Tag Archives: drinks

3 Ingredient Iced Tea

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Ice tea

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh man, has it been hot. That’s not even a question. It’s a statement.

While staying away from the alcohol on my January Paleo eating, my options of super refreshing drinks have been limited to the following:

  • ice cold water
  • soda water and lemon
  • kombucha

But what about when your kombucha is finished and you’re patiently waiting for the next couple bottles to brew? Ping! Iced Tea. Duh.

My mom reminded me of her really simple Rooibos homemade iced tea recipe, which is less of a recipe and more of a throw-this-together drink. So we made some and it was DELICIOUS (and really easy to make and really healthy).

3 ingredient Iced Tea, made from rooibos tea, lemon wedges and mint leaves. If you really need it a touch sweeter you could add some xylitol or erythritol (and if you don’t have either then yes, you can add in a litttttle sugar if you so wish).

Pop it in the fridge, add some ice blocks and drink away.

Picture credit: www.huffingtonpost.com

Green ‘GET ME BACK TO HEALTH’ Kale Smoothie

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I’m stiiiiiill sick. Argh man, it’s been too long and I’m just not on top of it. So, after devouring half a slab of chocolate earlier in despair, I decided I needed to up my attitude and EAT my way back to health… (because who doesn’t love eating). Starting with greens.

So I dashed off to the shops and stocked up on EVERY fruit and veg known to mankind (okay, you know I’m exaggerating), but I loaded up (including a 5kg pocket of oranges) and came home ready to propel this bod back to health.

Since my kids love making smoothies/juicing, it’s a family affair. No extra energy needed (of which I currently have a limited supply).

Green ‘GET ME BACK TO HEALTH’ Kale Smoothie:

– 5 leaves of kale (de-stemmed)
– 2 apples (chopped)
– 1 small pineapple (chopped)
– 2 oranges (de-skinned. Bring on the Vit C)
– half a cucumber (peeled)
– cup of water (to get that blending going)
– half a tray of ice cubes (for the chilled effect)

Blend. Drink. Feel good.

Step 1 to health, done.

ww.thesweetlight.com

Lemon Water – a must drink each morning…

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Thanks to Organic Health and Healthy Food House, we have 16 pretty awesome reasons to drink lemon water first thing in the morning. So, no more excuses.

Also – for those of you joining us on Paleo With Me August, this will be a good replacement for your morning coffee (if you can’t drink coffee without milk).

Here they are!

16 Ways in Which Lemon Water Helps Your Health

Lemon Water - the sweet light

1. Weight loss

Lemon water will help you maintain a healthy weight and regulate your blood sugar. The pectin contained in lemon water can also fight off those cravings, thus will make you eat less throughout the day.

2. Immune System

Lemon water also supports our lymphatic system as well, which works in conjunction with our immune system.

 3. Flu and Cold

Lemon enhances the immune system and has many antiviral and antibacterial effects, since it is rich in vitamin C, which makes it a superb remedy for colds and flu.

4. Acne

The consumption of lemon water in the morning will help to metabolize the acidic temperature of your body, and thus it will prevent those annoying breakouts.

5. Constipation

Drinking lemon water can prevent and get rid of constipation, for it promotes regular bowel movements. Undoubtedly, lemon water is great for your digestive health.

6. Kidney Stones

People often forget this benefit of lemon use. Lemons contain potassium which increases citrates in your urine, and in that way, it prevents the forming of oxalate, and flushes out kidney stones.

7. Gall Bladder

You can significantly reduce the pain due to gall bladder stones by drinking lemon water while you eat.

8. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

TUMS can be substituted with lemon water.

9. Colitis

Lemon water can help to balance your pH levels, and Colitis is an imbalance of the acid/alkaline levels within the body.

10. Fibromyalgia

People dealing with exhaustion from fibromyalgia can drink lemon water in combination with yoga stretches in order to feel some improvement.

11. Joint Pain and Swelling

Lemon water helps to reduce the amounts of uric acid amounts in our joints, thus reducing inflammation. It is extremely beneficial for people with arthritis, since it reduces the pain.

12. Inflammation

Acidity is the leading cause of inflammation in tissues. Lemons possess anti-inflammatory properties so they neutralize acidity.

13. Finger Nail Health

Lemon water increases the hardness of one’s nails as well as clearing up those white spots that appear on them from time to time.

 14. Muscle Soreness

Drinking lemon water can reduce the pain in sore muscles substantially. So, after hard workout, do not forget to consume it.

15. Alcohol Cravings

Kick that alcohol craving by drinking lemon water at parties.

16. Food-Borne Illnesses

Drinking lemon water can help you to avoid any sort of food poisoning.

Beautiful images by The Sweet Light 

Healthy Hot Chocolate

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It’s winter. Full and proper. And winter is synonymous with rain, indoor fires, wellies by day, slippers by night, thick chunky soup with toasted ciabatta, down duvets and hot chocolate and marshmallows.

I love a spoil (such as hot choc) but can’t get over the sugar laden, fake milk powdery, chemical-and-preservative-filled-nonsense-hot-choc. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that it isn’t delicious (it certainly is) but it’s not at all healthy. And since you can’t NOT have hot choc in winter – I made it my mission to find a healthier alternative.

I’m happy to report, I found 3 very good options (ranging in simplicity and preference):

1. The Red Basket Food Company’s Warm/Cold Chocolate:

This is simple: its a pre-made hot (or cold) choc powder ready to mix with warm or cold milk/water and voia la. It’s pretty decent tasting as far as a substitute goes and my 3yr old taste tester really enjoys it.

(Ingredients are: Isomalt, Cocoa (26%), Coconut Oil, MCT Oil, Sunflower Lecithin, Stevia, Xanthin Gum)

2. Superfoods Organic Cacao Powder (Raw Chocolate): MY FAVE

Superfoods have a great range of healthy healthy healthy powders, butters, seeds, berries and smoothie mixes. You can read up on the benefits of cacao powder here. The organic raw cacao powder can be mixed raw sugar (or honey) and milk to make a delicious and rich hot choc. I love the Superfoods range. Again, a real winner. I’d encourage you to sprinkle some organic cacao nibs on top on particularly cold nights.

3. Dairy-Free Mind Body Green Healthy Hot Choc (this one is a bit more higher grade – for those who are keen to give a slightly more complicated recipe a go…)

This version of hot chocolate is the perfect dairy-free alternative to the popular beverage. The recipe is full of minerals and healthy fats, including magnesium, silica, and omega-3 fatty acids. Raw cocoa, hemp hearts, Medjool dates, raw honey, vanilla powder, and cinnamon are the ingredients necessary for this recipe. You can experiment by adding other super foods such as goji berries and pre-soaked chia seeds. It is advised to start slowly until you become accustomed to these nutrient-dense foods.

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ Tbsp. of raw cocoa (you can use a melted chocolate bar if you prefer, but choose a high quality, fair-trade one with 70 to 80% cocoa and minimal added sugar)
  • 2 Tbsp hemp hearts
  • 2 Medjool dates
  • 1 Tbsp raw honey (more if you like)
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Preparation

Add all ingredients to your high-speed blender.
Bring 2 ½ cups of water to boil. (You can simply warm the water to the desired temperature if you prefer keeping the cocoa raw and all the enzymes intact.)
Blend and pour into your favorite cup.
Enjoy whether you’re in the midst of snow and ice or someplace warmer.

So – the moral of the story is clear. Don’t hold back. There’s no need to deny yourself this winter essential, in fact, we encourage you to dive in and go wild.

Pssssst… while on the hunt for healthy hot choc, I found this recipe for healthy CHOCOLATE and had everything in my pantry to make them – so I thought I’d add it to this post…

Directions for real, raw healthy chocolates (from Superfoods themselves) to eat alongside your real rich healthy hot choc (I mean – why not).

Ingredients

Preparation

Melt the cacao butter and coconut oil in a double boiler.
Add the melted liquid to your blender and add honey.
Slowly add the cacao powder and vanilla and blend on low speed until mixed. All ingredients can be mixed by hand if you don’t have a blender.
Pour into ice cube trays (or cupcake wrappers) and set in the fridge. 

… and don’t forget to add your homemade marshmallows. The options really are endless.

What’s your fave warm winter bevvie?

Banana, Peanut Butter & Yoghurt Smoothie

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Banana, Peanut Butter & Yoghurt Smoothie:

PB Honey Smoothie

This is a super delicious, super easy, no brainer smoothie I often make after school with the kids. Clay went through a blender phase and so smoothies became a regular afternoon treat. This is also a fave post workout drink. Give it a go!

INGREDIENTS:

2 ripe bananas
1.5 cups of double cream yoghurt (the less hormones and additives the better, or homemade yoghurt is even better!)
A big tablespoon of smooth peanut butter
A big teaspoon of honey
2 T chia seeds

Throw it all in the blender with a splash of milk or water to get it moving and let blend it for a couple minutes allowing the peanut butter and honey to mix throughout. YUM.

Dare we suggest you try Kombucha?

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I have Clayden’s distressing bum rash, Google and Wellness Mama to thank for my life changing approach to more natural, organic products and the difference they have made to our family.

This healthy blogger, Wellness Mama, kept on and on about kombucha… and I couldn’t pronounce the word, let alone bother to find out about what exactly it was. Then my friend Suvi offered me a SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast) and a game of tennis and that sealed the deal. It was late last summer and I was desperate to get this body onto a tennis court.

So over Suvi came with her SCOBYs and her bottles and her brown/orange liquid with floaty bits in. We went through the first couple steps in kombucha making, headed down the road for some tennis and came back to finish off my first brew. A pretty splendid afternoon.

And I’ve been addicted ever since. Not only is this easy, but its low maintenance, really healthy and super flavoursome (you can play with adding so many fruits/juice flavours). My favourite being pineapple. Also, you feel like you should get a gold star for creativity in the kitchen.

What exactly is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a fermented sweetened tea that has been around for centuries. It is slightly tangy and slightly sweet, and a great treat on a summer day.  Kombucha can be double fermented into a fizzy soda with a slight fruit taste.

Kombucha contains high levels of antioxidants, b-vitamins, probiotics and glucaric acid. It has been reported to have a variety of health benefits including:

  • liver detoxification
  • improved pancreas function
  • increased energy
  • better digestion
  • improved mood (helps with anxiety/depression)
  • kills Candida (yeast)
  • helps nutrient assimilation

Lets give it a go then shall we?

My simple recipe:

  • 3 litres water
  • 3 or 4 teabags (orange pekoe/regular tea, or you can use Rooibos if you prefer)
  • ½ – ¾ cup sugar (the best quality, most unprocessed you can find)
  • A SCOBY (preferably in some starter kombucha itself)

Equipment required: big pot, 3l glass jars, cheesecloth (or a dish cloth), elastic band.

Pour the water into the pot along with the teabags and sugar and bring to boil. Make sure the teabags have brewed their tea nicely and the sugar is all dissolved. In essence you’ve made really sweet tea. Remove from the stove and let it cool until it reaches room temperature (SCOBY’s are destroyed in hot water so be very sure you allow it to cool properly).

Once the tea is cool, pour it into your large glass jar and gently pour in the starter kombucha and place the SCOBY in the jar. Cover with cheesecloth and seal with the elastic around the neck of the bottle – allowing it to breathe but not letting the fruit flies in. Let it sit for 10-14 days. Put it aside, or in a place where you can forget about it for a while. (Interestingly I found that kombucha in SA brews SO much faster than in Canada).

Photo Cred: http://fyi.uwex.edu/safepreserving/files/2014/06/kombucha.jpg

 

After about 10-14 days, take a peek at the top of your bottle. You should see that your kombucha has formed a new thick SCOBY on the top of your brew. Then you know its ready(ish?). This is no exact science. Then you can decant your kombucha into smaller bottles (drinkable portions) and seal them up tightly to make kombucha soda. This is when you can add fruit (grapes/pineapple etc.) or a bit of real juice and continue to let it brew – remember to leave out of the fridge. This is called the Second Brew. This takes about another 5 days or so until then fizz up nicely.

And that’s that! Drink, enjoy, feel proud that you’re now a brew master, and repeat.

Wellness Mama has kindly researched for us, the benefits of drinking kombucha. Read all about it here. If you’d like to buy a starter kit – do so here 🙂