Monday 29 April 2013

Green Smoothie


Green Smoothie



I have been having green smoothies for a while now. Green smoothies are a great way to get a nutrient hit as your nutrients are tightly packed into one cup. They have become very popular and are featured on may blogs and FB pages. So I thought I would share my version. This is more of a guide than a recipe.

You can have these at any time of the day. I like to have mine for breakfast, to give me that energy and nutrient hit to start the day or as a afternoon boost. (The theory is by having the nutrients your body requires in the morning, you will experience less hunger as your body already has what it needs.)


Did you know - leafy greens are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. Putting greens in your smoothie is super easy and it doesn’t taste bad!


Savvy Nourish snapshot
Greens are high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed with fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. I recommend buying organic greens whenever possible, but also remember that eating non-organic greens is better than not eating any greens at all!

Some of the benefits of eating dark leafy greens:
  • Blood purification
  • Cancer prevention
  • Improved circulation
  • Strengthened immune system
  • Promotion of healthy intestinal flora
  • Promotion of subtle, light and flexible energy
  • Lifted spirit and elimination of depression
  • Improved liver, gall bladder and kidney function
  • Cleared congestion, especially in lungs by reducing mucus

Here it is ......to make one serve

2 giant handfuls of spinach or kale or silver beet
1 banana
1 teaspoon barley powder or similar
1 whole lemon (skin cut off) - the lemon counters the taste of the greens
1 whole apple (cut in half and remove stalk)
1 tablespoon of chai seeds

Optional
1/2 cup of frozen berries
any fruit in season
pineapple
1 tablespoon coconut oil (I add this most of the time)
any fruit in season

blend to oblivion.

drink - to your health!

Savvy tips

# Start with a small handful of greens and increase as you become  more accustom to them.  If you are wanting to introduce these to your kids diet or in my case kids and hubby I recommend starting slowly with the greens.

# Adding frozen berries or pineapple is another great way to start the kids off.

# Use frozen fruit, buy when on special and in season - I often freeze bananas.  Just make sure your bananas are ripe and that you peel them before freezing. I like to break them in half and put them in freezer bags or a plastic (BPA free) container before placing in the freezer.



Sunday 28 April 2013

Gluten free baking workshop - Silverdale 6th July 2013


We are excited to be hosting a workshop by GFME (Gluten free made easy)

Fed up with gluten free baking blunders?

Disheartened by the cost of gluten free food?

Learn how to make delicious gluten free breads, rolls, pasta, cakes, scones and crackers easily and inexpensively.

Gluten free baking is a totally different science to wheat based baking. In their cooking class they share their recipes and teach you the skills you need to bake gluten free food, simply and successfully. A friend of ours went to one of their workshops and found it fantastic.

Have an awesome Monday.

Treena & Trish x

Wednesday 24 April 2013

Daily Wall Organiser - Tutorial

 Turn a simple white picture frame into a 
"DAILY ORGANISER"

The finished product in use!

I made this for my niece's 13th Birthday. It would be a great school holiday project or a perfect "Mother's Day" gift.


What you'll need:

  • 1 x Collage picture frame (This frame is from "The Warehouse" for $6 on sale) 
  • Scrapbooking paper
  • Coloured pencils
  • Days of the week printed in your favourite font



Remove the frame backing and cut scrapbooking paper to fit inside each frame.

Take your printed days of the week and use them as a stencil to write on the scrapbooking paper. 
(I held mine up to the window and as the paper was quite thin I was able to trace over the lettering.)


Close-up of weekday lettering

Note: make sure to leave room at the top of your paper for the frame otherwise you wont see the lettering!


So simple and quick to put together with minimal supplies. 


We'd love to see your creations ... 
Feel free to upload pix of your creations to our Facebook page Savvy at Home

Trish x

Monday 22 April 2013

Autumn in Season - Feijoas




 

Don't you just love feijoa season! I know I do. I love eating them
fresh from the tree.  But for all you feijoa fans it's good to know that Feijoas are a very nutritious as well being super yummy! I have shared some of our Savvy Feijoa tips and recipes.

Availability
: April -June

Buying tips: Feijoas will nearly always remain green, so disregard the colour as a sign of ripeness. Buy the fruit firm with an even colour. Feijoas are ready to eat when slightly soft.

Storing tips:
Feijoas will ripen at room temperature, once ripe you can store in fridge. Feijoas freeze well, scoop out and freeze sliced or whole in labelled bags.
 

Savvy Nourish snapshot:
Eating one feijoa fruit a day supplies around 10% of an adult’s daily nutrition need.
Grab as a quick snack as you are going out the door.
  • Add fibre to your day, One fruit will provide 23% of an adult's daily need.
  • Vitamin C (50mg/100mg of flesh) which helps improving the body immunity against common cold and seasonal allergies.
  • Feijoa balances the body pH, being highly alkaline in composition.
  • High in potassium content which helps maintaining blood pressure.
  • Rich in folic acid and Vitamin B complex.

Fabulous ways with Feijoas

  1. Whip up a feijoa smoothie. Place a ripe banana with 3 tablespoons of natural yoghurt, 3 ripe feijoa centres, teaspoon or two of honey or real maple syrup and 300mIs of milk and blend.
  2. Chop up a ripe feijoa and place a couple of dollups of natural yoghurt on top and sprinkle with Muesli for a quick and healthy snack.
  3. Bake Feijoa Muffins
  4. For a healthy dessert with a twist, stew ripe feijoas and apples. Chop and peel 3 large apples and 6 ripe feijoa centres, ½ cup of water, and add 1 tablespoons of sugar or maple syrup, and a pinch of both cinnamon and nutmeg. Simmer gently until boiled, and continue to simmer until reduced and thickened. Serve with greek yoghurt or ice cream
  5. Make Feijoa and Apple Relish

Treena & Trish x

Two sisters sharing realfood recipes that are simple, affordable and family friendly.

Feijoa and Apple Relish





This lovely relish is great paired with a tart cheese and whole-grain crackers for a tasty snack or in a Chicken Panini for Lunch.

If your new to making relish this recipe is simple and full of flavour.


Feijoa & Apple Relish

Ingredients
½ onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoon ginger, grated
2 teaspoon allspice
100g tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped
150g sugar
150ml white wine vinegar
1 lemon, juice and grated zest
1 teaspoon salt
2 apples, peeled and diced
6 large feijoas, peeled and diced

Method
Put all ingredients except apple and feijoa in a heavy-based saucepan and stir to combine. Place saucepan over medium heat, bring to a simmer then increase the heat and reduce to a syrup. Add apple and feijoa and cook until soft but their shape retained. Remove from heat, spread onto a tray and cool quickly.


Serve with Pork or Chicken.

Recipe by:
Mindfood

Fabulous Feijoa Muffins



Excess Feijoas? Try these easy and delicious muffins

FABULOUS FEIJOA MUFFINS

Ingredients
75g butter, melted
1 cup finely chopped feijoa flesh
2 large eggs
finely grated rind of 1 orange
¼ cup orange juice
¾ cup sugar
2 cups self-raising flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar

Method

  1. Heat oven to 210°C (200°C fanbake), with the rack just below the middle.
  2. Heat the butter in a large bowl until it is liquid.
  3. Halve the feijoas and scoop out the central part with a teaspoon. (Muffins are nicest if you do not use much of the firmer outer shell.)
  4. Chop feijoa into pieces no bigger than peas. Pack into cup measure, then mix this into the melted butter with a fork.
  5. Add the unbeaten eggs, orange rind, and the juice of the orange (made up to volume with a little lemon juice if necessary). Mix until everything is combined.
  6. Mix the sugar and self-raising flour in another container. Sprinkle it over the egg mixture, then fold it in without overmixing. (If you have used too much firm feijoa flesh you may need to add a little extra juice or milk to reach usual muffin consistency.)
  7. Divide the mixture between greased muffin pans.
  8. Mix the cinnamon and second measure of sugar, and sprinkle it on the muffins.
  9. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the centres spring back when pressed.

Variation: For Raspberry and Feijoa Muffins, add an extra ¼ cup of sugar and fold in 1 cup of frozen raspberries.

Enjoy with a hot cuppa!



From Marvellous Muffins by Alison Holst (Hyndman Publishing, 1994). 

Sunday 21 April 2013

Anzac Biscuits




SUPER ANZAC COOKIES

We've adapted these so they pack alittle more nutritional punch than the traditional!

Prep 10min / Makes 40

1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup wholemeal flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup coconut

1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 Tblsp Chia Seeds (optional)

1 1/2 cups Oats
100g butter
2 T honey or Golden Syrup for a more traditional flavour
1 tsp baking soda
5 T boiling water

Mix together flours, sugar, coconut, seeds and oats. Melt butter and honey. Dissolve baking soda in the boiling water and add to butter and honey. Combine with dry ingredients. Place tablespoon lots onto baking trays. Bake 180 for 15mins or until golden brown.


Savvy Tips ...

# Time saver: Divide the mixture in half, add in cranberries & cashews to one half then you will get two types of cookies.

# The mixture is quite wet and will stick to your hands, wet them lightly with cool water to stop the mixture sticking.

# Flatten these with your palm to get a good height cookie - they don't alter shape much with cooking.


# You can also make these into bars - a great snack and a good sustitute for store brought muesli bars.

# Dip or drizzle with good quality dark chocolate - delcious!


Adapted from the "Edmonds" Cookbook original recipe below.


Anzac Biscuits (Edmonds Cookbook recipe)

Minutes to Prepare: 15
Minutes to Cook: 15
Number of Servings: 20

Ingredients
1/2 cup Plain Flour
1/3 cup Sugar
2/3 cup Coconut (dessicated)
3/4 cup Rolled Oats
50g Butter
1 Tbsp Golden Syrup
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 Tbsp Boiling Water

Directions
*Mix together flour, sugar, coconut, and rolled oats.
*Melt butter and golden syrup.
*Dissolve baking soda in the boiling water and add to butter and golden syrup.
*Stir butter mixture into the dry ingredients. Place level tablespoonful of mixture onto cold greased trays Bake at180'C for about 15min or until golden.

Makes 20.

Thursday 18 April 2013

CHOCOLATE CAKE - DAIRY FREE + EGG FREE

Eggless and Dairy Free
Chocolate Stout Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (for our Dad on St Paddy's Day 2013)
























This is our mothers recipe.

It is such a simple recipe that can be made quickly with minimal ingredients.
Making it also a budget friendly option.

I've made a few different variations of this cake depending on what I've had available in my pantry and its always turned out well! It is a rich and moist cake.

Chocolate Cake 

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup Cocoa Powder
1 tsp vanilla Essence
2 Tblsp white vinegar
2/3 cup oil
2 cups water or stout 

Note:  The stout flavour was strong so if you prefer you could use 1 cup water and 1 cup stout instead for a milder stout flavour. I would describe the stout as adding a slightly nutty flavour.

Sift dry ingredients and mix, add liquids and mix till just combined.

Note: the mix will be very runny

Bake 160 fan bake for 1 and 1/4 hours 

I used 2 x 23cm cake tins for the cake pictured above. Adjusted the cooking times and the cake was cooked in 45 minutes in my own oven.

From memory: Mini cupcakes cook in approx 15 mins and standard cupcakes 25 mins.

Savvy Tips: 

Add chocolate chips to the mix or a sprinkle few on top before cooking.

Freeze cupcakes for a quick and easy addition to lunches. 

This recipe also works well as cupcakes or mini muffins

Monday 15 April 2013

ANTI ANT - Homemade Anti Killer



I don't know if you are like me, but I hate ants in the kitchen, they are annoying little creatures, especially when they get into our dishwasher which is not much fun. I can tell you from experience it does not work just putting the dishwasher on ...... :(

This homemade ant poison I found on the Internet, is much cheaper and just as effective as the ones you buy. Strictly not completely additive free as it does have borax in it - but more natural than the bought variety.



Anti Ant Recipe

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp borax

Combine sugar, Borax and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for three minutes. Let it cool completely. It will thicken as it cools. Make sure you thoroughly wash out and rinse your pot really well.

Using the plastic lids from milk containers place it in the effected room or outside where the ants are.

They will find the sticky liquid no matter where it is placed.

The ants eat this and then take it back to their nest.

Before long there will be no more ants :).

Store in clearly labelled container with "DO NOT EAT" so no one mistakes this for syrup as this is poisonous.

Savvy Tip:
Borax can be purchased from Bin Inn and most hardware stores.



Treena & Trish x

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Thursday 11 April 2013

Wholesome Snack Ideas








WHOLESOME SNACK IDEAS
to revive and keep you satisfied between main meals.



Frozen Fruit
Grapes, Pineapple or Mango

Smoothies
if on the go pop these into a thermos. 
make double and freeze half for a easy healthy after dinner treat.

Trail Mix 
make you own nuts, seeds, popcorn, dried fruit and occasionally choc chips!

Apple slices 
spread with peanut or nut butter

Egg boiled
boil 1/2 dozen eggs at the start of the week and keep in the fridge for a quick and convenient snack.

Cruskets\Rice Thins 
Cottage cheese, Tomato, Avocado or your choice of yummy toppings
Raw Veggie Sticks 
with Hummus or Guacamole

Frozen Choc Coated Bananas
cut bananas into chunks dip all or half into quality dark chocolate and freeze.
you can also roll in coconut or nuts.

Popcorn
air popped.

Sunflower Seeds
raw or toasted.

Vitality Truffles

Dried Fruit
Dried fruit a concentrated source of natural sugar, so go easy & enjoy petite portion

Muesli Bar 
either homemade or we like Natures Valley brand

Mountain Bread Crisps
cut into chip sized strips, spritz with olive oil, season and bake @ 160 degree celcuis until crisp. Accompany with this easy Dip: Unsweetened greek yogurt + Sweet chili sauce.

Pumpkin Seeds
pumpkin seeds, sprayed with a spritz of olive oil, sprinkle lightly with salt or your favourite spice mix and baked at for 200 degrees until brown.

Lettuce wrap
fill with your choice of sandwich filling and wrap it up
we love to use left over roast chicken with tomatoes and avocado!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
A great little treat that can satisfy a chocolate craving with the added goodness of strawberries. Make sure to use good quality chocolate.

Banana Bread

Honeyed Yogurt
nonfat Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey

Quesadilla
take 2 tortillas and pop in a sandwich press w/cheese (or not) - adding on tomatoes, beans, corn, olives, avocado or guacamole or whatever sounds good)

Seasonal Fresh Fruit Platter

Fruit Kebabs 
cut and thread fruit on kebab sticks add a couple of marshmallows occasionally as a treat (kids love these - everything is more fun on a stick!)

Parfait
build your own with unsweetened greek yogurt, fruit and homemade Muesli

Rice Crackers and Salsa

Kale Crisps
Tear kale leaves into large pieces and arrange on a baking sheet. Spritz with olive oil and bake in a 160 degree oven until crisp. 
Cheesy Version: while still warm, sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese - delicious

Chickpea poppers
drain and rinse canned chickpeas, then dry them with a paper towel. Spritz with extra-virgin olive oil, season with dried oregano and salt, and roast at 200 degree celcuis until crisp.
try other seasonings - chilli powder for those who like a bit of heat or Moroccan spice mix works well.

Vegetable Soup
great warmer on a winters day

Ryvita crackers
topped with salmon or tuna and sliced tomato or hummus and cottage cheese, or chopped boiled egg and avocado.



Do you struggle to think of snack ideas that are both nutritious and simple?

We did too, until we sat down together and wrote up this list. It was actually quite simple and once we started the ideas came easily. Feel free to print and keep a copy somewhere handy for a quick reference - we have ours on the fridge. 

Have you noticed how most pre-packaged snacks are high in sugar, bad fats, additives and preservatives and can leave you feeling less than satisfied and lacking in energy. Not only do you need to be aware of what is in these foods by checking the labels but also check the portion sizes. Often the manufacturers of these processed snack foods use small portion sizes to fool consumers and you'll find most people would eat more than the recommended portion size. Recently I weighed a portion of corn chips as per the packets recommended portion size and it was 1/2 what I'd usually dish up for myself!

With a little "Savvy at Home" know how you can make a good snacking choices that are wholesome and satisfying.

We'd love to hear what snacks you make for yourselves and your families. 

Trish and Treena x