Chia & Oat Choc-A-Boat

Firstly I don't know where the name came from for this one... maybe its because I wanted to call this new breakfast a porridge, but couldn't decide if it should be a chia, oat, chocolate, banana or berry porridge! So I went for Chia and Oat Choc-A-Boat! Why not :P I found raw full oats, the real ones before they have been heated and rolled! I have to admit they take a while to soak (2 days changing the water twice a day) before they can be edible whole but I love the versatility of them.

Not only have I made a breakfast out of them but I use them like rice in salads and hope to turn them into a Raw Oat Brownie very soon!! For now here is a yummy breakfast I made...

Chia-Oat Choc-A-Boat

1/2 cup whole oats soaked 2 days in water
2 tablespoons Chia seeds
4 tablespoons water
1 frozen banana
1 tablespoon shredded coconut
1 tablespoon cacao powder
1 tablespoon raw protein powder (optional)
A handful of frozen berries (I used blueberries!)

Leave the oats, chia seeds and water to sit for about 15 minutes in a bowl so the chia become gel like, this can be left overnight to save time in the morning.

Combine all ingredients except the berries into a food processor and process for about 45 seconds until the mixture has a smooth porridge like consistency.

Add the berries on top and enjoy!! How easy is that :)

I also added some mesquite powder (yum!) and a few pepitas on top.

 

Rockin Raw

xox

Broccoli Bites! aka my yummy green pebbles :) - Dehydrated

I came across this recipe from 'Raw food recipes' the other day and I just had to try it! I have only made sweet 'bites' or truffles before and I needed some more savoury nibbles to experiment with and get me through those daily cravings where you reach for any food in reach no matter what it is. Well I think I will be searching for these! They can be round balls or eve biscuits/crackers, I kind of made flat balls so called them my little green pebbles sort of like how you can get those sugar coated coloured almonds EXCEPT these are RAW, NUTRITIOUS, and basically awesome! :) What I did was slightly different to the recipe I found...

Broccoli Bites

2 cups of broccoli florets chopped ( I used a whole broccoli)
1/2 cup sunflower kernels
1/2 cup pepitas
1 brown onion diced
1 large clove of garlic
1/3 cup pine nuts
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon mixed herbs
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
cracked pepper to taste

Process the sunflower kernels and pepitas in a food processor until crumb like (its ok if you leave them slightly bigger, I like the texture!), you can use a coffee grinder if you have one.

Add the broccoli, onion, garlic, olive oil, herbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper and process until combined and smooth (well as smooth as it can be!) for around 45 seconds.

Leave in the fridge for an hour, then roll into teaspoon sized balls and flatten slightly on a dehydrator tray lined with baking paper or paraflex sheets. I made about 60 of these!!

Place in dehydrator for 2 hours, flip over and dehydrate for another 2-3 hours depending on how crisp you like them :) you can make these thinner or fatter, they store for about a month either way :)

If you don't have a dehydrator you can place them in a moderate oven for around 10-12 minutes I haven't tried the oven way so please watch them as they may need more or less!

I actually think these taste like a dip, they remind me of summer BBQs where you sit around with family and friends enjoying each others company over the taste of savoury treats waiting for your main to cook. I can't wait to experiment with others!

I made these on ANZAC day, not quite the traditional ANZAC biscuits but I thought the green symbolled our green land we have? It was a beautiful sunrise for the dawn service though, I have to share with you...

Beautiful Busselton, Beautiful Australia :)

I am currently soaking some whole raw oats to make different flavoured 'bites' and pebbles with, stay tuned for more flavours! .... I think I need a dinner party with all these :P any takers??

Rockin Raw

xox

My Moroccan Buckwheat crisps - Dehydrated

With my last flaxseed crackers being a success I was keen to try some more! This time I decided to make what I have called 'Moroccan crisps' following a similar recipe to my flaxseed ones with a Moroccan twist!

 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flaxseeds
1/2 cup buckwheat
1/2 cup pumpkin kernels
1 + 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 tsp Moroccan Spice
1 tsp mixed herbs
1/4/ cup Tamari
1 carrot grated
3/4 cup home grown sprouts

Soak the flaxseeds, buckwheat and pumpkin kernels in the water for at least an hour and a half to become a gel like consistency. Add the sesame seeds, Moroccan spice, mixed herbs, tamari, carrot and sprouts and mix together.

 

Divide the mixture in half and spread on 2 dehydrator sheets lined with baking paper (or paraflex sheets if you have them :)) into squares around 0.5cm thick. Placed in dehydrator at 45 degrees and dehydrate for 5 hours.

 

Peel the baking paper off the crisps and put back in for another hour. If the baking paper does not come off easily leave in for another hour and try again. you can increase or decease the time the crisps are drying depending on how you like your consistency.



Once dried, let the crisps rest before cutting into squares, rectangles or triangles and place in a sealed container in the cupboard or fridge :) These last around 2 weeks and are great topped with avocado, tomato, sprouts or used for dips!

Rockin Raw

xox

Find your Reason to Smile :)

While heading to Perth last week to follow a child at Princess Margaret hospital, I was reminded of the fortunate world I live in and how lucky I am to be alive and healthy. This 3 year old child I was glad to meet was born with a form of spina bifida where her spine and nerves extended past where they usually were and were 'tangled' at the end with a lump surrounding the tangle for protection. This can impair a child's ability to walk and use the toilet and usually requires surgery to fix when they have grown as much as they can with no major issues. While this child was fortunate to still have almost full function of her legs, bladder and bowel, the amount of children who were wheel chair bound was evident. But you know what? It was hard to find one child you could not smile all the same! There was two messages I learnt that morning,

1. Be thankful for what you have, there is always someone worse off than you, you have a body including your legs, arms and mind, use them to your full potential! You don't really know what you have until it is gone.

2. Children are inspirational. To be wheel chair bound and always find a reason to smile tells you that life goes on. There is always a reason to be thankful and a reason to be happy. Some days that reason is easier to find than others, some times you need another person to help you see that reason, but no matter what life throws at you, find your reason to smile :)

 

Rockin Raw

xox

Raw Flaxseed Crackers - Dehydrated!

A finally made my raw flaxseed crackers!! Dehydrated style and I am in LOVE with them :D

They are a perfect addition to lunches topped with avocado, entertaining with dips or a snack for any time of the day! And they were really simple to make :)
 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole flaxseeds
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup tamari
• 1 carrot grated
• 1 capsicum grated
• 1 handful fresh spinach leaves chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh mixed herbs (optional)

 

Preparation: 

 

In a medium sized bowl, cover the flax seed crackers with water and allow to soak for at least 1 1/2 hours. The water will turn to a gelatinous goo. Check the mixture, and add more water if needed, aim for the mixture to be gooey, but not runny, and not too thick.

Stir in the tamari, I let mine sit another 10-15minutes. Then add the sesame seeds, mixed herbs, grated carrot, spinach leaves and capsicum. The capsicum was a little tricky to grate but worth it! . You can also get creative and add some extra flavors - a quirt of lime juice, minced ginger, chili powder or cayenne pepper - depending on your tastes.

 

Spread the mixture about 1/8 inch thick on a dehydrated paraflexx or teflex sheets, I left mine in Bunbury so used baking paper but beware it can stick a little!

 

Set your dehydrator to about 110 degrees, and dehydrate for 4-6 hours. Turn the mixture over pulling off the baking paper, if it is hard to get off leave in for another 2 hours or so before flipping. Once flipped dehydrate another 3 - 4 hours. If you like a crispy and crunchy cracker, dehydrate a bit longer. I like my flaxseed crackers a bit chewier, so I dehydrate them a bit less. Break or slice your crackers into pieces when finished dehydrating and they are ready to serve!

 

If you don't have a dehydrator you could easily made these in the oven, cook at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until they are at a desired crunch! I was so happy with my new snack and they tasted better than I expected, almost like a raw pizza base! Topped with avocado, sundried tomato's or any other topping is bliss :) 

 

Rockin Raw

xox 

Failure for Strength - A new weight intensity!

I have decided to take an exciting twist in my fitness/weights training, I am embarking down the personal training road!! I wasn't initially mostly because of the costs associated with sessions and as a student our payment comes in knowledge not notes! But I have noticed PT sessions happening around me at the local gym and was transfixed on watching the sessions, I loved the motivation and encouragement the PTs brings and how they tailor sessions to suit the individual and push them when they need it. The clients found the exercise more enjoyable and you could see the joy they get in having someone helping them along to achieve their fitness goals.

My 8 week program was done and I was ready to mix it up and surprise my body again, so while the following 2 weeks have been more pump classes, CX and RPM I have enjoyed my group sessions and was able to give my body a rest from the heavier weights and work on some more stamina. Seeing the PT I had an initial 'measure up' which was optional but I would love to measure my progress and we developed a new fitness plan. And you know what it is? Work to FAILURE!! That's right, you work yourself with the goal to fail! I like it as this is a good way to reaffirm that we often need to fail in order to progress further. The basic plan is to have 5 sets of compound (one after the other) weight exercises and in each set you lift heavier with shorter reps so by the last set and rep you cannot do anymore (if you make the last rep!). I had my first session trialling the weights I should use and although painful I loved the feeling of pushing my body so I couldn't do anymore. The definition of 'failure' is to not be able to push the weights while trying for 5 seconds and you end up going backwards instead of forwards no matter how hard you try. I have never tried to lift as much as I could but was surprised when my bench press was half my body weight and my squats was just over my body weight on my first go!!

A future figure?? ;)

 

I am also going into High intensity or 'HIT' training twice a week to help increase strength but also cardio. I haven't been through these session with the PT yet but can't wait to see what it is like! Even more so I can't wait to see more changes it will bring to me :) There is much improvement to be had!

On another note my new raw protein powder has come in (Yayyyyy!!) The 'Ultimate Warrior' brown rice protein :) So much goodness!

 

I also dehydrated some ripe nectarines I had - 6 hours in the dehydrator for a tasty snack..... yum :)

And I will leave you with some inspiration of two 90 year olds racing the 100m.... I hope I am this fit when I am 90!!

Rockin Raw

xox