Perfect meal on a hot Summer night

We had such a hot day today that I couldn`t face cooking. Hmm, what could we throw together that was healthy, quick and easy? Of course, our summer fave - Vietnamese cold rolls.

We already had a BBQ chicken in the fridge and after rummaging through the crisper, we found what was needed - carrot, cucumber, capsicum, and snowpeas. I picked some corriander and mint from the garden while I soaked some rice vermicelli noodles to soften.The next bit was a bit trickier - getting my daughter to thinly slice it all up! She did a great job slicing everything to the same size.

We always keep some rice paper wrappers in the cupboard, and all you have to do is soak them one 

at a time in a bowl of hot water to soften them. Place on a damp tea towel and carefully pile up your salads in a neat little row in the middle, with a sprinkle of vermicelli, coriander and mint on top, then fold and wrap tightly - just like a little parcel. We used a Thai sweet dressing and added some chilli  sauce for dipping...and voila, dinner is ready .

And of course we had plenty left over for lunch the next day. What`s your favorite too hot to cook meal

Coconut Cashew Honey bars...too easy

I used to be a muesli bar muncher most of my adult life, after all they are easy to grab and eat on the go or with a cuppa at morning tea. I must admit, I would take ages standing in front of that section in the supermarket, reading ingredients and trying to work out which one was a healthy choice. Yoghurt, chocolate, nuts, whole grains....oh boy, I would stand there for ages....there are so many to choose from!

I would consider which one had the least amount of fat, then learnt that less sugar is better and then the big one - grains are bad for your gut health....WHAT! I love grains, the grainier the better!

And of course, now I have adopted a `clean` eating approach, I limit processed and packaged foods to only healthy, `free from` type of products, like the yummy cereals from the Freedom range - which I add a spoonful of Tropical blend seeds (my new fave) banana, blueberries and strawberries..yum!

But the other day I was really craving a yummy bar, so I did a little Pinterest perusing and found the perfect recipe. And as with many recipes I find on line, I tweek them just a little bit to suit what is in my pantry or to suit my tastebuds. Sometimes it`s just a case of substituting an ingredient for a more healthy option or like this one I added some of the Tropical seed mix that I can`t get enough of lately. I bought a small packet from Kapai Puku at a Mind, Body, Spirit event recently, and loved it sooo much I ordered 3 kilos of the stuff on line!

I told my daughter what I was going to make, and of course her response was `You know I don`t like muesli bars and I`m not fussed about cashews either`. Well if I let her comments stop me I`d never cook anything! So I whipped out all the ingredients and threw it together in short order, all in one bowl. In to the oven for 20 mins and we`re done.

We kept the bars in the fridge because the honey in them got a bit sticky in our warm weather, and an amazing thing happened. One by one they disappeared and were all gone in less than a week! `I thought you didn`t like them` I said to my daughter....apparently they were really nice after all! Hmm, I know I really enjoyed the few I ate, and my other daughter, who is Dairy free, could also eat these - although I did have to hide one for her or she would have missed out!

So thanks to :- Sally`s Baking Addiction blog and this delicious and nutritious bar. Here is the link to this easy peasy recipe. Remember I did add my delicious seed mix and also increased the amount of dates, and you can tweek it to suit as well.

http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/05/11/cashew-coconut-snack-bars/

Let me know how you go if you make this healthy delicious bar or if you have a favorite healthy recipe.

LEAKY GUT - A fad or fiction

Leaky Gut. It`s a fairly common phrase these days although very few people can actually tell you what it is and even fewer know if they have one.

It is not a new concept. Hippocrates said  ``All disease begins in the gut.``

Simply put, the gut lining is like a fine net. On the outside of this net is our first line of defence - our immune system. The gut processes food, filtering goodness into our bodies. We continually eat chemically processed food ie just about everything on supermarket shelves, Glutens and Wholegrains - the gut`s arch enemy. Then there is GMO foods like corn and soy and of course Sugar, which feeds yeast and bad bacteria, causing the net or filaments of the gut tear or open, letting microbal undigested particles, toxins and bacterial waste, through into the bloodstream. Immediately to battle stations is the Immune system, which is now tirelessly working to combat these invading particles. Enter low energy and fatigue. With continued leakage, the immune system begins to struggle to keep up with these foreign particles, literally going to war on itself, which is one of the major causes of many Autoimmune disorders. All of this action results in Inflammation, which travels to different areas of the body where it triggers various chronic disease, allergy, aches and pains.

Aching joints? Thyroid or hormone problems? Slow Metabolism? Gas and bloating or constipation. Allergies or Acne? Anxiety, Depression or ADHD, frequent colds or sinus? YES, YES, YES, they are all linked to a `leaky gut`. Mal absorption is another widely undiagnosed disorder. Are you low in Iron, Zinc, or Magnesium even though you take supplements? If your system can`t absorb nutrients, then many of your organs, including your skin - your biggest organ, will not function well and result in many hard to pin point problems.

There are over 10,000 research papers related to leaky gut - it is not a MYTH or a FAD.

It is generally unrecognised by modern medical practitioners because they do not study nutrition.

Many articles suggest the 4 main causes of leaky gut are:

                                                                   1./  Diet
                                                                   2./  Chronic Stress
                                                                   3./  Toxin overload
                                                                   4./  Bacterial imbalance

Dr Axe has a very informative, easy to understand article I recommend at:

                                                                   https://my.draxe.com/hlg-healing-leaky-gut

Our modern world is now reaching epidemic levels of disease - Cancers, Diabetes, Autoimmune disorders, Obesity, Thyroid issues, even mood disorders - the list goes on, and even though we are living longer lives, they are not necessarily healthy lives. Modern diseases are currently being treated by costly `patented` chemicals - more chemicals into a body already under extreme duress.

So why are people scared to eat toward good health? It has been proven time and again that when you eat healthy clean food you lose weight, your skin looks better and your amazing body heals itself. Don`t want to give up all the good stuff? Many don`t care or just don`t know where to start? Everyone has a reason not to bother - until they have a health issue.  By then they will probably go to their doctor who has no idea about leaky gut and will prescribe something for relief which will address the symptom not the cause.

It`s up to you folks. You are in control of your body - are you making yourself sick?

Watch out for my next post to find out how to fix a leaky gut - or subscribe by email so you don`t miss this vital information.

I welcome any comments about this topic and wish you good health