Super Muesli Recipe

Super food muesli (serves one) Start your day the healthy way!

40g whole rolled porridge oats, 1 tbsp. of ground almonds, 1 tbsp. essential seed mix, ½ small apple grated, 1 tbsp. any berries & ½ tsp. ground cinnamons

Place all ingredients in a bowl and cover with double the amount of boiling water or hot milk. Stir and leave to thicken for a couple of minutes until the oats have soaked up the water and become soft and plump.

Granola

Granola 2 tbsp grapeseed oil

2tbsp blackstrap molasses

1 tsp vanilla extract

300g large rolled oats

150g of mixed seeds i.e. pumpkin/sunflower/linseeds

100g mixed chopped nuts almonds/walnuts/cashew

50g coconuts flakes or desiccated coconut

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon dried ground ginger

 

Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.

Mix the oil, molasses, and vanilla in a large bowl. Tip in all the remaining ingredients, except the coconut, and mix well.

Tip the granola onto two baking sheets and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes, then mix in the coconut and bake for 10-15 minutes more. Remove and scrape onto a flat tray to cool. Serve with live yogurt and mixed berries.

The granola can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month.

Cajun Chicken salad

Ingredients chicken breast, olive oil, 140ml of chicken stock, cajun spices

salad leaves, spinach, rocket and watercress give it a good kick

basil leaves, cherry tomatoes, red onion

cut each chicken breast in thin strips

Place the chicken strips in an oven proof dish, pour over the chicken stock and drizzle with olive oil. Generously coat the chicken with the Cajun seasoning and bake at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes. (or until fully cooked)

chop cherry tomatoes and red onion, tear basil place in a bowl add a drop of balsamic vinegar and mix.

place mixed salad leaves on the plate, add tomato and onion mix and top with the hot cajun chicken!

Enjoy!

caffeine and fertility

I have been trying to get pregnant for four months, but so far I’ve been unsuccessful, I drink about 5 cups of instant coffee a day and about 5 cups a tea, my doctor suggested that I cut down on this, but surely this cannot be interfering with my fertility?  

There is growing evidence to show that caffeine, particularly in the form of coffee, decreases fertility. One study showed that drinking as little as one cup of coffee a day can halve your chances of conceiving.

Colas, coffee, chocolate and black teas, amongst other things also contain caffeine so should be limited too.  Coffee can deprive the body of important nutrients which are important for fertility. Try weaning yourself off them gradually over the course of a week to ten days to minimize withdrawal symptoms, and replacing them with herbal teas, dandelion coffee (which is caffeine free) vegetable juices, and fruit juices. Fruit juices should be diluted at least 50% with water.

There are many other things you can do to ensure you are in the best health possible before you conceive. Ensure you eat a wide range of fresh organic natural foods, fruit, vegetables, lean meats, wild fish, nuts and seeds. Although your letter doesn’t say you age, it is recommended that women under 30 should generally try to get pregnant on their own for 1 year before seeking testing.

When to wean a baby?

The department of health changed its weaning advice from 4 months to 6 months in December 2003 to come in line with the world health organisation. It is my belief that children shouldn't been weaned until they are at least 6 months of age. Research has shown that babies’ digestive systems are very slow to develop and the enzymes that are required to digest food do not develop until the baby is 6 months old. Babies also have very thin gut lining and if a baby is weaned before the enzymes are present, undigested food could seep through the intestinal lining and enter the blood putting your baby at an increased risk of developing allergies, intolerance's and other such problems, such as a weaker immune system. After 6 months, babies make their own secretory IgA, which coats the intestine and stops the absorption of foreign substances through the intestinal mucous. At this age babies also develop the reflex of sucking and chewing simultaneous which will help them taste the food.

As published in South Wales Evening Post