Ingredients:
- 1 Transformer Super Greens Smoothie Bomb
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 banana
- 250ml rice milk
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbs maple syrup
- 1 tbs coconut oil
Method:
1. In a bowl combine buckwheat flour and baking powder
2. In a separate bowl mash banana, add rice milk, apple cider vinegar and maple syrup
3. Add the wet mix to the dry mix and stir until combined
4. Crumble 1 Transformer Super Greens Smoothie Bomb into the mix and stir well
5. Coat your fry pan with coconut oil and pour some pancake batter in
6. Fry on low heat until golden on both sides and serve with fresh seasonal fruit
Ingredients:
- 1 Defender Golden Chai Smoothie Bomb
- 1 cup whole oats
- 1 cup water
- 1 banana
- 100ml rice milk
- 1 tbs maple syrup
Method:
1. In a saucepan on low heat, add oats and water and stir
2. Add sliced banana, maple syrup and rice milk
3. Once cooked, pour into a bowl and top with a Defender Bomb (crumbled), fresh seasonal fruit and hemp seeds
Ingredients:
- 1 Motivator Raw Cacao Smoothie Bomb
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
Method:
1. Preheat over to 180°C
2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl (Remember to crumble the Motivator Bomb)
3. Portion out into little balls
4. Flatten onto tray and bake until golden
Happy Monday,
Cinzia x
]]>How do we solve this dilemma faced by so many? There are two opposing strategies that nutritionists debate over: Hide veggies in kids food to ensure they are getting their quota OR teach them how to eat them so they learn how to make healthy choices.
The problem here is that study after study show that Australians in general are not eating enough veggies especially at the crucial time of childhood.
HIDING VEGGIES
The pro-hiding crowd just want to get through their days without the battlefield, I get that. You don’t want to create anxiety when it comes to food and children. It can manifest in all sorts of troubling ways later in life. The mode of action here is to puree’ the hell out of the vegetables and add to everything - sauces, soups, smoothies, and baked goods.
A small study conducted by Penn State researchers found ‘by adding puréed vegetables to favorite foods, preschool children consumed nearly twice as many vegetables and 11 percent fewer calories over the course of a day’.
NOT HIDING VEGGIES
The opposition say that hiding veggies is only prolonging the problem and believe that it’s misleading. For example, hiding sweet potato and broccoli in a chocolate brownie mix is not giving the message that eating veggies are good, but rather that they will think eating brownies is fine.
Another culprit is our busy lifestyle. What’s vanishing is the culture of sitting together at the table to eat the evening meal, replaced by feeding the kids early while they watch tv and mum/dad eat later. Some research suggests creating a ritual of eating together and children watching us eat veggies at a very early stage will help them to eat a wide variety of food.
POSSIBLE SOLUTION?
A Canadian Study found that getting kids involved with preparation of meals can have a positive on their eating habits. The researchers concluded that ‘higher frequency of helping prepare and cook food at home was associated with higher fruit and vegetable preference and higher self-efficacy for selecting and eating healthy food’.
HOW DID I DO IT?
I have to admit when mine were toddlers, we had our share of issues. Certain vegetables were adored - potatoes and carrots, and some completely detested - broccoli, zucchini and tomatoes.
My dinner table rules were:
1. Provide 4 veggies per meal - 3 loved and a tiny piece (1 teaspoonful) of a new or unliked vegetable
2. Eat the new one first and follow with the ones they enjoyed
3. When and if only all are consumed, they’d get dessert (mind you that usually consisted of greek yoghurt and frozen berries/banana - feeling sorry for my kids yet?)
4. No arguments. Straight up. These are the rules. Don’t sway or they’ll see a loophole
When I was studying to be a nutritionist, we were told about how taste buds need around 7-8 tastes of a new food to adapt and accept. It needs time and patience but it can work and I found my kids were scoffing down steamed broccoli heads without any seasoning in no time.
CONCLUSION
In the end we all want the same outcome, healthy, happy kids. The important thing is that they get to eat a variety of food and bring this life lesson into their adult eating habits. When studies show time and time again that many of our health problems stem from an inadequate diet, isn’t our responsibility to help change this in the next generation?
In good health,
Cinzia Cozzolino
BHSc (nutritional medicine)
1. Carrot Cake smoothie
Fill a big container with diced mango and grated carrot and put in your freezer. Add 1 cup of this mix into your blender, along with 1 Defender Smoothie Bomb and 1 cup of coconut milk.
2. Tropical Greens smoothie
Fill a big container with chopped pineapple and spinach and put it in your freezer. Add 1 cup of this mix into your blender, along with 1 Transformer Smoothie Bomb and 1 cup of coconut water.
3. Choc Nana Blueberry smoothie
Fill a big container with chopped bananas and blueberries put it in your freezer. Add 1 cup of this mix into your blender, along with 1 Motivator Smoothie Bomb and 1 cup of rice milk.
4. Beet Berry smoothie
Fill a big container with mixed berries and grated beetroot and put it in your freezer. Add 1 cup of this mix into your blender, along with 1 Lover Smoothie Bomb and 1 cup of coconut water.
5. PB + J Smoothie
Fill a big container with strawberries and raspberries and put it in your freezer. Add 1 cup of this mix into your blender, along with 1 Warrior Smoothie Bomb and 1 cup of almond milk.
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The thing is, not everyone has the time to turn a simple dish into a visual masterpiece. I’m here to say leave that 'dressing it up' stuff to the time-rich and let us focus on the things that matter by sourcing our nutrients the easy way :)
Here are 4 pantry essentials that are great for topping your smoothies with.
What? Hemp Seeds
Why? These little gems are my favourites. They are a great source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, contain an awesome amount of plant-based bio-available protein and taste yummy.
What? Cacao nibs
Why? When you want to add crunch within your smoothie, you can’t beat these beauties. They’re packed with antioxidants, magnesium and can give you a natural burst of energy.
What? Black sesame seeds
Why? These ant-sized seeds of goodness are anything but small in the nutrient value. They are a great source of calcium, iron, fibre and cholesterol-lowering phytosterols.
What? White mulberries
Why? These delicious morsels contain less than half the sugar content that raisins and are more delicious. Health benefits include controlling blood sugar levels, antioxidants and a good source of fibre.
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It’s too cold to go out regularly and it’s much more feasible to stay indoors and cook up meals with lots of cosy family time. Think budget bulk soups and stews and Netflix.
So what about breakfast? Statistics show that 1 in 3 Aussies are skipping this important meal and if you’re wanting that extra 5 minute cosy bedtime, it’s likely the winter is the worse skipping time. If you want to make breakfast a no-brainer and easy on the coin, here are some hacks to help.
2) Buy yesterday’s bread - why not? If you’re toasting for breakfast then it doesn’t matter. Some bakeries sell off the bread at the end of day or the next so keep an eye out and pop the loaf in the freezer. Here are some cheap and yummy toppers for brekky.
3) Buy everything in bulk - seriously, it’s so easy to do this now with loads of bulk option coming to health food stores or The Source Bulk Foods which are popping up everywhere. You can make up your own blends of muesli and porridge that suit your taste. Often these stores also make up their own blends which a usually much more healthier than the sugar laden supermarket variety. You also get to feel good about yourself because:
We all know that the best way to save money is to have a budget set and stick to it. The problem is, most of us are really crap at it. So, getting some practically systems in place and having a goal to save for (eg getting as far away from winter) might be a good way to start.
Happy saving,
Love Cinzia xx
]]>Now that I’m older *cough cough* lack of sleep really does take a toll. Truth be told I’m still a shocking sleeper. Be it because of a lifelong habit or perhaps I just don’t know how to get to sleep properly.
Of course today, we have even more distractions pre-bedtime that stand in the way of a restful slumber. What's more, running a business (or whatever you may be doing that is creating stress in your life) has occupied the last remaining segment of my sane brain and sleeplessness is now closer to madness than ever.
As luck has it, I read Arianna Huffington’s Thrive for a book club recently and I was made to take a long hard look at those bag under my eyes. What I have discovered is that my lifelong battle to get a good night’s sleep should have involved looking at how I spend my waking days.
It is one of those missing pieces of the puzzle when it comes to maintaining wellness and looking after yourself. Some of us just don’t get enough, whether it’s intentional or otherwise and it’s just not healthy!
So how do we improve our sleeping patterns? Here are 5 easy ways to start:
1. Create a nighttime ritual - Perhaps take a bath, slip on those cosy pjs and have a book you can read a chapter of to get those sleepy eyes happening.
2. Get all the electronics out of your room - Yep, that’s right, no phones!
3. Go to bed earlier - don’t be ashamed to admit hitting the sack at 9pm during the week.
4. Get some good nutrition during the day - eating well will help balance your hormones which avoids the energy spikes throughout the day. Taking a good quality magnesium supplement for bedtime is also a good idea.
5. Do some exercise - even if it’s just using the stairs instead of the elevator. This leads to have a more restful sleep.
Research now shows that a good night’s sleep can contribute to:
So now I have come to understand that sleep is not for the weak, but for the smart and sane. It’s time to embrace giving your body the rest it needs and a chance to recharge. I for one think that this information couldn’t have come at a better time in my life.
Love and rest,
Cinzia x
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So lately I've been getting into podcasts. Probably a little slow off the mark considering people have been doing these for a while now, but I'm glad I have started. With so many areas of information covered, podcasts are a wonderful resource for those of us who want to stay in the loop but find committing to specific times a challenge.
If you love that feeling of learning something new, they're definitely for you. I remember back when most of our days were spent hand-rolling the Smoothie Bombs. The repetitive task began to feel mind numbingly boring. My daughter Nina suggested we should use that time wisely by listening to audio books or watching TedTalks. Being educated while doing mundane work drastically changed the mood of our work setting.
Best of all, you can listen anywhere you like on your phone or laptop. Either while your driving (without your headphones of course), or when performing those boring tasks like cleaning the house or simply when you want to stay in bed that extra hour on a Sunday.
I've shared with you some of my favourites. Hope you enjoy!
Love,
Cinzia
HEALTH
The Model Health Show: Nutrition | Exercise | Fitness | Health | Lifestyle
I love the way health and fitness author/nutritionist Shawn Stevenson breaks down complex health issues and makes them easy to understand. With his co-host Jade Harrell, the show is fun and entertaining, and has an enlightening look at health and fitness. No subject is off limits here!
BUSINESS
Stand Out Get Noticed I Christina Canters
Great show on how to feel confident about public speaking. Christina teaches you how to get that natural flow by walking you through your fears and giving real, useable tools to overcome blocks when standing up in front of people. It's a must listen for any business owner who needs to master the art of communication or anyone who just want to develop effective speaking. I'm getting some 'one on one' sessions with this lady after listening to this!
Mindful Biz By ReLauncher
This podcast series is a wonderful source for health and wellbeing solutions if you're looking at starting a business in this field. Alison Morgan is an expert Health & Wellbeing Business Coach. I have heard the start up stories of many of my contemporary business owners here and its filled with awesome tips and tricks to help you in your business dealings.
How I Built This - NPR
Love the narrative in this show where they talk to founders of some of the world’s best known companies and brands about their stories behind the movements they built. They share their triumphs, failures and insights. Interviews with legends like Richard Branson, Air BnB’s Joe Gebbia, Spanx’s Sara Blakely and many more. Absolutely vital if you're a business owner and want to learn from some awesome innovators.
MUM ENTREPRENEUR ADVICE
Crazy Ambition | Mom Entrepreneurs
Fantastic resource for learning how to juggle being a mum and running a business. There are inspiring interviews from successful mum entrepreneurs weekly. Their goal is to help you to work less, spend more time with family and prevent feeling overwhelmed. They also include a listener challenge at the end of each episode to implement what you learn!
Are we to believe that this message has been misleading us all along?
According to biochemist Professor Terence Kealey in his book Breakfast is a Dangerous Meal, we have it all wrong regarding the first meal of the day. And he suggests making kids eat breakfast could actually be doing them more harm than good.
'If you’re worried, give them an apple or something, but the idea that you should force them to eat breakfast is a form of child abuse.’
Kealey based his facts on personal experience after curing his type 2 diabetes by skipping this meal. He believes eating breakfast increases blood glucose levels which encourages us to eat more during the day. I would suggest he may not have been eating the right kind of breakfast to start with!
I agree that most breakfast cereals are filled with refined sugar and very little goodness, but isn’t there enough misguided information for us parents regarding food choices for our kids without this ‘expert’ piping in to put in his two bobs worth?
Honestly I think it’s absurd to suggest breakfast can be bad for our kids. Not setting boundaries early on to teach good eating habits could in fact cause more health problems in adulthood. The point here should be rather that parents need to make sure kids are starting the day by eating a good breakfast.
It is up to us to look at the labels and ensure that meals are nutritionally beneficial like making sure the sugar content is under 5-6g per serve and fibre above 7g. It does require some detective work but our kids are worth it afterall. Setting up some easy morning routines to get breakfast sorted is also a good place to start e.g. Monday and Wednesdays - smoothie day, Tuesday - avocado and toast day etc. Putting forward healthier suggestions are a much better solution instead of eliminate breakfast all together as Kealey encourages, which lacks the substantial research and quite frankly is irresponsible advice.
Breakfast can be a nutritious smoothie filled with nuts/seeds and leafy greens, porridge topped with yoghurt and banana or wholesome pancakes made with buckwheat and topped with seasonal fruits. If you’re looking for savory options things like avocado or eggs are great on wholegrain bread with side serves of mushroom and/or tomato.
Love,
Cinzia Cozzolino
BHSc (Nutritional Medicine)
1. http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v34/n4/abs/ijo2009285a.html
2. https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1368980008001894
3. http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S0002-8223(05)00151-3/abstract
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