Raw Nut Butter Vanilla Slice

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Here I am in my gym clothes, sitting in front of laptop after my morning workout. I was excited to write about the healthy exercise regime today and had to sit here as soon as I got home. First of all, I will start with my story. I wasn’t keen to any exercises or sports until mid-20s. I’m not sure about now, but when I was growing up in South Korea, all we had to do as a student was to study at school, after-school study and home and again repeat every single day. I did a bit of swimming and gym now and then, otherwise I wasn’t familiar with any exercises. When I moved to Australia about 9 years ago, one of the requirements to get into the physio course was a bronze medallion from Royal Life Saving Australia. I, of course, couldn’t swim as good as other fit Australians and failed one of the prac exams where I had to continuously swim 400m with 4 different swim styles. It was crazy I felt like I couldn’t even rescue myself in the deep swimming pool. I had a month of practice until I could take the test again. I made myself to the local swimming pool 6 days a week and swam for 1-1 1/2 hrs for a month. Yes, intense! Then thank GOD, I was able to pass. That was probably a wake-up call for me that I need to continue on a regular exercise to keep myself fit. Swimming, walking around the park, gym..it was all okay but not that exciting. Then I started Pilates in 2009 to become a clinical Pilates instructor. I fell in love with it! I found my favorite exercise that I can enjoy and stick to it for a long term (well, for the rest of my life). There are so many benefits of Pilates – improving your posture, developing strong core and back muscles, a good combination of cardio and strengthening, sculpting the whole body with long and lean yet strong muscles, enhancing your flexibility, coordination and balance, improving breathing techniques, body awareness and focus, and lastly it is so much fun. I always finish my exercise with Pilates. My routine looks like this, for example.

  • Pre-workout: I eat a piece of fruit or power ball with tea or coffee at least 30 minutes before exercise.
  • 10 minutes of cardio: brisk walk, cycling, rowing machine or cross-trainer to warm up my body and get my heart rate up.
  • 40 minutes of weight training: I like using theraband, dumbbells and kettlebells for upper body, body weights for core and legs. A variety of weight training every day so that I don’t get bored.
  • 10 minutes of Pilates: core strengthening and stretching to cool down.
  • Post-workout: Water, lots of it. Another piece of fruit or power ball within 30 minutes, then proper meal with a combination of carbs, protein and veggies such as a nourishing bowl later on.
  • There is no right or wrong here. Find what works for you and keeps you going.
  • Have an exercise buddy or join the group sessions if you need more support and motivation.
  • Have variety in your workout and incorporate weight training.
  • Let yourself recover x1-2 a week. It don’t mean you can be a couch potato. It is an active resting such as walking your dog, strolling around town with your friends or partner, gentle yoga or Pilates at home.
  • Eat well to recharge your body.
  • Be consistent. It is not just a new year’s resolution to be healthy and fit. It has to be your lifestyle!
  • Have fun 🙂 After all you gotta feel happy, destressed and energised.

This recipe is great for a snack between meals or post-workout snack. It is quick and easy to make and nourishes you with a plenty of protein and good fat. Enjoy x

Raw vanilla sliceIngredients (6 squares)

1 large banana
1 cup nut butter
1 cup coconut oil
1 tbsp raw honey
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
a pinch of Himalayan salt

Mesh ripe banana with a fork in a large bowl. Melt coconut oil, honey and nut butter in a pot over low heat. It takes only a couple of minutes. Then pour the mixture into a bowl and mix with banana. Add vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Transfer into a silicon mold or a container lined with a baking paper. Spread evenly with a spatula and chill in the freezer until it firms up. Slice into squares, serve immediately. Store the leftover in the freezer.

Posted in: Dessert, Gluten Free, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian

Chai-Infused Carrot Cake Porridge

\ Leave a Comment \ by

carrot cake porridgeI love a bag of humble carrots in my fridge. They are always ready-to-go when I cook salads, stir-fry, casserole, roast, cake and yes! porridge. Flavour combination is so good here. Cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and chai, all my favorites. I can have a bowl of this any time of the day. You could use quinoa, buckwheat or oats instead of millet. Feel free to sprinkle any superfoods on top like chia seeds, maca powder and bee pollen. It is perfect breakfast x

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 carrot, grated
1 cup of millet, soaked overnight
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
1 cup of chai tea
1 cup of almond milk
a pinch of salt
a handful of nuts and dried fruits

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened. Stir often. Ladle into a bowl and top with nuts and dried fruits. I like to dust more cinnamon powder and drizzle more honey or maple syrup to serve.

Posted in: Breakfast, Gluten Free, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian

Raw Snack Bars with Oats and Figs

\ Leave a Comment \ by

oat and fig bars1
I adore little dried figs for snacking or adding into salads. Soft and gooey outside when you bite into it, then little seeds pop up in your mouth. Such a nutrient-dense funny little fruit! Figs are beautifully sweet and juicy when you can get them fresh from the markets. Dried figs are relatively easy to find all year around and naturally sweetness in them is just amazing. Why are they good for us? Dried figs are high in both soluble and insoluble fibre, which helps your digestion and blood sugar level. One serving (about a half cup or 4 big ones) can provide you 12% of daily value for calcium, which makes them one of the calcium-rich foods, good for your bone health. Not only that, figs are abundant in essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium. iron and antioxidants.

I cannot believe how easy and quick to make these snack bars at home with no nasty and artificial ingredients that you normally get from the packets. Most ingredients are there in your pantry. So all you need is a couple of minutes to blitz your food processor 🙂 These snack bars are loaded with goodness and yumminess, great for a snack with a cuppa, a treat in your lunch box, before or after exercise or when you feel like sweets in the evening. Any time of the day x
oat and fig barsIngredients (makes 4)

100g rolled oats
100g soft dried figs (soak in warm water for a couple of minutes if you have hard ones)
2 tbsp raw honey
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp pepitas
1 tsp cinnamon powder
a pinch of Himalayan salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you get a paste consistency. Add a bit of water if the mixture is too dry. Transfer the mixture into a container and press firmly with a spatula. Set in a fridge for 30 minutes before cutting.

Posted in: Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian

Pea Mint Coconut Soup

\ Leave a Comment \ by

pea coconut soupNormally making soup takes a lot of effort and time, but this one takes only 15 minutes to prepare and flavour is light and delightful. It is your choice to serve either warm or chilled, but both are seriously good. I think when you have a house party, serving this in shot glasses will impress your guests and is a great refreshing appetiser before seafood. Super easy and delicious!

Why is this soup good for you? Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fibre, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Coconut milk is made from grated coconut flesh soaked in hot water and then extracted to a liquid. It is lactose free, great for vegan and people with lactose-intolerant. Lauric acid in coconut milk has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties, that may protect you from infection and virus. Although it is good for you, you need to enjoy in moderation since it is quite high in calories and fat. You can reduce the amount of coconut milk by half in this recipe and simply replace with water or stock if you are conscious.

Ingredients (serves 2)

200g green peas
1 sprig of mint
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 onion
1/2 tsp minced garlic
400ml coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste

Heat coconut oil in a pot over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and garlic and keep stirring until translucent and fragrant but not browned. Add green peas either fresh or frozen and coconut milk into a pot and simmer for 5-10 minutes. You can add a bit of water or stock if you want a thinner consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Ladle into bowls or cups and drizzle olive oil to serve. Serve either warm or cold.

Posted in: Drinks, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian

Jewelled Quinoa Salad

\ Leave a Comment \ by

berries and nutsHow do you spend your weekend? For me, one of the weekend errands is firstly making a meal plan, going to the markets and doing some food preparation for the following week. Ah, making a big bowl of salad for work lunch, too. It sounds like a huge time-consuming task, but it is actually not and totally worth it. Money as well as time-saving, too because you eat healthy at home and don’t tend to get take-away or eat out. When you know exactly what you have in your fridge, fresh good ingredients don’t get wasted. So invest a little bit of time in your schedule on the weekend for your health and well-being!
jewelled quinoa saladI almost always include some kind of grains and beans when making salads so that I get enough protein and don’t feel hungry afterwards. One of my favorite ingredients is quinoa. Quinoa is gluten-free and low GI of 53+. It is also a good source of protein and contains all the essential amino acids including lysine that your body needs for tissue growth and repair. Want to know more about quinoa and how to spout them? Read this previous post. For this recipe, bright colour of quinoa from saffron and turmeric is gorgeous! I wanted sweetness and saltiness in salads, so used dried fruits and tamari roasted nuts for topping. You can make a big batch and pack up for your work lunch just like what I did. You can also add tofu, chicken, fish or any kind of protein on the side. Enjoy x
jewelled quinoaIngredients (serves 2)

100g white and red quinoa
200g water
a pinch of saffron
a pinch of turmeric
50g dried blueberries and goji berries
50g tamari roasted nuts
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp raw honey
salt and pepper to taste

Place washed quinoa in a pot and cover with cold water. Add saffron and turmeric. Bring it up to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the water is all absorbed into quinoa. Take it off the heat and set aside with a lid on for about 5 minutes. Place cooked quinoa on a plate and sprinkle dried fruits and nuts on top. For dressing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle on top of the quinoa salad before serving.

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian