clean eating recipes – Page 2

March 18, 2018March 18, 2018

POACHED EGG PERFECTION

HOW TO ACHIEVE A PERFECT POACHED EGG? and WHERE’S THE HOLLANDAISE?

Nothing tastes better on a Sunday morning than perfect poached eggs topped with a velvety hollandaise sauce.

There are many debates on how to achieve the perfect poached egg and hollandaise, so let’s get back to basics and make it simple.

Some B&B owners run hurling into a kitchen when an order for Poached Eggs is placed. Everyone has different idea on how to poach the perfect egg and most shy away from this simple task because they quite often get it wrong. The biggest problem being of course, is overcooking and the hollandaise separating.

We spend money buying special pans which guarantee the perfect poached, but these are quite unnecessary and take away from the natural appearance of how a poached egg should look on the plate.

Follow a few simple instructions will have you making your perfect Sunday brunch fit for a queen.

POACHED EGGS

Firstly, fill a skillet with 1-1/2 inches of water. Bring this water to a boil and then turn down to a simmer (you must never put you soon to be poached eggs into boiling water). Add two tablespoons of White Wine Vinegar. Swirl this around in the pan. If your skillet is large – you can poach 4 eggs at one time. If a smaller skillet is being used – do 2 at a time.

Using fresh free range eggs, break your egg into a small plate, with your whisk gently swirl the water around in your skillet. Slide the egg off the plate into the gently swirling water. Do the same with the remaining eggs. Leave to simmer for anywhere between 3 – 5 mins until the white is opaque and firm. Gently remove eggs with a slotted spoon and lay them on sheets of paper towel to absorb water.

While your eggs are simmering, you now have time to make your Hollandaise Sauce.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp white wine vinegar

2 large egg yolks

125 grams Kerrygold (grass fed butter) – melted

Sea Salt & Pepper

Put your lemon juice and vinegar into a heatproof bowl. Add your two egg yolks and whisk these together. Place your heatproof bowl over a small pan of simmering water, acting like a Bain-Marie. Continue to whisk being very careful at this point not to boil the water in the pan. The egg yolks will thicken and become a lighter yellow colour. You do not want your eggs to scramble so really watch the heat – be patient. Slowly add melted butter and continue to whisk. Sauce will become thick and velvety. Add sea salt & pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

(Quick Fix Tip as we all can get this one wrong sometimes – if your hollandaise separates while whisking, try adding a tbsp. of boiling water and continue to whisk – the velvety texture should return. You can also add one more egg yolk and whisk).

If you are using English Muffins or Crumpets, best to toast and butter these a minute or so before eggs are finished. You can place bacon or ham on top of your Muffin, then place the poached egg and top with a couple of tablespoons of Hollandaise. Voila! A perfect Sunday breakfast.

As Romeo was to Juliet – so is a perfect poached egg with hollandaise. Enjoy!

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Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

March 10, 2018March 10, 2018

MARY’S KITCHEN – GOAT’S CHEESE, TOMATO & CHORIZO

GOAT’S CHEESE, TOMATO & CHORIZO

This is my go to appetiser when I really want to impress my dinner guests and with very little fuss, conjure this delightful blend of ingredients up.

This combinations work perfectly and with the addition of some extra virgin olive oil (always buy the best you can afford), some fresh tarragon or dried, a squeeze of lemon and voila, you have a fabulous starter to compliment any dinner party or simply on its own, a light lunch or supper snack.

You will need a lovely crusty French baguette for dipping at the end. The combination of flavours enlightens the taste buds and it will cross your mind to almost lick the plate, but I recommend using the baguette to mop up the remaining juices. (or a gluten free version)

If you have some small oval ear serving dishes, these lend themselves well to this dish.

Assembling will only take moments and the result will be award winning.

Treat your food like a fashion accessory and layer it up. Great colourful results.

GOAT’S CHEESE, TOMATO & CHORIZO

3 – 3/4″ slices of goats cheese per serving (roughly 100 grams – 4 ounces)

1 Large Vine Ripened Tomato

6 slices of chorizo

A drizzle of Olive Oil

A sprinkle of fresh or dried tarragon

A sprinkle of chilli flakes

Squeeze 1/4 whole lemon juice

2 sun dried tomatoes plus 4 cherry tomatoes

Method – slice vine ripened tomato, assemble evenly in the bottom of your dish – place the 3 goats cheese slices – chorizo – drizzle with olive oil and squeeze 1/4 of a lemon. Sprinkle with tarragon, chilli flakes & black pepper.

Top with sun dried tomatoes and cherry tomatoes.

French Baguette for mopping juices. Awesome result!

serving size 1 bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Serve as a starter, light lunch or supper snack.

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Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

January 21, 2018January 21, 2018

DANETTE MAY’S 30 DAY CHALLENGE – DAY 14 – HAVE I FALLEN OFF THE WAGON YET??

The answer to that, is a big fat NO! Two weeks now clocked up on the 30 day challenge, 14 days of clean eating and how do I feel? Fantastic. The release in weight is not as much as I would like, but the older you get, it does get more difficult. I am pleased however, with the results so far.

My skin is shiny and more vibrant, hair is gleaming and my jeans fit with no muffin top! Speaking of muffins, I would like to share the Fat-Burning Blueberry Muffin recipe with you. This recipe is a great breakfast treat or enjoy with a cup of dandelion tea which I have become to love the taste of.

Fat Burning Blueberry Muffins (Muffins that won’t give you the muffin top)

Preheat oven to 350F 180C or Gas Mark 4 Makes 12

3 eggs, 1 cup almond butter, 1 cup group almonds, 1/2 cup honey, 3/4 cup blueberries, 1/3 cup melted coconut oil, 1/3 cup shredded organic unsweetened coconut, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. sea salt and cinnamon (optional)

Whisk eggs in a large bowl until colour of butter, add ground almonds, blend, add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Use muffin liners inside your muffin tin – fill 12 cases top with some more shredded coconut and/or chai seeds. Then bake for 15/20 minutes.

Cool then enjoy with a cup of dandelion or green tea.

During Day 8 through to 11, if you have been weighing yourself regularly, you will be sorely disappointed. During this period my weight did not alter much on the scales, that is why it is important to discard them. At this stage discouragement does set in and that large glass of wine seems to be looming in my vision. Don’t go getting negative. This plan works but don’t fall astray at this point. Good things are about to happen. My advice at this point is, STAY POSITIVE, and let any negative feelings dissipate.

My clothes started to feel more comfortable, any bloating I had was alleviated, I have more energy and accomplish much more throughout the day.

I walked with my dogs this week 107,188 steps which equates to 81.89 kilometres. An improvement on last weeks by about 10KM.

I’m moving into the third week in a very positive frame of mind. There is only one thing I have found difficult and I know others do to, is drinking 3.7 litres of water everyday. You have to plan your day around that one for the obvious reasons.

Other than that, I’m on track and welcome the forthcoming week.

TODAY’S BLOOD PRESSURE WEIGHT

137/82 PULSE 76 (resting) RELEASED 9-1/4LBS.

Looking forward to the next 7 days.

If you are enjoying my blogs and following me on this clean eating challenge, please subscribe after reading this blog my entering your email address in the subscribe area. You will them receive notification when I have posted.

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

January 14, 2018January 14, 2018

DANETTE MAY’S 30 DAY CHALLENGE – YES, I HAVE REACHED DAY 7

Je suis arrive – DAY 7 of the Danette May clean eating challenge !!

What can I say, except the second time around has been much easier for me. I have reached Day 7 with no real dramas. The 3 day detox I embraced and welcomed this time. After abusing my body during the festive season with copious amounts of alcoholic refreshments, it was time to stop the train and change stations. So instead of running of into the woods like a frightened rabbit I opened my mind and said, bring it on. I’m pleased to report that I did not suffer headaches, or nausea, or food pangs this time, and all in all, a pretty easy 3 days of it.

During this 7 Day period I included in my detox and clean eating plan, my daily mediations and pleasant stretching pilates. A workout does not have to be strenuous to be effective. I’m pleased to report during this week I have also covered over 90,000 steps which equates to 70km. Thats a lot of ground to cover in one week on foot. Having 3 dogs does assist this figure as I do take them for long morning walks most mornings.

It was wonderful to taste a little food on Day 2 when Quinoa (pronounced KeenWah) was introduced with Kale. The Apple Cider Vinegar and Cumin drizzle made it very tasty. I admit to adding some fresh red chilli, mango and organic shredded coconut to the dish, if nothing else, to make it look it bit more attractive to eat – it was delicious.

I’ve become a bit of a dab hand at making smoothies – Fired Up Metabolism, Wake Me Up & Shrink Me Down, Detox Pina Colada, Green Goddess, to name but a few, each having a different purpose. The only one I didn’t care for too much, but drank it anyway with my eyes tightly clenched while holding my breath, was the Fired Up Metabolism smoothie. Oh my, give me liver and onions before I would like to taste this again. Perhaps it was the cacoa, but I just had to force this one down kicking and screaming.

Moving into Day 4 is always exciting because the menus open up into a new food world you perhaps didn’t know existed. Hummus Beet Wraps, Turkey Bacon & Bok Choy Salad, Egg Omelettes, Oatmeal (or Porridge as we call it here in Scotland), Lemon infused Salmon, Ginger Chicken and more smoothies of course, all of which were delicious and awakened your palate.

I loved starting each morning and ending the evening with a cup of warm lemon water (one freshly squeezed lemon into a cup of warm water) and add 1 tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar (try Braggs which has “The Mother”). ACV with Mother is unrefined ACV that contains beneficial bacteria and acetic acid, making it good for digestion and has a number of other benefits. I also now enjoy a cup of Dandelion Tea, which contains vitamins A, C and D, and significant amounts of zinc, iron, magnesium and potassium. It helps alleviate bloating, diabetes and liver dysfunction.

TODAY’S BLOOD PRESSURE WEIGHT

135/89 PULSE 63 (resting) RELEASED 8 LBS.

Looking forward to the next 7 days.

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

January 7, 2018January 7, 2018

30 DAYS AND ANOTHER NEW CHALLENGE with DANETTE MAY

A start to a new year always brings out the best possible intentions to lose weight, to get rid of stress, to workout in the gym more, learn something new, get rid of negativity, cleanse yourself from jaundiced friendships, and generally rejuvenate one’s body, soul and mind.

I found a program that not only worked for me in the past, but I have decided to kick off 2018 with the same program this year. Danette May, founder of the 30 Day Challenge Program, is not only a promoter of healthy clean eating, a fitness guru, author and mother created the 30 Day Challenge to help people not only shed excess weight but to find their inner self again.

This is my second time around on this program and I’m excited and pumped to share with you my 30 day challenge. For one month, starting January 8,2018, I will detox my body from built up toxins due to eating inflammatory foods high in sugar content and drinking copious amounts alcohol. I will exercise each day, add in a long walk with my beloved Hungarian Vizslas, meditate, and eat clean organic foods and consume handfuls of chia, hemp and flax seeds in my smoothie drinks.

The end result will be rewarding, of that I have no doubt. I will continue to post most days to encourage others who are also on the same journey. If you fall, do not worry, there will be someone to pick you up and dust you off.

If you are struggling with weight issues, low confidence self esteem, generally need a pick-me-up, I can recommend to you to follow one of Danette May’s 30 Day Challenge.

If you want to learn more click on http://mbsy.co/l7ChV (you may need to copy and paste as my techno skills are somewhat limited)

If you have enjoyed my Blog – please subscribe by filling in your email address and you will then receive all future blogs.

Thank you,

Mary Joan Calder

August 23, 2017August 23, 2017

ALDI CONTINUES TO INCREASE CLEAN EATING PRODUCT LINES

ALDI CONTINUES TO INCREASE THEIR CLEAN EATING PRODUCT LINE

Clean eating products such as coconut milk, coconut oil, almond/cashew butter, protein powders, chia seeds, quinoa, maca powder, fresh greens and fruit and be a costly exercise in your everyday supermarkets.

I recently wrote an article on Aldi taking the clean eating market by storm and I am here to report to you that they continue to add to their product line with items you would normally only find in expensive health food store.

Along with their Functional Food range, they have a new range called The Foodie Market. They now carry Organic Coconut Sugar and Organic Coconut Flour (which is completely gluten and wheat free). Both these products can be substituted in recipes that contain normal plain flour and refined sugars. The coconut flour can be used in all sorts of baking – cakes, muffins, pancakes etc. Coming directly from the palms grown in Sri Lanka, organic coconut flour is an excellent addition to your gluten and wheat free cooking recipes.

The coconut sugar is unrefined – dehydrated coconut blossom nectar. It comes directly from Indonesia and is made from the nectar of the coconut flower. This is a 100% natural alternative to refined sugar. Wonderfully delicious and superior to refined sugar to sweeten your favourite recipes.

You can purchase both these products now at Aldi – again, at a fraction of the cost of your nearest health food store.

Here is a recipe for you to try out using both products.

ONE BOWL COCONUT SUGAR COOKIES – MAKES 1 DOZEN

You will need:

8 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup coconut sugar

3/4 cup coconut flour

3 tablespoons cacao powder

1/4 teaspoon pink sea salt

Preheat oven to 350F
Combine the wet ingredients (coconut oil, egg, vanilla) in a mixing bowl.
Add the remainder of the ingredients into the bowl and mix until well combined.
Roll the dough into 12 balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet, press down with a fork to flatten.
Place cookies in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.
Remove cookies and place to cool on a baking rack.
Most important – enjoy!

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