Love Life: Love you 2018 by Food for Health

LOVE LIFE: LOVE YOU love

2018

product reviews delicious recipes new year health tips things we love guest recipe creators

OUR QUOTE OF THE YEAR!

WELCOME

Welcome to our 2018 Love e-book. We have some beautiful recipes to share with you, created by both myself and some pretty amazing guest recipe creators. We also have some health tips that might help you push through this crazy thing called life! January is always a great time of reflection for me both personally and professionally. We are all super busy and don’t often stop and reflect on our achievements. 2017 was a huge year here at Food For Health. We built our own manufacturing site and moved into our shiny new HQ mid year. We welcomed some amazing new team members and launched new products into Coles and Woolies… I honestly never thought that I would have my own manufacturing site, however I saw an opportunity to support the industry and create more jobs in the manufacturing sector here in Victoria. I am super proud to be a woman in a male dominated industry. #girlboss #neversaynever One aspect of 2017 I am proud of is my ‘engagement project’. At home I have implemented a no IT time slot each day which includes turning off mobile phones to stay engaged with my family. Being a working mum is super hard. It is rewarding however you also carry a huge amount of mother guilt so I thought best way to negate these feelings is to engage with my children and not just be with them under the same roof. I dedicate time each day with both of my children to do an activity of their choice – not sport and extracurricular

activities… but quality time stuff. Millie and I often sit and play with her doll house, it’s super cute the role playing she does… she is very bossy though (gee where does she get that from?!). Millie has also taking to watching me cook and loves mixing cakes and helping my in the kitchen… so nice to share this common love together. Jack loves to build lego, so we sit and just play lego and talk. It’s amazing what you learn about your kids when we actually sit and talk to them and not just talk to them while your cooking, folding the washing or on your laptop….while you are actually sitting and are engaged. This has been my proudest project. To be a better mother… makes me a better leader at work. I now have the ‘no guilt’ when I walk out the door and I can engage 100% with my team… I hope this year you make some positive changes in your life whatever they may be. You know sometime the littlest changes can have the biggest impact. Let’s hope 2018 is the best year yet! Enjoy this e-book and if I can ever help in any way or you would like to give me some feedback, please email me at narelle@foodforhealth.com.au. I would love to hear from you.

CONTENTS

RECIPES 10 | L ow FODMAP chicken vegetable gluten free pasta bake

28 | Rosemary and rock salt teff crackers

11 | L ow FODMAP chicken vegetable stir-fry A.K.A. Power bowl

30 | Vegetable Curry

12 | Matcha Apple Pie Porridge 14 | Coffee & Cacao Breakfast Bars 17 | Four Protein Snickers Balls

32 | Pork Satay Skewers 34 | Southern Chicken Burgers 35 | Tiramasu

18 | Crunchy Brussels Sprout Salad

36 | C hai Yogurt Panna Cotta with Poached Pear and Clusters

19 | Watermelon Salad

39 | Kids Breakfast Quesadilla

20 | Sweet Chilli Prawn Rice Paper Rolls

40 | Zucchini Slice

21 | Teriyaki Salmon Green Bowl

41 | San Choy Bao

23 | Protein pancakes

41 | Honey Joys

24 | Chipotle Chilli Tofu Mex Bowls

29 | Blueberry and coconut bread

OUR GUEST RECIPE CREATORS We are so lucky to have some of our favourite people collaborating with us in this year's edition of LoveÂ life: love you ebook. Here at Food For Health, we are passionate about health for everyone, and so are our guest recipe creators.

Alyce Crawford

Tom Hose

Alyce is a Personal trainer/model from Sydney. She is passionate about sharing her journey with IBS and the benefits of the FODMAP diet for gut disorders.

Founder, Managing Director & Senior Trainer at FoxFit Fitness For Females. Tom has over a decade of experience as a personal trainer. His specialty is his ability to assist individuals develop a positive association with movement and wellness as a key strategy to encourage long term success. Tom has been the personal trainer of Narelle Plapp for many years.

To learn more about the benefits of a FODMAP diet and find two delicious FODMAP-friendly recipes, go to page 9.

For a look at Narelle's lower body resistance circuit (and a tasty recipe) go to page 16.

Alice Toleman

Anna Warren

Alice decided to make a change to her life and beat obesity. She lost 70kg. She has a get real approach to weightloss and is transparent about her journey with her followers.

Anna Warren is clinical nutritionist, with a strong interest in fuelling our bodies with real, whole foods. She is a nutritionist at The Nutrition Collective and regularly contributes to Stylerunnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s triple white magazine.

For Alice's inspirational lifestyle tips and the recipe for these delicious protein pancakes, go to page 22.

For Anna's nutrition tips and blueberry coconut bread recipe go to page 27.

NATUROPATH CREATIONS

Narelle's Top 5 Naturopathic Tips Food for Health was founded on the core naturopathic principle “prevention is better than a cure.” And this is something I follow in my day to day life, and when creating any of my new products. I was a practising naturopath for 9 years, and ran my own practise. I loved what I did, and helping people was my favourite part of that. Food for Health has allowed me to help people on a more widespread level, and I am absolutely humbled by the support I’ve received by all of you. Hearing that my products have helped you always puts a huge smile on my face. I’ve shared my mueslis and snacks with you, but I also wanted to share some of my naturopath side… so from humble beginnings, here are my top 5 naturopath tips:

1. Get all your nutrients I know I sound like a broken record on this one, but it is so important to get all your nutrients. I’m a big fan of my Liver Cleansing Muesli to start the day, but I will often top it with lots of berries for a hit of vitamin C and a green juice, so that I can get a head start on my greens for the day. Fresh fruit and vegetables are the best thing for your body. They contain important vitamins and minerals, as well as having a high fibre content. I choose to eat seasonal fruit and veg to ensure that I am getting the freshest and most delicious fruit available.

2. Vitamins Fatigue stems from our bodies not getting the vitamins and minerals that it needs to function. This can also be one of the reasons that we get sick. I like to start my morning with olive leaf extract and magnesium. Olive leaf extract is a great source of vitamin C, and magnesium has many benefits including assisting digestion and helping increase energy. I also take a daily probiotic to assist with gut health.

3. Avoid additives and preservatives All of my products have no numbers on their ingredient lists. Using no additives or preservatives is something that I am extremely passionate about. It was one of the things that I constantly repeated to my patients when practising as a naturopath - to avoid foods with additives, colours or preservatives and instead eat real, good-for-you foods! Your diet should be filled with whole, real foods. This is the best fuel.

4. Listen to your body We are all culprits of not listening to our bodies at times, and just pushing through. We have lots on, and we in our busy worlds sometimes its difficult to listen to our bodies. If there is something wrong, your body lets you know. One of the key indicators of this is fatigue. If your body is tired, sometimes the best thing to do for yourself is to actually rest before you burn out.

5. G ut health is the key to overall health Many of you know the story of Food for Healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inception- when I was practising as a naturopath I created two mueslis to assist with the overall health plan for my patients. The results I got from this were incredible and I wanted to share this with the world. The reason these plans worked so well? Because the gut is the key to your overall health. So make sure you are feeding your body the right foods and that you are looking after your gut. I personally take a probiotic every day to make sure that my gut health stays on track.

PRODUCT REVIEW

nutty almond fruit free clusters

Food For Healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Nutty Almond Fruit Free Clusters are a crunchy bowl of deliciousness. Flakes of corn, puffed rice and pepitas with nutty almonds throughout make the perfect breakfast with milk or yoghurt. They are gluten free, fructose free, FODMAP friendly, lactose free and vegan. Find them now in the health food aisle at your local supermarket or on the Food For Health online store at: store.foodforhealth.com.au Try them as a kid-friendly treat â&#x20AC;&#x201C; our FODMAP friendly, gluten free honey joy recipe is on page 41!

FODMAP WITH ALYCE Hello, my name is Alyce Crawford and I am 27 years old. I grew up in the beautiful seaside town of Kiama and I now call Cronulla home. I have worked as a model for 9 years and at the beginning of 2017, became a Personal Trainer after completing my Certificate 3 & 4 in Fitness. My true passion for health and fitness was not realised however, until I experienced something life changing in 2013. At the age of 23 I was living and working in New York where literally overnight, my life changed as I became unwell with (at the time) an unknown stomach illness. It took 3 years, 2 Gastroenterologists, 5 GP's, 2 Naturopaths, countless tests and a trip to hospital to try to find the cause. It wasn't until 2016 that I finally found answers to my questions from an Accredited Practicing Dietitian who diagnosed me with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, commonly known as IBS. The symptom that I suffer with specifically is severe bloating. I now work with my Dietitian Joanne Turner regularly who put me on a Low FODMAP diet

Breakfast:

Banana Gluten free toastie

(1 Slice gluten free toast, BBQ chicken, cheese tomato, spinach and smoked paprika)

immediately after our first consultation which I now follow as it helps to manage my IBS. I now use my passion and platform on social media to raise awareness about IBS, the effects of IBS and also the importance of living a healthy, happy balanced lifestyle. I have spent the last year working wholeheartedly on my health and well-being and can safely say that this is the happiest and healthiest I've been in a long time.

Following a Low FODMAP diet has been the sole reason that I am now able to manage my IBS and feel healthy again. When I consume food low in FODMAPs, I experience little-to-no bloating. Although following this diet has had a significant positive effect on my IBS symptoms, it conversely is very difficult to follow. The main reason for this is that there is an extensive list of foods not suitable to eat due to their high FODMAP Banana content. What's more, these foods are commonly Coffee (almond consumed daily and they are healthy (predominantly fruits milk latte) and vegetables). Garlic and onion are the hardest to avoid and considered high FODMAP foods. Trying to avoid eating a meal with either garlic or onion in it is almost impossible, so it really makes dining out quite tricky. Wrap Eating low FODMAP has actually allowed (gluten free wrap, me to experiment more in the kitchen as BBQ chicken, cheese, I love cooking so creating healthy, low carrot, spinach leaves, FODMAP, delicious meals is something cucumber, tomato, that I really enjoy doing. I will think of a sprouts, paprika, salt) favourite meal of mine then replace any ingredient that is high FODMAP with a low FODMAP ingredient instead (Eg. I add fresh chives and smoked paprika to a meal for flavour instead of garlic and/or onion). The other great thing that is becoming helpful is that wonderful food companies (like Food for Smoothie Health), cafes and restaurants are beginning (Â˝ banana, to recognise the low FODMAP diet and are blueberries, cinnamon, almond creating products/meals on their menu to milk, cacao) cater for people following this specific diet.

Snack:

Lunch:

Snack:

Dinner:

Dessert:

Food For Health chia and cinnamon fruit free clusters, almond milk or Greek yoghurt and fresh berries

Spaghetti bolognese (mince, fresh chives, carrot, zucchini, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, smoked paprika, salt, herbs, gluten free spaghetti, parmesan cheese)

Trying to follow a low FODMAP diet becomes even harder when you are also trying to ensure that you are still maintaining a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet, especially when so many fruits and vegetables are high FODMAP and not suitable to be consumed. Maintaining a nutritious diet is something very important to me, so I work closely with my Dietitian who has helped me with this. Dietitian Joanne Turner created a specific low FODMAP meal plan for me that ensured my body would be fuelled, while receiving all the essential vitamins and minerals that the body needs to function.

FODMAP WITH ALYCE

Low FODMAP chicken vegetable gluten free pasta bake

Ingredients

Method

¼-½ BBQ chicken

Preheat oven 180°C.

3 carrots

Boil water. Once boiled, pour over pasta and cook in microwave for 3 minutes. Stir, then return to microwave for another 3 minutes. Once pasta is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water.

3 zucchinis 2-3 cups gluten free penne pasta 1 can crushed tomatoes (free from garlic and/or onion in ingredients) 1 tub tomato paste (free from garlic and/or onion in ingredients) ¼ cup fresh chives, or more if needed 3 slices gluten free bacon ½-1 cup light cheese 4-5 tbsp smoked paprika, or more if needed 3-4 tsp salt extra virgin olive oil

Cook bacon pieces in pan on medium heat until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. Dice carrots and zucchinis, steam until soft. Chop chives with scissors. Remove skin on bbq chicken then shred. Spray baking dish with olive oil. Add to baking dish bbq chicken, diced carrots, zucchinis and pasta. Add to baking dish can crushed tomatoes and tub of tomato paste. Stir through. Add to baking dish salt, smoked paprika and chives. Stir through. Dice bacon. Spread bacon and cheese on top of the bake. Bake on 150°C for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is well melted on top. Serves 3

Low FODMAP chicken vegetable stir-fry A.K.A. Power bowl

Ingredients

Method

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Trim chicken fillets, cut across the grain into thin strips.

4 chicken breast fillets

Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook bacon pieces in separate pan on medium heat until crisp then cut into small pieces.

3 slices gluten free bacon ½ red capsicum 2 carrots

Dice carrots and zucchinis, steam until soft.

2 zucchinis

Place chicken breasts in pan, cook on one side for 5 minutes. Flip chicken over and cook an additional 5-8 minutes (depending on thickness of breasts) until chicken is cooked through and golden brown. Once cooked, dice chicken and leave in the pan.

2 bunches bok choy ⁄3 cup fresh coriander

4-5 tbsp smoked paprika, more if needed 2 tsp salt ⁄3 cup sesame seeds

⁄3 cup fresh chives

2-3 tbsp gluten free tamari sauce 1 cup brown rice (per serve) 1-2 tsp gluten free whole egg mayonnaise (free from garlic or onion in ingredients)

Dice red capsicum. In a separate pan, heat oil over high heat. Swirl to coat. Add bok choy and capsicum. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until bok choy is just wilted. Cut the fresh chives and coriander. Add to the same pan as the chicken the bacon, carrot, zucchini, capsicum, bok choy, chives, coriander, tamari sauce, sesame seeds, smoked paprika, and salt and stir through. Let simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Microwave brown rice packet (read instructions) and serve with chicken and vegetables from the pan. Top your bowl with mayonnaise mixed with coriander for a creamy herb sauce. Serves 5

Matcha Apple Pie Porridge Ingredients 50g Food For Health Simply Fibre Muesli 1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled & grated 400ml almond milk or milk of your choice 1 tsp matcha powder 2 tbsp coconut sugar or sweetener of your choice 1 tbsp desiccated coconut 1 tbsp crushed pecans

Method Place the grated apple and 1tbsp of coconut sugar in a saucepan on a medium heat and cook, stirring often until soft. Add the milk, bring to the boil and then add the muesli. Cook, stirring continuously for about 5mins. Turn off the heat and add the matcha powder and stir until fully encorporated. Pour into a bowl and top with remaining coconut sugar, crushed pecans and coconut. Serves 1

Coffee & Cacao Breakfast Bars Ingredients

Method

4 cups Food for Health Coffee & Cacao Clusters

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Line a lamington tin with baking paper.

1 cup Food for Health Goodness Mix ⁄3 cup gluten free plain flour

½ cup shredded coconut ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 2

⁄3 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla ½ cup melted coconut oil or butter ½ cup Mayvers Cacao Super Spread ½ rice malt syrup

Melt the coconut oil, Mayvers Cacao Super Spread and rice malt syrup in a pot on a medium heat until smooth. Add in the salt, cinnamon, coconut sugar and vanilla and mix until the sugar has dissolved. In a bowl, place the FFH Coffee & Cacao Clusters, Goodness Mix, Coconut and GF flour. Pour in the wet mixture and mix well to combine. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan. Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Cool completely before removing from the pan and cutting into bars. Serves 12

THINGS WE LOVE! We are so proud to be all Australian owned and made. We are all about keeping things local and supporting local brands and businesses.

Here is a look at our favourite Australian products for 2018:

GO-TO skincare Face hero.

Miss Frankie, Yes Way Rosé polish.

A lightweight face oil that deeply hydrates, soothes, revitalises and protects the face. www.gotoskincare.com

Yes way rosé - a creamy soft baby pink, with white undertone. Breathable, long-lasting and chipresistant. www.missfrankie.com.au

Prene Bags – The X bag

P.E Nation – First Gen Legging in pink

The Perforated Neoprene Bag in light grey marle. www.prenebags.com

A full length active leg with a midrise waist and colour-block panelling for a bold gym look. www.pe-nation.com

Elk Dia Slide sandal A relaxed slide for the warmer months, made from super soft supple leather. www.elkaccessories.com

4. 15

FIT WITH TOM The thought of EXERCISE to many does not appeal as much as the thought of extra fries – but truth be known we were would built to move. By now we all know the widespread benefits of exercise and its clear link with a healthy body composition, reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, increased life expectancy, and the physiological benefits go on. However, some of the less credited benefits associated with a variety of exercise modalities on a habitual

basis, are the intrinsic factors, which in the long term can feel just as beneficial as the more obvious results, such as weight loss. When I refer to the intrinsic factors what I mean, for example, is that feeling you experience after exercise like the endorphin kick, mental clarity & stamina you feel that keeps you on point throughout the day. No two people are the same but one thing we can agree on is that nothing beats that fit feeling. In Narelle’s circumstance she wears many hats- running a very successful enterprise, being super mum and the list goes on. Narelle places a very high emphasis on the importance of maintaining her healthy exercise habits to look and function at her best – not only in her home life, but in her work life too.

Below is an example of Narelle’s lower body resistance circuit:

WARM UP

Treadmill Warm Up 1:30

Dynamic warm up drills 1:00

1 A

2 A

B/B Back Squats to Low Block x 15 reps

B High Step to Lunge x 15 each leg C D/B Curtsey x 15 each leg D Treadmill x 400m sprint x 2 sets – 30 secs recovery Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl x 15

B Swiss Ball Bridge x 15 C SkiErg 200m x 2 sets – 30 secs recovery

3 A

Resistance Band Prisoner Walk 1:00

B B/B Bridge x 12 reps C Skipping 1:00 x 2 sets – 30 secs recovery KEY: 16

4 A

B/B= Barbell

Leg Raises x 15 reps

B Swiss Ball Crunch x 15 reps C Swiss Ball Hover

D/B= Dumbbell

FIT WITH TOM

Four Protein Snickers Balls Ingredients

Method

For the caramel

Blend all ingredients for the caramel in a food processor. Line a tray with baking paper. Once the caramel is combined with no lumps, spoon ½ tsp dollops onto the try. Place in the freezer and allow to set for at least 15mins.

30g coconut oil, melted 1 cup dates, pitted and soaked in water ¼ cup coconut milk Pinch salt For the balls 190g peanut butter 70g honey 70g coconut oil, melted ½ tsp vanilla 100g vanilla protein powder 50g coconut flour 400g dark chocolate, melted, to coat

Meanwhile, blend all ingredients (apart from the dark chocolate) in a food processor. Break into balls, approximately 35g each. Place in fridge and allow to get firm also. To create the balls, press the frozen caramel pieces into the centre of the nougat mix and roll into perfect balls. Place in freezer again to get firm and ready for coating. Melt the dark chocolate. Dip the balls into the chocolate and place onto a tray lined with baking paper. Allow to set at room temperature. Place in the fridge if it’s too hot outside. Serves 20

Crunchy Brussels Sprout Salad Ingredients

Method

500g Brussels Sprouts, sliced finely

Heat an oven to 160 degrees and line a tray with baking paper. Spread the parmesan out onto the tray in a thin sheet. Place in oven for about 10mins or until golden brown, continually checking to make sure it’s not burning.

1 cup Food for Health Goodness Mix 200g speck or good quality bacon, finely diced 100g parmesan, shaved For the dressing ¼ cup balsamic vinegar ¼ cup olive oil 2 tbsp maple syrup 2 tsp Dijon mustard

On another oven try, place the speck or bacon and cook for about 20mins as well. Mix together the balsamic, olive oil, mustard and maple until combined to make the dressing. Place the brussels sprouts, FFH Goodness Mix and speck in a bowl and coat with the dressing. Finish with crumbing the crunchy parmesan on top. Serve as a side salad to your favourite meals. Serves 8

Watermelon Salad Ingredients

Method

Â˝ Watermelon, cut into 2cm x 2cm squares

To make the dressing, place the lime juice and zest, pepper, salt and olive oil into a bowl and stir.

1 bunch mint, chopped finely 250g haloumi, diced 100g sprouts For the dressing 2 limes, juice and zest Â˝ tsp black pepper

Heat a pan on a low-medium heat with some oil. Cook the haloumi until golden brown. In a bowl, place the watermelon, sprouts and mint, topped with the haloumi. Coat with the dressing. Serve as a side to your favourite meals. Serves 8

Â˝ cup olive oil 1 tsp salt

Sweet Chilli Prawn Rice Paper Rolls Ingredients 100g rice noodles, cooked 10 sheets rice paper 400g prawns, peeled and cooked 1 avocado, finely sliced 1 mango, finely sliced 1 capsicum, finely sliced 1 small cucumber, finely sliced 1tbsp coriander, finely diced 1tbsp mint, finely diced For the dressing 1 chilli, finely sliced 4tbsp sesame oil 2tbsp honey 2tbsp tamari

Method Make the dressing by combining all ingredients and place the prawns in the bowl to marinade. Re-hydrate the rice paper using the directions on the packet. Fill the rice paper with the noodles, prawn, avocado, mango, capsicum, coriander and mint. Roll and serve with the remainder of the sweet chilli sauce. Serves 10

Teriyaki Salmon Green Bowl Ingredients

Method

500g salmon, skinless

Add all ingredients except tapioca and ¼ cup of water to a saucepan for the sauce. Start to heat. Mix the tapioca and ¼ cup water together and add to the rest of the ingredients. Heat until sugar is dissolved and the sauce thickens. Set aside.

240g broccolini 250g asparagus 2 cups brown rice, cooked 2 tsp crushed garlic 1 bunch bok choy, sliced 1 bunch pak choy, sliced 2 tsp sesame seeds Salt & pepper to taste For the Teriyaki

Cook rice as per directions on the packet. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Place salmon on a tray lined with baking paper, season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15mins or until cooked. Heat a pan on medium. Place oil of your choice, crushed garlic, asparagus, broccolini, pak choy and bok choy. Lightly sauté.

1 cup tamari

In a bowl, place the rice, followed by the greens, salmon and pour some of the sauce on top. Top with sesame seeds to serve.

1 cup water

Serves 4

½ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp garlic powder 5 tbsp coconut sugar 2 tbsp rice malt syrup 2 tbsp tapioca flour Another ¼ cup cold water

WEIGHT LOSS WITH ALICE Appreciating life and all it has to offer is what makes me tick, not taking everyday life for granted, taking hurdles as they come and doing all I can in my power to get the most out of life is what motivates me. I severely abused my body for years and this is my chance to make it up to myself. I’m motivated by hitting goals and sticking to being disciplined, it gives me a sense of accomplishment and something I can look back on and say ‘I achieved that’. I’m motivated by not only physical goals but mental goals, improving my mindset, attitude and outlook. I’m a pretty strong believer of being mindful of your actions, doing everything you do with positive purpose and long-term intention. I look at things and wonder ‘How will this affect me in the long-term? What will I lose/gain if I quit now? What’s the outcome of this task if I stick to it’. I’m passionate about showing that obesity is a disease that can be cured with hard work and sticking to good diet and exercise. This is the reason why one of my life motives now is to share my story of how I overcame obesity and turned my life around, hoping to motivate others and inspire that it is never too late to change your life for the better.

I don’t fit in due to a constant fear of people watching and judging me. I would have thought that after all this weight loss I’d gain more confidence than this but I’m still struggling, I just put my headphones in and do what I have to do. I know it’s inevitable that you will be judged at some point of your life, no matter who you are, where you go or what you look like, that’s just a shit reality of today’s society, there’s no escaping it until we all learn to respect one another. It makes me think, what exactly is it that I’m I so scared of? What will happen if someone watches me sweat?

So why do I do this? I push myself because the feeling I do get after I work out is such a rush of positive energy, I feel so proud and a great sense of accomplishment. I’ll wear my sweat like a badge of honour and think to myself ‘I made this happen, I made the transformation, and look where I am now.’ I do wonder about when I’ll be ‘done’, when do I reach my maximum potential, when do I see the final result and when do I feel like I’ve completed the transformation, will I ever be happy with myself? When do I think to myself that I’m happy exactly the way I am and settle with it? When is enough enough and when does fitness turn into a serious exercise/body image addiction, where do I draw the line? But for now, I am happy with my progress, I always want to improve my fitness and strength, hopefully at a healthy level. My mind is happy and my body is happy with where it is going, I am full of energy and I continue doing what I do, take things as they come and sticking to my goals.

Learning to not compare yourself to others When I first joined the gym 24 months ago, I was a nervous wreck, I would go at odd hours, often in the middle of the night because it would be quiet. Knowing/assuming people would judge me for being a bigger person, I’d keep to myself, not do group classes or talk to anyone at the gym, I’d get in, do my thing and leave. Sadly for me this hasn’t really changed, sure I’ve made some friends but I still feel alien and like

“The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.”

– Pema Chödrön

Protein pancakes

Ingredients

Method

1 Scoop of Protein Powder (I used four protein vanilla bean)

Combine Vanilla bean Four Protein powder, egg white and almond milk in a bowl.

1 egg white almond milk to combine To serve Food for Health Coffee & Cacao Fruit Free Clusters Mayvers Cacao Super Spread Berries Coconut yoghurt

Heat a non-stick fry pan over a medium heat, brush pan with coconut oil. Put batter in pan and cook for 2 mins each side/until cooked through. Once cooked, layer pancakes with coconut yoghurt and Mayvers Cacao Super Spread. Top with Food for Health Coffee & Cacao Fruit Free Clusters. Serves 1

Chipotle Chilli Tofu Mex Bowls Ingredients

Method

400g firm tofu, diced

Mix the water and tomato paste in a large jug and stir until the paste dissolves.

1 tin kidney beans 1 chipotle chilli 500ml water Âź bunch shallots 1 cob corn 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 onion 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp ground cumin 1Âź cup long grain rice 1 avocado 1 lime, juiced Coconut yogurt, to serve

In a pan on a medium heat, cook the onion and garlic until the onion is soft. Stir in the spices and cook until fragrant. Add the rice and stir until well coated with the spices. Add the tomato paste mixture and the beans. Bring to the boil, drop the heat to mediumlow and cook, covered for about 15mins or until most of the water has been soaked up. Remove from the heat and let stand. Meanwhile, remove the corn from the cob and fry the tofu with the corn. Dice the avocado and mix it with the lime juice and salt and pepper. To serve, place the rice in a bowl, serve topped with tofu and corn mix, avocado and coconut yogurt. Serves 4

FROM THE FOOD FOR HEALTH TEAM

Food for Health team favourite breakfasts Narelle: I can never choose! I love all of my mueslis, and they are all always on constant rotation. Recently I have been loving my matcha apple pie porridge using my simply fibre muesli. The recipe is on page 12.

Jodie: my favourite at the moment would have to be Nutty Almond Fruit Free Clusters with milk and blueberries on top!

Hannah: I love our Apple and Cranberry Gluten Free Muesli with some vanilla yoghurt. So tasty!

Kerryn: I always start my day with our Nutty Almond Fruit Free Clusters.

Melinda: an oldie but a goodie… our Chia & Cinnamon Fruit Free Clusters with yoghurt and strawberries, so yummy!

Dianne: Our Coffee & Cacao Fruit Free Clusters are my go-to breakfast. I top them with yoghurt and berries.

Louise: I’m a big fan of cinnamon so my favourite is our Chia & Cinnamon Fruit Free Clusters, topped with Greek yoghurt and mixed berries – yum!

NUTRITION WITH ANNA

How to stay on track in the New Year New Year’s resolutions—we all make them and we all seem to break them. Too often eating well and working out is a practice we adopt temporarily, before innocently reverting back to old, and generally pretty poor health habits. This year, rather than vowing to lose half of your body weight drinking kale smoothies, make some attainable resolutions that are maintainable too. Not sure where to start? Here’s my top tips… Slow and steady wins the race. After festive feasting season it’s easy to feel like you need an all-out diet haul come January 1st, but changing too much too soon can often wreak disaster. Instead of trying to revolutionize your diet in seven days, start by making two to three dietary changes each week. Introduce a new type of veggie, bump up your water consumption or aim to incorporate protein with each meal. You’ll find it far easier to establish healthy habits, while enjoying a natural sense of progression and positive momentum each week. Get your environment in check. The key to maintaining

a healthy diet is to create an environment that supports your lifestyle. Whether that means clearing the house of Christmas cookies, sourcing fresh produce from the farmer’s market or pre-preparing nutritious meals for a busy week ahead, your environment can dramatically influence what ends up in your mouth. The more control you have over what’s available when hunger strikes, the easier it is to make the right choice. Kick perfectionism to the curb. I’ve got a secret to

tell you – the perfect diet doesn’t exist! Every body is different and what works nutritionally for one person might be a far cry from what works for the next. Rather than getting caught up in dietary dogma and turning vegan based on what’s happening on your Instagram feed, focus on eating intuitively and find what works for

you. Forget superfoods and so-called diet secrets and focus on sustainability and consistency. Whether that be increasing your fruit and veggie intake to naturally bump out less desirable foods, or swapping out potato chips for popcorn; adopting healthy habits which are sustainable is the most effect diet of them all. Take setbacks in your stride. If you feel like you’ve gone

a little overboard in the eating department amidst the festive cheer, don’t stress, the holidays are there to be enjoyed. Simply, up your veggie game, make sure you’re getting your daily dose of fruit and shift your focus toward filling your body with healthy wholefoods. Same goes with fitness. If you’ve let your workouts slide, don’t sweat it! Your muscle memory is still there so jump right back on the bike and get peddling. We all fall off the wagon from time to time and that’s a-ok. When it comes to staying on track in the new year or keeping on course with nutrition in general, the key is to keep it simple. Fill your body with healthy wholesome foods, implement realistic and sustainable changes and most importantly, practice balance. Life is there to be enjoyed so drink your green smoothies but enjoy indulging every now and then too. Making lifestyle changes to improve your health and wellbeing isn’t about setting yourself impossible tasks or unachievable goals, it’s about setting yourself up to be successful, however that might look for you.

NUTRITION WITH ANNA

Rosemary and rock salt teff crackers Ingredients 1 cup teff flour 2 tbsp of chia seeds ¼ cup sesame seeds ¼ cup flaxseeds ½ cup sunflower seeds 1 tsp Himalayan rock salt 1 tsp of dried rosemary ½ cup of water 1

⁄3 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Method Heat oven to 180 degrees. Place all dry ingredients in a bowl, pour in water and mix to combine. Leave for 10 mins until the chia and flax soften and bind everything together. Tip mixture on to a paper-lined oven tray and spread out as thin as possible (around 3mm thick) and sprinkle with extra salt before baking for roughly 30 minutes. Remove from oven slice into crackers, then place back in the over to cook for an additional 15 – 20 mins until crispy. Place the delicious little goodies on a rack to cool and store in an airtight container. Serves 2

Top nutrition tips It might just be the most cliché health hashtag of them all, but our health truly is our greatest wealth. The wellbeing of our precious little insides is not only our most treasured investment but quite frankly the most valuable asset we own. When it comes to our health, nothing is quite as influential as what we put in our mouths. Sure there’s elements like exercise, sleep and keeping stress levels in check which undoubtedly play a vital role, but the foundation of health always stems back to good, solid nutrition. You see, our intricate bodies are far smarter than we give them credit for. So much so that our digestive systems’ are equipped with all the nifty little enzymes required to break down, absorb and assimilate nutrients and energy from the food we eat - we simply need to feed them the right fuel. With each and every morsel we consume, we have the opportunity to supply our bodies with nutrients that generate energy, fight disease and provide us with the nourishment needed to feel our best. The better our food, the better we function. It’s really that simple!

Blueberry and coconut bread Ingredients 1½ cups almond meal ¼ cup of coconut flour 1 tsp bicarb soda 1 tbsp. vanilla extract ¼ tsp salt ½ cup coconut sugar ⁄3 cup coconut oil

4 eggs 1 cup fresh blueberries

Method Preheat over to 180 degrees. Grease loaf tin with coconut oil. In a mixing bowl combine almond meal, coconut flour, bicarb soda, coconut sugar and salt. Set aside. Whisk together eggs, melted coconut oil & vanilla. Mix wet and dry ingredients until well combined. Stir blueberries through mixture and spoon into loaf tin. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Leave to cool and enjoy! Serves 10

Get real with real food. Good nutrition will sort

Don’t fear fat. Contrary to popular belief, your

itself out if you stick to the basics. Ditch the diet, forget the detox and stay off the superfood bandwagon. Keep it simple and fill your diet with wholefoods that are as close to their natural state as possible.

body needs fat to survive and thrive. Select foods rich in healthy fats, limit foods high in saturated fats and avoid foods with trans fats. Avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds and fish are all star players in the healthy fat game.

Make fibre your friend. Beyond providing a solid digestive boost, fibre helps to keep our bellies full and our cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check. Loading up on fibre filled fruit, veggies and wholegrains has an added bonus of providing our good gut bacteria with a source of food and in turn plays a vital role in bolstering the immune system.

Eat more plants. An abundance of whole plant-

Pay attention to the protein package. Incorporating lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes and other protein rich foods in the diet not only helps to knock down hunger and keep it at bay, but also supplies the body with the building blocks required to create brain cells, muscles, skin, hair, hormones and enzymes.

significant built in cues which tell us to eat when we are hungry and stop when we are full. By paying attention to the colours, smells and textures of food, chewing slowly and removing distractions, we can bring awareness to what we eat, how we eat, and most importantly, to how hungry and full we become.

Choose good carbs not no carbs.– Say ta-ta to

Preach balance. It’s important to look after your

refined carbohydrates like cookies and cakes and hello to complex varieties like fruits, veggies and wholegrains, which provide the body with a slow sustained release of energy. These guys will keep your belly full and your blood sugar levels stable so you can give those afternoon sugar cravings the boot.

health, but it is even more important to enjoy your life. Eating pizza once a week with friends isn’t going to break you, but having an unhealthy relationship with food will. Just remember, it is what you do consistently, not what you do occasionally that counts.

based foods in the diet naturally supplies more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, less damaging fat and more fibre. And we all know these guys are essential for optimal health.

Practice mindful eating. Our body has some pretty

Vegetable Curry Ingredients 1 large brown onion 2 carrots, sliced 2 large sweet potatoes, diced ½ head cauliflower. Cut into small florets ¼ pumpkin, diced 1 medium sized eggplant, diced 2 capsicum, sliced 400g tin chopped tomatoes 1 tsp garam masala 2 tsp fennel seeds ½ tsp golden turmeric paste ¼ tsp chilli powder 1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped 1 cinnamon stick 5 fresh curry leaves 1 tin coconut milk Oil to cook

Method Heat oil in a saucepan on a medium heat. Cook onion until soft. Add potato, carrot and pumpkin. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 10mins. Add spices, garlic and ginger. Cook for a further 5mins. Add tomatoes, curry leaves, cinnamon and a cup of water to vegetables. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add cauliflower, eggplant and capsicum. Stir so it is covered and good a further 20mins or until all vegetables are soft. Add coconut cream, season and remove from heat. Serve by itself or with rice. Serves 6

Pork Satay Skewers

Ingredients

Method

800g pork scotch fillet, cut into strips

Thread the pork strips onto the wooden skewers, about 100g on each. Season with salt & pepper.

4 cloves garlic, crushed 1 onion 2 tbsp oil ½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp coriander powder ½ tsp ginger powder 1 tsp ground chilli

In a separate pan on medium heat, place the Pork and cook until brown.

250g peanut butter

Serve the port skewers covered with the satay sauce with vegetables, rice or your favorite side-dish.

2 tbps tamari

Serves 4

1 tin coconut milk 8 wooden skewers, soaked in water for a few hours

In a pot on medium heat, place the oil, crushed garlic and onion. Cook until onions are soft. Add the spice powders and cook until fragrant, about 2mins. Add the peanut butter and coconut milk – bring to the boil and then turn down to simmer for about 10mins. Add Tamari to taste.

NARELLE'S NEW YEAR HEALTH TIPS I am a big believer in everything in moderation. I don’t think starting a whole “new year new you” resolution works. Why? Because we tend to start these fad diets, stick to them for a few weeks then fall of the bandwagon and end up where we were before. Or worse - we backtrack even further from where we were. Setting small, achievable goals as your new year resolutions can make them easier to stick to in the long term. Here are some ideas for you to try this new year:

Start drinking more water: I know I often say

this… but it is the most important thing. Try to drink at least 2 litres of water every single day.

Staying hydrated will not only make you feel more awake, but can curb cravings, help your body get rid of toxins and keep your skin looking clear and glowing.

all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It breaks our overnight fast, kick starts our metabolism and provides us with energy for our day ahead.

It is easy to reach for an unhealthy banana bread or muffin when you are in a hurry, but it is important to choose a nutritious and well-rounded breakfast that is going to fuel your body for the day. I love to have a bowl of porridge or bircher using my Simply Fibre Muesli or I will have my Coffee & Cacao Fruit Free Clusters topped with yoghurt and fresh, seasonal fruit.

Switch to wholegrain: Switch your regular

white rice to brown and try brown rice or pea and lentil pasta. I also choose to have a whole grain and whole meal bread instead of white. I personally love spelt bread!

Eat a nutritious breakfast everyday: we

Move your body to feel good, not as punishment: I see this so often. People say, “oh I ate this, so I better go workout”. As Tom discussed before, there are so many benefits to moving our body... and I LOVE the way that I feel after a workout. Strive for that feeling, rather than punishing your body. You will be amazed at how good you feel.

Southern Chicken Burgers Ingredients

Method

For the Spice Mix

For the Burger

½ tsp ground cayenne pepper

2 cups potato starch

1 tsp ground cumin

500g chicken thigh

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 bunch baby cos lettuce

1 tsp paprika

¼ cabbage sliced finely

1 tsp ground black pepper

¼ cup good quality whole egg mayonnaise

1 tsp ground ginger 2 tsp dried basil 2 tsp dried bay leaves 2 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp dried sage 2 tsp dried thyme 2 tsp salt

1 avocado ½ capsicum, sliced finely 1 small carrot, sliced finely small handful of coriander, chopped finely juice from 1 lime oil of your choice to cook

Rub the chicken in the spices until it’s covered completely and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours; overnight if you can. Remove the leaves from the lettuce, wash and let dry. Place the finely sliced cabbage, capsicum, coriander, carrot and mayonnaise in a bowl and mix until combined. Set aside until ready to put the burgers together. When ready to cook, have a pan on a medium-low heat and put oil in so it covers the bottom of the pan. Once hot, coat the chicken in the potato starch and place in the pan. Cook thoroughly for about 10mins, turning to each side to ensure it cooks through evenly. To assemble your burger, place the lettuce fist, followed by slaw, chicken and then a few slices of avocado. Squeeze lime on the top of the avocado, followed by another lettuce leaf to complete the burger. Serves 4

Tiramisu Ingredients 400g cashews, soaked overnight 1 tin coconut cream 2 tsp vanilla bean 2 shots espresso 3 tbsp maple syrup 3 cups Food for Health Coffee & Cacao Clusters 2 tsp cacao (to dust)

Method Strain the soaked cashews and place in a food processor with coconut cream, vanilla and maple. Blend until extremely smooth. Separate the mix into two bowls. In one bowl, add the shots of espresso. In the bottom of a glass, add some of the clusters. Follow this with a layer of the coffee cream. Top with the vanilla cream, and sprinkle with cacao on top to serve. Serves 6

Chai Yogurt Panna Cotta with Poached Pear and Clusters Ingredients

Method

For the Panna Cotta

Place all spices, water and sugar in a saucepan on a medium-high heat and bring to the boil and turn down to medium-low. Place pears into the liquid and cook for 20mins, or until pears are tender. Allow pears to cool in syrup.

250g milk 1 cinnamon quill 1 star anise 2 cardamom pods ½ tsp black peppercorns 1 whole nutmeg 2 cloves ¼ tsp ground ginger

Place gelatin leaves with 4tbsp of water. Let stand about 1 minutes to soften. Heat gelatin mixture over a low heat until dissolved and remove from heat. Stir this mixture into the milk mixture.

250g honey yogurt

Stir the yogurt into the spiced milk and stir until fully incorporated.

5 leaves of gelatin

Disperse mixture evenly across panna cotta moulds and place in fridge for at least 3 hours, or until fully set. They should be firm, but still wobbly.

For the Pear 1 cinnamon quill 1 star anise

Serve with our Chia & Cinnamon Clusters and your poached pears.

2 cardamom pods

Serves 4

½ tsp black peppercorns 1 whole nutmeg 2 cloves ¼ tsp ground ginger 4 cups water 1 cup coconut sugar 2 whole pears, peeled and cored To serve Chia & Cinnamon Fruit Free Clusters

Place the milk and all spices in a heavy based saucepan on a low heat. Heat slowly and let simmer about 10mins. Take off the heat and let cool slightly. Strain the spices from the liquid.

FEEDING KIDS WITH NARELLE I have two very different eaters in my family. Jack is a meat and 3 veg eater and Millie loves flavour. Pad Thai, Tom Yum soup and sushi are on top of Millie’s favorite foods list. Where I have a problem with Millie is that straight veggies are a no go, so I have to play the hiding game or make her plate interesting to look at. If you have fussy kids here are my key ideas to help you get through meal times with ease.

2: We have a little veggie patch

in our new house and Millie and Jack love getting involved by picking herbs, capsicums and tomatoes. This is another great way to get kids involved with the whole food process.

3: Both Millie and Jack get to pick one meal a week that we make: Millie on

Mondays and Jack on Wednesdays.

This engagement gets the ideas flowing and the kids thinking about food…

1: Millie loves to cook and ‘help mum’ in the kitchen. I find that this really helps the end result.

For example: she chooses the veggies we grate to go into my Spag Bol sauce. This is a win win as she then wants to eat what she has helped me make. She also loves to mash the veggies. It goes everywhere, but a little fun in the kitchen in my house makes for an empty plate!

4: I have a food chart

which has snack and food ideas inside my pantry door… Millie especially loves to tell me all the names of each fruit and veg and what we can do with them. Education and healthy conversations around food is a great starting block for good food behaviors as they grow.

5: My final idea is being organised. I do

my weekly shop every Sunday so that I am ready for the week ahead. I always have plenty of healthy options to chose from so I never get stuck for ideas.

Here are a few family friendly recipes that are always on rotation in my kitchen that my children love:

Kids Breakfast Quesadilla Ingredients

Method

2 tortilla wraps

Heat a pan to a low/medium heat. Beat the eggs and add the paprika, salt & pepper. Cook until firm, stirring continuously to make scrambled eggs.

2 eggs 20g shaved ham

Handful of spinach

Heat a sandwich press. Lay one tortilla down and place the scrambled eggs first, followed my ham, spinach, tomatoes and then cheese evenly covering the whole tortilla. Place the second tortilla on top and close the sandwich press. Cook until brown.

Âź tsp paprika

Cut into 8 even triangles.

2 cherry tomatoes 20g cheese

Salt & pepper

Serves 2

FEEDING KIDS WITH NARELLE

Zucchini Slice Ingredients

Method

6 eggs

Grate Zucchini and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 10mins. Place in a sieve and squeeze out excess water.

4 medium zucchinis, grated 2 tbsp salt Â˝ cup feta cheese, crumbled 1 large onion, diced 1 cup gluten free self-raising flour 200g bacon, diced Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 170 degrees and line a lamington tray with baking paper. In a bowl, beat the eggs and then add all other ingredients. Stir until fully combined. Pour into the lined tray and place in the oven for 30-40 mins or until fully cooked. Serve hot or cold.â&#x20AC;&#x192; Serves 10

San Choy Bao Ingredients

Method

500g lean mince

In a pan on medium heat, place the ginger, garlic and onion. Cook until onion is soft. Add mushrooms and cook until soft. Add mince and cook until brown. Add the oyster sauce and tamari. Let simmer 5 minutes. Stir in sesame seeds and coriander.

1 tsp finely grated ginger 1 tsp crushed garlic 2 tbsp oyster sauce 2 tbsp tamari 1 medium onion, finely diced 6 button mushrooms, finely diced 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

Serve in lettuce leaves. Serves 4

1 tbsp sesame seeds 1 bunch baby cos lettuce

Honey Joys Ingredients 90g butter 4 tbsp rice malt syrup 2 cups Food for Heath Nutty Almond Fruit Free Clusters

Method Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line a 24-whole cupcake tray with cupcake papers. Melt butter with rice malt syrup until frothy. Add clusters and mix well. Spoon mixture into cupcake cases. Place in oven and bake for 10mins. Allow to cool before serving. Serves 24

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THANK YOU

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our e-book. I honestly hope you enjoyed it and more importantly tried some of the recipes. My family loved the chipotle chilli tofu mex bowls. Just delicious! Thank you to all of our amazing contributors, Alice Toleman, Tom Hose, Alyce Crawford and Anna Warren. Also thank you to my amazing shoot day team. Olivia Wilson, Alice Stephens and Hannah Burgess, this could not have happened without you… but most of all thank you to my beautiful daughter Millie who was on her A game on shoot day at our home. Millie posed for many a photo and taste tested all our recipes. Thank you Millie for being my little shadow…

We love that you’ve taken the time to read our 2018 edition of Love… We hope you’ll join us again for our 2019 edition next year. Thanks to our contributors and friends for their tireless work. Editorial: Narelle Plapp Recipe Creation: Narelle Plapp and Olivia Wilson Photography: Alice Stephens Assistant: Hannah Burgess