Chana Dahl with Cauliflower, Sweet Potato and Broccoli

3/4 cup Chana Dal, soaked for 30mins in boiling water (make sure you rinse first)
1 cup raw cashews
1 onion thinly chpped
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp Ground cumin
1 tsp ground tumeric
1/2 tsp ground cardamon
500 gm cauliflower
2 small sweet potatoes
handful chopped kale
400 ml coconut milk

Cook the Chana Dal and chopped sweet potato in 2 1/2 cups water.  Bring to boil and simmer till soft.  Approx 15 mins.

In another saucepan add a little water and saute onion tll translucent.  Add all the spices and cook till the house smells like curry.  Add the cauliflower and brocolii and coat with the spices.  Add a little water, cover and cook for about 10 mins.  Add the Chan Dal, sweet potato and coconut milk, bring to boil then add Kale and cook till wilted.

Roasted Beetroot and Apple Soup

Ingredients
2 x large beetroot
4 x crunchy apples
garlic, chilli, ginger
1  brown onion
Stock

Cut beetroot into 1/4 and wrap in alfoil and place in oven for approx 1 hour or until soft.

In a saucepan add a little stock and saute onion, add garlic, ginger and chilli to taste.

Chop apples and beetroot, add about 2 cups of stock (add more for thinner consistency) and simmer for 20 mins.

Using a stick blender or food processor blend until smooth

Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and enjoy :-)

Vitamins and Minerals

Beetroots are a great source of many essential vitamins and minerals.

• Folate (B9): One of the B-vitamins, important for normal tissue growth and cell function (4). It is particularly important for pregnant women (5).
• Manganese: An essential trace element, found in high amounts in whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
• Potassium: A diet high in potassium can lead to reduced blood pressure levels, and have positive effects on cardiovascular health (6).
• Iron: An essential mineral, which has many important functions in the body. It is necessary for the transport of oxygen in red blood cells.
• Vitamin C: An antioxidant that is important for immune function and skin health (7, 8).

Bottom line: Beetroots are good sources of vitamins and minerals, such as folate, manganese, potassium, iron and vitamin C.

Spinach, Mushroom & Caramelised Onion Quesadillas

I had been looking for a vegan type quesadilla recipe (without all the cheese) and kept finding ones with vegetables, like sweet potato and black beans.  And while that sounds good too I was really looking for something more maybe fajita like with onions or capsicums.  We love our Mexican dishes and looking to create some new ones to complement our new lifestyle.

But everything had cheese and sour cream and I didn’t want that since we are eating unprocessed and organic.

I stumbled upon this recipe yesterday and knew I just had to try it.  We had some organic superfood wraps in the cupboard (Chia, Spinach, Kale & Broccoli) so I knew I was on to a winner with this one.  Becki had not had an appetite since her surgery; taste buds and smell were off as a result of all those drugs in her system, so I knew this would liven up her senses.

 It was a hit with Becki’s verdict?  “Tastes like real food.  Best meal in a really long time”.  Lucky we have left overs for tonight.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons olive oil

3 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced

handful  mushrooms (I used button and baby bella)

fresh spinach leaves

vegan cheese

Refried Beans

•  1 brown onion, finely chopped
•  2 garlic cloves, crushed
•  3 teaspoons ground cumin
•  1 teaspoon ground coriander
•  400g  cooked red Kidney beans, (Instructions on how to cook the beans)

Instructions

1. Start by sautéing the onions in a little water or stock over low heat. This will take between 30-40 minutes until they are a deep caramel color. Stir often checking if they need more water to keep from burning. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the mushrooms about 30 minutes in and let them release their liquid and soften, another 10 minutes.
3. Wipe out the frypan and keep over low heat.
4. Spread a small amount of refried beans on an organic wrap, spread some of the onion/mushrooms on ONE SIDE only and top with some baby spinach leaves.
5. Place in the skillet and let it crisp up (1 min or 2) add the vegan cheese then fold the tortilla in half.
6. Cut in 2 and serve with fresh coriander

Instructions to make refried beans

1. Heat water in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, cumin and coriander. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add beans and 1/3 cup cold water. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat. Cool slightly.
2. Transfer mixture to a heatproof bowl. Using a potato masher, coarsely mash. Season with pepper.

Roasted Broccoli, Freekah, Lentil & Bean Salad with Maple Mustard Dressing

We believe that a a lifestyle with quality plant-based foods can prevent, treat and reverse many major diseases, and improve overall health. Animal products such as meat, dairy and eggs increases our risk of disease. Public awareness is growing over the impact of modern factory-style animal farming methods on our health and environment. 

We are enjoying the many benefits of our new lifestyle including weight loss, increased energy and being able to ditch the cholesterol and blood pressure medication.  We are also loving the many varied recipes we are finding and experimenting with flavours and textures.

A strict plant-based diet can prevent us from getting enough protein, iron and calcium if we do not do our research and ensure that we are eating a balanced diet.

Last nights dinner consisted of
Broccoli - is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, chromium and folate. It is a very good source of dietary fibre, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin E, manganese, phosphorus, choline, vitamin B1, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), potassium and copper.
Freekah - high fiber - four times the fiber of brown rice, low GI - helps to prevent diabetes, high in protein content, low in available carbs, high in calcium for bone health, rich in lutein - important for eye health, rich in prebiotic properties - important for fueling the growth of healthy bacteria.
Lentils - good source of potassium, calcium, zinc, niacin and vitamin K, but are particularly rich in dietary fiber, lean protein, folate and iron.
Beans - contain a powerhouse of nutrients including antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals, such as copper, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium and zinc.
Honey - contains flavonoids, antioxidants which help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease.
Lemon Juice - vitamin C, citric acid, flavonoids, B-complex vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and fibre.
Almonds - contain lots of healthy fats, fibre, protein, magnesium and vitamin E.
Leafy Green Salad -  low in fat, high in dietary fiber, and rich in folic acid, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium, as well as containing a host of phytochemicals, such as lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene.

As well as being super delicious, easy to prepare it is amazingly good for our bodies.  We were so happy to have leftovers for lunch as it tasted as good cold on a salad as it did last night when it was hot.

• 1/2 cup uncooked freekah, lentils and beans (combination)
• 1 large  head of broccoli, florets removed and chopped to a uniform size
• 1-2 Tbsp. dijon mustard*
• 2-3 Tbsp.  maple syrup 
• juice of ½ lemon
• 2 handfuls chopped walnuts or almonds (optional)
• salt+pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Put 1.5 cups boiling water into saucepan and cook the freekah, lentils and beans for about 15 mins (covered) or until soft .
3. Place broccoli florets on the baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender and golden.
4. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Combine dijon, maple syrup, lemon,  in a small bowl or cup and stir to combine. The dressing will be thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
5. When the broccoli is roasted, carefully pour it into a food processor. Pulse until small pieces of broccoli remain (see photos).
6. In a large bowl, combine freekah, lentils, beans and pulsed broccoli. Pour dressing on top, and toss to combine. Add walnuts or almonds. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold! 

Smoky Chickpea Wraps With Dill Tahini Sauce

Our whole-food, plant-based life-style is centred on whole, unrefined, or minimally refined plants. It’s a diet based on fruits, vegetables, tubers, whole grains, and legumes; and it excludes  meat (including chicken and fish), dairy products, and eggs, as well as highly refined foods like bleached flour, refined sugar, and oil.

There are so many recipes focusing on this life-style we are excited to try something different every night.  We look forward to eating the delicious things we make for every single meal. We love eating healthy food because it tastes so good! We also love making dishes to share with you how incredible healthy vegan food can really be. 

Ingredients:

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or soak your own overnight and cook)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cucumber, sliced into spears
• 3 carrots, grated into long and thin sticks (we used our spiriliser)
• 1 cup spinach, chopped
• 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
• 4 superfood wraps
• Tahini Dill Sauce (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Mix the chickpeas with the paprika, chilli powder, salt, and olive oil. Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast for about 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the Tahini Dill Sauce and set aside.
3. On a tortilla, arrange the chickpeas with a few sliced of cucumbers and carrots, some kale, a handful of tomatoes, and several slices of avocado. Pour a few tablespoons over the vegetables and roll like a burrito. Slice in half

Tahini Dill Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2-4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp fresh dill
• juice half a lemon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp water

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. 

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Tahini Dressing and Maple Pecans

Eating seasonally makes eating interesting and fresh.  The ideal autumn diet helps transition our bodies from summer's lighter intake to heartier winter fare. Seasonally fresh produce is picked when they’re ripe and fully developed. The plant has had more sun exposure, which means it will have higher levels of antioxidants  When there’s abundance of a product,  the prices go down. 

Seasonal produce can grow without too much added human assistance i.e. pesticides and genetically modification. We know how these toxic compounds can contaminate the water and soil and also our health. Seasonal food that is locally produced,  reduces the load on our environment due to transport, or “food mileage”.  We love getting to know where our food is coming from, who is growing it and how makes us feel more connected to that whole process. Our local Albany Farmers Markets creates a  community around food that encourage us to share our knowledge, ask questions and engage in our own local environment. 

Here is the recipe for the dinner I made last night.

NGREDIENTS

For the Salad

• 1 cup red quinoa
• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1 red capsicum
• 3 small yellow squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Small bunch of Kale
• a sprinkle of dried spices that you like, or a few sprigs of thyme, rosemary, etc.
• 1 large apple

For the Lemon Tahini Dressing

• 2 tablespoons Tahini
• juice of one lemon (more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste

For the Maple Pecans

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse the quinoa and cook with 2 cups of stock. broth or water
2. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Chop the cauliflower into small florets. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes, chop the squash and capsicum. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with smokey paprika, salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, stir, and roast for another 10-15 minutes. When they are golden brown and soft, remove from oven and set aside.
3. While the veggies are roasting, combine all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight lid and shake to combine. Chop the apple and set aside.
4. In a frypan add chopped kale and wilt in a frypan with a little oil or broth (I added garlic, chillies and basil) until bright green.  Add to the roasted vegies.
5. Put pecans into a dry frypan, add maple syrup and salt and cook until crunchy.  (be careful not to burn, due to high sugar content of maple syrup)  Stir constantly, about 3 - 4 minutes.
6. Toss everything together and enjoy.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat – a nutrient-packed, gluten-free seed abundantly consumed in Asian countries for centuries – is now becoming increasingly popular in the U.S., Canada and Europe due to its many health benefits.

While most people think of buckwheat as a whole grain, it’s actually a seed that is high in both protein and fibre. It supports heart and heart health and can help prevent diabetes and digestive disorders. In fact, buckwheat seeds, also called “groats,” are so packed with nutrients and antioxidants − like rutin, tannins and catechin −that they are often called “superfoods.”

Despite its recent rise to nutrition fame, buckwheat is actually an ancient grain with a long history. Today, buckwheat is a favorite amongst plant-based and gluten-free eaters alike since it provides a high source of amino acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – all with relatively few calories and practically no fat.  

Despite its name, buckwheat actually doesn’t contain any wheat or the protein gluten..

As a vegan, buckwheat is a great food to regularly include in our diet because it provides two types of essential amino acids — types we cannot make on our own and must get from the foods we eat. Buckwheat nutrition contains essential amino acids called lysine and arginine. What’s important about this? These specific amino acids aren’t found in many other common cereal or whole grains, so getting them from buckwheat ensures you cover the full range of essential proteins your body needs.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small zucchini, cut into ½-inch dice (substitute or add other vegies)
• 1 cup  buckwheat

FOR THE DRESSING:

• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ onion, cut into ½-inch dice
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup chopped coriander
• 1 cup baby rocket
• 1 cup baby spinach
• ½ cup fresh orange juice

Instructions:

1. Place the buckwheat and 1¾ cups hot water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the grains are soft but chewy. Drain any excess water. Fluff the grains with a fork and set aside to cool.
2. To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3.. In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini, buckwheat, onions, tomatoes, and coriander . Add the dressing and mix well.
4.. In another bowl, toss the rocket and baby spinach in the orange juice. Place the greens on individual salad bowls, and top with the grain mixture. Serve garnished with roasted pumpkin seeds.

Serve either chilled or at room temperature.

Buckwheat Benefits

1. Improves Heart Health By Lowering Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Levels

2. Contains Disease-Fighting Antioxidants

3. Provides Highly Digestible Protein

4. High Fibre Content Helps Improve Digestion

5. Can Help Prevent Diabetes

6. Doesn’t Contain Gluten and Is Non-Allergenic

7. Supplies Important Vitamins and Minerals

Quinoa is a versatile, protein-filled superfood

Did you know quinoa is not actually a grain, but a seed that's closely related to the beet family? Of course, in cooking it's used as a grain because its nutritional and culinary properties more closely resemble true grains like millet, brown rice, and oats. Quinoa has been cultivated for over 3,000 years in the Peruvian Andes, where they call it the mother of all grains, and there are over 120 varieties!

Quinoa can grow in diverse climates and terrains, including areas with minimal irrigation and fertilisation, or as little as three to four inches of annual rainfall. 

The quinoa crop protects itself from predators with a waxy, bitter-tasting coat of saponins, an organic chemical compound that gets rinsed away during cultivation. Resourceful Andean families would traditionally save this saponin-heavy wash water to use as shampoo. Waste not want not.

We love our quinoa dishes.  Red is our favourite, but mixing the white, red and black gives lots of different textures.  This week we had a special vegan guest and it was our turn to shine making a special breakfast for her every morning.  We made a Farmers Market Breakfast Bowl and added tofu scramble.  As a spin off on this dish we enjoyed a Farmers Markets Dinner Bowl and added some char-grilled baby eggplant and zucchini.  This was a bowl full of goodness.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp stock
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 green onion, chopped
• ½ red pepper, chopped
• 2 cups spinach or kale
• 1 cup red quinoa cooked in 2 cups of stock
• char-grilled vegies

Cook Quinoa according to directions.
Heat a little stock in fry-pan.  Add spices, onion, red pepper and saute a few minutes.  Add the kale or spinach and heat until just wilted.  Add the cooked quinoa and stir through gently.  Place on plate and add the char-grilled vegetables.

Polenta, Corn and Broccoli Bake

I first saw this dish on a Facebook page  'Food that No One Died For' Just love the idea behind this site and it is full of yummy recipes.   Based on a recipe from the book "Feel Good Food" by Tony Chiodo.  As always I like to put my own twist on recipes so they are less refined and more rustic.  I used all fresh ingredients for our local Farmers Markets.

Ingredients

2 corn cob, kernels removed
1 onion, diced
sea salt
1 cup polenta
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
250 g broccoli florets, blanched and sliced in half

PUMPKIN TOPPING
500 g butternut pumpkin,  cut into large chunks, leave on the skin and leave in the seeds.
1 onion, cut into wedges
sea salt
2 tablespoons hulled tahini
1 teaspoon grated ginger 
1 teaspoon orange zest
Juice of 1 orange

Method

Bring 3 cups water to the boil in a saucepan over high heat and add the corn kernels, onion and a teaspoon of sea salt. 

Stir in the polenta, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 30-40 minutes, (or according to directions on packet.  I used a fast cooking polenta and it was ready in 5 mins)  stirring occasionally, or until the polenta comes off the sides easily. If the polenta thickens early, stir in some more water. 

Stir in the basil and pour the mixture into a lightly oiled 16 x 21 cm baking dish.

Arrange the broccoli florets over the top of the polenta. 

For the topping, roast the pumpkin and onion with a pinch of sea salt until soft. 

Transfer to a food processor and purée until smooth. Add the tahini, ginger juice and orange zest and jjuice to the processor and purée until smooth and creamy.  (add extra water or juice if necessary)

Pour the mixture over the broccoli and polenta and allow it to set in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.   

Top with some toasted pumpkin seeds and serve on spinach leaves with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

You can serve this dish at room temperature as a slice, or bake it at 170°C for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned, for a more wintry meal.

The link to the original recipe is HERE

CRUNCHY RED CABBAGE AND APPLE SLAW

Winter is here and there is a huge range of different fresh produce at the market.  We love to eat in season as the produce is fresher and generally cheaper.  This was our lunch today.  We still like to eat a RAW dish everyday.

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 4 heaping cups thinly shredded red cabbage
• 2 red apples, cut into strips
• 3 tablespoons shelled hemp seeds

For the dressing:

• ¼ cup tahini
• ¼ cup water
• 2 teaspoons agave nectar or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• ½ tsp sea salt (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1. Whisk dressing ingredients together and set aside.
2. Dress the shredded vegetables and hemp seeds with dressing; you can use as much as you like, but make sure you coat everything well! Serve.

Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for the next day.  No leftovers for us this time.

Warm Winter Salad

Summer and Autumn Salads have pretty much disappeared from the Farmers Market, and winter is here with cold days that really call for something warm for lunch.  This salad was warm, filling and nutritious.

Red Quinoa, Purple and Green Kale, Red Onion, Mudrooms, Apple with toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Dressing was tahini, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and a dash of maple syrup. 

Red Quinoa - is an ancient grain that is one food that fit people love due to its unique nutritional profile, as it contains a significant amount of protein, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals when compared to other grains. Quinoa is one of the few grains contains all nine of the essential amino acids. Most grains are low in lysine, therefore they are considered incomplete proteins. But, quinoa actually contains lysine, as well as all eight of the other amino acids, making it a complete protein, similar to animal proteins. 

Quinoa is considered one of the super foods!  It is a tremendous source of vitamins and minerals such as riboflavin, magnesium, and iron. Quinoa nutrition is high in many nutrients lacking in our modern diet due to the overconsumption of highly processed foods. It is high in B-vitamins such as riboflavin and folate, which are low in many modern diets as these nutrients tend to be lost during food processing. Since quinoa is a whole grain, it is not refined or processed, therefore all of the important vitamins remain intact.

Quinoa also provides significantly more calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc when compared to other grains

Celeriac and Carrot noodles with Mushrooms and Spinach

We received 2 huge bunches of spinach this week, so I was anxious to start cooking.  I have never liked spinach, but my taste buds have changed so much over the past 12 months, I am loving the taste of this iron packed vegetable.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium celery root (celeriac)
•  mushrooms
• 1 carrot
• 1 medium onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbs basil
• 1/2 can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• big bunch of chopped spinach
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Spiralise the celery root (celeriac) and carrot
2. In a medium saute pan, heat up 1 Tbs water on medium heat.
3. Add the onion, garlic and basil and saute until softened and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and stir until well combined, 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, 5-10 minutes.
6. If the vegetables start to stick to the pan, add a couple tablespoons of water and scrape the bottom of the pan.
7. Once the mushrooms are softened, add the spiralised celeriac and carrot, chopped spinach and ½ cup vegetable broth. Toss to combine.
8. Lower the heat to low, cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until the celeriac is al dente in texture.
9. Season with black pepper and a sprinkle of yeast flakes.

Red Lentil and Spinach Soup

It's winter and spinach is growing well in Pauline's garden.  We received 2 huge bags so google to the rescue to find a recipe and then adapt it to suit our lifestyle.

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped
2 gloves garlic, minced
2 cups red lentils rinsed well
6 cups of vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1-2 teaspoons curry powder
big bunch spinach, finely chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

Heat a little water in a large soup pot.  Add onions and saute over medium heat until translucent.  Add garlic and continue to saute until both are golden.

Add vegetable broth, followed by lentils and seasoning.  Bring to boil, lower heat, cover and simmer till lentils are mushy (approx 20 mins)

Remove from heat and add spinach, stir through and allow to wilt.  Season to taste and serve with coconut yogurt and fresh coriander.

NOTE:  Substitute Kale for Spinach.

Asparagus and Strawberry Salad with Maple Vinaigrette and Candied Pecans

I love our Albany Farmers in the Spring.  So many colourful fruit and vegies for our meals.  I am glad the produce knows it is Spring, because the weather certainly doesn't.  The last two weeks the farmers had to sell their produce in the rain and cold.  I am glad they are committed every week.

I used two of my favourite Spring ingredients for our salad this week.  Asparagus and Strawberries.  "Spring on a Plate" 

All measurements are approximate.  I don't normally measure just adjust and season to taste.

Roasted Asparagus

Prepare asparagus and roast your favourite way.  I like to toss in a little oil, salt and pepper and then in the oven for 10 - 15 mins, so they are still crunchy.

Candied Pecans

2 tablespoons Organic MapleSyrup
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Smokey Paprika
Dash of Cayenne Pepper
Splash of Olive Oil (or try Macadamia Oil)
Cup of Pecans

Toss together and bake in 185 degrees C oven for 10-15 mins

Maple Vinaigrette Dressing

1 tablespoon Olive Oil (or try Macadamia Oil)
1 tablespoon balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon Organic Maple Syrup

Whisk Together and drizzle over salad

To assemble salad, arrange the roasted asparagus on top of English Spinach. Toss sliced strawberries evenly through the salad and top with pecans.  Drizzle with the dressing when ready to serve.

Enjoy and know that it is good for you as well.

Nutritional Facts

Maple Syrup - contains calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus sodium, potassium, and zinc. Vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and B6

Strawberries - rich in the essential nutrients vitamin C, potassium, folic acid, and fibre. One cup of fresh strawberries contains 160 percent of the daily recommended quantity of vitamin C

Asparagus - excellent source of vitamin K, folate, copper, selenium, vitamin B2, vitamin C, and vitamin E. It is a very good source of dietary fibre, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, potassium, choline, vitamin A, zinc, iron, protein, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid. (listed as one of the worlds healthiest foods - World Health Organisation)

Spinach - excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, copper, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, potassium and vitamin C. It is a very good source of dietary fibre, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, protein and choline.

Pecans - contain health benefiting nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for wellness. The nuts are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid and an excellent source of phenolic antioxidants.

The Party Isn't Over When You Get Healthy

The longer we are following our healthy lifestyle, the easier it is and the best part is we now actually enjoy it. Our first step in getting to that happy place was to change our attitude.

At first, it may look like we had to give up everything (wine, chocolate, bacon) to lose weight and get healthy, but what we gained from those changes is much more meaningful and satisfying. The reason we should eat is to keep the body healthy and strong, and a healthy body leads to a happy mind! Not only has our body changed, but our mind has changed as well.

 We are gladly giving those things up as we experience how our body feels after healthier meals.

It didn’t cross our mind that working out was something we would look forward to. During the first few weeks of exercise, our body and mind rebelled against our new workouts and we wondered if we would have get used to it or enjoy it..

Like healthy eating, however, exercise actually became easier over time and now we look forward to it every day.  Well most days.  Cold 5 am mornings are still a bit of a challenge.

Here's what can happen when you make exercise a regular part of your life:

 Exercise can help with diabetes, heart disease, depression, anxiety and high cholesterol, as well as protect our bodies from some types of cancer.

We are more alert, focused and not dragging towards the end of the day.

We are so blessed to live in this corner of paradise with so many amazing beautiful beaches.  Imagine waves gently crashing along the shore, sunlight streaming through the beautiful fluffy clouds and kilometres of seemingly-endless sand joining the horizon.  This is our happy place during some of our exercise time.  Maggie loves getting out early enough, watching the sun rise from the horizon and feeling the warmth of the early morning sun.  Then there are the wonderful benefits of negative ions generated by the sea.  A Columbia University showed it to be a natural type of antidepressant; it also increases the flow of oxygen to the brain, reduces allergies, and helps us get a wonderful night sleep. 

Our Garmin has also made it so easy to WANT to exercise and get in shape. It is one of the things that drives us every day. We want to hit our goals and we get excited to get out bed in the morning and start moving. We LOVE seeing those smiling faces on Garmin dashboard at the end of the day, and we look forward to weighing ourselves every morning. We LOVE watching the kilos drop off and the feeling of loose clothing — clothes we couldn’t fit into before!

You don’t have to use a Garmin or FitBit, but finding ways to make exercise fun and you will want to do it as often as possible. Our Garmin’s just makes it easy and fun as we challenge each other and ourselves..

Finding the fun in healthy eating rather than experiencing the pain of poor eating

We are eating a primarily plant-based diet focused around whole, fresh foods. These are the foods full of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and all the energy we need to live our lives. We never feel deprived – we eat what we want and that’s mostly just whole foods prepared in simple and delicious ways.  We are finding the fun in healthy eating rather than experiencing the pain of poor eating. Anyone who believes eating healthy is no fun does not really understand how to eat healthy. 

Maggie’s choice to eat plant-based is an ethical one and Becki’s is more a health one, but we also love how a plant-based diet makes us feel. Day to day, our diet consists of vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, some grains like chia, oats, brown rice and quinoa and some beans and lentils.

We are not on a diet and we are certainly not counting calories or worrying about our weight. Maintaining a healthy body weight is just a by-product of eating foods that are good for you. We are eating for health and happiness and real food makes us happy! This is a new lifestyle for us and we are very passionate about it.

We love cooking healthy meals at home, full of every colour in the rainbow. We enjoy experimenting with recipes, new foods, herbs and flavours. We love how amazing a healthy diet can make us feel inside and out. We now have so much energy and know it’s because we are fuelling our body with healthy, whole foods!

We feel very, very fortunate that we have the choice to eat the way we do with access to fresh, seasonal and local produce, farmers markets and health food stores. We have plenty of everything we need, every day. Why would we eat any other way when we have access to all this beautiful, real food?  

Eating Healthy is FUN!!

Anyone who believes eating healthy is no fun does not really understand how to eat healthy. They believe starvation and deprivation is the only way to eat healthy and lose weight. In fact, both starvation and deprivation are unhealthy, and should never be a way of eating.


My definition of healthy eating is eating food that is enjoyable to me in the quantity that is good for me.


Where is the fun in healthy eating?

• We are discovering the large array of food that is colourful, seasonal, enjoyable and healthy. 
• We no longer suffer with the over full feeling. 
• We have lost weight and now control and manage our body weight. 
• We are in control of our food, and food is not in control of is. 
• We are enjoying better health as our bodies are nourished. 
• We are experiencing increased energy, leading to improved achievements. 
• The chances of ill-health consequences have diminished and we no longer take medications to regulate blood pressure and cholesterol. 
• Adding quality of life to our years. 
• It has improved our mood. 
• We are more socially and physically active. 
• Our appearance and outlook on life continues to improve. 

How can we use our experience to help others? By being a good example and encourager and continue blogging our journey that being healthy is fun. Passing on the message and keeping the plant-based lifestyle movement going. We are fully committed and will continue to share our journey. All the benefits of a plant-based diet are too good not share and we would love everyone to experience improved health, weight loss while reducing our carbon footprint. We will lead by example and try not to preach.

Adopting a predominantly plant-based life-style

There is a huge difference between adopting a vegan lifestyle and “going on a diet” It’s easy to be tempted into straying from diet plan or “cheating”, but it’s not the same with veganism. We know why we made the decision to be vegan and why we wanted to adopt this lifestyle. It was important to learn the benefits of a vegan lifestyle and the effect animal products have on our health, environment, and humanity. After watching the documentary Forks over Knives our eyes were opened to the real effects animal products have on our lives.


“There’s lots of well-controlled science and research to show that adopting a predominantly plant-based diet probably has the biggest impact on health [compared to other diets] for all the chronic diseases,” says Rick Miller, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association.


“Eating more plants and fibre and reducing our consumption of meat not only leads to weight loss but also to a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, high blood pressure and certain cancers, especially prostate, breast and bowel.”


“A vegan diet is obviously very low in saturated fat, which mostly comes from animal products,” says Rick Miller. “But research has also shown the unsaturated fats found in plant-based foods don’t seem to accumulate in visceral fat. That has huge implications for people’s health because it’s visceral fat that leads to things such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.”


We are excited to think of all the new and delicious foods there are to try and not concerned about the foods we're giving up. We are so surprised at how many options there really are. There’s loads of suitable international dishes and it is easy it is to veganise our old favourite meals and recipes.


We are continually researching and learning the benefits of a vegan lifestyle and educating ourselves about the practices and costs behind the production of animal products.


Becki and I have lost 65kg between us (that;s a whole other person)since starting on our new lifestyle and feel healthier than ever before. Its an exciting journey and we feel blessed that we are able to travel this road together.






We are inviting our guests along on our journey, by offering Vegan menu options for breakfast and dinner. Inspiring our guests to change their life and creates some special food memories along the way.