Super foods ~ Sea Vegetables

Sea vegetables are one of the most nutrient-packed foods on the planet!
Sea vegetables provide the widest range of minerals of any food. They contain large amounts of iodine, vitamin K, B-vitamin folate, magnesium, iron and calcium, as well as riboflavin and pantothenic acid, two necessary B-vitamins. 
 Sea vegetables also contain lignans, which are plant compounds with cancer preventative properties. Lignans inhibit angiogenesis, or blood cell growth, which is what causes cancerous tumors in the human body. 


Iodine deficiency is a looming health threat 
 - iodine in sea plants exceed that found in inland plants by as much as 20 times. At least 50% of pregnant/breastfeeding women have inadequate iodine intakes and many Australian children are iodine deficient which may result in learning disabilities, poor concentration levels, lower IQ, hearing problems and a greater chance of developing ADHD. Adults require at least 150 micrograms of iodine daily or risk goiter, weight gain, lethargy, intolerance to cold, infertility, thyroid problems, increased blood cholesterol and reduced heart function. 

Below is a list of readily available Sea Vegetables & Algae 

 -you will find these in most health food shops. 

Chlorella (an algae) – a true super food , chlorophyll rich, anti-cancer, heavy metal and synthetic toxin removal, RNA, DNA, protein, mineral rich

Dulse – a nutritional powerhouse, alkaline, beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and most of the B vitamins, including B6, contains high levels of iodine, as well as calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, potassium and zinc. A quarter-ounce of dulse provides about 30 percent of the recommended daily allowance of iron, and one cup of dulse can provide 4 to 6 grams of protein.

Kelp – highly mineralized including trace minerals, folate, B2, B5, vitamin K, vitamin E, iodine, copper, magnesium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, sodium

Nori (aka laver) – beta carotene, vitamin C, folate, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, vitamin E,      iodine,copper, iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, zinc, sodium, omega 3

Spirulina (an algae) - a true super food, chlorophyll rich, easily digestible, immune booster, anti-fungal, antibacterial, brain food, protein, GLA, RNA, DNA, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folate, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin, copper, iron, sodium, manganese, magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, omega3, omega 6

Wakame - beta carotene, vitamin E, folate, B1, B2, B3, B5, omega 3

Arame: Arame is highly rich in essential nutrients including calcium, iron, zinc, manganese, folate, vitamins A & K, and iodine. It is normally harvested during the springtime when the ocean nutrient levels are at their highest.

There is many more but these are the most common. And these are the Sea Vegetables I use regularly 

So can you incorporate these Sea Vegetables into your diet ?

I put Chlorella and Spirulina  in the kids Mean Green Porridge  every morning

You can also add Chlorella & Spirulina into juices & smoothies

 - My husband takes his in a 1 little bottle of water with spirulina and lemon juice to work

Tablet forms of these algae are available at all health food shops.

Dulse- I put Dulse flakes on or into everything savory I make. Even when I make my son poached eggs I sprinkle dulse flakes on top. No body ever knows its there. :)

Kelp - Kelp noodles are my favorite way of having Kelp I try to have these twice a week. You can use Kelp noodle in the place of any noodle dish. 

Nori- Sushi, or shred the nori sheets and sprinkle on top of salads. I prefer to buy raw nori sheets as they are a great source of Vit C & E. Both these vitamins are very fragile around heat.

Wakame- can be added to salad. I find the easiest way to get my kids to eat it is I stir the soaked & diced wakame into bolognese. Keep the water and use it as stock or a beauty tip- pour the water from soaking over your hair!

 Arame - I use Arame the same as Wakame or sprinkle on salads or in sushi

Cheesy Kelp Noodles

 1 cup hemp cheese - left over from Friday night pizzas with hemp sour cream

 1 tablespoon Savory/Nutritional yeast 

 2 Tbs Olive oil

 Mixed fresh herbs from the garden. I just use what ever looks good at the time.

   I used a handful of basil, some dill, handful parsley handful kale

 Diced Capsicum

 Couple handfuls baby spinach

 Water

Rinse noodle in water

Drain and massage noodles with Olive oil

Blend Cheese, herbs and yeast with enough water to make a sauce.

Pour over noodles and massage in. 

Stir in baby spinach

Place in dehydrator at 40 degrees for 30mins

Sprinkle capsicum over the top. YUM! 

Source Here, Here,  Here & Here 

Super foods ~ Quinoa. Recipes- Quinoa Pizza and Porridge

Quinoa would have to be one of my favorite seeds. Yes, I said seed Quinoa is a seed it is often referred to as a grain. But like Buckwheat, Millet and Amaranth it is a seed that can be used like a grain! I avoid all grains in my family’s diet as they are difficult to digest and feed candida so it these grain like seeds make a great substitute. Not only are they a powerhouse of nutrition but they can be used as healthy substitutes for grain based products. Quinoa is available in flakes, flour and whole seed in red and white .  And this is why I love it some much.

  I hold just as much importance on my kids being able to interact and be social with other kids as I do their nutrition. No, I lie their nutrition comes first but social interaction is a very close second! But not many people we meet eat the way we eat. So it can be a bit stressful for me when we do go to gatherings where food is being served but I try to limit how much they eat when out by feeding them my food on the way so they are not hungry when they arrive so they won’t eat as much of the food on offer and if I know what food is being served I will have my version of that food in my bag to slip to the kids so they don’t think they are missing out. Quinoa can be great substitute in cakes, porridge, picklets, pizza bases, rice ect..

Health Benefits of Quinoa

   -   Complete protein. Quinoa contains all 9 essential amino acids that are required by the body as building blocks for muscles.

   --Magnesium helps relax your muscles and blood vessels and effects blood pressure. Quinoa contains high levels of this vital nutrient.

    -Fiber. Quinoa is a wonderful way to ensure that you consume valuable fiber that eases elimination and tones your colon.

    -Manganese and copper. Quinoa is a good source of these minerals that act as antioxidants in your body to get rid of dangerous cancer and disease-causing substances.

    -Calcium  Quinoa Contains  more calcium than milk

    - Quinoa acts as a prebiotic that feeds the microflora (good bacteria) in your intestines.

    -Quinoa is easily digested for optimal absorption of nutrients.

    -Quinoa is gluten-free and safe for those with gluten intolerance, people on a celiac die

Quinoa, in its whole grain form, may be effective in preventing and treating these conditions

       ~ Artherosclerosis

        ~ Breast cancer

        ~Diabetes

        ~Insulin resistance

Resource  http://bodyecology.com/articles/quinoa_benefits_guide.php

Some ideas on how to incorporate Quinoa into your diet

1. Use Quinoa flakes instead of oats to make porridge

         ~Tip – if you are a lover of oats (my son was!) slowly add Quinoa to your oats and each   time add more Quinoa flakes and less oats till you are eating all Quinoa. This is how I got my son eating his Mean Green Porridge for breakfast –recipe below

2.Replace Rice with Quinoa rinse the seeds and boil

3.Sprout Quinoa – Use on salad and makes a really yummy filling in sushi with salads

 ~super easy to sprout place quinoa seeds in a glass jar cover with water and leave on window sill or bench normally after 1 day they have sprouted if not rinse seeds drain and put back in glass jar on bench next day there should be heaps of yummy nutritious Quinoa sprouts

4.Replace plain flour with Quinoa flour

~ if baking something sweet I will use half quinoa flour and half coconut flour

There are so many uses for Quinoa. Below are my favorite recipes using Quinoa.

I would love to hear how you use Quinoa so feel free to post below

Pizza !!!!

My Green Quinoa Pizza Base

Makes about 6 8 inch bases and 6  4 inch mini bases

2 cups Quinoa covered in water and soaked overnight

½ cup water

1 tsp himalayan salt

1/4c. Macadamia oil

1 cup kale

2 Tbs Parsley (more more I love parsley so always add extra)

2 Tbs Basil

2 Tbs Chives

1-2  cloves of  crushed garlic ( to taste)

Throw everything in a blender and blend till smooth. It should look a bit like pancake batter.

Cook on a hot fry pan just like pancakes. ( I always cook one side till crispy and add my toppings to the crispy side and the other side crisps up while the toppings are cooking)

Once cooked add your favourite pizza toppings

Bake in the oven till toppings are cooked

I make them in different sizes Larger ones for family pizza night and individual size ‘mini’ pizza size.

These freeze really well and defrost very quickly. If wanting it warm, they toast really well  in the toaster

The kids love these! I also use them as a flat bread for lunches or on Sunday mornings cooked breakfast of gooey eggs and soldiers just cut the base into dippy fingers.

Vegan Pizza

1 Green Quinoa Pizza Base

Basil & Macadamia Pesto spread on base- Recipe to come

Topped with diced red capsicum, diced swiss brown mushrooms, diced zucchini, roasted sweet potato, baby spinach, sprinkled with dulse flakes and topped with Notzarella vegan cheese.

Baked till cheese is nice a gooey

Topped with Raw Hemp seed sour cream – Look out for this recipe coming soon it is just DELISH!

                                                                                                NOM  NOM  NOM  

Mean Green Porridge 

1/2 cup Quinoa Flakes cover with water cook until it looks like runny porridge 

1 tablespoon Chia Seeds - I make the porridge a little runny as the chia seeds absorb the extra water if the chia seed absorb to much and make the porridge to dry just add touch more water

1-2 Tbs Goji Berrys

a generous pinch of cinnamon 

Once the porridge is cooled a bit I add

-1Tbs Hemp seeds

-1/4 sea minerals

-1 tsp bee pollon

-1 tsp chlorella  spirulina powder

-1tsp Bovine Colostrum

-1stp raw local honey

Stir it all together and Bon Appetit !

Both my kids eat this every morning for breakfast. It did take me some time to get this. With little adjustments each morning they got used to the changes and now they devour this my 3 year will polish this off in no time and some mornings will ask for more. Some days he even asks to have it for dinner!