After a cold Sunday making a snowman & freezing my little fingers off – it was time to cook a healthy meal to offer some comfort from the cold…

I am always seeking healthy recipes to pass onto my clients and the one thing that I am have learnt is they want QUICK- CHEAP -HEALTHY – FAMILY MEALS!

I managed to get my hands on some Venison Mince via La-Houge in Chippenham- after they kindly sourced me a few bags worth.  One tweet later the Venison was mine!

Before I showcase the recipe I wanted to point out some Nutrition pointers around Venison:

GRASS FED MEAT: Shop bought cheaper style meat is NOT good for your health. Period! These animals are not feeding on natural grass – they are fed things like soy and corn and are pumped full of antibiotics and growth hormones. Oh and Cattle were not designed to eat grains :0

• Choose organic and grass fed animals whenever you can – you can go to your local butchers and get really good deals – Go with your friend and neighbour and split the costs. Your health will thank you for it.
• Grass fed animals are higher in healthy omega-3s, and higher in vitamin E than meat from feed-lot cattle. It is also much higher in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a nutrient associated with lower cancer risk. And high in the GOOD saturated fat! 

Venison Nutrient Value:

• Protein:  Sorry to state the obvious – but Venison is a high quality protein source which provides the essential amino acids for our body to grow and function.
• Vitamins:  Contains the B Vitamins B3, Riboflavin, B6 and B12.  Important in the release of energy from foods and for healthy blood and nerves.
• Minerals:  Contains Iron, Zinc and Copper plus Selenium and Phosphorus.  Needed to transport oxygen in the blood and a healthy immune system.

Cost:

• This meal fed me and my son and I have three more bowls full – all for around £12 – You can eat healthy and feed a family – and if you have never tasted grass fed meat – you are missing out!  

Verdict!

We loved it! – If anyone can provide me with different suggestions on improving this recipe – please please let me know – I would love to learn about your venison recipes.

Venison Bolognese  

 Ingredients 

500g Venison (Ask your local butcher – avoid the supermarket)

2 Tablespoons butter- (BUTTER- not evil margarine or that weird spray stuff!)

1 Onion – diced

2 cans of Tomatoes – Organic – plump and juicy

1 Cup of Red Wine (Optional – get a good quality red )

2 Tablespoons of Tarragon

2 Tablespoons of ground coriander

2 Tablespoons of mixed herbs

3 Cloves of garlic

Fresh Parmesan – Grated

1 Pack of button mushrooms

Organic tomato Puree 

• Heat a deep pan with the butter , garlic , and onions
• Stir around for a minute
• Throw in the mushrooms
• Add the spices (apart from your fresh herbs) and Venison Mince
• I heated it really high I wanted to lock in those tasty flavours in my pan
• Add the red wine and let it all cook away like crazy!
• Once the meat has browned – turn it down to a very low heat
• Add the tomatoes and bash up with your wooden spoon
• Add the Fresh Tarragon (or herb of your choice)
• Add tomato Puree (if you need)
• Leave to cook for around 30 minutes 

Serve with the grated fresh Parmesan – and a sprinkle of your herbs 

NOTE: This was my first experience with Venison in Bolognese and I have to say I loved it! – My 7 year old ate it and loved it also.

I HAD MINE WITH KALE & TAYLAN HAD ORGANIC PASTA

I want to play around with this dish – different herbs and so on – I just used what I had in the house, so hence this is not a perfect recipe – but GOSH it was gooooood!

If you have a tasty Venison recipe please send it to me – I would LOVE to try it! 

Curried sweet potato soup 

Ingredients 

1 tbsp hot curry paste

21b Sweet potatoes, cut into chunks and peeled

1pt chicken or vegetable stock

400ml can coconut milk

400g chickpeas, drained 

 Serves 4

• Heat a large saucepan and fry the curry paste for 1 minute until the spices start to release their aroma.
• Tip in the sweet potatoes, stock and the coconut milk.
• Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender.
• Using a blender, pulse the mix until mixed, but not completely smooth.
• Add the chickpeas and again pulse until mixed but not smooth
• Pour into a large sauce pan and heat very slowly until ready to serve

  How we like it

This is just so tasty. It is much nice with a lumpy consistency so don’t over blend.

You can replace the chick peas with carrots – add some cauliflower

BOOST YOUR LABIDO WITH FOOD 

It is nearly Valentine’s day & as a regular writer for Velvet Magazine Online – it would be boring of me not to spice up your life with a fun article (click on the pic – for the full article)

I am spending Valentine ’s Day with my Girlfriends this year- i am really looking forwards to some girly loving – laughter and outrageous behaviour…

Enjoy your Valentines everyone… remember to find time to

 ‘Steal some covers & share some skin’

I am really excited to announce I have launched a new clinic in the beautiful ‘Self Centre’ in Bury St Edmunds.

The Clinic is unique to Bury St Edmunds and i am looking forwards to helping change the health and weight of the local community.

I will be working closely with the other therapist at the Self Centre to offer my clients a full range of services from Yoga through to Mind Therapies – this is a wonderful opportunity for my clients and will enable me to ensure they are working with professionals who can help in all areas of their life.

Oh – and as a side note – if you are passing – do come and share a healthy meal and drink in the cafe. The food is perfect for those who care about how they feed their body and mind.

If you live in Bury St Edmunds throughout the whole of February I am offering a FREE consultation at the clinic-

Book your FREE consultation today with Amanda on 07502316594

A FRESH PERSPECTIVE….

This month I caught up with local magazine Velvet to discuss the principles behind Lifetime Nutrition Fat Loss & Wellness Clinic.

Lifetime Nutrition has featured in Velvet magazine for over 2 years now – not just in the local magazine , but we also write for their ONLINE website. 

I hope you enjoy the article and remember you can call me for a FREE 10 minute chat to learn how ‘The Fat Loss & Wellness Clinic’ can help you.

I have promised several of you this recipe – And finally i get around to posting it up.

Enjoy & Thank me later !

Protein Breakfast Pankcakes

Ingredients

2-4 tablespoons of Ground pumpkin Seeds

2 Eggs

Milk – use enough to help keep the mixture like a pancake batter- not too runny

Protein Powder – Use the amount you require for your needs

Blueberries

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

• Grind up the seeds – They will turn to flour. Keep them in a glass container covered in the fridge – they will last for a week and this will preserve the omega oils from going rancid.  You can grind the seeds in a blender or a coffee grinder. Easy!
• Mix in a jug 4 tablespoons of your seed flour with the 2 eggs
• Add the protein powder and milk and mix to a batter consistency
• You can either throw in the blueberries now – or wait until you have poured the mix into the pan.
• Heat a small frying pan with butter – make sure the pan get hot
• Pour in enough batter to make either a complete pan sized pancake or small individual ones.
• If you didn’t added your blueberries –now is the time
• Let the pancakes cook for a few minutes each side until brown
• Sprinkle with cinnamon

Serve 

Note:

• I didn’t really mess around with exact measures (as you can tell) Just mix it up and play around with this until you get the flavours you like
• Vanilla protein tasted the best in my opinion.
• You can use coconut flour/Buckwheat/Nut Flour instead of the seed flour if you wish.
• Try it as a sweet desert or a post/pre training meal by adding the following to the batter mix
• Carob and frozen fruit
• Banana and cinnamon and blueberries
• Strawberries and grated dark chocolate

Avocado Egg Hole!

Preheat oven to 180/350f/gas mark 4

Cover a flat dish with tin foil 

Chop Avocado in half and remove the stone

Crack an egg into the holes of the avocado 

Sprinkle with the bacon 

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes

Serve

Remember to remove the sticky label of the avocado! 

What is is?

My clients often ask me about Quinoa because they have heard it is a ‘Super-Food’ and should be in their diet.  I don’t know about you, but I like to know what I am eating and how a food can benefit my dietary goals.  So this little blog will arm you with some information on Quinoa and some suitable recipes that I have tried and tested.

Let’s start with its pronunciation ‘KEEN-wah’

• Quinoa looks and acts like a grain, but it is actually a seed.   It is cultivated in the Andes dating back 5,000 years ago.
• It contains all the essential amino acids – which makes it the best vegetable source of protein around
• Quinoa does not contain gluten so perfect for those who need to avoid this
• It’s a great source of B vitamins containing niacin, thiamin and B6.
• It contains high levels of potassium
• It’s also good source of zinc, copper, selenium, and manganese, and magnesium.
• It contains folic acid and vitamin E.

Most of you are interested in the amount of Protein, Carbohydrate and Fat – So I have taken the data from nutritiondata.self.com to give you a rough break down per 100grams.

What does it taste like?

This is my description – It takes fluffy and has a little nutty flavour going on.

My advice is not to overcook it or it goes all soggy and once cooked drizzle with olive oil or a nob of butter. So yummy!

It comes in red, brown and yellow- though I have only ever found the yellow in my supermarket.

A place in your diet?

• Quinoa is a perfect recovery meal after exercise due to the carb and protein content which will help replace glycogen and help with growth and repair.
• You can increase the protein content by adding some chicken, salmon and so on.
• I use it for breakfast as an alternative protein source to my usual eggs.  With fruit it is great pre training also.
• It is quick to cook – a good source of nutrients and for a busy –active lifestyle – I highly recommend it!
• If you are a vegetarian – this would be an ideal protein choice to get into your diet

Recipes

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa

Ingredients

1 cup of milk (unhomogenized /Organic full fat/kara milk)
1 cup water
1 cup organic quinoa,
2 cups mixed blue berries and blackberries
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted(heat them up yourself in a pan with little oil – choose natural unsalted/roasted nuts)
4 teaspoons organic manuka honey

• Combine  milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan.
• Bring  to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15  minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
• Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in berries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans.
•  Drizzle 1 teaspoon honey over each serving

Serves 4. *While the quinoa cooks, roast the pecans in oven or in a dry frying pan for about 3 minutes.

Spinach and Quinoa Cakes with Goat Cheese

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Quinoa, cooked

1 cup spinach, cooked and drained

1 egg 1 clove of garlic, minced

1 ounce of goat cheese, crumbled Pepper to taste

Butter or coconoil

Cumin , coriander and paprika can be used(experiment

•  Mix all ingredients in a bowl
• Season with Pepper (If you want add chilli powder or mixed herbs and so on!)
• Form 2-inch patties.
• Heat just enough oil/butter in a skillet to cover the bottom of the pan on medium heat.
• Put cakes in the hot oil, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes each side.

Serves 4 – I like them for breakfast !

Tabasco & Asparagus Quinoa

Ingredients

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
25 drops Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon rock salt 1

1/2 cup / 4 oz / 113g butter, room temperature

4 cups cooked Quinoa
1/3 cup / 2 oz / 60 g pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup Total Greek Yoghurt
more Tabasco sauce to taste

•  In a food processor, or with a hand blender, whip the butter until it is light and airy. Add the mustard, Tabasco sauce, lemon juice and salt. (This is your tabasco butter)
• Boil the asparagus in a large pot, for just for a minute or so – depending on the thickness of your asparagus. Drain. If you are serving this immediately you can leave the asparagus hot, but if you are going to wait to serve this, then dunk them in cold water and leave to drain.
• Take the 4 cups / 20 oz / 565 g of hot cooked Quinoa and toss with 3 tablespoons of the tabasco butter.
•  Stir in the asparagus, pine nuts, and dollop with yoghurt.
•  Serve with more Tabasco sauce on the side if you wish

Serves 4 – 6.

This post is about feeding the needs of son and myself – I often get asked what i eat , and i really am focusing on myself and my son this year.  I want us both to be fit, strong ,healthy & happy..

I also strive to be a better Nutritionist every day – I want to deliver Nutrition advice to my clients that is backed by solid research not media hear-say.  I have been following and attending conferences run by Martin Macdonald, a Nutritionist who I value and have a lot of respect for. Martin knows his stuff, takes a enormous amount of his time researching and therefore dispelling myths around Nutrition (Follow Martin @macNutrition).

Martin has mentioned two nutrients that I was keen to put into my diet, those being Vitamin D3 and Iron.  For this blog I am going to talk about Iron.

I have had a problem with Anemia and at times can become quite tired – especially if I am training hard or suffering from a bout of Ulcerative Colitis. (Which I am proud to say I rarely do now I have learnt to manage it via food)   I am also aware of the fact my little 7 year old needs a balanced diet at the moment as he is training in Thai Boxing and competing – so his exercise has increased massively in the past few months.

One of the foods that Martin had mentioned was Liver and of course red meat.  I loved liver when I was kid- liver bacon and onions – why had I excluded it from my diet as the health benefits from liver are really quite amazing. I am not a big red meat eater; I eat lamb a few times a month so I went on a quest to bring liver back into my world.

Why Iron?

• Iron helps fights infection – So potentially a lack of iron could leave you prone to infections
• Iron is used in energy production- One of its functions is to carry oxygen to and carbon dioxide away from all cells in your bod!
• Iron deficiency is common in women and in athletes and more so if they are also avoiding red meat.
• Hard training stimulates an increase in red blood cell and blood vessel production, therefore increase the demand for iron.  So if you are training hard make sure you are eating good sources of Iron.

The Nutrient Content of Liver: – It is actually really impressive.

• Iron: An excellent source of Heme iron. Heme Iron is found in animal foods and non-heme iron is derived from plant sources.  Heme Iron is far more readily available and easier to absorb.  Iron assists the transport of oxygen around the body
• One of the best sources of vitamin B12 – B12 is need for the reproduction of our red blood cells. It is also important to maintain the nervous system.
• High in Vitamin A – plays several crucial roles in reproductive health
• Also contains, Copper, Folic Acid, Selenium and Zinc
• CoQ10 – Need for cardiovascular function)

Some people are concerned about the Vitamin A content and from what I can see is vitamin A is only toxic if there is a vitamin D and vitamin K2 deficiency.  Suffice to say I am eating my butter so I am pretty sure I have that covered!.

Liver Tip:

• When selecting liver for consumption, it is preferable to select one from a young animal as it is the mildest and tender.
• I also cannot stress enough about the timing of the cooking , because I always remember my parents and myself cooking liver to death, frying it with bacon and then leaving it cooking. You must all know the leather taste – Yuk!  So heat your pan high –slap in the butter and cook it for only 30 seconds each side. Delicious!

My final thoughts:

Well thankfully my son loved it, so I am chuffed that i can give him a good serving of iron and nutrients to help him develop.

The dish I knocked up was different to the normal liver and bacon and I have posted it here.

Liver is a comforting food – it reminds me a lot of my childhood and it’s a cheap and nutritious family meal- Win !

Lamb Liver Masala

Ingredients

1 pack of Lambs Liver – Ask your butcher for some

1 Sweet Potato- Cubed with skin on

1 Onion- Chopped

1 can of Tomatoes

2 tbsp of butter

Cinnamon (5cm) or use the Cinnamon powdered spice

2 Garlic cloves crushed

Frozen peas

1-2 Chilies – chopped (with seeds if you like it hot

Garma Masala powder ½ tsp

Cup of water

For the paste:

Water – 2tsp

Coriander Powder – 2tsp

Cumin powder 2tbsp

Turmeric powder 1 tsp

Chilly Powder ½ tsp

Method:

Cut the liver into 1.5cm pieces and leave aside

Heat 2tbsp of butter over a deep based pan

Fry up the onions & cinnamon , until the onions are soft.

Add the chilies

Add the sweet potato and stir-fry for around 2 minutes.

Add some water, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender.

Add the frozen peas and half of the tomatoes and leave to simmer on a very low heat.

Heat in a smaller frying pan some butter (1tsp) and add the garlic and fry up for 30 seconds.

Add the spice paste, lower the heat and stir-fry for around 2 minutes

Add half of the tomatoes, along with some of the juice. Stir-fry and cook for 3 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes with your wooden spoon.

When the mixture turns fairly dry, add your liver and adjust the heat to medium high.

Stir fry on each side for around  30 seconds each side (NOTE: This is really important as this will stop the liver from tasting like rubber! – you want it to be slightly pink on the inside. Trust me! )

Add the liver mix to the deep based pan and mix all ingredients together and warm through.

Mix in the Masala and more cumin if you wish.

Serve