Updates — SUPERFOODS

Top 5 Superfood Soups 0

If you are looking for some health inspiration for your lunch today, look no further than our top 5 list of Superfood Soups to fill you up and feed your body with the nutrients it needs!

Ginger Butternut Carrot Soup

The perfect winter soup for a quick and easy fix of essential nutrients that your body may be missing. Any tummy issues? – the ginger is a natural ingredient that helps settle stomach issues that may be caused by the lingering winter viruses!

Shopping List (Serves 2):

• ½ Butternut Squash (peeled, seeded and chopped into 1-2 inch chunks)
• 1 Cup Baby Carrots
• 2 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
• 1 Cup Almond Milk
• 1 tsp Ground Ginger
• ½ tsp Dried Tarragon
• ½ tsp Fine Sea Salt
• 1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper

View Full Recipe Here

Red Lentil Soup

Having dinner in a hurry doesn’t mean you should compromise on health. This quick soup is full of proteins (thanks to the lentils) but feels hearty - warming you all the way through!

Shopping List (Serves 4):

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Small White Onion
• 2 Tomatoes (Diced)
• 1 tsp Cajun Spice Blend
• ½ tsp Fennel Seeds
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 4 Cups of Vegetable Broth
• 1 Cup Red Lentils
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 Knob of Ginger (Minced)
• Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• Lemon Juice for Serving

 View Full Recipe Here

Carrot Peanut Soup

Eating this flavourful Asian inspired soup will get you your healthy dose of fats from coconuts and peanuts whilst boosting your immunity with the presence of ginger.

Shopping List (Serves 2)

• 2 Medium Carrots (Peeled and Chopped)
• ¼ Cup Peanuts
• 1 Medium Onion Chopped
• 1 Tomato
• 5 Garlic Chopped
• 1 Inch Ginger
• ¼ tsp Pepper Powder
• 2 Tsp Olive Oil
• Salt to Taste

View Full Recipe Here

Vegetable Superfoods Soup

Completely Vegan Friendly and Gluten Free, its light in calories and packed full of nutritious goodness.

Shopping List (Serves 2)

• 4-5 Cups of Water
• 3 Baby Bok Choy
• 3 Ounces Mushrooms (Sliced)
• 3-6 Ounces organic Silken Tofu (Cubed)
• 1 Small Onion (Halved and Sliced)
• 4 Cloves of Garlic (Minced)
• 1 tsp Korean Powdered Pepper (or Red Pepper Flakes)
• Freshly Ground Pepper
• 1 tbsp Mellow White Miso

View Full Recipe Here

Split Pea Soup

Perfect for a simple yet tasty soup to keep you warm as the nights and days get colder. Peas have a high level of protein in them as well as being a great source of Fibre, Vitamin A, Iron, Folate, Thiamine, Vitamin C and Manganese.

Shopping List (Serves 6)

• 6 Cups of Vegetable Broth
• 2 Cups of Dried Green Split Peas
• 1 Medium Onion (Chopped)
• 1 Cup Carrots (Chopped)
• 2 Garlic Cloves (Minced)
• ½ Teaspoon Dried Marjoram
• ½ Teaspoon Dried Basil
• ¼ Teaspoon Ground Cumin
• ½ Teaspoon Salt
• ¼ Teaspoon Pepper
• 5 Tablespoons Shredded Carrots
• 2 Green Onions

View Full Recipe Here

Why are Superfoods so Super? 0

It’s in our name – we love superfoods! We eat, drink, live and breathe them!

We talk about how great they are, the benefits on your body and how to incorporate them effortlessly in to your diet (it really is that easy!). 

With so many to choose from, where do you even start? Let us help you with some of our favourites!

Quinoa

The health benefits related to this little seed can range from reducing blood pressure (due to the fibre) to aiding weight loss by making you feel fuller for longer. It is also rich in iron keeping our red blood cells healthy and magnesium which can alleviate migraines.

Enjoy this little bundle of health in a salad or, if you are looking for something a little more adventurous, try it for breakfast with scrambled eggs and avocado (get some early health points!

Blueberries 

It’s not enough that these little berries have no cholesterol in them, the high fibre content also helps to reduce cholesterol in the blood stream (decreasing the risk of heart disease).

On top of that, they are packed to the brim full of vitamins that supports heart health.

We love to eat these berries by themselves however they are also a great addition to a morning smoothie!

Chia

We go on about this enough but we love Chia seeds. There is so much that is packed in to these little seeds from the HUGE amount of nutrients to the lack of calories to the high fibre and protein content helping you lose weight.

Indulge on these seeds in so many ways (smoothie, salad, soup...) but our favourite is leaving them to soak overnight in coconut milk and enjoy them the next day!

Green Tea

Claimed to be “the healthiest beverage on the planet”, it is loaded with antioxidants and packed full of nutrients. Not only can that lead to improved brain function but can also lower the risk of cancer.

We tend to enjoy this in its simplest form, as a drink. So, when you have 10 minutes, kick back and relax whilst you enjoy all the rich flavours!

Watermelon

This hugely hydrating fruit is great for a number of reasons which include potentially preventing cancer, improving heart health and lowering muscle inflammation. This is all down to the huge amount of nutrients and plant compounds packed in to this juicy treat!

Another one we like in its simplest form with no fuss but we are a bit partial to a watermelon drink (for when we are on the go!)

If you have any suggestions on how to incorporate our amazing superfoods in to your diet, let us know. We believe eating healthy should be effortless - help us prove that’s true!

Top 5 Smoothie Recipes of 2018 (so far…) 0

A constant struggle for anyone trying to eat healthily but also grab something convenient and quick for breakfast – say hello to the breakfast smoothie!

Full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to promote good health, we have rounded up our favourite one’s for you to try (and where to find the full recipe – we unfortunately can’t claim them as our own!):

1. Banana Ginger Smoothie

Loaded with the essential vitamins and minerals needed for a healthy and balanced diet, this smoothie is great for both lowering blood pressure due to the high-quality honey used and can help with stomach issues such as sickness or nausea due to the high concentration of ginger.

Ingredients that you will need include (Serves 2):

• 1 Banana (Sliced)
• 6 oz Vanilla Yoghurt
• 1 Tbsp High Quality Honey
• ½ Tsp Freshly Grated Ginger

Combine all the ingredients together and blend until smooth – Voila! 

View Full Recipe Here

2. The Very Berry Breakfast Smoothie

Helping to fight against Cancer, Heart and Circulatory Disease and Age Related decline, this simple and fruity smoothie packs a lot in to that one glass.

Ingredients that you will need include (Serves 2):

• 1 x Frozen Unsweetened Raspberries
• ¾ Chilled Unsweetened Almond Milk
• ¼ c Frozen Pitted Unsweetened Cherries
• 1 ½ Tbsp Good Quality Honey
• 2 Tsp Finely Grated Fresh Ginger
• 1 Tsp Ground Flaxseed
• 2 Tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

Combine all ingredients together in a blender and add the Lemon juice according to your taste.

Read Full Recipe Here

3. Detox Green Smoothie with Chia Seeds

With our favourite superfood, Chia Seeds, this smoothie is designed to give you a boost in the morning and stay fuller for longer, helping with weight loss and that sometimes hard to resist snacking that can happen mid-morning (don’t worry, we are all guilty of it!).

Ingredients that you will need to include (Serves 1):

• 1 Cup Spinach Leaves
• 1 Banana (sliced)
• 1 Cup Frozen Pineapple Chunks
• 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
• 1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

Once again, blend and enjoy!

Read Full Recipe Here

4. Green tea, Blueberry and Banana Smoothie

With another one of our favourites, blueberries, this smoothie is a high source of antioxidants as well as being low in calories. This is the perfect start to the day if you know it is going to be a hard day – the green tea has been known to help brain function (to name a few health benefits).

Ingredients that you will need to include (Serves 1):

• 3 Tbsp Water
• 1 Green Tea Bag
• 2 Tsp Honey
• 1 ½ c Frozen Blueberries
• ½ Medium Banana
• ¾ c Calcium Fortified Light Vanilla Soy Milk

Microwave Water until steaming and add tea bag to stew. Once stewed, removed tea bag and add honey (stir till dissolved). Blend the rest of the ingredients and add tea.

Read Full Recipe Here

5. Pumpkin Coconut Smoothie

Suitable for a range of diets which include Gluten Free, Paleo, Vegan and Vegetarian, this is great for potentially improving sensitivity to insulin (thanks to the cinnamon), lowering blood pressure and providing powerful anti-diabetic effects.

Ingredients that you will need (Serves 2):

• 1 Cup of Coconut Milk
• ¼ Cup Organic Pumpkin Puree
• 2 Teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 Frozen Banana Sliced
• 1 Cup of Ice

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Read Full Recipe Here

Let us know how you get on or what your favourites are.

How To Juice Like A Pro! 0

Stepping into the world of Superfoods can be a daunting experience. Many customers have told us the easiest way to incorporate Superfoods into their daily routine is with smoothies and juices. We have learnt lots of great smoothie and juicing tricks over the years.

Here's our Top Ten Tips to Juice like a Pro:

1. Use in-season, local produce as much as possible. In markets featuring local produce, the fruits and vegetables are likely to have been harvested within the last 24 hours at the peak of ripeness. If you can try to use organic as much as possible. This helps provide you with all the benefits (flavour, texture, nutrition, etc.) freshness can offer. 

2. Don’t be afraid of a little pulp. I like my vegetable juices with a bit of extra pulp. It feels more well-rounded and wholesome.

3. If you want more sweetness, add more fruit. I like my juice and smoothies on the less sweet side (generally with less fruit - no more than an apple sized portion), but using seasonal local organic fruit like an apple, pear, stone-fruit or berries can help provide wholesome and natural sweetness.

4. Try a smoothie in the morning and a juice in the afternoon. Juicing and blending are complementary — not oppositional. I typically do a smoothie (with veggies, fruits, superfoods and nut milk) in the morning, and a lighter veggie juice in the afternoon with leafy greens, cucumber, celery, carrots, beets, ginger, lemon and turmeric.

5. For smoothies, make your own nut milk. Nut milk can help cut down on the sweetness of your juice, and it may also offer additional impact on the smoothie’s nutrient profile! I prefer to sprout my nuts by soaking them 1 to 2 days before making nut milk.

Here is a quick how-to on making your own nut milk:

• Soak organic raw almonds for 8-12 hours at room temperature
• Rinse
• Blend water & almonds in roughly a 1:3 ratio for 1-2 minutes until almonds are ground very fine
• Strain with cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer
• Fiber can be dried and reused as flour

6. Don’t be afraid to juice the stalks and rinds! These may offer nutrients you don’t want to compost. For instance, just one cup of beet greens can provide a rich source of vitamins A (as beta-carotene) K, and C.

7. Stock your pantry with ‘superfoods’ so that you can add them to any juice or smoothie. I like to enhance my juices and smoothies with superfoods such as:

• Cacao: it offers a hint of chocolate and bolsters the taste of the other ingredients in your smoothie
• Maca: this root adds a touch of sweetness
• Goji Berries & Chia: Try soaking them overnight before blending with your other ingredients

8. Experiment with variety. We've all heard that we should “eat the rainbow,” of vibrant fruits and vegetables. It can help to create variety in our diet and maintain health through various nutrients.

9. If you're not sure where to begin, start simple.

10. A morning juice is the perfect way to start your day with self-love. For me, juicing is a self-nurturing, loving choice that I make everyday. I choose to be Loving with myself and share the joy I feel with others! I encourage you to juice freely and enjoy the “feel good” side effects!

Happy juicing!

Recipe || Overnight Vegan Oats With Superfoods! 0