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xx J & L
Today is Friday (yay) and for those of you who like your boss, take a few seconds to give them a hug as it’s ‘Hug your boss day’.
When you hug someone you love a chemical called Oxytocin is released from the brain. This is what gives you that warm fuzzy feeling. That’s why when you are feeling a bit down a hug can make everything seem just that little bit better.
Here are some hug facts:
Hug for a healthy heart- Hugging increases Oxytocin (a heart healthy hormone) and decreases the stress hormone Cortisol (the hormone that leads to high blood pressure and heart disease).
Hugs lead to a lowered heart rate - Hugs also provide a calming effect. Those hugged are shown to have heartbeats five to ten beats slower per minute than those who are not hugging.
Hugs are good for blood pressure - Hugging reduces blood pressure.
Full body hugs stimulate the nervous system - Full body hugs have been shown to increase nervous system stimulation. This has been used as a physical therapy technique by some professionals.
Hugs release beneficial natural chemicals - Who needs an artificial high when a hug has been shown to release dopamine - a natural “feel good” brain chemical.
Don’t forget to hug!
Love J x
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar has been around for 10,000’s of years. Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician and “Father of Modern Medicine,” believed in the healing properties of vinegar and Japanese Samurai Warriors apparently drank the vinegar for strength and power. Today the most common use for Apple Cider Vinegar is to have it as a drink or use in food preparation.
Our parents swear by Apple Cider Vinegar and drink it daily. My Dad is forever sending me articles showing the benefits of the vinegar so it prompted me to pass the health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar to you all.
What are the main health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple Cider Vinegar is a detoxifier and contains a large amount of anti-oxidants. It helps break up mucous throughout the body and cleanses the lymph nodes.
Acid Base Balance - Apple Cider Vinegar helps to keep the body’s pH balance with the normal range and helps the body maintain a healthy alkaline level.
Apple Cider Vinegar helps to break down fats so that your body can use them rather than store them. Some people say that this can help to aid in weight loss.
It can be used as a natural remedy for heartburn – take 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with water after a meal.
Apple Cider Vinegar contains Pectin– this helps to regulate blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol.
Sugar Cravings – when I drank Apple Cider Vinegar I noticed that my sugar cravings were not so strong.
How do you take Apple Cider Vinegar?
It is best taken in the morning before you eat anything.
Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar with 1 cup of water.
How often should I drink Apple Cider Vinegar?
The brand my parents buy (http://bragg.com/products/bragg-organic-apple-cider-vinegar.html) suggests that you drink this 3 times a day. My parents only take the vinegar once in the morning and have noticed results so start out small and then up your intake as you feel necessary.
Where can I buy this from?
Some supermarkets stock Apple Cider Vinegar and most Health food stores should. I get mine from Huckleberry Farms in Royal Oak. It is $13.50 for 946mL and this lasts for months and months so works out to be very cheap per serving.
Love J x
Green Breakfast Smoothie
Pear, Banana, Kale, Parsley and Water: strange food combinations but when blended together taste amazing!
Again, you cannot taste the Kale, it’s the strong banana taste that really comes through. I am a big Parsley fan so added quite a bit as I love the flabour.
What you will need:
1x Pear
1x Banana
3x leaves of Kale
2 Tbsp Parsley (you may want to start with less and add more if this is your first time using parsley in a smoothie)
1 cup water
Blend together.
A few people have been asking me where they can buy Kale from. If you are in Auckland you will find it in the following places:
Huckleberry Farms: 6 Campbell Road, Royal Oak, Auckland
Huckleberry Farms: 150 Apriana Avenue, Glen Innes, Auckland
Harvest Wholefoods: 405 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland
Love J x
These are too cute to not share with you!
Gao Xianzhang, a Chinese farmer, has spent six years creating baby Buddha Pears. He has created 10,000 of them at a cost of Five Pounds each.
The pears grow inside a mould and Goa plans on exporting them to Europe and the UK.
I wonder if of our New Zealand fruit growers will create something similar?
Love L & J x
(Source: Daily Mail)
If you are gluten free it can sometimes be hard to find suitable foods to eat for breakfast - these delicious Buckwheat Pancakes are white flour and sugar free so perfect for all the gluten free lovers.
A few facts about Buckwheat:
It is a fruit seed and related to rhubarb.
1 cup of Buckwheat contains almost 86 milligrams of Magnesium. Magnesium improves blood flow and nutrient delivery – this makes for a happy heart ♥
Before using in cooking make sure that you rinse the Buckwheat under water to remove any dirt.
Buckwheat Pancakes
What you will need:
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup milk
1 egg, separated
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons melted butter
Vegetable oil, for cooking
Method:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, and ginger.
In a small bowl mix together the milk, egg yolk, honey, and butter.
Mix the liquid ingredients into the dry until just combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white until soft peaks form. Fold the egg white into the batter. (Note: The beaten egg white lightens the pancakes and gives them a little life. It really only takes about 2 minutes with a whisk, but if you’re short on time just add the whole egg all at once.)
Heat a nonstick frying pan over moderate heat. Coat the pan lightly with oil.
Pour the batter onto the frying pan to form 10cm pancakes. Cook until small bubbles start to form on the top of the pancakes.
Flip the pancakes to the other side and cook until done, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Serve hot with warm honey or maple syrup – also really yummy with fresh berries on the side. Perfect for breakfast or even desert!
Love L x
Why gluten free is the way to be!
‘Gluten Free’ is everywhere: supermarkets, magazines, and celebrity diets. Does it have real health advantages? Can it help you lose weight and stay healthy?
Gluten is a protein found in certain types of grain such as wheat, rye, barley. These grains can cause an autoimmune reaction in the small intestine, resulting in symptoms ranging from stomach pain and nutrient malabsorption.
Most of us unknowingly love it, because gluten gives our favorite foods that special touch. It makes pizza dough stretchy, gives bread its spongy texture, and is used to thicken sauces and soups.
Here are some reasons you may want to go gluten free.
Wheat is a pro-inflammatory agent. A pro-inflammatory agent is rapidly converted to sugar, causing a rise in the body’s insulin levels, causing a burst of inflammation at the cellular level, among other problems.
Wheat can cause leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut syndrome is a condition whereby stuff is leaking from your gut into your bloodstream, stuff that shouldn’t be there, such as toxins.
Refined wheat has little nutritional value. Did you know that manufacturers actually have to enrich refined wheat because they’ve taken out all the nutrients? And even then, the wheat is not that valuable, nutritionally speaking.
Wheat is one of the top-eight allergens. Millions of people are allergic to wheat — so many, in fact, that it has made it onto the top-eight allergen list.
Many people have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, and don’t know it. So, how many people fall into this category? No one knows for sure. But 1 in 100 people have celiac disease, but most don’t know it. No one knows how many people have gluten sensitivity, but estimates are that it may be as high as 50 percent, or even 70 percent, of the population.
Some gluten free grain options include Amaranth, Buckwheat, Millet, Quinoa, Rice and Corn.
We will post some Quinoa recipes in the next few weeks and a Buckwheat recipe after this post.
Love L x
dan-yell asked: made your green smoothie for breakfast this morning, felt amazing all day! definitely locking that into the routine, thanks girls xx
That is great to hear! Thank you for the feedback. We will post up lots of smoothie and juice recipes in the coming weeks x
Free Range Chooks
One of my nearest and dearest girlfriends opened up a Free Range Rotisserie in Ponsonby this year named Bird On A Wire.
Without being biased, I have to say it is my favourite takeaway (or eat in if you wish) spot. The menu is simple but perfect and considering the standard of the food it is extremely well priced.
Tonight I had a dinner date with my brother Ryan and wanted him to give Bird on a Wire a try. He ordered a whole chicken with a Jamaican Jerk baste, Chicken and Thyme Croquettes, Cous Cous Salad and the Asian Slaw Salad (he eats a lot!). I went for my favorite, the Grilled Cheese Sandwich (only $7) and some Asian Slaw with Broccoli.
Ryan is already talking about what he’s going to order on his next visit - he is one very happy customer.
To view the full menu check out their website http://birdonawire.co.nz/
Love J x
Green Smoothie Recipe
This green smoothie recipe is one that I make a few times a week - it’s super easy, yummy and full of nutrients! I promise that you can not taste the spinach or kale so please don’t be put off by the ingredients.
This is what you will need:
2 bunches of Spinach
3 leaves of Kale
1 Lemon
2 Apples
1 Kiwifruit (you can use lime instead but kiwifruit is full of fibre and vitamin C so I prefer to use that)
1 cup water (you can also use coconut water)
Put all ingredients in a blender and there you go!
The pictures of my smoothie are quite dark as i’ve also added organic Spirulina powder and Barley Wheatgrass power - I’ll blog about them later in the week as they are amazing super foods that can be added into most smoothies.
Enjoy
Love J x
Skinny Snack
Since turning Vegetarian I have fallen in love with potato all over again, it is my meat substitute. The other week my Dad asked me “If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?” - I didn’t hesitate to reply with “Potato”. Potato chips are my vice, I could eat them all day, but with Summer coming up I have tried to steer clear of them so was happy to stumble across this delicious alternative - Kale chips.
Kale is low in calories, high in fiber, iron, anti oxidants and has zero fat.
Chilli-Lime Kale Chips (Serves: 2 to 4)
Ingredients:
1 head of green curly kale (or 15-20 kale leaves)
Juice of 2 limes
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup cashews, ground to a powder
1-2 Tsp chilli powder (or chilli paste)
1 Tbs salt 2 cloves crushed garlic (optional)
How to Make
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
Rinse kale leaves and shake dry. Tear leaves into chip-sized pieces or leave whole if small.
In a large bowl, combine kale with all other ingredients.
Mix with your hands until kale looks wet and seasoning is evenly distributed.
On two large cookie sheets, spread out kale leaves the best you can so they are flat and not overlapping.
Bake for about 8 minutes. Flip and move chips around to cook evenly. Bake for another 8 minutes or so.
When they are done they should be just crispy. Once crisp they tend to burn quickly so check on them every minute or so towards the end!
Enjoy!
Love J and L x
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Love J & L x
You are what you eat.
Every 28 days, your skin replaces itself.
Your liver, 5 months.
Your bones, 10 years.
Your body makes these new cells from the food you eat.
What you eat literally becomes you.
You have a choice in what you’re made of.
Love L x ♥
Libby and I love making green smoothies, they are a fantastic way of getting all your daily nutrients and are so easy to make.
Why should you love green smoothies?
Energy -
Fruits are a good source of energy but eaten alone will only provide small bursts of energy (they contain lots of sugars which are quickly metabolised) becuase of their high content of vegetables, smoothies have a balanced sugar content.
Weight Loss -
Green smoothies are low in calories and also very filling - they contain high amounts of water and fibre so will make you feel like you have eaten a full meal.
Happy Skin -
When your bowels are moving correctly your body can elimiate toxins in an efficient manor - when the toxins cannot leave through the body regularly they have to leave through somewhere else, your skin. Daily green smoothie + happy bowel = happy skin.
Don’t like your veges?
Green smoothies are a fantastic way to eat your veges without even realising it. While most people like fruit many have trouble getting their daily requirement of vegetables. When you make a green smoothie the taste of the veges are hidden by the fruit.
Love J x
