inspiration station

You would have to be dead to not be inspired by life.  Everyday is filled with opportunities to learn and grow and I just love that.  How lucky we are!

So for today's post, I have another very inspiring lady to introduce to you.  What got me about her, apart from her beautiful food and the fresh ingredients she uses, is that she is only 17.  

I introduce to you Grace, in her own words:

I'm currently a high school senior living in Northern California, but next year I'll be moving across the country to attend American University. I love where I live - I have year-round access to farm-fresh veggies and frequent farmers markets when I find the time. However, I also love to travel. I've been to thirteen countries and spent last summer living in Salamanca, Spain. I truly believe that exploring other cultures is the best form of education one can receive. For many years, I played soccer, softball, and ran track, but I've been a swimmer my whole life and continue to do so today. Aside from school, I love to spend time outside, whether it be a hike or a visit to the beach. I hate to be so cliché, but I'm pretty much your average teenage girl expect with a passion for leading a healthy lifestyle! 

And now for the OHM questions:

1.  What is your eating philosophy?

When it comes to eating, I think it is incredibly important to maintain a nutritious, wholesome, and sustainable diet. I don't put limitations on what I can and cannot eat, but I do try to keep my intake fairly balanced - mostly fruit, veggies, nuts and seeds, grains (like quinoa and oats) and the occasional lean protein. I also think it is important to consume food in its original state, or as close as possible; I stay away from any overly processed or packaged foods. That being said, I know that I'm not always going to be as clean as I'd like when it comes to my diet: like everyone, I have midnight cravings that are only satisfied with a heaping spoonful of peanut butter (or two). So I'm reasonable with myself and allow a little wiggle room a slip up here and there. More than anything, food should be enjoyed and explored, because good food can be healthy and can be easy!

2.  When and why did you decide to eat this way?

I am so fortunate to heave health-minded parents who, over the years, have inspired my own lifestyle. As a child, I was never fed processed snacks or sweets and my lunches were far less exciting than those of my peers; emphasis was always placed on local, wholesome food in my household. This was the source of abundant whining on my part and many mid-aisle arguments in grocery stores, but looking back, I am so thankful for their decision to keep my diet clean. Even now, they are still a source of support and encouragement: they keep the kitchen stocked with fresh veggies, fruit, and other healthy bites.

3.  Have you noticed any changes since changing your eating philosophy (if any)?

 Since I've started focusing on cutting out unnecessary grains, processed sugar, red meat, and some dairy, I've definitely noticed a change. I feel lighter throughout the day, better fueled during my workouts, and sleep more deeply during the night. I've also been adement about staying hydrated - I drink tons of water and green tea, which has helped tremendously with headaches and overall sluggishness that I experienced before. 

4.  What is your favourite dish to cook?

I love making (and eating!) pancakes. I'd tried every ingredient out there, from almond milk to coconut flour to spinach. The recipe part is a bit of an adventure, the flipping part is sometimes a challenge, and the eating part, my favorite, is always so worth it!

5.  What ingredients are a must-have for your fridge/pantry?

This question is tough because I'm so attached to so many ingredients, but I'd have to say berries, bananas, almond milk, peanut butter, and oats. But some sort of green is absolutely necessary too, and kale is is my favorite; so kale! 

6.  Juices or smoothies?  What do you prefer and what combination?

Smoothies. Almond milk, bananas, and whatever other fruit or greens lying around always make a great snack. I'd love to get into juicing, but I don't have a juicer. Definitely an item on my wishlist, though!

7. Sweet or savoury?

Probably sweet. I have a rather persistent sweet tooth - I constantly crave berries, apples, bananas, sun dried fruit and peanut butter. That being said, I also like balance. After I have something sweet, I always want something savory!

What recipe will you share with us today?

As I mentioned, I can't get enough of pancakes! I love this recipe because it's so simple and easy but yields amazing results. I like topping mine with a bit of yogurt and warmed berries.

1 egg

1 banana

1/4 cup oat four

Grind 1/4 cup of oats in the food processor until they become a floury consistency. Then add the banana and egg and pulse until thoroughly mixed. Cook on medium heat with a tiny bit of coconut oil until they begin to bubble, then flip. Enjoy!

Wowzers!! They look amazing, and a healthy alternative for those of you who eat animal protein.  Who needs packaged fake food when you can quickly and simply make these little clouds of goodness?

When I was reading through Grace's answers, apart from getting the sense that she is in for big things, I also loved what she said about her parents being her biggest influence.  

It's a comforting thought, specially when I think about the battles I have with my girls sometimes regarding food.  Really ignites my determination to stick to my guns where healthy food options are concerned.

If you are on instagram, you should check out Grace @GRACEFUL_HEALTH and get inspired.  Her 4K+ followers are on a good thing!  

Grace, thanks so much for being part of the blog.  Apart from being an awesome babe, you're also a role model and all round legend.  I salute you!

If you are on a plant based diet and you would like to make some pancakes, here's a link to some banana oat pancakes I made last year that turned out awesome.  And child friendly too :)

More recipes?  You betcha!

I'll start with some dessert recipes that I did before I got on to food combining.

I've decided to post them because people have requested the recipes so here they are. 

Passionfruit Tart

Serves 12

Ingredients

Base

1/4 cup dried figs

8 medjool dates

1 cup raw pecans

Filling

1 1/2 cup cashews soaked and rinsed

1 lemon juiced

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup water

2 TBS coconut oil

Pulp of 3 passion fruits

Method

Base

Process all ingredients in a food processor, place in a lined 12" round pan, press down and place in freezer whilst you make the filling.

Filling

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender except for pulp.  Process until super smooth.

Pour into your prepared base and smooth the top.  Pour pulp on top and use the sharp end of a knife to swirl it through in what ever pattern you like.

Return to freezer for at least an hour.

When ready, let sit for 15 minutes, slice and serve.

As you can see, I really should have waited for it to finish setting but I just wanted to eat it!!

Banoffee Pie 

Serves 8

Ingredients

Base

1/2 cup raw almond/pecan mixture (or nuts of choice)

5 medjool dates

Filling

8 frozen bananas

1 fresh ripe banana + 1 extra for topping

2 tsp of vanilla extract

Juice of half a lemon*

Toffee

6 medjool dates

3/4 cup water

1 TBS raw mesquite powder** (optional)

Method

Base

Place all ingredients in a food processor and turn it into crumbs.  They will stick together when pressed.  

Pour into a cake pan (I used a rectangular glass one) and press until you have an even base.  Set aside.

Toffee

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until super smooth.  If you use a vitamix like I do, it can get quiet warm so I made it in the second step so that I could put it in the freezer to cool whilst I made the ice cream.  I didn't want it to melt the ice cream and go through it, rather sit nicely on top.

Filling

Place all your ingredients except the extra fresh banana, into a high speed blender and blend until you get an ice cream consistency.  Like soft serve.  RESIST ALL ATTEMPTS TO EAT IT!!

Pour the prepared banana ice cream on to your base, remove the cooled toffee out of the freezer and pour over the ice cream.  Smooth it out and top with slices of fresh banana.  Freeze for at least a few hours or overnight.

When you're ready to serve, rest out of freezer for about 15 minutes, slice and serve.

*I added lemon juice to the recipe although I didn't use it in mine because I think it will stop the banana ice cream from turning dark, purely from a presentation perspective.  I don't think it'll make a big difference to the taste.  If you don't mind it turning a little dark then feel free to leave it out.

**mesquite powder is ground from the pods of the mesquite plant, and has a sweet, nutty, caramel-like flavor, making it ideal for desserts and for use as a natural sweetener. 

It's high in protein, low on the glycemic index, and a good source of soluble fibre, meaning it digests relatively slowly and does not cause spikes in blood sugar. It's gluten-free, and is also a good source of calcium, iron, lysine, manganese, zinc, and potassium.

I use loving earth brand.

Now for some food combing meals, or as close to perfect food combining as I could get!

Let's start with breakfast.  So sometimes, I crave something more than just smoothies.  Sometimes I crave porridge or granola but I just don't think I could go there again, specially since it's a big no-no where food combining is concerned.

All I can picture is my intestines crying because I'm slowing down my digestion so early in the day.

Luckily, there's a fruit only option that I've discovered and which I'm totally addicted to.

Enter apple 'granola'.

Raw Apple Date Granola with Cinnamon Banana Milk

Serves 1

Ingredients

Granola

1 large apple of choice (I used red delicious)

1 medjool date

squeeze of lime juice

Cinnamon Banana Milk

1 large ripe banana

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

1/8 cup water

Method

Granola 

Add apple and date to your food processor, squeeze on the lime juice and process until it resembles granola.  Pour into a bowl.

Milk

Blend banana, cinnamon and water and you're done.

Pour milk over the granola and serve.

Too easy!

I was particularly ravenous this day, so I served it with a two tone smoothie.

The green smoothie contained kale, cos, baby spinach, celery, pear, banana and grapes.  The yellow smoothie on top had banana, orange, kiwi fruit and passionfruit.

So delicious.

Did I say I was addicted already?  Umm, yes.

The following day, I added a little bit of vanilla extract to the granola and had it with some blended blueberries.  Vanilla & blueberries are such a delicious combination.

Topped it off with a two layered smoothie again, although you can't tell from the picture but the bottom layer had persimmon, ginger and banana and the top layer had papaya, pineapple, banana and mint.

Uh ha, addicted.

And whilst we're on the subject of breakfast, I have to tell you that I have been enjoying some ice cream of late.  That's the thing with eating clean, ice cream is a meal!

Apple Pie Ice Cream

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 frozen bananas

2 small apples

4 dates

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and make into ice cream.  Serve and devour immediately!

I had mine accompanied by a green juice and some fresh fruit and topped with dates and a sprinkle of extra cinnamon.

Ombré Ice Cream

Serves 1 (about 800mls)

Ingredients

Blueberry

1/3 cup frozen blueberries

2 frozen bananas

Beetroot

1/4 of a small beetroot, peeled

2 frozen bananas

Raspberry

1/3 cup frozen raspberries

2 frozen bananas

Method

Blend each layer separately in a high speed blender, to ice cream consistency.  Place each layer in a serving glass and serve.

Top with fruit of choice.  I used kiwi fruit.

I have to say, the beetroot layer was my favourite!

And just one more ice cream recipe

Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 frozen bananas

1/2 cup of fresh raspberries + 1/4 cup extra (or frozen)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 lime juiced

Method

Place bananas, lime juice and vanilla in a high speed blender and make ice cream.  Scoop out half into a glass, add some of the extra raspberries.
Place 1/2 cup of the raspberries to the ice cream in the blender and process for a few seconds only.
Pour on top of ice cream and raspberries, and top with some more of the extra raspberries.  Serve immediately.

And let's finish breakfast off with a bang shall we?  

The Mayans were on to a good thing when they started blending chilli, chocolate and spices in their dishes.  Apart from having a myriad of great properties, my favourite is that chilly increases your metabolic rate, even for three hours after you consume it! 

This is why it fits perfectly after a fasted morning work out.  Double threat or what?!

Chilli Chocolate Smoothie Breakfast Bowl

Serves 1

Ingredients

3 frozen bananas

1/4 cup water

1 date

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 TBS raw cacao powder

Method

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until super smooth.  Pour into bowl and enjoy topped with your favourite things.

I used 1 fig, 1/2 ripe banana,goji berries and some raw cacao nibs.

So good.

Moving on to some savoury dishes.  The first two are raw.

Cauliflower 'Fried' Rice

Serves 2 as a light meal

Ingredients

Rice

3 TBS fresh coriander leaves

3 cups of cauliflower florets

Method

Place ingredients in a food processor and process until they resemble rice grains.

Place in a large bowl and add:

3 cups of broccoli florets sliced thinly

1/4 cup red capsicum diced

1/4 cup yellow capsicum diced

1/4 cup bean sprouts

1/4 cup carrots diced

1/3 cup enoki mushrooms

1/2 cup corn kernels

5 snow peas thinly sliced on the diagonal

3 TBS red onion thinly sliced

1 TBS tamari

freshly ground black pepper

Toss until all ingredients are incorporated and top with fresh chilli and coriander leaves and a lime wedge.

Crunchy Sprout & Apple Salad with Apple Tamari Dressing

Serves 1

Ingredients

Salad

1 cup bean sprouts

1 small carrot julienne

1/2 cup wombok thinly sliced

3/4 medium apple julienne

1 stalk of celery thinly sliced

1 TBS sunflower seeds

1 TBS fresh mint chopped

1 lime juiced

Dressing

1 TBS tamari

1 TBS brown rice vinegar

1/4 apple grated, juice included (left over from above)

Himalayan pink salt to taste

Method

Add all your ingredients to a large bowl.  Toss to combine.

Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together and pour over salad.  Toss again to incorporate dressing.  Adjust seasoning.

Place on a plate and serve.

I have started introducing some cooked foods into my life, mainly at dinner time and at the moment it's just pumpkin, sweet potato and quinoa.

With the cooler months coming, it makes sense for me and I feel good about it.

I still combine the two and I'm still having my first two meals raw.  So far, so good.

So here are some recipes that I've had whilst I make the transition.

Herbed Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes with Spicy Guacamole

Serves 1

Ingredients

Tomatoes

1/4 cup black quinoa (or whatever type you have)

1 clove of garlic

1/3 cup of water

Himalayan pink salt to taste

1/2 cup mint

1/2 cup parsley

1/4 cup red capsicum

1/4 cup red onion

2 large tomatoes

Guacamole

1 large ripe avocado

1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves

1 lime juiced

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Method

Tomatoes

Rinse and drain the quinoa.  Add quinoa, garlic, water and some salt to a medium sauce pan, cover and cook on low heat until all water evaporates and quinoa is translucent.  Turn heat off but leave lid on.  

In a food processor, add herbs, capsicum and onion.  Process until chopped finely.

Fluff up the quinoa with a fork, place in a large mixing bowl.  You have the option here of leaving it to cool or continuing with it warm.  I left mine to cool before I added the herb mixture.

Slice the tops off the tomatoes, and scoop out the inner membranes and seeds.  Stuff with the quinoa and serve with a side of guacamole.

Guacamole

Blend all ingredients using a hand held blender, add salt to taste.

I served the tomatoes on a bed of baby spinach, with some pomegranate seeds and some diced yellow capsicum.

Quinoa Tabbouleh with Fresh Vegetables

Serves 1

Ingrediens

Quinoa

1/4 cup red quinoa (or whatever type you have)

1 clove of garlic

1/3 cup of water

Himalayan pink salt to taste

1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped finely

1/4 cup red onion chopped finely

1 lemon juiced

Freshly ground black pepper

Veggies

1 medium carrot grated

1 medium zucchini grated

1 large tomato chopped

1/2 beetroot grated

1/2 avocado diced

1 cup of salad greens

Method

Rinse and drain the quinoa.  Add quinoa, garlic, water and some salt to a medium sauce pan, cover and cook on low heat until all water evaporates and quinoa is translucent.  Turn heat off, take off lid and leave to cool.

Once at room temperature, add the rest of the ingredients and toss to combine.

Place quinoa in the centre of a plate and arrange the veggies around it.  Serve.

This next recipe takes some preparing but it's worth it and you can store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Baked Falafel

Makes about 18 balls (approx. 4 cm in diameter)

Ingredients

1 cup of chickpeas

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 medium onion

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 cup fresh parsley

1/2 cup fresh coriander

1/2 cup of fresh mint

1 medium carrot

Himalayan pink salt to taste

Method

Soak the chickpeas and sunflower seeds overnight.  

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius and prepare a tray with baking paper.

Rinse soaked chickpeas and seeds and add them to a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients.

Process into a smooth paste (it won't turn completely into mush).

Adjust your seasoning.

Use your hands to form mixture into uniformed sized balls and flatten into patties.  Arrange on to prepared tray.

Set timer and bake for 25 minutes (depending on oven).  Turn them over when timer goes off and bake them for a further 25 minutes.

They will be a little golden on each side.

Serve with your favourite accompaniments.

Zucchini Spaghetti with Coriander Pesto & Baked Pumpkin

Serves 1

Ingredients

Spaghetti

2 medium zucchini spiralized into spaghetti shape

1 cup baby spinach

1 cup baked pumpkin cubes

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1 TBS hemp seeds

Coriander Pesto

Makes about 350 mls

1 medium zucchini

2 garlic clove

1/4 yellow capsicum

1 cup coriander (roots and leaves)

1 lemon juiced

3 TBS of unhulled tahini or 1/4 cup sesame seeds

Himalayan pink salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Pesto

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth.  Add water if it's too thick, 1 TBS at a time.  Set aside.

Spaghetti

Place all ingredients in a large bowl except hemp seeds.

Add pesto, toss to combine and serve with hemp seeds sprinkled on top.

Store reminder of pesto in an air tight jar.  Will keep in the fridge for about 4 days.

And with the left over quinoa tabbouleh and coriander pesto, I made this:

I mixed about 2 cups of shredded red cabbage with 1 cup of baby spinach and the tabbouleh, added the coriander pesto, mixed it up and voilá!

Just added some bakes sweet potato, fresh tomato and avocado with a drizzle of lime juice and chilli flakes.  Perfection on my plate!

That's all I have for you for the month of April.  Next post I'll look at roping in a mum who is raw vegan and has raised two children successfully on this diet.  Besides that, she makes the most amazingly creative dishes for her kids so even if raw vegan is not for you, any tips to getting kids to eat their fruits and veggies has to be good right?

Peas, love and mungbeans

xxb

Half way there.....

Such an exciting time! Half way through our challenge, or experiment as I now like to call it.  

Who's still in? Who's out? Whatever, I'm sure each and every individual is doing what feels right for them right now so no judgement.  

Just lots of yummy, healthy clean food and good feel vibes.

Like I said in my last post, I have a special treat for y'all. 

I managed to convince a very lovely and extremely talented lady to do a guest spot on the blog.  

I first came across her through Instagram because i just LOVE the look of her dishes and the combination of ingredients she uses.  

Her meals, are the only ones that actually make me want to eat cooked food again!

One day, I hope to get to sunny California and have a macrobiotic vegan fest with this girl.

I've asked her to answer a few questions and she's also very generously provided us with a clean dessert recipe you'll love.  I know I can't wait until the month is over so that I can try it out.

Here she is, in her own words :)

Hello everyone! My name is Diem Ly and I am stoked to be a part of Brenda's Clean Eating March! Let's see... I am a recent college grad from Berkeley who now lives in San Jose, California, tutoring elementary school kids and applying to law school. I love cooking, taking photos of the food I cook, hiking, yoga-ing, Instagramming, and traveling while Yelping for the newest vegan restaurant to try. I also listen to NPR a lot.

1.  What is your eating philosophy?

My eating philosophy is to enjoy eating. Sounds simple enough, but I enjoy my food most when it satisfies not just my palate but also my emotional, mental, and physical needs. When eating makes me feel good in all of these ways, that's when my heart really sings. Over the 4 years since I reinvented my diet, I've found that the kind of food that consistently does this is generally plant-based, whole, organic, seasonal, balanced, and made well. Not all my meals check all these boxes, but I try my best to encompass all these elements in my everyday cooking/eating.

2.  When and why did you decide to eat this way?

I tried going vegan once in high school after reading an article about animal testing, but gave up after a week because I didn't know how to cook and my mom convinced me that all I could ever eat was tofu (sadly, there are so many people who still think that!). The second time I tried going vegan was under entirely differently circumstances. I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia during my second year of college and after fortunately going into remission, I gained a whole new perspective on life, especially health. To be perfectly honest, the most painful thing about being sick wasn't being sick at all. One can get used to the physical pain, but not so much the fear of never being able to achieve your dreams, and definitely not the sight of the people you love most wrought with worry. So more than anything, I wanted to take control of my health and well-being. My doctors, as lovely as they were, actually told me that it was all up to chance if the disease would return. I refused to believe it, initially out of stubbornness. But after doing my own research and hearing/reading the stories of literally hundreds of people, I refused to believe it because of the sheer facts and science that demonstrate just how much of an influence our diet has on our health. This led me to practice a macrobiotic diet with the help of a Vietnamese Buddhist monk and later, a macro counselor from the Bay Area. Soon, I was able to get off any medications that were prescribed for the side effects of the treatments, to the pleasant surprise of my doctors.

I am thankful everyday for my health, and attribute much of it to how I eat. But my diet has become more than a cure for physical illness; it is also one way I practice what I believe in. My last two years at Berkeley were especially insightful, as I delved into the other dimensions of food both in and out of the classroom. I learned about, and was appalled by, the current conventional farming practices that harm the environment, the treatment of workers, especially the undocumented, in the food industry, the treatment of animals, and the inequitable distribution of power between corporations, farmers, and consumers. I don't think eating a macrobiotic/vegan diet will make everything better, but I believe not doing so does make it worse. 

3.  Have you noticed any changes since changing your eating philosophy (if any)?

I've never felt better physically, mentally, and emotionally. It's hard to describe what exactly this feels like and I really don't think you can understand until you've experienced it. In short, I will never go back to eating the way I used to! 

4.  What is your favourite dish to cook?

This is a nearly impossible question to answer!  Lately though, I've been having a blast experimenting with different sauces/dressings for raw and boiled salads! I just made a super simple pumpkin seed dressing that was seriously out of this world.

5.  What ingredients are a must-have for your fridge/pantry?

I'm going to self-impose a limit of 10 items for my answer because the list would go on forever otherwise! 

Brown rice, kale, miso, seaweed (I never run out of nori or wakame), beans (adzuki is my favorite), a seasonal fruit (tonsss of blueberries if they are in season. I could pretty much live off the stuff), brown rice syrup, sesame oil, tamari (soy sauce), and sesame seeds!

6.  Juices or smoothies?  What do you prefer and what combination?

Smoothies! Coconut water, kale, blueberries, peaches, mangoes, and chia seeds.

7. Sweet or savoury?

mmm....Savory

The recipe I'd like to share with you today is one of my favorite desserts, and I picked it because I thought it would be perfect for the summer in Australia. Though I wouldn't necessarily call this dessert macrobiotic, it does embody the macrobiotic principle of "balance". It is tart and sweet, cold and warm, and creamy but with a kick from the ginger. The ingredients are also good for you! I apologize in advance if any parts of the recipe are unclear. I usually don't cook with or write down my recipes. Please ask for clarifications!

COCONUT-LEMON PANNA COTTA with MAPLE-GINGER SYRUP

(serves 1-5, depending on portions :D)

Ingredients

Panna Cotta

1 cup (about half a can) of coconut milk

1.5 teaspoons of agar flakes

1/4 cup of water

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

a few drops of vanilla extract

2-2.5 teaspoons of lemon juice (I like mine more tart)

Maple-Ginger Syrup

1 teaspoon of unrefined coconut oil (optional but highly recommended)

1/2 cup of water

1/4 cup of maple syrup

3 teaspoons of fresh ginger juice

Toppings (optional)

toasted coconut 

sliced mango, or caramelized bananas/ripe plantains.

Method

PANNA COTTA

1. Place agar and water in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let the flakes completely dissolve. (It's okay if it does not completely dissolve, but you'll get jelly bits in your panna cotta).

2. Add in the coconut milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 5 minutes. 

3. Turn off the heat and add in the lemon juice. This is a good time to taste the mixture and adjust before you transfer it to your molds.

4. Pour the mixture into small ramekins or any kind of molds you'd like. (I like to use my ceramic cupcake mold or when I'm lazy, I just pour it into a big ol' bowl).  Remember to lightly oil the mold with coconut oil. This will help the panna cotta slide out later. 

5. Let cool and refrigerate for at least four hours. (I usually leave it overnight).

SAUCE (If preparing before the panna cotta is served, reheat when you're ready to serve)

1. Add the coconut oil, water, maple syrup to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. 

2. Add the ginger juice and let the mixture simmer and reduce for about 5-10 minutes, depending on your preferred thickness. I prefer it more runny.

3. Taste your sauce and adjust it to your liking. 

TO SERVE: Carefully remove the panna cotta from your ramekins and place on a serving dish. Drizzle the syrup on top of the panna cotta and top with toasted coconut and a slice of mango, caramelized bananas, or any other fruit you'd like.

ENJOY!

Okay, am I the only one who is drooling all over this right now?!

Like I said, the lady is amazing, so please check out her IG @dltvo and follow her already, you won't be disappointed!

I have also roped a few other ladies to do guest spots so I will keep them coming every fortnight if I can.  I think it's important to stay connected with like minded individuals, and each and every person I have asked so far is an inspiration to me.  I hope they inspire you too and that you get something out of their offerings.
A big THANK YOU to Diem for being the first lady to kick off what will hopefully be a monthly occurrence following #cleaneatingmarch.  Yeew, I'm excited!!!

Now for some more recipes to keep you going.  Hope you enjoy these, I've definitely had so much fun creating them, and much more fun gobbling them up :)

Smashed Avocado, Lime, Coriander and Pomegranate Sandwich
Serves 1

Ingredients

2 large field mushrooms
1/2 avocado
2 TBS pomegranate seeds
1 TBS coriander (cilantro for my USA friends)
Squeeze of lime juice
Seasoning to taste
1/4 cup baby spinach
1/4 cup grated carrot
3 slices of tomato
5 slices of cucumber

Method

Clean your mushrooms and remove the stalks (you can keep the stalks and used them in salads).
Mash your avocado with a fork so it's chunky, not smooth.
Fill one mushroom with the avocado, top it with pomegranate seeds, coriander and squeeze of lime.  Add your seasoning on top if desired.
Stuff your other mushroom with the salad materials and serve.

This is a really filling meal and reminds me of the big breakfast I used to have on sundays in my previous life.  If you are eating eggs, you can pop a soft boiled egg on it.  If you are eating cooked foods, you can also pop the mushrooms in a sandwich press and cook it that way. No need for oil.

I made this for my sister, with a sprinkle of chilli flakes and a simple baby spinach and red onion salad with lemon juice.
Easy peasy lunch or breakfast.  No grains, no added fat, plenty of veggies, SO much flavour.  DO IT!

Mexican Salad
Serves 1

Ingredients

Salad

2 medium zucchini
2 cups baby spinach
1 large tomato
1/2 avocado
1/4 small red onion
Handful of kalamata olives
1/4 cup coriander leaves
1/4 cup red capsicum
1 TBS hemp seeds (optional)

Mexican Mayonnaise
Makes approx. 2 cups

1/2 red capsicum
1/2 yellow capsicum
1/2 cup soaked and rinsed cashews
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 cumin
1 eschallot clove(or garlic)
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
3 TBS apple cider vinegar
1 TBS nutritional yeast
1/2 cup of water

Method

Spiralize the zucchini on the spaghetti setting.  Set aside.
Make the mayo by blending all ingredients together, taste and adjust seasoning.  Add to zucchini, enough to cover and coat (about 1/2 cup).  Store rest in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Place your zucchini noodles in a medium bowl and arrange salad ingredients on top.
Sprinkle on hemp seeds and serve.

I really love avocado, coriander and tomatoes so i used the sauce from above and threw this next dish together for dinner.  I was specially rushed that day and this was just such a quick meal.
Kind of like a deconstructed version of the above with some minor substitutions.

Corn Salsa and Mexican Noodles on Lettuce Cups
Serves 1

Ingredients

4 cos lettuce leaves
1 medium zucchini
1 medium corn ear
1 cup diced cucumber
1 tomato diced
1/4 cup red capsicum diced
3 TBS red onion diced
3 TBS fresh coriander chopped
1/2 lime juiced
4 slices of avocado
1/3 cup Mexican Mayonnaise

Method

Spiralize your zucchini on spaghetti setting and mix with Mexican mayo.  Set aside.
Cut the kernel of your corn and mix it in a medium bowl with the rest of the veggies, coriander and lime juice.  Season to taste.
Arrange the cos leaves on a plate and top each with the salsa and noodles, alternately.
Place the avocado slices on the plate and serve.

Nori Rolls with Cauliflower Rice and Veggies
Serves 1

Ingredients

Rice

1 1/2 cups of cauliflower florets
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
3 sprigs of coriander

Nori

1 nori sheet
1/2 carrot julienned
1/4 medium beetroot julienned
1/4 avocado, thinly slice
1/4 red capsicum thinly slice

Carrot and Red Cabbage Salad

1 carrot grated
1 cup red cabbage thinly sliced
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 lime juiced

Method

Rice

Add all ingredients in a food processor and process until it resembles rice.
Set aside

Nori

Place your nori sheet on bamboo rolling sheet.  Add your cauliflower rice and pat down, should be about 3mm in height.  Leave a 2-3 cm gap at the edge.
Add your veggies and roll away from you.  Make sure you tighten as you roll otherwise it'll be too lose and the fillings will fall out.
Wet the edge with water and remove any rice that may be overflowing before you press down to seal otherwise it won't work.
Once sealed, cut into bite sized pieces.

Salad

Mix your ingredients together with the lime juice, season if you like and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Arrange on a plate, with salad in a little bowl of it's own and serve.

Orange and Pomegranate Salad with Citrus Cumin Dressing
Serves 1 (or 2 as a side)

Ingredients

2 oranges (I used navel)
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1 cup baby spinach
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
1/2 lime juiced
2 TBS orange juice (freshly squeezed)

Method

Peel and slice your oranges thinly, making sure you remove the pith as it can be bitter.
Arrange them on a plate with the baby spinach and sprinkle on the pomegranate seeds.
Mix juices with seasoning and cumin and pour on top.
Serve.

This would also go really nice with a grilled piece of fish if you are eating animal protein.

Dessert time!!

Pecan Ice Cream with Peach, Papaya, Prickly Pear and Pitaya
Serves 1

Ingredients

2 frozen bananas
1 tsp organic vanilla extract
5 pecans
1/3 cup of each fruit, chopped

Method

Blend the bananas, pecans and vanilla extract in a high speed blender or food processor until it resembles ice cream.
Layer a glass with each fruit and ice cream.
Stuff your face!

p.s, this was breakfast!

Cinnamon Mousse with Fresh Figs
Serves 1

Ingredients

1/3 cup raw cashews, soaked and rinsed
1/2 cup water
2-3 medjool dates (depending on how sweet you want it)
1/4 tsp organic vanilla extract
1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon
3 fresh figs quartered

Method

Blend cashews, water, vanilla, dates and cinnamon in a high speed blender until super smooth and creamy.  I would add the water a bit at a time so you can control how thick it is.  You don't want it runny but a fluffy mousse like consistency.
Layer your mousse in a pretty cup with your figs and serve with fresh figs on top.

Lime and Strawberry Mousse with Almond & Date Crumble
Serves 1

Ingredients

Lime Mousse

1 avocado
1 lime juiced
zest of half a lime
1/4 cup coconut nectar (or 100% pure maple syrup)

Strawberry Mousse

1 banana
1 cup strawberries
1 date

Crumble*

1/2 cup raw almonds
6-8 dates

Method

Lime Mousse

Use a hand held blender to blend all the ingredients until smooth and creamy.  Set aside

Strawberry Mousse

As above

Crumble

Process all ingredients in a food processor until they can be rolled into a ball and hold it's shape.
*you will have some left over.  I made them into bliss balls and keep them in the fridge or freezer.  My girls love them and they're a great energy hit pre-work out.  Just don't eat too many though, they are meant to be an every now and again treat!

Construction!

Place some crumble on the bottom of a glass, add lime mousse, leaving a spoonful for the top. Add another layer of crumble, add strawberry mousse, add the left over lime mousse and top with crumble and a couple of fresh raspberries if you have any around.
LOVE in a glass :)

And last but not least, a smoothie combination that had me weak at the knees when I tried it.

Persimmon and Cinnamon Smoothie
Serves 1

Ingredients

1 frozen banana
2 small very ripe persimmons
1 pear
1 cup coconut water
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Blend and serve with a sprinkle of raw cacao nibs, flax meal and crushed pecans.
Mmmmmmmmm!

Do you ever get left over smoothie? I always make so much I end up drinking about a litre and a half of the stuff!
Whilst I'm not complaining, it occurred to me that I could freeze the leftovers instead of drinking until I'm overflowing, and have them as a healthy treat when I'm too lazy to make ice cream.  So there's an idea you may want to keep in mind for next time.

Wishing you another amazing week in Clean Eating March awesomeness.

Peas, love and mungbeans

xxb