A Sundae Treat

I'm in the middle of preparing for my first Juice and Smoothie workshop which I'm enjoying - sorting handouts, details, recipes and information to share.  And experimenting, playing and creating.  I think I might be overrunning into a separate workshop but that'll be OK in the end... Raw desserts evening here I come (info to follow should that happen)!

Well however it all works out it's been great discovering along the way and I think that's often where so much joy really is. Reaching the destination is all very well but it's the fun (and learning, mistakes and more) you have along the way that's really what it's all about.

So without more waffle I thought I'd share today's creation:

Banana and Mango Sundae with Toffee Sauce

To make: (serves 2-3)

Toffee sauce:

12 medjool dates, pitted
Add to blender with a little water and blend on low until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides of the blender a few times. You can vary how runny you want the toffee sauce to be depending on how much water you use. Add small quantities (of water) at a time until you reach desired consistency.

Banana ice cream:

6 bananas, chopped then frozen for at least 5-6 hours
Add to blender and blend until smooth.

Mango ice cream:

2 mangoes, chopped then frozen for 5-6 hours
Add to blender and blend until smooth.

Sundae:

Put a dessert-tablespoon measure of toffee sauce at the bottom of the serving glass/bowl and top with banana ice cream.  Add the mango ice cream next and top this with a layer of toffee sauce.  Lastly another layer of banana ice cream and to garnish use a swirl of your toffee sauce and fruit of choice for decoration.

'The Best Nutritionalist in the World is You!'

I'm just coming to the end of a week of juicing with salads or soups for dinner. My diet will have been approximately 80% raw, largely vegan and definitely plant based. And, most importantly I'm feeling great!  I've had plenty of energy to go out for runs, swimming training, work and run around after my 5 year old full of life daughter.  Feeling good and loving life. There's been times my food intake hasn't been so positive - and I've known it - physically less energy, less motivated and less enthused about life. We really are what we eat. I watched a film last night where it was stated that 'the best nutritionalist in the world is you'. Strong statement perhaps but we are, we know if we listen to our bodies, what's good and what's not so good. More about that in a moment.

This week, along with other reading, incidents and events, has inspired me to get out there and study nutrition and also add to my kinesiology training as I think it's vital that we look at nutrition in terms of all round health.  If we put poor quality oil into a car can we be surprised if it splutters and chugs along. Likewise if we start each day with a coffee, some white bread and sugary jam, follow on with a chocolate bar or crisps, a sandwich/carb filled lunch then is there any wonder that mid afternoon comes and we're flagging?

I've become fascinated by the topic (maybe a bit too much occasionally - advance warning!) and also by what I've not questioned in the past. Milk - good for you. Really? (1) Meat - we've evolved to eat it, we NEED it. Again - really? 5 a day is enough. Says who? The Japanese recommend 13 vegetables and 4 servings of fruit a day (3) which is actually not all that hard to do. I've done it plenty of times.

Cooking had become a chore and now has transformed into a joy - I'm loving experimenting with new foods, trying new dishes and it's opened up a whole new world of vegan/veggie cookbooks... About that new bookcase...

Oh - lastly - the documentary last night around food, health and disease - have a watch here:

http://foodmatters.tv/screening-event-cinema

Here's to 'an epidemic of heatlh' and getting towards a culture of 'education not medication'.

1 http://www.wellandgoodnyc.com/2011/09/23/china-study-cheat-sheet-10-things-you-need-to-know/
2 http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm
3 http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2006/may/25/healthandwellbeing.health

Happy, happy, happy girl!

Juicing day 4 and the second day for ages (the first was yesterday and before that I seriously can't remember how long) I've woken up with no lower back pain :)

I've got by and carried on by using Homeopathy and Bowen Technique both of which have helped considerably to manage it but these two days I've woken totally pain free.

And all I've changed? I'm on day 4 of my juice detox (just to point out I've not been totally virtuous but mostly!) and am feeling good, bouncy, happy and back ache free!  I've been juicing fresh fruit and vegetables on and off for around 3 years now and would highly recommend it - indeed I know one Homeopath who calls the green juices 'the best life insurance'.  So many reasons why I think it's great but personally having been walking around like a 90 year old every morning for the past few months my absolute alleviation of pain will do for me today!

One happy, happy girl!

I usually follow Jason Vale's 7lb in 7 days which is a fabulous programme but this time opted for the Ibiza Detox Diet Plan for a change and am enjoying that too.  Once you've got the juicer the rest is easy and enjoyable (even cleaning it isn't so bad once you're used to it). Give it a go - what've you got to lose?


Just a little note to mention that in these times it's probably relevant to say that juicing with it's many wonders should not replace medical care.  However it may mean that you need less conventional medical attention should you eat a more plant based instead of processed diet and juicing is a great way to kick start this and give your system a rest from those difficult to digest foods that we weren't designed to eat.