Mostly Healthy Orange Cupcakes XX

Ingredients

·       2 oranges

·       260g caster sugar

·       6 eggs

·       2 cups almond meal

·       2 teaspoons baking powder

·       2 teaspoons ground cardamom

·       1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

·       I cup of flaked almonds, toasted

·       7 tablespoons of rice flour (this is optional, I often add it if the mixture looks too runny – sometimes it depends on how juicy the oranges are!)

Icing

·       Approx 500g icing sugar,

·       125g soy cream cheese (available in selected supermarkets and health food stores)

·       Juice of half a lemon (or to taste)

To decorate

·       Lightly toasted flaked almonds

·        Grated orange zest

Method

Place the oranges in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low simmer for 1 hour or until the oranges are soft. Remove oranges and cool. Preheat oven to 170º fan forced. Line muffin pans with paper cases (the mixture makes about 18 cupcakes). Quarter the oranges, and then remove core and any seeds. Place in blender and process until smooth. Add the sugar and process to combine.

Add the eggs and process to combine. Transfer the mix to a bowl and fold in the almond meal, rice flour (if using), baking powder and cardamom. Divide the mix among the prepared holes and bake for 25-30 mins.

Remove and cool slightly in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool. For icing, process all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Spread the top of each cupcake with some of the icing and sprinkle with the almonds and orange zest.

Coconut Oil

Research has now shown that one oil in particular, coconut oil is a healthy saturated fat that supports immune system function.  Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is a proven antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal agent and it is easily digested and absorbed. This is why it works well for conditions such as Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome and coeliac disease where digestion is a problem for many people.

The anti-fungal aspect of coconut oil helps to kill candida in the gut which is common problem for people with digestive issues. The great benefit of coconut oil is that it helps the body eliminate toxins as well as improving digestion and assists with the absorption of beneficial nutrients from our food. When more nutrients are absorbed this aids the body at cellular level and supports the immune system.

The most damaging fats and oils for the body are man-made hydrogenated fats (trans-fats) and polyunsaturated fats and vegetable oils. These fats and oils are damaging to your entire body because they affect the structure of cells and severely depress the immune system due to the hydrogenation processes they have undergone, resulting in an extremely toxic product that the body finds difficult to process. When your body is working in over drive trying to process toxic products it cannot function effectively.

Coconut oil is reported to enhance metabolism and for many people this helps them to achieve their ideal body weight in conjunction with regular exercise and a healthy diet. Because metabolism is enhanced, the thyroid gland which produces hormones that regulate metabolism, by using coconut oil, this can be helpful in treating Hypothyroidism an underactive thyroid.

There are a number of published studies about the effect of coconut oil on metabolism.  Dr. Ray Peat, a biochemist and proponent of coconut oil for thyroid patients says;

“An important function of coconut oil is that it supports mitochondrial respiration, increasing energy production that has been blocked by the unsaturated fatty acids. Since the polyunsaturated fatty acids inhibit thyroid function at many levels, coconut oil can promote thyroid function simply by reducing those toxic effects. It allows normal mitochondrial oxidative metabolism, without producing the toxic lipid peroxidation that is promoted by unsaturated fats. Coconut oil added to the diet can increase the metabolic rate.”

The best coconut oil to buy is one that is cold or expeller-pressed and unrefined. It’s a safe oil to use it for cooking as it has a high burning point. . Enhancing the natural flavour of foods, its consistency and great taste make it a useful oil when sautéing, or frying or used with curries and Thai style dishes. You can also use it in dessert dishes and baking or in your morning smoothie!

**Can be purchase online at www.vitalianaturalhealth.com.au**

Product Review - Vitamin Water

Their labels promise so much -  ‘focus’, ‘energy’, ‘recharge’, along with a long list of vitamins that just must be doing us good!!

With names like ‘vitamin water’ and ‘nutrient water’, the average shopper would be lead to believe they are getting something healthy that will pick them up and give them more vitality. In my option these flavoured drinks are nothing more than artificial concoctions of sugar and additives.

To prove my point just read the ingredients (if you can the writting if pretty small). There’s water, then fructose (which is fruit sugar), sucrose (ordinary cane sugar), followed by three food acids, flavour, vitamins (C, Niacin, Pathenoic acid, B6, B12), colour, magnesium lactate and calcium lactate.

Vitamin waters have 5-7% sugar (all added) which is half the concentration of soft drink (11-12%). So they’re lower in sugar concentration but this reduction is refuted by the sheer volume of the bottle. You get 500ml rather than 375ml in a standard bottle. While this is than those huge 600ml buddies that pass as a “single serve” of soft drink these days, you still end up consuming 6 teaspoons of sugar.

·  500ml bottle vitamin water (5% sugar)          25g sugar                             6 teaspoons sugar

·  375ml can soft drink (11% sugar)                   41g sugar                             10 teaspoon sugar

·  600ml buddy (11% sugar)                               66g sugar                             16.5 teaspoon sugar

Given the average women should consume only around 45g sugar (11 teaspoons) daily, which represents 10% of daily kilojoules, one 500ml bottle of vitamin water lands her with over half her day’s intake.

Two of the waters have added guarana (source of caffeine derived from a vine native to South America). Nutrient water contains 84mg caffeine which is the same level as energy drinks or one cup of instant coffee. The label says its natural caffeine’ but it’s not clear what this means (caffeine in coffee could be called ‘natural’ too as it’s from coffee beans).

There’s guarana and Taurine added as well – ingredients that you’d find in caffeinated energy drinks like red bull and V. Nothing natural here.

All these drinks come in soft pastel attractive colours which are targeted at young women (as are Alco pops such as cruisers and breezers).

Vitamin water Revive says its colour is ‘fruit and vegetable juice’ which is hard to comprehend. If that’s correct, then why isn’t the juice listed as an ingredient rather that down the end of the list in the tiny quantities of an additive.

Nutrient water energy contains carotene as its colour which is the yellow=orange colour of carrots and pumpkin. It has a good safety record – no problem with that one.

Smart water’s Jump Start Tahitian Lime has two colours – 102 is tartrazine and 133 is Brilliant Blue FCF. Both these artificial colours have had question marks hanging over them for some years now and are excluded from elimination diets that check for food sensitivity. Since the publication of the UK Southampton study, there have been calls to have them banned from foods aimed at children.

All have the same B vitamins added – niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), B6 and B12/ it’s unclear why they don’t have vitamins thiamine (B1) and riboflavin (B2). Two have vitamin C added; one also have vitamin E.

The bottom line is that these drinks can hardly be called natural. There are about as far from natural as any mass-produced manufactured food can be. They are simply ‘artificial concoctions’.

What I disagree with most of all is the implied benefits from the words on the label ‘revive’, ‘smart water’. ‘Energy’, ‘enjoy vitamins’, recharge your batteries’, defence’, and ‘vitamins and antioxidants’ and the listing of vitamins. Guarana, Taurine, cranberries or pomegranate. All designed to give the buyer the impression that here is something good and healthy that will give tired over-worked consumers a pick-me-up.

They are marketed as a health-giving alternative to sugary soft drinks but they’re no-where near as healthy as the label would have you believe.

Together these all give the impression that there’s something extra in these drinks over and above ordinary drinks – where there isn’t. Any lift you get in energy levels is simply due to the sugar and caffeine hit.

I like the fact that they’re lower in sugar but why call them ‘waters’ when they have 5-7% sugar, the same as a sports drink like powerade. ‘Water’ implies that there’s nothing else except water plus a few vitamins thrown in – which is far from the truth.

Regard them as a cross between a sports drink and an energy drink. They’ve got the sugar level of a sports drink but the vitamins and caffeine of an energy drink!!!

Let's Move on From Artifical Sweetners People

I Just came across this awesome article in my inbox and thought i would share it with everyone. Enjoy!

Health & Happiness,

Courtney

Splenda Makes a Great Pool Cleaner

Just when you think it’s safe to assume the world has moved on from Splenda, Aspartame and other unpronounceable toxic artificial sweeteners available in your local café or supermarket someone comes along from mid- field and blows that theory right out of the water.

Given the amount of negative press that has been aired for some time now, you would think that health publications whether online or magazines would be aware of the many dangers of consuming these sachets of chemical missiles.

I was flicking through a well-known health magazine recently and saw an article that encouraged women to embrace artificial sweeteners for weight loss. It kind of made me gulp on my dandelion tea and spill a little bit on the magazine itself.

If such magazines, considered vital health tomes for many women and men encourage toxic sugar usage, what chance does the average person have of achieving optimal health?

My mind started to wonder…Is it because they are driven by advertising dollars and editorials tied into ad spend packages and is this what’s really fuelling much of the content that is reported on health websites and in magazines?

If you’re worried about weight loss the only loss that comes from these sugars is the loss to your health not your hips. I would much rather be a healthy size than super skinny and these messages about weight loss and image that predominantly come from advertisers are just unachievable for the average woman. Who wants to walk around looking photo-shopped anyway?  Health is much more important than how you look, its about how you actually feel inside.  Here’s my foods to avoid list too.

Artificial sweeteners are just a form of poison and funnily enough, there’s a lot of research to show that they simply make you maintain your viscous sweet craving cycles. By refusing to cut them out, your essentially telling your brain and taste buds to want and like sweets.

Sugar, whether artificial or real will be metabolized in exactly the same way by your body. Put simply, artificial sugars only work to trick your body into thinking it is receiving sugar, thereby releasing insulin. When the ‘onslaught’ of sugar fails to arrive the excess insulin simply promotes fat storage.

For me though, the hideous factor involves what they will do to your body as opposed to what they won’t do.

In a life long animal experiment, where the testers were given an “Acceptable Daily Intake” and with the amounts adjusted to recognize the difference in metabolism between humans and rodents, Aspartame was shown to cause large brain tumors.

Indeed, the FDA investigator and Toxicologist employed by Aspartame’s PR firm (usually known for their aptitude in spin doctoring) stated the following:
“The cancer-causing potential of aspartame is a matter that had been established way beyond any reasonable doubt, one can ask: What is the reason for the apparent refusal by the FDA to invoke for this food additive the so-called Delaney Amendment to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act? Is it not clear beyond any shadow of a doubt that aspartame had caused brain tumors or brain cancer in animals, and is this not sufficient to satisfy the provisions of that particular section of the law?”

Other sugar guises include the well-known Splenda, part of the ‘Chlorinated Hydrocarbon’ family, known to cause toxicity in humans. Given that DDT and Chlordane are pesticides that are banned in the US and Splenda sits comfortably aside these chemical substances, why on earth would we be encouraged to consume it?

Nutrasweet has had an interesting history, in 1993 the FDA found over 92 different associated side effects from this little number. These side effects ranged from headaches to autoimmune diseases, blood glucose disorders and even death. Given that formaldehyde is a major component of Nutrasweet, and is also a carcinogenic found in cigarette smoke, it is frustrating to read that mainstream media is still supporting these sugars and encouraging us to use them.

Formaldehyde has also been proven to cause cancer by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Disappointingly, the dangers of these toxins are well documented but have been carefully guarded.  Is this due to the trillion-dollar diet industry?

So how do I inject sweetness into my life you may ask?…
Well…if you’ve been reading my blog for a while you’ll know that I use Stevia in my recipes. That’s because it is an all-natural herb, grown wildly in South America, 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, without the affects that artificial sugars have on your insulin. That is, it won’t raise your blood sugar and create a massive burst of energy, followed by lethargy and the need for another sugar hit.  That means that your body won’t go into a state of stress and release insulin and encourage fat storage! More importantly a little goes a long way so it really is economical too.

So hopefully I’ve given you some insight into artificial sweeteners.  And if you’re wondering what to do with those left over Splenda packets … I’ve heard they make a great pool cleaner….

By Lee Holmes http://www.superchargedfood.com/

Chai and Choclate Puddings

Chia seeds have a delightful crunch and have been called a "Superfood” These littletreats are idea when you desire something sweet and delicious that’s also really good for you. They are packed with omega 3 oils, fiber, and much more. They take very little time to make and are great in the morning too for a quick and healthy addition to your breakfast

Ingredients

1 Cup coconut cream or coconut milk

¼ Cup chia seeds

2 tablespoons coco powder

¼ cup honey, agave, or coconut palm sugar (more or less to taste)

½ Teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Method

In a medium size bowl mix above ingredients together well mix well to fully combine. Now you need to refrigerate the pudding for at least 2 hour or overnight. You can use the same bowl you mixed it in or transfer to a “lovely” serving bowl. I also like to use little shot glasses. Just spoon a little pudding into each glass or your favorite little containers, cover and pop in

the fridge, and within no time you’ll have your own pudding creation to enjoy.

You can also try different flavours by adding raspberry puree or lime juice

ENJOY