GUILT AND GLUTEN FREE COCONUT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES!

So I've been slacking on the blog updates lately, or rather the past few months, but I'm still in Ireland and I've been busy recording new music in the studio and it's taking most of my time!! But I felt inspired to write another blog to share with you all an amazing food that has introduced it's way into my kitchen!! 


It is Coconut flour. Yes flour made from coconuts. Well actually it's the meat of the coconut ground up into the consistency of flour and it can be used as a replacement of flour in a lot of baked goods.  And not only is it gluten-free (for all you gluten intolerant people out there) but it is also low GI due to it's high fibre content! Oh yeah, and it's delish!!


So I had this recipe for Coconut Chocolate Brownies saved on my phone since last ear but I had never got around to trying them. But recently I decided to give them a go and so I went on the hunt for coconut flour, which I luckily found in my local health store. Its Tiana Organic Coconut Flour and it cost me about 8 euro for a relatively small bag. The good thing about the coconut flour though is that you do not seem to use as much of it to make stuff as you would use normal flour, so that said, the price is not so bad!


Anyway, I took it home and tried the recipe which I modified and made into two sides of a cake which I sandwiched together with a little cream cheese and some strawberries!! Everyone devoured it within minutes ( as all you have to do in this house is say Gluten free and Low GI, and it's gone!) I must say it was absolutely unreal though. I love chocolate, but I've never been the biggest fan of chocolate cakes until now! The coconut flour gave the cake a rich moist almost moussey like texture and after one slice I was so full, (that's all the fibre).


The beauty with coconut flour is that it can be used to make so many delicious baked goods, even as a batter for crispy chicken!!  If you check out the Tiana website, they have a bunch of awesome recipes for you to try as well!!  Tiana Website 


I'll share my recipe with you as well just so you can try it!! You can also add nuts or berries or whatever you want to the batter to make it to your own taste.


And if you really want to be guilt-free eating this cake you can substitute the sugar for natural sweeteners like xylitol( which I used) or Stevia. 


GUILT FREE COCONUT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES


1 cup xylitol
3/4tsp Real salt
8 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
6 Organic eggs
1 cup coconut flour *sifted
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tsps vanilla flavoring
1 1/2 cups Organic butter or coconut oil
1 cup crushed walnuts (optional)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Blend Butter and chocolate over low heat
• Mix Eggs Xylitol Salt and Coconut milk and flavoring together in a bowl.
• Stir in melted chocolate mixture and coconut flour until smooth.
• Grease your tin before pouring in mixture.
• Bake for 20 - 25 mins.
• Remove from oven and let cool.
• Cut into brownie slices!!
• Enjoy

Definitely ELAA approved !! :) 

Butternut squash - I Love you

Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.

Ludwig van Beethoven 

Okay so I've been home in Ireland a few months now and what I've really noticed is that our favorite meal time over here is lunch time, for one simple reason; Soup. Soup is probably the most consumed lunchtime meal by us Irish folk and for good reason. Its easy to make, ridiculously delicious and most importantly, healthy. (Back in the times of Famine, Soup Kitchens were what were able to keep a lot of our ancestors alive so it's quite the nourishing little dish! ) 


I'm going to go ahead and be completely immodest here and claim that I am a really really good soup maker. It's just a talent of mine to make really yummy soups! (I take after my mom!) And well while I always used to make a great Leek & Potato or a good ol' vegetable soup, it was this Christmas that an amazing ingredient presented itself, that I don't think I would ever want to live without again. 


Three delicious syllables ; Butter-nut-squash! How I didn't know about it before is beyond me but now that it's in my life I have been eating it non stop. My little sister Eve was watching a cooking show here by a famous chef Nigella Lawson and well she showed how to prepare a butternut squash and sweet potato soup. And thank God she did! We tasted it for the first time on Christmas Eve and I think we've made a batch of it every week since! It was phenomenal! Just so creamy and sweet and unlike any other soup I had tasted. I decided to look into this scrumptious autumn fruit (though you'd think it was a vegetable!) and find out what it's benefits are.


Apparently there are many;

• Rich in Phytonutrients and Antioxidants (anti-aging yay!)
• High in dietary Fibre
• Significant amounts of potassium which is great for bones
• Significant amounts of vitamin b6 which is needed for proper functioning of nervous and immune system
• the squash's orange color hints at its abundance of heart healthy carotenoids 
• the high levels of beta carotene which are converted to vitamin A in the body help protect against breast cancer and age related macular degeneration as well as aiding in healthy lung development in fetuses and newborns.
• high Vitamin C content

And there are more, this is only some of the benefits, not to mention just how amazing it tastes so it makes being healthy super easy i think! You can even bake the butternut squash and then when roasted scoop out the insides, mash them up with some seasoning and herbs and put them back in their skins and serve as your side dish with you dinner! delish! But for now here's the delicious soup recipe that made me fall in love. If anyone tries it, let me know how you like it too ;)

Roast squash and sweet potato soup with buttermilk blue cheese sauce

Ingredients

• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 butternut squash, unpeeled, halved, seeds scraped out, sliced into 2.5cm/1in x 2.5cm/1in cubes
• 500g/1lb 2oz sweet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 2.5cm/1in thick rings
• 60ml/2fl oz olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1.5 litres/2 pints 13fl oz vegetable stock
• 125ml/4oz marsala wine
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the buttermilk cheese sauce

• 125g/4oz blue cheese, crumbled
• 250ml/9fl oz buttermilk
  
  

  Preparation method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
  2. Place the onion, chopped butternut squash and sweet potato onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, or until tender.
  3. Allow the vegetables to cool slightly, then place half into a food processor and add 500ml/17fl oz of the vegetable stock. Blend to a purée and transfer to a large pan. Repeat with the remaining roasted vegetables and 500ml/17fl oz more of the stock - transfer the purée to the pan.
  4. Add the remaining 500ml/17fl oz of vegetable stock to the food processor and stir to catch any remnants of the vegetable purée, then pour into the pan.
  5. Add the marsala wine and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add a little more water if the soup is too thick for your liking.
  6. For the buttermilk cheese sauce, place the blue cheese and buttermilk into a clean food processor and blend to a paste. Transfer the blue cheese sauce to a jug or bowl.
  7. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle some of the blue cheese into each bowl. Leave the sauce on the table for your guests to add more if they wish
     
     
     DEFINITELY ELAA APPROVED!!! :)

Black Versus Green : Battle of the Teas

Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company.  ~Author Unknown


Recently I’ve taken a trip back to my home country of Ireland for music related reasons and along with all the other delicious staples of the Irish diet that I have been indulging in, I have returned to the daily consumption of a good old cup of tea.


Tea is to Ireland what coffee is to America. The comforting daily liquid that fuels our day! There’s nothing like a hot cup of tea, or two, or four, on a cool windy Irish evening and you won’t enter any Irish persons house without at least one offer of a cup.


So what exactly are the benefits of a daily cup of black tea and how does it compare to its long health touted cousin green tea?


Well Green tea has long been hailed as the “better” tea to consume when it comes to a healthy lifestyle due to a powerful antioxidant it contains called EGCg. This polyphenol is noted for its beneficial effects in dealing with many diseases such as atherosclerosis, many types of cancer, diabetes and liver disease.


But when it comes to black tea this compound is lost, through oxidation of the leaves. However Black tea has powerful free radical fighters of it’s own called thearubigens and theaflavins. These compounds as well as fighting much of the same diseases as green tea also tame inflammation and are effective at fighting various viruses.


Both green and black tea promote weight loss by increasing metabolism and reducing stress.


Black tea also contains a high magnesium content which helps in the formation of bones and teeth and may help reduce the severity of asthma attacks.


It is also a good source of Thiamine which is necessary for the body to utilize carbohydrates as an energy source. It also helps with blood circulation and the production of hydrochloric acid which is vital for the digestive process.


So take heed my dear fellow tea drinkers, the consumption of our daily brew is actually good for us whether your preference be green or black. Just make sure your not dousing them with sugar or artificial sweeteners. If you need to sweeten your tea opt for a little honey, or stevia. Remember tea also has weight loss properties so there’s no need to ruin that with any unwanted calories from sugars.


So now, I’m off to put the kettle on. It’s evening here on Irish shores and that means only one thing in this country. Tea time!

Mangoes; The fruit of Love and Life

They live; they know; they feel; they see.
Their spirits light the golden shade
Beneath the giant mango-tree. - Charles Kingsley

My official favorite fruit is undoubtedly the exotic delicious and fantastically juicy mango. Hailing from the foothills of the Himalayas of India where it has been around for over 4,000 years, it is considered the symbol of love and life. Heck, even the Buddha himself found solitude in a mango grove.

But apart from just being absolutely scrumptious with its creamy, smooth, silky texture and ambrosial flavor, what are the mangos health benefits that are so great as to deem it "The Symbol of Love and Life" in such a spiritually forward world as India? Let's take a look shall we?

Firstly the Mango's a vitamin powerhouse and a small mango contains ;

• one quarter of your daily requirement of Vitamin C
• nearly two thirds of your daily quota of Vitamin A
• great source of Iron
• Good amounts of vitamin E and Fibre
• a rich source of potassium
• good amounts of Vitamin K, phosphorous and Magnesium

Secondly the Mango is a powerful anti-oxidant food and one of the one of the best sources of betacarotene, quercetin and astragalin. These are powerful antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. Free radicals can damage cells and lead to heart disease, cancer, premature aging and degenerative diseases.

Thirdly studies have shown that Mangos may lower cancer risk due to a dietary soluble fibre called pectin which is found in the fruit. Scientists have found that pectin binds and inhibits a protein called Galectin 3 which plays a role in all stages of cancer progression. Due to its being a valuable source of fibre it's also believed to prevent against cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

Fourthly, In chinese medicine mangos have long been use as a yin tonic due to their sweet and sour taste and cooling energy. They have been used to treat anaemia, bleeding gums, cough, fever, nausea and to aid weak digestion.

To finish up Mangoes are also rated as medium on the Glycemic index which means when it comes to spiking insulin, Mangoes will only raise it moderately, making them a healthy addition to a body beautiful diet. They are such a versatile fruit their exotic flavor and fleshy texture makes a delightful addition to many sweet as well as savory dishes. For a hot summers day here is a recipe for a carribean shrimp and mango salad that is so delicious you'll wonder how it could possibly be healthy (but i assure you, it is) ;

CARIBBEAN SHRIMP AND MANGO SALAD

Ingredients:

  1 pound medium shrimp, cleaned

and deveined

  Salt and pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 15-ounce can black beans,

rinsed and drained

1/4 red bell pepper, cut into

strips

1/4 red onion, halved and then

thinly sliced

1 ripe mango, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup citrus-flavored vinaigrette

dressing

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

  Dash cayenne

6 cups mixed greens

Directions:

• Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. 
• Cook and stir shrimp with garlic in oil in skillet over medium-high heat until done, about 5 minutes. 
• Remove from skillet and place in large bowl. 
• Add remaining ingredients except mixed greens, and toss to combine ingredients. 
• Just before serving, gently toss with the mixed greens. Serve immediately.

Snack Time

I love to snack. i really cant go through the day without snacking at least once between my main meals, and i'm not alone o this trend. It safe to say snacking is an integral part of most peoples diet. I find the need to snack on something, stems more from boredom than from hunger. Something to do when life is slipping into monotony. Now that's not to say snacking is bad for you, on the contrary i think when the right foods are chosen, it is a great way to sustain your energy throughout the day and keep your metabolism fired up and revving along. When snacking is detrimental to your diet is when a coffee and doughnut, or a bag of chips, or candy is the go to snack of choice. Then we have problems!! You'll be on that insulin roller-coaster again of energy highs and slumps that you just cant seem to get off.

So what does make for some yummy acceptable snacks you ask, that are not going to add unwanted lumps and bumps to your butt and thighs?

Well here are just a few of my personal favorites and just remember i still recommend always teaming a protein with a carb even when it comes to snacks;

• Apples and peanut butter
• Raw Almonds and a slice of cheese 
• Pineapple and Cheese cubes
• Greek Yogurt mixed with nuts and berries
• Banana and peanut butter smoothie (any fruit smoothie really , homemade of course from natural ingredients)
• Hummus and Vegetable crudites
• Frozen grapes and cheese
• Smoked salmon and cream cheese
• Boiled eggs seasoned with some Mrs. Dash on rice cakes
• Guacamole and flax crackers
• Small sprouted grain tortilla grilled cheese

These are just examples of some healthy options to chow down on when boredom or just as sustainment until your next meal!! There are some many more options out there that are far healthier than a 100 calorie bag of chips ahoy or  sugar laden granola bars and all that other garbage that pretends to be healthy snacks food. So always have some healthy yummy foods on hand and then snack your way to body beautiful :)

Getting into Fitness ; Running

When I was in my teenage years where I no longer engaged in sports like Gaelic football and basketball and Relay races, and my fitness level dropped considerably. Sure I still worked out from time to time with weights but my cardiovascular activity was close to non-existent. So when a mere jog down the street would have me huffing and puffing and gasping for air I was convinced I was just not born to be a runner, and all those people who entered marathons or ran miles everyday just must have had a different lung capacity than I did. I would never be a runner.


Then something happened. Unbeknownst to myself, a few months ago, I started using the elliptical machine in my gym. I started a morning routine at a moderate pace and resistance for twenty minutes and as the days passed I would gradually up the resistance and pick up my pace and I noticed I was beginning to finish the twenty minute workout with a lot more ease then I began! Then one morning I came into the gym and all my lovely elliptical machines were in use and all that was available was a damn treadmill. I wanted to make sure I would sweat like I did on the elliptical so I got on and decided I’d give running a try and just see how long I could stay on. (Now bear in mind, the last time I had tried running on a treadmill, I could only stay going for two minutes before I would decrease to a walking speed again.) So I began at a speed of about 5.5 and off I went. The first five minutes past… phew that was easy.. the next five minutes passed.. I had done ten minutes without stopping once? I even still had my breath. I kept going to fifteen minutes..okay.. I think I could do the twenty. I kept running for another five minutes and when I saw the little timer read 20:00.. I was elated. I had ran non-stop for twenty minutes. This was quite a breakthrough for me! Maybe I could be a runner? Maybe I was not short-changed when God was handing out hearts and lungs. Fitness was achievable.


Since then I have taken my running excursions outdoors, (which Is a completely different experience to a treadmill) and I now can run just under three miles. And this is all in the space of a few months!! I went from finding it difficult to run one whole minute, to being able to run a few miles. It’s a great feeling! And I realize the key is to start slow. I didn’t know at the time but my elliptical sessions were helping me build my fitness level in a gradual way. Who knows I may one day even enter a marathon!




If you are interested in adding running into your life as a way to get fit here are a few key things to remember;


1) Start slow. You can’t expect yourself to be able to run long distances for long amount of times in the beginning. One minute running, one minute walking alternations are the best way to start. Or like I did, you can begin on something a little easier like an elliptical machine to get your heart pumping and used to cardiovascular exercise.


2) Buy proper running shoes. I’m serious about this one. The first time I ran outside in New Orleans, I was wearing aerobic shoes and my knees ached for days after. I purchased a pair of nike runners that are super comfortably and they really make all the difference when it comes to running.


3) Buy a pedometer or something to track your progress. Try and beat you last record everyday by just a little. It will keep you motivated.


4) Stretch your muscles before you run to prevent any injuries.


5) Make sure to drink at least 20 oz of water about twenty minutes before your run so you won’t become dehydrated, especially in summer.


6) Have your breakfast (or whatever meal pertaining to the time of day) 45 minutes to 1 hour before your run. Pick Low GI carbs like oatmeal, sprouted grains, vegetables, fruits like apples and berries and a protein ( eg. oatmeal and berries, Greek yoghurt with berries, scrambled eggs in a sprouted grain tortilla, apples and peanut butter etc.) as it will help sustain you through your run. Some people think running on an empty stomach will help them lose weight but I have found any workout on an empty stomach will have me exhausted half way through and won’t make for an effective workout.


7) Replenish your body after the run. Drink more water and eat something like a shake that will digest easy and replenish your muscles glycogen stores. I usually have a banana and peanut butter smoothie or some other kind of fruit smoothie. But it is so important that you remember to eat or drink something after your workout every time. It makes or breaks your workout.


8) Enter a marathon. For some people entering marathons is a good way to get them motivated. When you have a goal you have something to work towards and you will feel so accomplished when you have completed it.






These are just some steps to get you started on your running regime. There are many places on the internet that will give you a running schedule for beginners so you can build your fitness level at a gradual comfortable pace. So what are you waiting for, get out there and start running your way to body beautiful!






I just want to mention my friend Rachel who has entered a half marathon benefiting Leukemia research which will take place Oct. 2nd In Florida. She is running on behalf of her brother Daniel who died last year of Leukemia. You can read her blog here at www.runningfordaniel.blogspot.com. It is a great cause and I just want to say Good Luck Rachel

Coffee : To Drink Or Not To Drink?

While the jury still remains out on this one, with contradictions about coffees pros and cons at every turn, I, being a fan of an occasional cup myself, will say that in this case you would do best to remember the phrase “everything in moderation”. As remember, it contains caffeine, a naturally occurring stimulant found in the leaves, seeds and fruits of dozens of plants worldwide and it is a psychoactive drug!


I wouldn’t recommend drinking coffee everyday, especially if it is something you rely on solely to wake you up in the morning. Those that say they can’t function without their morning cup of joe need to take themselves aside for a little chat as there is nothing we shouldn’t have the ability to function without than water and a balanced diet. I don’t ever remember caffeine being included in the food pyramid, do you?

Let’s take a quick look at the supposed benefits and detriments of our beloved coffee:

Pros:
• Coffee is rich in antioxidants which can help prevent aging and cell damage from free radicals.
• Drinking coffee may reduce the risk of
- Parkinson’s disease
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Gallstones
- Kidney Stones
- Type 2 diabetes
- Memory loss due to aging and Alzheimer’s Disease
• It improves mental alertness
• It speeds up muscle recovery from fatigue and can also help in weight loss when taken before a workout.
• It smells and tastes delicious :)

Cons:
• It may elevate cholesterol levels
• It has a negative effect on blood vessel tone and function
• May raise blood pressure making it a potential health hazard to those with hypertension
• Too much coffee can inhibit the absorption of calcium which can lead to osteoporosis
• Dehydrates the body as it acts as a mild diuretic
• Makes it difficult for those with Type 2 Diabetes to control blood sugar levels
• It blocks the hypnotic effect of the hormone adenosine which is designed to promote a restful deep sleep.
• Its effect of spiking the hormone cortisol may in fact have a negative impact on weight as over consumption of caffeine will exhaust the adrenal glands which can lead to thyroid problems and weight gain.

So what is the happy medium? I would say don’t banish coffee from your life altogether if it’s something you enjoy (unless of course you feel you would be better without it completely), but rather drink in moderation. I can’t see the harm in drinking two or three cups of coffee a week.
  I recently found myself increasing my consumption of coffee as I spend alot of time at bookstores and cafes but i have broguht myself back in check and I have found alternatives like Starbuck's Passion Iced tea unsweetened, (that I then sweeten myself with Stevia..delish!) or if you're not lactose intolerant, hot milk with vanilla can be made at any good coffee shop! Totally delish too! Again, I would just try to not make coffee a daily habit as there are so mnay more options out there, and of course as with everything, I do recommend you choose organic coffee, as the plant from which it’s made is one of the most heavily sprayed with pesticides. So all in all I think coffee is something you can keep a part of a balanced diet. Go ahead and enjoy those weekend coffee shop jaunts with your friends, or treat yourself to a frothy cappucino as you share a dessert with a cute boy!! After all, life is there to be enjoyed! That’s more important than anything!



Coffee = ELAA approved (in moderation ;) ).