Mum's Homemade Minced Pies - High Carb Oil Free Gluten Free

Ingredients:

Minced meat- 

1 cup soaked orange/ clementin peel

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup orange juice 

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 tsp cinnamon 

1 cup soaked sultanas 

Pastry-

1 tbsp gram flour

3 tbsp rice flour

1 tbsp icing sugar 

1 tsp baking powder (optional)

2-4 tbsp water 

2 tbsp maple syrup 

Minced Meat-

First chop the soaked orange peel into tiny pieces. In a small pan on medium heat add the peel, sugar, orange juice, cranberries, and cinnamon. Stir and simmer down to a caramelised fragrant chunky minced meat. Drain the sultanas into a bowl and add the minced meat, using a hand blender blend to combine and set aside. 

Pastry-

Into a large bowl sieve the gram, rice flour and icing sugar. Add 1 tbsp at a time, stirring into the flour. Alternating with 1 tbsp of maple syrup. Mix together into a soft dough, but make sure it doesn't turn into a batter.

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place tin cupcake cases into a tray or coat a cupcake tray in tin foil. Coat the rolling pin and surface in cling film and place the dough on the cling film. Roll out into a thin pastry layer. Using a cutter, cut out rounds and place into the cupcake cases. Fill with a little minced meat and top with a smaller pastry round. Then place in the oven for 15 min until slightly golden. Take out the oven, allow to cool, take out their cases and dust through a mini sieve with some icing sugar. Done! 

Check out my demo: http://youtu.be/UOIUrcpsw2s

Cinnamon Date Balls

Ingredients: 

(Serves 1-11 especially made for sharing) 

6 large medjool dates 

1/4 cup organic cane sugar 

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

Onto a small plate add a layer of sugar and cinnamon. Pit dates, add to bowl, mash with a folk (if dates are dry you may need water or soak them). Take a small scoop and roll between your hands into balls. Then roll in the sugar and cinnamon. Place in a chocolate tray or display on a plate. Yum! 

Marmite Brussels

Ingredients:

(Serves 1)

15 brussels sprouts 

1 tsp marmite or nutritional yeast flakes 

Steam or boil the sprouts for 15 mins, drain and swirl on the marmite. Simples :) 

Christmas Dinner!

Ingredients:

(Serves up to 3)

3 Parsnips

3 Potatoes

3 Carrots

1/2 Swede

15 Brussels Sprouts  

Chestnut roast:

1 vacuum pack Chestnuts

Thyme 

Sage

Mint 

Very little coconut oil 

Gravy:

1 small leek

1 small beetroot

2 tbsp cooked carrots and swede 

1 tbsp Chestnut roast (optional) 

Instructions:

Roast Potatoes:

Bring a pan of water half full to the boil. Peel and chop your parsnips and potatoes into small inch thick bite size pieces and add to the pan. Cook until really soft and fluffy. Preheat your oven to about 200 degrees Celsius - preferably a fan/ grill setting. On a large baking tray coat with grease proof paper or tin foil. Drain potatoes and parsnips and spread evening onto the baking tray. Place a baking dish filled with water at the bottom of the oven. This will prevent the need for oil. Roast the potatoes, turning every 10-15 minutes for 40 minutes depending on size. 

Mash:

Bring a pan of water to the boil. Peel and chop the swede and carrots into small pieces and add to the pan. Once soft drain juices into a bowl for the gravy. Then using a hand blender or hand masher turn into mash using some juices if necessary. 

Steamed Sprouts:

Fill a pan with 3 inches of water and place a steamer insert inside (optional). Tumble the rinsed Brussels sprouts in and place on a lid. Steam for 15 minutes until soft and bright green. (Alternatively - for a brussels sprout twist chop up finely in a food processor or with a knife, add to a large pan with some water, stir fry until bright green then swirl in some marmite) 

Chestnut Roast:

Empty the packet into a bowl along with the herbs, a little mash juices and blend or mash up to form a thick dough. (You could chop some up and add to the dough for extra chunks.) Onto a dish spread a thin layer of coconut oil then place the dough on top and smooth into a thick pan cake shape. Sprinkle with some herbs. Bake or grill for 15-20 minutes. 

Gravy:

In a pan add finely chopped leek and beetroot with a little mash juices. Stir and steam until fragrant and sizzling, then add the juices along with a few table spoons of mash to thicken. You could add a tbsp of the chestnut roast too. Blend together with a hand blender to form the gravy. 

Once all cooked serve and spoon over the gravy. YUM! 

Check out my YouTube Video: http://youtu.be/nPata2DvlA8

Winter Solstice Sunset Rice

Ingredients

(Serves up to 4)

3 Beetroot 

1/2 Butternut squash

3 Parsnips

1 Leek  

3" Ginger 

1/2 tsp Chilli flakes 

1 tbsp Lime juice 

3 cups (dry) thai fragrant rice 

1 tsp turmeric 

1 tsp cumin 

In a large pan of 1 litre water add peeled and chopped beetroot, butternut squash and parsnips. Bring to the boil and simmer. Add chopped leek, ginger and the chilli and lime. Cook until soft then using a hand blender blend until smooth or slightly chunky. 

Cook the rice: (1 cup rice to 1&1/3 water) in a large pan, rinse rice, add water, bring to boil, add the turmeric and cumin, simmer for 10 mins. 

Serve :) 

Mash Potato & Cauliflower

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)

6 large potatoes

1/2 butternut squash  

1 medium head cauliflower  

1/3 leek 

1 carrot 

1 courgette

Bring a pan of water to the boil, either peel the potatoes or peel when cooked. Roughly chop potatoes and add to the pan. Cook until soft. In another pan bring water to the boil about 1/3 full. Peel and chop the butternut squash and add. Roughly chop the cauliflower and add to the pan along with the leek chopped small and the carrots chopped small or spiralized. When all soft and almost cooked add the courgette turned into strips using a peeler or spiralizer. Once the potatoes are cooked drain and mash or drain, run under cold water then peel the skins off (they should easily unravel) then mash. The more you mash them the creamier they become. Then serve the mash and top with vegetables, you may want to serve some of the veg juices too :) 

Butternut Squash Noodle Bowl

Ingredients:

(Serves 1)

1 large butternut squash

3 large carrots

2 courgettes 

1 leek 

Utensils: spiralizer and peeler 

Bring a pan of water to the boil. Slice the skin off the butternut squash (you could bake the skin in the oven to make crisps) and slice into long quarters. Using your peeler create long noodle like strips. And leave some chunky pieces. Chop the leek up into tiny pieces and add to the pan. Once squash all turned into strips add to the pan along with spiralized carrots. Cook until soft about 15 minutes. Then add the spiralized courgette. Cook until soft then drain and serve. Delish. 

Sweet Potato with Homegrown Lettuce

Ingredients:

(serves 1)

4 medium sweet potatoes

1 large hand full mixed homegrown lettuce 

In a pan boil about 500 ml water and add the sweet potatoes roughly chopped in their skins for simplicity. Steam until soft, about 20 mins with a lid. Drain and allow to cool. Then peel off the skin, it should easily unravel. Add to a bowl and mash with a folk. Add the fresh lettuce and dig in.

 

Cassava Soup

Ingredients:

(Serves 2-3)

2 Carrots 

15" Cassava*

1/2 large head Cabbage

2" Ginger

1.5 litres water 

Bring a pan of water to the boil. Chop the carrots, slice the skin off the cassava and add to the pan of boiling water. Cook for about 15 minutes. Wash and chop the cabbage and add to the pan. Cover and simmer until tender. Then add the ginger and blend with a hand blender. Serve :) Tastes really good once it's cooled down a little. 

*Cassava is a high carb root vegetable aka tapioca when powdered. It thickens the soup lovely too. 

Tips for Long term Success

Research has shown eating a on average 80% total daily calories from carbohydrate, 10% from protein and 10% from fat are the ideal requirements for our bodies. Fruit, veg, starches contain these percentages. (See books below)

This can be worked out on cronometer.com.

Fuits, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds are the ideal food for optimal health eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It's recommended on average 2000 calories for women and 2500 calories for men per day. 

Avoid refined oils. These are 100% fat and tend to mask flavours, coat the digestive track, slow digestion, inhibit glucose absorption, and are easily replaced with water if frying veg.

Water is so important for brain function, concentration, maintaining energy levels, aiding digestion, and all metabolic processes. Especially when consuming cooked foods. Aim for clear colourless urine at least 8 times a day. I usually drink around 3 litres at room temp. Adding a drop of boiling water from the kettle and/ or a little lemon juice helps get it down. Aim for 1 litre before breakfast.

Salt should be avoided. It holds a lot of water retention due to its toxicity and its numerous damaging effects on the body. Replace with herbs, finely chopped celery or lemon juice to add extra flavour.

Food combining number 1 rule: avoid combining fruit with cooked food. Fruit digests much faster so it's always best to eat it first to avoid bloating.

Take your time eating meals, try using chop sticks to help slow you down. It is very important to drink smoothies slowly making sure each sip is mixed well in the mouth before swallowing, this allows it to start digesting and prevents stomach discomfort. Try to avoid drinking them with straws.

The only supplements I would recommend is B12 due to soil depletion unless you grow your own or buy organic veg (more info Click Here) and vitamin D if you are regularly indoors or rarely expose your skin to the sun. (More info coming soon)

Find a type of exercise you enjoy and do it consistently every day or a few times a week. I personally like to run, cycle, do squats, and do arm and leg exercises in the gym.

Sleep is your bodies chance to heal, recover and relax. Ideally when the sun goes down so should you, but aim for before midnight. 8 hours is recommended, but if you can get more take advantage of it, the more the merrier and the better you'll feel.

Work out your carb/protein/fat percentage and calorie intake at: cronometer.com

Summary:

The key things to succeed on this lifestyle are: Wholefoods, Water, Exercise (find something you enjoy and be consistent) and Sleep.

More recipes and info- 

My YouTube channel:

SweetSugarCrumble

Inspired by:

Dr. Douglas Graham author of 'The 80/10/10 Diet'

T.Colin Campbell author of 'The China Study'

Dr. John McDougall author of 'The Starch Solution'

Michael Greger - nutritionalfacts.org 

Disclaimer: Recommendations based on the books above as well as thriving living examples and personal experience. I am hopefully soon going to be studying to become a registered dietitian.

Spinach, Veg and Rice

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)

Tinned tomatoes

Tinned Sweetcorn

3 sticks celery

3 cups fresh spinach 

1 small courgette 

1/2 cup fresh dill

2 cups (dry) Thai fragrant rice

Cook the rice: (1 cup rice to 1&1/3 water) in a large pan, rinse rice, add water, bring to boil, simmer for 10 mins. 

In a pan add the tomatoes, sweetcorn, and finely chopped celery, bring to boil and simmer. Add the spinach, courgette (sliced into strips with a peeler) and the dill. Mix together until wilted. Serve with the rice or allow to sit for flavours to mature :)