Delicious and Nutritious Pumpkin Soup

PUMPKIN SOUP

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Lucy Bees Raw, Virgin coconut butter
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 1kg pumpkins or squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks
  • 700ml vegetable stock or chicken stock
  • 200ml of full fat Coconut milk
  • handful of pumpkin seed

Method

  1. Heat 2tbsp of coconut butter in a saucepan, add 2 finely chopped onions cook for 5 mins, until soft but not coloured.
  2. Add pumpkin, then carry on cooking for 8 mins, stirring occasionally until pumpkin starts to soften
  3. Add the stock and season with mixed herbs and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins until the squash is very soft.
  4. Add the coconut milk into the pan, bring back to the boil, then purée with a hand blender.
  5. When the soup is ready top with pumpkin seeds

The soup can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Food remedies

Pumpkin is a great source of beta-carotene, which helps protects the body from damaging molecules called free radicals. Free radicals damage cells through a process known as oxidation. Over time, this damage could lead to a number of chronic illnesses. There is evidence that eating more antioxidants foods helps boost your immune system, protect against free radicals, and may lower your risk of heart disease

Pumkin in rich in B-complex and minerals like copper, calcium, potassium & phosphorus good source of dietary fiber & mono-unsaturated fatty acids

Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of tryptophan is converted by the body into the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin. The body cannot produce tryptophan so we need to get enough through our diets, if we don’t we could suffer from a deficiency leading to low serotonin levels which are associated with mood disorders, anxiety and carbohydrate cravings.

Both Coconut and Pumkin have anti-inflammatory anti-fungal & anti-parasitic properties.

Nutty Pesto

pesto Do you want to boost your immune system? Boost your metabolism? Eat to be happy? Then this pesto is just what you need! Rich in essential fatty acids, protein and antioxidants and it also contains plenty of immune boosting antioxidants. 2 Tbsp of walnuts 2 Tbsp of pine nuts 40g (1/4 cup) grated Parmesan cheese 25g (1/2 cup) fresh basil 2 garlic cloves 115ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until a smooth pesto paste.

Pesto doesn't have to be teamed with pasta! I love pesto but to be honest im not a massive fan of pasta, so here are 5 way I enjoy pesto without pasta. 1. Mix It Into Dips Mix a little pesto in with live natural yogurt or sour cream, 2. Drizzle over salads Thinned with a little more oil and drizzle over for summer salads. 3. Use on bread instead of butter Using pesto instead of butter an entirely different layer of flavor to sandwiches or toast! 4. Dress vegetables Instead of butter or gravy, use a tablespoon of pesto to garnish your vegetables. 5. Smear on chicken Pop in the oven and bake for a delicious moist chicken!

 

 

 

Hazels Raw Fudge

If you are looking for a delicious clean tasty desert, then Hazel aka The Food Medic has created this delicious clean treat for you! For more treats like these you can buy Hazels 'clean eats and protein treats'  here

http://thefoodmedic.co.uk/2014/05/22/the-food-medic-clean-eats-and-protein-treats/

Hazel’s Raw Fudge

Ingredients 

(Makes 20 pieces)

2/3 Cup of Nut butter

¼ cup of raw cacao powder

¼ cup of Lucy Bee’s coconut oil

1 tbsp of Organic Burst Maca

2 tsp of vanilla essence

1/3 cup of agave nectar/organic honey

Extras: raw cacao nibs, roasted hazelnuts and goji berries

Method

  1. Bring a saucepan of shallow water to boil and then turn the heat down to simmering. Add the ingredients, apart from the ‘extras’, to a mixing bowl and place over the saucepan of hot water.
  2. Stir constantly for approximately 1-2 minutes until the mixture is completely combined. Be careful not to overheat the mixture as this will disturb the texture of the fudge.
  3. Line a baking tray (I used a bread tin!) with cling film and pour the mixture into the tray.
  4.  4. Cover with cling film and pat down the mixture so the top layer is even.
  5. Chill in the fridge for approximately 1hr, or until the mixture is solid, and remove from the cling film. Chop into bite sized pieces and store in a jar in the fridge.

 

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Spinach and Feta Frittata

Ingredients
  • 200g of fresh tomatoes fritartta
  • 1 garlic clove chopped
  • tablespoon of Coconut butter
  • 250g bag of spinach
  • 6 large organic eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 100g feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons of  grated parmesan
  • to taste salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 180c or 170 if its a fan oven
  2. Chop the tomatoes, put them in a non stick frying pan with a little coconut butter, the chopped garlic, and sprinkle a little salt and pepper. Turn the heat on to medium-high and saute add the spinach and cook until its wilted.
  3. Grease a pie dish with the remaining coconut butter.
  4. Spread the spinach and tomatoes on the bottom of the pie dish, then crumble half the feta over the top.
  5. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs until smooth.
  6. Add the milk, Parmesan, and a small sprinkle of pepper whisk together.Pour this mixture into the pie dish over the spinach, tomatoes and feta.
  7. Sprinkle the remaining feta cheese over top.
  8. Place the frittata into the preheated oven and bake until it is golden brown on top and the center is solid. Every oven is different but this should take between 45 minutes and an hour. Slice and serve! 
Health Benefits
Spinach contains phyto chemicals which have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerous. It also contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate, manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2.
Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin A, B,C, folate, they help to reduce inflammation in the digestive tract and help dissolve urea preventing the formation of uric acid crystals! In 2006 an article published in the  "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that eating cooked tomatoes with a small amount of food that contains fat, such as olive oil or cheese helps your body absorb the lycopene and antioxidants in cooked tomatoes.
Garlic is a anti-coagulant and it also helps to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, It also has anti bacterial and anti fungal properties.
Eggs yolks are a dietary sources of the B-complex vitamin choline, which is associated with better neurological function and reduced inflammation