CRABTREE NUTRITION

Sue Crabtree is a fully accredited member of the British Association of Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT) and Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). Here she will offer advice on weight loss and healthy living.

[crabtreenutrition]

It may be the end of Amazing 12 but my Amazing Menopause journey continues. 

For me, the whole point of the Amazing 12 was to prove to myself that I didn’t have to have a shitty menopause.  I knew I was getting a hormonal belly (yes, you can see by the “before” photo that I really was getting one (and I was sucking my belly in because I am not comfortable wearing crop tops.  I was quite shocked at my before-belly).

Menopause should not be an awful journey.  I know it can be. But you can change the outcome - if you want it badly enough.  If you decide to change your journey then you will.  I am very chuffed that I finally got rid of the hormone belly but for me the biggest achievement is that I changed my way of thinking.

Woo Hoo.  What are we going to do today Claude? 

Not in a million years did I think that weight training could be so powerful in changing my mindset.  With running, swimming, walking the dogs, paddle boarding and even windsurfing, my mind could wander.  And boy does it wander.  It dibbles in the past and tells me what I should have done.  It then flits to the future to what I should be doing.  Never does it stay in the moment and just enjoy being alive. Well with weight training  I had to be 100% focussed in the moment otherwise I would get injured.  I would have to feel what muscles were moving; how was my back; don’t rush; take it slow; enjoy the moment.

I am not saying it was all about the weight training.  I put other things in place.

Clean food (nothing processed).  Lots of organic salads and green leafy veggies.  Good night sleep and herbs.  I see a fantastic herbalist (Andrea Hughes in Worthing).  I also put Rosemary leaves in my water during the day to help with memory.  I made fresh Sage tea to help with the hot flushes and reduce mental fatigue.  

I made sure that I regularly ate alfalfa seeds, bean sprouts and edamame beans which are phyto-oestrogens and phytosterols.  They help reduce hot flushes and improve with bone health and sleep.

Sprouted beans add a good crunch to my lunch.

Beetroot and celery in my salad (most days) to support the liver.  The liver plays a big role in detoxing excess hormones.  Oh and green tea to reduce circulating testosterone and oestradiol.  This is what worked for me.  You may be on medication or really finding it hard to take that first step to go shopping and preparing a healthy meal and doing some form of exercise.  But your body and your hormones will thank you.  I promise you.  

So back to Amazing 12 and the weight training.  It was tough and it was tiring. I was training under the guidance of Claude Abrams for 90 minutes from Monday to Friday.  By the time I had got to Wednesday evening (and after legs session) I was bombed.  I had to dig deep to exercise on Thursday and Friday.  But never once did I regret the sessions.  I may have turned up to training tired and grumpy but I always left feeling proud and happy.  

I know I look broken in this photo.  I remember this day as being one of my best training days.  I had slam dunked 10 and 15 kilogram balls.  I was finished physically but mentally I was flying. Claude really had to keep me in check with this sort of training to avoid injury.  

Someone at run club asked me if it was the weight training specifically that helped or could it be any exercise?  I actually think it was the weight training.  I got a lot of negative comments from my “tribe” saying I looked tired and I was overdoing it. There is nothing more empowering and liberating than bench pressing a heavy weight to quieten the negative voices.  And I miss it so much.  I miss the structure and discipline of pumping weights, chatting to Claude, getting my gym kit and lunch and snacks ready for the next day.  I literally ate, slept and trained for 3 months and it was fantastic.

This is Claude from Amazing 12 and the impressive gun(s) peeking from the left hand side is his witfe Jamie who is a yoga instructor.  Claude taught me how to do the perfect dead lift and also to take ownership of everything in my life.  Do you know how much therapy I would have to go through to work that out.  Twelve weeks later, I have a stronger body, stronger mind and a new friend.       

I haven’t stopped training.  I train 2 to 3 days a week, I run 3 days a week and I have a rest day.  I take my herbs, eat clean and do my best to get a good balance of work, play and sleep. I will be joining Claude and his tribe of boxing ladies in July as I miss training with him and I miss Core Results.  

Amazing 12 was a stepping stone into a new world of not being scared or intimidated by my hormones.  Life is a journey.  I have choices.  Do I want it to be shitty?  Or do I want it to be amazing?  Amazing of course.    

[crabtreenutrition]

Week 5 done and dusted

We tend to only put photos up of ourselves looking good. If I had known that Claude (Abrams from Intelligent Strength and Amazing 12) was taking my picture I would have:  sucked my belly in, sorted the double chin out, opened my eyes and moved under a more flattering light.  But I love this photo for all its warts as I see some muscle peeping out of the arm.  Woo hoo results are starting to show.  I am finding this programme tough because we are so brain washed to look at instant results ... have the scales gone done or  is there a six pack yet?  I have to dig deep and look at my rewards.  I feel stronger.  When I train my hot flushes go away.  I feel more mindful and I am a lot nicer to myself.  

Week 5 was mentally tough as my hormones were all over the place.  I didn’t want to train, I didn’t want to go to work and I wanted to take my dog, Robby,  and just have a duvet week.  But I didn’t.  I moaned to Claude about how terrible I was feeling but it fell on deaf ears (I was hoping he would ease up on the training) and incidentally I did my best training that week.

Diet wise.  I am eating lots of salads and fish and taking a herbal tincture of red clover, salvia, rosa, borage and dandelion root to sort out the flushing and the nausea.  I had to stop taking the black cohosh as it was giving me headaches.  

Mood wise I think I am fine apart from last week when I felt sad.  But I don’t feel irritable and I think that is thanks to slamming a 5kg sand ball as part of my training that really helps.  

I can’t stress enough the importance of taking ownership (I love that word and have to credit Claude for planting that seed into my head).  Taking ownership for my moods, my body, my time.  I realised that I was using my busy life as a badge of honour.  And it wasn’t anything to be proud of when you don’t have time to look after yourself.  The best part of my amazing menopause is that I am taking ownership of my journey.

[crabtreenutrition]

menopause

  Menopause  The ceasing of menstruation.

 I wish it was as simple as that.  You wake up one day and your periods have ceased.  You skip into a new phase of your life.  Shiny hair, bright eyes, clear skin, great energy and strong bones.  Yes?  Sadly no. Well for most of us.

 Menopause can be a bit shitty time.  You are tired, irritable and you develop a jelly belly overnight.  You can’t remember words or where you parked your car. 

And so it begins for me.  A new phase in my life.  I am starting the menopause.   As a nutritionist and strong believer in taking responsibility for my own health, I really want this to be an amazing experience. 

The physical changes to your body:  weight gain, big boobs (not always a bad thing), extreme tiredness, dry skin, thinning hair, and the list goes on, is bad enough.  It is the mental side that I am scared of the most:  depression, forgetfulness, irritability, low energy, apathy, feeling invisible.  And so on. 

My history of endometriosis and mood swings are pretty intense (my husband once described me as a Tasmanian devil when it was “that-time-of-the-month”).  Research suggests that people who suffer from bad mood swings and painful periods are likely to suffer through menopause.  This is the bit I am scared of.  

 I really don’t want to feel shitty.  I don’t want to roll over and let the hormones take over my life. 

  Although I have only just started the menopause, I am surprised at the changes in my body.  Hot flushes during the day and at night.  I know I am going to get hot and sweaty before it starts because I get a wave of nausea before the flushing begins.  If it is at night I simply cannot sleep.  If it is during the day, it will normally “attack” when I am standing up teaching a wellbeing class.  Great for morale:  standing in front of a group of twenty clients, wanting to throw up, sweating and looking vacant because I can’t think of that word ….

 I know that as my body is changing I need to change. What may have worked for me in my early forties is not going to work for me as I approach the feisty fifties.  I want to be feisty in a cheery way, not a hormonal way.   

 So this is what I am doing.  Several tactics. 

Good nutrition; supplements; herbs; quality sleep; me time; work time; fun time and weight lifting. 

 Why the weights?  What has this got to do with menopause?

 Well I am fit and I love running.  But I have to change according to my body’s needs and running isn’t working for me at the moment.  I need to change my exercise plan.  I don’t enjoy weight training.  I find it dull and boring.  That is until I signed up with Claude Abrahams and the Amazing 12 programme.  The Amazing 12 involves specific weight training from Monday to Friday for 12 weeks.  I have completed 3 weeks of training and I am loving it.  It is very different to the exercise I am used too.  Claude is being incredibly patient with teaching me how to do a dead lift properly and keeping me focussed (I like to chat). 

I am not doing this to lose weight.  I don’t need to lose weight.  I want to gain muscle. 

  Why?

Because I want to be strong.  Strong is the new skinny. 

  I want to see if I can empower myself by taking control of my body and deciding that I don’t want to have a shitty menopause.  I am going to have an Amazing menopause. 

 You know what?  I could fail.  I could have strong arms yet my jelly belly stubbornly refuses to budge.  I could stay a fractious, tired, sweaty mess.  But at least I am trying.  

Bring it on.  Here goes.  The Amazing Menopause. 

[crabtreenutrition]

Turmeric Latte

Why Turmeric? 

Did you know that Turmeric is one of the most studied spices – mainly for its massive anti-inflammatory properties?

It helps with all with all inflammatory conditions, from arthritis to muscle soreness. 

A couple of points to remember if you want to get the best health benefits from turmeric it needs to be:

ü  Heated.

ü  Eaten with fat.

ü  Add black pepper!  It increases Turmeric absorption which means it will work faster.  

ü  You need to be consistent with taking Turmeric.  Let it become a good habit.  Don’t expect to take it once and expect miracles. 

Turmeric Latte

Makes 1

  Ingredients:

1 cup semi-skim milk or coconut milk

1 tsp. of turmeric organic powder

1 tsp. of peeled and grated finely fresh ginger (optional, but another great herb to reduce inflammation)

¼ tsp. of cinnamon

Pinch of Nutmeg

½ tsp. of locally sourced honey (again optional – the sweetness from coconut milk dairy milk should be sweet enough) 

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (must be freshly ground as black pepper goes rancid quickly)

  Method:

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan.  Place on hob and simmer for a few minutes.  Whisk until frothy.    

Serve and Enjoy.

[crabtreenutrition]

The Sunshine Vitamin

Following the news report this morning that people are recommended to take Vitamin D supplement in the winter months, here is why, how and what to do …

The best supply of vitamin D is sunshine, but always remember to cover up or use sun cream to protect your skin.  

- Vitamin D helps calcium absorption, which helps with bone strength.  

- Vitamin D has shown in some cases to prevent falls and muscle weakness.

- Vitamin D supports our immune system.

- Vitamin D helps prevent osteoporosis.

- Vitamin D supports moods (especially in older people).

- Vitamin D prevents chronic fatigue.

Our nutrients should primarily come from foods ... but Vitamin D is only found in a small amount of foods.  Good sources of vitamin D include:

- Sardines, Salmon, Tuna (fleshy fish)

- Cow and goat milk (full fat, semi and skimmed). Although UK milk is not a good source, since it is not fortified as it is in some countries

- Eggs (the yolks especially)

- Liver

It is important to remember that Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin; this means that the risk of overdosing may be high.  And with most things in life, too much of a good thing can be bad for us. Check with your doctor or a registered nutritional therapist  if you are not sure what dosage to take.

[crabtreenutrition]

Picnic Week!

To celebrate Picnic Week we are going to make this picnic an occasion and put a bit of effort into our picnic hamper.  We have the Posh Picnic where thought and preparation goes in to this delicious meal. And then we have the Spontaneous Picnic. The sun is out, five minutes to grab some great tasting food and get outside ..

The Posh Picnic …

Chocolate Grapes

Ingredients:

1 1/5 cups black grapes 175 grams high-quality dark chocolate, melted ½ tablespoon coconut oil,

Directions

Wash and dry the grapes thoroughly. Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil together, stirring well.  This is to create a firmer coating.

Skewer 4 or 5 (or more, if you want more!) grapes on bamboo skewers. Dip the grapes into the dark chocolate and use a spoon to pour the chocolate over the grapes, covering them all, and then let the excess run back into the bowl. Place on a sheet of parchment paper to firm up. Once the dark chocolate is firm, place in the fridge.  

Smoked Salmon Bites

Ingredients

½ teaspoon creamed horseradish

½ small tub crème fraîche

1 small pinch sea salt

1 small pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 squeeze lemon juice

1 loaf ciabatta

extra virgin olive oil

300 g smoked salmon , from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger

½ punnet cress

extra virgin olive oil

1 squeeze lemon juice

Method

Add ½ a teaspoon of creamed horseradish to ½ a small tub of crème fraîche. Sprinkle in a small pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice then mix well. Taste to check its hot enough. Cut a loaf of ciabatta into 1cm thick slices, toast or griddle them then drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil.

Top with waves of smoked salmon (a 300g pack is perfect here) Add a dollop of horseradish crème fraîche to each toast then snip over ½ a punnet of cress. Finish with a tiny drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a little squeeze of lemon juice. Delicious.  

Crispy prosciutto-wrapped asparagus

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

16 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed

16 slices quality, organic prosciutto

Method

Wrap one slice of prosciutto around each asparagus spear, starting at the bottom, and spiralling up to the tip. Place the wrapped spears on the prepared baking tray.

Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove, and shake the tray back and forth to roll the spears over. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until asparagus is tender, and prosciutto is crisp. Delicious served hot or cold.  

[crabtreenutrition]

6 Tips For Glossy Hair

I thought I would dedicate this week’s blog to Robby and his new haircut.

His coat is shiny and soft, a sign of a healthy body and mind. Did you know that hair is often the first thing to suffer from any bodily upset? It can be a warning that something is not right even when there are no other symptoms of illness?

So if you want to get a glossy head of hair to match the Robster then carry on reading …

How to eat yourself to Glossy Hair

1. Eat clean, nutritious food. What do I mean by clean eating? Eating whole foods that are not processed, refined or treated. Eating foods that are as close to their natural form as possible.

2. Eat a diet packed with the following vitamins, minerals and fats …. Omega-3’s found in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines (please note that tinned fish is not a good source of omega-3 since the canning process destroys most of the omega-3). Don’t like fish? Munch on walnuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and drizzle hemp or linseed oil on your salad.

3. Eat foods packed with Iron such as liver (must be organic), meat, green leafy vegetables and chickpeas.

4. Vitamin B’s especially Vitamin B5. Again, liver, pork, dairy and legumes. To increase the Vitamin B 5 in your diet, eat on a regular basis eggs and liver.

5. Vitamin A, whole milk, eggs (the yolk), fish, liver, green, yellow and orange vegetables.

6. And finally, manage your stress levels. Experts believe that one of the main reasons we are seeing more obesity, depression and illness in our society these days is that people are too stressed and busy to make healthy dinners at home, often opting to get fast food or ready meals.

Remember: Hair loss is a natural process. But thin, dry and limp hair could also be an early warning sign that our body needs a health boost. Eat Well. Feel Good. Live the Best Possible Life.

[crabtreenutrition]

Wash before eating...

I've just made myself a zingy green vegetable juice: spinach, big chunk of ginger, mint leaves, a wedge of lime and a big handful of parsley leaves freshly picked from my garden.

I didn't bother washing it because it is organically grown.

It was whilst I drinking my juice I saw Robby cock his leg on my parsley and do the longest wee.

Note to self: wash it before eating!!! 

[crabtreenutrition]

Chocolate Cups

Ingredients

 ➢ ¾ cup of melted coconut oil 

➢ 1 cup of raw organic cacao 

➢ 1 tablespoon of honey 

➢ A few: raisins, walnuts, pecans, coconut chips, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, chia seeds. 

➢ Cacao powder for dusting.

Method 

➢ Mix together the melted coconut oil, cacao and *honey. 

➢ Pour into paper or silicone cupcake moulds (Make sure you have some leftover for the topping) 

➢ Add into each mould: 2 raisins; 1 walnut; 1 pecan, 2 coconut chips, pumpkin, sunflower and chia seeds (the more the better). 

➢ Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the nuts until covered. 

➢ Put in the freezer to harden for 10 minutes and Enjoy.

*You may want to add a bit more honey (no more than 3 tablespoons). This is dependent on taste. I replaced the honey with some coconut cream and nearly blew friends heads off with the bitter cacao. I personally loved it. Remember that honey is sugar in disguise so you need to monitor how much you eat.

[crabtreenutrition]

WAR ON SUGAR IS SIMPLY UNFAIR

I love Jamie Oliver. I love what he has done for school dinners. But he needs to tread softly about the sugar tax war. If companies that produce or import soft drinks will have to pay tax that contain at least 5g of sugar per 100ml then what about food and drinks that claim they are healthy, yet are packed with hidden sugars? Is this fair?

Take Jamie Oliver’s recipe, Granola Dust, from his book aptly titled SUPERFOODS. This recipe calls for 250g of dried fruit. I worked out the sugar content based on 250g of raisins (150g of sugar in 250g bag of raisins). And worked out that Jamie O’s Granola Dust contains just under 10g of sugar per 100g serving. And yet this is sold under the umbrella of a ‘healthy superfood’. At least when you are glugging down a full fat coke – you know it is not doing you any favours and you are making an informed choice, albeit an unhealthy one. But eating something under the belief it is a ‘superfood’ is misleading and these pretentious healthy recipes also need to be accountable.

And sorry to turn the spotlight on Deliciously Ella. To her defence she clearly states that her eating plan works for her and is simply sharing her recipes. However, if one of my diabetic clients drank her Warming Beet Drink they would probably have to inject insulin to cope with the punch of sugar in their blood system. And this drink alone contains 54 grams of sugar! Again just under 9g of sugar per 100ml. Sorry Ella, you should be taxed on this drink and on many of your deserts and treats. 

This sugar tax is welcome since no person needs a daily dose of sugary fizzy water, but we also need to be aware of hidden sugars hiding behind ‘Healthy Claims’. Because the recipe has replaced white refined sugar for dried fruit or honeys other - nutritionally speaking, there really is no meaningful difference between any of these kinds of sugar. Although some are definitely less processed, they all provide the same number of calories, and when it comes to digestion and metabolism, your body cannot tell the difference. You will still get sugar spikes, insulin will be pumped into your body and you will get fat. 

In other words, you still need to limit your intake of these natural sugars exactly the way you would limit your intake of refined white sugar.

[crabtreenutrition]

Crunch @ Lunch!

Just a quick one today and a couple of ideas for tasty snacks...

Raw nuts, pumpkin seeds and a piece of fruit in the morning. Avocado and organic feta cheese salad with flaxseed wraps for lunch. And more Crunch with Lunch with chopped raw veggies and a small pot of hummus to dip them in. Perfect afternoon snack to keep those blood sugar levels balanced!

[crabtreenutrition]

BANANA PANCAKES

When I increase the distance of my running, my craving for sweet things also seems to increase. Well, this recipe ticks al the boxes...

Satisfies my sweet tooth.

It is healthy. I promise you!

It is quick to make.  

And if you eat it with the 45 minute window after doing exercise – this is going to fuel your muscles.

Ingredients:

2 Eggs

1 Banana

A little coconut oil for cooking.

Method

Blend ingredients in a blender until a smooth mixture.

Heat a frying pan with oil and when hot enough cook the pancakes.

You can eat with plain, full fat Greek yoghurt (and this will also help with refuelling our muscles)

But they are delicious eat plan and also delicious eaten cold.

Quick, Easy and Tasty. This is my favourite!

[crabtreenutrition]

Flaxseed...Ooops!!!

I videoed myself making a batch of Flaxseed wraps after a few clients said that it turned out like a thick lumpy mess. I thought if I filmed it, they could see where they’d gone wrong! And guess what? It also turned into a thick lumpy mess for me... so I deleted the video and tried again!

This morning I followed the recipe but made a tweak - I added 3 tablespoons of water instead of 1. I tend to make a big batch so I can keep some wraps in a container in the fridge for the week. Ideally the mixture should be quite runny. 

Now this is important: If you are making several wraps, whilst the wraps are cooking the mixture will naturally thicken as the flaxseeds swell. Add more water until the mixture is runny. 

I make my wraps thin because they wrap around my filings beautifully without breaking up. But I also make smaller, thicker wraps for soups. 

My flaxseed wrap packed with avocado, slaw and toasted nuts...roll it up and enjoy!

I am going to amend the recipe and, in the meantime, sorry to my lovely clients for not believing you! I have made this recipe before and it didn’t happen - so not sure what went wrong. Maybe the flaxseeds are bigger - haha :) 

Flaxseed Wraps

Serving Size: 2 to 3 wraps

Ingredients

3 Tbsp ground flaxseed  (please buy your flaxseeds and grind them as and when you need them –

we need them to be kept fresh).

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp coconut oil

*1 large egg (see egg replacement below)

3 Tbsp water (Add more if needed – the batter must be a runny consistency)

Tips

You can make this savory by adding herbs such as paprika, onion powder, garlic powder; or cinnamon.

Directions

Mix together flax and baking powder. Stir in melted coconut oil. Beat in *egg and water until blended. Pour into greased, heated frying pan (I use a bit of coconut oil) and gently cook on both sides (about 3 to 5 minutes on each side). Top with desired toppings (avocado, beetroot, tomatoes, etc.)

*FLAXSEED EGG REPLACER

This recipe makes the equivalent of 1 egg.

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons water

1 Tablespoon golden flax seeds

Method

Grind your flax seeds

Grind the golden flax seeds into a meal in a blender or spice grinder. You may want to grind a larger amount and store it for future use. Like flax oil, flax seeds are extremely perishable so if you grind a larger amount for later use, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. 1 cup of golden flaxseeds equals about 1 ⅓ cup of flax meal.

Whisk water into your flax seed meal. 

Add the water to a small bowl or cup. Add the flax meal and mix together with a whisk or fork. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes so it develops a gelatinous texture similar to a raw egg. Warm water will speed up this gelling process and make it happen about twice as fast.

[crabtreenutrition]

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Beetroot, Feta Burgers courtesy of the Happy Pear!

What i especially love about this recipe is that you use the skin of the beetroot - you are not peeling away the vitamins and minerals. This is a pic of me slowly cooking the beetroot and spring onions for about 5 minutes to break down the woody texture. For the full recipe, just google Happy Pear and beetroot, feta burgers. Even my meat-eating husband loved them! 

^^Serve with a crunchy green salad and a dollop of hummus^^

Beetroot supports nitric oxide production in the body. This is a chemical that causes blood vessels to open and thus will keep the blood thin and better able to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the organs (and this help increase with speed and cardiovascular performance). 

And my pudding of the month...

^^Chocolate Mousse with Avocado pear.  Incredible.^^ 

I get so annoyed with ‘healthy recipes’ claiming they are delicious or sugar free. Usually healthy treats have that hint of something just not right.  Or the sugar-free method is packed with dried fruits or so called ‘healthy sugar alternatives’ – which still pack a massive punch of sugar and causes sugar spikes and weight gain. I was pleasantly surprised with this recipe. Yes there are dates and bananas in this but the avocado not only makes it creamy but it will slow the sugar spike. I used one frozen banana (which I always have peeled and chopped in the freezer – weird I know).  And I used 3 dates rather than 6.  It was really is delicious and you cannot taste the avocado pear – it just makes it creamy.  

I got this recipe from delicious ella recipes.  Remember to cut the banana and dates portion ingredients by half to reduce the sugar spike.  Make sure you use raw cacao – this powder is rich in polyphenol antioxidants and may help refuel your muscles after intense training.

Here is her recipe with my tweaks in brackets:

2 really ripe bananas (I use one banana and ideally a frozen one).

1 ripe avocado

6 medjool dates (If I am using medjool dates – then I only use 3.  If I am using pitted dates then I will use 6 since they are smaller than the medjool dates).

4 tablespoons of water

2 heaped teaspoons of almond butter

2 heaped teaspoons of raw cacao powder

Put all the ingredients into a food processor – pit the dates if using medjool – then blend into a smooth delicious mixture.

A blender will work for this but a food processor is a lot easier and quicker! 

Keep chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy!

[crabtreenutrition]

Tasty Tuesday not Fat Tuesday

Woo Hoo.  It’s Pancake day.  

Three things to remember:

1. Replace your white flour for brown rice flour.

2. Swap your usual sugary fillings for healthy ones.

3. Watch the portion sizes – you don’t need to eat 6 pancakes.  

The Perfect Pancake Batter:

Serves: 8 ●   Prep time: 5 min ●   Cooking time: 20 min   ●   Rest time: 30 min

Ingredients:

125g Brown Rice Flour (or wholemeal flour)

Pinch of salt

1 egg

300ml semi-skimmed milk or almond milk

Coconut oil for cooking

Method:

- Place the flour, salt and egg in a mixing bowl and beat well.

- Gradually add the milk until the mixture is smooth, thick and creamy.

- Rest the batter in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before cooking (this allows the gluten in the flour to get to work – giving your pancakes a great texture – you don’t need to wait if you are using the rice flout – it is gluten free).

- Heat a small frying pan until it is really hot, then turn the heat down to medium.

- Melt a small knob of coconut oil in the pan, coating the pan well.

- Add a ladleful of the pancake mixture, swirling the pan to coat the surface with a think, even layer.

- Allow to cook for 1 to 2 minutes until brown.  

- Toss the pancake or use a palette knife to flip it over.

- Cook until the other side has browned lightly.

- Choose from one of the healthy fillings below and enjoy!

⬆ ⬆ Brown Rice pancakes that I whipped up tonight! ⬆ ⬆ 

Filler and Toppers

- Puree mixed berries in a blender.  Warm the mix in a pot on the stove. Add ½ teaspoon of honey for sweetness and drizzle away.

- Open a can of juicy sliced peaches (in juice not syrup) and a generous scoop of Greek yoghurt.  

- Slice up a ripe banana, sprinkle with vanilla extract, and top with a handful of your favorite chopped nuts.

- Fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.  

- Spread a good dollop of cashew or almond butter and add chopped banana.

- Drizzle dark chocolate (72% cocoa or more) with chopped banana.

- Freshly sliced mango, passion fruit, a dollop of Greek yoghurt and a drizzle of honey.

- Sliced fresh strawberries, toasted almonds and a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

- Cinnamon, honey and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

⬆ ⬆ Organic Blueberries and a good dollop of Riverford’s Full Fat Yoghurt. ⬆ ⬆

More yummy pancake ideas below …..

Cinnamon Apple Pancakes:

Serves: 8 ●   Prep time: 10 min ●   Cooking time: 30 min   ●   Rest time: 30 min

Ingredients:

1 Kg cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced

½ tsp. ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting

15g brown sugar (or 1 Tbsp. honey)

1 knob of butter

Pancake batter (as above)

8 dollops of plain, live, full fat yoghurt.

Method:

- Place the apples in a pan with 1 Tbsp. cold water, the cinnamon and brown sugar (or honey), stir well, cover and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time until the apples soften.

- Meanwhile, heat a non-stick pan, add the oil and cook the pancakes as directed overleaf.  To assemble, place a cooked pancake on a plate, spoon a little of the apple mixture over, fold the pancake into quarters and spoon more apple over the top.  Serve with a dollop of plain, creamy yoghurt.  

Savoury Spinach Pancakes:

Serves: 4 ●   Prep time: 15 min ●   Cooking time: 20 min   ●   Rest time: 30 min

Ingredients:

220g cherry vine tomatoes

150g spinach leaves

200g crumbled feta cheese

100g pitted black or green olives.

Mixed herbs

Method:

- Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas6.  Place  cherry tomatoes in a roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil and seasonings and roast for 10 minutes.

- Using a handheld blender stick, whiz spinach leaves with the rested pancake batter until combined in the mixture evenly.  

- Cook as directed overleaf.

- Fold over the flat cooked spinach pancakes and scatter with feta cheese, roasted tomatoes and olives.  

[crabtreenutrition]

“I DON’T HAVE TIME TO COOK” IS A CHOICE YOU MADE!

I have seen several clients this week with pretty bad eating habits. The reason for this is that they are too tired to cook; don’t feel like it or simply do not have time. 

No matter what excuse about not eating nutritious food resonates with you - there is no such thing as a good excuse. 

And here is why. Have you had...

A long and tough day at work?

Finished work late?

Traffic bad?

Home late?

Dark and cold?

Hungry?

Too hungry to cook?

Well, tonight I could tick all the above boxes. As I left work I realised I was late, I was tired and hungry. So I stopped off at *Waitrose and bought a cooked free range, corn-fed chicken. I grabbed salad stuff and when I got home it took me 5 minutes to prepare. I went from a cold, dull salad to a hot chicken salad. I threw in avocado pear, olives and sunflower seeds to give it a kick. 

Vegetarian?

Skip the chicken and add torn mint leaves and feta cheese. Such a lovely taste with avocado! 

Vegan?

Quickly cook some quinoa (takes 5 minutes) and mix in with the crunchy salad, toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

I’m telling you this because I struggle to eat salad in winter, but tonight I loved it. I feel warm and energised!

I made enough chicken salad for my lunch tomorrow and then I made chicken soup. I stripped the chicken off the carcass and chucked it into my slow cooker. I added all my veg that was getting  a bit old in the fridge - even the droopy lettuce went in! I added garlic, onions and a heaped dessert spoon of Miso paste (in place of stock cubes). Miso is high in iodine so is excellent for my thyroid, whilst also adding a great flavour to soups. Top with water and tomorrow all I have to do it drain the carcass and blend and I’ve got soup for dinner, plus extra to go into the freezer! 

For pudding it’s chopped blood orange, pomegranate (which really is a messy pain to peel - but worth it!) and a big dollop of FULL FAT yoghurt. I love Riverford’s yoghurt! 

[crabtreenutrition]

NEW YEAR … NEW YOU?  BUT WHO SAID THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE OLD YOU?

WHY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS DO NOT WORK! As we reflect over the past year, most of us want to do better and live fuller.  We believe to get that bounding health, energy and happiness it all begins with losing weight . . .   The problem is that setting unrealistic goals is the quickest way to fail in the year to come.  Only an estimated eight per cent of people achieve their resolutions for the New Year.  So what went wrong with the ninety two per cent of us?    

Why do New Year’s resolutions not work?   The New Year is the perfect time to look back over your life and make necessary changes but these changes must be realistic and long-lasting if you want to maintain them.  I always ask my clients.  Can you CONSISTENLY make this change?  Can you consistently go to gym or cut sugar out your diet, or give up alcohol, or go running, or give up bread, or pump weights?  Most people will say no.  And that is good. Because they are telling the truth.  Anyone can give up for two to six weeks and then go back to their old ways.  But to make healthier changes you have to do it for life – not just for January.  

The good news is that you may not need New Year Resolutions.  How about a step-by-step recovery plan that you can consistently use for the rest of your life?    

Make 2016 Count … Create a plan that will work for you over the long term.   Want to lose weight but feel that you cannot get the weight off no matter what you do?  Despite other people on the internet or TV claiming to be losing weight fast, you keep beating your head against a brick wall?  Well you may be buying into common weight loss myths.  Contrary to what the fitness industry says, healthy, sustained weight loss is not just about calories in and calories out.  It is about the food - especially the nutrients found in that food – that you put in your body.  The food that you eat matters so much more than the calories that your count.

Most diet products compromise of processed, high carbohydrates and high sugar foods.  They can make you feel tired, sluggish, depressed and it will be difficult to lose weight.  These foods are not only low in calories and taste, but extremely low in good nutrients.  Missing nutrients in your diet can also inhibit weight loss and contribute to chronic disease.  For example, low iodine levels may cause hypothyroidism (sluggish thyroid) and make it even more difficult to lose weight.  Symptoms for a thyroid not working at its full capacity:  depression, tiredness, dry skin, hair loss, brittle nails and weight gain.  

Weight loss may be your ultimate goal for 2016, but it will not be possible without making important lifestyle changes. These vital changes will restore your health, improve your quality of life and possibly prevent diseases in the future.  

So instead of setting unrealistic goals, use these five amazing tips to embrace 2016:

Ditch That Diet:  Most low calories diets will trigger hunger and rely on will-power to maintain it.  But you can only hold your breath for so long. And you can only starve yourself for so long.  Starving ourselves will dramatically increase our cravings, make us hungrier for all the wrong foods and slow our metabolism way down.  Eating certain foods (low fat, higher carb or sugary foods) actually increases hunger and slows metabolism. Did you know that the average person gains eleven pounds for every diet they go on? Even worse, when they lose weight, they lose muscle and fat. When they regain weight, they gain back all fat. And since muscle burns seven times as many calories as fat, their metabolism is slower than when they started the diet. The cruel fact is that they then need even less calories to maintain their weight.  

Do you know someone who is very overweight and claim they do not eat that much? They may not be lying. They have just damaged their metabolism by yo-yo dieting.  Dieting will make you fat, tired and grumpy.  

Clean your Cupboards Out:  Go through your cupboards, refrigerator, freezer and give away foods that contain hydrogenated fats.  Read the labels, you may find them in margarine, biscuits, foods from the bakery counter, ready meals, salad dressings and so on.  Hydrogenated oils are used in foods because they are cheap and have a long shelf life.  They are extremely unhealthy for you.

Eat Clean Food: Now fill your cupboards with fresh produce.  Yes that means you may have to shop on a weekly basis.  Eat local foods in season and when possible choose organically grown produce, diary, poultry and meats whenever possible.  Frozen vegetables and fruit are just a nutritious as the fresh fare.  So ensure you have a few bags of organic frozen veggies and fruit for those days when the cupboard is bare.

Plan for the Future:  Being spontaneous in life is great.  But not if you want to keep your energy levels lively or lose weight.  If you bring homemade lunch you know it will be healthy – low in salt and sugar.  If you don’t bring your packed lunch and snacks, you are at the mercy of what is available within five minutes of your workplace, which in many cases limits the healthy options, and harder to resist the temptations on display.  

Drink Clean Water:  What do I mean by clean water?  I mean just that.  Plain water.  No concentrated juice.  No tea or coffee, just clean, fresh water (you can spice it up with crushed herbs or chopped lime and fruit).  Despite the fact that we know how important drinking water is for our health, we still don’t drink enough. For every cup of tea; coffee; alcoholic beverage we consume we should have a glass of water.  A mere 2% drop in our hydration levels can impair our concentration and energy levels by 50%. That is a big drop in energy levels.  Without a doubt, you are going to feel tired and grumpy.  Water not only increases energy and vitality, it will get rid of toxins.    

The New Year is a wonderful time to reflect and plan for a healthy future.  This is your year. This is the perfect time to make new choices and start a healthy plan that you can use for the rest of your life.

There is nothing wrong with the Old You, make this year all

about You - but better.  Remember eat well, feel good and live life.