and houseboats!).
Usually I'm not convinced that the body fat drop is 'for real' but I'm confident this week that this decrease will stick around (mostly) as my body keeps feeling lighter and looking healthier even though my weight isn't dropping. 
Don't forget muscle has greater density than fat (a pound is a pound, so don't think muscle weighs more than fat). Muscle also helps burn fat so don't ever feel bad if you've been pumping iron, running on the treadmill and your weight increases slightly or drops slowly for a period. This is why a tape measure and using your clothes can be a better gauge for your goals or even better a 'personal best' you've been working towards.

Combined raw dessert using base from This Rawsome Vegan Life and Chocolate top from Hey Bernice

Recipe Review: I'm really beginning to like this raw dessert world. I'd never made a raw dessert before my I Quit Sugar journey began. The first one I ever tried was the Choc Mint Superfood Balls from Mind Body Green and I have been branching out ever since we finished our 8 week program. This is my new favourite, every bite indulgent! This is definitely a sometimes treat.

Cooking time: 10 – 20 minutes plus chilling time                           Serves: 12 – 20 depending on size

Preheat oven: No cooking required

For the base

• 1 cup coconut chunks/shreds
• 3/4 cup raw oats (or almonds)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/8 cup melted coconut oil
  

For the topping

• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp raw cacao powder (I added 2 extra Tbsp of cacao cause I like it chocolatey)
• 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup (I used Rice Bran Syrup instead*)
  

1.       Throw all the ingredients for the base in your food processor and pulse until you can press it together. If it's too dry, add some dates or peanut butter.

2.       Press into lined cupcake tins, leaving just a little bit of room on the top to pour the chocolate on

3.       In a small to medium saucepan melt coconut oil, remove from heat then combine the cacao powder and maple/rice malt syrup.

4.       Now pour the chocolate onto the bases and decorate with nuts if you like. Put them in the fridge overnight. "I sprinkled some sea salt on top, 'cause it's pretty and stuff." - TRVL


Variations/Suggestions:
The reason I decided to combine the two was that the chocolate recipe from This Raw Vegan Life required ingredients I didn't have and would have go to Amsterdam to buy.
*The reason I used rice malt syrup in the topping was to lessen the sweetness. I thought if there was already maple syrup in the base it would be super dooper sweet with maple syrup in the topping as well. I think I made a good decision as this combination was delicious!

Coconut Flour Muffin recipe from Slim Palate

Recipe Review: These muffins have a pleasant, light flavour. If you've never used coconut flour before then I suggest trying this recipe as your first experience. As you can see from the picture I probably should have placed more mixture into fewer cups as these made little bite size muffins. They don't rise very much so better to fill fewer cups to the brim to get a better muffin. I'm also confused as the photo on her website depicts really yellow muffins where mine were quite pale. Not as attractive as her lemony yellow ones. 

Cooking time: 30 – 40 minutes                                                                   Serves: 6 – 10 muffins

Preheat oven: 180°C / 350°F

• ½ cup coconut flour
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• zest of 2 lemons
• pinch of salt
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup almond milk
•  ½ tsp liquid stevia or ½ cup honey
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  

1.       In a medium bowl add coconut flour, chia seeds, baking soda and pinch of salt, mixing together thoroughly so the chia seeds and baking soda are combined well with the coconut flour.

2.       In another medium bowl crack eggs and add vanilla extract, almond milk mixed with stevia or honey, melted coconut oil, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar.

3.       Add lemon zest to the dry ingredients you just mixed and pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix very well until fully incorporated, the mixture has thickened and there are no clumps of coconut flour left.

4.       Pour into paper muffin cup lined regular muffin tins or silicon cups at least ¾ way to the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or when pierced with a toothpick and it comes out clean.

5.       Pull out of the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes and twist out of muffin tin and place on a cooling rack and let cool for 10 minutes.

Notes
      The amount you get out of this really varies depending on how much you fill your muffin tin papers.

Variations/Suggestions:
I would try these again, filling fewer cups and making sure I put enough lemon zest and juice in as perhaps I missed something last time and that's why they were so pale.

My own creation

Recipe Review: This was sooooo good.

Cooking time: 30 – 40 minutes                                                   Serves: 2 - 4

Preheat oven: Stove top only

• 2 chicken breasts (skin off)
• Chinese 5-spice
• 1 Tbsp Coconut oil
• 400g tin chickpeas
• Ghee
• Paprika (we used the hot one)
• Lettuce mix (We used Mache, else your preferred leaf or mix e.g. rocket, baby spinach, cos, mescalin)
• ½ avocado
• 1/3 cucumber
• Sprouts (your preferred e.g. sunflower, red radish, bean)
• Big handful of cherry tomatoes
• 1 pink grapefruit, half juiced, half peeled and sliced into bite size pieces
• 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tsp Maple Syrup (optional)
• ¼ cup good quality Olive oil

1.       Thoroughly coat the chicken breasts with some Chinese 5-spice

2.       In a skillet or frying pan, over medium-low heat, melt coconut oil. Top side down place the chicken in the pan, cover with a lid and cook for 5 – 6 minutes. Remove lid, increase to medium heat and cook for a further 2-3 minutes to brown. Repeat on the bottom side.* Set aside to cool slightly before carving into slices.

3.       While the chicken is cooking prepare the chickpeas. Coat with a mix of Chinese 5-spice and Paprika. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt some ghee. Add the chickpeas and toss until warmed through.

4.       Prepare the dressing. Combine the grapefruit juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and olive oil in a small jar and shake well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (This will keep in the fridge for up to a week)

5.       In a large mixing bowl combine the lettuce, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Add half of the dressing and toss well to combine.

6.       On a large platter place lay out half of the salad mix.

7.       To the remaining salad mix add the sliced chicken, chickpeas, grapefruit, and avocado. Fold through gently.

8.       Artfully place the remaining salad mix to the platter.

9.       Serve drizzled with extra salad dressing and sprouts

Variations/Suggestions:
* I use the lid on method for two reasons;
        1) It keeps it nice and juicy
        2) I didn't eat chicken for almost 10 years due to a bout of severe food poisoning many moons ago.                 When I started eating healthier I decided that this would be easier if I allowed chicken back into my               repertoire. Because I'm still a bit nervous about eating chicken I always make sure it's well cooked,               this method allows the centre of the chicken to be cooked thoroughly without going dry.
The only thing I personally would do differently is leave out the maple syrup. Since quitting 'sugar' our taste buds have changed so much and we find the pink grapefruits to be quite sweet already (it could also be what they're like in the Netherlands but I have nothing to compare to just now). To have a more refreshing citrusy dressing leave out the maple syrup. Voila!

It's Sunday!

Weigh in for this week 112.4 kg with 47.0% body fat.

Results;
Weight -    down 0.5 kgs                       Total -  down 5.5 kgs
Body Fat - no change                            Total -  down 1.5%

It seems bludging on the couch for a week with a pulled neck muscle aids in weight loss! (Joke)
I didn't get to do any walking or pilates due to my poor neck. I'm still not sure what I did but it hurt like hell and was a mega nuisance!
One bonus was I stayed hydrated, and ate simply (we trialled 'Hello Fresh' here in the Netherlands - I will do a review shortly) so Simon could help cook. 
Looking forward to getting back to pilates and walking next week.