Soothing thyme & rosemary tea

Yes, it's July. I know. But i just came back from Italy and after two days I started to get ill, a cold that slowly turned into a chest infection. No reason to panic, I am now on antibiotics (sometimes you just have to..) and hopefully I will be able to enjoy normal interaction with other people soon, as at the moment all my energy goes into trying not to cough into everybody's face.. 

In the meantime though, I really needed something to help soothe the cough and my painful throat.

As studies have shown that rosemary possesses anti inflammatory, antibacterial and anti fungal properties amongst others, and thyme contains compounds that might be helpful in respiratory infections, I thought these two ingredients should definitely end up in my tea!

I added them to my regular fresh ginger (anti inflammatory), lemon (vitamin C hit) and raw honey (antibacterial and anti fungal) concoction...

This tea that felt so soothing in my throat, was also incredibly delicious and smelled heavenly.

I knew I had to share this discovery with you. 

So if you find yourself in need of some TLC for your throat, give this a try and let me know what you think.

I hope you are enjoying this gorgeous summer day, 

Love.

Foodolina

REFERENCES:

Ribeiro-Santos R, Carvalho-Costa D, Cavaleiro C, Costa HS, Goncalves Albuqurque T, Conceicao Castilho M, Ramos F, Melo NR, Sanches Silva A (2015) 

A novel insight on an ancient aromatic plant: The rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.). Trends in Food Science & Technology, 45: 355-368.

1. A. Fabio, 
2. C. Cermelli, 
3. G. Fabio, 
4. P. Nicolet, 
5. P. Quaglio (2007)
Screening of the antibacterial effects of a variety of essential oils on microorganisms responsible for respiratory infections. Phytotherapy Research, 4: 374-377.




Sasikumar, B. (2012) Rosemary. In K. V. Peter (Ed.), Handbook of herbs and spices,
pp. 452e468.


Shigeharu Inouye, Hideyo Yamaguchi, Toshio Takizawa (2001) Screening of the antibacterial effects of a variety of essential oils on respiratory tract pathogens, using a modified dilution assay method.Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy, 4: 251-254. 

My first Detox.

I am embarking on a 14 days detox challenge run by NutriAdvanced, as I want to know as much as possible about the science behind the detoxification of the body, but I also want to experience it

in order to know what future clients will be going through.

I am going to be an official nutritional therapist starting August 2016, and I want to make sure I am as ready and knowledgeable as I can be and help as many people as possible.

So, THE DETOX: I have been provided with a list of foods allowed (PLENTY, and including lean meats, fish, nuts and seeds, veggies, fruits etc..), and I am to eliminate gluten, dairy, sweeteners, nightshade vegetables (such as aubergines), eggs, soya, corn, alcohol (not an issue for me but I am thinking about everyone who actually enjoys a drink), caffeine (again, not an issue for me as I do not drink coffee but I know so many people who love it), no sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Drinking plenty of water (at least 2L per day), and herbal teas to my heart's content!
I can also juice and have smoothies from the list of veggies and fruits provided, aiming for 9 portions of vegetables and 3 max. of fruits per day. All these should provide plenty of vitamins and minerals..

Basically you are feeding your body lots of clean wholefoods, organic whenever possible.

We also received a big box with 5 different supplements, aimed at supporting liver function and supporting excretion of toxins..If you're going to release toxins from you liver into your body, you better make sure you have regular bowel movements (increased hydration should help with that) and exercise in order to get them out of your body to avoid them recirculating and actually making you feel worse :(

Additionally, in the starter pack I got lots of delicious recipe ideas and a specific plan to guide me on when to have the supplements each day.

There will be 3 liquid days where you can have soups and smoothies and the Ultraclear powder ( a blend of  protein, vitamins and minerals that also helps support the liver). Mine is vanilla flavoured, I tried it today after my workout and it was absolutely delicious!!!

Finally, I am now part of a Facebook group with all the other participants where we can ask questions about the programme, and support each other or share menu ideas.

This is important actually, if you decide to embark on a detox, make sure you are guided by a professional health practitioner as we are from the nutritionists at NutriAdvanced. You want to make sure you are getting the right kind of nutrition even if you are cleansing your body, in order for it to work efficiently and get the best results!

I find really helpful being part of this group, it helps to see that we are all going through the same challenges together and we are supporting each other. A bit like what's been happening in these 4 years of Nutritional Therapy training that has almost come to an end.

So a good idea could be to embark on a detox programme with a buddy, to help each other get through it in a delicious, fun and supportive way!

I will be writing a short post every day until the end of the challenge in order to keep track of my achievements and challenges. I hope this might help anyone who is trying a detox as well or who is thinking of embarking on one. Maybe even with my help in August, who knows?

DAY 1
The only real challenge today was the 7 capsules I had to take at breakfast, I am not a fun of taking too many supplements, however I did not have an issues digesting them so it was all good.
My post workout shake was delicious and I am actually looking forward to the next one..
I tried a new breakfast by making porridge with buckwheat groats instead of oats. Very happy with that.

I also learnt a new cooking skill: I poached cod. It was insanely delicious and took 10 minutes in total. A total winner.

I did get a little hungry mid afternoon and had a few nuts which helped.

Looking forward to dinner now..The other piece of poached cod is waiting, with steamed spinach, green beans and a fresh salad.

So far, so good!

xxx

Foodolina

PS: I am not being endorsed by any company to write this.x

The "Bring Back Summer" Banana- Pineapple anti-inflammatory smoothie

Every now and then I do a Periscope broadcast in my little London Kitchen and the other afternoon I needed a quick snack before starting to study again...
So I decided to film an improvised smoothie recipe spot some anti inflammatory action, as I don't know about you, but here people are starting to sneeze and cough all around me on public transports....
So why not use some anti inflammatory, immune-boosting ingredients to make a delicious drink???

Pineapple contains Bromelain, a group of enzymes that break down protein, known for its anti-inflammatory action.

Turmeric is an ancient Indian spice containing a compound called Curcumin which is not only a powerful antioxidant, but also anti-inflammatory and can help digestion,.

Ground linseeds are a plant source of Omega 3 and contribute to immune, brain and joints health.
They are also a dietary source of phytoestrogens, which can help balance hormone imbalances.

WARNING: This smoothie might bring back memories of summer, the beach, sun and sea...



INGREDIENTS

2 SLICES OF PINEAPPLE
1 FROZEN BANANA
1TBSP GROUND LINSEEDS
1/4 TSP TURMERIC POWDER
1 HANDFUL CASHEW NUTS (to increase protein content)
1 TSP PROTEIN POWDER (all I had left in the house)
1 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT
1CUP ALMOND MILK

Pop everything in your blender and whizz it up baby!!!!

Now pour it in your favourite glass and imagine you're lying on a beach somewhere fabulous.

Enjoy.

xxx

Foodolina

Laura's Coconut Crème Caramel

I am FINALLY on summer break from Uni!!!Whoop! This means I can now dedicate more time to Foodolina as I have neglected this blog too much due to  being overwhelmed with assignments at school...

So, the first post of summer season is this ridiculously good recipe by my fabulous friend Laura.
She's a my classmate, a strong, gorgeous, smart woman and incredibly talented cook.

A couple of weeks ago, some of us girls from class, went to Laura's house to revise for our exams.

(This is Truffle. Laura's dog, nothing to do with recipe itself but too cute not to include in the post..)❤️

After our morning session, our host showed us inside for lunch, she had prepared the most amazing dairy free dishes and added a gluten free twist to some of them so I could try them too :)

Everything was so tasty and light and nutritious and so colourful!I was in foodie heaven..

After I had a second serving of almost everything (I'm tiny but you have NO IDEA of how much I can eat..) Laura served us dessert. WOW.

A dairy free coconut crème caramel that left us all speechless (we were too busy eating it..) and oh so happy!

When I posted a picture of this delicious treat on Facebook I got a few recipe requests and Laura has kindly shared her recipe with me so here I am passing it on to you.

Because life is too short not to have dessert.

Enjoy!


COCONUT CRÈME CARAMEL

INGREDIENTS

1 x 400ml can coconut milk

5 egg yolks

Agave syrup to sweeten the mixture to taste

Juice of half a lime + grated rind

FOR THE CARAMEL

3 tbsp coconut sugar
1tbsp water


Put coconut sugar in a pot heat with 1 tbsp of water. Shake pot to mix sugar with water, do not stir.
When it begins to look like caramel turn off the heat. It should only take a few minutes.
Spoon into individual ramekins or teacups and set aside.


Now whisk egg yolks and add agave syrup, lime juice and rind and finally coconut milk.
You can add a little water to increase the liquid if need be.

Add hot water to a roasting dish.
Fill the ramekins with coconut filling but do so delicately without upsetting the caramel in the base.
place the ramekins in the roasting dish, cover with foil and cook in the oven at 170c for 20 minutes until the top is springy to the touch.

Best chilled overnight.x

BANANA CASHEW MILKSHAKE

This is going to be a very quick post not only because I have an assignment to finish but mainly because this milkshake is ready in 2 minutes for you drink up!

I needed a quick snack that was sweet but also had a protein kick plus some cinnamon to get my blood sugar balanced for longer so that I wouldn't get cravings till dinner.

It was absolutely delicious.

INGREDIENTS

1 Frozen Banana (i slice ripe ones and pop them in individual freezing bag so they are always ready)
1 handful raw cashews
1 tbsp protein powder (I use brown rice protein by Pulsin)
1 tsp coconut oil (I use Lucy Bee)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp bee pollen (help immunity and circulation)
1 tbsp ground linseeds (plant source of Omega 3 fats. anti inflammatory, immunity boosting and much more)
1cup Brown Rice Milk (I use Rude Health)

Pop everything in the blender, whizz it up till smooth and drink immediately if not sooner! Yey!x

PS: I just want to remind you that I'm writing the brands I am using not because I get paid to do it but because they work for me and my taste. There are many other brands out there but if you are starting out using these foods, it might help to at least have an idea of what I go for. When I started reading food blogs I was curious to know which brands worked for the bloggers so at least I would have known in which direction to go when I went to the supermarket to look for types of foods I had never heard of before...xxx

Speedy Quinoa with roasted cod, fresh tomatoes and capers

When I work long hours and I come home around 8pm, the last thing I want is spending ages cooking dinner so I always try and find the quickest way to prepare a meal that will be both delicious and nutritious.. This recipe was a happy discovery one night when I didn't have much left in the house except for some leftover cooked quinoa (I like to cook a batch of it on Sundays and just add different ingredients during the week for a "take away" lunch), two medium tomatoes, garlic and some capers. Plus, I remembered I had one piece of frozen cod left in the freezer (ideally you want to defreeze it beforehand but I was desperate). 

Here's how I did it: with my coat still on I turned the oven on at 180C . Placed the cod in the tray with a squeeze of lemon, some olive oil, paprika and herbs (but you can use anything you've got, only herbs, only paprika, only lemon...), and put it in the oven with my timer on for 20 minutes.

Quickly undressed and put PJ's on (yes, I know, I'm a sexy beast...) then, with 10 min left on the timer I washed and sliced the tomatoes and popped them with a couple of chopped garlic cloves and a little oil in a pan. Medium heat and just stir them once, add some salt, pepper and about two minutes before the end, add your capers.

Now, cod was ready, fresh tomatoes cooked, all you need to do is assemble! I added the quinoa and cod directly to the pan with the tomatoes and mixed everything on low heat for 1 minute, maybe less because I was really hungry.... DONE.

It was a comforting meal, full of flavour and packed not only with proteins from both quinoa and cod, but also the phytochemical lycopene from the tomatoes (great for cardiovascular health and also skin). Finally, and you have read this before on my blog as I use it a lot, Garlic! Natural antibiotic, contains sulphur and is therefore really helpful for your liver!

All of this goodness in 20 minutes. That's right.

Now you go and do it.x