Fennel and nasturtium pesto……better than you might think! Straight from my garden.

This is a classic recipe for those of us lucky enough to have access to fresh nettles. Sometimes they are sold at farmer’s markets, but at a certain time of year- here in Perth its in the middle of winter to early spring- they are abundant on vacant lots and overgrown backyards if you keep an eye out.

There is a way to preparing legumes doing the rounds at the moment which can add another dimension to your diet. I am not sure you can really call it tofu, but it is similar enough and can be used in the same way, and it also open to added flavours during the process in a way that buying tofu from the shop is not (you add them afterwards in that case).

It is also surprisingly simple.

Pesto…a variation on a wonderful basic

Try a delicious chia pudding for breakfast

Savoury porridge- versatile and nourishing

Healthy and versatile

Dave and I eat a fair bit of chia pudding because chia seeds are so good,and we do like to have a simple dessert after dinner at night. Some people like their chia pudding for breakfast.

As we both don’t need excess calories, and eat a high-plant-diet, chia pudding is a way to get plenty of daily Omega 3 fatty acids, which are good for our brains. Chia seeds swell up and provide plenty of fibre, a sense of fullness, and they are bland and so take on any flavour you add to them. 

Here is the way I currently make chia pudding. This is my foundation, my template. It doesn’t have excess added saturated fats and calories, which are often added in the form of coconut milk.

This is a protocol that is designed to rapidly lower inflammation levels in the body, and can have quite dramatic and fast results with chronic disease. It is adapted from Dr Brooke Goldner’s Goodbye Autoimmune protocol.

Pesto is a delicious way to eat more leafy greens, and isn’t limited to seasonal basil…..

I frequently recommend daily carrot salad to clients, and for those for whom it is too much eating at least one raw carrot, preferably between meals or at the beginning of a meal.

It is good to know that if you juice your own oranges, you don’t have to waste the peel. Orange peel has many health benefits and they are higher in many of the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant beneficial qualities than the juice. It is also part of a mentality of not wasting, and of eating the whole food, as was done traditionally.

This is a great soup for winter but also can be varied to suit any time of year. It is highly nutritious with plenty of medicinal, healing benefits for when you are feeling under the weather.

I made my own sticky chai recipe with optional extras

Chicken Soup is already a great healing food, traditionally used for upper respiratory infections , but can also be loaded up with extra immune supporting foods. The recipes below contain anti-inflammatory and virus-fighting ingredients, and you can be flexible with what you have on hand.

I do recommend you make a batch of chicken bone stock first. However if time is short, you can either use some stock cubes or buy some good quality bone broth, and add the extra anti-inflammatory ingredients to the soup

This is my mum's recipe and it is addictive, in a good way!
It is a great way to get the whole family to eat their greens.
Serve with a protein and some baked vegetables for a complete meal.

This is a traditional, powerful healing vegetable and herb broth  with added superfoods than can be used during a cleanse or while fasting, or to rebuild and nourish during or after illness, surgery or childbirth. It is warming, comforting and tasty, and completely plant based. It is full of organic minerals including a lot of potassium, it is alkalising, nourishes the immune system, flushes the kidneys, helps regulate blood pressure, and supports thyroid and adrenals. 

Stewed apples with cinnamon, and optional extra ingredients, is so healthy and soothing if you have 'leaky gut' or digestive discomfort. 

This recipe has many benefits for the nervous system and is particularly good before bed.