Midweek Mates - Super Spring Salad

Andrew Sibley : Cleansing

I have a very good old friend - Jake Hoerner - we have eaten a lot together over the years, he has decided to share a really simple yet effective Super Spring Salad, it's perfect for these warm Spring days as a side or a lunch delight. It’s fresh, full of phytonutrients, beta carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Iron, EFA’s and a bit of Protein.

Jake is a very busy man, he is the director of Kick Gallery a contemporary art gallery in Peel St, Collingwood, he lives his life on the run so loves this salad as it's 'bit of this bit of that...Shazaam!'

Recipe 

Carrot, Beetroot and Pine nut Salad 

3 Carrots 

1 Beetroot

50 grams of Pine nuts

Lemon

Tahini

Olive oil 

Salt & Pepper

‘This is a great salad that tastes healthy and is healthy!’ 

Grate the carrot and beetroot and then mix in a bowl until it is a combination of orange and purple is relatively even. Then in a separate jar or glass combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and stir - the quantity is relative to the amount of carrot and beetroot in the salad - and then add a dab of tahini to give an additional nutty flavour to the salad dressing. Pop in the pine nuts at the end and stir through and then shazam, Healthy Salad!

Let us know if you give this a go and what you think? I love it. It’s fresh, fun, light and flavoursome – a great side or lunch - Enjoy

If you are free this Thursday Kick is presenting one of Australia’s greatest living artists Andrew Sibley he has one many awards through out his career and it is a must see show – and tell Jake you loved the salad!

Andrew Sibley: Facial Terrain Passive 1971

Andrew Sibley: Facial Terrain III

Kick Gallery presents,

Andrew Sibley

Pivotal

Opening 6-8pm Thursday September 26 2013

To be officially opened at 6.30pm by Tim Abdallah | Head of Art | Menzies

Exhibition runs September 24 – October 12

Pivotal is the second exhibition of the work of Andrew Sibley at Kick Gallery. Once again this important exhibition highlights this pioneering artist’s exploration of ideas relating to the human condition and people’s relationships to each other. They are at times challenging in terms of subject, on other occasions full of whimsy and humanity, what binds the entire set of works is there unmistakable virtuosity.

The second of a series of exhibitions in the coming years that look back to look forward on how Australian art has developed, Pivotal continues to reaffirm and reassert Sibley’s preeminence as a modern Australian master.

Friends on Friday - Get your green on!

Mish is the founder and CEO of mishfit mothers and says this recipe is “easy as” as long as you remember to secure the Vitamix lid! And it is.

I met Mish after my first baby, he was 10 weeks old and I needed to move and feel my body again so I joined mishfit; a specialised personal training program designed for pregnant and post-natal women, she was great, it was great, she educates women on how to exercise safely and its in a place where your babies and children are welcome. 

Broccoli Soup Recipe

Broccoli is a real superfood; it contains substantial amounts of nutrients that are extremely good for your health including vitamins A, C, folic acid, fiber and calcium. It also has amazing properties that detoxify oestrogen overload in the liver! To get the full benefits of your broccoli its best to buy ORGANIC, as it’s one of the most sprayed conventionally grown veggies.

Ingredients:

4 generous heads of broccoli

1 x onion

2-3 garlic cloves

1 Lt. vegetable stock

1/2 to 3/4 cup of pine nuts

Olive oil

Method:

Soak roughly cut up broccoli in cold water and salt to clean and to remove bugs, dirt and chemical. Include stalks too but peel first so that it easily cooks and breaks down.

Heat pan, sauté onion and garlic in a little oil. Add chopped broccoli and good quality stock cover with lid and cook till tender.

Pop in blender with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of pine nuts and blend. Secure lid of blender tightly! And buzz away.

Return to heat if it has cooled down.

Serve with a delicious piece of crusty sourdough lavished with butter.

Enjoy.

Pumpkin soup with Power

Autumn has arrived and we’ve had a snap of cold – it got me excited to start up the soup regime! I had two Jap(anese) Pumpkins in my kitchen so I decided to use a whole one for soup.

I love pumpkin soup – it’s yum, filling nourishing, and full of goodness.

And here are 5 top health reasons why you should love this particular recipe:

1. Pumpkin is full of phyto-nutrients and Vitamin A, which will support your immune system and make your skin glow.
2. Turmeric is a potent natural anti-inflammatory, reducing inflammation in arthritis, psoriasis, speeds up skin healing, is a natural liver detoxifier and studies are indicating it may prevent the spread of certain cancers
3. Garlic is a natural anti microbial, potent anti-oxidant and assits in the reduction of cholesterol
4. Coconut oil is an anti bacterial
5. Natural yoghurt is a pro-biotic, restoring healthy gut bugs.

Here is my simple and delicious recipe full of health benefits.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 Organic Jap Pumpkin

1 Brown onion

2-3 cloves of garlic

2 dessertspoons of Coconut oil

1 tsp. of turmeric

1 Organic Veggie stock cubes

Water

Pepper 

Salt  - Himalayan Pink Salt

Fresh Coriander

Natural Yogurt

Preparation:

Peel and roughly cut the pumpkin flesh into approximately 1cm cubes.

Peel and finely chop the onion.

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot, add onion and gently brown for 10 minutes, until soft and golden-brown.

Add the garlic, stir then add the pumpkin.

Mix ingredients, add a glass of boiled warm water

Add the turmeric, and a few more glasses of water

Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Increase the heat to medium and cover with the lid.

Cook for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the base from burning and until the pumpkin is cooked through.

Serve hot

Add a generous dollop of natural yogurt each bowl

Sprinkle with fresh coriander

Enjoy

febfast

I have decided to participate in febfast this year, and maybe every year from now on in. I think it is a great idea, it brings alcohol awareness to our society, it gives your liver a rest, it's a great cause for people receiving and those doing. Bring it on I say. If my donations can help someone in need I am happy to promote myself and this cause to try and get as many donations as possible. As some of you may know, I have a new baby so I am not drinking everyday but nor do I when I don't have a newborn, so it may not seem like a great challenge for me but it is a great cause. 

Once upon a time I did drink everyday and with that I spent a lot of money on drinks, so I ask you to donate the amount of a drink that you would buy me. Be it $8 for a glass of pinot, $7.50 for an Asahi, $3.50 for a pot. C'mon buy me a drink and support those affected by alcohol or drug problems.

If you don't know what febfast is, it is abstaining from alcohol for one month and raising funds for people with drug and alcohol related problems. Some of the charities where your donations will go are 

• YSAS in Vic
• Mater Health Services in Qld
• The Ted Noffs Foundation in NSW and ACT
• Bushmob in the NT 
• Mission Australia in SA and Tassie
• Holyoake in WA and 
• The Australian Drug Foundation nationwide

Donate to febfast Fiona Hogan Team

If you are also participating in febfast, here are some tips for making it easy:

• Consider taking a herbal support such as St Mary’s thistle, it's a great liver restorative.
• Take a quality vitamin B complex daily.
• Drink at least two litres of water a day and assist flushing those toxins.
• Drink chlorophyll everyday, it's another great cleanser.
• Try black Dandelion root tea, it will help your liver detox.
• Walk or move for at least 20 mins a day.
• Hide all the alcohol in your house.
• Meet friends and walk, a bike ride or do a movie instead of meeting at the bar.
• Take a good anti-oxidant which may include Vitamins A, C & E and Minerals zinc, selenium, calcium and magnesium.
• Enlist the help of a trained practitioner to support you and prescribe therapeutic doses.

The Benefits of Oysters

People either love or hate oysters. I am an oyster lover.

I have loved them since I was a child and my dad would open them on the rocks and we'd walk with the waves washing around us and eat them. I loved the taste, that hard to describe metallic, salty, rich flavour, I loved the texture, I loved the whole experience. Now as an adult I can easily sit and eat a dozen natural oysters (or more) in one sitting – YUM and this summer I did.

The best thing about oysters is their goodness. They are known to provide an abundance of vitamins and minerals, packed into a high-protein, low-fat, and low-cholesterol package, this makes them sound like the perfect food. They also have a high vibrational energy too – this is because they are often shucked then eaten, it is as fresh as eating vegetables straight from your garden!

The Health Benefits of Oysters:

High in Zinc

Oysters are commonly known as a rich source of Zinc in fact they are one of the most concentrated natural zinc sources.

Zinc plays an important role in wound healing and in maintaining a strong and healthy immune system, and helps regulate ones taste and smell senses. Zinc is also an important mineral required for the production of testosterone.

Zinc deficiencies can result in symptoms such as decreased wound healing, weakened immune system, poor appetite, slow growth of hair, skin and nails, loss of hair, impaired senses of taste and smell and more frequent infections. Eat an oyster and feel stronger!

High in Protein

Oysters are a good source of protein, on average six oysters can contain about six grams of protein. The protein found in oysters is high in quality and is easy to digest.  

Protein helps build and repair tissues and muscle it aids growth within our complex make-up. So do yourself a favor and eat some protein, complement of half a dozen oysters

Possible Aphrodisiac

Oysters have often been called aphrodisiacs! They are rich in specific amino acids that are known to increase the levels of sex hormones and of course high in zinc which aids in the production of testosterone!

It is believed that if food resembles an organ or body part then it is beneficial to it.  Taking on this theory, aphrodisiacs are those that resembled sexual organs. Oysters have a clear resemblance of a female vagina and food that in some way looked like vaginas were reputed as being aphrodisiacs, making oysters a possible aphrodisiac!

Good Source of Vitamins and Minerals

Oysters are a good source of Vitamins including Vitamins A and B12 and rich in minerals such as Calcium and Iron.

The Vitamin A can help improve your eyesight.

The B12 will give you energy and help with brain function, helping your mood.

Calcium is good for your bones and the Iron helps your blood form and transport.

Nutritional Highlights of Oysters

Oysters raw, (6 medium):
Calories: 57
 Protein: 5.9g
 Carbohydrate: 3.3g
Total Fat: 2.1g
Fiber: 0.0g
*Excellent source of: Zinc (76mcg), and Vitamin B12 (16.3mcg)