iLife Foods

Since posting a picture on the iLifeFoods FaceBook page  I have had numerous requests for the recipe of my famously delicious Spicy Pumpkin Soup.

OK..here is what you will need :

1 medium size pumpkin or the equivalent of a 1/8 slice of pumpkin per person cut into small pieces.

Macadamia oil (Olive will suffice)

1 large glove of garlic (chopped)

1 large onion (chopped)

1 Tablespoon of medium curry powder

¼ teaspoon mustard seeds

1 small red chilli

Sea salt for seasoning

Add the oil along with the aromatic condiments into a sauce pan and allow the onions to ‘sweat off’ (as they say on Master Chef). Then add the chopped pumpkin and allow to gently brown-off (my word) until you can get a nice ‘caramelly pumpkiny’ fragrance from the pot.

Add two glasses of water to leave about 4cm or an inch and a bit of pumpkin showing. Allow to simmer until the mixture thickens – normally about an hour or so. Once the pumpkin is cooked , taste and add sea salty as preferred.

Then place the cooled mixture into a blender or use a ‘bar mixed’ type blender to render the mixture to a thickish puree. Then finally plate –up , add some garlic chives to the top or coconut cream, as some one suggested and vola – you have a really tasty soup which might last a couple of nights if you don’t eat it all at once. I add a small amount of garden chives too!!

If you are bored of eating pumpkin soup, then freeze it and reheat at some later stage. I also add some of the soup to a puree of sweet potato too. Overall totally delish!!

Finally the superfood characteristics are:

The distinctive bright orange colour of pumpkin indicates it's an excellent source of that all-important antioxidant beta-carotene. Research shows that people who eat a diet rich in beta-carotene are less likely to develop certain cancers than those who fail to include beta-carotene-rich foods in their diet. Pumpkin also has another carotenoid, beta-cryptoxanthin, which may decrease the risk of lung cancer in smokers.

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The above is for information purposes only and is not designed to diagnose. Please consult your GP to become fully aware of your good health options.

Here is a recipe from Carolina who lives on the Shinshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. If you are in need of an energy boost or some extra alkalinity from the Beetroot, at the same time some natural occuring sweetness from the Sweet Potato then do have a go at this really easy recipe. All ingredients are available fresh from your local farmers market.

You will need:

In this newsletter : Become Food Empowered!!

There certainly is a lot of ‘food confusion’ existing right now and in our busy life it is probably a good time to stop and ask yourself some questions about food and your lifestyle..

•   Can you eat out less and prepare more of your own food ?

•   Can  you be sharing more food in a 'sit-down' environment with friends or family?

•   Are you eating to support your immediate and long-term health needs?

These may appear basic questions to some of you but for others this 'food confusion' exists.

For instance mainstream media does not promote an awareness around the need to take in a range of 'leafy green vegetables' daily.

The whole idea of raw food, light on protein ie. less heavy red meats, pork and cheeses, along with a mix of healthy grains ie. more wheat free!! is abhorrent to mainstream media because of the need to continue to support an industry and an agenda based food pyramid.

So its time now to step into your own 'food power' and maybe say 'enough is enough'!!!

• Reach out and ask more questions of your friends and family, read more, sign up for food newsletters or online blogs.
• When in doubt 'Google' for information which sits right for you.
• Download the 80/20 Alkaline/Acid Food Chart at the bottom of the page.
  
• Also consider spending a couple of hours either a Saturday or Sunday morning shopping at your local farmer's or producer markets

Food Focus: Greens 

Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upward to the sky, absorbing the sun’s light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli. Right now at your local farmers market crinkly leaf green kale is available. In fact you might be interested in knowing that kale is number 2 after garlic in the antioxidant stakes!!!

 How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fibre, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Their green colour is because of chlorophyll levels - sometimes known as liquid sunshine.

In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the average diet, and now you can  learn how to prepare them. Start with the very simple recipe below. Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you’ll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.

Exciting Recipe: Shiitake and Kale

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients : 300gms shiitake mushrooms, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1-2 cloves crushed garlic, 1 bunch kale, sprinkle of pine nuts, a  pinch of Australian Desert Lake Salt and carrot to garnish.

 Directions: 1.  Warm oil in pan on medium heat with minced garlic until aromas of garlic are released, about 2-3 minutes.    2.      Add chopped shiitake mushrooms, stir-fry for 5 minutes.  3.     Add chopped kale, stir-fry for a couple of minutes. 4.     Add a splash of water and pinch of salt to pan, cover and let steam for 4 minutes.

This is a really simple stir fry that is not only quick  to prepare but provides the body with so many benefits.

This is so delicious and so so amazingly healthy and above all - so simple.

ALKALINE VERSES ACID FOODS CHART- FREE DOWNLOAD

I have been asked by many people for a list of alkaline and acid foods. So here is a list which will act as a guideline for you !!!  This is such a fabulous chart to help you make really great food choices enabling you to learn to know the difference between certain food types which may or may not be beneficial to your body. The secret is an 80/20 balance between alkaline and acid in your body. Eating the appropriate food types can help promote this.

CLICK HERE to download a coloured .pdf chart which you can print off, get laminated and stick onto the fridge door. I will write more on the relationship of alkaline and acid foods in the coming months.

PRODUCT OF THE MONTH : pro-TOM lycopene rich tomato crystal .

By Scott Mathias – Integrated Health & RawFood Coach – Creator of the iLifeFood.com range of Enriched SuperCell Foods

I have always maintained that what ever is growing from season to season in your back yard IS FOOD!! It doesn’t have to been on four legs or come out of a building fitted with automatic doors- your back yard is a hive of nutritional industry – all year round.

 Several AMAZING food sources grow in mine. Emerging as a weed, I dutifully removed them and dispatched as fast as I could. Then I began to take a closer look. The first is Wild Amaranth which usually turns up early summer or when you don’t plant anything in a patch of garden – so basically anytime, especially if one lives where the weather is a little warmer year round.

Wild Amaranth- High in protein and nutritious

 Because it is here to help and assist in our healing process and FEED us, its loves to grow around humans. It will often appear in farmers paddocks after a harvest.    Amaranth owes its origins to the ancient Aztec civilisation in Central and South America. It’s very high in protein and jam packed with nutrients from its seeds and leaves.

 Farmers world wide despise Amaranth. It is often called by the rather unfortunate name of ‘Pig Weed’. Whilst it is generally cultivate for its seed it is really not a grain. It is more like a ‘seeding spinach’. Quinoa is probably its nearest relative.

 The dark seeds from wild Amaranth can be quite hard and sand like but the greens are totally edible and best used in salads or stir fries. Their lighter well bred and cultivated cousins possess a lighter seed suitable for simmering for both savoury and sweet use, as well as flour in breads.These can be obtained from a health food shop. However with a bit of local research you can find the lighter seed bearing variety-sow them and expect a crop season to season. Just one seed has the ability to produce up to 2 kilograms of usable seeds.

 An amazing weed indeed!!

Scott Mathias is a Certified Integrative Nutritionist and Professional Health Coach. Based in Noosa, Queensland he consults to clients around Australia including conducting seminars, public speaking engagements. His special areas of interest are Life Balance and the Digestive Function – He conducts Raw Food Classes. He is also the creator of an all Australian range of 100% PURE Nutrient Cell-Foods from www.ilifefoods.com. He can also be seen at the Noosa Farmers Market each and every Sunday throughout the year.

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EMAIL Scott for information about his 1 to1 programs health Coaching or Raw Food classes.