Blueberry and Banana Muffins!

I just made these delish Blueberry and Banana Muffins! Nice for a treat and for those transitioning from a CW way of eating.

2 mashed bananas
6 eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
4 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries

Mash the bananas and mix with the eggs. Add in melted coconut oil or butter and the vanilla, combine with the dry ingredients.
Fold in frozen blueberries.

Fanbake for 15 minutes on 200C
Makes 12

Reflections about my journey!

Here are some of the things that have changed for me over my almost 5 year weight loss/health journey:

I no longer obsess over the numbers, I have chosen not to weigh myself anymore, while I know I am not as small as my original lowest weight I feel like I'm at a place where I don't have to eat so strictly to maintain and that feels healthy for me even if it means I'm not my 'skinniest'.

I eat healthy food most of the time because it makes me feel good not because of the amount of calories or the carbohydrate content in a particular food (this has taken me a long time to achieve). I also enjoy some indulgences as I'm such a foodie and I get a lot of pleasure from beautifully made treats, I just have to limit it.

I've always been a bit up and down with the exercise over the years but this year something finally clicked for me. I have been exercising consistently since January this year, I actually want to do it for the first time in my life, I do whatever my body feels like doing even if that means resting, my activities include Walking, Bike riding, Weight training or Pilates and I feel amazing!

For the first time on my journey I feel like I am the healthiest and the happiest I have ever been. You would think being the thinnest would make me the happiest but it honestly didn't, I've been every weight from 54-107kgs in my 20's and I've known my exact weight everyday for all those years. Now I'm approaching 32 and I don't know my exact number and that feels beyond freeing.

Cajun Chicken with Mint dressing

This chicken dish is one of my favorite dishes, it's fresh, spicy, tasty and just plain ol yummy! Plus it's super easy :)

Depending on your personal preference you can either serve it with Rice (like above) or Cauliflower Salad (like below) 

Chicken:
Use chicken tenderloins and marinate in Cajun Seasoning, you could either make your own (Salt, Paprika, Black Pepper, Onion, Basil, Garlic, Chilli, Fennel, Thyme) or you could use Masterchef Cajun Seasoning http://www.masterfoods.co.nz/Products/ProductDetail/tabid/83/ProductId/1477/Cajun-Seasoning.aspx however it has wheat starch in it so if you are intolerant to that then make your own. 

Dressing: 
150gms Plain Greek Yoghurt
Juice of two limes and the grated lime zest
Bunch of chopped up Mint or Coriander
Cubed cucumber - amount varies depending on how much cucumber you want


The Cauliflower salad is a recipe from Annabel Langbein:

• 200g cauliflower, cut into florets, stems discarded

• ½ cup salted roasted cashews

• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

• 1 tsp grated ginger

• 2 tsp neutral oil

• salt and ground black pepper

Place cauliflower and cashews in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in coriander leaves, ginger, oil and a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Toss to combine evenly.

http://www.annabel-langbein.com/recipes/crisp-cauliflower--cashew-salad/223

Broc-N-Cheese!

This is my version of one of my old favorite comfort foods... Mac-N-Cheese (not the packet variety either, the real homemade goodness) Obviously this is not as good as when you use pasta but it also doesn't leave you feeling guilty, foggy and generally like you need to have a nap ;)

Broc-N-Cheese!

• ½-1 head broccoli or cauliflower
• 3 strips streaky bacon
• ¾ cup cream
• Egg yolk
• Salt, pepper, mustard, paprika & curry powder (pinch of each)
• ¾ cup grated cheddar cheese

Chop up your broccoli into really small pieces, cook using a steamer.

Grill your bacon until crisp and then chop into really small pieces.

Put your cream into a saucepan and add all the seasonings,let it reduce for 10-15 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally, once almost the thickened consistency of a white sauce then take off the heat and add in your egg yolk and grated cheese.  To cheat the reduction method you can buy thickened cream instead but reducing your own cream is a much richer tastier way to go! Or if flour doesn't bother you then just make a traditional cheese sauce.

Sprinkle the bacon on top and viola! Enjoy :)

Pumpkin & Feta Frittata

Pumpkin & Feta Frittata

• 1/2 - 3/4 cup cooked or roasted pumpkin or you could use sweet potato, potato or kumara
• 50gms Feta cheese crumbled
• 2 strips of streaky bacon sliced and fried
• 1-2 Tbsps Pinenuts fried
• 2 sundried tomatoes
• 2 eggs beaten with a little dash of cream or milk and Salt & Pepper

Cook your pumkin, either par-boiling it first and then frying it or use leftover roasted pumpkin, fry your bacon, add the pinenuts to give them a quick brown but take them out quickly!  Once cooked put in a bowl.

Chop up your sundried tomatoes and crumble your feta.  Beat 2 eggs with your cream and S & P in a bowl, add everything into the bowl then pour into a small frying pan approximately the size as above. Cook very slowly on a low heat for about 5 minutes and then transfer to the grill to finish the top off which will still be runny, will take about another 3-5 minutes under the grill.

This is perfect for any meal and would be an ideal thing to make to take for your lunches when you are lost for ideas! Hope you all enjoy it as much as I do :)

Photoshoot!!!

On the weekend I had my first ever photoshoot for just me! 

It was a bit of fun playing dress ups for a couple of hours.  

Crazy to think that the picture of me on the left was close to 5 years ago, taken back in October 2008.  It certainly keeps me motivated to keep the weight off, after all one of the biggest challenges after losing a lot of weight is keeping it off!!! 80-90% of people gain it all back and then some within 5 years which is pretty alarming.  October 2013 will be 5 years since I started this journey so by the time October 2014 comes around I will be 100% confident that all the weight I have lost is gone permanently.

Photographer: Dayna Jury
https://www.facebook.com/DaynaJuryPhotoandVideo?fref=ts

Banana Walnut Cranberry Muffins

Here's another brilliant recipe from one of my readers Megan Roberts.  They look delicious, I haven't tried them yet but thought they were worth sharing! I personally don't use Splenda as a sweetener but you could substitute it for stevia or honey depending on how closely you watch your carb counts.

Banana Walnut Cranberry Muffins

Makes 6 Texas sized Muffins

• 2 bananas, mashed
• 4 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon macadamia oil
• 1/2 cup cream

Mix these ingredients together in one bowl

• 1/4 cup coconut flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup Splenda or other sweetener

Mix these ingredients together in a separate bowl

• 1/2 cup of thread coconut
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Mix the wet mixture with the coconut, walnuts and cranberries and then combine the dry.

Bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius