National Reconciliation Week

As many of you will know, and for those who did not, today is the last day of National Reconciliation Week. 

Celebrated every year from May 27^th until June 3^rd, National Reconciliation Week is book-ended by two incredibly important dates in Australia’s history - the anniversaries of the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision. It is a week for Australians to learn about the shared histories of Indigenous Australians and European settlers, and to celebrate acceptance, diversity and respect between cultures. 

This year, the theme for the week was ‘Let’s Talk Recognition’, focusing on how Australians can recognize and celebrate the diverse contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures have had on our history. It could be something as simple as displaying some Indigenous artwork in your office, listening to the traditional music (or contemporary music created by an Indigenous person), or sharing a tasty Paleo bush tucker recipe on your blog! 

 

PALEO DAMPER

• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
•  ¼ cup golden flaxmeal
• ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 5 eggs
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1. Place almond flour, coconut flour, flax, salt and baking soda in a food processor
2. Pulse ingredients together
3. Pulse in eggs, oil, honey and vinegar
4. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan
5. Bake at 350 degrees for half an hour
6. Cool and serve

It’s important to remember, in this week as well as all others, that we are all human. We all have the same needs, same drives, feelings, thoughts, body, soul. We need to take care of ourselves, as well as each other. So supplement your Chiropractic regime with a smile! Have a great National Reconciliation Week everyone!

For more information on National Reconciliation Week, please visit http://www.reconciliation.org.au/nrw

PALEO BANANA BREAD

 

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

 

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 4 bananas, yellow (2 1/2 cups mashed or 575 grams)(they can be yellow bananas)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup almond butter (140 grams)(or coconut, sunflower seed, macadamia nut, etc butter)
• 4 tablespoons grass-fed butter, melted (can substitute coconut oil)
• 1/2 cup coconut flour (75 grams)(or almond flour, macadamia nut meal, etc)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit
2. Combine your bananas, eggs, and nut butter, and grass-fed butter in a blendtec, blender, food processor, or mixing bowl and mix well (if using a mixing bowl you need a good hand-mixer)
3. Once all of your ingredients are blended, add in your coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and sea salt and mix well
4. Grease a 9×5 glass (see notes) loaf pan with a fat of your choice (I used grass-fed butter). If you use a metal pan it will probably bake in 35-40 minutes so start checking at 35 to ensure the middle stays moist
5. Pour in your batter and spread it evenly throughout
6. Place in your preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
7. Remove from oven and flip your bread out onto a cooling rack
8. Slice and serve

Variations

1. Cranberry Orange – Only use 3 tablespoons of butter. Add zest of one whole orange diced, juice of one whole orange, and1 cup dried cranberries or fresh if you want
2. Chocolate Blueberry – Add 1 cup of fresh blueberries and 1/2 cup of cocoa powder
3. Pumpkin Pecan – Reduce the almond butter to 1/4 cup and add 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree and 1 cup of roughly chopped pecan pieces

Notes

If you want to make these into muffins, use the same recipe and for mini muffins bake approximately 25 mins and normal size muffins 30-35 minutes.

 

Source: http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/grain-free-goodies/paleo-banana-bread/ 

CHEWY CARAMEL AND ALMOND SLICE

INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Almonds (coarsely chopped)
¾ Cup Coconut Nectar Syrup
½ Cup Ghee or Coconut Oil
½ Cup Coconut Concentrate or Nut Butter
¼ Cup Honey
¼ tsp. Rock or Sea Salt

METHOD
1. Place the Almonds into a medium size saucepan and continually stir over medium heat until they brown slightly.
2. Once the almonds become fragrant, add the coconut nectar and honey and bring up to a gentle bubble making sure the sugar doesn’t burn. Continue to stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute.
4. Add the ghee or coconut oil, coconut concentrate and salt to the sweet, nutty, bubbling concoction in the saucepan and mix until well combined. Turn the heat to low and gently simmer for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick and burn.
6. While the mixture is bubbling away, grease and line a 20cm square (or similar) baking dish with baking paper.
8. Remove mixture from the stove and pour into baking dish being careful not to get it on your skin. Spread the almonds evenly through the slice.
9. Place the baking dish in the freezer and chill for about an hour or until hard.
10. Remove from freezer and lift the slice out of the dish using the edges of the baking paper and cut into pieces using a sharp knife
11. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve.

To avoid the sugar coma, consume responsibly!
ENJOY!

source: http://www-mammothkitchen.myshopify.com/blogs/mammoth-recipes/6975220-chewy-caramel-and-almond-slice

BACON EGG AND VEGETABLE CRUSTLESS QUICHE

INGREDIENTS
8 Free Range Eggs
8 Rashers of Bacon (chopped)
2 tsp. Coconut Oil or Ghee
10 Mushrooms (quartered)
10 Spears of Asparagus
2 Brown Onions
4 Cups of Spinach, Silverbeet or Kale (coarsely chopped)
½ Cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)
½ Cup Fresh Chives (chopped)
¼ tsp. Freshly Cracked Pepper
¼ tsp. Rock or Sea Salt

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 160°C and grease a pie flan or baking tray with ghee or coconut oil.
2. Heat coconut oil or ghee in pan and fry the onion, bacon and mushrooms until the onions caramelise.
3. Chop the asparagus into large pieces and add to the pan with the chopped spinach. Cook until spinach wilts and then pour into a pie flan and spread evenly.
4. Whisk the eggs in a bowl and then add the chopped fresh herbs, salt and pepper, combine and then pour into pie flan on top of veggie mix.
5. Bake uncovered in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until the egg has cooked in the middle.

This recipe has everything you need in it so no need for a side dish.

ENJOY!

source: http://www-mammothkitchen.myshopify.com/blogs/mammoth-recipes/6888107-bacon-egg-and-vegetable-crustless-quiche

Omega 3 for Wellness and Prevention

Omega Sufficiency Fish Oil (Lemon Flavor)

The role of Omega-3 EFAs (specifically EPA and DHA) in the promotion of health and the prevention of illness has been studied a great deal in recent years.  Both scientists and practitioners are celebrating the results that have been found to date and with every research study the importance of EFAs for health promotion and illness prevention becomes more evident.

Omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) are some of the most crucial essential nutrients for human and other animal health ever identified.  Over 2000 scientific studies provide evidence of the importance of EPA and DHA essential fatty acids for the maintenance and restoration of health and the prevention of disease. 

Omega 3 EFAs are extremely important in the structure and function of every cell in the body and the function of your cells is what determines your health.  Your cells are what determine your immune function, healing, hormone levels, heart function, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, digestion, moods etc.  Literally, the function and health of your cells determines every aspect of your health. EPA and DHA omega 3 EFAs are part of every cell membrane and are required to maintain the proper shape, flexibility or fluidity, and slipperiness of cell membranes.
 
The flexibility and slipperiness of cell membranes is important for the flow of blood through blood vessels and decreasing the risk of stroke and heart attack. This fluidity or flexibility of cell membranes is also crucial to ensure the proper flow of nutrients into cells as well as the proper shape of cell receptors for hormones such as insulin.

In addition, EFAs are required for proper nerve signal transmission (memory, concentration, cognitive ability, muscle coordination and strength) and immune function including defence against cancer.  This is why EPA and DHA deficiency are linked with cognitive impairments and learning and behaviour disabilities such as ADHD, with depression, and with decreased cognitive ability and increased risk of Alzheimers and dementia in the elderly. EPA and DHA deficiency is also highly correlated with increased risk of breast, colon, and prostate cancer. 

EPA and DHA omega 3 EFAs also play a major role in regulating inflammation via substances called prostaglandins.  EPA and DHA Omega 3 fatty acids produce anti-inflammatory prostaglandins while Omega 6 fatty acids produce pro-inflammatory prostaglandins.

Having a diet that is toxic with Omega 6 or deficient in Omega 3 EFAs creates a pro-inflammatory state within the body.  This is very significant because inflammation is at the root of virtually all of the common chronic illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and depression as well as the autoimmune and atopic diseases such as arthritis, Crohns Disease, irritable bowel, psoriasis, eczema, allergies, fibromyalgia, lupus, and multiple sclerosis.  Inflammation is also a major factor in dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain and/or cramping), headaches, and back and neck pain.

Omega 3 EFAs play a role in virtually every human function including growth and development, digestion, brain and nerve function, immune function, hormone production and regulation, maintenance of skin and bones, regulation of healing and  inflammation, heart function, vision, cholesterol levels, and even emotions and behaviour.

This is why consuming sufficient amounts of Omega 3 EFAs has been shown to help people with so many different illnesses.  In reality consuming sufficient amounts of Omega 3 EFAs will help anyone that is deficient in Omega 3 EFAs whether they have a diagnosed illness or not.  The fact of the matter is that everyone needs Omega 3 EFAs and due to dietary practices virtually everyone in Western society is deficient.  Without these essential nutrients cells cannot function properly and illness is inevitable even though it may take years before symptoms arise.   

This does not mean that a deficiency in Omega 3 EFAs is the only cause of all illness; that would be an unscientific and illogical claim.  However, it does absolutely mean that if someone is deficient in Omega 3 EFAs their cell function and thus their health is compromised and will be improved when they begin to consume sufficient amounts this is an indisputable scientific fact.  Obviously if Omega 3 EFAs are needed for proper cell function and cell function determines our health then Omega 3 EFAs are a significant determining factor in health.  This is exactly what research indicates.

The above information is why we stress the importance of consuming Omega 3 EFAs BEFORE illness develops.  It is both dangerous and illogical to wait until illness develops to begin to take care of yourself or your children or your pets!  How can we PREVENT ILLNESS or PROMOTE HEALTH if we wait until we are already ill before we take action?

Source: http://www.innatechoice.com/omegasufficiency.cfm